First Edition Cycling News for December 27, 2004

Edited by Jeff Jones

ProTour teams sign Ethical Charter

Representatives of the 19 ProTour teams have signed the Ethical Charter - a requirement for them to be part of the UCI's "super league". By signing the Charter, the teams agree to be more conscientious in the fight against doping. That means that they will have to suspend a rider as soon as a positive test is announced; fire any riders who are confirmed positive and will not be able to sign a rider who has tested positive in the last four years.

Guimard trains MrBookmaker.com 'crossers

The "professeur", Cyrille Guimard, has been imparting his knowledge to two of the new French cyclo-crossers on the Mrbookmaker.com-SportsTech team, Camille Bouquet and David Boucher. In an intensive four day training camp, Guimard (a past French 'cross champion), took the two riders through their paces in an attempt to improve their physical condition and technical skills. Together with Frederic Gabriel, the pair of MrBookmaker riders are aiming for the French championships on January 10, where they will be up against John Gadret, Arnaud Labbe and Francis Mourey.

Vanthourenhout leaves Quick.Step

23 year old Sven Vanthourenhout, one of the world's top cyclo-cross riders, has broken off his contract with Patrick Lefevere's Quick.Step team. Citing a mutual lack of confidence in Lefevere, Vanthourenhout will ride for another, as yet unknown, team from January 1, 2005, despite having two years of his contract with Quick.Step still to run.

"We have made errors on both sides," Vanthourenhout told Sportwereld.be. "I carefully weighed up the pros and cons of my decision and then took the step. Together with my management agency SEM and Patrick Lefevere, the amount of the buyout has been set. We will keep that to ourselves, but it can never be more than my salary for the coming two seasons."

Vanthourenhout said that he will concentrate on 'cross for the next three seasons, with a team that will give him "110 percent chance to focus on cyclo-cross. With Quick.Step it was just 90 percent." That means he will not be riding for a ProTour team, as he does not wish to race a heavy road program.

Kananen to Amore & Vita

Finnish rider Kimmo Kananen (24) will ride for Italian continental team Amore & Vita next season. Kananen rode for Team Bianchi Nordic this year, as did Jonas Holmkvist who will also be part of the Amore & Vita line up.

Berry Floor sticks with Discovery

Belgian laminate flooring manufacturer Berry Floor has signed a three year (with the option for two more) sponsorship deal with Lance Armstrong's Discovery Channel team, effectively extending the relationship it had with the US Postal Service squad. The company has enjoyed enormous success from co-sponsoring one of the world's top cycling teams, but it will no longer form part of the team name.

Santoni continues with Naturino

The current, but out of favour Domina Vacanze team manager, Vincenzo Santoni, will manage a new team next year entitled Naturino-Sapore di Mare (Naturino makes children's footwear; Sapore di Mare is an Italian fishing expo). A third co-sponsor is expected to be announced soon. Santoni will be the team's general director, with Enrico Maggioni serving as team manager and Antonio Salutini, Giuseppe Petito and Fausto Dotti as directeurs sportifs.

Llaneras gets his own director

A dispute between Spain's track selector, Jaume Mas, and cyclist Juan Llaneras has led the President of the Spanish Cycling Federation, Fulgencio Sánchez, to appoint a second team director for next year's Los Angeles round of the World Cup (March 24-27). It is not yet known who the mediating director will be.

Launceston Wheelrace preview

By Rod Morris in Launceston Newly crowned Latrobe Wheel champion Nathan Clarke won't find things as easy in trying to win the Praties Launceston Wheel at the Silverdome on Tuesday (December 28). Clarke (26) won the Latrobe Wheel in a controversial finish from dual Olympic gold medallist Graeme Brown and dual Under 19 world track champion Matthew Goss on Boxing Day.

But the Basslink Tasmanian Christmas Carnivals Series now turns to Launceston with the 20th annual Silverdome Carnival. 68 events are included on the programme, which starts at 12.30 p.m. and runs through till the 60-lap A Grade Scratch, which is scheduled to start at 10.05 p.m. The highlight race will be the $3950 Praties Launceston Wheel.

Four heats will determine the 16 finalists with defending champion, Matthew Goss listed to ride from 40 m in the third heat. Goss will start just in front of three scratchmen, Jame Carney, Todd Wilksch and Christian Lademann and his best form of attack may well be to wait for the backies and tack onto their wheel. However the Launceston Wheel has a history of middle or front markers bobbing up to win and on his home track, 17-year-old Launceston rider Will Robinson has emerged as the slender favourite to win on his home track.

Click here for the full preview

Tasmanian rider awards updates

By Rod Morris

Cycling Tasmania Rider-of-the-Season

Two young Bens - Laskey and Price - share the lead in the fourth annual Cycling Tasmania Rider-of-the-Season award, updated after the Latrobe Boxing Day Carnival. Laskey and Price have both scored 12 points from the three listed carnivals to date, with events at Launceston, Devonport (x2), Burnie, Hobart, Mersey Valley and St Helens still to come.

Both Laskey and Price have scored a win, two seconds and a fourth, but the award is extremely tight with no less than 11 riders within five points of each other. Each handicap final and scratch race carries a 5-3-2-1 points base, meaning the whole look of the award could change at anytime. Latrobe Wheel winner Nathan Clarke and A.J. Clarke & Sons Handicap winner Graeme Brown both bounced into contention on Boxing Day, but the picture should become clearer as this week progresses.

In the corresponding female award, Launceston's Laura McCaughey increased her massive lead despite not winning a race at Latrobe. Upstaged by Rochelle Gilmore, Liz Williams and Belinda Goss in the three women's races, McCaughey did, however, manage to score three minor placings and now leads Grace Sulzberger by 20 points.

Dual Latrobe Wheel and Scratch race winners, Jake Laskey and Daniel Jamieson continue to share the CT Junior Rider-of-the-Season award on 34 points. Laskey, however, is ahead on a countback, courtesy of six wins compared to Jamieson's five. Ed Robinson has slipped back to third, just 5 points behind Laskey and Jamieson.

Cycling Tasmania Rider-of-the-Season award

Male

1 Ben Laskey, Ben Price                   12 pts
3 Gareth Atkins                           11
4 Bobby Lea, Jamie Perry, Will Robinson   10
7 Graeme Brown, Matt Goss                 9
9 Nathan Clarke, Daniel Cutting           8
11 Darren Young                           7
 
Female

1 Laura McCaughey                         35 pts
2 Grace Sulzberger                        15
3 Lauralee Sharman, Belinda Goss          11
5 Rochelle Gilmore                        9
 
Junior

1 Jake Laskey, Daniel Jamieson            34 pts
3 Ed Robinson                             29
4 Andrew Smith                            25
5 Tom Robinson                            22
6 Clay Murfett                            16

SCAT - Malaysia Airlines International Rider Award

Tasmania's best young female cyclist, Belinda Goss, is the surprise round one leader of the inaugural Sports Carnivals Association of Tasmania - Malaysia Airlines International Rider award. Goss moved into the yellow leader's jersey after the Latrobe Boxing Day Carnival after she won the Women's Latrobe Wheel and then scored second placings in both the Lightning Handicap and A Grade Scratch race. The new SCAT - Malaysia Airlines award is offering the leading rider by the end of the Basslink Tasmanian Christmas Carnival Series, a return air fare to Europe.

At the end of each carnival at Latrobe, Launceston, Devonport (two nights) and Burnie, the points leader will wear a specially designed yellow jersey and Goss has the honour of being the first rider to be presented. Just 3 points behind Goss are dual Olympic gold medallist Graeme Brown and fellow NSW rider Rochelle Gilmore, both of whom scored one win and one second placing at the Latrobe Carnival.

SCAT - Malaysia Airlines International Rider Award

1 Belinda Goss (Tas.)                                                  11
2 Graeme Brown (NSW), Rochelle Gilmore (NSW)                            8
4 Darren Young (Tas.)                                                   6
5 Nathan Clarke (Tas.), Daniel Furmston (Tas.), Kaidan Homan (Tas),     5
Ben Price (Tas.), Lauralee Sharman (Tas.), Liz Williams (Tas)
11 Melissa Barnes (Tas.), Mike Friedman (USA), Takashia Kawamura (Jpn), 3
Ben Laskey (Tas), Todd Wilksch (Vic.), Matt Wood (Qld)
17 Matthew Goss (Tas.), Laura McCaughey (Tas.)                          2
19 Bethany Coleman (Tas.), John Forrest (NSW),  Jessie McLean (ACT),    1
Simon Vanderaa (Tas.), Cameron Wise (Vic.)

Other SCAT news

Tuesday, December 28, represents the last chance for spectators at the Basslink Tasmanian Christmas Carnivals Series to purchase a four-day series pass. The reduced price ticket ($42) is a saving of 30% on individual carnival admission prices.

Dual Olympic Games gold medallist Graeme Brown has donated a commemorative jersey outlining his feats in Athens this year (two gold medals and a world record), to the Sports Carnivals Association of Tasmania. The specially designed jersey is being auctioned throughout the Basslink Tasmanian Christmas Carnivals series, with bids taken at the Latrobe Boxing Day Carnival.

The jersey highlights Brown's world record time of 3.56.610 in the 4000 m team pursuit and his madison win with Stuart O'Grady and is signed by Brown. The highest bid to date is $500 and bids are being accepted on the SCAT hotline (+61 (0)401-760-912).

Tech news

Bell Sports acquires Sports Instruments

Helmet and accessory manufacturer Bell Sports has purchased Sports Instruments, a producer of heart rate monitors, cycle computers and sports watches. Through its Specialty Retail Division, Bell will market and sell Sports Instruments products through its network of more than 4,000 distributors.

In September, Bell Sports announced it was purchased by Fenway Partners, a private equity firm which manages a fund exceeding $900 million. Bell also announced a merger with Riddell Sports Group, forming the largest protective helmet and sports accessories company in the world.

New British club: Agiskoviner.com

A new club based in the south of Britain will be formed next year, called www.agiskoviner.com. The www.agiskoviner.com Cycling Club will be a traditional club set up supporting a number of racing teams. Born out of a split within the ranks of PrestigeVC.Com/Viner, the new set up is forecasted to be much larger and more inclusive for riders of all levels and standards.

The senior road team will focus on the Premier Calendar, National Circuit Series, Surrey League tours, FBD Milk Ras, and other national level events in the UK. The espoirs will concentrate on racing in Belgium, as well as select events from the UK calendar. Funding has also been guaranteed to run a semi-professional team in Italy for three months of next year in order to ride the "Grand Fondo" events, and selected professional U26 elite UCI races. Finally, the junior and youth teams will focus on team development and improvement without too much pressure and individual progression to ensure riders meet their potential.

The club's main sponsors are currently Viner Bikes and Agisko Nutritional Products, with clothing supplied by Italian-based ReArtu.

Team rosters

Youth/Junior: Andrew Bates, James Boyman, Gareth Dickinson, Andrew Fenn, Daniel Higgs, Rob Jackson, Dan Manelfi, Toby Meadows.

Espoir: Lee Smith, Gyles Wingate.

Senior Road: Adrian Goatley, Conor Henry, James Holland Leader, Ashley Lambert, Darren Moore, Darrell Pembroke, Brett Perez, Mark Pettitt, Joel Stewart.

Time Trial: Michael Broadwith, Andrew Girling, Paul Haggerty, Laurence Harding, Wayne Holton, Gary Kristensen MBE, John McClelland.

Cyclo Cross: Steve Price

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