First Edition News for October 28, 2003

Edited by Jeff Jones

Nominations for Dutch Cyclist of the Year

Gerben Löwik
Photo: © C. Grein

The nominations are in for the Dutch Cyclist of the Year awards, which will be decided on December 1 in Den Bosch. In the men's category, the Gerrit Schulte Trofee/Gouden Spaak, Gerben Löwik (BankGiroLoterij), Michael Boogerd (Rabobank) and Servais Knaven (Quick.Step) have been short listed. Löwik won the Ster Elektrotoer, Circuit Franco-Belge and a stage in the Tour of Germany. Boogerd won the Brabantse Pijl and finished second in the World Cup, while Knaven won a stage of the Tour de France.

The nominations for the women's Keetie van Oosten-Hage Trofee/Zilveren Spaak include World Hour Record holder Leontien Zijlaard-Van Moorsel, Mirjam Melchers (UCI number 2, World's silver medalist and third in the World Cup) and Chantal Beltman. In the off-road category, Bart Brentjens, Bas Peters and Daphny van den Brand have been nominated.

Tour 2004: Janssen picks Mayo, Delgado picks Armstrong

Dutch legend Jan Janssen, winner of the Tour in 1968 and the Vuelta/World Championships double in 1967, has declared Iban Mayo (Euskaltel-Euskadi) to be his favourite for the 2004 Tour. Mayo finished sixth in this year's race, and won the Alpe d'Huez stage by dropping Lance Armstrong and co. halfway up the climb.

"My favourite for the next Tour is Iban Mayo," Janssen was quoted in Spanish sports daily AS. "He is the best climber at the moment and the parcours favours him. I don't think that Armstrong is going to win his sixth Tour. This year he already showed signs of weakness."

Janssen was speaking at a colloquium University of Oviedo in front of an audience of 2,000. The 1988 Tour winner Pedro Delgado also spoke, but with a little more caution. "Mayo can win the Tour. He is an aggressive rider and in that race you have to take risks," said Delgado, who still picked Armstrong to win.

Tour donates award money to terror victims

The Tour de France will donate half of the prize money it received for winning the Prince of Asturias Award to victims of terrorist attacks. Amaury Sport Organisation president Patrice Clerc and French ambassador Olivier Schrameck made the announcement during the awards ceremony, which took place last Friday in Oviedo. It was seen as a way to smooth the waters after the Tour's embarrassment over the Batasuna agreement this July. The money (€25,000) will go to a foundation to help terror victims.

The foundation thanked the Tour de France in a statement: "This initiative from the directors of the Tour de France is the most valuable, as it comes from a country like France which contributes so much in the fight against the terror of the ETA."

The Prince of Asturias Awards celebrated their 23rd edition this year, and are awarded in eight different categories, including sport. Past winners of the sports award include Sebastian Coe, Juan Antonio Samaranch, Miguel Induráin, Carl Lewis, Steffi Graff, Lance Armstrong and the Brazilian football squad. Each award is worth €50,000.

Tristan Hoffman extends with CSC

33 year old Dutch classics specialist Tristan Hoffman is continuing his career at Team CSC, signing a new one year contract. "Tristan has proven his value on several occasions this year and he has been a good man for the team - especially in the latter half of the season where he has shown lots of determination," said team director Bjarne Riis. "That fact has not gone unnoticed. I still believe that he can be a valuable rider in the classics due to his vast experience."

Oliver Zaugg to Saunier Duval

Swiss U23 rider Oliver Zaugg has signed a two year contract with the Saunier Duval team, where he will join compatriots Fabian Jeker and Rubens Bertogliati in the squad that will be directed by another Swiss, Mauro Gianetti.

Colavita-Bolla Women's team signs Charmian Breon

The Colavita-Bolla Women's Cycling Team has signed veteran professional Charmian Breon to the squad effective immediately and for the 2004 season. "Charm is a true professional and will be a critical element in our success in 2004," said directeur sportif Greg Wheeler. "She has already proven her talent with high finishes at world class events such as the Tour of Somerville and the Saturn-Timex Women's Classic. I am most impressed though by her willingness and ability to lay it all on the line for her teammates. Our strategy is to have the most cohesive and professional team on the U.S. circuit. So we simply could not be more fortunate than to bring on Charm."

Breon began her stint with Colavita-Bolla in convincing style, taking fourth place at the Prophecy Creek Cross, a UCI cyclocross calendar event in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania on Sunday, 26 October.

The team was also fortunate last weekend when new signing Joanne Kiesanowski won the New Zealand National Championships. "I'm really pleased to win the title," said a happy Kiesanowski. "It has been a long season and this was one of the goals I was focused on all year." Kiesanowski will take some rest before beginning her preparation for the 2004 season, scheduled to include the UCI Women's Road World Cup opening round in Geelong, Australia and the New Zealand National Track Championships, before joining her Colavita-Bolla teammates in the U.S.

The Yoplait Women's Summit

Planning the future of women's cycling

By Giana Roberge, Team Sports

Working towards the future
Photo ©: Jon Devich/CN

Women racers and their supporters gathered at Interbike for the second Yoplait Women's Cycling Summit Conference. Their mission was to continue the work that they began at the first conference, which was held at the Nature Valley Grand Prix last June. These conferences are opening channels of communication so that people can share resources as they work together to build women's racing.

Grassroots Racing

One of the key goals of these conferences is to find ways to make entry-level racing more accessible to women. Women often find bicycle racing unattractive because they don't see themselves as competitors, but instead prefer to challenge themselves as individuals. However, women who do decide to participate in races are often very competitive and committed.

A number of grassroots programs that were represented at the conference reported great success in making entry-level racing accessible. Supportive clubs and women's rides and clinics offer a sense of community and opportunities for skills development that can take the intimidation out of the first race. Great examples included Cycling Made Real, MtbChick, Velo Girls, Luna Chix, and Single Track Sistahs.

Click here for the full report on the Yoplait Women's Summit

Nicole Reinhart Memorial Fund Ebay auction

The Nicole Reinhart Memorial Fund is auctioning items of sports memorabilia as part of its annual silent auction and dinner dance in honour of Nicole Reinhart. Items include an autographed Kellogg's Cereal Box featuring Bonnie Blair in her Olympic gold medal performance. Blair donated the cereal box to the Fund. Other items being auctioned include a limited edition serigraph of Greg Lemond, a framed, signed lithograph of Bonnie Blair and a scale model funny car signed by driver Whit Bazemore. Items can be found on Ebay this week.

This year's dinner dance is scheduled for November 15, 2003 at the Holiday Inn and Conference Center, Routes 100 and 222, in Fogelsville, PA. For information on the fundraiser, or making a donation to the silent auction, please visit www.nicolesbench.com.

Eddie B loses home in fire

Legendary USA Olympic Cycling Coach Eddie Borysewicz (better known a Eddie B.) has lost his home in the wild fires raging in Southern California. He was able to get out, but everything in his home was lost, including photos and awards from his coaching and cycling careers. He lives near Ramona, California east of San Diego.

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