CYCLING:Top Spanish professional Alejandro Valverde and Tour de France-champion elect Oscar Pereiro are gearing up for their 2007 season debut this Sunday in the Trofeo Mallorca, the first of five races in the Challenge Mallorca series.
Valverde was the most consistent rider of the 2006 season, winning the ProTour competition. He was also runner-up to Alexandre Vinokourov in the Tour of Spain and third in the World Championships.
Pereiro was second in the Tour de France but with Floyd Landis likely to lose his title after a positive test for testosterone, he is set to become the first Spanish victor since Miguel Indurain in 1995. The Caisse d'Epargne riders are currently at the team training camp near Palma and spoke to The Irish Times this week. "I've trained well and am feeling tranquil at the moment," said Valverde. "I am looking forward to the start of the season.
"I think now I am 80 to 85 per cent of my top form. I will ramp things up before the April Classics but the Tour de France is the big goal this year. It is good with Pereiro on the team because both of us can share the responsibility in the Tour. There is less pressure that way so it is better for Oscar, and better for me. We are both very strong riders for that race and for the other contenders, it is more difficult to control when there is two rather than one of us."
His team-mate heard this week that Landis' hearing with the US Anti-Doping Agency will take place on May 14th. It is hoped that a decision will be made before this year's Tour de France. "The delay has been really hard to take," Pereiro said. "The Tour was months ago and I don't understand how it takes so long."
Meanwhile, following the launch of the Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn/M Donnelly Sean Kelly on Tuesday, the Irish Continental-level team has indicated some of the world-ranked events it is likely to ride in the next few weeks. From February 21st-25th the team will dispute the 2.1-ranked Tour of the Algarve in Portugal and then move on to three one-day races in Belgium. The 1.2 Beverbeek Classic is on March 3rd, with the 1.1 Le Samyn and Nokere-Koerse events following on the 7th and 21st.
Paul Griffin appears in line to consolidate his place in the top 20 or even move into the top 10 in the Tour de Langkawi. Although the time gained by riders in a long distance break yesterday saw him drop marginally from 17th to 19th overall, he remains four minutes and 50 seconds behind race leader Anthony Charteau and just 51 seconds from a place in the top three. Today's stage takes the riders to the top of the feared Genting Highlands and Griffin will be hoping to show well.
