All of your cycling news: March 24, 2010

In today’s cycling news, Three Days of De Panne looking for calendar slot, Charteau out after encounter with cat, Keukeleire staying with Cofidis, Track News and more…

• Edvald Boasson Hagen (Team Sky) is grappling with a slight inflammation of the Achilles tendon and pain that hit him in the final of the Milan – San Remo. “In reality it is nothing serious,” said the Norwegian cyclist. “I have only concern for a few days. Of course my hope is to be able to defend my title at Sunday’s Gent-Wevelgem.”
• The Three Days of De Panne is fighting for its place on the UCI race calendar. Organizers of the E3-Prijs Harelbeke would like to move to the Wednesday before the Tour of Flanders, leaving De Panne looking for a new spot. Some have proposed that TDDP become a one day race, but organizers are opposed to that plan.
• Anthony Charteau (BBox-Bouyges Telecom) was hospitalized after breaking his femur during a collision with a cat in Sunday’s GP Chôlet-Pays de Loire. The French pro was part of a long escape before encountering the cat. [It is not known if the cat was black. - Ed.]
• There is no doubt that Jens Keukeleire has had an impressive start to his season. Some are wondering if he will leave for greener pastures, but the neo-pro says, “If it depends on me, I would prefer to remain with Cofidis. No other team gave me so many opportunites so soon, so I feel good here. The atmosphere is for the best with the (other) Belgians (Sijmens, Ista and Zingle). We are not just teammates, but real friends. So let me here just quietly grow.”
• Of course, there’s a question of whether it will be possible to stay with the team. Sponsor Cofidis has already reduced team budgets and will decide later this year if it will continue after 2010.
• Keukeleire says that he would like to be the new Tom Boonen. He says that he would love to have Boonen’s palmares and adds that Boonen seems truly happy as well.
• Tom Boonen will do double duty this weekend, riding in both the E3-Prijs Harelbeke (Saturday) and Gent-Wevelgem (Sunday). Quick-Step team manager Patrick Lefevere yesterday cut the knot and keeps the two organizers happy. The Belgian champion has a soft spot for Harelbeke, the rate which he won four times in a row.

Track News:

• Iljo Keisse will likely undergo surgery today for the collarbone that was broken during training for the Track World Championships. Keisse bemoans the months of hard work that all went away with one crash. Doctors say that his break is clean and should heal quickly. Keisse hopes to get back on the bike as quickly as possible to keep as much fitness as he can.
• An eight-member United States squad including a pair of current and former world champions will compete in 14 events at the 2010 UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Copenhagen, Denmark, March 24-28. U.S. residents can watch the entire competition via on-demand webcast on www.universalsports.com beginning this Wednesday at 1:30 ET.

Tags: Bouyges Telecom, Cofidis, collarbone, Denmark, Edvald Boasson Hagen, Gent-Wevelgem, Harelbeke, Iljo Keisse, Jens Keukeleire, Team Sky, Three Days of de Panne, Tom Boonen, Tour of Flanders, Track World Championships, World Championships