Following on from last weekend’s Belgian semi-classic races, we’ve decamped to the utterly gorgeous and very evocative Tuscan countryside. I half-expected Russell Crowe of Gladiator fame to put in an appearance. But today the gladiators were wearing lyrca and their steeds were made of carbon. The race on the Strade Bianche was won – for the second time – in imperious fashion by Spartacus, aka Fabian Cancellara (RadioShack-Nissan), who rode away from the leading group 12 km from the finish, and quickly built a sufficient cushion as he time-trialled his way to a solo victory in the historic Piazzo del Campo in Siena.
Daily Archives: March 3, 2012
Paris-Nice preview
This World Tour event is known as the ‘Race to the Sun’ because the race leaves the cold wintry climes of Paris and heads south towards the traditionally warmer weather of the Cote d’Azur to finish in Nice.
The parcours for this year’s eight-stage Paris-Nice is bookended by two individual time trials. The race will be dipping a toe into cycling history with a start in the footsteps of the now defunct Grand Prix des Nations and a nail-biting climax on Col d’Eze where riders such as Sean Kelly, Stephen Roche and Miguel Indurain have sealed their Paris-Nice victories in years gone by. Continue reading
Early season Italian races review
The start of the cycling season in Italy has been dominated by those boys in eye-catching lime green – Liquigas – Cannondale – who have a fairly formidable roster whatever the terrain.
We’re going to be taking a quick look back at the GP Costa degli Estruscha, Giro della Provincia di Reggio Calabria, Trofeo Laiguelia and, expanding into the Italian speaking region of Switzerland, the GP di Lugano. These races showed who’s got early-season form and who’s just warming up for the later, bigger races.