Daily News: Valverde hospitalised – Lappartient up to Giro and Vuelta reduction – Tour des Fjords teams unveiled

Valverde hospitalised once he came back home from Abu Dhabi

Not a memorable homecoming for Alejandro Valverde (Movistar). The Spaniard was awaited in Castellon in order to be awarded of a recognition but he has never shown up himself. As soon as he got off the plane Valverde was forced to go to the hospital because of a gastroenteritis that has dehydrated and has exhausted the Murcia native. Spanish Cycling Federation José Luis López Cerrón explained that the cause of Valverde’s disease must be something he has drunk.

Lappartient proposes Giro and Vuelta to be made up of 17 stages

UCI president David Lappartient goes on with the intention to lessen the length of Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a Espana. To Italian newspaper La Stampa the Frenchman told: “I do believe that the Tour de France must be untouched because is the spearhead of international cycling whereas Giro and Vuelta should be interested in reducing the stages from 21 to 17, in this manner racing over 3 weekends instead of 4. We will discuss about this change with the organizers and we will find the most congenial solution”.

Tour des Fjords 2018 unveils the participation of 19 teams

To be held between 22 and 24 May, 2018 Tour des Fjords lessens the days of racing but increases the number of World Teams, mostly thanks to the 2018 Hammer Series that are going to take place in Stavanger (Norway) just after the Scandinavian stage race. Nineteen teams will participate, 8 of each are World Teams: are Dimension Data, EF Education First – Drapac p/b Cannondale, Lotto Soudal, LottoNL – Jumbo, Mitchelton – Scott, Team Sky, Team Sunweb and Trek – Segafredo.