Daily Archives: April 1, 2012

One-day races

GP Miguel Indurain review

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Moreno with Miguel indurain (image courtesy of Susi Goetze CyclingInside)

Moreno with Miguel Indurain (image courtesy of Susi Goetze CyclingInside)

Daniel Moreno (Katusha) surged at just the right moment on the final testing climb [Sheree would know, she rode up it twice – Ed] to the Basilica del Puy to claim his second victory of the season in yesterday’s GP Miguel Indurain, in Estella, Navarra in northern Spain. Mikel Landa (Euskaltel-Euskadi) was two seconds back in second while Angel Madrazo (Movistar) rounded out the podium some seven seconds back.

The 179.3km race started in the town’s Plaza de los Fueros, under a gloriously blue sky, watched by every man, woman, child and dog from the town and surrounding area. Continue reading →

Stage races

Vuelta al Pais Vasco preview

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The 52nd edition of the Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco (in Basque, Euskal Herriko txirrindulari itzulia), a six-day WorldTour stage race, will be held this year from Monday 2nd to Saturday 7th April. It clashes with the Belgian cobbled Classics giving cobble-shy climbers a safe haven. The 2012 route was only officially announced in early March after the event had been rescued by a local bank from possible cancellation due to lack of funding. The event is organised by the leading Basque newspaper Diario Vasco.

The race was first run in 1924, and won by Frenchman Francis Pelissier, before undergoing numerous iterations and cancellations. It features on the palmares of riders such as Gino Bartali, Jacques Anquetil, Sean Kelly, Stephen Roche and Laurent Jalabert. Continue reading →