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f sprinters here, not just Cavendish," Goss said. "Its
Topic Started: Oct 8 2013, 01:32 PM (8 Views)
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Led by flag bearer Simon Whitfield, the Canadian contingent marched into Olympic Stadium to mark their arrival at the London 2012 Olympic Games.Dressed in red-and-white jackets and khaki pants, the Canadian athletes strolled around the track waving miniature flags, snapping pictures and soaking in the festivities. Mark Tewksbury, Canadas chef de mission at the London 2012 Olympic Games, accompanied the Canadian team. Several members of Canadas 277-athlete contingent had to skip the Opening Ceremony to prepare for their events on Saturday. But for those who did get the privilege to march in front of the packed crowd at Olympic Stadium, it is a memory that will last a life time. “This is a moment you dream of being part of one day," said beach volleyball player Martin Reader, who will be making his first Olympic appearance. "Marching in the opening is what you picture and its the highlight of my life!” Even those who have been part of an Opening Ceremony in the past couldnt help but get caught up in the spectacle. “It was amazing! So proud to be chosen for the front of the line and felt like a superstar," said Jason Burnett, a silver medallist in trampoline at Beijing 2008. "To be leading the team was one of the best moments of my life for sure.” Whitfield won gold in the inaugural Olympic triathlon event at the Sydney 2000 Games after taking the lead with a late surge down the final straight. He was Canadas flag bearer at the Closing Ceremony of those Games. The 37-year-old also won a silver medal at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, moving from fourth to first in the final kilometer before being surpassed late by eventual winner Jan Fronedo of Germany.Kayaker Adam van Koeverden, a gold medallist at Athens 2004, was Canadas flag bearer at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.Canada won 18 medals (three gold, nine silver, six bronze) at Beijing 2008, which placed them 19th in the final standings. Canada sent 332 in 25 sports to Beijing 2008, the seventh largest team at the Games. cheap jerseys . The 23-year-old England international has joined Liverpool for around 12 million pounds ($19.6 million) after struggling to establish himself in the starting lineup since joining Chelsea from Manchester City in July 2011. cheap jerseys us .C. -- Ernie Els returns to Kiawah Island for the PGA Championship as a major champion, the same status he carried the last time he was there. LIEGE, Belgium -- Mark Cavendish might be the worlds fastest man on a bicycle, but its hard to see him pedaling to a second consecutive green jersey in three weeks when the Tour de France ends on the Champs-Elysees. The "Manxman Missile," as the sprinter from the Isle of Man has been nicknamed by his fans, is focusing on the Olympic road race -- leaving wide open the battle for the Tours best-sprinter title. The defending world champion, who holds 20 Tour stage victories, has changed his training regimen this season, losing weight and power in order to tackle the nine climbs of Box Hill at the London Olympics on home soil. Using the Tour to hone his condition before London, Cavendish wont have the lead-out train that normally sets him up for the stage finales as his Sky teammates will be working hard to fulfil their team leader Bradley Wiggins ambition of becoming the first British rider to win the Tour. The race starts on Saturday in Liege, Belgium, with a 6.4-kilometre prologue. "I probably wont win as much personally, in stages, but to be part of a team that holds real ambitions of winning the Tour de France overall, its an honour for any bike rider," Cavendish said. But riding alongside Wiggins has its downside, too. Ready to fight tooth-and-nail for the Tour favourite, Sky riders are unlikely to waste energy for Cavendish ahead of intermediate sprints -- which offer points that go toward the green jersey. Changes to the points classifications rules implemented last year see sprint points allocated differently. There is only one intermediate sprint on each stage, with 20 points available to the rider who wins that -- as opposed to six points in previous years when there were more intermediate sprints. "Stage wins arent enough to win it (the green jersey)," Cavendish said. "You have to go for the intermediates. Whether youre going to limit your losses or win them flat out, thats the tactic youve got to go for. I havent got my eyes on green, to be honest, but theres always a chance.&quoot; Unlike Cavendish, his former teammate at the now-defunct HTC-Team, Matt Goss of Australia, will enjoy the support of a team built around him and featuring lead-out men Sebastian Langeveld, Brett Lancaster and Daryl Impey.dddddddddddd A silver medallist at the worlds behind Cavendish, Goss, who won a stage at the Giro this year, joined the Orica-GreenEdge outfit at the end of last season and will be riding his second Tour after being part of Cavendishs sprint train last year. "While we have a lot of goals for Gossy in the Tour, his main objective is clear," said Orica-GreenEdge sports director Matt White. "He is on the hunt for stage wins." "There is a super strong contingent of sprinters here, not just Cavendish," Goss said. "Its important to have such a strong team for the lead out. Because if you dont have the lead out, youre the one thats following. If weve got a strong team we can stay in front of other teams." In the absence of Tom Boonen, the Belgian star who decided to skip the Tour to prioritize the Olympics, other green jersey contenders include Andre Greipel and Marcel Kittel of Germany, Alejandro Valverde of Spain, veteran Alessandro Petacchi of Italy and Peter Sagan of Slovakia. Sagan, considered by many as cyclings new prodigy, has been enjoying a superb start to his professional career, claiming stage wins at the Spanish Vuelta, Paris-Nice, the Tour de Romandie and Tour of Switzerland in the past two years. Competing at his first Tour de France following an impressive tally of nine stage wins posted this spring at the Tour of California and Tour of Switzerland, Sagan has the potential to make an impact on the biggest stage. "Im not scared of anything," said the Liquigas rider. "I think Ive done well this season. I hope that in the Tour Ill do well because its a very important race. In the Tour, there are all the top riders and sprinters here for the green jersey. I want the jersey, but its very difficult to take it in the Tour." ' ' '
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