First Edition Cycling News for November 9, 2003Edited by Chris Henry 2004 Giro d'Italia revealed
The route for the 2004 Giro d'Italia, the 87th edition of the Italian national tour, was unveiled today in Milan, Italy. Next year's race could be deceptively difficult, with a balanced yet apparently modest profile for the three weeks. However, the race technically features more climbing than 2003, and the average stage length is longer. The Giro will visit the city of Trieste, which celebrates the 50th anniversary of its return to Italy following World War II, and will make brief international incursions into Croatia and Slovenia. The 2004 Giro will begin May 8 with a prologue time trial in Genova, designated a European City of Culture, and conclude with a traditional road stage into Milan. The total distance of the parcours is 3,435 kilometres, which is 50 km shorter than the 2003 Giro. However, with a prologue time trial and 20 stages, compared to 2003 which featured 21 stages but no prologue, the average stage length (171.75 km) will be longer than the previous edition. After the Genova opener, the route heads to southern Italy until stage 9, which ends in Carovigno near the heel of Italy's 'boot'. A transfer back north will take the race to Porto Sant-Elpidio, halfway up, before hugging the eastern coast and venturing to Slovenia and Croatia. Looping back to the north and west, the Giro tackles the mountains before working its way to the finish in Milan. Overall the 2004 Giro offers a typical mix of conditions for a grand tour: 12 flat stages, four rolling stages, three in the high mountains, and one individual time trial (besides the prologue), not to mention two rest days. The combined 59 kilometres against the clock is a notable drop from the previous two editions of the race which featured just over 80 km of time trials. Although three stages in the high mountains doesn't appear too challenging, the 2004 Giro will include 18,500 metres of climbing vs. 17,300 metres in 2003. The inclusion of the famed Passo del Mortirolo on the penultimate stage, along with two other climbs, should keep the race exciting through the final, presumably decisive week. Cyclingnews' European Editor Tim Maloney was on hand at the Giro presentation and will provide an in-depth review of the parcours, along with reactions from the riders who will hope to challenge for the 2004 maglia rosa. The RoutePrologue - May 8: Prologue ITT, 7 km Total distance: 3,435 km Mountaintop finishes: Stage 3 - May 11: Pontremoli - Corno Alle Scale (12.8km, avg. 5.2%) PhotographyImages by Fotoreporter Sirotti
Images by Olympia Photo
Simoni's latest challenge to Armstrong
Never one to shy away from voicing a challenge, two-time Giro d'Italia winner (and defending champion) Gilberto Simoni has issued another he hopes Lance Armstrong will answer. Simoni boasted of his ability to challenge Armstrong at the 2003 Tour de France after winning the Giro, but struggled in the Tour and had to be content with a stage win rather then a result in the general classification. Armstrong has never raced the Giro, but has indicated that he would like to give the Italian tour a try before his career ends. "If Armstrong rode both the Giro d'Italia and then the Tour de France we'd see how good he really is, for better or worse," Simoni said after the Giro presentation in Milan Saturday. "He has said he wants to ride the Giro at least once during his career and this could be the right moment to do it," he added. "Next year the Giro finishes at the end of May and the hardest stages of the Tour de France are in late July, so he'd have enough time to recover." Armstrong, winner of the past five Tours, has typically used the shorter stage races such as the Tour de Suisse or Dauphiné Libéré as preparation for the French tour. Next year's preparation has not been decided, and the American has indicated that the Dauphiné, which he has won twice, may not figure into his plans. Marco Pantani was the last rider to win the Giro and the Tour in the same season, doing the double in 1998. Beloki's demands are largeJoseba Beloki, eager to reach an agreement with the Italian firm Stayer, has found a sticking point in his expectations of the team's financial guarantees. Stayer, an electrical company anxious to get involved in professional cycling, has tapped Beloki as its preferred team leader, along with the former ONCE rider's entourage of support riders and chosen directeur sportif Abraham Olano. Reported to be experiencing some financial difficulties, Stayer is keen on registering a team for 2004, to be guided by Marco Pantani's manager Manuela Ronchi. Whatever the state of Stayer's finances, Cyclingnews' sources report that Beloki has insisted the company provide a bank guarantee to cover three years of his salary, estimated at 5 million euros. Beloki had hoped for a formal agreement this past week, but has yet to receive the final offer from Stayer. Meanwhile, the Basque rider has offers from other teams to consider, including Gerolsteiner and Saeco. These other teams, however interested in Beloki, do not necessarily share the interest in signing the rider's entire entourage, whereas Stayer represents an outlet for Beloki's preferred creation of a new, tailor-made team. Auber 93 to continue in Div. IIIWith the loss of its title sponsor for 2004, the BigMat-Auber 93 team will carry on under the support of Auber 93 and drop to Division III for the coming season. The team's new position in the peloton does not concern director Stéphane Javalet, already a supporter in the French amateur ranks alongside the professional BigMat squad. "I don't have any complex about continuing the adventure at this level," Javalet told l'Equipe. "This will be our eleventh year in the peloton..." Javalet is eager to support quality riders, whatever their level. For a Division III team he envisions a roster of 8-10 members, only two of which are already known. Still under contract with Javalet are Nicolas Meunier and Yannick Talabardon. Other BigMat riders likely to sign with the new incarnation are Talabardon's brother Sébastien, Plamen Stoïanov, and Ludovic Auger, although no deals have been finalised. "Since the month of May I've been working flat out to find a replacement for BigMat," Javalet explained regarding the team's as-yet uncertain membership. Despite having made contacts mid-year, he was unable to secure a substantial sponsor to maintain the team's Division II status. "What I would like is to be able to sell the spirit of the team, which has a strong image and a certain notoriety, so as to be able to begin with a stable budget and build a proper Division III team. "There are good riders [in France] who have not found work. If I'm capable of helping them continue to ride, they'll be my priority." Sponsorship boost for RiisBjarne Riis and Team CSC will enjoy expanded sponsorship over the next two seasons from Danish company Alm Brand, which began support of the team prior to this year's Tour de France. Alm Brand, satisfied with the exposure gained with CSC over the summer, committed to the two year deal and will also help the team's parent company, Riis Cycling, relocate to new headquarters from Herning to Lyngby, closer to Copenhagen. "I take pride in the fact that we have been able to deliver a product that Alm. Brand finds suitable for further investments," Riis explained. "The new deal with Alm Brand has enabled us to further strengthen the classics squad. We will have a very powerful line up for the classics next year and I am very happy that Alm Brand has taken part in the effort to make that possible." Two events added to Coupe de FranceThe season-long Coupe de France series will expand to include two additional events in 2004. Typically a 15 event series, next year will see the Tro Bro Léon and Polynormande events added to the calendar. Tro Bro Léon is the Brétagne region's answer to Paris-Roubaix, with multiple sections of unpaved road, or 'ribins' included to challenge the peloton. The Polynormande is an event overseen by Daniel Mangeas, the speaker of the Tour de France (and countless other races in France). Jaan Kirsipuu of Ag2R-Prévoyance won the 2003 Coupe de France title, the second of his career. On top of his consistent placing throughout the year, Kirsipuu claimed victory in the Classic Haribo and the Tour de Vendée. "I wasn't thinking too much about [the series] at the beginning of the season, even though I knew many of the races suited me," Kirsipuu said at the Coupe de France award ceremony Thursday night. "For me, winning the Coupe de France shows my consistency and that I was present in the front ranks all season long," Kirsipuu added. 2004 Coupe de France schedule: February 21: Tour du Haut-Var Odriozola to KelmeAs Kelme-Costa Blanca continues to hash out a potential deal to secure Angel Casero from Bianchi, the team has signed a dependable team rider in Jon Odriozola. At age 33, and a professional since 1995, Odriozola joins Kelme from iBanesto.com. Fewer Europeans in keirin seriesJapan's annual keirin tournament, held each March through May, will miss France's and Germany's top track stars in 2004. Typically a popular event among the European track professionals, the 2004 series will face modest participation from the internationals, primarily a result of the major objective of the summer Olympics in Athens in August. Prior to the Olympics, the World Track Championships in Melbourne, Australia will also draw the sport's best. Changes in format to the Japanese keirin series didn't help its draw amongst potential riders either. "There will only be four races over two months instead of six," Laurent Gané explained in the newspaper l'Equipe. "In each race there will only be one international rider against eight Japanese from different cities, as opposed to four internationals and five Japonese before." According to Gané, the only top track cyclist who appears interested in the 2004 keirin series is Australia's Jobie Dajka. silver medal in the sprint at the 2003 track World's. Brunetti USA to help juniorsBrunetti USA, the United States importer for Brunetti bicycles from Castelbolognese Italy, is interested in providing material support to a junior program for the upcoming racing season. Brunetti USA will offer special team pricing to promote junior cycling. Interested riders should be a member of a UCSF team with a junior program or be registered in a junior team. Special honor roll programs are also available. Please see www.brunettiUSA.com for details. Coaches or captains from interested teams are encouraged to contact info@brunettiUSA.com to submit requests.
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