After his Stage 2 win at Tour du Poitou-Charentes Wednesday, French fastman Anthony Ravard (Ag2r-La Mondiale) timed his sprint to perfection to win the Chateauroux Classic de I'Indre Trophee Fenioux race on Sunday for his second win of the week on on Reynolds Wheels. 

http://bit.ly/b2aWvz

Fly V Australia's Jonathan Cantwell grabbed another criterium win on Reynolds Wheels at the NRC-closing Chris Thater in Bingamton, New York. His win helped Fly V Australia lock up the 2010 NRC team rankings win as the top cycling team in America. 

Reynolds Wheels equipped Isaac Howe (Mountain Khakis f/b Jittery Joe's) was 8th and gained a narrow two point lead in the USA Crits competition. 

http://velonews.competitor.com/2010/08/news/cantwell-continues-strong-season-with-win-at-chris-thater-criterium_137004

Anthony Ravard has won the second stage of the Tour du Poitou-Charentes between St Georges-de-Didonne and Niort. Ravard  won the mass sprint finish ahead of Cervelo's Dominique Rollin. The win is Ravard's third victory of the 2010 season and the Ag2r rider is nowin second overall at the Tour du Poitou-Charentes.

Post-race, Ravard told ReynoldsCycling.Com "I've had  a few physical problems this season and during out team training camp in July at La Toussuire I was asking myself what was going on. I started the Tour of Poland but I still felt bad so I stopped after 4 stages. Then at the Tour du Limousin I felt much better and I started this race wanting to win a stage. Today I got a good win so now I want more."

It was an excellent performance by Reynolds sponsored Team Fly V Australia at the recent Tour of Utah, with two stage wins in Salt Lake City and Snowbird by David Tannerand Jai Crawford. Tanner took a two-up sprint win in Salt Lake City, while climber Crawford took the win atop the Snowbird ski resort ahead of Tour of Utah overall winner Leipheimer. 

David Tanner clinched the Sprint competition with 27pts ahead of Trek-Livestrong's Taylor Phinney, while Jai Crawford was Best Climber on his Reynolds RZR 46 wheels with 20pts. With Team Fly V Australia's Crawford and South African climber Darren Lill finishing 4th and 5th overall, the Reynold's sponsored team won the Tour of Utah
Final Teams classification. while Lill took the Best Utah rider classification win. 

Results: Tour of Utah / August 17-22 2010

August 18, Stage 1: Ogden-Salt Lake City / 137km
1. David Tanner (Aus) Fly V Australia 3h22'17"   

August 22, Stage 5: Park City-Snowbird / 165km
Crawford climbs to final stage victory
1. Jai Crawford (Aus) Fly V Australia 4h27'10"  

Tour of Utah / Final general classification
4. Jai Crawford (Aus) Fly V Australia @ 3'58"
5. Darren Lill (RSA) Fly V Australia @ 4'32"  

Tour of Utah / Final Teams classification
1 Fly V Australia 37h58'18"  

Tour of Utah / Final Sprints classification
1. David Tanner (Aus) Fly V Australia 27pts

Tour of Utah / Final Mountains classification
1. Jai Crawford (Aus) Fly V Australia 20pts

Tour of Utah / Final Best Utah rider classification
1. Darren Lill (RSA) Fly V Australia 12h44'12"  

After his terrible crash on the cobblestones of the Arenberg stage caused him to abandon the 2010 Tour de France, French rider David Le Lay of Reynolds sponsored Ag2r La Mondiale is back racing. After a double fracture of the right collarbone and shoulder, Le Lay has started racing again at the Tour du Poitou-Charentes. 

"I am felling a lot better now. I began training back on the road two weeks ago after having just riden the home-trainer for three weeks. I really want to get back to racing and nothing brings back this like racing. Physically I am starting well but I think I won't be competitive until the middle of September. I should be in great form then!", said the 30 year old from Brittany. 

Please find the exciting new 2011 wheel range from Reynolds Cycling on display at the following international Trade Shows:

1-4 September: Eurobike Germany 
Hall B-1 / Stand # 408

Festibike / Las Rozas (Madrid), Spain (with Scamastur) 
17-19 September 

R'Bike / Lyon, France (with Valdenaire) 
18- 20 September

ExpoBici / Padova, Italy (with Sintema) 
18-20 September 

22-24 September: Interbike Las Vegas, USA 
Booth # 2553 

Roc d'Azur / Frejus, France (with Valdenaire) 
2-10 October

Cycle Show UK / London, England (with Upgrade UK) 
7-10 October

Bike Motion Benelux / Utrecht, NL (with BVBA Bikes Belgium & Tehava NL) 
22-24 October

Jonathan Cantwell added a win in Stage 3 to his Stage 2 win and won the overall at the prestigious Alexian Brothers Tour of Elk Grove, near Chicago, Ill. 

The three-stage format of the Alexian Brothers Tour of Elk Grove provides close racing and  Cantwell placed well in the Stage 1 prologue Time Trial then clinched the Tour overall win with victories in both Stage 2 and 3, all on Reynolds Wheels. 

Post-race, Jonathan Cantwell said, “Mateship played an important role in Fly V Australia winning today. After Stage 1 David Tanner was best placed and I was actually working for him in yesterday’s finish. In the hectic final we lost each other and I came up with the win, which put me within 7 seconds of the overall lead. As a result Dave and my other teammates were perfect in delivering me to the line in Stage 3 for a great win for them and the team”

Jonathan went on to add, “Ben Day was meant to be racing with us this week and has been great all year, unfortunately for us and Ben he came down with a fever and a nasty virus that has him temporarily in Hospital, this win is for Ben.”

A day after his teammates finished the Tour de France, AG2R La Mondiale's Belgian neo-pro Kristof Goddaert was busy winning Stage 3 of Tour de Wallonie in Belgium, a tough hilly 180km race from Andenne to Hotton. For his first pro win, Goddaert beat 2009 Italian champion Fillipo Pozzato and the 23 year old also took over the race lead. 

Post-race, Goddaert explained "to get my first pro win is something important and it was really great because I beat a lot of big-name riders. I lacked something in the first few stages but got better and better as I went on."

AG2R La Mondiale's sports director Gilles Mas was also pleased with the win, explaining "Kristof didn't feel well when the Tour de Wallonie started. He was coming from a big training block in the mountains and wasn't 100% but he improved as the race went along. In the Stage 3 sprint, Hubert (Dupont) led him out well and he jumped  Radio Shack's Steegmans to win thé sprint. A very good job!" 

Tour de Wallonie

Monday, July 26
Stage 3: Andenne-Hotton / 180.2km
1. Kristof Goddaert (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale 4h31'04" 

Tour de Wallonie General classification after Stage 3
1. Kristof Goddaert (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale 13h56'29"

Reynolds Cycling CEO Dean Gestal and European Manager Hartmut Bolts visited the 2010 Tour de France for the start of Stage 20 in Lonjumeau, the final day of the race. Dean Gestal said "I am happy to meet the Ag2r-La Mondiale team and we are pleased at Reynolds with their performance in the Tour. A stage win, 4th place team and a good ride by Nicolas Roche all show we made a good decision to sponsor the team." Reynolds Cycling European Manager Hartmut Boelts, a former pro racer and Tour de France rider said "The Tour is a great place for Reynolds Cycling to test our product and show the world we have great wheels. We are looking forward to working with Ag2r-La Mondiale in the future."  

The Reynolds Cycling executives learned while meeting Nicolas Roche at the Tour that he has extended his contract with Ag2r-La Mondiale until the end of 2012. The Irishman has decided to resist the offers of Team Sky to lengthen his stay with Vincent Lavenu’s team. Roche was already contracted to ride with Ag2r until the end of 2011 and team management moved quickly to extend his contractafter his impressive Tour de France performance. Roche finished a sold 15th overall, following on from the good 22nd place in his debut Tour in 2009. He also took the Irish National Championship last season and finished 13th in the 2008 Vuelta a Espana. Roche has developed into a team leader in his two seasons at Ag2r since arriving from Credit Agricole. Roche made a gift of a watch to each of his teammates in after the Tour to thank for their help over the course of the three weeks.


photo caption: Reynolds execs Hardy Boelts (L) and Dean Gestal (R) meet Ag2r La Mondiale's Nico Roche (c)

Roche revealed the gifting in his column in the Irish Independent newspaper. “To mark my first Tour as a team leader and to thank all of the riders on the team I bought the riders and my manager Vincent Lavenu a Festina Tour edition watch and when we had a quiet minute on the bus after the stage, I gave them one each,” Roche explained. “I realise that all of the guys put their personal goals to one side for three weeks to try and help me do the best I can and it was just a small gesture to show that I really appreciate all they did for me.”

FOOTON-SERVETTO-FUJI's Sports Director in the Tour de France, Joxean Fernández Matxin, and Team General Manager Mauro Gianetti were both please with the young squads performance in the Tour de France. "The final result in general was really positive", stated Gianetti. "It's true that the start was the worst we could ever think of. The rider who was to be our leader in the race, maybe the best positioned for a stage win, Manuel Cardoso, was into the race just for three kilometers before he crashed into the prologue. That was certainly a bummer, but the guys got that off their minds quickly and showed they are great riders. That's been the only negative point in the race: crashes and illnesses. Cardoso, Eibegger and over all of them Mayoz in the last week, with a very serious accident. Also Felline, but that case is a bit less important, since his withdrawal was already expected for that part of the race, because he's a big talent, but it's still too soon to take things serious on him."



Gianetti, a former top Swiss pro rider also remarked the performance by the five survivors claiming in Paris their status as real top riders on Sunday: "The first half of the race done by two youngsters like Durán and Capecchi was very important, even though Arkaitz suffered a bit in the late stage; that was a contrast to Pérez Arrieta's Tour, who gave us many good moments with his escapes in the last week. Also, Benítez was up front in some breaks, and overall, Rafa Valls was the big sensation by the team, showing that, despite still needing some experience, he has the skill, and most importantly the winning spirit." 

For Gianetti, it was even more important the public image for the team that the real sporting performance. "All our sponsors, with Footon. Servetto, Fuji, AMPO and Cantabria and Reynolds Wheels in the lead, were very satisfied about the image given by all team members. It was a huge risk for us, because the squad was so young and all of them were making their Tour début, but I think that gave us a bigger success and increased our media attention and the fan support for the FOOTON-SERVETTO-FUJI. We felt the support from the crowd towards the lads and that's really important". 

photo caption: Footon-Servetto-Fuji rider Eros Capecchi in Tour de France Time Trial Action on Reynolds RZR 92 wheel

For Gianetti, the squad's general manager, a legendary Swiss rider with seventeen pro years and eight appearances at the French tour, liked the bravery by the team: "I know myself what's a Tour début about, and also what's suffering there. All that makes me give a stronger value to the attitude they showed. They were valiant and didn't fade off despite the pressure always reigning there, the fear towards three long weeks of racing, the long transfers... the grandeur of a Tour de France. They showed they had a place into the race."

As he did in June to take control at Tour de Beauce, Fly V Australia's Ben Day powered his Reynolds Wheels and 55×11 gears to win the 25.7km Stage 2 Skyliners Time Trial at the Cascade Cycling Classic in Bend, Oregon.  Day dedicated his win to former teammate Ben Brooks, who crashed horribly at Cascade in 2008 and is currently receiving chemotherapy for testicular cancer.

Cascade Cycling Classic

Thursday, July 22

Stage 2: Skyliners Time Trial 25.7km

1. Ben Day (USA) Fly V Australia  31'28.4"               

6. Darren Rolfe (Aus) Fly V Australia @ 58.4"            

8. Darren Lill (RSA) Fly V Australia @ 1'10.8"

At the summit of the Col du Tourmalet after Stage, Reynolds Wheels sponsored Nicolas Roche of Ag2r La Mondiale said he was “happy” with his ride at the Tour de France so far. Riding Reynolds MV32 UL T wheels, the 25 year old Irishman placed 12th on the tough mountain stage to move up to 15th overall, which leaves him on course for the target he set himself prior to the start of the Tour of placing in the top 15. “I’m happy today,” said Roche. “It was a hard day, but I climbed well. It was really, really fast from the valley,” Roche explained to the media post stage. “And it’s such a hard climb, and I’m just so breathless now. My chest’s burning with the cold air. I’ve been on the limit, giving the maximum everyday,” he added. “But this was amazing today. It’s a monument in cycling this climb, and the weather’s made it epic. It was a race for a lot of things, the last big opportunity for climbers to move up the general classification, and a race for the stage and the yellow jersey.”

Roche finished two places ahead of his Ag2r La Mondiale teammate, John Gadret, with whom he had a falling out after Monday’s stage to Bagnères-de-Luchon when the Frenchman failed to follow team orders and didn't help Roche, the team leader when he punctured. Gadret is currently 17th and first French rider at the Tour de France. Roche paid homage to the Contador and Schleck, who dominated the stage and the Tour. “Contador and Schleck are two amazing riders,” he said. “I’ve known Andy since we were young riders, and he’s got better and more mature every year. I remember the Giro in 2007, when it was our first Grand Tour, and he was flying. Now he’s fighting for the Tour de France with Contador; it’s been an amazing race, and it’s a dramatic and exciting finale. I hope it’s an attractive race for everyone watching.” In Saturday's Stage 20 time trial, Roche will use a Reynolds RZR 92 front wheel & rear Element disc. 

Ben Kersten (Fly V Australia) won the Wells Fargo Twilight Criterium in Boise, Idaho, sprinting home first ahead of Fly V Australia teammate Jonathan Cantwell. It was the 24th edition of the Boise twilight race, part of the National Racing Calendar and USA Crits on a tight, fast 1km, four-corner course in downtown Boise. 

France’s best hope at its national race is an Irishman. Riding for Ag2r-La Mondiale, former Irish champion Nicolas Roche is the best-placed man on a French team at the 2010 Tour, sitting in 14th overall. And, technically, he is French. The son of Irish cycling legend Stephen Roche and his French former wife, Lydia, Roche held dual citizenship until 2005, when he declared for France. Yet the UCI and Cycling Ireland continued to honor his dual citizenship, and thus he is allowed to compete in the Irish national championships.

After racing for French amateur teams, Roche turned pro with Cofidis at the end of 2004. He raced the Tour for the first time last year, at age 25. He scored a second place on stage 14 and a fourth place on stage 16, and went on to finish 23rd overall. This year, Roche sits ahead of several Tour de France podium finishers on the overall, including Carlos Sastre, Cadel Evans and Andreas Klöden.

On stage 12, Roche finished in an elite group with the likes of Ivan Basso, Cadel Evans and Bradley Wiggins, coming across the line 31 seconds back from Rodriguez. After five hours of aggressive racing on tight, winding roads with several climbs, the stage finished right after the sharp Cat. 2 Mende climb, the front end of the race shattered.

“Today was the type of climb that I know on a top day I can go good,” Roche said. “I didn’t do too bad compared to how I screwed up in the Alps.”

Roche lost two minutes on the first big day in the Alps on stage 8 and almost five minutes on stage 9 over the HC Col de la Madeleine when Andy Schleck and Alberto Contador were duking it out.On stage 12, a big break went clear early and was only caught in the final kilometers. “With Klöden and all these boys up the road, it was just savage all day,” Roche said. “Really, really hard with the terrain and the speed of the race. And oh, what a finish.”

Looking ahead to the Pyrénées, Roche said he has high hopes for himself. “I always set myself high ambitions,” he said. “I like to be disappointed in the end as to have more motivation for afterwards. I wanted to be as close as possible to the top 15. I realized today that the level is really high in this Tour, and it’s going to be difficult to do. But the team is great, they do their maximum for me every day. I’m like a young Padawan learning my job. It’s great to have all the team playing the game with me. I haven’t won anything yet. I’ve done okay on some stages. But everything has to be proven yet.”

Christophe Riblon won Stage 14 of the 2010 Tour de France in Ax-3 Domaines on Reynolds Wheels. Riding Reynolds MV32 UL T wheels, the AG2R LA MONDIALE rider got in the right breakaway with 8 other riders and the 29 year old rider from Picardy climbed well over the two tough ascents of the day to stay out from for 160km and win by :54" in Ax-3 Domaines ahead of Denis Menchov. 

An expert track rider, Riblon took the silver medal in the 2008 World Championship points race and silver medal in the 2010 World Championship Madison. Post stage, the 29 year old former French amateur champion explained “I was really disappointed with the way my Tour started, because I wanted to do something overall, and it did not work out. The last two days were very difficult, and I was almost depressed. Then [AG2R La Mondiale’s directeurs sportif] Vincent Lavenu and Julien Jurdie talked to me at length, explaining that I’m usually in good shape by the third week of a Tour, so I had to take my chances and go in a breakaway. They gave me morale, but last night I would still not bet a euro on me.

“In the final I did not want to say , ‘I won’. I constantly repeated to myself, ‘I’m going to win’, but I did not want to be sure, not until the last kilometer. I remembered last year when I wondered how Brice Feillu had done what he did to win the stage to Andorra Arcalis. We were behind, and I do not understand how we failed to reel him in – how could he have stayed ahead when there were riders chasing him down. Now I realize why he could do it. When you’re alone in front, with a few kilometers to the finish, the support of the public helps to carry you and it encourage you, it transforms you and gives you strength. I gave everything and I felt I could not lose.”

Reynolds Wheels sponsored Australian triathlete Kate Major has won the Amica Ironman 70.3 Rhode Island triathlon 0n Reynolds Wheels

Kate Major was well placed out of the water and had a strong performance on the bike leg using Reynolds SDV 66 UL T wheels. Major started the run about a minute behind the leader. In the run leg, a patient Major ran well despite the heat and caught the leader around the 10 mile marker. 

After her win, Major told the media "I felt fairly good throughout. I was happy that it was warm for once," said Major. "The field was so close and strong, I didn't single anyone out and kept alert for everyone behind me until I knew towards the finish line that I had the win, then I relaxed a little as I could see no one behind."

Stage 4 of the 2010 Tour De France from Cambrai to Reims saw Reynolds Wheels riders on the attack across the rolling plains of northeast France. After just 2km, 2009 French champ Dimitri Champion (AG2R LA MONDIALE) was on the attack with his Reynolds DV46 ULT wheels and his move drew out four other riders, including Reynolds Wheels rider Iban Mayoz (FOOTON-SERVETTO-FUJI). The break rode strongly but was absorbed in the final with only a few kilometers to ride after 147km off the front. Champion's efforts were rewarded with the selection of the day's Most Aggressive Rider. Post-stage, Champion explained "I enjoyed being in the break today. It's good to put the last three stages behind and today brought me more confidence. I tried to get away in the last kilometers but the peloton was just chasing too hard. I am happy to be selected as Most Aggressive Rider and hope to try again in the next few days."

For his part,  Iban Mayoz was happy to be up front too on Stage 4. Also riding Reynolds DV46 ULT wheels, who explained "we knew it was going to be very difficult to end up in front, because it was a stage screaming for a bunch sprint, but you always have to take your chances," said Mayoz post-stage. "Eventually, we were caught with three kilometers to go, and with the nervous finale and all the roundabouts in the end, that's a distance where a peloton can always get messed up and gives up an option to contest."

Mayoz had a good spring racing campaign and is now full of confidence for the Tour. 

"I came here to the Tour with the courage of doing what a great Giro d'Italia gave me, and I'm feeling good, but I lost some time during the second day in Belgium due to the crash. If I was planning to get into the breaks before, it's even clearer now that I had to do it again. If the legs follow my feelings right now, I'll try to be up front again." 

Reynolds Cycling's Director of Technology Paul Lew was on hand at the Grand Depart of the 2010 Tour De France to meet with Reynolds sponsored teams Ag2r-La Mondiale and Footon-Servetto-Fuji and ensure that their Reynolds wheels were ready to race, especially the new RZR 92.2 and RZR 46 wheels which are making their Tour De France debut. "It's a great experience to work with such great teams and such top athletes." 


Ag2r mechanics Greg, Patrick, and Yoann meet with Paul Lew (R) at the 2010 Tour


Ag2r's Kuota Kueen-K time trial bikes are ready to rock Saturday's prologue.  Nico Roche has a RZR 92.2 up front and Element disc rear


More Kuota Kueen-K time dtrial bikes for Ag2r


Ag2r's Rinaldo Nocentini will use a RZR 46 front wheel on his Kuota Kueen-K time trial bike


Footon-Servetto-Fuji director Matxin shows his boys a few ball tricks before their morning ride on Reynolds Wheels


Footon-Servetto-Fuji's Mauro Gianetti and Matxin discuss the new RZR 92.2 with Paul Lew (R)

First ridden in anger in the 2010 Tour de Suisse by Nicolas Roche of Ag2r La Mondiale, the Reynolds RZR 92.2 will make its Tour De France Debut in Rotterdam on Saturday.  Select Ag2r La Mondiale & Footon-Servetto-Fuji riders will ride the RZR 92.2 front wheel, paired with a Reynolds Element disc in the rear in the 8.9 km Prologue through the streets of Rotterdam. After his Tour de Suisse ride on the RZR 92.2 front wheel, Roche told Reynolds Cycling "(RZR 92.2) is really a fantastic wheel, it was so fast!"


Nicolas Roche on RZR 92.2 at 2010 Tour de Suisse / Photo Roberto Betini

The Reynolds RZR 92.2, designed by Paul Lew, represents the first Reynolds wheel built specifically for Time Trial and Triathlon. The Reynolds RZR 92.2, with it's low mass and front-wheel weight of only 690 grams sets a new standard for a low-drag Time Trial and Triathlon wheel. The results of testing show the RZR 92.2 is best in class, with results of 15.2 watts of drag at 50km/ph at 10 degrees yaw¹. The 92.2 mm rim was designed using a proprietary computational fluid dynamics computer program used to design, optimize, and validate efficient airflow for U. S. Navy robotic drones and guided missiles. The 92.2 mm rim depth terminates in a razor sharp trailing edge which creates the smoothest possible conformal shape for the re-attachment of separated and turbulent air. This unique trailing edge contour is further enhanced by attaching twelve N.A.C.A. 0033 airfoil full carbon-composite spokes which account for only 1.3 grams of drag per spoke². The spokes terminate in a full carbon hub with a double carbon wall for extreme lateral stiffness, and full carbon axle.

The tire mounting and brake-track region of the rim of the RZR 92.2 is unique. The tire bed is 70% larger, and 30% deeper than Reynolds traditional tubular profile which adds continuity to the airflow from the tire to the rim. Additionally, a super-deep channel runs around the rim on the center-line of the tire mounting surface which creates clearance for the stitching and cloth tape covering. The clearance between the rim and the stitching ensures the tire stitching and tape covering will not “waddle,” from bottoming-out on the rim. This feature creates a more intimate (more firm) and optimal contact between the round tubular tire and the rim. This optimal contour reduces rolling resistance, and removes the variability of rolling resistance that changes based upon tire gluing proficiency.

Unlike ovoid designs, the RZR 92.2 does not sacrifice braking performance, or frame fit. The sidewalls of the RZR 92.2 are parallel for predictable, strong braking, but the sidewall placement and termination is unique. Their unique parallel placement and dispersive effect termination™ (DET) helps to smooth out the turbulent airflow present in all wheels due wheel rotation. The goal is low drag, therefore excited, energized air which varies in predictable frequencies must be smoothed (energy removed) and re-attached to reduce drag. The RZR 92.2 is the first wheel to apply Dispersive Effect Termination™ DET to a wheel contour to minimize the variability of the wave from frequency and length.

Furthermore, the RZR 92.2 aerodynamic section accommodates tires from 19 mm to 22 mm with no increase in drag as the tire diameter increases. Typically a narrower tire will result in a lower drag value, due to the fact that a narrower tire moves the thickest portion of the aerodynamic shape rear-ward, reducing separation. With the increasing popularity of wider tires in TT and Triathlon, the RZR 92.2 is designed to accommodate wide tires without sacrificing performance.

¹Compare to Roues Artisanales Test: http://www.rouesartisanales.com/article-15505311.html

²Average computational value based upon 40–50 km/ph, and varying yaw angles, 1 degree to 30 degrees

Reynolds Cycling sponsored AG2R La Mondiale has finalized their 2010 Tour de France squad and Nicolas Roche will lead AG2R La Mondiale in the 2010 Tour this July. "We are not going for a win at the Tour; we know that already", explained team manager Vincent Lavenu. "But Nicolas Roche has overall ambitions, to finish in the top 15 riders. We are also looking for good performances from riders like Riblon, Le Lay or Gadret who are capable of being opportunist riders and getting in the right breakaway." After breaking his tibia in March, Rinaldo Nocentini is also on the AG2R La Mondiale 2010 Tour de France team. Maillot jaune for 8 days in 2009, Nocentini had a strong ride Sunday to take 8th in the Italian championships. And Ag2r's Martin Elmiger won the Swiss title Sunday in Kriegstetten with a solo win for his second career pro title in the Helvetic Confederation and will make the Tour team as well. 

AG2R La Mondiale / 2010 Tour de France Team 

Maxime Bouet (FRA), Dimitri Champion (FRA), Martin Elmiger (SUI), John Gadret (FRA), David Le Lay (FRA), Lloyd Mondory (FRA), Rinaldo Nocentini (ITA), Christophe Riblon (FRA), Nicolas Roche (IRL).

One week before the Reynolds sponsored FOOTON-SERVETTO-FUJI team heads to Rotterdam to take part in the Grand Depart of the 97th Tour de France on July 3rd, the Gold Generation team, directed by DS Joxean Fernández Matxin and Sabino Angoitia, has confirmed their 9-man lineup for the French Grand Tour.



The UCI ProTour's youngest squad bring the race's youngest rider, 20-year-old Fabio Felline to the start. Led by team's road captain Giampaolo Cheula, the only Tour finisher amongst the contenders with two complete appearances, plus Spaniards Alberto Benítez, Arkaitz Durán, Iban Mayoz and Rafael Valls, Italian Eros Capecchi, Portuguese Manuel Cardoso and Austrian Markus Eibegger who complete a lineup that has always attacking and looking for stage victories since the start of the 2010 season.

"It's true that we're bringing up to eight rookie riders to the Tour", DS Joxean Fernández Matxin explained, "but I think they will compensate for their lack of experience with the enthuasim to ride a race that is a dream for most pro riders. Looking at our roster depth, I think we have a quite well-balanced team, with riders able to ride well in the mountains, such as Capecchi, Durán, Eibegger or Valls; experienced riders for the breakaways like Mayoz, Benítez and Cheula, plus two fast men like Cardoso and Felline, who we hope will give us some headlines in the first week. Obviously, the aim will to fight for stage victories, and we must do it by getting in the breakaways and being combative, just as we have done all the season. The other option remains the mass sprints; despite not having a pure specialist, Cardoso has already shown he can be up-front in the bunch and Felline has a lot of talent, even though we know he comes here with no pressure, and even not to finish the race."




FOOTON-SERVETTO-FUJI's NINE FOR 2010 TOUR DE FRANCE

Alberto BENÍTEZ 

14.11.1981 (28 years old). 

Chiclana (ESP). 3 pro victories. Debuts in Tour de France.

2010 results: 2. stage 5 V. Castilla y León (2.1), 17. GP Miguel Indurain (1.HC), 22. Tour Down Under (UPT).

Eros CAPECCHI 

13.06.1986 (24 years old). 

Terontola di Cortona (ITA). 2 pro victories. Tour de France debut

2010 results: 2. stage 5 Crit. du Dauphiné (UPT); 8. stage 4 Crit. du Dauphiné; 10. stage 5 Volta a Catalunya (UPT); 17 Volta ao Algarve (2.1); 18. Tour de Romandie (UPT).

Manuel CARDOSO 

07.04.1983 (27 years old). 

Paços de Ferreira (POR). 16 pro victories. Tour de France debut

2010 results: 1. stage 3 Tour Down Under (UPT); 3. Trofeo Cala Millor (1.1); 3. Trofeo Palmanova (1.1); 3. stage 1 Circuit de Lorraine (2.1); 5. Trofeo Palma (1.1).

Giampaolo CHEULA 

23.05.1979 (31 years old). 

Crodo (ITA). 5 pro victories. 3rd: 2008 (85.), 2007 (110.).

2010 results: 3. GP di Lugano (1.1); 4. Tour of Turkey (2.HC); 5. stage 4 Tour of Turkey; 21. GP dell'Insubria (1.1).

Arkaitz DURÁN 

18.05.1986 (24 years old). 

Vitoria (ESP). 0 pro victories. Tour de France debut
2010 results: 2. stage 7 Crit. du Dauphiné (UPT); 9. stage 1 Crit. du Dauphiné; 12. Tour of Turkey (2.HC); 12. GP Miguel Indurain (1.HC); 15. GP Llodio (1.1); 16. Critérium du Dauphiné.

Markus EIBEGGER   

16.10.1984 (25 years old). 

Spielberg (AUT). 5 pro victories. Tour de France debut

2010 results: 2. GP Judendorf-Strassengel (1.2); 6. Tour de Langkawi (2.HC); 7. stage 1 Tour de Langkawi; 8. stage 6 Tour de Langkawi; 10. stage 9 Giro d'Italia (GT); 48. Giro d'Italia.

Fabio FELLINE 

29.03.1990 (20 years old). 

Torino (ITA). 3 pro victories. Tour de France debut

2010 results: 1. Circuit de Lorraine (2.1); 1. stages 2 y 3 Circuit de Lorraine; 2. stage 5 Circuit de Lorraine; 5. stage 1 Tour de Romandie (UPT); 5. Classica Sarda (1.1); 7. stage 1 Tour de Suisse (UPT); 10. E3 Prijs Vlaanderen (1.HC).

Iban MAYOZ 

30.09.1981 (28 years old). 

San Sebastián (ESP). 0 pro victories. Tour de France debut

2010 results: 3. stage 13 Giro d'Italia (GT); 10. GP di Lugano (1.1); 12. GP Llodio (1.1); 13. Vuelta a la Rioja (1.1); 22. Giro d'Italia.

Rafael VALLS 

25.06.1987 (23 years old). 

Cocentaina (ESP). 1 pro victories. Tour de France debut

2010 results: 1. stage 2 Tour de San Luis (2.1); 2. Trofeo Inca (1.1); 2. stage 5 Tour de San Luis; 3. Tour de San Luis; 9. Trofeo Deià (1.1); 23. Tour de Suisse (UPT).

AG2R LA MONDIALE's Blel Kadri took his first pro win at the Route du Sud, winning a sprint on Stage 2a, an 82.8km race from Izaourt to St. Gaudens. The French rider, using Reynolds DV46 UL T wheels for the win explained, "This is my firstpro win so I am super happy because it happened at thé Route du Sud, near where  I am from in Toulouse. When the breakaway came to the level crossing  near the end of the stage I though we would be caught but we managed to stay away. It was really lucky but we made it." 

Fly V Australia's Ben Day and his Fly V Australia team dominated the Canadian race Tour de Beauce with two stage wins, a 1-2 finish in the overall as well as winning the Points & Team classification. Day’s win capped a successful week for the Fly V Australia squad. “All the boys did such a great job, they were incredible,” Day said post-race. “You had to have a strong team to win this race, every day was so hard. If I was isolated for too long on any of these stages I would have been killed.”

Tour de Beauce

June 15-20 2010 

Final General classification

1. Benjamin Day (Aus) Fly V Australia 19h09'54"       

2. Darren Rolfe (Aus) Fly V Australia @ :57"              

Final Points classification    

1. Benjamin Day (Aus) Fly V Australia 44pts

Final Teams classification    

1. Fly V Australia 57h33'37"  

 

After an excellent performance in the recent Critérium du Dauphiné, with Christophe Riblon finishing in an excellent 7th place, Reynolds sponsored AG2R LA MONDIALE has revealed their first 3 riders selected for the 2010 Tour de France 2010.


John Gadret

French climber John GADRET, the revelation of the Giro d'Italia will join Christophe RIBLON and Irish rider Nicolas ROCHE, 22nd in the 2009 edition of Le Tour. The six remaning places will be chosen from the following riders: Jose-Luis ARRIETA (ESP), Maxime BOUET (FRA), Dimitri CHAMPION (FRA), Cyril DESSEL (FRA), Hubert DUPONT (FRA), Vladimir EFIMKIN (RUS). Martin ELMIGER (SUI), David LE LAY (FRA), Julien LOUBET (FRA), Lloyd MONDORY(FRA), Rinaldo NOCENTINI (ITA) & Ludovic TURPIN (FRA).


Nicolas Roche

Pro riders Ben Day (Fly V Australia) won first edition of the Chrono Gatineau UCI time trial in Québec, Canada on Reynolds Wheels. Day dominated the 34.4km time test under blue skies and hot sun on a fast out and back course. Day finished the first lap in 21'12", 33" ahead of former Canadian champion Ryan Roth and powered home to win in 42'30.45".

Pot-race, Day explained “I had a crash a couple of weeks ago in California, so I hadn't really had a chance to test myself before this race either. A flat course like this is actually pretty hard, because there is absolutely nowhere to rest. All you can do is give it your best effort and hope that it's enough."

Saturday, June 12

Chrono Gatineau: Elite men / 34.4km

1. Benjamin Day (USA) Fly V Australia / 42'30.45"

The Tour of Somerville in New Jersey celebrated its 70th anniversary Memorial Day with 150 riders in the pro men's Kugler-Anderson Memorial 80km criterium. Known as the Kentucky Derby of cycling in America, Reynolds Wheels sponsored Australian Ben Kersten (Fly V Australia) and his his teammate Alessandro Bazzana went one-two in Somerville. "I was keen on doing this race because I had heard about it, it catered to my track background," Kersten told Cyclingnews. "The team did a great job; David Tanner kicked it with about 600 metres to go and Alessandro Bazzana went with 400 metres to go and he held on for second and I got the win. It was a very interesting course with 800 meters from the last corner to the finish," continued the Fly V Australia rider. "It was slightly uphill with a head wind and I think a lot of people got it wrong. Judging the line was hard and it was easy to go early because you get excited seeing the banners but it was a really long straight."

"We had a tactic that we had discussed a couple days ago with [Ed] Beamon, our director here, who has done this race a thousand times and knew exactly what was going to happen," Kersten said. "We only had five riders so we couldn't take full control of the race. We had to make sure that the two major teams, Team Type 1 and Jamis, weren't both in a move without us. If they weren't in a move, then it was up to them to chase on their own home turf. We had a lot of confidence in our sprint finish and as soon as we saw the course we thought that I would most likely win."

31 May / Kugler-Anderson Memorial 80km criterium-Somerville, New Jersey

1. Ben Kersten (Fly V Australia) 1:46:22

2. Alessandro Bazzana (Fly V Australia)

3. Clayton Barrows (AXA Equitable) @ same time