Latest News for August 1, 2003

Edited by Jeff Jones

World Cup resumes with HEW Cyclassics

By Jeff Jones

2002 winner Johan Museeuw
Photo: © AFP

Round six of the UCI Road World Cup takes place in Hamburg this Sunday with the HEW Cyclassics Cup. The race marks the start of the second half of the World Cup season, which took a break after Liege-Bastogne-Liege at the end of April.

HEW is one of the easier World Cups, and typically favours the sprinters. However, as always it's the riders who make the race, and there is enough in the parcours to cause small splits at the end. Last year, a group of 10 riders escaped on the Waseberg with 15 km to go, with Johan Museeuw triumphing in front of Igor Astarloa and Davide Rebellin. In 2001, the race finished in a bunch sprint, with Erik Zabel taking the flowers.

Zabel will be aiming for another win this year, sporting his German champion's jersey and a strong Telekom team. However after a winless Tour de France, Zabel will have his work cut out if he is to hold off the likes of Petacchi, Cooke and McEwen in a bunch sprint, should it come down to that. There are also the likes of Oscar Freire (Rabobank), Bernhard Eisel (FDJeux.com), Julian Dean (CSC), René Haselbacher (Gerolsteiner), Angelo Furlan (Alessio), Fred Rodriguez and Romans Vainsteins (Vini Caldirola), Giovanni Lombardi (Domina Vacanze), Thor Hushovd and Stuart O'Grady (Credit Agricole), and Kurt-Asle Arvesen (fakta) who will be eager to seize their chance.

Full preview, Map, Start List.

Cyclingnews will have live coverage of the HEW Cyclassics starting from 14:30 CEST/8:30 EDT/5:30 PDT/22:30 AEST.

Museeuw wants to confirm

Johan Museeuw, the winner of last year's HEW Cyclassics Cup, says that he's still motivated to have a good end of season, despite not wearing the World Cup leader's jersey this time around. "I want to confirm until the end of my career that I'm still among the top," he told Het Laatste Nieuws during the Tour de la Région Wallonne. "I've been training very well in St. Moritz: in my own way, feeling good, listening to my body, watching my heart rate. I'm at the same level as last year. Maybe mentally a bit less because last year the World Cup jersey motivated me. But on Sunday in Hamburg I'm also going for the victory."

Museeuw won't be riding the World Cups in Zürich or San Sebastian, and it's likely that both he and Paolo Bettini will be the top men for Quick.Step. "If it's going to be Bettini riding in service of Museeuw, or Museeuw in service of Bettini, we haven't talked about that yet, but we'll see in the race itself. Bettini has ridden the Tour, and maybe thanks to his crash in Gent-Wevelgem he still has enough reserves. But Van Petegem is in good shape too."

The HEW Cyclassics Cup is not one of Museeuw's favourite World Cups, "The race stays closed for a long time before we reach the three climbs. If it explodes there, you always have to take a lot of risks if you want to be in the breakaway. But in fact you can win Hamburg with a bit less condition. You can't do that in the Ronde van Vlaanderen or Paris-Roubaix. That's why I'll always find Hamburg the least worthy of all the World Cup races."

There is also a chance that Museeuw will do the World Championships in Hamilton, despite ruling it out initially. He will talk to national coach Jose de Cauwer about it in the near future. "A Museeuw in top condition has a place anywhere," said De Cauwer to Het Nieuwsblad. "Not the parcours, but the motivation of the riders and the ability to tip the balance in a moment. Johan can guide the young riders."

More blood controls at Track Worlds

The UCI carried out another 17 blood tests on riders at the Track Cycling World Championships in Stuttgart on Friday morning. Riders from France, Germany and the Netherlands were tested, with no-one being declared unfit to start. Yesterday, Russian rider Sergei Koedentsov tested above the 50 percent hematocrit limit, and was suspended for two weeks by the UCI for health reasons.

Mayo and Zubeldia won't ride Vuelta

Euskaltel-Euskadi will be without its two top Tour riders in the Vuelta España, after Haimar Zubeldia chose to follow Iban Mayo in not starting. Both riders are tired after a tough season, according to team leader Julian Gorospe.

Rumblings within Marlux

There are murmurings of dissent within the Belgian second division team Marlux. After Noël Demeulenaere announced that he was starting a new first division team next year, team director Didier Paindaveine has been particularly annoyed. "Since he said that he was setting up a new first division team with Dave Bruylandts, the cohesion has completely gone," Paindaveine said to Belgian VRT Teletekst. "The problem is that everybody, after the Bruylandts thing, is now in a state of uncertainty, myself included. There are far too many cliques forming."

"I'm not set on an adventure with a first category team. I will listen to what Demeulenaere proposes, but if he tells me nothing, then I want to stand on my own legs."

Quick.Step loses Kashechkin

The Quick.Step-Davitamon team will lose Kazakh rider Andrey Kashechkin to Credit Agricole next year. Kashechkin had already signed a preliminary agreement with Quick.Step, but decided in favour of the French outfit. On the other hand, Quick.Step will probably secure the signature of Spanish climber Juan Miguel Mercado today.

USAC announce automatic qualifiers for MTB World's

USA Cycling has announced the athletes automatically qualified to represent the U.S. at the 2003 World Mountain Bike Championships to be held August 30-September 7 in Lugano, Switzerland. The nominations are as follows:

Elite men's cross country: Jeremy Horgan Kobelski (RLX/Polo), Todd Wells (Mongoose/Hyundi), Jeremiah Bishop (Trek VW Factory Team).

The women's elite cross country squad will consist of Susan Haywood (Trek/VW), Willow Koerber (RLX/Polo), and Mary McConneloug (Seven Cycles).

Espoir cross county athletes include: Walker Ferguson (Gary Fisher/Subaru), Adam Craig (Giant/Pearl Izumi), Barry Wicks (KONA), and Ryan Trebon (Krystal/WCCA).

In the junior categories, John Devine (Trek/VW/JBL) and Michael McClure (Balance Bar/Devo) will represent the junior men in the cross country event. Sabra Davison (Balance Bar/Devo) and Caitlyn Tuel (Sobe/Cannondale) have been nominated for the women's junior cross country event.

Downhill nominations include: Elite men: Gary Houseman (Intense) and Eric Carter (Mongoose/Hyundai). Marla Streb (Luna Chix) and Kathy Pruitt (Luna Chix) will both ride in the women's downhill event.

Junior nominations include: Kyle Strait (RedBull), Henry O'Donnel (ITS/Santa Cruz), and Cody Warren (Haro). Jenny Cornelison (Karpeil/WT) and Leanna Gerrard (Sobe/Cannondale) will represent the U.S. in the women's junior downhill event.

Four-cross nominations include: Eric Carter (Mongoose/Hyundi), Mike King (Haro), and Brian Schmith (Mongoose/Hyundi). The women's squad includes Jamie Lily (KHS), Jill Kitner (Fox Shox), and Tara Llanes (Giant/Pearl Izumi).

USA Cycling will announce the final team including discretionary nominations Monday, August 4, 2003.

Marathon ride to benefit cancer research

A new marathon ride benefiting the Lymphoma Research Foundation will be incorporated into the Ninth Annual Pedro's Mountain Bike Festival, which takes place between August 8-10 at the Brodie Mountain Cross Country Ski Area on Route 7 in Lanesboro, Mass. The Mavic/Lymphoma Research Foundation Marathon Ride begins at the Festival on Saturday, August 9th at 8:00 a.m. and offers riders a moderate 12 mile course or a longer 30 mile course with a climb up Mount Greylock.

"The ride is designed to accommodate riders of all abilities with the added bonus of benefiting the nation's largest lymphoma-focused voluntary health organization," said Mavic's Christopher Zigmont.

The Mavic/Lymphoma Research Foundation Marathon Ride is open to all riders. Participants can choose between two courses with aid stations providing food, water and energy drinks available on either ride. Cost of the ride for Festival attendees is $10. Non-Festival attendees can come and ride for $55, which includes entry to the Festival on Saturday. Pledge forms are available at www.pedrosfest.com.

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