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News for February 3, 2002

Edited by Paul Goldsmith

Hunter continues to dominate LTDL

By Tommy Campbell in Sitiawan

Robert Hunter (Mapei-Quick Step), the South African winner of opening time trial in the Telekom Malaysia Le Tour de Langkawi, started and finished as he did on Friday by completing back to back wins in Sitiawan in the first road stage of LTDL.

The 24 year old from Johannesburg couldn't have defended his lead in better fashion. Relying from a perfect lead-out by Mapei-Quick Step teammate Andrea 'The Gladiator' Tafi, Hunter came off the wheel of the Italian at the 200 metre to go mark to win the stage by a clear length from Italy's Antonio Salomone (Index-Alexia). Tafi took third slot and almost the entire 151 strong field was packed together immediately behind them - 140 riders being credited with the same 4 hr 18 min 40 sec finishing time as Hunter, at a fast average speed of 42.96 km/h (26.6 mph).

Click here for full results and report

Spanish season begins

The Spanish cycling season gets under way today with the 11th edition of the Challenge Mallorca, which runs until the 7th of February 2002.

Used by teams as a fine tuning event for the forthcoming season, the five stage race includes Spanish teams Kelme, iBanesto.com, ONCE-Eroski, Relax-Fuenlabrada, Euskaltel, and Jazztel-Costa Almeria. The international contingent is represented by Mapei, CSC Tiscali, Telekom and Coast.

The rest of the twenty team entry list is made up of German teams Nurnberger and Gerolsteiner, Dutch teams Rabobank and Batavus, the Portuguese Milaneza, Belgian Domo-Farm Frites, and the Swiss Phonak and, finally, the Russian Itera team.

The early list of favourites has Erik Zabel, top of the UCI table last year as perhaps the man to beat. As he always is. Joining Zabel with pre-race support is Oscar Freire, twice road race world champion. Mallorca is also the first outing for Vuelta winner Angel Casero with Team Coast.

Past winners of the Challenge of Majorca include two time winner Laurent Jalabert (CSC Tiscali and Alex Zuelle (Coast).

One particular oddity of the Challenge is that riders are allowed to race stages even if they haven't completed the previous stage. Obviously they cannot obtain an overall classification, but it ensures that each day's stages are hotly raced.

The stages

Stage 1 - February 3: Palma - Palma (82 km).
Stage 2- February 4: Cala Ralada - Cala Millor (152 km).
Stage 3 - February 5: Port d'Alcudia - Port d'Alcudia (171.8 km).
Stage 4 - February 6: Manacor - Porto Christ (153.7 km).
Stage 5 - February 7: Magaluf - Palmanova (155 km).

Copenhagen update

It looks like hard work for the Italian/Danish constellation of Frank Høj and Marco Villa in tonight's action from Siemens Arena. The Italian half of the duo has left the race due to an injury he sustained during yesterday's race. The official race physician, however, hopes that the spirited Villa will be able to rejoin the race tomorrow.

For full results click here.

Milk gets tougher

Irish Milk race director Dermot Dignam has promised that this year's race, the 50th edition, will feature "one of the toughest ever" routes in the event's history. Dignam has revealed that the round Ireland stage race will feature seven stages of over 155 kilometres, with two of the stages weighing in at more than 170 kilometres.

The expected 200 rider race contingent will also face 14 mountain climbs on the two toughest stages of the contest.

Dignam expects riders from at least 10 countries to compete in the eight-day event, which takes place this year from Sunday, May 19th to the following Sunday. Final route details will be unveiled next week.

Meanwhile, the Irish Sports Council (ISC) recently announced that they would continue their support of the event, including the sponsoring of the classification for best young rider in the race. Last week the ISC revealed that they would be increasing funding to Cycling Ireland for 2002. Funding is 62 per cent higher than in 2000. The increase is seen as a vote of confidence in the restructuring of the federation and the long-term strategy plan unveiled last year.

The Team Ireland project, which provides backing for Irish riders who wish to race abroad, has also impressed the ISC with a sizeable proportion of this years funding going towards the project.

In other Irish news, the Earl of Desmond/Tralee Bicycle Club racing team has its official launch today in Tralee, with a promising line-up confirmed for this season. The squad features two national champions - Paul Griffin, who won the hillclimb last year, and the under-23 road race title holder Thomas Hogan. Kieran McMahon, John Dempsey, Sean Lacey and Brendan Lacey complete the line-up.

Cyclo-cross makes prime-time

Whilst the world cyclo-cross championships are on in Belgium, American cross fans are being "treated" to a full three minute highlight TV clip from the Baltimore National Cyclocross Championships. The in-depth cycling coverage will take place on Fox (US) during February.

The first airing will be through Fox Sports New York on Sunday, Feb. 3 with the clip running at 2:30 p.m. Thereafter it will run Feb. 18 at 11 p.m.; Feb. 19 at 2 p.m.; Feb. 23 at 12:30 p.m. and Feb. 28 at 4:30 p.m. On the New England Sports Network (NESN) the show will be broadcast on Feb. 18 at 3:30 p.m. and Feb. 23 at 7:30 p.m.

The event saw a brilliant duel between defending U.S. Champion Tim Johnson (Saturn) and rookie sensation Todd Wells (Mongoose/Hyundai), who took advantage of Johnson's puncture to score a victory. The women's race also provided a great duel between Alison Dunlap (Clif Bar) and Ann Grande (Kona/Voicestream), with Dunlap, like Wells, pouncing on Grande's similar misfortune to score her fifth straight national title.

In addition to Fox Sports coverage, the Outdoor Life Network will air the 2001 SuperCup finals on Sunday, Februay 10 at 3 p.m. This 30-minute show is a highlight show of both the men and women's SuperCup cyclocross series finals race held Dec. 16 in Baltimore's Patterson Park.

If however this visual feast doesn't sate your cyclo-passion, check out Cyclingnews coverage of the World Championships. In recent news U23 Men's race was won by Thijs Verhagen. Click here for the full results and report.

Racing Cranks

Crank Racing has announced their 2002 team roster. Based near Boston, Massachusetts, Crank Racing will focus most of its energy on the Eastern Fat Tire Association's New England Championship Series. The team will also compete in several off-road duathlons and other events in the northeastern US.

In addition to racing, the team will be working to bring more cyclists into the sport, and they will be donating time and money to a local "Earn-A-Bike" program for underprivileged kids.

Team Roster:

Men

David Alden
Tom Martin
Doug Salb
Todd Buckley
Dan Lund
Timothy Corning
Mike Lawless

Women

Jean St. Pierre

Sponsors

Pedro's
Crank Brothers
Marblehead Cycle
Foot Fitness Plus
Wylder
Team Web site

Cycling British Columbia gets into the racquet

Tom Fawsitt, formerly of Tennis BC, is the new Executive Director of Cycling BC. Fawsitt replaces Tanya Campasano, who has chosen to pursue further study. Cycling BC wishes Tanya all the best for her future and would like to thank her for her excellent work with the organisation.