The 2010 Tour of Missouri which was supposed to be scheduled on August 31 to September 5 was slated for cancellation due to inadequate funding of the project. The Missouri state tourism closed its annual budget but without the $1 million needed by the organizers Medalist Sports. This closes the door to the race unless a window opens and a major sponsor gives the deficit amount.
Medalist Sports even tried to raise the needed funds for the event and fans spearheaded a “Save the Tour of Missouri” campaign. Still, the $1.5 million budget gap was too much. Lieutenant governor Pete Kinder penned and open letter and urged fans to let their voices be heard so that Governor Jay Nixon might be able to do something to rectify the situation.
The Tour of Missouri, Inc. chairman Mike Weiss released a statement over the state’s decision on the budget for the event, “This may…
With the surge on anti-doping in cycling, the International Cycling Union (UCI) started to look into irregular readings from the biological passport data. This intensive move was brought about several factors including the recent Floyd Landis case. Francesco De Bonis was first to be sanctioned a two year ban due to doping. De Bonis was also fined €13,000. The basis for the said doping charge was due to Italian’s blood profile. The irregular readings were testament to De Bonis’ guilt even if he has never tested positive in any anti-doping tests.
UCI issued a statement regarding the case, “The UCI emphasizes the historic importance of this first judgment under the scope of the biological passport programme, introduced by the UCI in 2008.”
A UCI spokeperson added that De Bonis was caught and judged based on the findings in his biological passport. UCI also cited that Spanish cyclist Antonio Colom Mas is…
At the Giro d’Italia, Frenchman Damien Monier, sprinted alone for 3 kms and gained is first professional win. Damien fitted with his two breakaway riders, Danilo Hondo and Stefan Kruijswijk on stage 17. It was pure luck when his teammate Tristan Valentin got ill and Monier took his place which brought to colorful start of his career.
After the race, the 27 year old Frenchman explained that it is his eighth season with the team Cofidis and is considered to be a veteran. He said, “Probably I turned pro too young, only four years after starting cycling at 17,” and added, “I almost returned to the amateur ranks because I didn’t have the level of professional cycling. I fought for results and only last year I started to get some.” He placed fourth in the 2009 Tour de 1’Ain and was getting offers by other French teams.
Bernard Quilfen, Directeur Sportif knew…
Russian rider Denis Menchov of Rabobank opted not to race at the Giro d’Italia this month and decided to focus on the Tour de France. Menchov retired early from the race, about 30 km into stage 1. He was aiming to prove he was fit and able after suffering from bronchitis. Sadly, Menchov discovered he wasn’t fit enough to continue the race in such bad weather conditions. He pulled out from the race on its first day.
Directeur Sportif Jan Boven said, “It was hectic in the peloton in the rain and the wind. There was lots of fighting for position and once Denis came off, it no longer made sense for him to keep going.”
Menchov was scheduled to do a period of training in the mountains of Sierra Nevada which he cancelled as well. Menchov plans to make a successful comeback come June 6 Sunday at the Criterium du…
In the 2010 UCI BMX World Championship in July, the hand picked South African team to be competing is being led by Sifiso Nhlapo and reinforced by other riders who hope to win world titles in their respective age groups. Nhlapo is South Africa’s hope in bagging the gold medal in the Men’s Elite category’s blue riband.
In 2008, Skizo as he is known had a superb season and proved that he’s got what it takes to win against the world’s bests after his remarkable performances in Europe. He won the bronze medal at the World Championship and placed seventh at the Olympics. However, fate robbed him of the opportunity to earn a medal due to a crash.
This year, Nhlapo is on a comeback trail. In Copenhagen, site of the latest World Cup event, Skizo was in the semi finals showing that his preparations are on the right course for…
Josh Lane (BMX Park) came out as a finalist at Rye Airfield in Rye, N.H., during the Gatorade Free Flow Tour. Lane avails of an automatic bid into the Gatorade Free Flow Tour Finals that will be held on September 16-19, 2010 during the Dew Tour’s Toyota Challenge at the Energy Solutions arena in Salt Lake City.
The seventeen-year-old from Portsmouth, N.H. gained the BMX park victory at the Rye Airfield, showcased his unique style across the entire park. Lane awed the judges and the crowd alike. At the final stunt jam, Lane initiated a jump landing to mimic superman as he whipped the big box backwards.
Hailing from Massachusetts, Matt Ray was in second place while Brett Silva took the third. “This contest was amazing,” said Lane, “I’m gonna train non-stop so I can win the finals.”
Rye Airfield manager Beau Lambert was so excited with the outcome, “As always,…
The UCI BMX World Championships in Pietermaritzburg is just ten weeks away from now and the countdown has started. Top riders are getting into strict training schedules to get into their best form and physical shape to meet the challenge of this year’s most important event. In the Royal Show Grounds, the Elite and Junior men’s and women’s World Championship events jump off on this custom-built track specifically designed for this purpose on July 31, Saturday. Practices for all riders will commence on the 27th of July, Tuesday. On Thursday, July 29 to August 1, races for all other classes are to get underway.
Sifiso Nhlapo is sure to be vying for the win in Pietermaritzburg. His rise through the international ranks was held up during a terrible crash in 2009 while in training. Known as Skizo among his countrymen, he placed third in the 2008 World Championships in China….
