First Edition Cycling News for October 16, 2004

Edited by Jeff Jones and Hedwig Kröner

Bettini tips Basso

Paolo Bettini (Quick.Step-Davitamon)
Photo ©: Sirotti

On the eve of the Giro di Lombardia, the final World Cup race of the season, Paolo Bettini (Quick.Step-Davitamon) has picked out CSC's Ivan Basso for the win. "He is in shape, motivated, and can finish solo," Bettini was quoted by La Gazzetta dello Sport as saying at a press conference in Mendrisio. "On the Ghisallo we'll see who will lose the race. But I believe that it will be decided between the slopes of Civiglio and San Fermo della Battaglia."

Bettini also mentioned Davide Rebellin (Gerolsteiner), Francesco Casagrande (Vini Caldirola), Dario Frigo (Fassa Bortolo), Eddy Mazzoleni (Saeco), Michael Boogerd and Michael Rasmussen (Rabobank), Cadel Evans (T-Mobile) and Marcos Serrano (Liberty Seguros) as riders to watch. "My objective is to win my third World Cup, and it's a big stimulus knowing that no-one else has done it before."

Live coverage

Cyclingnews will be covering the Giro di Lombardia live, with coverage starting at 14:30 CEST (Europe)/8:30 EDT (USA East)/5:30 PDT (USA West)/22:30 AEST (Australia East).

Preview and history
Profile and course description
Provisional start list

Perdi Argentinean soon?

According to Spanish website todociclismo.com, Miguel Angel Martín Perdiguero (Saunier Duval) is considering applying for Argentinean nationality to be sure of riding the nest World Championships in Madrid. Angel Buenache, his manager, is not ruling out a dual citizenship like in the cases of Davide Rebellin and Gilberto Simoni, and explained why it would even be easier for Perdi: "Seriously, we discovered that Perdiguero has an Argentinean aunt, which helped to make the first contacts in trying to get citizenship. We still have a lot of time, and I'm confident it will work out."

Miguel Perdiguero hasn't been selected into the Spanish World's roster for a few years now, and wants to make sure he'll be able to compete in Madrid. "It's a very serious matter to us," said Buenache.

De Clercq heard in Kortrijk

Cyclo-crosser Mario De Clercq (MrBookmaker.com-Palmans) was heard in Kortrijk on Thursday by the public prosecutor in charge of the José Landuyt/Herman Versele case. The prosecutor is trying to determine whether Landuyt supplied De Clercq with doping products, after an analysis of substances seized from his house last year allegedly revealed growth hormones.

The court in Kortrijk will now send De Clercq's dossier to the Belgian cycling federation, which will determine whether a sporting sanction (à la Museeuw, Planckaert and Peers) is necessary.

Cunego interested in Tour 2005

Although Damiano Cunego's team manager Claudio Corti wants to keep the young talent away from the Tour de France until 2006, Damiano himself is said to be interested in starting next year's Tour. 23 year old Cunego won the Giro d'Italia this year as well as finishing the Vuelta a España and placing well in the World Road Championships. Next year, Cunego wants to combine the Giro and the Tour along with Gilberto Simoni in the new Saeco-Lampre team.

Tour to honour Casartelli

Next year's Tour de France will pay homage to Fabio Casartelli, the Italian rider who died during a stage of the 1995 edition of the race. On the 10th anniversary of his death, the 2005 Tour will award a special prize to the winner of the Pyrenean stage that features the Portet d'Aspet - the same climb that Casartelli died on. There is already a monument to Casartelli on the western side of the climb.

Tour de France director Jean-Marie Leblanc and Casartelli's family have agreed to further initiatives to commemorate the fallen 1992 Olympic champion. In addition, Casartelli's home region of Albese con Cassano will host a stage of the Giro d'Italia next year.

Mitchell looks to Southland win

By Alan Messenger

Kiwi cyclist Glen Mitchell will line up in the Southland Times colours in New Zealand's Tour of Southland next month and he is confident that his team will provide the race winner. The USA-based Kiwi professional will line up in the Tour with last year's winner Scott Guyton (Rotorua), track Olympian Tim Gudsell (Te Awamutu) , John Lieswyn (USA) and World Track Champion Greg Henderson (Dunedin). Mitchell won the Tour in 2000 and Lieswyn in 2002.

"That's three previous winners and a World Champion so I think we've got a pretty good team," Mitchell told the Waikato Times. He said that he didn't know who the team would push for the win but they would see how the race developed. "Scotty (Guyton) and I will plan the tactics though."

Mitchell will bring some strong form into the Tour. He recently won the 160 km Peter Southart memorial race in the Waikato and he won five races this year for his US Pro team Sierra Nevada. He is at present in Australia competing in the Victorian Sun Tour and will return to New Zealand in an attempt to win his third National Road Championship at Hokitika at Labour weekend."

Mitchell said that this year's Southland Tour looks to have the strongest field for many years. "There are two Australian teams and they are always tough and I know that several of the Americans coming are in good form."

The Tour starts from Invercargill on November 1 with a team time trial around Queens Park and finishes back in the city on Saturday, November 6.

Barcelona's Escalada a Montjuïc on Sunday

The 41st edition of the Escalada a Montjuïc (Cat. 1.3), which closes the Spanish race calendar, will take place on Sunday, October 17 around a course on the Montjuïc hill overlooking the city of Barcelona. The climb maintains its tradition with a format that leaves the overall winner in suspense until after the second section, a time trial of 8.7 km after a road race of 24 km.

Euskalel-Euskadi and Illes Balears have announced their respective riders participating in the challenge. For the Basque squad, Roberto Laiseka, Iñaki Isasi and Samuel Sánchez are racing. The Balearic team is sending Iván Gutiérrez, Joan Horrach and Jose Luis Arrieta to Barcelona.

Gerolsteiner for Chrono des Herbiers

The French Chrono des Herbiers (cat. 1.3) is the second important individual time trial event in France after the GP des Nations and will be held on Sunday, October 17 in the Vendée region of France, south of Nantes. Gerolsteiner's 2003 and 2004 winner Michael Rich is not participating because he's on holiday, as well as his teammate Uwe Peschel, third last year. Now Gerolsteiner is sending two other, younger riders to the event to defend the title: Markus Fothen and Sebastian Lang. Lang finished fourth in 2003, which should make him confident enough for the podium this year.

"We should have one rider on the podium", said directeur sportif Theo Maucher, adding, "Both have the abilities to make it." The victory favourite is World Champion Michael Rogers (Quick.Step), who will be competing at the 48.5 km time trial as well.

Rabobank extends Den Bakker contract

Team manager Theo de Rooij has reached an agreement with Maarten den Bakker over an extended stay with Rabobank. Den Bakker will sign a one year contract that keeps him with the Rabobank Cycling Team through 2005. Initially, Den Bakker was offered a position with Rabobank's Trade Team III, but his ambition was to continue in the UCI ProTour.

"Maarten's record of service and his performance in the last couple of weeks are the reasons for the extension of the contract," said Theo de Rooij. "Besides that, in Frank van Dulmen we have signed an experienced rider for our Continental Team, who can do the same job as Maarten. With four youngsters making the switch to our ProTeam, Maarten will be an added value there as well."

Maarten den Bakker joined the Rabobank Cycling Team in 1998. In 1999 he won the Dutch national road championship, to become Dutch national champion in the individual time trial in 2003.

Rutland to Melton CiCLE Classic next May

A new race will be added to British Cycling's Premier Calendar series next year, entitled the Rutland to Melton CiCLE Classic. Taking its title from the smallest county in Britain and its neighbouring town within the area the race is based, the point-to-point race takes place on Sunday May 29, 2005. Starting in the ancient Market Square of Rutland's main town of Oakham, and finishing in the main street of Melton Mowbray, the event is aimed at raising the profile of cycling and sport in general within the areas of east Leicestershire and Rutland.

After an relatively easy initial 40+ miles lapping the local beauty spot of Rutland Water, the riders will pass through Oakham before setting off towards Melton via the quiet, narrow and rough farm roads which abound in the area. The race totals 100 miles.

"This second part of the course can best be described by saying that it is as close Britain can get to a cross between Paris-Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders courses," said Race Director and Organiser Colin Clews. "Rough and decayed sections of farm roads, a continuum of small, sharp switchback climbs, and most of all a continental style enthusiasm to the race from amongst the communities of the villages that is passes through, will provide a unique atmosphere to this event."

The course to be used for the second part of the race is set in a small area, giving opportunities for spectators to see the race many times over within a two hour period. The date of the race is aimed to coincide with the local annual Melton Show which regularly attracts 30,000 visitors.

The planned course will include nine sectors of rough and decayed farm roads, one of which is 1.6 km long with an extremely rough and broken surface over a short climb. A special award of £200 and the title of 'King of the Hell of the East' will go to the rider amassing the most first places on leaving each rough sector, in addition to numerous individual prizes for the first rider over the most difficult climbs on the route.

The promoters anticipate that over 100 elite riders will race for the £1500 prize list

For more information, e-mail colin.l.clews@btinternet.com

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