The Pro Tour Comes to Canada: Quebec, Montreal Welcome Big Time One Day Bike Racing to North America

It has simply taken too long for North America to get a big time one day race on the schedule, but it has finally happened as Canada will host two huge one day races this coming weekend, in Quebec on Friday and Montreal on Sunday. Big teams with hugely talented riders will descend on Canadian soil to duke it out for glory, and every North American cycling fan must be licking their chops at the prospect of having these two races on the International calendar now and in the future.

The first of the two races will be in Quebec on Friday. The race will be held on a 15 lap circuit with a gradual, yet steep, uphill finish. A typical classics style course, the Quebec route will reward an all arounder with strong climbing skills. At 189 kilometers it is not overly long, but with a strong field ready to battle it out the rate of attrition should be high.

Sunday will see a Canadian tradition re-established, as Montreal once again plays host to a huge one day race. Located on the famed world cup course of the 80's (and 1972 World's won by Merckx, inset), the circuit features the brutal Mount Royal climb, which should see a climbing-oriented rider roll away with the win. the circuit consists of 16 laps and a total of 193 kilometers of racing. The winner will be a battle-tested hilly classics rider with the experience and team support to escape from his adversaries.

The start list for both races is very strong, with a host of riders capable of taking the win on either day. From the Canadian contingent, it must be Ryder Hesjedal that garners the biggest status as favorite. A more than capable climber leading a very strong Pro Tour team, Hesjedal will be looking to ride away with the win in one of the two races. Depending on how the tactics unfold, he could be in the mix for both races. Either way, he is THE top Canadian hope for victory.

Other Canadians worth consideration include Dominique Rollin and Charles Dionne, both of whom are riding for the Canadian National Team. Rollin probably doesn't have the climbing chops to hang down the stretch, but expect to see him at the front of the race in a breakaway at some point during the weekend. Dionne meanwhile will be competing against the very best in the world and likely will be dropped early, but he has caught lightening in a bottle before. If he has his climbing legs on race day, he could be a dark horse rider to watch.

From the International side, look out for the Liquigas-Doimo squad. They bring their "A" team to Canada for both races, and young Peter Sagan will look to cap an amazing season that saw him dominate the Tour of California sprints classification and finish a strong runner up at the Philadelphia International Championship. Sagan is a rare rider built in the mold of Laurent Jalabert. He is capable of climbing and sprinting and should be considered a huge favorite for the win in either race.

Because the Vuelta a Espana runs concurrently with the two Canadian races, there will be fewer Spaniards in both races, but Sammy Sanchez must be looked at as a top favorite. Although the Spaniard doesn't have any major hilly classics wins, he has been very close before. He'll lead his Euskaltel-Euskadi team as the reigning Olympic gold medalist looks to add a late season trophy to his 2010 season. Another Spaniard that could surprise is David de la Fuente of the Astana team. With no Alexander Vinokourov on hand for either race, perhaps de la Fuente will be allowed to take his shot at the right moment.

For the Netherlands, it will be the young and still raw Robert Gesink who will lead the charge. Gesink still has much to learn about tactical bike racing, but you can't argue with his raw strength. He loves to climb, and both courses over the weekend suit his skill set. He will certainly be in the mix for both contests, and with a shade of luck he could win either race.

Team Radioshack, left out of the Vuelta a Espana, could be the most dangerous team in the field. They'll bring a super-charged squad to Canada for both races, led by the American duo of Levi Leipheimer and Chris Horner. Leipheimer, coming off a so-so season will be primed for a big result on one of two days, while Chris Horner should finally be afforded a chance to try for a huge one day win for the American team. Both riders have been out of competition for awhile, but each is a veteran and they know how to prepare for a big race. Of the two, it would seem that Horner is better suited to chase the win, but Leipheimer is no slouch either. Radioshack looks well-positioned for at least a podium throughout the course of the weekend.

Quickstep's Sylvain Chavanel will probably not be able to keep up on the climbs, but he should still be mentioned as a rider who could do damage. Same goes for Edvald Boasson Hagen of team Sky, Sandy Casar of Francaise des Jeux and Matti Breschel of Saxo Bank. Jens Voigt of Saxo too could come up with a big result, though how much he has in the tank at this point in his career is up for debate.

The BMC team should not be let out of the equation either. From George Hincapie to Karsten Kroon to Alessandro Ballan, the Swiss-registered team will have multiple bullets to fire over the weekend. Unfortunately though, both Hincapie and Kroon have been plagued by crashes throughout the year, and each are an unknown quantity heading into the weekend.

Last but not least, there are two other one day stylists that could show well in either race. Damiano Cunego of the Lampre team needs a win more than just about any other rider in the race. He has not crossed the line first in any race thus far in 2010, and a win at either of the Canadian races would salvage what has been a forgettable season thus far. he'll get top support from his Lampre mates, and he'll have no excuses come Monday should he not get the job done.

Thomas Voeckler too is a rider who could find himself a solo winner before the weekend is up. He is a strong one day rider, tactically savvy and hungry for a win. He has had a good 2010 so far and a Canadian win would cap his year. He'll have to get creative if he wants to win, likely having to try a solo attack, but like many others in the race just a bit of luck could see him win the day.

Thank goodness that the powers that be finally brought Pro Tour one day racing back to North America. By the end of the weekend, it will be clear that these races should stay far into the future, as the sport of cycling increasingly goes global. Now all that is left is to bring a huge one day race to America!

Rules or Resentment? Was Bjarne Riis Right to Kick Andy Schleck, Stuart O'Grady Out of Vuelta?

Say what you want about Bjarne Riis, he has never been a man to go with the crowd or to care what you say about him and his decisions. He showed little concern at watching various team leaders leave over the years (Hamilton, Basso, Sastre), and likewise had no problem admitting his guilt of cheating in the 1996 Tour. Instead of covering up the truth, he chose to confront it head on, going so far as to say the Tour de France organizers could come to his house and take back the yellow jerseys he had won back in 1996.

This season, Riis has once again had to watch as his top team leaders, namely Frank and Andy Schleck, Matti Breshel, Jakob Fuglsang and others strike out on their own to join new teams. Ever calm, ever calculating, Riis made the deal of the year in securing Alberto Contador for the next two years. All of a sudden, the Saxo team looks at least as well positioned to win a grand tour in 2011 as they did in 2010.

Over the past few weeks new controversies have arisen for Riis to deal with. First it was rumor that Fabian Cancellara wanted out of his contract with Saxo. Riis, choosing to address the situation head on, had a very simple response: Fabian Cancellara is under contract for 2011 with Saco Bank. No bluster, no loud retort, just the facts.

The second major controversy in recent weeks for Riis has come at the Vuelta, where the Saxo boss made the decision to expel both Andy Schleck and Stuart O'Grady from the Vuelta after the two allegedly stayed out until 5:00 am drinking. Of course the facts of the case are uncertain, but is unlikely that Riis would take such drastic action unless something serious had occurred.

While some may feel that Riis actions were too harsh, they must first consider the man who made the decision. Riis, for the most part, is a by the book guy. When dealing with the press, he is short, to the point, never friendly but never rude. With his team meanwhile, he preaches an all for one approach. No one is bigger than the team and in booting O'Grady and Schleck he sent a crystal clear message that no matter who you are, if you violate team rules you will be held accountable.

In removing Schleck and O'Grady though, could it be that Riis is dealing more harshly with them because of their decision to not ride for him in 2011? Possible, but not likely. As he has done since he began his team, Riis moves on when riders decide to leave, no matter their level of talent. In almost every instance, he wishes them well and then goes on the hunt for new talent. This situation seems to be a cut and dry one. Two riders clearly and admittedly violated team rules and were held accountable. Typical Riis.

While Riis' methods sometimes come under fire from fans and the media, the results cannot be argued. Basso won a Giro under Riis. Sastre a Tour de France. Andy Schleck was right at the precipice before his now famous mechanical incident. Matti Breschel won his first classic under Riis. Cancellara, total domination in the cobbled classics. Frank Schleck too has had great success with Riis, a winner on Alpe dHuez, the Tour de Swiss and also at the Amstel Gold race. If there is one thing that Riis can guarantee riders joining his team it is results, as his team's career resume speaks for itself. And while his methods aren't for everyone, those who withstand and learn to co-exist with his will reap big rewards come race time.

Vuelta a Espana Off and Running, Transfer Season Heating Up as 2010 Cycling Season Winds Down

What a few weeks it's been for pro cycling. The third grand tour of the year has kicked off, as the Vuelta a Espana is five stages old heading into its second weekend. Meanwhile away from Spain, rider transfers have been coming fast and furious as several teams have made huge upgrades while others have fallen a bit behind. Our thoughts from the past few days . . .

The Vuelta, as it always does, has already given us some surprise results despite the fact that the race is less than a week old. Foremost among the surprises was a huge win for Francaise des Juex and Yauheni Hutarovich, as the 26 year old from Belarus bested Cavendish, Farrar and all of the other big sprinters at the Vuelta. The win is without a doubt the biggest of Hutarovich's career, but it seemed more of a flukey win than a legit one. It would be a huge surprise to see him take another win in the race between now and the conclusion.

On the GC scene meanwhile, the Italian Vincenzo Nibali of the Liquigas squad looks well-positioned for success, as he is the best placed of the main contenders alongside Jaoquin Rodriguez heading into the second weekend. Former winner Denis Menchov is well within striking distance as well, as is Frank Schleck. With fewer grand tour GC threats at the Vuelta than at other tours, the names above will have a better chance than ever to secure a grand tour overall win.

One GC rider who has once again been left behind early in a stage race is Carlos Sastre. The Spaniard seems a shell of the rider who won the Tour de France back in 2008. He is simply no longer able to follow the best climbers on the toughest climbs and his days as a stage race leader are likely past him. He has already inked a deal for 2011 that will see him ride alongside Denis Menchov, so he will probably settle back into the role of super domestique for the remainder of his career.

As the Vuelta continues, the transfer season has exploded as well. Top of the list is without a doubt the Garmin-Transitions team, who have basically merged with the now defunct Cervelo TestTeam for 2011. Most of the best riders from the Cervelo team are heading over to Garmin for 2011, including Thor Hushovd, Roger Hammond, Heinrich Haussler, Andreas Klier, Brett Lancaster, Daniel Lloyd and Gabriel Rasch. It is a huge development for the Garmin team, and one that will likely see them take their first classic win in 2011.

Finally, in a sad piece of news in the cycling world, the great Laurent Fignon succumbed to cancer this week at the age of 50. "The Professor" was one of the best riders from the 80's, a true throwback rider who not only won grand tours, but also classics. he will be well missed in the cycling community.

Wherefore Damiano Cunego? Il Piccolo Principe at Career Crossroads

Damiano Cunego turned professional in 2002 and almost immediately made a huge impact despite his young age. He showed prowess as a strong one day rider capable of riding away from the best in the biggest races. Riding as a part of the powerhouse Saeco team, Cunego learned under the legendary Gilberto Simoni, as his fellow Italian taught him how to prepare for each race.

Suddenly, after only two years as a professional, Cunego broke through with his first major victory. It was at his home tour, the Giro d'Italia, where the Italian upstaged his teammate Simoni and took the overall win at the Giro. On his way to the GC title, the brash Italian also won four stages in the race. Later in the year, he won his first classic at the Giro di Lombardia. His total season tally stood at 11 victories. Suddenly, the world of Italian cycling seemed turned on its head: there was a new prince in town.

However, as quickly as he emerged as a major threat, Cunego steadily faded from the front of races beginning in 2005. That year he managed only 4 victories and was well out of contention in defending his Grio d'Italia title, where he finished in 18th place on the GC.

From 2006 through 2008 Cunego had mixed results. He added two more Giro di Lombardia titles to his palmares as well as a win at the Amstel Gold race and he placed in the top 5 overall at the Giro on two occasions, but he just didn't seem to be the dominant rider he was in 2004. Some whispered that perhaps Cunego had been a less than clean athlete in 2004 and was now feeling the burn of competing without chemical assistance.

The 2009 season was passable for Cunego, but he notched only 4 wins throughout the year, and was once again well out of contention at the Giro. Gone was his prowess in the high mountains, as Cunego was frequently dropped by the other GC contenders in the highest mountains. In fact, were it not for a late season surge at the Vuelta where he took two stages, Cunego's 2009 season was shaping up to be his worst in years.

2010 was supposed to be a big year for Cunego. He finally admitted that grand tour success was less likely and that he would begin to focus solely on one day races and stage hunting in the grand tours. It seemed as though he was primed for a year that would feature at least ten wins. Unfortunately for Cunego though, thus far 2010 has been his worst as a pro.

He has yet to win even a single race in 2010. His teammate Alessandro Petacchi has upstaged him throughout the year, and his Lampre team have not offered him a contract for 2010. With only a handful of races left in the year, Cunego is running out of time to erase the goose egg on his 2010 palmares. He'll likely ride hard at the Vuelta and will again be a favorite for the Giro di Lombardia, but if he fails to shine in either race 2010 could be the first time in his professional career that Cunego goes without a win for the entire year.

If Cunego can net a win at the Vuelta or at Lombardia, then all is forgiven for the 2010 season. His season will be remembered as underwhelming, but a monument win or a stage at a grand tour holds a lot of sway with any team manager and it will buy Cunego some credit toward negotiating his 2011 contract. If he fails to win a race between now and the end of the year though Cunego will have to take what he can get. Without a win, interest from other teams will be marginal at best.

Rumors have it that HTC has taken a look at signing Cunego, as has Garmin-Transitions and Lampre. The Goex team too has been mentioned, so the interest is clearly there. One thing is certain though: Wherever Cunego ends up in 2011, he will have to earn his spot on the team. The days of assuming he'll be the leader in a one day or stage race are gone. Only his results early in the year will assure him of more opportunities to lead in bigger races.

Many riders have changed teams and seen their career boosted by a change of scenery. Perhaps in signing with a different team Cunego will be rejuvenated. A savvy coach could be just what Cunego needs, someone capable of re-inventing a slumping rider. Jonathan Vaughters stands at the top of the list alongside Bjarne Riis, while being on HTC among so much talent could have a similar affect. Cunego must choose his 2011 team carefully, as one or two more down years could spell the end of his career. How far the prince has fallen.

Cervelo TestTeam's Transition: After Leaving Riis Cycling, Consistent Success Elusive for Gerard Vroomen's Squad

The Cervelo TestTeam, in a surprise move, decided to strike out on their own as a team and end their long standing relationship with Bjarne Riis back in 2008. They signed a multitude of strong riders, including the then reigning Tour de France champion Carlos Sastre. Other big names that signed for Cervelo included Heinrich Haussler, Thor Hushovd and Thoe Bos.

Now a full two years old, the Cervelo TestTeam has had mixed results as a separate entity. As a part of Bjarne Riis' team, the Cervelo product was front and center throughout the year at the world's biggest races. Fabian Cancellara was strong in all of the early season cobbled classics, while the Schleck brothers were strong at the hilly one days classics and grand tours. All in all, the Cervelo partnership with Riis could be considered only as a smashing success.

As they struck out on their own for the 2009 season though, things went good, but not great for Gerard Vroomen's new team. The season started well with early wins at the Omloop Het Niewsblad, and a near miss by Haussler at Milan-San Remo saw the Cervelo team as a new force in the world of cycling. At the Tour in July Hushovd narrowly edged out Mark Cavendish for the green jersey, but GC leader Carlos Sastre deflated, finishing only 17th overall.

2010 meanwhile has been far more subdued for the Swiss-registered team. Both Hushovd's and Haussler's early season campaigns were derailed by sickness and injury, and until the Giro the Cervelo team was not heard from at the top of the results sheet. Sastre, despite a tough crash rode strong at the Giro to finish in the top 10 overall, but again the Spaniard faltered at the Tour, finishing out of the top 20 overall. Add to that the fact that Hushovd couldn't hold off a resurgant Alessandro Petacchi for the green jersey, and Cervelo's 2010 Tour campaign was officially underwhelming.

All of this begs the question: Would it have been a better decision for Gerard Vroomen to have stuck with Bjarne Riis as his partner? The 2010 results sheet would suggest yes. While Cervelo had a tough 2010 year, Riis' squad was among the best teams in the world. Fabian Cancellara, above the crowd in the early season, took three major spring classics (Flanders, E3, Paris-Roubaix). Matti Breschel, ever improving under Riis' tutelage, added the Dwars door Vlaanderen semi-classic, and Frank Schleck added the Tour de Swiss overall title. A stage win at the Giro primed the pumps for a Tour assault in July, where Andy Schleck missed out on winning the overall due to a badly timed mechanical. Schleck finished second overall and spent time in the yellow jersey while Cancellara won two stages and wore the yellow jersey as well.

By the end of the Tour, it was clear that Riis once again had his riders ready to dominate the world's biggest bike race. Cervelo TestTeam meanwhile were not heard from in the overall picture and Hushovd's near miss for the green jersey was the only real highlight for the team.

As the Tour ended and the transfer season heated up, Riis watched both of the Schlecks announce that they were leaving Riis Cycling. It seemed for a few days that Riis was in dire straights, but as usual the stoic Dane had an ace up his sleeve. Alberto Contador, fresh off his narrow Tour win, announced that he had signed with Riis for the 2011 season. Back in business, suddenly Riis once again is in the driver's seat for the upcoming season . . . and beyond.

The Cervelo team meanwhile did not offer a new contract to Sastre and the Spaniard has taken his services elsewhere, signing on as the GC leader for the Goex team (formerly Footon-Servetto). For the 2011 season, the team will have to rely heavily on Hushovd and Haussler for early season success. Then, in the grand tours, the team will probably have to search for stage wins and the green jersey instead of the GC, as they don't have any legitimate GC riders left on the team.

Although the Cervelo TestTeam are still a strong squad capable of good things in 2011, undoubtedly they are less powerful than when they were a part of Riis cycling. Often times it looks easier than it really is to be among the greatest, and Riis proves this fact year in and year out. It will be very interesting to see how the Schleck brothers fair in 2011 without Riis' guidance. Ditto for Jakob Fuglsang, Matti Breschel and Jens Voigt. Riis Cycling meanwhile rolls on, primed for another banner year in 2011.