NewsWire: Pozzato: ‘I’ll get Tom next week’; Chavanel plays model teammate
Pozzato aims at Boonen for Roubaix; Chavanel plays model teammate at Flanders; Devolder: 'felt perhaps better than when I won'; keirin champ Perkins hit by car
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In our daily NewsWire, we bring you a collection of the intriguing stories from newspapers, journals and elsewhere around the world of competitive cycling. Pour your coffee, mute your phone and read on.
Pozzato: ‘I will try to get Tom again next week’ — Het Nieuwsblad
Despite a broken collarbone early in the season, Filippo Pozzato has shown fine form in the past few weeks, and was perhaps the strongest man in the race on Sunday.
“I rode a fantastic race, but I did not win,” said the Italian. “I knew I would be good. Tom gave up a bit on the slopes, but once we were together on the flat, I knew he was the most explosive.
“It is just too hard to lose Tom in the finale. If he can stick, you know that he is very difficult to beat in the sprint. But next week is Paris-Roubaix, and I will try to release him from my wheel,” said a confident Pozzato.
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Chavanel plays model teammate — L’Équipe
Sometimes tenth is better than second. Last year Silvain Chavanel (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) was haunted by a missed victory, after placing second behind Nick Nuyens and ahead of Fabian Cancellara at the Tour of Flanders. This year, Chavanel’s tenth would allow him to sleep more easily, feeling that he performed his job to the best of his ability.
“I have no regrets, I did my work well,” Chavanel said.
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Devolder: ‘I felt better than when I won’ — Gazet Van Antwerpen
The 96th Tour of Flanders was one to forget to Vacansoleil-DCM’s Stijn Devolder, winner in 2008 and 2009. After riding well early on, he was forced to abandon following a crash.
“I had to chase after I put a food down after the first time up the Paterberg,” he said. “I hoped that the large group would shrink through natural selection, and I would automatically move forward more. I took some risks on the descent, but clipped out of my pedal and crashed.
“The team car was too far behind, and the bike Selveggi offered me was too big. I lost four minutes before a new bike showed, my race was over. I felt really good, perhaps better than in the two years I won.”
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World keirin champ Shane Perkins hit by car — Cycling Weekly
World keirin champion Shane Perkins has escaped serious injury after being hit by a car in Melbourne, where he is preparing for this week’s UCI track world championships, although he did suffer a sprained wrist and bruised buttocks in the incident.
The 25-year-old, who lives in the city, tweeted: “Out for a ride today and just got hit by a car!! Seriously!!,” adding “This was no April Fools Joke either! Got cleaned up, nothing broken sprained wrist, bruising on glute! Very lucky!!”
Perkins did not race in the keirin at the Olympic test event in London in February, and attributed his 13th place in the individual sprint to the fact that he was in the middle of a heavy training block.
However, he has said that he is determined to defend the world title he won from Chris Hoy in Appeldorn 12 months ago.
