First Edition News for September 25, 2003

Edited by John Stevenson

WADA unbans caffeine and pseudoephedrine

At a two-day executive committee meeting held in Montreal, Canada September 22-23, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has approved the 2004 List of Prohibited Substances and Methods, the 'master list' which many sport governing bodies follow in their anti-doping regulations.

WADA has decided to remove caffeine and pseudoephedrine from the list, though has not to date issued an explanation for this decision. The full list will be published on WADA's website before October 1, according to the agency.

According to press reports, WADA intends to add to the list modafinil (also known as Provigil), a stimulant used clinically in the treatment of narcolepsy and daytime sleepiness; and marijuana.

Cyclingnews has asked the UCI if caffeine and pseudoephedrine will be removed from the UCI's list of controlled substances.

WADA condemns Tour report leak

In other WADA news, the agency has condemned the leaking to the French press of a report on anti-doping procedures at the Tour de France. According to WADA the report, which was made available on WADA's website on Monday, was scheduled to have been made public this week. WADA had made a courtesy copy available to the involved parties several days prior to the official release date, and this advance copy was leaked to the newspapers.

WADA Director General David Howman has written to the advance recipients of the report condemning its unauthorized release, saying that an internal investigation had been undertaken by WADA and that the leak did not come from the agency.

Responding to the UCI's anger over the leak, Howman said, "We share UCI's concerns over the leaks to the media and we will work with them and our other partners, such as the French Ministry for Sport, to make sure that those responsible are identified."

Meanwhile, WADA president Dick Pound has asked that the report's findings be considered, not the circumstances of its release. "We have to focus on the report's conclusions," Pound said. "When and how the report was released should not detract attention away from the good work UCI has done in the fight against doping or the work that still needs to be done."

In response to UCI's statement prohibiting any other WADA Independent Observers at future Tours, Pound emphasized that the way forward should be through cooperation between the two organizations.

"We want to continue to work with UCI to reduce the impact of performance-enhancing drugs in that sport," Pound said. "I am confident we can work together again at future Tours."

Supplements largely ineffective

Scandinavian researchers have found that most of the supplements commonly used by sportspeople have no effect on performance. In a survey of 35 years of research into 250 supplements published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, they concluded that just two supplements increased muscle mass and strength when combined with resistance training: creatine and beta-hydroxy-methylbutyrate (HMB). Other supplements, including dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), chromium, androstenedione and protein shakes, had no effect, they concluded.

Spanish pre-selection for World's

Spanish national selector Paco Antequera has announced the names of 15 riders from which the Spanish World Championship team will be made up. Interestingly (save for Oscar Freire) the squad is composed entirely of riders that are taking part in the Vuelta, including most of the top Spaniards on GC. The only top 10 Spanish rider not selected is Roberto Heras.

The full 15: Oscar Freire (Rabobank), Oscar Sevilla and Alejandro Valverde (Kelme), Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano, Isidro Nozal, Marco Serrano and Angel Vicioso (ONCE), Francisco Mancebo, Aitor and Unai Osa (iBanesto.com), Luis Perez and Inigo Cuesta (Cofidis), Manuel Beltran (US Postal-Berry Floor), Oscar Pereiro (Phonak) and Gorka Gonzalez (Euskaltel).

Swedish world's selection

The Swedish Cycling federation has announced the team that will travel to Hamilton, Ontario Canada for next month's world road championships, October 7-12. The squad is:

Elite men: Magnus Bäckstedt (Team fakta, ITT), Gustav Larsson (Fassa Bortolo, ITT & road race), Tomas Grönqvist (Team fakta, road race)
Women Elite women: Madeleine Lindberg (Equipe Nürnberger, road race), Susanne Ljungskog (Power Plate-BIK, ITT & road race)
Junior women: Carolina Asplund (Örebrocyklisterna, ITT & road race)
Junior men: Johan Lindgren (Falu CK), Viktor Renäng (Kopparberg CK) both ITT & road race
U23 men: Jonas Holmkvist (Team Bianchi Scandinavia, road race), Thomas Lövkvist (Team Bianchi Scandinavia, ITT & road race), Petter Renäng (Team Bianchi Scandinavia, ITT & road race), Mikael Segersäll (Team Bianchi Scandinavia, road race)

T-Mobile International KoM makes Colombian world's team

Cesar Grajales, Jittery Joe's rider and King of the mountains at the recent T-Mobile International has been selected by the Colombian cycling federation as one of the riders that will represent the mountainous South American nation at the world road championships. Other selections include Victor Hugo Pena of US Postal and Felix Cardenas (Labarca-2-Café Baqué), current leader of the King of the Mountains in the Vuelta a España.

According to Jittery Joe's sources Grajales reaction to the news was simple, "I am nervous", but team director Micah Rice was more expansive. "This is a great opportunity for Cesar and a huge deal for the Jittery Joe's Team," said Rice. "Cesar has worked hard for this and now he is headed to the greatest cycling championship this world has to offer."

Strong field for Mengoni Grand Prix

By John Forrest Tomlinson

The 2003 Mengoni Grand Prix this Saturday September 27 in New York City's Central Park usually brings together a powerful field, and this year is no exception. What has in recent years been a battle between the Navigators pro team and local sprinters such as GS Mengoni's Wilson Vasquez looks to be a much more open race with a strong international presence. Featured riders include Olympic gold medalist Marty Nothstein of the Navigators, USPRO criterium champion Kevin Monahan of 7-Up/Maxxis and his teammate Guatemalan Olympian Oscar Pineda, and US under-23 road champion Jonathan Erdelyi of Ofoto.com.

There will also be a wealth of international talent. Milton Wynants, double gold medalist at this year's Pan Am Games, leads the strong UPMC-Fraysse team that won the race last year from a rare breakaway group. Nineteen year-old Niki Terpstra, considered one of the future stars of Dutch cycling, and Bart Oegema, who hopes to represent the Netherlands at this year's world championships in Hamilton, are part of group of Dutch riders with the Yum Yum Bakery team.

Local and regional riders looking to win include three-time race winner Vasquez of GS Mengoni, his teammate and multiple Dominican Republic national champion Roselvelt "Pollo" Martes, Toga Bike's Emilito Heredia (winner of this year's Mt. Holly Grand Prix) and riders from the promoting club Century Road Club Association's CRCA-Breitling-Tradeware and CRCA-Sakonnet teams. CRCA-Breitling-Tradeware is coming off a fourth place finish by Craig Upton at the Univest Grand Prix and can count on his attacking riding to combine well with that of Peter Barlin, who has spent much of the last two years with the ABC-Aitos team in Belgium. The Snow Valley team, possibly the top amateur squad in North America, is also sending riders led by Scott Zwizanski, who won the amateur race at this summer's New York City Cycling Championships, also sponsored by Fred Mengoni.

The women's race features former US national criterium champion Laura Van Gilder of the Saturn pro team and regional contenders such as Catherine Powers of the CYBC-Richard Sachs team and multiple masters world champion Bronwyn Law-Viljoen of CRCA-Radical Media.

Start time is 6:30AM, with the start and finish at the top of Cat's Paw Hill on Central Park's East Drive.

The Mengoni Grand Prix is sponsored by Fred Mengoni, a former competitive cyclist from Italy who has played a key role in the development of bike racing in the US. He founded the GS Mengoni team which includes George Hincapie, Mike McCarthy, Steve Bauer and Oscar Pineda among its alumni and considers himself one of Greg LeMond's closest advisors.

San Diego Bicycle Club gets elite

The San Diego Bicycle Club (SDBC) has announced plans to form an elite amateur team along the lines of its previous top Cat 1/2 squad, the Country Springs Racing Team. That team included Trent Klasna, now one of the top US domestic professionals, and SDBC is looking to repeat that success with a team of six cat 1/2 riders that will concentrate on regional one day and stage races. The team will be "the pride of SDBC" according to the club's announcement.

ADBC has support already in place for the team, funded by the club's Fiesta Island Time Trial Series. The initial support package consists of $5,000 in cash, six Dura-Ace-equipped KHS Flite 2000 bikes and team clothing.

For more details see sdbc.org/html/team/

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