Latest Cycling News for April 29, 2004

Edited by Chris Henry

Armstrong happy with April experiment

By his own admission, Lance Armstrong (US Postal Service) took a calculated risk in passing up the spring classics in Europe in favour of the Tour de Georgia and some time at home in Texas with his family. But as he prepares for his bid for an unprecedented sixth Tour de France victory in July, Armstrong has declared himself satisfied with the experiment. Before the race he downplayed his own chances, but at the Tour de Georgia he showed himself to be well on target for his July preparations by winning two stages and the overall title.

"It was an experiment, it was risky and a bit of a jump into the unknown, but the results were more than satisfying," Armstrong told l'Equipe after his Georgia win. "I had the privilege of being with my three kids, which is vital. Plus, my training went better than expected and the race [in Georgia] was really tough, maybe even a little too tough."

As his future as a professional now seems to hinge on the arrival of a new team sponsor to replace the US Postal Service, which will not renew its contract after 2004, Armstrong can imagine repeating this year's "experiment".

"If I'm still riding next year, I'll try to race more in the USA, on the condition that the races are as well organised as in Georgia," he said. "And I think I'll come back to spend April at home."

Achilles problem keeps Brown out of Giro

By John Stevenson

Australian road sprinter and track team pursuit rider Graeme Brown (Ceramiche Panaria) will sit out next month's Giro d'Italia because of an Achilles tendon problem that has plagued him since the Tour de Langkawi back in February.

According to Brown's agent and brother Ray, the recurring injury has been dogging Brown since it caused him to pull out of Langkawi after the grueling stage 9 climb of the Genting Highlands. Brown has been treated by a physiotherapist in the meantime, and the problem healed enough to allow him to compete in the track world cup at Manchester earlier this month, but is aggravated by training on the road. Brown will return to Sydney on Monday to seek treatment with a doctor at the New South Wales Institute of Sport.

Brown is said to be "bitterly disappointed" at missing the Giro - stage victories in his sponsor's home tour had been one of his big goals for this year, as he told Cyclingnews back in December. Brown hopes to be well for the Olympics, where he would be a member of the team pursuit squad that is considered a virtual certainty to land a medal after its world record performance at last year's world championships.

In the meantime, he may ride the Madison at the world championships in Melbourne next month to see how the tendon is recovering, but is unlikely to ride the team pursuit.

Belda frustrated

Vicente Belda, director of the Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme team, has expressed his frustration following the decision by Giro d'Italia organisers not to invite the Spanish team to the first grand tour of the year. Kelme continues to pay the price for the accusations revealed in Jesus Manzano's tell-all interview with As, in which he accused the team of systematic doping in and out of competition.

For Belda, the lack of a Giro invitation comes after several years of difficulty for the race organisers, the Giro being the scene for several high profile drug raids in recent seasons. Belda made clear he expected some support in return for Kelme's presence.

"What annoys me most is that in recent years we have shown the Giro our support, but now the favour is not being returned," Belda said in a Marca article. "We could have always decided to race the Tour of Germany since there was no television," he added, referring to the limited broadcast of the Giro outside of Italy.

Belda now must turn his sights to his national tour, the Vuelta a España, later in the season. Kept from the Giro and the Tour de France, the Vuelta will be the biggest event for the team this season. In the meantime, he also hopes for more solidarity from his fellow team directors and the UCI and association of professional teams.

"They know fully well that what has happened to us could happen to anybody," Belda said of his fellow team directors. "The day after tomorrow another team could be facing another disgruntled rider just because his contract wasn't renewed. It's possible to verify the damage that can be done by declarations by some people in certain publications. The damage has already been done."

Giro but no Tour for VDB

Picked by Fassa Bortolo manager Giancarlo Ferretti to replace an ailing Dario Frigo at the Giro d'Italia, Frank Vandenbroucke will not line up for the Tour de France this year. After a full spring season and the Giro, Vandenbroucke will enjoy some rest in July. Nonetheless, Ferretti does have expectations of what the Belgian should do in the Giro.

"I need somebody capable of working for Petacchi in the flat stages, but who can also take his own chances in the middle mountains," Ferretti explained this week. "Frank is the only one in my team right now who can handle this double duty. I won't be expecting anything from him in the general classification, but he should get into the breaks and try to win one or more stages."

Ferretti indicated simply that the Tour was out of the question for Vandenbroucke, who began his 2004 season in Qatar before contesting Paris-Nice and the major spring classics.

McGee's junior world record falls

Australian teenager Michael Ford, 18, has broken the junior world record in the individual pursuit set by Brad McGee (FDJeux.com), a record which had stood for ten years. At this week's Australian track championships Ford set the new record for the under 19 3km individual pursuit with a time of 3 minutes 17.775 seconds, taking 2.103 seconds off the McGee's record set in Adelaide in 1994.

"I set this as my ambition two years ago but I didn't think I'd do it today and it really hasn't hit me yet," Ford said after his ride.

"I was the fastest qualifier in Moscow but ended up with the silver medal," he added. "This year at the junior world's in Los Angeles I want the gold medal."

Tournant sits out selections

French track rider Arnaud Tournant has been forced to sit out world championship selection races at Bordeaux this week, although he is already automatically qualified for the world's in Melbourne, Australia this year. Tournant is on antibiotics, fighting a throat infection and fever.

"It's a bit frustrating because I was hoping he'd do the kilometre a month before the world's with a 51x14 on a covered 250m track," Tournant's coach Gérard Quintyn told l'Equipe. "But on the other hand it's better to be sick now than a week before the championships."

Tournant's compatriot Florian Rousseau, still seeking his own qualification for the world's and the Olympics later this year, downplayed any pressure as he headed into the qualification events at Bordeaux.

"For me it's a race like any other," he said. "If I pass this test, I'll be certain to do at least one event at the Olympics and I'll go to the world's without any pressure. But if not, I'll still have the chance to come back in the individual events at the world's to earn Olympic selection."

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