First Edition Cycling News for November 15, 2003

Edited by Jeff Jones & Chris Henry

More Bianchi riders waiting for salaries

In addition to Jan Ullrich, who will reportedly be owed €600,000 salary by the end of the year, other Team Bianchi riders are starting to voice their concerns about not being paid their wages. Rafael Schweda, who will retire at the end of the year to become a team director for Winfix, was quoted by Radsport-news.com as saying, "There is still some missing, but I was called and told that it would be transferred. If not, I will get my money from the bank guarantee via the UCI." In addition, André Korff said that he is still owed his October salary.

Team manager Jacques Hanegraaf admitted that, "With some there is a little delay with the payments. But everyone will get his money." Hanegraaf wouldn't confirm the amount owed to Jan Ullrich, but indicated that there will be a meeting to settle it next Thursday.

Team Bianchi has not yet officially announced that it will not be continuing next year, despite a report in Gazet van Antwerpen on Thursday that the team would fold.

Italians mourn for dead in Iraq

After a number of Italians were killed in the Nasiriya suicide bomb attack in Iraq, the Italian Cycling Federation has issued a statement saying that cyclists and directors from the FCI will express "their own grief for the victims of the Nasiriya attack" in conjunction with the national mourning. There will be a minute's silence held before the start of every race in the next few days, and the Italian national team at this weekend's cyclo-cross World Cup in St. Wendel, Germany, will wear black bands on their arms.

Bartko to race road and track

Robert Bartko
Photo: © Roth

German Robert Bartko, Olympic champion in Sydney in 2000 in the individual and team pursuit events, will focus on both road and track events in 2004. Bartko will soon join his German national track team in Mallorca for early season preparation for the summer Olympics in Athens, after which he will meet with his Rabobank teammates to begin the 2004 road season.

"It'll be difficult to juggle the two disciplines," Bartko said, "but it will be worth the challenge."

De Waele to Flanders

Fabian De Waele will join the Flanders team for 2004. Despite a possible offer from Chocolade Jacques, De Waele was eager to make a quick decision for the next year. "They were taking too long," De Waele said about Chocolade Jacques in a Het Nieuwsblad report. "I didn't want to wait. If they don't already know that they want me, they'll never know."

Second director for Chocolade Jacques

Noël Demeulenaere, head of the new Chocolade Jacques team for 2004, is narrowing his search for a second directeur sportif to back up Johan Capiot. "We're looking for a second directeur sportif," Demeulenaere told Het Laatste Nieuws."It could be Eric Vanderaerden, but Eric Van Lancker is also a candidate."

Seven new riders for Labarca 2

The Spanish Labarca 2-Café Baqué team has recruited seven additional riders for 2004 from the elite and U23 ranks. Joining the team are Aritz Arruti, Jorge García, Mikel Gaztañaga, Efraín Gutiérrez, Aitor Pérez, Fernando Torres, and Pasarán Julen Urbano.

According to a Todociclismo report, the team is searching for a replacement title sponsor. as Labarca 2 is expected to reduce its role in the team for the coming season.

Latest doping sanctions

The UCI has announced the latest sanctions that have been meted out by various national federations for doping offences.

Gianluca Moi, sanctioned by the Federazione Ciclistica Italiana, disqualification from Giro delle Regioni 2003, suspension of 1 month from 30 July 2003 to 30 August 2003 and fine of CHF 500.

Raimondas Rumsas, sanctioned by the Lithuanian Cycling Federation, disqualification from Giro d'Italia 2003, suspension of 1 year from 17 July 2003 to 17 August 2004 and fine of CHF 2,000

Samuel Faruhn, sanctioned by Bund Deutscher Radfahrer, fine of CHF 400.

Markus Wimmer, sanctioned by the Oesterreichischer Radsport Verband, disqualification of Wiesbauer Tour 2003, suspension of 2 years from 5 September 2003 to 5 September 2005 and fine of CHF 2,000.

Lorian Graham awarded

Australian cyclist Lorian Graham has been named Queensland's 2003 Women's Road Cyclist of The Year. The 26 year old secured the prize following a breakthrough season, which included a three month stint as a development rider with the AIS Women's Cycling Team in Italy. Graham returned home in September to win a bronze medal in the road race and silver in the criterium at the National Club Road Cycling Championships on the Sunshine Coast.

"It's wonderful to receive some recognition for a year of continuous effort," Lorian said after receiving the award. "I've never trained as hard as I have in 2003 and an award like this is a great encouragement."

It's the second time Graham has claimed the Women's Road Cyclist of The Year Award, also winning it in 2000 after her first year of riding.

Now based in Brisbane under the guidance of Queensland Academy of Sport Coach Liz Hepple, Graham has commenced a tough off-season program as she aims to secure a permanent place in the AIS Women's Road Team in 2004. Riding more than 650 kilometres a week in the hills of South-East Queensland, the former national go-kart champion wants to prove herself on the world road cycling stage.

"My results in Europe this year were a vast improvement on 2002," said Lorian. "I'm starting to realise the sort of effort and commitment required to get to the top in this sport and there's a long road ahead."

Roberge to ride RAAM

Former professional cyclist Giana Roberge is entering the 2004 Race Across America in order to promote and educate people about cycling. Roberge retired from the sport in 1999 to successfully coach and manage the Timex and Saturn women's teams. She has also founded the "Women's Task Force on Cycling" which will develop programs to promote women's bike racing throughout the United States.

USAC Olympic selection procedures revised

USA Cycling has announced revised selection procedures for the 2004 Olympic Games as they relate to the men's and women's cross country mountain bike event. Due to the significant change in the 2004 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup Calendar after the original selection procedures were announced, USA Cycling has modified the final selection opportunity to better coincide with World Cup competition.

In the original USA Cycling 2004 Olympic Games Selection Procedures approved in May, the final selection opportunity for the men's and women's cross country mountain bike event was the fourth UCI World Cup race, then tentatively scheduled for July 10-11, 2004. This race was chosen because it was the last World Cup event prior to the team selection deadline (July 13, 2004).

Since then however, the final schedule for the 2004 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup events had changed dramatically from the tentative schedule upon which the original selection criteria were based. Specifically, there are now six World Cup races prior to July 13 rather that four as originally proposed. Because the original intent in the selection procedures was to use the latest possible World Cup prior to the selection deadline, the amendment has been made to utilize the sixth World Cup, July 3-4, 2004, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada as the final criteria.

The complete and revised selection procedures can be viewed on USAC's website, www.usacycling.org.

Innes appointed NZ track coach

Canadian cycling coach and former Olympian Kurt Innes has been picked to coach the New Zealand track cycling program. Innes worked as a coach for nine years in Canada, and will replace Max Vertongen in the New Zealand track program.

"BikeNZ has been fortunate to secure the services of Innes as head track coach as he brings with him track cycling specific experience at world class level since 1997, and prior to this was a member of Canada's national track cycling team," BikeNZ announced Friday.

Courtesy: stuff.co.nz

British Cycling bidding for £1.67 million

British Cycling has received stage one approval for a £1.67 million grant from Sport England's Community Club Development Programme. The programme makes £60 million available to 16 sports, in two bands. British Cycling's bid is part of Band 2 in which 12 sports bid for a share of a £20 million pot, spread over a three year period.

If awarded the grant, British Cycling is aiming to distribute the money through the various cycling disciplines, concentrating on resurfacing and refurbishing a number of velodromes and circuits throughout the country.

"Sport England are hopeful that the funding programme will be an ongoing process, and if British Cycling can demonstrate that it can use the fund effectively, then more money should be forthcoming," said British Cycling's Facilities Manager Dave Cockram of the potential funding.

Strong turnout for Irish 'cross

By Tommy Campbell, Irish Independent, Evening Herald, Sunday Independent

The promoters of the Cyclo-Cross Cycling League in Ireland are happy with the take-up this season. With round four taking place Saturday in Banbridge, another high turnout is anticipated. The leader of the league, Roger Aiken, failed last week to keep up his winning sequence. Eighteen year old Peter McSorely from the Apollo CT, instrumental in recent seasons in making the sport fashionable again in Ireland, was an impressive winner in Kilcullen, Co. Kildare last weekend.

Peter was the happiest youngster on the Kilcullen Sporting Complex after his win. "Today was kind of special as it was my dad's birthday and he'll be kind of chuffed with this result," said Peter. "I have just heard he finished in 5th place which makes it a great day for the household."

Evidently the handicappers are making the series fascinating when it comes to allocating some leeway on the scratch group. It has been said that the young McSorely had been knocking on the door in the previous events only to be headed on the penultimate lap. Today should be interesting as the event is located in the grounds of a very well kept elite school and it is expected that Roger Aiken from Banbridge will be back to winning ways.

The course is mostly on grass. There are a few short, steep climbs which will have to be run if it is raining, but the short, wooded sections will not take the edge off a chance for a road man to claim victory. With the weather forecast, at least there are shower facilities.

National Criterium Champion, Stephen O'Sullivan (Cycleways-Lee Strand) said last week, "I always had a hankering to get involved with the sport. The courses and the organisation are first class, but unfortunately, the handicapper has not been generous. I finished 10th on my first outing and 8th today, so maybe the road form is beginning to click into gear. We'll have another outing in Banbridge next weekend."

2003 Urban Polaris this Sunday

The 2003 Urban Polaris will take place this Sunday, November 16 in Canberra, Australia as the final event of the month long Canberra Festival of Cycling. The event, being billed as "Capital Punishment" will see some 450 mountain bikers in teams of two will take to the bike paths, forest trails and routes around Australia's capital to seek out as many of 39 checkpoints as they can in the seven hours available.

Checkpoints will be all over the city - in buildings, up hills, houses, deep in the forests. A number of iconic Canberra attractions will be used as checkpoints. There will of course be the usual 'odd' checkpoints that are likely to see riders needing to get off the bikes and onto...

In keeping with the cycling theme, the Event Centre will be at the Narrabundah Velodrome in Narrabundah, SE of the city centre. The Event Centre opens at 6:00am with teams starting between 8:30am and 9:30am

Polaris events major fundraising initiative is 4Wheels4Sean. This charitable trust was set up to provide $50,000 for a specially adapted vehicle for Sean Fitzgerald, a Canberra based rider made a quadriplegic in a riding accident three years ago. Sean received his car some months ago and the Trust will continue to fund Australians severely disabled as a result of a cycling accident.

More information: www.polarismtb.com.au

Save the 'Drome Cross Madness

A special addition has been made to the Midwest cyclo-cross calendar: an all-day benefit to help save the Northbrook (Illinois) Velodrome. Set for Sunday, November 23, "Save the 'Drome Cross Madness" will combine craziness and fun into a very unique fundraiser.

Sponsored by the Northbrook Bicycle Club, and thanks to the extraordinary efforts of a few dedicated racers who "cross" over from the Velodrome, the race will feature no prize list save "glory" for the riders - all proceeds will go to the Save the Velodrome Fund.

Races take place on a challenging course at the Anets Golf Course on Techny Road in Northbrook, very near to the Velodrome. Registration opens at 8am and closes 15 minutes prior to each event; mountain bikes are welcome without bar-ends.

The day opens at 9am with a planned "steeple cross" running race: a cross country-style event on the same course as the cyclo-cross races. This is a prelude to the cycling events: starting at 10am with the men's C class, a full slate of races is scheduled.

Plans call for the day to close at 3:15 with the "Dirty Double Cross:" a two-person, one-bike race format in which one member of a team rides while the other runs, with bike exchanges at various points on the course.

More information and a race flyer is available at www.dafinc.com/bike.htm.

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