EuroTrash: Sizzley Bits!
I know you love it; the crazy world of EuroTrash, wait no longer. In this Thursday’s sizzling edition: The Floyd Is On The Move, Bertogliati Battered, That Team Again, GB And Aus Want More Medals, Giro And Vuelta To Get Chopped?, Brochard To Bouygues, Brandt’s Off The Hook and Hamilton Heads To The Vuelta…
The Floyd Is On The Move
USPostal strong man Floyd Landis is on the move. His current team which will metamorphosise into ‘The Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team’ next season retained the right to match any contract that was offered to the super domestique. Despite this, the management decided to let him go and the American will follow his former team mate Tyler Hamilton to Alvaro Pino’s Phonak squad.
Bertogliati battered
Saunier Duval rider and Pez contributor Rubens Bertogliati looks to have ended his season in the worst way. As a result of a bad fall in the second stage of the Tour of Holland, the Swiss rider suffered a ‘non decomposed fracture of the basin’ (direct Italian translation). He will be out of action for 6-8 weeks. What is a basin you may ask? I don’t know but it sounds painful. Get well soon!
That Team Again
USPostal is in the news again, and this time for Max van Heeswijk. The Dutch rider took the first two stages of the Tour of Holland to take his win total for the year to an impressive 11 victories. The American team has now crossed the line in first spot 30 times in 2004! Van Heeswijk now holds a 14 second lead at the head of the GC.
GB And Aus Want More Medals
After winning Silver and Gold respectively in the Team Pursuit in Athens, the GB and Aussie squads are appealing for more medals. Although only 4 men competed at any one time, 2 other riders contributed to the finishing positions through their sterling work in the qualifying rounds. As a result, the teams are hoping to be presented with medals for the other two riders in each squad to honour their efforts. Sounds fair to me.
Giro And Vuelta To Get Chopped?
As a result of the increased demands of the Pro Tour which commences in 2005, the advisory council for professional cycling has recommended that the Vuelta and Giro be reduced from 23 to 18 days next year. The initiative is being supported by the teams association. Such a move would significantly effect the characteristics of the races and leave the Tour de France as the last remaining Grand Tour in the traditional sense.
Brochard To Bouygues
The proud owner of the peloton’s most famous mullet, Laurent Brochard will leave Ag2r at the end of the season. The former world champion is jumping ship to Bouyges Telecom, the reincarnation of Brioches la Boulangиre. The 36 year old Frenchman has signed a two year contract. It is believed the mullet is following him to his new team.
Brandt Off The Hook
Following a positive test for methadone in this year’s Tour, Christophe Brandt has now been cleared of any intentional wrongdoing. An AFP source was quoted as follows; “Brandt had ordered dietary supplements of amino acids in capsules, these products are absolutely legal. But the methadone was used for another preparation and some methadone particles were found in the capsules taken by Brandt. The federation considered that they could not punish somebody who didn’t make a mistake.” Following the positive control, the Belgian rider was sacked by his Lotto-Domo team. He now hopes to return to work.
Hamilton To Vuelta
Tyler Hamilton will head the Swiss Phonak squad in the upcoming Vuelta. The American showed poorly in the Tour de France following a crash in the early stages of the race. The remotivated American took Gold in the Olympic TT and should be a force to be reckoned with in Spain. The race begins on Saturday, September 4 in Leуn. Hamilton’s backing singers include Gonzalo Bayarri, Santos Gonzalez, Bert Grabsch, Josй Enrique Gutierrez, Nicolas Jalabert, Santi Perez, Oscar Sevilla, and Tadej Valjavec.
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