Road News and Results – April 17, 2009

Here’s the latest in cycling news from BikeWorldNews, your home for bicycle racing news and more.

Tyler Hamilton resigns to fight depression, Lance Armstrong gets support from the rider’s union, soccer wants an “out” from out of competition tests and more…

Results:

• Team Bissell took all three podium spots at the Sea Otter criterium. Morgan Schmitt, Ben Jacques-Maynes and Kirk O’Bee went off the front and rode a three man time trial all the way to the finish.
• Mauro Finetto (CSF) won the sixth stage in the Tour of Turkey. Danilo Hondo thought he had it and sat up too early. Daryl Impey (Barloworld) is the new leader.

Disabled List:

• Tom Stubbe fell and hurt his foot after the fifth stage of the Tour of Turkey while holding onto the team trailer while the riders were transferring to their hotel, 20 miles from the finish.

Amstel Gold Race:

• Astana is sending what might be thought of as its “B” team to Amstel Gold: Assan Bazayev, Alexandr Dyachenko, Jesús Hernández, Maxim Iglinskiy, Berik Kupeshov, Steve Morabito, Dmitriy Muravyev and Benjamín Noval.
• Defending champion Daminao Cunego will captain a squad consisting of Bandiera, Bono, Gasparotto, Gavazzi, Mori Manuele, Righi and Santambrogio.
• Silence Lotto seems to think that they may finally have their act together to do something at the race. They are looking to Johan Vansummeren to make an impact. Thomas Dekker has been cited as a possible contendor as well.
• Caisse d’Epargne’s Alejandro Valverde will appear, but does not expect a win. He says that he has only 13 days of racing in his legs.
• Columbia-Highroad for the Amstel Gold Race: Michael Albasini (Swi); Marcus Burghardt (Ger); Kim Kirchen (Lux); Craig Lewis (USA); Tony Martin (Ger); Maxime Monfort (Bel); Marco Pinotti (Ita); Michael Rogers (Aus).

The News:

• As you know by now, Tyler Hamilton announced that, in light of a doping positive from DHEA in a over the counter anti-depression medicine, he will resign to seek care for clinical depression. I’m amazed at the number of people who have tried to minimize the symptoms and effects of clinical depression and who have even called its existence into question. Hamilton’s maternal grandmother committed suicide and both his mother and sister have suffered from the disease.
• Lance Armstrong has confirmed that he will race the Giro. Should come as no surprise as he started racking up some big mile days on the bike barely a week after the surgery.
• Cédric Vasseur, President of the ACP has given support to Lance Armstrong in his recent battles with French anti-doping authorities. “He (made) a small error, a yellow card as a warning would be sufficient,” said the French ex-pro (and former teammate of Armstrong. “This has (nothing to do with the anti-doping fight), that’s persecution,”
• The Association of Professional Cyclists has seen a fairly significant drop in the number of pros. The are 866 pros registered with the UCI. Sounds like a lot, but that is a 21 percent drop from 2008 and a 29 percent drop from 2007.
• Levi Leipheimer will race Sea Otter’s road and circuit races taking place today and tomorrow.
• The mayor of Camphin and Pevèle, the municipality in whose territory the notorious Carrefour de l’Arbre is located, has filed complaint against the organizers of Paris-Roubaix. He’s fed up with the rowdy behavior and mounds of trash left behind by the Flemish spectators who flock to the area for the race.
• Katusha’s Robbie McEwen went out for a short training ride yesterday. He is sore but is at least able to turn the pedals around.
• The FIFA, the world organizing group for soccer, has asked WADA for an exemption for doping controls for their players. They say that doping controls that take place while the rider is on holiday, or on winter or summer break, or disabled place an undue burden on their privacy.
• Quick Step is looking for Carlos Barredo to fill Paolo Bettini’s role in the hilly spring classics like Amstel Gold and Liege-Bastogne-Liege.
• The Dutch region of South Limburg has applied to host the Cycling World Chamionships in 2012 or 2013.
• Astana’s Andreas Klöden will pass on defending his title at the Tour of Romandie and will instead focus his efforts on the Giro del Trentino. He cited the removal of the individual time trial as his reason for dropping out of the race.
• The judge in charge of the Operation Puerto case has refused to grant the Spanish Cycling Federation access to their files.

Tags: AIGCP, Alejandro Valverde, astana, Barloworld, bi bike, bikes, Cedric Vasseur, cycling, dhea, doping, focus, katusha, Lance Armstrong, Paris-Roubaix, Silence-Lotto, soccer, surgery, Team Bissell, thomas dekker, Time, Turkey, Tyler Hamilton, UCI, WADA