Italian Sacha Modolo sprinted to win the Three Days of De Panne's second stage yesterday in Belgium. It is one of his few trips north, where this Sunday in the Tour of Flanders, he will support Lampre's blue and pink team and help Filippo Pozzato.
"It's the first time I've done these races, apart from De Panne. I don't know the roads and the climbs. I don't know the key points where you're supposed to be in front, so that makes it a bit hard. In fact, I fell a few times at Ghent-Wevelgem and I only got back on with 20 kilometres to go," Modolo said in the press conference at De Panne.
"I'm ready to help [Pozzato]. Although Flanders is obviously a completely different race and I've never done it before. I don't know the roads, I basically don't know anything about it. I'll basically be Pozzato's dog. He'll tell me what to do and I'll have to go and do it. I'll try to be in front with him even though it's hard."
Sagan leaves De Panne for Flanders
Peter Sagan left the Three Days of De Panne to rest ahead of the Tour of Flanders. He won the first stage but said that he wanted to back off to make sure he was ready for Sunday.
"It's more important that I'm ready for Flanders," team Cannondale's captain said on Tuesday. "I don't want to risk a crash. I want to keep my condition."
Sagan lost Fabian Cancellara's wheel last year after the Paterberg and placed second in Flanders.
Women's World Cup picks up 'major' sponsor
Cycling's governing body, the UCI announced yesterday that it signed a 'major' sponsor for the women's World Cup races.
"The Sufferfest, a world-leader in the production of indoor cycling training videos, will become the first major sponsor of the World Cup," read a press release. "The sponsorship agreement is another indication of the growing appeal of women's cycling and the UCI's commitment to develop and grow it worldwide."
The World Cup consists of nine one-day races, which are all due to be televised.
UCI President Brian Cookson said of the sponsor, "This is another significant development for women's cycling and we will continue to build on the momentum we have established."
European Cycling Union moves in with UCI
The European Cycling Union (UEC) moved its headquarters to the UCI's base in Aigle, Switzerland. It announced yesterday that it would reside at the World Cycling Centre instead of Zurich.
President David Lappartient said in a statement, "Moving our headquarters to the World Cycling Centre is a further step to strengthen the relations between the UEC and the UCI; a symbiotic relationship that is already yielding great results and is going to be even closer and fruitful."
The UEC moved against former UCI President Pat McQuaid during his re-election campaign last year when it voted in favour of Brian Cookson. Those votes helped Cookson win the election in September at the World Championships.
The UEC was founded on April 7, 1990.
Tom Boonen: Tour of Flanders training photos
Omega Pharma-QuickStep leader Tom Boonen hits the cobbles to train for the Tour of Flanders
Gregor Brown is an experienced cycling journalist, based in Florence, Italy. He has covered races all over the world for over a decade - following the Giro, Tour de France, and every major race since 2006. His love of cycling began with freestyle and BMX, before the 1998 Tour de France led him to a deep appreciation of the road racing season.
-
-
Last lap crash denies Tom Pidcock chance of victory at X2O Badkamers Flandriencross
Pidcock contests his final races this weekend before the World Championships next Sunday
-
Vaccination rates of teams vary between 40 to 100 per cent as UCI updates Covid rules ahead of new season
Cycling's governing body conducted a survey over the winter and said the response was 'satisfactory'
-
Tour of Flanders Espoirs cancelled indefinitely
The race's date, location and lack of young riders are all factors in the organiser's decision
-
No fans at Tour of Flanders and other Classics in 2021, according to organisers
There will be no fans at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Ghent-Wevelgem, Dwars Door Vlaanderen, Scheldeprijs or Brabantse Pijl in 2021
-
How watching 25 years of Tour of Flanders footage is helping scientists study climate change
It might sound like an excuse to watch some bike racing, but scientists are using footage of the Tour of Flanders to help them study climate change.
-
Peter Sagan: 'If the other riders don't wake up, it's going to be like this'
"It's not just me that they need to beat" Peter Sagan said of his rivals after Quick-Step Floors dominated the Tour of Flanders
-
Five things we learned from the 2018 Tour of Flanders
We take a look at the main talking points from the 2018 edition of the Tour of Flanders
-
Niki Terpstra leaves rivals reeling with amazing Tour of Flanders solo win
Dutchman Niki Terpstra adds a Tour of Flanders victory to his 2018 E3 Harelbeke win and 2014 Paris-Roubaix title after a trademark long-range solo attack
-
Luke Rowe disqualified from Tour of Flanders: 'I'm just gutted'
Team Sky Welshman Luke Rowe reportedly rode onto bike path in among spectators during the Tour of Flanders
-
Peter Sagan on aiming for second Tour of Flanders win: ‘Sometimes it’s better not to think about it and just do it’
Pre-race favourite Peter Sagan says that he and his Bora-Hansgrohe team are ready to take on the Tour of Flanders on Sunday: "we are strong enough and with the power to be in the front in Flanders"
