First Edition Cycling News for November 20, 2003Edited by Jeff Jones & John Stevenson Cyclo-cross rankings: Nijs takes over number 1
Belgian Sven Nijs (Rabobank) has taken over the number one spot on the UCI cyclo-cross rankings, moving 58 points clear of compatriot and chief rival Bart Wellens (Spaar Select). The pair, who have been dominating the major 'cross races this season, are a long way ahead of third placed Ben Berden (John Saey-Deschacht), who needs another 430 UCI points to overtake Wellens. Richard Groenendaal (Rabobank) and Mario De Clercq (Palmans-Collstrop) round out the top five. In the women's rankings, German Hanka Kupfernagel (350 pts), who has won both rounds of the World Cup so far, is well ahead of second placed Alison Dunlap (230 pts) and former number one Daphny van den Brand (220 pts). In the nations rankings, Belgium (7,507 pts) has more than triple the points of the Netherlands (2,298 pts) in second place, with the Czech Republic (1,717 pts) in third. The pecking order is different in the women's country rankings, with U.S.A. leading the way on 635 points followed by the Netherlands (560 pts) and Germany (484 pts). Rankings as of November 16, 2003Men 1 Sven Nijs (Bel) 2,039.00 pts 2 Bart Wellens (Bel) 1,981.00 3 Ben Berden (Bel) 1,552.00 4 Richard Groenendaal (Ned) 1,225.00 5 Mario De Clercq (Bel) 1,209.00 6 Erwin Vervecken (Bel) 726.00 7 Jiri Pospisil (Cze) 570.00 8 Petr Dlask (Cze) 548.00 9 Arne Daelmans (Bel) 507.00 10 Tom Vannoppen (Bel) 503.00 Women 1 Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) 350.00 pts 2 Alison Dunlap (USA) 230.00 3 Daphny Van Den Brand (Ned) 220.00 4 Maryline Salvetat (Fra) 160.00 5 Marianne Vos (Ned) 150.00 6 Carmen D'aluisio (USA) 147.00 7 Victoria Wilkinson (GBr) 139.00 8 Reza Hormes-Ravenstijn (Ned) 130.00 9 Gina Hall (USA) 124.00 10 Nadia Triquet (Fra) 115.00 Nations Men 1 Belgium 7,507.00 pts 2 Netherlands 2,298.00 3 Czech Republic 1,717.00 4 France 1,379.00 5 Switzerland 1,207.00 Women 1 U.S.A. 635.00 pts 2 Netherlands 560.00 3 Germany 484.00 4 France 306.00 5 Great Britain 266.00 Conconi cleared of doping chargesItalian sports doctor Francesco Conconi and two of his collaborators, Ilario Casoni and Giovanni Grazzi, have been acquitted sporting fraud charges by a court in Ferrara, Italy on Wednesday. Professor Conconi, who directs a sports medical centre in Ferrara, was accused of supplying drugs to approximately 60 athletes in the mid-1990's, including cyclists Marco Pantani, Maurizio Fondriest and Claudio Chiappucci, all of whom denied the charges. After five hours of deliberation on Wednesday, Ferrara court judge Franca Oliva pronounced the accusations against Conconi and his associates as baseless, as the sporting fraud law did not exist when Conconi allegedly supplied his athletes with drugs. Tchmil second director of Chocolade JacquesAndrei Tchmil will become an assistant director for the new Chocolade Jacques team, according to Gazet van Antwerpen. The Belgian will work with head director Johan Capiot and manager Jef Braeckevelt in the 20 man team, which will make its debut next season. Tchmil spent this year with Marlux, which will contribute a sizeable roster of its team to Chocolade Jacques. "For Tchmil there is also the important task of the preparation for the road season," Johan Capiot told GvA. "Andrei will lead training camps, work out training programs and take care of the young riders with his immense experience. When necessary he will stand in for races, which I will do the bulk of." Capiot wants the Chocolade Jacques team to gather as many UCI points as possible in its first year, in order to make the top 20 division I teams for 2005, when the UCI will introduce the new "super league". The team will be led by Dave Bruylandts and Bart Voskamp, with Jans Koerts and Gerben Löwik as secondary captains. Bianchi to decide on future soonDespite reports that it will not go ahead next year, Team Bianchi says that it will wait until the affair with Jan Ullrich is sorted out before deciding on its future. Team manager Jacques Hanegraaf said that he hopes to reach an agreement with Ullrich over his unpaid salary before the end of this week: Ullrich is reportedly owed €600,000 after not being paid since August, while Bianchi is protesting that Ullrich was presented with his new team T-Mobile before his contract was up with Bianchi. So far, eight Team Bianchi riders have already signed for new teams. Jan Ullrich, Tobias Steinhauser and Andre Korff will all join T-Mobile, Daniel Becke and Steffen Radochla will go to Illes Baleares, Fabrizio Guidi to CSC, Christoph von Kleinsorgen to Lamonta and Raphael Schweda to Winfix as a team manager. In addition, Malte Urban and Angel Casero will probably sign for Saeco and Kelme respectively. "The job market for cyclists is not exactly good, therefore I'm happy that a few of our riders have already found other teams to go to," Jacques Hanegraaf told SID. "But ten riders are still with Bianchi - for them we must find a solution." Lampre sign KvachukItalian first division squad Lampre has signed 20 year old Oleksandr Kvachuk to its roster for 2004. Kvachuk won the 2001 World Junior Road Race Championship in Lisbon, and is considered a promising young Ukrainian cyclist in the mold of Yaroslav Popovych.
Minnaar officially to Honda; released by HaroSouth Africa's mountain bike downhill world champion Greg Minnaar will ride for the new Team G Cross Honda squad in 2004, according to an announcement from his current team, Haro-Lee Dungarees. In a statement released yesterday, Haro president and CEO, Jim Ford said, "we choose not to match an offer presented to Greg to ride for Honda in 2004. Although the financial terms of the offer were significant, money wasn't the real issue. Greg and I talked and after hearing his desire to work with Honda on this project, I felt that it was best for both of us to end the relationship on a positive note." Haro says it has no plans to replace Minnaar, but will continue its downhill program with Australia's Mick Hannah and four-cross specialist Mike King. The 2004 team is also expected to include NORBA short-track series champion Seamus McGrath and cross-country and short-track rider Chris Sheppard. In a subsequent statement Minnaar's manager, Martin Whitely said, "At this stage we are not able to add anything further. Honda will issue a formal press release about the 2004 program and line up of Team G Cross Honda once that has been finalised. The timing is such that Haro needed to make an announcement now about Greg's departure from their program, and Honda agreed that it be stated where he would be going, but until they have finalised their full program, they have nothing to add to the Haro statement. It is expected that an official press release will be made in December." Ivan Terenin to Garlaschese Ederplast Record
21 year old Russian cyclist Ivan Terenin will ride for the Italian elite team Garlaschese Ederplast Record next year. Terenin was a member of the Russian U23 national team, and is set to join a strong squad with the likes of Cristian Gabbiadini, Emanuele Tentori and Gianmario Pedrazzini and new acquisitions Lamberto Rossato (Italian junior madison champion) and Edoardo Pozzi. Bettini and co. play soccerWorld Cup champion Paolo Bettini will lead a selection of cyclists in a charity football match this Saturday, November 22 in Rome. Bettini will be joined by Andrea Tafi, Fabrizio Guidi, Elio Aggiano, Dario Pieri, Max Sciandri and Massimiliano Lelli, with Franco Ballerini and Antonio Salutini directing the team. Their opponents will be a team of journalists, and the match will benefit the victims of the Nassiriya bombing and the charity group Emergency.
Elliot to ride the RevolutionLegendary British sprinter Malcolm Elliot, winner of the points jersey in the 1989 Vuelta and currently in the midst of an impressive comeback at the age of 42, is the latest UK star scheduled to appear at the Revolution track meeting in Manchester on November 29. Elliot will join a substantial line-up of top British riders including world time trial champion David Millar, Bradley Wiggins, Malcolm Elliot, Rob Hayles and Chris Newton. Hayles and Wiggins are currently riding the Gent Six, while Millar - very much a track novice despite his record on the road - has been training furiously and took part in a track league event on Tuesday as part of his preparation. As for Elliott, he is preparing for a pursuit showdown against Paul Manning, who won a stage in the recent Herald-Sun Tour in Australia and is a member of Britain's successful pursuit team. Doors open 6.00pm. Both the velodrome bars will be open along with the Southbank Grill and a track centre bar. Racing starts at 7.00. Tickets are available online at www.cyclingrevolution.com or by calling 44 (0) 7005 942 627, prices: £6 Adults, £3 Children OAP's, £12 Family. Dude, where's my bike lane?Cyclists in Florida are campaigning to have a decision reversed that has denied them a bike path along one of the few roads in Palm Beach County that is safe and highly used by bike riders. State Road A1A winds along Florida's Atlantic coast. It has low speed limits, moderate traffic and is extremely scenic. As a result it's a hugely popular riding spot. The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is planning to resurface State Road A1A in the near future. Knowing that there is a high level of bicycle traffic on A1A, FDOT, in accordance with Florida laws, planned to install a bicycle lane along the entire 27-mile length of the resurfacing project. However, according to local cycling activists, plans for the bike lane have been thwarted by a group of local homeowners forming an organisation called Save Our Seacoast, Inc. Members of Save Our Seacoast have convinced Florida governor Jeb Bush to block the installation of the bike lane. Cycling campaigners allege that Save Our Seacoast is motivated by the self-interest of these homeowners, who have encroached into the public right of way with driveways, landscaping and privacy walls. Activists are calling on Florida residents to write to Governor Bush requesting that this decision be reversed and a bike lane be installed along A1A. The Governor's address is: Jeb Bush, Governor Email: jeb.bush@myflorida.com Fresh fields for Vergegear MACCC #9The Vergegear.com Mid-Atlantic Cyclo-Cross Championship (MAC) Series heads out to western Pennsylvania this Saturday for Round 9, the Raccoon Township 'Cross. The Raccoon Township course is a new venue, located near Aliquippa, Pennsylvania that promises to offer riders a variety of terrain including several tough off-camber sections and lots of elevation change. The following day the same venue will host the 2003 Pennsylvania State Cyclo-Cross Championships. Gary Dugovich, the promoter of both events, has laid out a different course for each day, and says each one will be challenging. Current series leader Ryan Trebon (Kona) and second-placed Todd Wells (Mongoose/Hyundai) are not expected to ride this weekend, opening the door for riders like Ryan Leech (Fort/GPOA) and his team-mate Gunnar Shogren. The Fort/GPOA duo are sitting in third and fourth position in the overall series rankings and a good ride on Saturday will help them narrow the gap to Wells and Trebon. In the Elite Women's field, Betsy Schauer (Fort/GPOA) wears the Vergegear.com leader's jersey. Schauer, who has worn the jersey for the majority of the 2003 series, will be looking to extend her lead over Wissahickon rider, Amber Itle. Itle missed two series races but consistent, strong finishes have moved her way up in the overall rankings. For race details or additional series details, please go to www.monkeyhillcs.com/mac/2003. TechnoCycle BRC looking for ridersTechnoCycle BRC, an amateur Category 3 USCF team based out of Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania, is looking for riders for the upcoming 2004 season. The team recently took on three new sponsors, (Dynaflo Inc, Inspeed and Cabot Supermetals) so is looking to add to its roster for the upcoming Pennsylvania BAR series, according to team captain Nick Price. Interested riders must be Pennsylvania residents, preferably the eastern part of the state. All resumes can be sent to pricenick2003@yahoo.com, or faxed to 610-670-4951, attn: Nick Price. Athletes by Design 2004
The Athletes by Design women's cycling team has announced its 2004 roster. The team has added some young talent along with two more experienced riders to complement 2003 holdovers Sarah Tillotson and Kelly Benjamin. Team spokesperson Alisha Little says, "With the right mix of youth, talent, experience, support, and direction, the ABD women's team is poised to turn some heads in the upcoming 2004 season." The team will kick off its season with the Valley of the Sun stage race in Phoenix, AZ before heading to contest the early season California races including: McLane Pacific, Redlands, Solano, and Sea Otter. Athletes by Design 2004 ridersSarah Tillotson, Phoenix, AZ.
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