Niki Terpstra (27) will not be at the start of the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad next Saturday. The Dutchman announced this on Twitter.

The Omega Pharma-QuickStep-rider isn’t yet recovered from problems with his respiratory.

Last year Terpstra finished sixth in Ghent. His countryman Sebastian Langeveld (then Rabobank, now GreenEdge) won the race.
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According to Denis Menchov himself his good shape is coming right up. The Katusha-cyclist proved himself on Tuesday, when he finished second on the third stage of the Ruta del Sol. Just behind Alejandro Valverde (Movistar).

“I’m happy with this result”, Menchov said afterwards. “Of course I’d rather won, but a second place isn’t bad. My shape is not yet good enough to counter a attack like the one Valverde placed. I rode my own tempo and still finished on the podium.”
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The widow of the deceased Wouter Weylandt will perform the start of the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad next Saturday. An Sophie Weylandt will be at the St.Peter's Square in Ghent, her and Wouter’s hometown, to start off the first springclassic of the year .

The idea came from race director Peter Van Petegem. "I'm glad they agreed, " Van Petegem said. "Wouter was not only a real Gentenaar. He also had the Omloop very close to the heart. The gesture of the family Weylandt has much... More

Alejandro Valverde did a pretty good job at the second stage of the Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista del Sol on Tuesday. The 31-year old Spaniard won the stage and also took the leaders jersey away from German 1t4i-rider Patrick Gretsch.

After alsmost 145 kilometers Valverde was the first to arrive at the finsih on the Alto Santuario Virgen de Araceli in Lucena. Denis Menchov (Katusha) en Rein Taaramae (Cofidis) finished second and third.

The stage win was the second ... More