Team CSC

No Medals for McGee

2008-08-21T16:07:00-05:00

There was no Olympic medal for Team CSC-Saxo Bank rider Brad McGee in track racing at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. McGee entered Beijing a five-time Olympic medalist during three Olympic Games, but failed to reach the finals in the Individual Pursuit to finish a disappointing ninth. Then Australia rode to fourth in the four-man Team Pursuit, leaving McGee one medal short of tying the Olympic Games record of six medals in track racing.

Olympics: McGee Still Hopes for Medal

2008-08-16T18:54:01-05:00

Team CSC-Saxo Bank rider Brad McGee (Australia) fell short in his bid to qualify in the men’s individual pursuit in Friday’s qualifying rounds at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. McGee is a three-time medalist in the four-kilometer event, but had never won Gold. He qualified ninth, just two seconds short of finishing among the top-eight to move onto the next phase of competition.

“That wasn’t the Brad McGee that I expected to see,” he said afterward. “I came in with a good mindset but I just couldn’t make it. At 32, I thought I had good preparation, but maybe it just doesn’t work out anymore.”

McGee will still have a shot at a medal as he takes part in the men’s Team Pursuit competition beginning on Sunday. Four-man teams ride off against each other in qualifying rounds to make it into the final-four slots for a medal. If McGee medals in Beijing, he will become just the third track cyclist in Olympic Games history to win medals in four different Olympic Games.

Bellis Signs On

2008-08-14T18:48:00-05:00

Team CSC Saxo Bank scored a coup when it signed British prospect Jonathan Bellis to join the team for the upcoming Tour of Britain. Bellis, 20, is currently competing in the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. “We’ve had our eye on Jonathan for ages. He’s already had several interesting results before winning bronze in the under 23 World Championships, at the tender age of 19,” said sport director Scott Sunderland. “During the training camp we got to know him a bit better and we’re positive he’ll fit right in with the other members of the team.”

Vuelta Honors for Sastre

2008-08-12T13:08:00-05:00

Carlos Sastre received the honor of the No. 1 start bib for the upcoming Vuelta a Espana, which begins Aug. 30 in Granada with the team time trial. Sastre raced to second overall in last year’s Vuelta and receives the top start number because defending Vuelta champion Denis Menchov isn’t starting. Sastre, who won last month’s Tour de France, will lead a strong Team CSC-Saxo Bank squad in the three-week Spanish tour.

Kolobnev Second in Spain

2008-08-06T15:57:00-05:00

Alexsandr Kolobnev fine-tuned his Olympic Games preparation with a fine second place in Saturday�s Cl�sica San Sebasti�n in Spain. The Team CSC-Saxo Bank rider was out-sprinted by Alejandro Valverde in the one-day classic while Davide Rebellin took third. Kolobnev, who took silver in last year�s world road cycling championships, will use the good form as he heads to competition in China this week for the Beijing Summer Olympic Games.

Breschel Signs for Two More Years

2008-08-03T15:56:00-05:00

Matti Breschel will stay in a Team CSC-Saxo Bank uniform for two more years. The 23-year-old Danish sprinter, who�s currently ripping up the Tour of Denmark, has signed a contract extension through the 2010 season with CSC-Saxo Bank. Breschel, who�s currently leading the Danish tour, has scored four victories during this season.

Sastre a Busy Man

2008-07-28T19:48:00-05:00

Tour de France winner Carlos Sastre will be a busy man in the coming weeks. Instead of heading to the beach, Sastre will hit the lucrative post-Tour criterium series this week where he�ll earn an estimated 45,000 euros per appearance in events in Belgium and Holland. On Wednesday, he�ll host a press conference on his return to Spain. Officials in his hometown of El Barraco have already planned a big fiesta to celebrate his victory and will name a street in his honor. After a short break to celebrate with his family, he�ll head to Beijing as part of Spain�s five-man team for the Summer Olympic Games. Then there�s no rest for the weary as Sastre will race the Vuelta a Espa�a, Aug. 30-Sept. 21. Sastre was second in last year�s Vuelta and will be one of the star attractions at the Spanish national tour. It�s still not confirmed if he�ll race the world road cycling championships the following weekend in Varese, Italy. By then, Sastre might be ready for a breather.

Sastre Poised for Tour Victory

2008-07-26T19:32:01-05:00

Carlos Sastre is poised to become the seventh Spanish rider to win the Tour de France. Barring disaster in Sunday�s final stage, Sastre will be crowned the winner of the 95th Tour after crossing the finish line on the Champs-�lys�es. Sastre will become the third consecutive Spanish winner at the Tour. Other Spanish winners are Federico Bahamontes (1959), Luis Oca�a (1973), Pedro Delgado (1988), Miguel Indurain (1991-95), Oscar Pereiro (2006) and Alberto Contador (2007).

Sastre Olympics Bound

2008-07-25T22:35:00-05:00

Carlos Sastre is heading to the Beijing Olympic Games after the Tour de France concludes Sunday. Whether or not he wins the Tour remains to be seen, but he�s earned the confidence of the Spanish national coach, Paco Antequera, who made Sastre part of the five-man squad. In addition to Sastre, Alejandro Valverde, Oscar Freire, Samuel and Alberto Contador will also head to China.

Slow, But Winning, Time up Alpe d'Huez

2008-07-24T15:46:01-05:00

Carlos Sastre�s time up the 13.8-kilometer switchback climb up Alpe d�Huez was 39 minutes, 29 seconds. That�s the second slowest time since an official time was taken on the climb beginning in 1994. Giuseppe Guerini climbed it in 41:52 in 1999 at the end of a long, solo breakaway to hold the slowest climb since records were kept. The fastest time on the climb was set by Marco Pantani with in 36:50 in 1995. Seven-time Tour champ Lance Armstrong rode up in 37:36 during a climbing time trial in a 2004 individual time trial.