First Edition News for October 18, 2003Edited by Chris Henry & Jeff Jones Saeco's day with the rainbow
Igor Astarloa will ride his one and only race in the rainbow jersey of world champion while still in Saeco team colours. The winner of the road race in Hamilton will contest the final round of the World Cup Saturday at the Giro di Lombardia, and give his Saeco team a day to celebrate Astarloa's result. On the eve of the race, Saeco presented the jersey (and the world champion) to the press. "I'm a serious professional, I deserve respect, and I feel proud to wear the rainbow jersey," Astarloa said proudly. "I feel partly Italian, I've got lots of friends in Italy and lots of people I want to thank. Four years ago I arrived in Italy with the hope of doing something as a cyclist, now I've made it. I want to thank everybody, especially at the Saeco team. There's a good atmosphere in the team and perfect conditions for riders to show themselves." Astarloa and Saeco couldn't escape the nagging issues of Paolo Bettini's discontent with comments made about offers of money in exchange for collaboration in the World's finale. Nor of rumours that Astarloa and Danilo Di Luca figure among four 'abnormal' blood samples taken at the World's and currently under analysis by the UCI in Switzerland.
"I've cleared up the miss-understanding with the person involved, the case is closed," Astarloa said about his relationship with Bettini. He was equally reserved in his comments about the doping innuendo. "I'm not worried, just as always, but it's unacceptable to create arguments on simple suspicion. We're at a level of irrelevant gossip." Saeco team manager Claudio Corti echoed the sentiment, saying "Astarloa's world title win has completed a great season for us even if these polemics have slightly spoiled the party." World Cup wraps in LombardyBe sure to catch Cyclingnews' live coverage for the 97th Giro di Lombardia, the 10th and final round of the men's World Cup series which takes place Saturday, October 18. Italian Paolo Bettini has a lock on the series, but plenty of riders will be looking for glory in the fall classic known as the "race of the falling leaves". Last year's winner Michele Bartoli will wear number one in his waning days in Fassa Bortolo colours. Bartoli joins Team CSC next year and will no doubt look for another World Cup victory after being denied selection for the World Championships in Hamilton. Coverage of the Giro di Lombardia begins at approximately 15:00 CEST/9:00 EDT/6:00 PDT/23:00 AEST on October 18. Preview Ghita Beltman to Powerplate-BikGhita Beltman (Acca Due O) has signed a contract with the world's number one ranked team, Powerplate-Bik for next season. She has raced with Acca Due O for the past two seasons, and won a stage of the Tour de l'Aude this year. Her sister Chantal, who also races for Acca Due O, has not yet decided on her future. Team Bianchi Scandinavia looking for replacementsThe future of Team Bianchi Scandinavia will be decided the coming week. The third division team has lost Thomas Lövkvist to FDJeux.com while 2002 European and Swedish Time Trial Champion Jonas Olsson will return to his studies, after a season where his second place in the National TT Championships was his best result. The natural replacements would be the two juniors Viktor Renäng, bronze medallist in the World's TT and Johan Lindgren, fifth in the road race, but they both have another year in the junior ranks. Team manager Tommy Prim would like to have a team equal to the one he had this year to carry on. USAC announces 2004 National Racing CalendarUSA Cycling has announced the 2004 USCF National Racing Calendar, the season long series that determines the best U.S. based rider. The season begins with racing on both the west and east coasts as the McLane Pacific Downtown Grand Prix gets things rolling on the west coast in Merced, California and the Festival of Speed starts things off in the East in Orlando, Florida. Both events commence on March 13, 2004. The series finishes on October 9-10 with the Michelin Classic in Greenville, South Carolina. Chris Horner and Lyne Bessette (both Saturn) won the respective men's and women's overall NRC classifications this year, while Saturn cleaned up in the team's rankings. Date: Event, Class, Location, M/WMar 13: McLane Pacific - Downtown Grand Prix, 1.5, Merced, CA, M/W Downeast Cyclo-CrossSaturday's Downeast Cyclo-Cross marks the first round of the Verge New England Championship Cyclo-Cross Series, and the true beginning of the New England cyclo-cross season. Marc Gullickson (Redline), defending series champion and winner of 5 of 6 rounds in 2002, will be the rider to watch in the Elite Men's race. Challengers for his title include USPRO road champion Mark McCormack (Saturn), Jeremy Powers (NCC/BikeReg.com), Junior National Champion Jesse Anthony (Hot Tubes), New England stalwart Adam Hodges Myerson (Cycle-Smart), Ben Turner and Brandon Dwight (7-Up/Maxxis), Josh Anthony and Jon Hamblen (Fiora di Frutta), Tyler Johnson (Richard Sachs), and Rob Hult (Procycles). In the Elite Women's race, Mary McConneloug (Seven Cycles) will be returning to defend her title from last year. After winning four series races last year, she went on to have a breakthrough mountain bike season this summer. All of the top regional riders will be on hand to challenge her, including former collegiate and U23 national champion Alicia Genest (Richard Sachs), Marianne Stover (Gearworks), Anna Milkowski (Gearworks), Sara Cushman (Gearworks), and former 30+ national champion Katrina Davis (Richard Sachs). Following the Downeast Cyclo-Cross, the Verge NECCS will continue with Round Two in Gloucester, Massachusetts, on November 2, doubling up with the Central Mass Cyclo-Cross to End Homelessness on Saturday, November 1. The Verge NECCS is presented by Clif Bar and Cycle-Smart: Solutions for Cycling. Series sponsors include Verge Sport, Maxxis Tires, Pedro's USA, BikeReg.com, Intensepicts.com, and The Ride Magazine. Jet Fuel Coffee in 2004One of North America's longest running UCI trade teams enters its sixth season as a Division III team with two new faces and one new "returning" rider. Jeff Hansen will be joining the team for the 2004 season. Jeff's vast race experience will help the team as it returns to the roads of Europe next season. Jeff has won numerous races throughout his career and his commitment to helping the team will be invaluable. Matt Hansen will be returning to the team after spending several years away from the team's program. Matt is recovering from an injury and he should be in fine form by the late season. Thorben Wieditz was a new face on the Canadian racing scene this season and his results highlighted his past racing experience. The team will be returning to Europe in the early part of the season and it will be looking to repeat its successful 2002 European campaign that saw it win two stages at two events in Europe (Ringerike GP in Norway and FBD Milk RAS in Ireland). Another expected highlight for 2004 will be the team's first visit to the streets of San Francisco for the T-Mobile International in late September. The team's complete 2004 schedule will be announced in the early spring. Cervelo Cycles will be supplying the riders with Soloist racing machines. Louis Garneau has been involved with the team for six years and it will again be supplying team clothing and helmets. The team's complete sponsorship package will be finalized shortly. The complete Jet Fuel Coffee 2004 roster: Josh Hall Team mechanic: Neil Callahan Jack Watson awardedBy Tommy Campbell, Irish Independent, Evening Herald, Sunday Independent Jack Watson from Bangor, Co. Down and involved with cycling all his life was caught totally off guard last weekend in Hamilton, Canada. Seldom, if ever, is the genial Watson ever lost for words, but at the Congress of the Union Cycliste Internationale where over 500 people were present, things unfolded that took the air out of his tyres. Watson was awarded the gold badge of honour for his contribution to the sport that he has served so well for many years. More so than anyone present, he fully appreciated this award as few are given out and it takes something special to receive one. UCI president Hein Verbruggen read the citation, which even Watson was spellbound by the glowing report contained within. Jack is the current secretary of Cycling Ireland, but he has been involved with the administration of the sport at the top level for a very long time. He is also a well respected commissaire and lately has become an anti-doping officer. "Yes, you could have knocked me over with a feather," said Jack in a relaxed atmosphere in the Sheraton Hotel in downtown Hamilton, Canada. "As a regular delegate to congress (UCI) on behalf of CI, these awards are a rarity and for me, personally. Even when the citation was being read, it never dawned on me that I was going to make that long walk to the podium. It was like an Oscar award. Recognition for work is a rarity in sport, let alone cycling and especially since you are a volunteer. Not only am I pleased but it was a vote of confidence to my family and my wife Ray who has been at my side through thick and thin."
(All rights reserved/Copyright Knapp Communications Pty Limited 2003) |
|
January 2009 |
Recently on Cyclingnews.com |
 Giro finale Photo ©: Bettini |
