Turn the Page: Garmin-Transitions Stalwarts Danny Pate, Steven Cozza Sign with New Teams for 2011

The Garmin-Transitions team is changing in big ways for 2011. Not only have they merged with the now defunct Cervelo TestTeam, but they are also seeing many of their pioneering members leave for other teams. At the top of the list are Danny Pate and Steven Cozza, both of whom have announced that they are moving to new teams for 2011. More announcements are sure to follow.

Danny Pate has ridden with Garmin since 2006 and now makes a lateral move over to the HTC-Columbia team. A strong all-arounder and time trialist, Pate will bring veteran experience and a strong anti-doping stance to the HTC team. In his time on the Garmin squad Pate didn't exactly rack up the results, but he proved a valuable team member as a strong domestique capable of adapting to a variety of race conditions.

Pate's statement regarding his transfer hinted at disharmony or discontent within the Garmin team and the 31 year old explained that he knew he "needed a change" mid-season. Perhaps he felt that Garmin brass didn't fully support his development as a rider, perhaps he felt he didn't get a chance to ride in big enough races. Whatever the reason, he joins a multi-dimensional HTC squad that is not lacking for leaders. He'll probably have a chance to hunt down some stage wins in the grand tours, but leadership in big time one day races will be hard to come by for the established pro. Still, his decision to move to HTC is a good one as it will keep him within an American-registered team and allow him to enjoy all of the advantages of a Pro Tour team budget.

For Steven Cozza meanwhile, this situation is a bit more muddled. At 25 years old, "The People's Champion" is approaching the prime of his career and all he has to show for his professional efforts are one stage race win (2007 Vuelta a Chichuahua) and a best young rider jersey at the 2007 our of Missouri. Perhaps the Petaluma, California native realizes that if he is to garner more individual results he must strike out on his own and take a risk with a smaller team. And that is exactly what he has done in signing with the relatively small NetApp team for 2011.

Currenty 14 riders strong, Team NetApp has big ambitions in the sport, claiming on their homepage that they are Pro Tour bound. But with the influx of so many big teams to the Pro Tour level (Pegasus, Schleck's Luxembourg team) space is extremely limited at the highest level of the sport. Currently the NetApp team's roster is a bit underwhelming, with only Eric Baumann a recognizable name. If they are to gain bigger results in 2011 and beyond, they'll need to sign more talented riders. Cozza seems to be the first step in that process.

The question now though is whether Cozza is ready for the challenge of leadership. He has ridden under some of the best American riders over the past several years and surely has the knowledge to win big races, but going out and actually obtaining results can often be a more difficult proposition. Add to this the fact that he'll be racing on a German team and likely doing a heavy European schedule (though the NetApp website claims that the team will make more forays into American domestic racing), and this move suddenly has the potential to turn out like Chris Horner's first stint over in Europe with the Francaise des Jeux team.

Horner, at the time the most dominant US domestic professional in the sport, signed a three year contract with Francaise des Jeux. By the time his contract was over, he had exactly zero wins and extremely low morale. He was forced to head back to the States to rebuild himself, which he eventually did. Still, the three years he wasted at FDJ must haunt him to this day. No matter how this move turns out for Cozza, you have to admire his courage in going out and signing with a relatively unproven team. He is willing to take on the pressure than comes with increased expectations as well as become a part of a team that has far fewer resources than his old Garmin squad.

Now that Pate and Cozza are gone, the question becomes who is next to leave Garmin? With so many riders coming over from the Cervelo TestTeam, there just isn't room for all of the old Garmin blood. Some names that come up as possibilities for moving on are Tim Duggan, Tom Danielson, Tom Peterson, Trent Lowe and Johan Van Summeren. For now though it is a wait and see situation, as the Garmin-Transitions squad reshapes itself for the 2011 season.

World Road Championship 2010: Oscar Freire's Fourth or Tyler Farrar's First??

The world road championships are only days away now and the top contenders are gearing up for what should be an amazing race. As is the case each year, there are a slew of favorites ready to line up and battle for the rainbow jersey, but none have quite as much on the line as Oscar Freire. The Spaniard, now in the twilight of his illustrious career, is looking to become the first 4-time world champion in the history of the sport on a course that is perfectly suited to his style.

Tyler Farrar too seems poised for a big result in Australia as the American looks to become only the third American world champion. He will arrive at the start line in Geelong with strong leg after a stellar Vuelta a Espana performance leading up to the world championships.

Oscar Freire has been riding at cycling's highest level going on 12 years, and in that time he has accomplished amazing feats in the sport. Four stages at the Tour de France including the points title in 2008, seven stages at the Vuelta, a win each at both the Vattenfall Classics and Ghent-Wevelgem, all of these wins speak to his ability in tough one day races. But his three wins at the longest classic in cycling, Milan-San Remo, perhaps best point to his status as favorite for the course in Australia.

At 262 kilometers long, the world's course is brutally long. After the first 85 kilometers, the race switches to a lap format, taking the field over two climbs, one about 1 kilometer long and the other a half a k. In total, the field will tackle the climbs 22 times. Due to the severity of the course, it can be expected that a selection will be made. However, the climbs are not super long so a sprinter who can also climb, like Freire, Farrar or even Cavendish can expect to make it to the end of the race to contest the final sprint.

Freire and Farrar, of all the riders in the race, seem best suited to take gold on the road in a few days time. Both are very strong sprinters, both can climb better than most other sprinters and both will have full team support behind them. Farrar, having taken two stage wins at the Vuelta, looks on the surface to have the better form, but don't count Freire out.

As a three-time world champion, Freire knows how to prepare for a one day race. He'll be in top shape come race time, and he'll also have the advantage, as he usually does, of flying under the radar. It seems no matter how many races Freire wins he still is overlooked by the media as a top favorite for these types of races. At this past year's Milan-San Remo, Freire came seemingly out of nowhere to win the first monument of 2010. He could easily do the same thing in Australia.

Taylor Phinney to BMC, Fabian Cancellara to Wait on New Team Announcement

Taylor Phinney signs with BMC for 2011 and beyond. A HUGE move in the pro cycling realm as the 20 year old newly crowned US Pro time trial champion embarks on what is sure to be a history making career. Meanwhile, another big time time trialist, Fabian Cancellara, is officially a free agent. The Swiss rider will participate in the world championships in Australia, but as of yet has not named who he will ride for in 2011.

Taylor Phinney, at 20 years old, seems on track to become the next Fabian Cancellara of the cycling world. He is tall, powerful and very motivated, and now that he is a part of the BMC team the youngster will learn under some of the most experienced cycling minds in the industry, including Jim Ochowitz and George Hincapie, among others.

Phinney is a unique talent in that he is a multi-dimensional cyclist. Not only is he already an accomplished time trialist, but he has also proven himself a strong one day classics-style rider as well. Sprinting too is a discipline he excels at, and with time he could perhaps be among the best sprinters in world. The biggest problem for Phinney in the next few years will come in deciding which discipline he wants to focus on the most. He is already a highly accomplished track rider, so it would be expected that he would probably focus on his road time trialing and one day racing skills.

Phinney has already won the junior version of Paris-Roubaix twice, showing his potential as a cobbled-classics star. Sure, he'll probably need a year or two to learn the ropes of big time pro classic racing, but seeing him break through at a semi-classic like Ghent-Wevelgem or the Omloop Het Niewsblad in the coming few years is a strong possibility. Then, when not racing one day hard man classics, Phinney will be able to target prologues and time trials in the grand tours. Seeing him in a leader's jersey at the Giro, Tour or Vuelta could happen sooner rather than later.

On the sprinting front there is more work to do for Phinney, but that doesn't mean he can't become a world class sprinter within 5 years. He would likely have to sacrifice some of his long-range endurance, but with just a bit of tweaking in his training regimen Phinney could reasonably expect to be mixing it up with the best sprinters by the 2014 season. He likely won't go this route, but the point is he could. He is that talented.

For Fabian Cancellara meanwhile, his 2011 destination remains a mystery. After having bought himself out of his contract with Saxo Bank, Cancellara has yet to announce where he'll ride for 2011. One thing though is for sure for Cancellara in 2011: the only way to go is down for the thriving Swiss star. In a best case scenario, it is unlikely that he will repeat his 2010 classics dominance. He may win one big classic, but the likelihood that he'll take BOTH Flanders and Roubaix is distant at best.

Another problem for Cancellara will be adjusting to life on a new team. If, like rumors suggest, he does sign with the new Schleck team, he can expect multiple roadblocks to present themselves as his new team gets started. The Sky team came into 2010 with huge ambitions, but after a fast start the British super team realized that they had mush to learn before they could expect to dominate the professional scene. Expect a similar scenario for the new Schleck team, and if Cancellara is a part of the venture he'll need to temper his expectations for 2011.

As both Taylor Phinney and Fabian Cancellara enter new chapters int he pro careers, it will be interesting to compare how each fares in their first year on their new team. For Phinney, every win he earns in 2011 will be a new experience, and a sign of bigger things to come. For Cancellara though the pressure will be as high as ever. Hopefully he'll be up to the task.

Did Lack of Race Radios at US Pro Cycling Championship Aid Ben King's Victory?

For the first time in years race radios were banned at this past Sunday's US Pro championship road race. Unlike in previous years were all riders were plugged in minute by minute to their fellow teammates and directors, the 2010 version put the racing solely back into the realm of the athletes. Sure there were still the moto time gap updates and start finish line clocks, but besides that it was mano e mano out on the roads.

Of course by now everyone knows the story. Ben King, along with Daniel Holloway and Scott Zwizanski, broke away early in the race, building a gap that swelled to over 15 minutes. Behind the trio, a lazy peloton griped amongst themselves about who would lead the chase, fueling the motivations of the three escapees ahead. King, sensing that his two companions were weakening, went clear on his own in a seemingly desperate solo bid for victory. Yet as the miles ticked by and the pack behind continued to waver in the chase efforts, King's bid for a solo win went from fantasy to reality.

The question regarding such a strange happening is how did King manage to pull it off? In the sport of cycling, winning the way King did is extremely rare. In the modern era of race radios it is rarer still. Was King on an amazing day? Undoubtedly. But was the peloton behind confused due to the relative lack of information they were receiving? Maybe. And could those two factors have combined to cause such a monumental result for King? Again, the possibility certainly exists.

King had other things going for him during the race as well. Levi Leipheimer and Chris Horner, two of the heavy pre-race favorites, were in a very select chase group in the closing laps. Being teammates to King though (the Trek-Livestrong rider will ride for Radioshack next season), neither Horner or Leipheimer were going to chase the youngster down. That left things to the remaining big guns in the chase, namely BMC's George Hincapie and Brent Bookwalter. In the end, it of course wasn't enough as King rolled home victorious, the youngest US Pro champion in the history of the sport.

Which leads us back to the race radio debate. King knew very little out on the road about the chase group behind with exception to how far ahead of them he was. It was the same for the chase, who were operating with very little information. So, instead of minute by minute updates from their team car about how King looked, how he was pedaling, whether he was suffering, they had only a time gap for reference. To say that the lack of in-race radios didn't contribute to his victory would be obtuse.

Ben King won the 2010 US Pro championship fair and square, showing mental fortitude rarely witnessed from an athlete so young. But his landmark win also sheds light on the future of pro cycling without race radios. With less help from team directors, more than ever riders have a legitimate shot at winning with a long solo bid. All this adds up to more dramatic, exciting racing for the fans, which is good for everyone.

Vuelta a Espana 2010: The Unveiling of the Shark of the Strait

This year's Vuelta a Espana has been an amazing race thus far, with multiple lead changes and high drama throughout. Now heading toward its inevitable conclusion, the GC battle has clarified, leaving the young and promising Vincenzo Nibali at the top of the GC with only one big mountain stage left. Nibali, providing he can hold off a hard-charging Ezekial Mosquera, should emerge victorious at this year's Vuelta, giving the Italian (from Sicily) his first ever grand tour victory. That it has happened so early in his career is astounding, as it is rare these days indeed to see a grand tour winner under the age of 26.

Nibali, nicknamed "The Shark of the Strait", has long been a known stage racing commodity, having participated in five grand tours previous to this year's Vuelta. He is known as a steady if not explosive climber who also possesses a strong time trialing discipline. Now experienced and savvy, Nibali makes a formidable opponent in any stage race he enters.

Vincenzo Nibali races for the Liquigas team and has been previously overshadowed by some of his more famous and accomplished teammates, namely Franco Pellizotti and Ivan Basso. Over the past two years he has been a staunch gregario to both riders, but now that he is on the precipice of winning a grand tour, his domestique days are likely over. In 2011, he'll form a fierce combo with Basso as the two Italians look to blitz each grand tour.

Best of all for Nibali is that he is still very young, with the prime of his career still a few years away. As good as he is now, he should get better and better in the coming years. It is not too big a stretch to imagine him contending in both grand tours and one day hilly classics in future years. In fact, Nibali has shown aggressive tactics in one day tests and seeing him take a major one day classic AND a grand tour overall in the same year is not out of the realm of possibility. For now though the Italian will look to seal the deal on his Vuelta win before looking ahead to the final few races of 2010. He'll be a favorite for the win at the Giro di Lombardia in a couple of weeks time.

His Time to Shine: 2010 US Pro Championships Chris Horner's Last Best Chance at Victory

Of all active American professional cyclists, Chris Horner needs a US Professional championship win to cap his illustrious career. Chris Horner has won major races in Europe and America, but as of yet he has not managed to add the Stars & Stripes jersey to his palmares. In previous years Horner has come close, but recently he has not participated due to participating in the Vuelta or recovering from crash injuries.

This year though all the stars seem aligned for Chris Horner to make a serious bid at winning the championship in Greenville, as the Radioshack rider looks to head into 2011 as the reigning US Pro champ. Currently racing in Canada at the two Pro Tour races there, Horner is building his form ahead of Greenville. By the time he arrives at the start line next Sunday, he should be flying. Add to this that he'll have a strong teammate with him in the form of Levi Leipheimer, and Horner becomes a heavy favorite to take the win next week.

Some would wonder at whether Horner would even be granted a shot to try to win US Pro with a teammate like Leipheimer. Wouldn't it be Horner that works for Leipheimer, not the other way around? The answer is sometimes, but not in this instance. Leipheimer enjoyed leadership at the Tour of California and at the Tour de France after Lance Armstrong crashed, while Horner worked tirelessly for both riders. Plus Leipheimer already has a national championship to his credit. Horner is a loyal and talented teammate of Leipheimer's, and the Santa Rosa native should realize that this year's championship should be Horner's race.

On a tough course that features the feared Paris Mountain climb, Horner and Leipheimer could put a significant hurt on the rest of the field. Leipheimer could and should plan on launching Horner on the last lap, allowing him to solo home for the win. With George Hincapie hurt from recent crashes, Horner will come into the race as the number one favorite. If he doesn't get it done this year with the help of Leipheimer, he likely never will.

Chris Horner has already done enough in the sport of cycling to go down in the history books as one of the best cyclists in the history of American cycling. With a Stars & Stripes jersey on his back in 2011, he would ride at the front of the European peloton proud, the rightful wearer of his national colors. Now is the time for Horner, to complete a career resume that is already stellar.

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.