Europcar manager Jean-René Bernaudeau has found a replacement sponsor in Direct Energie, a supplier of electricity and natural gas that operates in France and Belgium. It keeps the team on the road and also does the whole sport some good because here’s a sponsor from outside the sport that wants to use the team as a means to win new customers.
Ag2r La Mondiale’s latest set of accounts are out and the budget for the team in 2014 was €13.6 million, up 15% on the previous year.
Having looked at Team Sky’s accounts recently here’s a look at the numbers for the French team.
Fabio Aru has been attacking on the Puerto de la Morcuera and opened up a gap on race leader Tom Dumoulin. Helped by team mate Mikel Landa Aru distances Dumoulin and rides into the race lead on the penultimate day of the race. This was the moment the race was won.
The final procession to Madrid is the last chance for the sprinters and a victory parade for the new red jersey wearer Fabio Aru.
The final mountain stage of the Vuelta a España and the last throw of the dice for Fabio Aru and Astana who want to dislodge Tom Dumoulin from the top step of the podium in Madrid tomorrow.
A hilly profile but the stage is for a breakaway or the sprinters rather than a set piece showdown between Tom Dumoulin and Fabio Aru.
The Grand Tour Cookbook by Hannah Grant
Tinkoff-Saxo chef Hannah Grant has published this cookbook with recipes, stories and information.
Three seconds separate race leader Tom Dumoulin and Fabio Aru and today’s stage offers time bonuses and a late climb. It should be a day for a breakaway but will Astana and Giant-Alpecin try their own battles?
The only solo time trial of the Vuelta was designed to rebalance the overall classification late in the race and the scenario couldn’t be closer with time trial expert Tom Dumoulin needing to take two minutes on his rivals to see red again.
Enjoying the Vuelta? Like last year almost all of the best Spaniards in the race are over 30. Last year Spain finished first in the UCI rankings by nation thanks to Alberto Contador, Alejandro Valverde and Joaquim Rodriguez only the combined age of this trio is more than 100 years. Some said there are no replacements so this site looked at the next generation of riders coming through to pick some names for the future. How have they done this year?
As well as riders tipped a year ago, a look at some new names too.