First Edition Cycling News for September 27, 2006Edited by Jeff Jones, Greg Johnson and Kyle Mackay, with assistance from Susan Westemeyer Schreck reflects on the WorldsT-Mobile domestique Stephan Schreck didn't make it to the Tour de France this year, but he did ride the World's road race for Germany. He ended up being a member of an escape group that got away during the second lap and stayed away for a long time.
"Before the race, we divided our team of nine riders into three groups, each of which was to be active in either the beginning, middle or end of the race," Schreck said. "Wegmann, Schumacher and Zabel were our men for the finale, and I belonged to the first group. It turned out that I got into the escape group on the second lap." After the group got away, "we rode the first lap full out. We quickly built up a few minutes between us and the field. The favoured nations, like Italy, all had riders in the group. That way, the stars could save themselves for the finale and our advantage grew up to 15 minutes. I thought, 'boy, what's going on here?'" He never thought that the group would come through, he said. He expected the advantage to melt quickly in the second half of the race, "I just didn't know how long it would take." And when the group was caught by another group, it turned into a prickly situation for Schreck. "When a group of 20 caught us two laps before the finish, and there were no Germans in the group, it became rather critical for me. I was pretty tired but had to keep on trying to stay in the front." Looking back, Schreck was not totally satisfied with his season. "My form for the classics came 13 days too late," he said. "In the summer, I was not included on the Tour team, which of course was disappointing." Actually, Schreck was nominated to the team after Jan Ullrich and Oscar Sevilla were removed from it, but didn't get a chance to ride after the teams met and voted not to allow replacements for the riders suspended because of Operation Puerto. His season still isn't over. He's going to ride the remaining three ProTour races, Züri Metzgete, Paris-Tours and Tour of Lombardy. "Then I'm looking forward to being able to spend more time with my family in the winter." Austrian U-23 riders clearedAustrian U-23 riders Christian Ebner and Markus Eibegger were found not to have any forbidden substances in their doping controls. For both riders, the preliminary screening indicated a possibility of EPO, the Austrian cycling federation announced Tuesday, but this suspicion could not be confirmed by further testing. Both Ebner and Eiberger were removed from the Austrian U-23 World Championship team after they skipped an unannounced doping control.
Hondo to ItalyDanilo Hondo announced Tuesday evening that he will ride for the new Italian Continental Pro Team Tinkoff Credit System next season. He signed a one-year contract on Monday. Team manager Omar Piscina has also signed German rider Steffen Weigold, who currently rides for Team Lamonta with Hondo, as well as Mikhail Ignatiev, the Russian U-23 runner-up in the U-23 World's time trial. "I look forward to the new challenge," Hondo said. Hamilton to race Nevada Silverman triathlonTyler Hamilton, whose two year ban for blood doping ran out last week, will be part of a professional relay team in the Nevada Silverman Triathlon on November 12. The team will also include Ernest Kimeli and Erik Vendt, and will be aiming for the $100,000 up for grabs for the first team that can break the eight hour mark for the full distance course (3.8 km swim/180 km ride/42.2 km run). While Hamilton's credentials are well known among cyclists, the other two members of his team are also accomplished. Ernest Kimeli has run a 2:11 marathon and 1:04 half marathon, while Erik Vendt is a world class swimmer, winning a silver medal at the 2000 Olympics and is the American record holder in 1500m free (scm) and the former American record-holder in 1500m free (lcm). He was the first American to ever break 15 minutes in the latter event. "The competition for the $100,000.00 has just heated up," said Frank Lowery, of Lowery’s Multisport Races. "This high profile relay team, led by Tyler Hamilton will surely put the pressure on other professional relay teams that have registered for the Silverman including Chris Lieto, Jamie Patrick and Brian Astell. We could witness a historical athletic moment if one of these teams breaks 8 hours on our course." So far, no relay team has managed to beat the eight hour mark in a full-length triathlon. The organisers specified that they will carry out drug testing at the event. "All participants will be subject to testing which will be conducted in accordance with the World Anti-Doping Agencies International Standards for Doping Control. The specific details of the testing program will be announced to all participants prior to the event," they stated. Collins to drive DFL-CN team to Pro-Conti in 2007
With road cycling's negative headlines in recent months, it takes a brave businessman to commit to increase sponsorship in 2007, but the manager of DFL-Cyclingnews is not holding back. Gerard Knapp reports.Buoyed by the success in Europe this year of the peloton's only joint British-Australian team in 2006, the driving force behind the DFL-Cyclingnews squad in 2006 has recently taken the first step towards promoting the team to the next level of the professional ranks. Currently registered as a Continental squad in Europe (the former Division 3 ranking in pre-ProTour days), the next level up emerging pro squads is to register as a Professional Continental squad (formerly Division 2), that tier of ambitious teams that snip at the heels of the current 20 teams who make up the ProTour. Nick Collins, the managing director of DFL, the England-based transportation services firm that is the lead sponsor of the team, said recently, "'I can confirm that we have paid for and registered as a Pro Continental Team for 2007." For the full news feature click here. (Note - In case it's not abundantly clear, this web site is a sponsor of DFL-Cyclingnews and proud to be involved with a developing team that has put in an excellent season.) Big changes for CSC?By Katharina Schulz After an eventful year for Team CSC, it looks as if some major changes are about to happen in the Danish team. So far, the team has only confirmed that Australian Matthew Goss will race for the team in 2007 - but a number of riders are rumoured to join the team next season. Danish talents Anders Lund, Chris Anker Sørensen, Argentinian sprinter Juan Jose Haedo and Spaniard Luis Pérez are among them those thought to be headed for the outfit. Although nothing has been confirmed yet, it is probable that not only Italian Ivan Basso, who was excluded from the Tour de France due to doping allegations, will leave the team, but also his fellow countrymen Andrea Peron and Giovanni Lombardi, as well as Austrian Peter Luttenberger, the German talent Christian Müller and Danish veteran Jakob Piil. Brian Vandborg, who made an amazing fourth place at the world championships in the ITT, is also yet to have signed a new contract with CSC.
Vos to be honouredNewly-crowned women's world RR champion, Marianne Vos will be honoured in her home town of Aalburg, Holland this Thursday evening at 19.30 CEST, said a spokesman from the district. In a public reception, Vos, who turns 20 on the same day, will be picked up from the small church village she lives in and taken to the municipal chambers before holding a private celebration with family and the town's leaders. Phonak reveal French autumn classics ridersPhonak has announced that Uros Murn and Aurélien Clerc will lead its team into the upcoming autumn classic races in France. The pair will be joined by Fabrizio Guidi, Victor Hugo Peña, Michael Schär, Florian Stalder and David Vitoria at the Paris-Bourges on October 5 with Gregory Rast joining the riders for the ProTour event, Paris-Tours, on October 8 Piéret joins Acqua & SaponeFrench junior Etienne Piéret will be a stagiaire for Italian Continental Pro Team Acqua & Sapone from August 1, 2007. It's believed the team is trialing Piéret, who finished second in the World Junior Men's TT, with a view of signing him to the outfit for the 2008 and 2009 seasons. Piéret is a highly accomplished rider having claimed the Junior Men's TT and Junior Men's Road championships in his homeland this season in addition to being the European Junior Men's Road Champion.
Broken foot delays Kessiakoff debutFredrik Kessiakoff's debut for Team Barolworld has been postponed until 2007 after the Swede broke his foot during his last off-road race before switching to road competition. The former MTB cross country medalist was expected to commence road racing with Team Barolworld during the closing races of 2006, starting with the Memorial Cimurri in Italy on September 30, but has been sidelined due to the injury. OrganicAthlete Vegan Cycling TeamThe World Vegetarian Day celebration in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park on Sunday, October 1, will see the official launch of OrganicAthlete, an all-vegan elite cycling team. The team will race a full road season next year with a strong emphasis on California-based events, culminating in the Elite National Championships in July, 2007. The team’s roster consists of one woman, professional mountain bike and cyclo-cross racer Sami Fournier, and three elite men, Bradley Saul, Justin Lucke and Benjamin Lyon. Fournier will also be representing the team as an elite rider on the road. The team’s major sponsors include a number of green companies including Tour d’Organics, New Harvest Organics and VegNews. The team’s bicycles will be serviced by Mill Valley Cycleworks, an all-vegan bike shop. Nine announced for Harshman Wealth/Primus Mootry Cyclocross TeamWith the Cyclocross season beginning to kick into gear, the Harshman Wealth/Primus Mootry Cyclocross outfit has announced its nine rider lineup for 2006. After recording nine victories in its inaugural season last year US Worlds team member Jonathan Baker will be joined by U23 riders Zak Grabowski and Taylor Kneuven in addition to Elite riders Shawn Harshman, Whitey Debrous, Joe DePeamelaere, Charlie Hayes, Doug Campbell and Dan DePaemelaere. The team will contest the Crank Brothers US Grand Prix Series and selected UCI races within America. The team's has already continued its winning ways with Baker taking victory at the first UCI event in North America and a further three victories by the team at Michigan's Kinetic Systems-Tailwind Cyclo-cross races. Whitmore's Landscaping Super Cross Cup weekendThis UCI C1 event will be held on Saturday, September 30, 2006 in Southhampton, Long Island, NY. The start list features some of the best cyclo-crossers in the USA, and this year, the promoters are offering the elite women a higher prize list than the men. After the race on Saturday will be the premiere of Sam Smith's new film, 'Transition 2: 'cross the pond.' Sunday, October 2 will cap off the weekend with a UCI C2 event. For more information, go to www.hamptonvelo.com
Cycle for Science with Hincapie and Bobke in TexasForty-five riders will get the opportunity to ride with Tour de France legends George Hincapie and Bob Roll in the third annual Cycle for Science while supporting the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History on Friday, October 13, 2006. Two participation levels are available for the 30-mile ride – the Yellow Jersey individual sponsor for $2000 per rider and the Green Jersey participant for $500 per rider. Each level includes one spot in the ride and an autographed photo of George Hincapie. The Yellow Jersey sponsorship also includes dinner for two with Hincapie and Roll on Thursday before the ride. Proceeds from the event will benefit educational programs at the museum.
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