Six-times Tour de France green jersey winner Erik Zabel believes Briton Mark Cavendish, winner of the second stage on Sunday, can become the greatest sprinter of all time.
“I rank him up there in the top three of all time, with (Italian Mario) Cipollini and (Frenchman Andre) Darrigade,†Zabel, an adviser to Cavendish’s Team Columbia, said at the start of the third stage in Marseille on Monday.
The German, who retired last season with 135 victories behind him, knows exactly what he is talking about. On the Tour he won 12 stages, like Cipollini, and only one fewer than Darrigade, the star sprinter of the 1950s. Cavendish won four stages in last year’s race.
“He’s only 24, but if he goes on like this, he can become the greatest sprinter of all time,†he said.
Team Columbia manager Bob Stapleton explained Zabel’s role within his squad… Details
Dennis Borem and Darrell Hoffman of Pro Motor Engines made history in May, capturing their record third consecutive Mahle Engine Builder Showdown in the closest finish in the 10-year history of the competition.
In a fierce neck-and-neck battle, the Pro Motor Engines team built a complete Chevrolet R07 race engine and successfully ran it for one minute in an incredible 19 minutes, 27 seconds, edging the Roush Yates Engines team of Mike Kasch and Jim Snyder by a mere 17 seconds (19 minutes, 44 seconds).
In what was a rematch of the 2008 final, the Roush Yates team seemed to …Â Details
AMA Pro Racing announced today its interest in a 450cc singles class for future AMA Pro Road Racing seasons. The purpose of the class would be to provide a gateway for young regional riders to ascend to the national ranks of professional motorcycle racing.
Â
Over the coming months, AMA Pro Racing officials will begin the process of testing the concept for performance, competition and safety characteristics as well as viability and interest in the marketplace. Preliminary plans call for the entry-level professional class to feature an arrive-and-ride format utilizing a single, yet-to-be-determined manufacturer and 450cc single-cylinder motorcycles prepared by a single tuner. Entries in the class would be restricted to riders between the ages of 16 and 21, supplanting the requirements for AMA Pro SuperSport presented by Shoei… Details