Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Sempre con noi

Italian Federation Coach, and former Weylandts team-mate Paolo Bettini signed the start list for number 108 for the fifth stage of the Giro with the words, "sempre con noi," always with us.  108 was Wouter Weylandt's number. Tom Boonen meanwhile canceled his upcoming radio-show at StuBru.

The Leopard-Treks and Tyler Farrar did not start today, but apparently not everyone was happy with this decision. Young French rider Brice Felliu wanted to continue. He said he wanted "to give the best of myself to honor Wouter." Last year Brice, a promising young rider was denied entry in the Tour de France when his VacanSoleil team did not make the cut. Now pushed out of the Giro, he must feel things are not going his way. Brice did say however, that he is "in solidarity with his team-mates and that is the way it should be."

A bit too much?

Today's stage covered the infamous Strade Bianche, the unpaved roads of Tuscany. Pieter Weening gave the Dutch another victory, twelve years after Jeroen Blijlevens. He also took the maglia rosa. Pieter was so enthusiastic when he crossed the finish line that many spectators were upset and complained it was inappropriate. He then went on to dedicate his win to Wouter Weylandts. Another Dutch rider Tom-Jeite Siegter from the same Rabobank squad was taken to the hospital after a serious crash. He broke his clavicle and had a head wound, but according to the Rabobank doctor who stayed with him the whole time, he never lost consciousness.

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