December 22/04 11:05 am - Brentjens Signs with Ralph Denk Racing, Critérium international in Québec City in 2008

Posted by Editoress on 12/22/04
 

Brentjens Signs with Ralph Denk Racing
Courtey Karl Gross www.bike-sport-news.de

Olympic Bronze medaillist Bart Brentjens has signed a contract this week with the German UCI trade team Ralph Denk Racing (RDR).

RDR has been supported by Giant these past few years, and Giant will not only continue, but step up this support. Giant also used to supply the now defunct T-Mobile mountain bike team with bikes. Apart from Bart Brentjens, RDR has already signed former T-Mobile riders Jochen Kaess and Stefan Sahm. Negotiations are ongoing with Dutchman Thijs Al and world ranking leader Roel Paulissen to join the team. A decision is expected this week.

RDR has its headquarters in the southern bavarian town of Raubling. The team also employs Austrian marathon specialist Martin Kraler and German U23-hopeful René Tann. Ralph Denk, founder of the team, is a former road racer and owns a large bike shop in Raubling.


Critérium international in Québec City in 2008

'The', not 'a' Critérium international

It turns out Quebec City will play host to a big name bicycle race for its 400th anniversary, but is not the one they originally hoped for. The Critérium International bike race will roll through the Province of Quebec Capital in May of 2008. The City's mayor, Jean-Paul L'Allier, had originally hoped to attract the Tour de France for its 400th anniversary, but that was not possible.

Still, he says he is happy to host the Critérium International, an event that includes a race on a rather flat course, a race on a hilly course and a time trial. It's list of former winners shows the importance of the race (nothing to do with the series of criteriums that follows the Tour de France), which includes Jens Voigt, Abraham Olano, Chris Boadman, Laurent Jalabert and Miguel Indurain.

'Le', et non pas 'un' Critérium international

La ville de Québec sera finalement l'hôtesse d'une course cycliste de renommée internationale pour fêter son 400e anniversaire, mais ce ne sera pas l'événement convoité. Le Critérium international se déroulera dans la Capitale québécoise en mai 2008. Le maire de Québec, Jean-Paul L'Allier souhaitait attirer le Tour de France pour le 400e anniversaire. Mais cela n'était pas possible. Il se dit tout de même heureux que Québec accueille le Critérium international, un événement qui comprend une course en ligne sur parcours plutôt plat, une course en côtes et un contre la montre. Sa liste de gagnants en dit long sur sa notoriété (rien à voir avec la série de critériums qui suivent le Tour de France) : Jens Voigt, Laurent Brochard, Abraham Olano, Bobby Julich, Laurent Jalabert, Stephen Roche, Laurent Fignon, Miguel Indurain, Sean Kelly and Bernard Hinault.