Lance Armstrong Interview Part 2 - Full video

For those who missed part two of Oprah's interview with Lance Armstrong, here is your chance to watch it:

And if you want the full transcript of the interview, click here.

Watch Armstrong's doping confession - Full video

In case you missed Lance Armstrong's doping confession on Oprah last night, you now have a chance to see it for the first time or to re-watch it from YouTube right here:

Oprah: Did you ever take banned substances to enhance your cycling performance?
Lance: Yes

Oprah: Was one of those EPO?
Lance: Yes

Oprah: Did you ever blood dope or use blood transfusions?
Lance: Yes

Oprah: In all seven of your Tour de France wins did you ever take banned substances or blood doping?
Lance: Yes

Oprah: Was it humanly possible to win the Tour de France without doping seven times in a row?
Lance: Not in my opinion.

Giro d’Italia wild cards - Garzelli is back

According to RCS member Stefano Diciatteo this is how the
'Giro wild cards vote' ended. / Picture from Twitter.

Today RCS revealed the final three wild cards for this year’s Giro d’Italia and not surprisingly Colombia - Coldeportes, Vini Fantini & Bardiani-CSF all made the cut.

Inviting Vini Fantini also means that RCS are giving Stefano Garzelli a chance to ride his last Giro d’Italia after he was left out last year (read more about that here). Garzelli has already won the KOM jersey twice in the Giro and in his last race he wishes to make it three despite hard competition from some of the other wild card teams. Especially Colombia - Coldeportes will have their saying in that competition as they are set to bring pure climbers like John Darwin Atapuma, Fabio Duarte and Esteban Chavez to the race.  

Bardiani-CSF won’t have Domenico Pozzovivo and Gianluca Brambilla to back this year, but Sacha Modolo will be interesting to follow in the sprint finishes while Enrico Battaglin, Stefano Pirazzi and youngun Francesco Manuel Bongiorno will get a chance to shine in the mountains.

It’s clear to see that RCS, with these wild cards, are giving Italian cycling a helping hand after what happened last year with Team NetApp. New swiss team IAM Cycling and Kastusha were both left out, despite very strong riders on the team, and even though Kastusha still have a chance (depending on the CAS hearing) to ride the Giro, IAM Cycling must feel a bit overlooked by RCS.

What do you think? Did RCS invited the right teams? Leave you comment below!

Contador set to start out strong?

Contador in San Luis.

Alberto Contador was sidelined the first half of the season last year before comming back winning the Vuelta España and it seems like the Saxo-Tinkoff captain wants to start out 2013 the way he ended 2012.

First race of the new year is Tour San Luis (21^st-27^th of January). Despite not showing up on the official race results, Alberto Contador had a great time in Argentina last year where he won the two big mountain stages and originally ended 2^nd overall. This year’s edition of the Argentinean race features the two very same mountain top finishes and as Alberto Contador always tries to add as many stage race wins to his palmarés as possible, it will be a surprise if he’s not among the riders fighting for the overall win.

The second - and so far only other known race on Contador’s 2013 calendar – is (according to Biciciclismo) Tour of Oman. The ASO-organized race will take place from the 11^th to the 16^th of February and like the last two years, the steep mountain top finish on Green Mountain (10% avg.) is set to make a decisive impact on the final GC. Robert Gesink won the stage in 2011 and took the overall win while Vincenzo Nibali won on Green Mountain last year and ended 2^nd overall. Alberto Contador has never before taking part in Tour of Oman and if he finishes Tour San Luis in good shape I won’t hesitate to put him down as the big favorite for the overall win in Oman.

What do you think? Will Alberto Contador start out 2013 winning in Argentina and Oman? Leave your comments below.

Happy Holidays

I would like to take a minute and wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

May your Holidays be enchanting and your company inspiring.

Enjoy these days and don't forget to come back to the site in the new year.

See you soon!

Mikkel

PS. In case you need a positive cycling story to remember this year by let me recommend you this one - this is truly an amazing project!

Exclusive Interview - Thomas Löfkvist (IAM Cycling)

Thomas Löfkvist.

Thomas Löfkvist has had an awful year on the bike in 2012 where everything that could go wrong did go wrong. Now the Swedish rider, based in Switzerland, hopes that 2013 will bring more luck as he is set to lead out the new Swiss IAM Cycling team. 

Thomas, first of all, congratulation with the new contract with IAM. What made you pick IAM over the other teams interested in you?

Thanks a lot. My choice of IAM was something that evolved. I was in Geneva a couple of times to talk with the management. The important factor, which made me pick IAM in the end, was the way they wanted to build up the team and the enthusiasm Mr. Thetaz showed for the project.

You’ve just been at the first team camp in Geneva. How was your first impression of the team and your new team mates?

Yes, we were five days in Geneva to meet the team administration, to get our new bikes, new clothes and to spend some time getting to know each other. Last Friday we had a Christmas dinner with the whole IAM SA. I think it’s a great group of people and I went home with a very good “gut-feeling”.

How is IAM Cycling different from your previous teams?

IAM have a whole new structure meaning we are starting from scratch without any preconceived ideas about how things should be done. I was really surprised how open minded they are. That is especially thanks to Kjell Carlström who has brought many new ideas to the table.

Do you already know your race schedule for next year?

Well, I have received a preliminary schedule that will be focused on the one-week stage races and I’m very happy with that.

I guess Tour de Suisse and Tour de Romandie will be the two biggest goals for the team next year?

No doubts about that. With a Swiss sponsor Tour de Suisse and Romandie will be the team’s two main goals and that goes for me too. I have ambitions of showing off the IAM colors successfully in those races!

Which other races are you aiming at next year?

First of all the two Swiss stages races but also Tirreno-Adriatico in the spring. After that we will have to wait and plan the rest of the year.

What about this season? Is it best just to forget it or can you take anything positive with you from 2012?

I rather just forget this damn year. Everything that could go wrong did go wrong.  I managed to time my peak perfectly for Tour de Suisse [Löfkvist’s big goal of this season], but that got ruined by my knee injury. Then I came back strong in the end of the season, but got hold up behind the big crash at the World Champions and in Emilia I was in the winning group when my derailleur broke. There is really nothing positive I can take with me from this year.

Looking at the future. IAM Cycling are hoping to do the Tour within a few years. Will that be with you as their team leader?

Well, my ambition of doing Top10 in a GC is still there, so I will keep on trying every time I can.

Last one. Since it’s Christmas and everything, what is your biggest wish for 2013?

A problem free year on the bike!

Let the race begin!

Contador keeps Kreuziger behind him to take the win.
Photo from Contador on Twitter.

Alberto Contador and Team Saxo-Tinkoff were worried they wouldn’t be handed one of the 18 World Tour licenses and therefore had to live on mercy from the race organizers next year. Luckily that didn’t happened and now Contador and the rest of the Danish team can prepare for a great 2013.

One of the most important helpers for Alberto Contador next year will be Roman Kreuziger and according to the Czech climber he’s already made good friends with his new Spanish captain.  

“It was easy, we have a common interest for fast cars. Alberto is crazy about them! He has about five cars at home so I guess I have to work hard to keep up with him”, Roman Kreuziger told Czech newspaper Dnes.

Contador as winner of the Go-Kart
tournament on Gran Canaria.

At their team camp on Gran Canaria last month, Team Saxo-Tinkoff also had a Go-Kart ournament arranged and according to the staff, Alberto Contador was quick to school his team on how to do it right before he later ended up on top of the podium as the overall winner.

Roman Kreuziger showed his potential too, taking second place. “It’s probably his friendship with Fernando Alonso that helped him”, Kreuziger explained.

You can watch a 9 minutes video of Team Saxo-Tinkoff's Go-Kart day on Gran Canaria by clicking here.