Beñat Intxausti

Beñat Intxausti says racing the Tour de France next month is the best thing he can do to try to move past the horrific experience of being on the scene when Xavier Tondo died in a bizarre accident in a parking garage in Spain on May 23rd.

Tondo was crushed by a car while preparing to leave an apartment for a training ride in Sierra Nevada in southern Spain in May. Tondo, who was supposed to be Movistar’s team leader for the Tour de France, died in the arms of Intxausti, who could only watch in horror at the unfolding events.

“I was very down for two weeks. Later, I tried to concentrate on the bike, to try to forget about everything, but it’s not easy. It’s something that you put inside you. It’s not easy to forget the memory and the image of what I saw,” Intxausti told El Diario Vasco. “Between everything that happened, I didn’t feel like doing anything.”

The 25-year-old admits he will not be at his best when he lines up for the Tour, but says getting back to racing is the best way to honor Tondo and to try to overcome the tragedy.

“To forget it? Impossible. But I have to try to move forward, what else can I do?” he said. “I won’t go into the Tour in the best form or the best mental state. I am better now than I was a few weeks ago. For many days, all I could think about is what I saw, in how all this happened. Now I have small flashbacks, but things are getting better.”

Intxausti said attending an emotional ceremony and funeral for Tondo helped him to try to put closure on the tragic events. Intxausti said he would have liked to be making his Tour debut under dramatically different circumstances.

Xavier Tondo died on May 23. AFP Photo

“How am I arriving at the Tour? Not at all how I would have liked,” said. “My preparation was disrupted. I went days without training after what happened to Tondo.

“I went through everything for two weeks,” he continued. “The idea was to go to the Dauphiné, to find the race rhythm, but I wasn’t in physical or mental shape to go.

“I will start the Tour with respect and fear. It’s the first time I am going to race. Last year, I started the Vuelta with a lot of hope and motivation, but things went badly. It’s a race that demands a lot of respect. I don’t know how well I can do, but logically, I’d like to do it well. Things don’t start to get hard until the 12th day, but first you have to arrive there.”

According to a report on the Spanish wire service EFE, authorities cooperating from three police units across Spain and the principality of Andorra discovered a pharmacist based in Andorra was providing doping products illegally through the internet, dating to 2003.

Police said the network distributed DHEA, Testex, Andriol, Eprex, Synachten, Efedrina and Trigon as well as other doping products. Authorities said they have revealed the names of the alleged clients to the Spanish sports federation, but none have been released to the media. Officials said the sporting figures are cooperating with police and said no legal charges will likely be filed against alleged clients. The alleged ring-leader and other collaborators, six in total, could face charges of distributing doping products and endangering public health.

Within the past year, police said that more than 500 packets of doping products have been mailed to clients across Spain, generating an estimated 100,000 euros in profits. One official said that the athletes were acting on their own, without the collaboration of doctors, trainers or other intermediaries.

According to police, the pharmacist would transport the doping products out of Andorra by car to nearby communities in Spain, such as Jaca and La Seu d’Urgell, where family members would help mail packets to addresses to alleged clients within Spain.

Police also confirmed this is the same alleged network that recently-deceased Xavier Tondo helped identify when he was approached last winter. Tondo, who died in a tragic domestic accident in a garage last month, tipped off police when he said someone approached him about purchasing doping products illegally online. That information helped police zero in on and uncover Spain’s latest doping ring.

The Belorussian dedicated the victory to his Movistar teammate, Xavier Tondo, who died this week in a freak accident in a parking garage in Spain.

“Today was a great day for me and for my team. I will always remember our teammate Xavi Tondo. I won in a manner very beautiful for him,” Kiryenka said. “It was a hard stage but I was thinking of him when I was riding today. It was like he was riding with me.”

Battle for second

Nibali was dropped on the Colle delle Finestre, fought back and lost time again on the final climb. | Graham Watson photo

Some say it’s been a race for second place ever since Mount Etna, but the final podium will be decided in Sunday’s individual time trial on a flat, but challenging urban course through the streets of Milan.

Michele Scarponi (Lampre) has a slender, 54-second lead to Vicenzo Nibali (Liquigas-Cannondale) going into the stage. Nibali is a superior time trialist, but the final TT of a grand tour is more about who has the legs than favoring a specialist.

Scarponi has shown that he’s still capable of attacking, putting down accelerations in Friday and Saturday to try to gap Nibali. In Saturday’s final charge to Sestriere, Scarponi took out 22 seconds on Nibali, a difference that could prove decisive in him keeping second place.

“Today’s stage was so hard, I gave all I could to try to get more time,” Scarponi said. “Nibali is usually faster than me in the time trial, but I will give all I have. I want to keep second place.”

Nibali isn’t happy about changes in the TT course that was modified to lessen the impact on traffic disruptions as the election season ends in Lombardia. Official reduced the stage by 5.5km and rerouted the stage to keep less of the route out of the city center. Instead of having 31.5km, Nibali will only have 26km, meaning that he will need more than two seconds per kilometer on Scarponi to move up to second.

“Of course, if the time trial course was longer, it would be better for me,” Nibali said. “Scarponi and I have been more or less equal. One day he’s a little bit better than me, then the next I’m a little sharper. Tomorrow we’ll see who has the legs.”

Even if he does lose second, Scarponi looks all but sure to keep a podium spot that eluded him last year when he finished fourth. French rider John Gadret (Ag2r) is more than two minutes back.

Riis on Contador

Saxo Bank-Sungard boss Bjarne Riis said he was not surprised to see Alberto Contador ride so strongly throughout the 2011 Giro d’Italia.

“I knew he was strong. It’s not a big surprise. What he did in this Giro was incredible,” Riis said. “He demonstrated that he was strong. We didn’t think about winning today. Kiryenka was very strong today, so that’s good for cycling.”

Riis said that he hopes that Contador will be allowed to race the 2011 Tour de France. A change in Contador’s hearing before the Court of Arbitration for Sport could mean that Contador could race this year’s Tour despite the possibility of a two-year ban and the disqualification from his Tour victory last year.

“This is the objective (the Tour). We have been working first for the Giro and then the Tour,” Riis said. “The rules say that he can ride the Tour, so maybe he will be able to race. We’re content with this Giro.”

For reasons that remain unclear, he got out of the vehicle and became trapped between his car and the automatic door of the garage, a police source in the nearby city of Granada said.

Xavier Tondo. AFP Photo

The source said “it appears” that Tondo died instantly.

The manager of his Movistar team, Eusebio Unzue, said another Spanish professional cyclist, Benat Intxausti of the Euskaltel team, was in the vehicle at the time.

Tondo was one of a number of cyclists who have been training at altitude in the resort.

Tondo, who turned professional in 2003, won the Vuelta a Castilla y Leon last month, succeeding his controversial compatriot Alberto Contador.

He also won the Tour of Portugal in 2007, a stage of the Paris-Nice race in 2010 and finished sixth overall in the Vuelta a España last year.

Contador, currently leading the Giro d’Italia, voiced his shock and sadness at the death. Contador canceled his rest day press conference after hearing of the death of his friend and training partner.

“How life is unfair and sometimes difficult to understand,” he said on Twitter. “I can’t describe how I feel after the death of Xavi Tondo.

“My most sincere condolences to his family. He was an incredible person who loved this sport like nobody else. You will be sorely missed. Rest in peace.”

Tondo signed for Movistar at the start of the season after an impressive 2010 campaign with Cervélo TestTeam.

The Movistar team voted to continue to take part in the Giro d’Italia despite the “blow” of the news of Tondo’s death, it said in a statement.

“We are devastated but we have all decided that this is the best way to honor Xavi,” Unzue said in the statement.

Spanish rider Carlos Sastre, who was Tondo’s teammate at Cervélo last season, said the cyclist’s death was another “blow” to participants at the Giro following the death of Wouter Weylandt in a crash at the race on May 9.

“We share the team hotel with Movistar here at the Giro and they conveyed the news to us. It was a blow, one more at the Giro and the truth is that we are all shocked,” said Sastre, who now rides for Geox-TMC.

“I had the opportunity to live with him all of last year and I got to know his human and sporting qualities. It was a blow. We have not yet overcome the death of Weylandt and this news reaches us. Circumstances such as the death of Tondo hurt a great deal.”

Xavier Tondo

November 5, 1978 – May 23, 2011

Professional teams

2003 – Paternina-Costa de Almería
2004 - Barbot-Gaia
2005 – Catalunya-Angel Mir
2006 – Relax-GAM
2007–2008 – LA-MSS
2009 – Andalucía-Cajasur
2010 – Cervélo TestTeam
2011 – Team Movistar

Career highlights

2005
1st overall, Volta ao Alentejo
2007
1st overall Troféu Joaquim Agostinho
1st overall Volta a Portugal
2010
1st Stage 6 Paris-Nice
2nd overall Volta a Catalunya
6th overall Vuelta a España
2011
1st overall Vuelta a Castilla y León
6th overall Volta a Catalunya
5th overall Tour of the Basque Country

Tondo says he's happy at Movistar. | Andrew Hood photo

After winning the 2007 Tour of Portugal, the 32-year-old Tondo finally broke through to win another stage race despite nipping at the edges of success the past few seasons.

“I really wanted to win a stage race again. I’ve been close so many times (2nd at stage races in Asturias, Burgos, Andalucia and Catalunya),” Tondo said. “I really didn’t expect to win. In fact, I should have been on a break, but the team convinced me to come here and I am glad I did.”

Tondo won the GC crown nine seconds ahead of Bauke Mollema (Rabobank) with Igor Antón (Euskaltel-Euskadi) rounding out the podium with third at 17 seconds off the pace.

Tondo took the lead in Saturday’s individual time trial, when he finished third at just three seconds behind stage-winner Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank-Sungard). Contador, however, lost nearly three minutes Friday when he punctured with less than 2km to go in the summit finish at Laguna de los Peces, opening the door for Tondo’s first major stage race victory in Spain.

The victory comes as a bonus for Tondo, who has been one of the most consistent Spanish riders the past few seasons. Despite solid results, Tondo didn’t find a contract with a major team until Cervélo offered him a deal for the 2010 season.

He made the most of it, winning stages at Paris-Nice and the Volta a Catalunya before finishing in the top-10 at the Vuelta a España.

“I don’t know why it took me so long to get to a big team. In 2000, David Arroyo won the U23 Spanish title and I was second. The next day, he signed with ONCE, but not me. Life is like that. At the end of the day, we’re all on the same team,” Tondo told VeloNews. “I don’t want to dwell on the past, because I want to maximize the opportunities I have now. I am the person I am now because of what I’ve gone through.”

After Cervélo closed down at the end of last season, Tondo landed at Movistar where he will be one of the team leaders in stage races.

“I am happy here at Movistar. It’s the most important team in Spanish cycling history, with a new sponsor and new global ambitions, so it’s an important step in my career. I’ve always been on small teams, except last year with Cervélo,” Tondo said. “This team will allow me to continue to develop as a rider. There’s still a lot of cycling left in my legs.”

Tondo isn’t having much time to savor his win. He lines up Wednesday for Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège on Sunday. Then he’ll take a short break before returning for the Critérium du Dauphiné in June and his first start at the Tour de France.

Racing in July in France is something he’s never done, but he vows not to be intimidated despite being a 30-something debutante.

“I am excited to know the race, but we will go with motivation to animate the race,” Tondo said. “We won’t have a big captain for the GC, so that will allow us to go on attacks and try to get into breakaways and win stages. I am looking forward to the Tour. Then the Vuelta, where I hope to improve on last year’s result.”

A nine-man breakaway nearly held off the sprinters in the 167.7km run from Madrigal de las Altas Torres to Medina del Campo, only being reeled in with less than 3km to go. Swift made easy work of two-stage winner Fran Ventoso (Movistar), with Ruben Pérez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) crossing the line third.

Tondo, 32, finished safely in the bunch to wrap up the overall crown. There were no major shake-ups in the GC, with Bauke Mollema (Rabobank) settling into second at nine seconds back and Igor Antón (Euskaltel-Euskadi) rounding out the podium in third at 17 seconds off the pace.

Tondo took the lead in Saturday’s individual time trial, when he finished third at just three seconds behind stage-winner Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank-Sungard). Contador, however, lost nearly three minutes Friday when he punctured with less than 2km to go in the summit finish at Laguna de los Peces, opening the door for Tondo’s first major stage race victory in Spain.

Quick results

• 1. Ben Swift (GB), Sky, in 3:30:00
• 2. Francisco José Ventoso Alberdi (Sp), Movistar, s.t.
• 3. Ruben Perez Moreno (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, s.t.
• 4. Theo Bos (Nl), Rabobank, s.t.
• 5. Manuel Belletti (I), Colnago-CSF, s.t.

GC

• 1. Xavier Tondo Volpini (Sp), Movistar, in 17:01:40
• 2. Bauke Mollema (Nl), Rabobank, at 0:09
• 3. Igor Anton Hernandez (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 0:17
• 4. Domenico Pozzovivo (I), Colnago-CSF, at 0:40
• 5. Jerome Coppel (F), Saur-Sojasun, at 0:47

Complete results

Xavier Tondo (Movistar) took over the leader’s jersey from Bauke Mollema (Rabobank) after the individual time trial in the northern town of Zamora.

Contador covered the 11.2km in 13 minutes, 42 seconds. Second was his teammate Richie Porte of Australia at one second back, with Tondo third at three seconds.

Contador had been the hot favorite to take his third straight overall victory in the event, having already won the Tour of Murcia and the Tour of Catalonia this year.

But on Friday he lost almost three minutes after suffering two punctures.

After Saturday’s stage, he is in 23rd position overall, 2:37 behind Tondo, who has a nine-second advantage over Mollema.

The five-day race concludes on Sunday with a relatively flat 167.7km ride from Madrigal de las Altas Torres to Medina del Campo.

Quick results
Stage 4

• 1. Alberto Contador Velasco (Sp), SaxoBank-Sungard, 11.2km in 13:42
• 2. Richie Porte (Aus), SaxoBank-Sungard, at 0:01
• 3. Xavier Tondo Volpini (Sp), Movistar, at 0:02
• 4. Bauke Mollema (Nl), Rabobank Cycling Team, at 0:15
• 5. Alex Dowsett (GB), Team Sky, at 0:19

GC

• 1. Xavier Tondo Volpini (Sp), Movistar, 13:31:39
• 2. Bauke Mollema (Nl), Rabobank Cycling Team, at 0:12
• 3. Igor Anton Hernandez (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 0:18
• 4. Domenico Pozzovivo (Italy), Colnago-CSF, at 0:40
• 5. Jerome Coppel (France), Saur-Sojasun, at 0:47

Complete results

Tondo, here at the 2010 Vuelta, now rides with Movistar.

The Movistar Team rider was named by the Spanish daily El País late last week as the anonymous tip for a low-level doping ring that was busted up by officials in his home region of Catalunya.

Tondo never expected his name to be broadcast all over the world when he contacted police last December via e-mail and he says he wasn’t looking for that kind of attention.

“Xavier doesn’t want to speak about what happened. He wasn’t looking for publicity. Quite the contrary, he was only doing his civic duty,” Movistar team spokesman David García told VeloNews. “Someone he doesn’t even know contacted him about some illicit products and he did what anyone would do – he contacted the police. He wrote an e-mail alerting them to what happened and nothing more. That was the end of the story, as far as he thought.”

If Tondo thought that would be the end of the story, he was wrong.

Spain has more leaks than the Titanic on a good day in the north Atlantic. News regularly is leaked to the Spanish media long before the interested parties even know what’s going on, so Tondo shouldn’t be too surprised to see his name is headlines.

Much of the news from Operación Puerto blood doping ring from 2006 was leaked from police sources via Spanish media long before the courts ever got their hands on the official documents.

The most recent example is Alberto Contador, who was incensed when he learned that he would be cleared of doping charges by the Spanish cycling federation only via leaks in the Spanish press rather than through official channels.

Tondo, who is preparing for a run at Paris-Nice next month, never expected his name to make headlines and it was the last thing he wanted when he contacted police, García said.

“Everyone in the world has been calling him, but (publicity) is not why he contacted officials,” García said. “He’s a little upset that his name came to light. Imagine if you called police and gave information about the mafia, you wouldn’t want that to be published in the newspaper. He just did what was right.”

The hubbub is putting Tondo’s name in headlines, whether he likes it or not, but perhaps not for the reasons he’d like.

At 32, Tondo is a hard-working Spanish rider who is finally making inroads into the elite peloton. He was forced to ride on smaller Spanish teams and raced in Portugal to find a contract before Cervélo offered him a contract last year.

He paid them back in spades, winning stages at Paris-Nice and the Volta a Catalunya, where he also finished second overall, before finishing sixth overall at the 2010 Vuelta a España. Tondo is intent on making the most of his late calling to the bigs.

“I don’t know why it took me so long to get a team like this (Movistar). David Arroyo won the sub-23 Spanish championships in 1999 and signed a pro contract with ONCE the next day. I was second but I didn’t turn pro until 2003,” Tondo told VeloNews earlier this month. “I am just glad to get an opportunity like this.”

Tondo has seen an upside; he’s being hailed as a reluctant hero in many circles. Jonathan Vaughters, boss at Garmin-Cervélo, wrote in a diary on cyclingnews.com about how he had Tondo all wrong.

Tondo, however, doesn’t want to be seen as some sort of crusader. He simply is a man doing what he loves to do, says García.

“He’s not trying to wave the flag. He wants to get back to the business of racing his bike,” García said. “What’s good is that this is further proof that cycling is changing. Xavier feels good that he did the right thing.”

The Team Argentina rider outkicked Cristiano Salerno (Liquigas-Cannondale) to win out of a 13-rider breakaway that stayed clear of the main GC contenders in the 160km run. Adrian Palomares (Andalucia-CajaSur) crossed the line third at 35 seconds back.

Overnight leader Xavier Tondo (Movistar) confirmed his candidacy for outright victory with just two stages left to go. Tondo, with the help of Movistar teammate Juan Mauricio Soler, fended off attacks from second-place rider José Serpa (Androni) and counter-attacked near the end to widen his overall margin by four seconds.

Tondo now leads Serpa by 34 seconds going into Saturday’s penultimate stage. Marco Arriagada (Chile) slots into third at 37 seconds off the pace.

The race continues Saturday with the longest stage of the race, the 193km sixth stage from Estancia Grande to La Carolina.

Complete results will be published as soon as they are available.

Tondo was fastest on the course, stopping the clock in 23 minutes, 23 seconds, some 40 seconds faster than overnight leader José Serpa (Androni-Giocattoli). Tondo now holds a 30-second lead on Serpa going into the final three stages of the race in central Argentina.

“This is my 12th victory as a professional and I am very happy. We are ready to try to win the race, even though we have three stages left to go. With 30 seconds over Serpa, I cannot sleep calmly at night,” Tondo said. “It was difficult to set a rhythm with the wind, but I feel better ever time in the time trials. I came with the idea of winning and I told me director I was feeling good. At home in Spain, it hasn’t been very good, so I could train well. I believe my team is strong, but was have to take it day by day.”

Scott Zwizanski put down an impressive ride to stop the clock just 15 seconds slower than Tondo to slot into third on the stage for his UnitedHealthcare team. Zwizanski, a consistent TT performer on the U.S. circuit, set an early fast time that stuck until the final group of riders entered the out-and-back course.

Jorge Gianciti (Argentina) was second at 8 seconds slower and slotted into third overall at 34 seconds back while Ivan Basso (Liquigas-Cannondale) was 10th at 40 seconds off the pace in his first TT test of the new season.

The 5th Tour de San Luís continues Friday with the 193.1km fifth stage from Estancia Grande to La Carolina, which ends with a first-category summit finale.

Tondo’s victory is also Movistar’s first since the Spanish telecommunications giant took over sponsorship of the team.

Stage 10 passed near Tondo's home town, where his fans urged him on

Xavier Tondo (Cervélo TestTeam) is a revelation at the Vuelta a España at the ripe age of 31.

Going into Friday’s stage, the Spanish rider is quietly poised in third overall at the halfway point, just 1:04 back of race leader Igor Antón (Euskaltel-Euskadi). On Wednesday’s decisive stage into Andorra, Tondo attacked in the final kilometer and nearly captured the stage victory, crossing the line third at nine seconds back.

(Related: Watch a video interview with Tondo on CompetitorTV)

“I know this ascent to Pal very well. With the head wind, I’ve thought it was better not to follow Mosquera, Rodriguez and Nibali when they accelerated. I’ve preferred to keep my own rhythm and finish strongly,” Tondo said at the line. “I’ve caught Nibali, I finish third of the stage and I’ve very happy because Igor Antón was unbeatable anyway. I’m only one minute down on him on GC and there is still a long way to go at the Vuelta.”

Officially, Tondo came to the Vuelta to help 2008 Tour de France champion Carlos Sastre. Behind the scenes, Cervélo hopes that Spanish veteran can give the soon-to-be-closing team a triumphant exit through the “puerta grande” in its last major tour.

“I came into the Vuelta with some fears about my shape because I crashed at the Tour of Poland, but my condition is good,” Tondo told VeloNews. “I hope that we can fight for the victory.”

Tondo joined Cervélo this season after bouncing around minor Portuguese and Spanish teams throughout this career. A pro since 2003, he won the Tour of Portugal in 2007 and the Subida a Naranco in northern Spain in 2008. Last year with Andalucía-CajaSur, Tondo finally started his first grand tour at the Vuelta.

Those results finally earned him a ticket to the bigs with Cervélo, and he quickly made an impression, winning a stage at Paris-Nice and then claiming a stage and finishing second overall at the Volta a Catalunya on home roads.

Tondo should do even better in the brutal stages that await in northern Spain this weekend. A solid climber, Tondo can also defend in the time trial, so the podium is a very real option the way things stack up right now.

“Last year, I came into the Vuelta with big ambitions even if it was my first grand tour, but I crashed twice in the first week and it wasn’t possible to finish the race,” Tondo said. “Now I having good luck so far and I think we can go far.”

With Cervélo closing at the end of the year, Tondo’s future is already secure. He was one of the first riders to secure a contract, penning a deal to join Movistar (former Caisse d’Epargne) for 2011.

That’s a long road from small, minor teams to the most important Spanish team with a legacy that dates back to the Delgado-Indurain glory days of Banesto.

“It’s very important for me to be on the most important Spanish team,” Tondo explained. “I have always dreamed to race with this team. The team has a lot of future, and I hope I can be good there.”

Tondo won stage 3 of the 2010 Tour of Catalonia

Xavier Tondo is the first rider to confirm his future following the news last week that Cervélo TestTeam will be folding at the end of 2010.

Tondo, 31, will join Movistar (currently known as Caisse d’Epargne) for next season, the team confirmed Sunday. The Spanish climber joined Cervélo this year and won stages at Paris-Nice and Volta a Catalunya, results that helped score him a job next year.

Riders and staff are scrambling to find new jobs in the wake of the surprise decision by the Canadian bike company to close down its men’s professional team and join forces with Garmin-Transitions for 2011. The team will be called Garmin-Cervélo next season and Cervélo will also be the team’s bike sponsor.

Several top riders have been linked to a move to Garmin, including classics specialists Thor Hushovd, Heinrich Haussler, Roger Hammond, Andreas Klier and Jeremy Hunt.

Garmin-Transitions manager Jonathan Vaughters has already confirmed the team is looking to bolster its classics lineup. Cervélo officials also told VeloNews that “several” riders will join Garmin, but refused to elaborate on which ones.

What’s sure is that the majority of riders and staff are now scrambling to find new contracts for next season.

There was shock and disbelief among the ranks when Cervélo told riders and staff last Wednesday the team would be ending. Most believed the project would be continuing for at least several more seasons and are now finding themselves without jobs late into the season.

Hushovd, a two-time winner of the green jersey, said he’s not worried about his immediate future.

“I should be able to find a new team. I hope to have something finalized in the coming days,” he told VeloNews. Hushovd said he is talking to “several teams” and expects to make an announcement “soon.”

Cervélo’s riders should find an ample marketplace to try to secure contracts. New money has moved into the Spanish teams Geox and Movistar, both of which will have deeper pockets to sign riders.

New teams, such as the Schleck/Luxembourg team and an Australian effort, are just getting off the ground and will be looking to fill out its rosters.

Even before the news broke, 2008 Tour de France champion Carlos Sastre had penned a deal with Geox (currently known as Footon-Servetto). Sastre said Cervélo did not offer him a contract extension for 2011, perhaps the first signal that things were not going well for the second-year team.

Several young riders or racers coming off injuries could find it more difficult to find a top team. Mechanics, drivers, masseurs and sport directors will also find it challenging to secure employment for the coming season.

(Related: A list of recent confirmed ProTour transfers, extensions and retirements)

“I knew the final of yesterday’s stage was pretty tricky so I went to the front to be safer and I felt really good,” Tondo said. “I took a drink and I didn’t see the gap in the road. I went down and when I stood up I immediately felt that my collarbone was broken. Fortunately it is a little fracture, and I hope to be fit in time for my next goal, the Vuelta a España.”

Tondo had an excellent spring campaign, winning a stage at Paris-Nice and taking another stage and second overall at the Volta a Catalunya.

Cervélo team officials said Tondo will not require surgery and should be able to resume training quickly.

“Xavier suffered a break of his right collarbone,” said Andreas Goesele, medical officer of Cervélo TestTeam. “We will not perform surgery. He will recover completely without it. This way he can start training again in a reasonably short time.”

Key to new Cervélo’s newest additions is Spanish climber Xavier Tondo, who is expected to provide Sastre with the type of support he was so sorely missing in last year’s Giro, where he won two stages but fell short of the final podium.

“I am more than pleased with the planning that the team has laid out for me. And I am super-motivated for the Giro,” he said. “I know I am going to the Giro with one objective: to work for Carlos Sastre. And that’s no problem at all for me, quite the contrary. For me, it’s an honor and even adds to the motivation.”

At last year’s Giro, there seemed to be some division with the Cervélo ranks. First, Simon Gerrans went on a daring breakaway to win a stage into Bologna, but that seemed annoy Sastre and later the Tour de France stage-winner was left off the squad’s 2009 Tour team.

Later, the team inexplicably put the brakes on Serge Pauwels when he was in a two-man breakaway within clear shot of the finish line, essentially gifting the stage to a rival team. Pauwels has since left the team to join Sky for 2010.

At 31, Tondo finally makes the move to the “bigs” after bouncing between small Spanish and Portuguese teams most of his career. He won the Tour of Portugal in 2007 and last year snagged the leader’s jersey at the Ruta del Sol, an important race for his former team at Andalucia-CajaSur.

“We’ve already decided my calendar for 2010 and Cervélo wants me to prepare with the Giro in mind,” Tondo said. “And before racing in Italy, they have proposed a stellar calendar for me that will help me adapt to racing at the highest level.”

In addition to the Giro, Tondo will kick start his season at the Tour of Qatar and the Tour of Oman followed by Paris-Nice, Volta a Catalunya, the Ardennes classics and finally the Giro.

“I have the racing schedule that I’ve always dreamed about,” he continued. “I joined on with Cervélo with the precise goal of racing the big events on the calendar and I have nothing to complain about.
After the Giro, we’ll analyze my and the team’s performance and then we’ll decide what’s next. In principle, we were speaking of the Giro and the Vuelta a España. But later we decided just to focus solely on the Giro and then after we’re done, we’ll talk about setting new goals.”

One thing is sure: you won’t be seeing Tondo in a breakaway, unless captain Sastre says it’s OK.