Even if you don’t care about portuguese national team in Olympics, is my duty to my country to announce here. And, if some portuguese win anything in next week, you will blame me for not having written anything about them... lol

So, ours hops will be in sub23, Rui Costa (Benfica) and Vitor Rodrigues (Liberty Seguros) will be our leaders. The parcous isn’t perfect for them, the last year suits better, this one is a quite flat. Anyway, Costa can sprint too, in a small group he can win. If finish in a bunch sprint, Marco Cunha will be at service, a top15/10 would be good. The gregarios will be João Benta (Santa Maria da Feira/E.Lecrec), Henrique Casimiro (Tavira/Palmeiras Resort) e César Fonte (Benfica). Here, Portugal should work in peloton, this two are true favorites to win, i think.

Rui Costa and Vitor Rodrigues will be in time trial race too.

In elite, Sérgio Paulinho (Astana) will be the leader, these days at Vuelta he already decided with Bettini when will execute the victorious attack. The rest of the team are climbers, the one that could sprint too is Candido Barbosa, but he refuse to participate justifying  a long season!! (bullshit). So Tiago Machado (Madeinox-Tavira)  and José Mendes (Benfica) both with 23 years old are possible surprises, Machado maybe, he have a great future for sure. Nuno Ribeiro (Liberty Seguros) despite is nice 28th in Olympics, this profile is worse for him. Nelson Vitorino and Ricardo Mestre (Palmeiras Resort-Tavira) are the others riders, the first is a veteran with 33, Mestre have 25, but both feels better in mountains.

The tactics here is, attack, attack and attack!! If can’t, stay at least in the peloton. No time trial elite race for Portugal.

In sub23 I’m anxious to see the race, not the same feeling in elites because only if a miracle happens ,we can see something like Athens 2004.

After the fire of Gusev and the contract agreements of nine riders, a new lieutenant will come to the team: Haimar Zubeldia a big tour rider. In Euskaltel Euskadi since running, he achieved three times the top10 in the Tour of France. I remember him when he did great combos with Mayo against Armstrong, pretty stages was.

After 10 years in his team, he maybe lacks motivation because this season was the worst for him, even in the Tour he couldn’t perform well and eventually replaced by Samuel Sanchez in this race.

With 31 years he can still return to their high performance, something i don´t believe for Leipheimer.So I think that one day (maybe already next year) he will replace the status of Leipheimer, seems the american is loosing some ability, especially in the mountains. With Contador as a leader this year, he have a great companion now with the same characteristics and the same nationality, I think is a major factor for his hiring.

So, seems that lack a lider in cooblestones races, Rast and Vaitkus are the ones that usually do this type of races. Maybe Astana may not want to go to Paris-Roubaix next year?

The press release in site of Astana.

With some patience of Crashdan i could do a route map of the 3th stage.

Tomorrow is the first big test for the contenders. Will be 171km with 3 climbs, finish in "Torre" a mythical climb in Portugal, is like Galibrier or Alpe d’Huez in the Tour.This is the higher point in Portugal (islands not include), but the path of this year is new, never climbed a race until the top down this path. So will be strange for almost every riders, training is one thing, compete is other...

It begins in Idanha-a-Nova and will be a flat path of 71km before the first difficulty. In "Unhais da Serra" begins the 2th categorie climb with 20km.  The sprinters will loose the pace here.

via i38.tinypic.com

(Click in the pictures to enlarge)

More on the flip...

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There has been controversial days with much debate and two sides, some favourables, others don’t agree about the decision of PAD (organizer of TDP) to exclude LA MSS of Tour de Portugal.

To remember,it begin in middle of May when PJ (Portuguese police) search the LA MSS place and his riders’s house , in his press release PJ said that found some suspect material (syringes, drugs and one centrifuge). Some days of many news, and finally the “Conselho de Estrada”, an advisory body of portuguese federation, sent a press release warning the organizations of the Portuguese's races, for not invite LA MSS, breaking a rule that these organizations are obligated to invite every Continental Portuguese teams. Despite that, LA MSS already couldn’t run because in that time the insurance’s rider was cancelled by Liberty Seguros (a sponsor of a rival team), and riders had no insurance, however Manuel Zeferino already find a new insurer weeks after. With this, LA MSS could ride again if the organizations invite them because for UCI ,everything is legal.

After some absent races from LA MSS because the no insurances, portuguese federation apparently with no reasons (nobody tested positive), without justifications, decided suspend 9 persons, 5 portuguese riders and Manuel Zeferino (DS), the physiotherapist, the president and other staff person. With no Director sports but with some riders that can ride, LA MSS found a person who can replace Manuel Zeferino in the races few weeks after, and came to the road, but not in Portugal.

In the national championship Portuguese federation authorized, with two riders, two non suspensed and one of them was João Cabreira who win the race crying in his interview when spoke about the injustice of his team and his teammate. During the Tour de France the team finally came in races, in the Vuelta a la Comunidad de Madrid where win a stage with Vicioso, and a second in Classica de Ordizia. Meanwhile spanish riders gave some interview, first the veteran Jose Garrido, Constantino Zaballa, and Angel Vicioso too.

The confirmation of PAD came less than a week ago, LA MSS and Xavier Tondo  (winner in 2007) don’t will ride the TdP.

Since the beginning there is a suspicious about Benfica, since Valenciana they didn’t win a race, very poor results. Candido Barbosa and Jose Azevedo go very discreet this season and some recognized people say it was Benfica who made the complaint leading to the search of PJ. Benfica in cycling is sponsor by Lagos Sport, a company of sporting events that organizes Open do Estoril, Lisboa-Dakar, and for worse, the Volta a Portugal too!!!  

There have to be a really strong reason for federation suspend LA MSS, no more justifications were given beyond that press release of PJ, and many people doubt the methods of that search. Meanwhile some arguments because teams with already doping cases this season are invite, like Lampre, Barloworld, CSF Group Navigare and Saunier Duvall, the difference is the problematic riders are excluded from their teams.

This situation is very sad, many sites supporting LA MSS asking for signatures, others not. This is the main theme discussed in all Portuguese blogs and forums, but this season are spoiled with this event.

I think the decision of PAD of not invite LA MSS was the correct, but I have many doubts of their suspended, I hope portuguese federation will resolve this as soon as possible but seems not.

I take the liberty to do a news post about Euro2008.(hope it's ok...)

The schedule for the quarter final is:

Today (Thursday 19 June), 20.45 CET    Portugal vs Germany

Tomorrow (Friday 20 June), 20.45 CET Croatia vs Turkey

Saturday 21 June, 20.45 CET  Netherland vs Russia

Sunday 22 June, 20.45 CET  Spain vs Italy

This is two videos of two strikers.

The first is Eusébio the The Black Panther , best portuguese soccer player. Maybe Ronaldo is better now, but i have sure that he can't do that, (look how many guys he pass in 4º goal) Look this video, Portugal was losing for 3-0 in half time, and finish winning 5-3!! This is a mitic game here.

In Germany, had a striker, which is the oldest player still in my time, that I remember. Maybe in their two or three final years of career, but I still remember him in Euro96 and World Cup98.Jurgen Klinsmann .

Hope for a BIG Game today.

"Today José Azevedo from Benfica wins the Tour of Portugal, and 5.000 fans waiting in Benfica's stadium to receive and applaud the team". This is just a thought, but the point i want to come is: if exist historical teams in these days, there would be many more fans? And I think there must be progress in this direction as there was when cycling became a race of teams. Ok, you are thinking that isn’t possible because of the sponsors, I will give my idea ahead.

Now I will give you some examples: In Algarve (region of Portugal) there is a team "Palmeiras Resort-Tavira " which is known: the oldest team of the international peloton (founded  in 1979). This team has been supported by the city council of Tavira, they moving sponsors like others, but the name of Tavira is always there. In this city everyone knows the team, and despite not knowing the riders, they always support the team like a symbol of the city and this is already a traditional cycling city in Portugal.

The three major teams of soccer in Portugal had cycling teams in the 70s and 80s and this was the best moment of Portuguese cycling , at least with a lot more fans. To give you an idea, national stadium was used at the end of last chrono of TdP, 20.000 people used to be there.

via www.ciclismosjver.host.sk

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Last year there is another phenomenon, the Benfica, the major soccer team in Portugal (half population are fan of this team, 5 millions) came with a new team of cycling and in TdPortugal there is a new type of fans who despite don’t know about cycling are interested only because Benfica racing. This team is like a religion for many peoples.

Teams can last for decades, a career of a rider lasts no more than a decade and half, then are only memories. I am sure that in Armstrong era many americans came to the Tour only to see him, but imagine if its happen with the teams. Some people born already with a team because of his family tradition. Imagine songs created by group of supporters, ok some of them are problematic…

You can see the same about nationalities, people goes to the Big Tours to see his compatriots, the teams are one more reason to go. You can talk about Mapei, and now Quick-Step. Team Telekom before T-Mobile and know Team High Road. But the name is different, the region is different and in the case of High Road fortunately the mentality is different too. When you talk with your sons, grandchildren about US Postal, about Quick-Step or CSC achievements, they will can’t understand the meaning of that team.

The main reason that can be happen is because not exists money without sponsors. And maybe my thinking is a little utopia, but I will contest the structure of a Pro Tour Team. A Pro Tour Team in cycling is based on his nationality, and not a city or region. If the name don’t include a region or a city how can they have loyal supporters.Nationality is already reserved for national team, "teams" are for cities or regions...

(There is some exceptions, Euskatel for exemple, and we see what happens in the Pyrenees of a Tour or Vuelta...)

Ok, in cycling don’t are tickets to win some money, but I’m looking to soccer and the ticket’s money are insignificant for the best teams despite the monthly pay of supporters are important, and this could be doing in cycling, maybe already has. The DS and others managers have to think not in a cycle but in a future for the team.

We know that will be many financial problems and I don’t have enough knowledge to discuss that, i think we must build a team for root, support by a city or region, with a school, but early school, not only sub23. Of course with sponsors, but always present who this team represents...

I think this will be a very courageous but good step for cycling, is my opinion...

Hello, this is my first post and i’m sad because is about bad things...

Some days ago Bruno Neves, rider of LA MSS, died on a fall. This happens days before a scandal come to the top. The portuguese police discover some equipment in the facilities of the LA MSS and in the houses of some riders. I see in the news the equipment of police found and i think is normal for a cycling team: syringes, medicines and a centrifuge. There is 12 persons (2 riders) suspect of this activities. To worsen the situation, yesterday came the news that Bruno Neves died in cardiac arrest before falling. Some riders of the peloton confirm this, saying BN felt without reaction. The autopsy its not finish yet. The doctor of this team is Marco Maynar, one more Spanish. (someone know him?). The portuguese anti-doping agency can’t do anything because they haven’t a positive test yet. One more news today, seems the drugs were taken to a laboratory in Galicia (spanish region), there is some speculation these days...

Manuel Zeferino is the most prestigious and for me and many fans the best Team Director of Portugal.  He won Tour of Portugal many times, and he relaunched the careers of many cyclists. Ex: Claus Mohler, winner of a TdP, 8º in GC of Vuelta 2000, and this team with another name, wins the team classifications in Vuelta 2000 too. More recently he took Xavier Tondo when he worked in a factory of tomatoes a few years ago, and last year he won the TdP. Manuel Zeferino has the best results of any team director in Portugal for last ten years (the same prefil that Manolo Saiz, I think?). Honestly I admire him (MZ) and I’m very surprise with all this.

Portuguese peloton this year is much stronger than previous years, thanks to the last hour’s hiring of spaniards who came to occupy the leaders of teams. Very spanish are overshadowed by Operation Puerto: Francisco Mancebo (Fercase), Ruben Plaza (Benfica), Angel Vicioso and Constantino Zaballa for LA-MSS. Came some news that Oscar Sevilha would go to the Benfica but with the hiring of Ruben Plaza, the team had no money to pay to the spanish rider.

 Many speculation in todociclismo.com and as.com in early season because the portuguese teams welcomed this Operation Puerto’s riders excluded from spanish teams. The season begins too, with the dismissal of Jose Pecharroman by Benfica because some medicinies that the rider used. Like the soccer (>50% are Brazilian), basket (50% are Americans), the cycling in Portugal, in professional teams, are invaded of spaniards. We (portuguese) have very good riders, why we can not copy only the good things of spanish cycling…

The OP is like a contagious disease in Cycling, now seems to arrive at Portugal. Unlike OP, i hope that case of LA MSS is clarified, the doubt is the worst feeling that a case of trial can be. But this case is already on trial in portuguese public square. In TV is very rare talk about cycling, only about TdPortugal or TdF in the year some times, but now, again for bad reasons, has showed in all news. My friends, fans of sports, talk with me about cycling, once again because of doping.

The LA MSS recently put three guys in the three first position in the Vuelta Asturias , and last week the same in GP Internacional Paredes Rota dos Móveis . This team is top3 in Portugal and now is finished, like Manuel Zeferino career too. The home city council, broke the contracts and the sponsors want too. I hope this two riders suspect are the spanhish guys, anyway the portuguese riders will always have a mark on his career, like OP riders. It’s a shame because João Cabreira maybe is the best climber in the peloton and only with 26 years old.

My pity goes for the riders who will be innocent, and for Luis Almeida. He is the president of LA-Aluminios, a company that helps the amateur cycling for 30 years and the professional for 10 years. Almeida is an amateur rider and a lover of cycling and do not deserve this.

Until now I reiterate: there is still nothing concrete, unless the end of the LA MSS team.

Yesterday it was announced the Tour of Portugal 2008. Will be in August like usually, but more difficult than ever. The queen stage, the climb of the mythical “Torre” is in stage 3, so soon!

The 7º, 9º stage finish in a 5km mountain. The tour ends already with a 40km ITT, but this time with a finish of a 1.5km difficult rise. The non Portuguese teams are:

Lampre, Saunier Duvall, Slipstream again (i’m glad), Barloworld, Ceramica Flamina, Karpin Galicia, Serramenti PVC, Agritubel (maybe Moreau?), Estremadura.

The prologue and the begins of the first stage are in Portimão, in Algarve. This is my home town, and I’m on holidays there. I pray for a DZ or CVV in TdP?

Nice training for my english, sorry for the extensive text I hope you understand…