First Edition Cycling News for August 4, 2005

Edited by Hedwig Kröner and Jeff Jones

Simoni leaves Lampre

Gilberto Simoni (Lampre-Cafitta)
Photo ©: Sirotti

Gilberto Simoni (Lampre-Caffita) has revealed his desire to leave the Italian squad at the end of this season. At the same time, 'Gibo' made known that Quick.Step or Cofidis could become his new team sponsors for 2006. Quick.Step's Patrick Lefévère had already announced that he was targeting the Italian to become his team's leader at the Giro d'Italia. French team Cofidis is also still looking for a Grand Tour leader after its negotiations with Alexandre Vinokourov failed.

Meanwhile, the Italian rider will participate in the Volta a Portugal (August 5-15) to prepare for the Vuelta a España later this month, as well as the Giro di Lombardia (October 15, 2005).

Hamilton hearing on September 6

Tyler Hamilton's hearing in front of the Swiss Court of Arbitration for Sport will not take place until September 6, the Boston Globe reports. Hamilton tested positive for a homologous blood transfusion during the Vuelta España on September 11 last year. In April of this year, he was given a two year ban by the US Anti-Doping Agency, but the three-member arbitration panel was not unanimous in its conclusion that he was guilty. Hamilton then decided to appeal to the international Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, but now it appears that his hearing will take place almost a year after his initial positive test.

Klöden still out

Andreas Klöden (T-Mobile), last year's Tour de France runner-up, is still out of competition because of the broken scaphoid bone in his right hand, which made him pull out of this year's Grande Boucle. The 30 year-old underwent further examinations at the University Clinic in Freiburg on Tuesday and will probably not be able to return to racing before mid-September.

Although the swelling of his hand has subsided, Klöden said that he "can't even think about competition yet. I will try to stay fit in a different way and hope to be back to racing within this season." First of all, Klöden was given a new plaster cast in Freiburg.

Gerolsteiner to Deutschland Tour

Home team Gerolsteiner has announced its line-up for the Deutschland Tour (Tour of Germany). The mineral water squad will participate in the ProTour stage race from August 15-23 with the following riders: Markus Fothen, Sebastian Lang, Levi Leipheimer, Davide Rebellin, Ronny Scholz, Georg Totschnig, Fabian Wegmann and Markus Zberg. Both directeurs sportifs Hans-Michael Holczer and Christian Henn will be directing the team.

Lampre to GP Città di Camaiore

Heading the Italian team Lampre-Caffita at the GP Città di Camaiore in Tuscany, Italy, on Thursday, August 4 will be Damiano Cunego, who has just recently become a father. "This wonderful event did not interfere with Damiano's training at all," said team manager Giuseppe Martinelli. "Rather, he has even intensified his sessions in the last couple of days." With Cunego, Martinelli will line-up Salvatore Commesso, Eddy Mazzoleni, Giuliano Figueras and Patxi Vila Errandonea, as well as two stagiaires: Matteo Bono and Morris Possoni, the latter who has just won the Giro delle Valli Cuneesi on Tuesday.

"I'm very happy for Possoni," Martinelli continued. "The race he has won is about the most important race for the U23 category in Italy and his success demonstrates his capacities. For him, it's a great achievement for his debut in the greatest category."

The GP Città di Camaiore will be raced over a distance of 200 km on a circuit route around the town, which includes six ascents of the Monte Pitoro climb.

Lampre's squad: Matteo Bono, Salvatore Commesso, Damiano Cunego, Giuliano Figueras, Eddy Mazzoleni, Morris Possoni, Daniele Righi, Andrea Tonti and Patxi Vila Errandonea.

Française des Jeux signs Joly

Crédit Agricole's Sébastien Joly has informed his team manager Roger Legeay yesterday that he will no longer ride for the green team in 2006, although Legeay offered him a new contract. French website velomania.net reports that Joly signed for two years with Française des Jeux instead. The team directed by Marc Madiot will nevertheless not make many rider changes for 2006.

Mutsaars and Wielinga looking

Rabobank's Ronald Mutsaars and Remmert Wielinga will not have their contracts renewed next year, according to reports in the Dutch media. Of the two, Mutsaars has been with Rabobank the longest, starting as a junior with them in 1997 before making his professional debut in 2002. Wielinga debuted with De Nardi in 2001 before transferring to Rabobank in 2003. He won two Spanish races in February that year and rode well in the Dauphiné Libéré, but since then has not achieved the same level of results.

Italian Junior rider dies in truck accident

Simone Soriga, a Junior rider for TrissaTeam, died in Bergamo, Italy, today after getting run over by a truck. According to Italian website tuttobiciweb.com, Soriga was out training when the accident occurred, and although he was immediately taken to hospital, the 17 year-old died soon after. Soriga was born on the 21st of September 1987 in San Gavino on the island of Sardinia. Our thoughts and feelings are with his family.

Bear Mountain race returns to New York

The New York, USA-based Century Road Club Association has revived the Bear Mountain Fall Classic. This event, which was last won in the fall by John Lieswyn and Tina Pic in 2000, will cover the hilly terrain of Harriman State Park in New York on Sunday, September 11. This will be the same course as the spring Harriman race, which has been the site of national championships and Olympic trials.

This year the event is named the Nancy Morgenstern Memorial in honour of a local rider who was killed in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on New York City. The winner of the Elite Women's race will receive the Nancy Morgenstern Trophy. The event also features equal prize money for the winner of the Elite Men's and Women's races, as well as a separate field for Category 4 Women.

"We wanted to bring back this race both because it's really popular and also to add another tough event to the late season," said CRCA's Mike Green. "With our Mengoni Grand Prix on August 27, Chris Thater on the 28th, Vermont's Green Mountain Stage Race at the start of September and the Univest Grand Prix on September 17-18th, Elite riders can do a nice set of hard events in the Northeast US.

"We've greatly increased the prize money in the elite men and women's races, and are giving a $500 bonus if one of them wins both Mengoni and Bear Mountain," he added. Already confirmed to participate are Todd Herriott and Davide Frattini of the Colavita Sutter Home pro team.

More information is available at www.crca.net

Illinois Championships return to Winfield

The Illinois State Criterium Championships, presented by the ABD Cycle Club and Main Street Winfield and featuring over $8,000 in cash and prizes, return to the Chicago suburb of Winfield on August 13 and 14. Saturday's "Twilight Criterium" kicks off in Winfield's Oakwood Park with local races at 4 p.m. and the main event, the Packey Webb Pro/Am, at 6:15.

Sunday, August 14 is the 6th Annual Downtown Winfield Criterium and the Illinois State Championship. Various age and ability categories compete all day starting at 8:30 a.m. for the state title, with the Kids' races at 1 p.m. and the Central DuPage Hospital Pro/Am event at 2:15 p.m.

For more details, go to www.mainstreetwinfield.org and www.prairiepathcycles.com.

Corporate Challenge at Lehigh Valley Velodrome

The Lehigh Valley Velodrome, the USA East Coast's only professional track cycling venue located in Trexlertown, PA, will host the Sixth Annual Corporate Challenge Relays on Friday, August 5. Local companies will compete against one another in a Pursuit race at the Velodrome, which already hosted the USA Cycling Junior National Track Cycling Championships earlier in July.

Of the thirteen companies in the Corporate Challenge, three are making their sixth appearance: Air Products (fielding two teams), Mack Trucks (fielding two teams) and Red Robin Restaurants. Among the others competing will be, Joint Services, Kutztown University, LCCC (fielding two teams), Orthopedic Associates, Rodale (fielding two teams), and T-Networks. International riders will also be racing to compete in a variety of events for the evening. Riders expected to compete in these races on Friday, August 5, include Dave Creswell from Christchurch, NZ, John Norfolk of England, Peter Fitzpatrick from Sydney, Australia and Ashley Kimmet from Allentown.

For tickets or more information visit the Velodrome website at www.lvvelo.org or call 610-395-7000. The rain date for the event will Saturday, August 6 at 7:30 pm.

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