(Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
The race is lower key than the Tour of California especially as it comes right in the middle of Classics season. But the beauty of cycling is the fact that there is enough talent to go around. So the Tour de Georgia sees George Hincapie (Phil and Paul’s favorite cyclist) appear for his return after suffering a thumb injury at the Tour de California. He has been working hard to stay in form and recover from his injury.
Disco’s Race?
We are not sure which Hincapie we will see at this race as Discovery have quite a few cards to play. First is Hincapie, who can probably climb as well as anyone especially now that he does not have to focus on the Spring Classics this year. Then there is Tom Danielson the winner two years ago and runner up last year. Levi Leipheimer is just coming off a Tour of California victory and would probably like to continue that winning streak. He is now a winner with Discovery Channel where he found the extra push to get to the top step of the podum in California.
Don’t Tick off Tinkoff
Tinkoff are a new team and they are on a mission to win as much as possible. Tinkoff guys have been seen at the front of many races and have also bagged a few wins. The owner Oleg Tinkoff looks like a guy you would not want to mess with.
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The new Tinkoff Credit Systems Team has been close to getting a win a few times. The newish team with big ambitions needs to light up the early season with wins to get consideration as a wildcard team for the Giro D’Italia and other races.
On Saturday the team got its first win as Pavel Brutt took stage 9 of the Tour de Langkawi.
Check out the videos of the stage below.
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The Giro D’Italia will feature only 18 of the 20 ProTour Teams and will make the final announcement on February 12. This is a move that signals a large fissure in the battle between the UCI’s and the three Grand Tours. This situation was not helped much when Pat McQuaid made some very odd comments about Continental European culture.
The rift between grand tour organizers and the ProTour should help Tinkoff’s chances in the Giro. Zomegnan noted his differences with UCI president Pat McQuaid and said the two were definitely not talking after recent “Mafia” comments by the Irishman. “You could really see his soul with those remarks.”
– cyclingnews.com
This split with the UCI by not including all of the ProTour teams is a natural adjustment for the Giro D’Italia which as had its little brother status to the Tour exacerbated by the ProTour.
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tuttobiciweb.com reports that Tyler Hamilton has signed with the Tinkoff Credit Systems Team for 2007. The long rumored move is said to be complete as Hamilton joins a 17 man continental Italian squad.
Oliver Piscina says that “With Tyler on the team we will have an immediate increase in the quality of our team”
Tinkoff is made up of riders from the now disbanded LPR team. We understand his past, but every athlete deserves a second chance”
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