Cycling Illustrated

Brent Bookwalter will represent the BMC

May 24, 2013 by Sprint Finish Leave a Comment

Brent Bookwalter will represent the BMC Racing Team at this weekend’s USA Cycling national championships in Chattanooga, Tenn., and is the only returning medalist from last year’s individual time trial.

Time Trial Saturday; Road Race Monday
Last year, Bookwalter finished third behind winner David Zabriskie (Garmin-Sharp) and teammate Tejay van Garderen. Van Garderen opted to rest after his victory at the Amgen Tour of California Sunday while Zabriskie crashed and broke his collarbone during time trial warm-up at the Amgen Tour. Bookwalter said the course for Saturday’s 30.9-kilometer race against the clock doesn’t exactly play to his strengths but he is feeling good about his form. “We did a great week in California and it breeds confidence going into nationals,” Bookwalter said. “I feel really good and strong, not too fatigued or weathered. I wish I had a couple teammates there, but I’m excited and motivated to race in my home region of the country.” The Asheville, N.C., resident said he will take a wait-and-see approach in Mondays’ 161.9-kilometer road race. “The race can definitely be won without a big, powerful team,” he said.

Filed Under: BMC Racing Team, News Tagged With: BMC

Giro d’Italia, Stage 15: No Time Lost For Evans

May 19, 2013 by Sprint Finish Leave a Comment

Giro d’Italia, Stage 15: No Time Lost For Evans

Cadel Evans of the BMC Racing Team stayed with the top contenders and showed some aggression of his own on the mountainous finish of a snowy Col du Galibier Sunday to keep his hold on second place overall at the Giro d’Italia.

Weather Has Been A Factor

Evans made his own attack at 700 meters to go on the way to finishing eighth on the stage won by Giovanni Visconti (Movistar Team). Evans crossed the line in the same time as race leader Vincenzo Nibali (Astana Pro Team) and nearly all of the top contenders to remain 1:26 off the lead with six stages to go. “In the conditions, it wasn’t exactly favorable for those kind of attacks,” Evans said. “I didn’t have a bad day but at least I am back at my level. No time lost but no time gained either.” Evans said some challenges of the race have come from an uncontrollable factor: the weather. “As a rider, just to stay healthy is really difficult with the changing weather conditions,” he said. “The weather changes quicker than we can change our clothes. The third week of the race comes after a first week that was even harder than expected and a second week that was harder than expected because of the weather.”

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Filed Under: BMC Racing Team, News Tagged With: Giro d'Italia

Bigger goal for Taylor Phinney: Time Trial rainbow stripes or prized Paris-Roubaix cobble? We find out

April 18, 2013 by Sprint Finish Leave a Comment

Taylor Phinney

Bigger goal for Taylor Phinney: Time Trial rainbow stripes or prized Paris-Roubaix cobble? We find out

By Chris Lyman

How has the season gone so far? Are you where you expected to be?

It’s gone pretty well. It hasn’t been like a super, super season. But I got a great result in Milan-San Remo with the top 10 (he finished seventh). Unfortunately, I didn’t quite get the result I wanted at my key, target race: Paris-Roubaix. Other than that, the first half of my season has gone by pretty quickly.

As you continue to grow and learn, what’s most critical?

I’d say it’s probably more on the fitness side of the things due to the fact that I’m a lot bigger than most of the people that I race with. It’s taken me a couple more years for the watts to even out with the weight of my 85 kilos and being almost two meters tall.

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Filed Under: BMC Racing Team, Chris Lyman, News Tagged With: BMC Racing Team (USA), Taylor Phinney

BMC Racing Team’s Philippe Gilbert has been placed fifth

April 14, 2013 by Sprint Finish Leave a Comment

Upon further review of the photo finish camera, BMC Racing Team’s Philippe Gilbert has been placed fifth, not fourth, in the final, official results.

Valkenburg, The Netherlands

BMC Racing Team’s Philippe Gilbert has been placed fifth

Philippe Gilbert finished fifth for the BMC Racing Team Sunday at Amstel Gold Race after furiously chasing solo winner Roman Kreuziger (Saxo Bank-Tinkoff) up the final climb.

Gap Was Too Large

Kreuziger attacked a small group with seven kilometers to go in the 251.8 km race that was run in sunshine and warm temperatures. Gilbert charged out of the peloton at the base of the Cauberg, but the world road champion and a small group of chasers could not close the gap as Kreuziger won by 22 seconds. Alejandro Valverde (Movistar Team) finished second, Simon Gerrans (Orica-GreenEDGE) was third and Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) edged Gilbert for fourth. “It was hard at the end, there was a lot of wind and we were only with three from our team,” Gilbert said. “I tried it at the Cauberg. But it wasn’t enough; they came back and I just missed the podium.”

Gilbert Caught In Crash

Gilbert had a bit of a scare with about 90 km to go when a pile-up split the peloton. Though he was unhurt, Gilbert needed a new BMC and, with the help of several teammates, eventually rejoined the peloton after a chase of more than 15 kilometers. “It took a lot of work,” BMC Racing Team President/General Manager Jim Ochowicz said. “We lost two or three riders in the process. The gap gets quite large when you’re on the ground and need a bike change. It’s not like 30 seconds – it was more like two minutes.”

Filed Under: BMC Racing Team, Road

Marco Pinotti Makes Return At Trentino

April 12, 2013 by Sprint Finish Leave a Comment

Marco Pinotti Makes Return At Trentino

Santa Rosa, California

Marco Pinotti Makes Return At Trentino

Marco Pinotti will return to action for the first time since a high speed crash knocked him out of the Tour Méditerranéan when the BMC Racing Team begins the Giro del Trentino on Tuesday.

Evans Preparing For Giro d’Italia

Pinotti broke two ribs and his left collarbone during the Stage 2 individual time trial at the Tour Méditerranéan on Feb. 7. The five-time Italian national time trial champion said he has been training for six weeks to rebuild his base condition. “I guess I’m halfway in the recovery process,” he said. “Having been sidelined four-and-a-half weeks, I need about 12-13 weeks to get back to my former level.” Pinotti said his aim for the five-stage, four-day race is two-fold. “The goal is to get a good block of volume and intensity, getting the right amount of fatigue I need to keep building my condition,” he said. “Achieving that, while also helping the team, would be ideal.” Cadel Evans said the race is an important part of his preparation for the Giro d’Italia. “I look forward to racing on long and hard climbs in a good field,” he said. “I just want to be able to ride well with the team and use it to get ready for the Giro d’Italia.” Assistant Director Fabio Baldato said one aim will be the Stage 2 team time trial. “Last year, we won it with Taylor Phinney and Alessandro Ballan and we have strong riders again with Evans, Pinotti and Sebastian Lander,” Baldato said. “We will do a training camp for it on Monday to try to be ready to make our best result.”

Filed Under: BMC Racing Team, News Tagged With: BMC Racing Team (USA)

BMC Racing Team’s Gilbert Runner-Up At Brabantse Pijl

April 10, 2013 by Sprint Finish Leave a Comment

BMC Racing Team’s Gilbert Runner-Up At Brabantse Pijl

Philippe Gilbert was edged out at the finish line Wednesday by Peter Sagan (Cannondale Pro Cycling), narrowly denying the BMC Racing Team rider his first victory of the season as reigning world road champion.

‘It Was So Close’

Sagan sprinted around Gilbert’s left shoulder in the final meters to take the win the 199.9-kilometer race. “I was confident for the sprint because I was already on his wheel the last five kilometers and I was very focused,” Gilbert said. “It was so close.” Winner of this race in 2011 and runner-up in 2008, Gilbert had received help from teammate Greg Van Avermaet to launch an attack with 18 km to go that split the peloton. With Gilbert marking Sagan in the final two kilometers, Van Avermaet followed a move by Nikolas Maes (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) before launching his own attack. But the fourth-place finisher at Paris-Roubaix was caught and passed on the final climb, setting up the sprint between Gilbert and Sagan. Björn Leukemans (Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team) finished third, three seconds later.

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Filed Under: BMC Racing Team Tagged With: Brabantse Pijl

Gilbert Likes Brabantse Pijl As Amstel Warm-Up

April 9, 2013 by Sprint Finish Leave a Comment

Gilbert Likes Brabantse Pijl As Amstel Warm-Up

Wednesday’s edition of Brabantse Pijl will serve as the final tune-up for Philippe Gilbert before the BMC Racing Team’s world road champion takes on the Ardennes classics.

Race Winner in 2011

Gilbert raced for five days in wet and cold conditions last week at Vuelta al País Vasco. He said the decision to forgo the Tour of Flanders and instead race in Spain was a good one. “The first stages were very hard,” he said. “But I was always there and trying just to follow. I made some good efforts.” Winner of Brabantse Pijl in 2011 and runner-up in 2008, Gilbert said he can’t think of a better warm-up before his target races of the spring. “I like Brabantse Pijl because it’s technical and I can do a lot of efforts,” he said. “I can go deep in this race and still recover in time for Amstel on Sunday.” BMC Racing Team Directeur Sportif John Lelangue said while the course for the 199.9 km race has changed some from last year, it won’t change the team’s approach. “Philippe will be a well-protected leader with some good support riders around him – for example, Adam Blythe, Klaas Lodewyck and Yannick Eijssen,” Lelangue said. “It will be a good last dress rehearsal before the big week of the Ardennes classics.”

BMC Racing Team Brabantse Pijl roster (April 10):

Adam Blythe (GBR), Yannick Eijssen (BEL), Philippe Gilbert (BEL), Martin Kohler (SUI), Klaas Lodewyck (BEL), Greg Van Avermaet (BEL), Danilo Wyss (SUI).

Directeur Sportif:

John Lelangue (BEL)

Doctor:

Dario Spinelli (ITA)

Staff:

Bus Driver: Steven Christiaens (BEL). Mechanics: Peter De Bleecker (BEL), Glen Vandevyvere (BEL). Soigneurs: Anthony Lafourte (BEL), Dirk Leenaert (BEL), Marc Paeme (BEL).

The BMC Racing Team will hold its pre-race press conference for the Amstel Gold Race on Friday, April 12 at 5:00 p.m. (1700 hrs) at Château des Thermes, Rue Hauster 9, 4050 Chaudfontaine, Belgium. Please RSVP to ivanlancker@bmcracingteam.com no later than Thursday, April 11.

Best regards,

BMC Racing Team

Filed Under: BMC Racing Team Tagged With: BMC, Brabantse Pijl

BMC Racing Team’s Evans To Race Giro d’Italia

March 30, 2013 by Sprint Finish Leave a Comment

BMC Racing Team’s Evans To Race Giro d’Italia

Cadel Evans will compete in the Giro d’Italia in May, adding a second grand tour to his racing program for the 2013 season, the past Tour de France and world road champion announced Saturday.

A Different Approach

Evans said the plan to compete in the Giro for the first time since 2010 – when he won a stage while wearing the rainbow jersey and led the race for one day – was proposed to him earlier this month. “I could stick with my normal program that I do every year or try this different approach – which may be too much, but certainly enough,” he said. “I have always wanted to race again at the Giro, but after I raced it in 2010, I didn’t get to the Tour fresh. I’m not saying that the Giro and the Tour together is too much. The illness and injury I had in 2010 made it impossible to judge.”

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Filed Under: BMC Racing Team, News Tagged With: BMC Racing Team (USA)

Gilbert, Phinney Withdrawn From Tour of Flanders Roster

March 28, 2013 by Sprint Finish Leave a Comment

Gilbert, Phinney Withdrawn From Tour of Flanders Roster

The BMC Racing Team revised its roster for the Tour of Flanders Thursday, replacing Philippe Gilbert and Taylor Phinney with Adam Blythe and Klaas Lodewyck.

Leaders Still Hushovd, Van Avermaet

Gilbert is suffering from a minor cold that he picked up at Paris-Nice, while Phinney experienced pain above his right knee during Gent-Wevelgem last week. BMC Racing Team Directeur Sportif John Lelangue said the roster changes will not significantly affect the team’s strategy for the 256.2 kilometer race on Sunday. “We still have a good team with guys like Thor Hushovd and Greg Van Avermaet, who are our main leaders,” he said. “But we have also seen in E3-Harelbeke that Daniel Oss is very strong. And we have a good back-up team with Marcus Burghardt, Manuel Quinziato and Michael Schär and two teammates in Blythe and Lodewyck who were already prepared to race. So we are still confident that we will be there in the final.”

Primary Objectives Still Ahead

Gilbert said he wants to be healthy and on-form in time for his major objective: the Ardennes classics next month. “With my current condition, I know I cannot be successful at Flanders,” the world road champion said. “I want to give everything for the Ardennes classics, so I have decided to change my program and go to Vuelta al Pais Vasco to prepare. I need a stage race where I can go hard on the climbs. It’s always better for me to race than train because you can go much deeper in a race.” Phinney said he wants to be 100 percent for next weekend’s Paris-Roubaix, his goal race for the spring. “I’m confident if I stay at home in Italy and have a couple more days of recovery, I can be back 100 percent for Paris-Roubaix,” he said. “I could probably push through the injury but I wouldn’t be at my best. I would have to ride conservatively and that’s not the right position I want to be in for the team.”

Download the official BMC Racing Team race sheet (PDF with roster, statistics, bio, etc.):

http://bit.ly/10LdYGF

Filed Under: BMC Racing Team, News Tagged With: BMC Racing Team (USA), Tour of Flanders

Van Garderen Best Young Rider

March 23, 2013 by Sprint Finish Leave a Comment

“Georges Lüchinger/BMC Racing Team.”

Critérium International: Van Garderen Best Young Rider

BMC Racing Team’s Tejay van Garderen clocked the third-best time in the Stage 2 individual time trial Saturday at Critérium International and sits third overall and wearing the best young rider jersey heading into Sunday’s final stage.

One Second Off The Lead

Van Garderen was one second off the winning time of 9:10 by Richie Porte (Sky Procycling) and tied on time with runner-up Manuele Boaro (Team Saxo-Tinkoff) on the technical, 7.0-kilometer course. Saturday morning’s opening stage of the two-day race was won by Theo Bos (Blanco Pro Cycling Team). Sunday’s 176.0 km final stage features six categorized climbs, including a mountain-top finish that van Garderen said should favor him. “We go into tomorrow trying to figure out a way to win this race,” he said. “I’ve studied the last climb a little bit and we saw the first part of it in training the other day. It looks like a nice climb, steady, and not too steep. It looks like it suits me pretty well. I’m going to try to do what I can.” Defending champion Cadel Evans of the BMC Racing Team finished 74th in the time trial, 45 seconds off the winning time. “Cadel is a big champion, so he will have good motivation to help Tejay and the team tomorrow,” BMC Racing Team Assistant Director Yvon Ledanois said.

Filed Under: BMC Racing Team Tagged With: Critérium International