First Edition Cycling News for November 10, 2003

Edited by Jeff Jones

Giro d'Italia 2004: More climbing and fewer TT's favour Simoni

By Tim Maloney, European Editor in Milan

Gilberto Simoni ponders the route
Photo ©: Sirotti

American artist Mark Kostabi's painting "Il Fuoco de Giro" is the graphic theme of the 2004 Giro d'Italia, and with a tough parcours with more climbing and less time trialing than the previous edition, there will be plenty of fireworks in Italy's biggest cycling race. The action will culminate in an intense last week of racing through the Italian Dolomites and Alps before the winner rides down Corso Venezia in Milano wearing the Maglia Rosa of the final race leadership.

Certainly the favourite to win the 87th edition of Giro d'Italia is two time winner Gilberto Simoni (Saeco). The tough little Trentino climber liked what he saw when the Giro was unveiled in Milano on Saturday, November 8. "It's a 'belissimo' course," said Simoni, "and Lance Armstrong would be the favourite. I'd like to challenge him to guarantee a great spectacle. In the season where Lance is going for the record of six consecutive Tours, why not? In the past, he's often said that he wanted to ride the Giro at least once before he finished his career. Why not in 2004?"

Click here for the full story on Simoni's and others' reaction to the 2004 Giro route.

Gazet van Antwerpen Trofee #2 in Niel

The second round of the Gazet van Antwerpen Trofee will take place on Tuesday, November 11 in Niel, Belgium. The trophy, which kicked off over a week ago with the Koppenberg 'cross in Oudenaarde, is the third major cyclo-cross series after the World Cup and Superprestige.

The winner of the first round, Bart Wellens (Spaar Select) will certainly be on the start line in Niel to defend his lead over Arne Daelmans and Sven Nijs. "On Saturday in Eernegem my body experienced how fast things can turn around," said Wellens. "First problems with the chain, then there was a crash and another victory was gone. It was for Ben Berden, and even in the sprint for second place against Sven Vanthourenhout I had to let it go. So you see, the strongest doesn't always win. And I was the strongest in Eernegem. I could ride away whenever I wanted, I could create a gap whenever I wanted, but I didn't win. Something like that can also happen in Niel, and then Nijs can get in the way quicker than I would like. But let us look things in a positive way and hope that the problem is behind me."

In second place after round 1 is Arne Daelmans, who is hungry for more success. "The underdog is lying in wait for a new surprise," said Daelmans. "Underdog, because I still have to fight for a place in the World Cup, in spite of the fact that I think I have the right to go. An annoyed Daelmans is always dangerous, that I've proved on the Koppenberg. Furthermore the Niel circuit suits me better than the difficult Koppenberg. I'm therefore looking at another good result."

Sven Nijs, who placed third in the first round, says that he would like to win the GvA Trofee, but admits that it is "Easier said than done, because Wellens is without doubt in brilliant form. Normally we'll see another close combat in Niel and to score points will depend on the details. An advantage for me is perhaps that I didn't ride on Saturday in Eernegem. Wellens did, so that he could feel what it was like to ride three races in four days."

Gazet van Antwerpen standings after round 1

Elite

1 Bart Wellens (SpaarSelect)            35 pts
2 Arne Daelmans (Vlaanderen-T Interim)  32
3 Sven Nys (Rabobank)                   29
4 Peter Van Santvliet (SpaarSelect)     27
5 Richard Groenendaal (Rabobank)        26

U23

1 Klaas Vantornout                      22 pts
2 Wesley Van der Linden                 21
3 Kevin Pauwels                         20
4 Martin Zlamalik                       19
5 Jan Soetens                           18

Starters in Niel: Sven Nys, Bart Wellens, Richard Groenendaal, Ben Berden, Erwin Vervecken, Tom Vannoppen, Gerben de Knegt, Arne Daelmans, Sven Vanthourenhout, Petr Dlask, Peter Van Santvliet, Vaclav Jezek, Thijs Verhagen, Martin Bina, Wesley Van der Linden, Wim Jacobs, Bart Aernouts, Radomir Simunek jr., Tim Van Nuffel, Klaas Vantornout, Kevin Pauwels, Davy Commeyne.

Additional riders: Jan Goris, Tim Goris, Davy Nols, Eddy Van Bouwel en Jan Van Doninck (all elite without contract), Kevin Bosschaerts, Jan Geerts, Stig Geerts, Tim Pauwels, Nick Sels, Steven Sluyts, Geert Wellens en Stijn Penne (all U23).

No changes for Belgium in World Cup #2

Belgian national coach Rudy de Bie has chosen to keep the same team as he took to Turin for round 2 of the World Cyclo-cross Cup in St Wendel, Germany on November 16. Led by World Cup leader Sven Nijs, the squad will also feature World Champion Bart Wellens, Ben Berden, Tom Vannoppen, Erwin Vervecken, Sven Vanthourenhout and U23 rider Klas Vantornout. Those missing out include Arne Daelmans, who was overlooked after a crash some weeks ago, and Mario De Clercq, who had retired when the 10 rider names were submitted to the UCI three weeks ago.

De Clercq's diary confiscated

Belgian TV has reported that the diary of cyclo-crosser Mario de Clercq was confiscated in September as part of the Jose Landuyt-Herman Versele doping investigation. The court in Kortrijk is interested to know whether there are any references to illegal products in De Clercq's diary, however both the rider and his sponsors deny that he has done anything wrong.

"The products that are mentioned in writing are permitted," said Charles Palmans to VRT. "It states, among other things, which vitamins Mario took. I know that Mario has done nothing wrong. Otherwise we would not have started competing again."

Sgambelluri to Vini Caldirola

Italian cyclist Roberto Sgambelluri will race for Vini Caldirola next season. 29 year old Sgambelluri spent much of this year serving a suspension for doping, but he was picked up by Caldirola to help Stefano Garzelli in the Giro d'Italia next year.

Polish transfers

According to Polish sources, Cezary Zamana and Zbigniew Piatek have both signed contracts with the new Belgian outfit Chocolade Jacques-Wincor-Passage Fitness First. The pair boast a combined UCI point total of 900, which will help Chocolade Jacques in its bid to make Division I.

In other news from Poland, Action nVidia-Mroz manager Piotr Kosmala has made some new purchases for next season. Tomasz Brozyna, Piotr Chmielewski and Bogdan Bondariew are all transferring from CCC-Polsat, all three of them previously rode for Kosmala under the Mroz banner. As yet, Raimondas Rumsas is not on the official roster for Action nVidia next year, however Piotr Kosmala has stated that there are two riders still to come, neither of which are Polish, to complete the roster.

Finally, CCC-Polsat will next year be riding with a different sponsor line up: Atlas-Hoop-Polsat.

Settimana Lombarda moved to October

The Italian stage race Settimana Lombarda will be moved from its usual April position to October in 2004. The race will take place between October 6-10, which means it will overlap with the World Championships in Verona. However the organisers believe this will have a positive impact on their race. "The proximity to the World's will allow us to have a good international field," said the FCI's Lombard president Gianni Sommariva. "The gap in the calendar left by the Giro di Lucca's move to February was an opportunity for us to open the Settimana Lombarda to amateur teams, but we want to return it to a UCI 2.3 ranked professional race."

Ulmer to ride Orca Urban Street Series

Commonwealth Games dual gold medallist Sarah Ulmer will ride in the Orca Urban Street Series, which takes place over three weekends in December in New Zealand. Ulmer, who has spent much of the last decade racing on the US criterium circuit, will travel from her Cambridge base in Waikato to compete at each of the series' events.

Schedule

Race 1 - Saturday, December 6: Botany Town Centre, 6pm
Race 2 - Saturday, December 13: Hurstmere Rd - Takapuna, 6pm
Race 3 - Sunday, December 21: Davis Cres - Newmarket, 8.30am

Third annual Aurora Cross

Cyclo-cross returns to Aurora, Ontario (Canada) on November 16th, with the third annual Aurora Cross at the Aurora Leisure Complex. This is one of Ontario's best attended courses and features a prize list worth $1500.00. The course has been redesigned this year and contains a number of fast grass sections for the benefit of the spectators.

Racing begins at 11:00AM for Master B/C/D's, followed by Women at 11:02AM, the Senior Master A Men going off at 1:00PM, followed two minutes later by the junior men. The Aurora Leisure Complex is located in downtown Aurora, on 135 Industrial Parkway North, off of Wellington Street/Aurora Sideroad, between highway 400 and 404.

This race is part of the Southern Ontario Cyclo-cross series, with points for Ontario residents.

More information: www.ontariocycling.org

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