Menchov will set Vuelta objectives in Andorra
September 01, 2010 (18:51) [ Indexed from Cyclingnews.com ]
Invisible man Denis Menchov is once again in a threatening position in a Grand Tour as he lies in fourteenth position overall at the Vuelta a España, just 1:11 behind race leader Philippe Gilbert. The Russian had ridden discreetly on both uphill stage finishes in Malaga and Valdepeñas de Jaén but stayed close to the front on each occasion. “It was a good result for me,” Menchov told Cyclingnews before the start of stage 5 in Guadix. “It was the first difficult ... More...

Transfer news: Ardila, Kozontchuk to follow Menchov to Geox?
August 20, 2010 (23:41) [ Indexed from Cyclingnews.com ]
The big news in this week's rider transfers is the moves of Carlos Sastre and Denis Menchov to the new Team Geox. Evolving out of the Footon-Servetto squad, the team of Mauro Gianetti may also attract two of Menchov's top domestiques from Rabobank: Mauricio Ardila and Dmitriy Kozontchuk, De Telegraaf reports. The Russian Kozontchuk has been teammates with Menchov on the Dutch squad since 2005, while the Colombian Ardila joined in 2006. Meanwhile, the rest of the news seems to be of riders extending ... More...

Rabobank looks to the future after losing Menchov to Geox
August 20, 2010 (12:46) [ Indexed from Cyclingnews.com ]
Erik Breukink has wished Denis Menchov all the best for the future after the Russian stage race rider left Rabobank after six years with the Dutch squad. Menchov will ride for the new Geox team with Carlos Sastre, but Breukink, is confident that Rabobank will continue to perform well in major Tours with the likes of talented young riders Robert Gesink and Bauke Mollema. “Denis leaving us is not that unexpected,” Breukink told Cyclingnews. “We knew for some time that it was a possibility ... More...

Menchov signs with Geox
August 19, 2010 (20:37) [ Indexed from Cyclingnews.com ]
2009 Giro d'Italia champion and two-time Vuelta a España winner Denis Menchov has signed with Team Geox, the squad of Mauro Gianetti confirmed today. The 32-year-old Russian has been with Rabobank since 2005, but will now join 2008 Tour de France winner Carlos Sastre on the Spanish team for the next two years. "We're very happy to see Denis Menchov understood fast how deep the project we have in mind at Geox is," said General Manager Mauro Gianetti. "He'll be forming up a very ... More...

Sastre to take on Schlecks, Menchov and Nibali at the Vuelta
August 13, 2010 (18:02) [ Indexed from Cyclingnews.com ]
The Cervelo TestTeam has confirmed that Carlos Sastre will ride the Vuelta a España, but the Spanish veteran faces major competition from several international rivals, after this year's race attracted its best ever field since moving from late April to September in 1995. The Vuelta often suffers from being the third Grand Tour on the race calendar but this year's start list includes Frank Schleck (Saxo Bank), who will get support from his brother Andy, Denis Menchov (Rabobank), Vincenzo Nibali ... More...

Vuelta start for Menchov?
July 26, 2010 (09:41) [ Indexed from Cyclingnews.com ]
Rabobank technical director Erik Breukink has suggested that 2005 and '07 Vuelta a España winner Denis Menchov could return to the Spanish Grand Tour following his third place overall in the Tour de France. The stoic Russian has nothing to lose by starting the Vuelta, according to Breukink, after Menchov rode a consistent Tour to finish on the podium in Paris for the first time in his career. While he admitted that it's too early to make an announcement concerning Menchov's possible second ... More...

Menchov finally on the podium in Paris
July 25, 2010 (14:46) [ Indexed from Cyclingnews.com ]
After finishing two minutes ahead of Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel) in the all-deciding time trial from Bordeaux to Pauillac, Denis Menchov (Rabobank) will be the one joining overall winner Alberto Contador (Astana) and Andy Schleck (Saxo Bank) on the podium on the Champs Elysées in Paris on Sunday. After finishing the time trial Menchov took his time to freshen up, joining teammate Robert Gesink at the team car. Once that was done the Russian talked with the attending media. "It was a hard ... More...

Sanchez inspired by Vuelta time trial win over Menchov
July 25, 2010 (14:46) [ Indexed from Cyclingnews.com ]
Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) is drawing inspiration from the result of a time trial in the 2007 Vuelta Espana as he tries to limit his losses to Denis Menchov (Rabobank) in today's Bordeaux time trial and hang onto third place overall in the Tour de France. Sanchez won the 20km time trial, around the town of Villalba on stage 20 of the 2007 Vuelta, beating Menchov by 12 seconds. The Russian had a three-minute margin on Carlos Sastre and Sanchez and went on to win the Vuelta in Madrid and so ... More...

Menchov focused on Contador, didn't know about Schleck
July 19, 2010 (22:51) [ Indexed from Cyclingnews.com ]
On Monday afternoon three men took profit from the mechanical of Andy Schleck (Saxo Bank) on the Port de Balès: Alberto Contador (Astana), who took over the yellow jersey, was the primary beneficiary but the third and fourth-placed riders on general classification, Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) and Denis Menchov (Rabobank) respectively, also reduced their time gap to Schleck. Menchov responded to the attack from Contador and said that he was focusing on following the Spaniard, rather ... More...

Menchov escapes pav unscathed
July 07, 2010 (00:37) [ Indexed from Cyclingnews.com ]
Never to be underestimated, Rabobank's Russian leader Denis Menchov is looking rock solid after four stages of the Tour de France. Unlike many of his competitors, the 2009 Giro d'Italia winner and two-time Vuelta a España champion has come through an unusually crash-plagued first few days upright. Menchov ticked off another solid day on the 213km trek to Arenberg, coming in safely in the second group after being delayed by the crash of Fränk Schleck on the Sars-et-Rosières sector ... More...

Menchov gains confidence despite time loss on L'Alpe d'Huez
June 13, 2010 (12:37) [ Indexed from Cyclingnews.com ]
Denis Menchov couldn't keep up with the leading favourites on Saturday's climb to the finish at Alpe d'Huez in the Critérium du Dauphiné. The Rabobank rider finished nine and a half minutes down but his team management refused to worry about his performance and form as the Tour de France begins to near. "It was a shame that Denis could not follow, but it does not change the good things we'll take from this race,” said directeur sportif Frans Maassen. “He'll go away ... More...

Menchov improves form before the Tour de France
June 09, 2010 (21:21) [ Indexed from Cyclingnews.com ]
Denis Menchov is happy with his form ahead of the Tour de France after he clocked fifth place in the Dauphiné time trial in Sorgues. He moved up to 8th overall but confirmed that he’s not yet in top condition. “I’m satisfied with my performance”, the Russian told Cyclingnews after completing the 49km long course in 1.02.46. “The time trial is always something important for me. I wanted to try the new equipment as well. I did it full gas. In one hour of solo effort, ... More...

Menchov abandons Tour of Belgium
May 26, 2010 (20:37) [ Indexed from Cyclingnews.com ]
Denis Menchov (Rabobank) made an early exit from the Tour of Belgium on Wednesday. The Russian rider withdrew just 30km into stage 1 according to the team's website, rabosport.nl . He pulled out on a wet, windy first day of the race. Menchov was hoping to make his comeback to racing after suffering bronchitis. He was almost recovered, but apparently not enough to continue racing in the day's dreary conditions. "It was hectic in the peloton in the rain and the wind. There was lots of fighting ... More...

Freire, Menchov to Tour of Belgium
May 24, 2010 (10:37) [ Indexed from Cyclingnews.com ]
Rabobank is taking its top names, Giro d'Italia winner Denis Menchov and three-time World champion Oscar Freire to the Tour of Belgium this coming week. The race runs May 26-30. "We start with our team of stars," directeur sportif Eric Breukink told the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf. The Dutch team will look to defend the overall title won last year by Lars Boom. Boom, who has just completed the Amgen Tour of California, will not ride the Belgian race. Both the top stars have recovered ... More...

Menchov moves into Rabobank line-up for Lige.
April 23, 2010 (18:20) [ Indexed from Cyclingnews.com ]
Rabobank's Denis Menchov will take part in his one and only Classic of the year after the Dutch team announced him in their line-up for Liège–Bastogne–Liège. Pieter Weening has also been called into the squad as a replacement for Koos Moerenhout, who has been ruled out by illness. For Menchov, it will be his fourth appearance at Liège-Bastogne-Liège. The Russian last raced the event in 2008, with his best result coming in 2004, when he finished 15th for Iles ... More...

Menchov won't defend Giro title (AP)
April 01, 2010 (23:07) [ Indexed from Yahoo! Sports ]
As expected, Giro d'Italia defending champion Denis Menchov is not on a preliminary list of riders for the race. Menchov, a Russian with the Rabobank team, has said he plans to focus on the Tour de France. Runner-up Danilo Di Luca also will not take part in the race. He is serving a two-year ban for using the advanced blood-booster CERA last year. More...

Menchov won't defend Giro title (AP)
April 01, 2010 (18:07) [ Indexed from Yahoo! Sports ]
As expected, Giro d'Italia defending champion Denis Menchov was not on a preliminary list of riders for this year's race released by organizers. Menchov, a Russian with the Rabobank team, has said he plans to focus on the Tour de France. Runner-up Danilo Di Luca will also not take part in the 2010 race, which begins May 8 in Amsterdam. More...

Menchov to focus on Tour, skip Giro defense
January 08, 2010 (22:09) [ Indexed from Cyclingnews.com ]
2009 Giro d'Italia champion Denis Menchov will not defend his title in the Italian race, and will choose to train at altitude during the month of May in preparation for the Tour de France, the Rabobank team announced at its presentation in Rotterdam. "The decision was made in consultation with the rider," said director Adri van Houwelingen in Ahoy. "We had already discussed it, but  everything moved quickly when the route of the Giro was announced. "The last week [of the ... More...

A repeat Giro victory for Menchov?
October 24, 2009 (20:36) [ Indexed from Cyclingnews.com ]
Russian Denis Menchov (Rabobank) believes the he has a chance of repeating his 2009 Giro d'Italia victory, beating favourites like Astana's Alberto Contador. At the race presentation Saturday in Milano, Menchov saw a mountainous 2010 route, similar to the one Spain's Contador won in 2008. "I am also a good climber," Menchov said to Cyclingnews . "I can do well in the climbs when my form is at its best. I finished fifth in 2008, which is not too bad. If I really want to go for the ... More...

Cycling: Denis Menchov to cash his Giro
July 08, 2009 (22:28) [ Indexed from Mirror.co.uk ]
Denis Menchov moved closer to winning the Giro d'Italia after yesterday's climb up Mount Vesuvius. More...