Cycling News Extra for July 14, 2004

Edited by Jeff Jones

Landaluze hesitates too long

Iñigo Landaluze (Euskaltel-Euskadi) could mark down Stage 9 as a missed opportunity for his first pro victory. The Basque rider was away with Filippo Simeoni (Domina Vacanze) for much of the stage, only to be caught in the last 50 metres by the flying peloton. Afterwards, he regretted the fact that he waited too long to sprint, and didn't realise that the peloton was so close.

"I did not look behind, only with a kilometre to go," Landaluze told Todociclismo. "I thought that we had enough of a lead. In the last 400 metres I put myself on Simeoni's wheel and with 150 to go I jumped, but at no time did I think that the peloton was so close. If not, I would have tried from further out because I had the strength."

Landaluze described the stage as "quite difficult at the start. We were interested in being attentive and if a large group formed, to be in it. Shortly after the start I got in a group of 7 or 8 that I thought was going to succeed. Then the race leader got in it and immediately we were caught. Then Etxebarria tried. There was a moment that the pace began to flag in the peloton and I took advantage of my opportunity. I felt good, I tried, then Simeoni caught me. We worked together well."

Quick.Step and Lotto-Domo at odds

After Quick.Step-Davitamon and Credit Agricole took on the bulk of the responsibility to chase down Simeoni and Landaluze yesterday, Lotto-Domo came away with the prize when Robbie McEwen took the stage win in Gueret. Lotto-Domo joined in the chase late in the piece, and with fewer men than Quick.Step. Afterwards, Quick.Step's director Serge Parsani expressed his frustration at his rival DS.

"Claude Criquielion gave me the middle finger when I asked him to put a few men in front to chase the breakaways," Parsani told Sportwereld.be. His thoughts were echoed by Quick.Step's team manager Patrick Lefevere, who said, "Work doesn't pay. McEwen got a nice present really. Don't work and still win, that's what you should do."

Claude Criquielion responded in disbelief. "Surely you don't mean that? Indeed I put my middle finger up for fun. That was meant as a joke. Half a minute before Parsani came alongside, Vansevenant and Marichal were working in front and later Moerenhout also came up. Parsani is really a con, a simpleton. What a bad loser. I'll immediately ring Patrick Lefevere. This doesn't bother me."

Mayo hopes for La Mongie

Iban Mayo
Photo ©: Caroline Yang

Iban Mayo (Euskaltel-Euskadi) is hoping to give the Basque fans something to cheer about on Friday in the 12th stage that finishes in La Mongie. Mayo, who lost around five and a half minutes to his GC rivals in stages 3 and 4 said, "If I could choose, I would choose to win at La Mongie. For me, for the team and for the thousands of Basque fans that accompany us so closely and who are right now preparing themselves for another invasion, it would be incredible. But it will be tough, because many people want to win this stage."

A sad day for Hamilton

Tyler Hamilton (Phonak) didn't have the best of rest days on Monday, after learning that his dog Tugboat has cancer. "My best friend, my dog, I've had him for nine years - he has cancer really bad," Hamilton said after Stage 9. "I just found out late last night. We're going to have to put him to sleep tomorrow. For me it's a very sad day...he's like a child. I am going to see him tonight and I'll say good bye and that's it. That's life. I've had many great years with him. I met my wife after seven years, but I had two years with my dog and then I met my wife. She was growing to be super close with him as well. Just my dog and my wife and I, it's kind of a regular family here.

"It's hard. It's very sad and I'm not afraid to say that I cried a lot last night. Maybe people don't understand but for me and my dog...I'm so close to my dog. Him and my wife are everything to me. Tomorrow I'm going to lose one of my family members and it's sad...We've treated him like a king, that's for sure. He's travelled all over the world and has had a great life."

Eadie out, Kersten in, pending appeal

By Gerard Knapp

Track sprinter Sean Eadie has been withdrawn from the Australian Olympic team after the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) refused his nomination today. His manager, Kerry Ruffels, told Cyclingnews that his client received a letter in the afternoon from Cycling Australia, "that said on the advice of the Australian Olympic Committee, the AOC could no longer accept his nomination in the Australian Olympic team."

Eadie now has 48 hours to appeal this decision to Cycling Australia, which will be a separate appeal he has planned against the infraction notice he received on Monday in regard to the alleged importation of human growth hormone tablets.

Ruffels said his client intends to appeal both notices and his solicitor was currently preparing the documentation. However, Ruffels questioned why it had taken CA and the AOC a further two days to issue the notice of rejection. "Why wasn't this issued on day one? There's certainly some inconsistencies here."

Eadie was nominated by Cycling Australia on July 2 as part of its 25-rider Olympics squad based on its performance criteria. CA submits its list for approval from the AOC, but Ruffels said the AOC's decision to reject the rider before he'd been able to clear his name "sets a dangerous precedent - it's guilt before innocence".

Eadie is expected to appear before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) next Monday on the alleged doping infringement.

It's understood that Ben Kersten has been advised he will be joining the Australian sprint track cycling squad as a possible replacement for Eadie, should his appeals fail.

Kersten and Eadie, both from the State of NSW, were only separated by 16 thousandths of a second in their final time trials to determine the third rider in Australia's team sprint squad. Eadie qualified faster by a tiny margin that helped secure his place on the team. However, it appears factors well away from the stopwatch may still work against his selection for Athens.

Cyclingnews coverage of the French affair

• July 13, 2004: Eadie lodges appeal
• July 12, 2004: Eadie hit with doping notice - from 1999; French saga rolls on
• July 10, 2004: AOC 'withholds' Dajka from Australian Olympic team
• July 9, 2004: Pound comments 'ill-informed', says ASC
• July 2, 2004: Anderson report clears named riders; full Australian Olympics cycling team nominations
• July 1, 2004: The high cost of controversy
• June 26, 2004: Accused rider hits back: 'I was never in Adelaide'
• June 25, 2004: One week for French inquiry
• June 24, 2004: Mark French makes statement
• June 23, 2004: Pound weighs in
• June 22, 2004: Cycling Australia welcomes inquiry; Riders deny involvement in doping
• June 22, 2004: French gets life, but still offers to assist new enquiry
• June 21, 2004: Lifetime Olympic ban for French
• June 19, 2004: French faces blowtorch from sports authorities
• June 18, 2004: Opposition calls for inquiry into AIS track cycling program
• June 9, 2004: French suspended two years

Arndt threatens to pull out of Olympics

German cyclist Judith Arndt is threatening to withdraw herself from the German Olympic Team unless her close friend Petra Rossner is not included in it. The 37 year old Rossner recently won the German Championships, but was not included in the three woman selection for Athens. "I'll go and talk with the Olympic committee, because I doubt the competence of the federation and sports director Bremer," Arndt told SID. "If they don't take Rossner then, I will also stay at home."

Bremer said that there was not plan to change the team. "The federation has put together a good team. We have talked about it extensively and we'll stick with our choice."

Memorial Pantani grows

The Memorial Pantani, which was run as a criterium in Cesenatico this year, will become a fully fledged road race next year, according to ANSA. Organised by the Panathlon Club Cesena, the race will measure 200 km and be run from Cesenatico to Cesena. It will take place on the first Saturday following the completion of the Giro d'Italia.

Australian Junior Road World's team

The eight member Australian junior team to contest this year's World Road Championships in Italy (September 28-October 3) has been announced. The team will be coached by Liz Hepple and her assistant, Paul Brosnan, and consists of the following riders:

Male: Matthew Goss (Tas), Robert Cater (NSW), Simon Clarke (Vic), Patrick Shaw (Vic), Andrew Wade (WA).

Female: Natasha Mapley (Tas), Hannah Banks (Qld), Amanda Spratt (NSW).

Ballivor Grand Prix

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

Navan Avonmore R.C. kicks off its busy midsummer period with its fourth race of the year. The Ballivor Grand Prix takes place on Saturday, July 17. As usual this is a handicap event which caters for Senior A's, B's, C's, Juniors, Vets and Women. The 50km race will cover laps of a flat circuit, with the start and finish in Ballivor. The first riders will set off at 7.30pm.

For queries, e-mail navanroadclub@eircom.net.

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