Sep Vanmarcke is finally able to train without any wrist support after having an operation on it last month. Vanmarcke went under the knife to alleviate chronic swelling in his right wrist and while he has been able to take part in the team’s recent training camp he is only now able to ride without any extra support.
"After having a plaster splint or a brace and I can finally ride without help,” he told Het Nieuwsblad. “I have a small training backlog, but I will not change my program. I start my season like every year at the Tour of Algarve. At Omloop Het Nieuwsblad I still will not be great. This year I really want to reach my peak in the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix.”
According to Het Nieuwsblad, Vanmarcke will also ride Tirreno-Adriatico, Milan-San Remo and, potentially, the Amstel Gold Race in 2016.
Bad Homburg looking to host Tour de France
With Dusseldorf set to become the first German city in 30 years to host a stage of the Tour de France in 2017, German website hessenschau.de reports that the city of Bad Homburg is looking to become part of it.
According to the report, Bad Homburg made an application to Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme to host the Tour. They did not receive a response but they hope that the city, which hosts the Rund um den Finanzplatz Eschborn-Frankfurt one-day race, will form part of the 2017 Grand Depart route.
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"We have continued with great interest. The willingness of the city is there," Councillor Dieter Kraft told hessenschau.de.
Christmas time in the peloton
It might have been Christmas day on Friday but some riders were unable to stay away from the bike while some had their day interrupted by anti-doping testers. Many riders, including Peter Sagan, Fabian Cancellara and Tony Martin, took to twitter and other social media to share their Christmas day with their fans.
Peter Sagan posted a photo of himself with his family
Tony Martin decorated the Christmas tree
While Fabian Cancellara posted a picture of Christmas day ride on instagram
