All of your cycling news: February 26, 2010

In today’s cycling news, more snippets from Het Nieuwsblad, Masters Road National Championships to Bend, Contador conspiracy theorists can rest easy and more….

• Sportwereld asked Johan Museeuw, Jose De Cauwer and Walter Godefroot for their opinions on the contendors for this weekend’s races. Museeuew and De Cauwer think that Edvald Boasson Hagen may shine, but Godefroot thinks that he may still be subject to some rookie mistakes. Tom Boonen, Phillipe Gilbert and Stijn Devolder are all mentioned as possibilities as well.
• Lars Boom (Rabobank) will make his 2010 road debut at the Het Nieuwsbald. He was ill during the team’s January training camp, and passed on the Tour of the Algarve due to a cold.
• Tom Boonen likes his chances for this weekend’s races, saying that he has never felt so fit this early in the season.
• Phillipe Gilbert finally made it to Belgium and was able to do a partial recon of the Het Nieuwsblad course. He especially likes the new finish area and the slightly sloping closing kilometer.
• Gilbert’s teammate Greg Van Avermaet was not able to make the recon due to gastroenteritis, but will ride on Saturday, saying that he feels well enough and is “cautiously optimistic’ for the race.
• Björn Leukemans (Vacansoleil) will start on Saturday, but his teammate Wouter Mol will take a pass. Mol waited until Friday morning to make the decision, but still did not feel up to it.
• Verandas Willems will swap James Vanlandschoot and Sven Van Den Houte for Jef De Wilde and Jonas Vangenechten for the race. De Wilde and Vangenechten fell ill.

Other News:

• USA Cycling has awarded the 2011 and 2012 Masters Road National Championships to Bend, Ore. Following the city’s successful hosting of the Elite/U23/Juniors Road and the Cyclo-cross National Championships, the cycling hotbed is now poised to host another round of the nation’s best.
• Damiano Cunego will be on the bike for this weekend’s races with Lampre-Farnese Vini. The three time winner of Giro di Lombardia, who injured his forearm on Monday in a crash at the Vuelta a Andalucia, will take part in GP Insubria and GP Lugano with team mates Buts, Loosli, Lorenzetto, Malori, Ponzi, Spilak and Ulissi, directed by Brent Copeland.
• Katie Compton has confirmed her attendance in the Paris to Ancaster on April 18 2010. The 60km race from Paris to Ancaster has taken place for the past sixteen years over the roughest farm lanes, trails and gravel roads in Ontario, Canada.
• The UCI has given a number of riders 30 days to explain abnormal blood values detected under the biological passport program.  An independent nine-member expert panel will review the opinions of the suspected rider before any disciplinary anti-doping procedures are undertaken.
• The UCI also announced that anti-doping chief Anne Gripper would resign in the coming days from her post. She will be succeeded by Francesco Rossi.
• Milram’s Roger Kluge will be going to medals in the Points Race and the Madison in the Track World Championships, starting March 24th in Copenhagen.
• The Vacansoleil and Skil-Shimano teams have been assured of a wildcard spot at this year’s Amstel Gold Race. After accounting for the 18 Pro Tour teams, there are likely 3 more spots available.
• All of you conspiracy theorists can rest now. The UCI has also prohibited Fabian Cancellara’s Specialized Shiv time trail bike. It wasn’t just Alberto Contador that they were targeting. [Didn't the Shiv pass muster during the Tour de France last year? Weren't the rules in effect at that time? - Ed.]

Tags: alberto contador, amstel gold race, biological passport, Copenhagen, Damiano Cunego, doping, Edvald Boasson Hagen, Fabian Cancellara, Greg Van Avermaet, Johan Museeuw, katie compton, Lampre-Farnese Vini, lars boom, National Championships, Phillipe Gilbert, Rabobank, Roger Kluge, Skil-Shimano, specialized, Stijn Devolder, Tom Boonen, tour of the algarve, Track World Championships, UCI, USA Cycling, vacansoleil, vuelta a andalucia, World Championship, World Championships