News Shorts: Dekker to Mexico for Hour Record, Dumoulin extends with Giant-Alpecin

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Dekker to Mexico for world hour record attempt

Thomas Dekker will make his Hour Record attempt at altitude in Aguascalientes in Mexico, and do so on a bike from Dutch company Koga. A date for the attempt has not yet been set.

Sport scientist Leon Burger, who is working with Dekker, told Ad.nl that the benefits of altitude are uncertain. “This is due to many factors, such as whether he is well acclimatized. At altitude you have less drag, but you can also deliver less power.”

Dekker never rode to his potential after his return from his doping violation and failed to secure a contract with the Cannondale team for 2015.

“The confidence and conviction that I had, had slipped away,” he said. His tests now show nearly ten percent more power than the last months of the season.

“The attack on the world record is a wake-up call for me,” he said recently.

Tour de France and ARD confirm race to be shown in Germany

German broadcaster ARD and the Amaury Sport Organisation have confirmed that the Tour de France will be broadcast live on German free to air television in 2015 and 2016. ARD had stopped live broadcasts in 2011, citing doping within the sport.

“Germany is a major country in the world of cycling,” said Tour director Christian Prudhomme.“Today, German cycling boasts two first-rate teams and a generation of consummate and talented riders, such as Marcel Kittel, André Greipel and Tony Martin. Indeed, these three riders have won 18 stages over the last 4 editions of Le Tour. Thanks to ARD's channels, I am delighted that the German public will be able to follow the Tour de France on German public TV, unencrypted, daily and live the race for the next two years".

“The most recent German successes, especially at the Tour de France, and the new generation of German cyclists, who are very active in the campaign for doping-free sport, have led to an increased attractiveness of this sporting event,” said Volker Herres, ARD’s program director.

Dumoulin with Giant-Alpecin for two more years

Team Giant-Alpecin announced during their team presentation in Berlin that Tom Dumoulin has extended his contract with the team for two years, “taking him to at least the end of 2016.” The 24-year-old will open his season at the Tour Down Under later this month.

The Dutch rider, who turned professional with the team in 2012, established himself on the world stage during the 2014 season. He won the Dutch national time trial title as well as various time trials during the season, topping it off with third place in the World Championships. Dumoulin also showed his all-around abilities with top five finishes in major stage and one-day races.

“I feel at home with this team as I can develop myself together with the team to my full potential. I have ambitions to work with this team for a longer period and to keep challenging ourselves together,” he said in the team press release.

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