All of your cycling news: December 29, 2009

In today’s cycling news, Lance Armstrong says that Alberto Contador career is just starting, Stephane Auge breaks finger in training accident, Footon-Servetto drops negotiations with four riders and more….

• Former Liquigas rider Murilo Fischer of Brazil has signed a contract with the Acqua & Sapone team for the 2010 season.
• Alexandre Vinokourov is expected to open his season at the Tour Méditerranéen (February 10 to 14) before taking on Tirreno-Adriatico and the Giro del Trentino. Two days after those races he’ll make an attempt at repeating his 2005 triumph at Liege-Bastogne-Liege.
• Theo Eltink did not receive a contract extension from Skil-Shimano this year and after looking for another team, has decided to retire. He spent five years with Rabobank before moving to Skil.
• The 50th edition of the Brabantse Pijl (Brabant Arrow) will have a new arrival town. It will now stop in Overijse instead of Beersel. The race moves in the calendar as well, and will now run on Wednesday, April 14, between Paris-Roubaix and the Amstel Gold race.
• Yet another “pro” crashes during a training ride: Cofidis’ Stephane Auge broke a finger on a training ride yesterday and will have to wear a splint on it for three weeks.
• In a preview of an interview with the Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad, Lance Armstrong said that Alberto Contador’s career has barely begun. He does not completely dismiss that they may be be civil to each other at some point, but for now, they are and will be rivals.
• The Footon-Servetto team has had to terminate negotiations with four riders (David Herrero, Dionisio Galparsoro, Mikel Gaztañaga and Josu Agirre) because of economic difficulties. Despite the arrival of COPE as a sponsor, the team is not able to recruit all of the athletes that they want. The latest to sign for the team were Aitor Perez (Contentpolis) and Johnnie Walker (Trek-Marco Polo).
• Sven Nys’ tumble during the Zolder cross race knocked his pelvis out of alignment. It took a trip to the osteopath to get things back in line.
• Sven Vanthourenhout is almost certain to remain with Sunweb-Projob. The news is a bit surprising as he was expected to leave the team.