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Edited by Paul Goldsmith
By Tommy Campbell in Kuala Lumpur
Hernan Dario Muñoz, the Colombian noted for his climbing ability, finally relieved Robert Hunter of his lead at the top of the classification in the Telekom Malaysian Le Tour de Langkawi today.
The event, which is considered the third richest in the world, lived up to its expectations as a classic when the remaining 136 competitors scaled the heights of Genting Highlands set 6,000 feet above sea level. Nine days of yellow for Hunter came to an end in the final 5 kilometres of the stage that started in Kuala Lumpur and finished in Genting Highlands.
It was generally anticipated that Muñoz would shake up the leader board and he duly obliged on one of the toughest climbs in any international cycling race. On the one hand, Robert Hunter, who has led the race since day one, lost the race lead - despite a valiant defence and the best efforts of his Mapei-Quick Step teammates to chase down the attacks.
On the other hand, South African national team member David George produced a brilliant ride, trading pedal stroke for pedal stroke with the amazing Muñoz and staying with this talented Colombian mountain goat all the way to the finish.
At the line, Muñoz took both the stage and that overall leadership while George crossed the line just four seconds behind to finish second on the stage and become the new third placed rider overall, with an overall deficit of 1'52. Robert Hunter is now in second position overall, at 40 seconds.
Click here for full results and report
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Estonian Jaan Kirsipuu (AG2R) won the sprint for the 4th stage of Etoile de Bessèges in Laudun. The 146.5 km stage between Alès and Laudun, came down to a sprint finish with Kirsipuu finishing in front of Australian Robbie McEwen (Lotto) and the Norwegian Thor Hushovd (Credit Agricole). With his second placing McEwen regained the overall leaders jersey with a two second lead over Italian Andrea Ferrigato (Alessio).
The stage was dominated by a series of attacks, all of which were reeled in by the peloton. The attacks were thwarted by the fast race pace and the tactics of Alessio who were trying to protect the lead of Andrea Ferrigato.
Click here for full results and report
In further news from the Etoile de Bessèges, Ukrainien Yurij Metlushenko, neoprofessionial with Colnago Landbouwkrediet fell during the sprint finish and had to be taken to hospital.
Metlushenko sustained facial injuries on the right side of his face, but fortunately looks to have avoided any major fractures. He will have to remain in Nimes hospital under observation for three days. Metlushenko has had an impressive start the season with a win in the recent of GP Costa degli Etruschi.
by Malcolm Sawford in Melbourne
Nicholas Sanderson, 17 year old Year 12 student, has continued his recent top form, taking out the 2002 edition of the prestigious Forges Stores 2000m Wheelrace, only a week after claiming his first major handicap title at Leongatha.
Showing signs of things to come, he qualified for the final by winning arguably the toughest heat of the night from the 80 meter mark, holding off Scratch men Darren Young and World Keiran Champion Ryan Bayley, in what became a 6 lap sprint derby with 14 of the 19 starters handicapped less than 125 meters.
Other heat winners were former speed skater Simon Walker (180 m) of Carnegie Caulfield, who attacked the field with 2 laps to go and held on for a comfortable win in his first track ride this season, Andrew Rix (135 m) of Bendigo, 1988 Forges winner David Coultas (110 m) and 17 year old Sean Finning, who jumped away from the charging bunch lead by Shane Kelly(Scratch) at the bell lap after being caught out of position and held on for an impressive win.
Click here for report and results
By John Stevenson
A large French-based chain of sports stores, Décathlon isn't the sort of brand you immediately associate in the same company as Colnago and Look. But since the start of its association with the AG2r Prévoyance team, Décathlon has genuinely made an effort to supply the team with the best possible bikes.
Click here for the full review
International track cycling comes to Cape Town on 8 March 2002 when teams from South Africa, Germany and Italy line up for the annual Tri-Nations Track challenge at the Bellville velodrome.
Two 8 man South African teams will be selected after a Selection event to be held on 23 February also at the Bellville velodrome. Local track cyclists will vie for places in the SA Elite and Federation teams. Both Italy and Germany have already named their teams.
The selection for the South African teams will be particularly interesting,with 2002 being a Commonwealth games year, ensuring some very tense competition. Cyclists such as Garen Bloch, JP van Zyl, Dean Edwards and seasoned campaigners such as Norman Lester and Robbie Dale along with Boxing Day 25 mile champion Garth Thomas will do battle to impress the selectors. Adding to this, there is the undoubted up and coming youngsters keen to upstage the more fancied riders.
Mario Beneton
Martino Marcotto
Michele Canevarolo
Fabio Masotti
Roberto Chiappa
Marco Brossa
Andrea Garavelli
Enrico Taraglio
Manager Frederico Paris assisted by Marco Maccario
Sprinters
Steffen Rimbach
Frank Schumann
Michael Herczak
Endurance
Martin Wikelmann
Steffen Lockan
Bernard Wächter
Marc Altmann
Manager Wilhelm Jochen.
The South Africian teams will be announced on 23rd February 2002.
The Tour De Roses Cycling Series is back in 2002. The series to be run in conjunction with the Rose Cup, C.A.R.T Car Races and eXtreme Sports Show will be held on June 9th and 16th held at Portland International Raceway, Oregon.
The bicycle races have not been part of the car races and Portland Rose Festival Association for three years. Prior to this there had been a ten year tradition of bike races at the events.
"The partnership with the motor sports organizing group (Global Events), Portland Rose Festival Association and Portland International Raceway increases bicycle racing awareness, and renews the importance of this race to the cycling community," said Jim Anderson, Tour De Roses Cycling Series Race Director. Now in his 5th year of staging bicycle races, Anderson said that his goals for the Tour De Roses Cycling Series were to position the race series and bicycle racing in general to new markets, whilst increasing the purse and scope of the event. All good things for the lovers of cycling that we are.
Additional information is available at www.rosefestival.org
Team Oregon have agreed to a sponsorship deal with Oregon bicycle retailer River City Bicycles. Team Oregon, is the largest Pacific Northwest's largest amateur cycling team.
Since 1986, the Portland based club has dedicated itself to introducing new cyclists to competitive racing.
Team Oregon currently has over 100 members actively racing. Coaching Director Bill Cass explains, "Our focus is not on winning the local Category 1 races. Team Oregon is more interested in developing young junior racers, inspired women cyclists, or 30+ master's racers. We have riders in all categories and of all abilities."
Athletes who have developed to a national level through Team Oregon include 16-year-old Larssyn Staley (now with the Saturn Cycling Development program) holder of numerous national junior titles and reigning Women's under age 23 national champion and Hood River's Luke Penningon, a multiple junior national champion.
Additionally David Johnson's 8th place finish at the 2001 under 23 men's national championship was the best performance by an Oregon rider in over a decade. Now competing for a national caliber amateur club, David has trained under the advice of Team Oregon's volunteer coaches since1995.
Continuing to develop with Team Oregon is 17-year old Mikkel Bosen. State Champion in the Junior Individual Time Trial, Mikkel is the 2001 winner of Oregon's season long Best All around Rider competition.
In conjunction with developing cyclists, Team Oregon members promote weekly races and introductory classes at the Alpenrose Velodrome in SW Portland, Women's and Masters racing at Portland International Raceway and the Eugene Celebration Cycling Classic. Team Oregon President, Mike Murray, sums up the new partnership with River City Bicycles best by pointing out, "With Team Oregon and River City Bicycles working together, the uninitiated cyclist can find the proper equipment at River City's centrally located store as well as guidance from the members of Team Oregon without having to search all over town."
For more information about Team Oregon go to www.teamoregon.org
The Lyle Pearson Motors/George's Cycles Team have announced their 2002 team representing the Boise Cycling Club (BCC).
BCC is the oldest, and most well known cycling club in Idaho. Founded in 1973, the club has promoted many races over the years, including the National Elite Road Race Championships in 1986 and the annual classic Twilight Criterium.
The men's 2002 Team includes Michael Tobin, Duathlon/XTERRA/Eco-Challenge world champion, Northwest 'legends' Robert Hoene, Mike Cooley, and Joe Savola, along with previous Nutra-Fig Pros Eric Messenger, Alex Gardner, Shawn Mitchell, and 1992/1993 U.S. Nordic Combined Ski Team member Eric Jensen. The men's Team consists of 16 elite riders ranging in age from 23 to 43 years old.
George's Cycles also sponsor the Nutra-Fig (U-23) Junior Cycling Team, and the IdahoFitness.com Multi-Sport Women's Team. The Nutra-Fig Junior Team consists of Whit Henry, Chris Liby, Jared Patchin, and Matt Pusley, all of which are from Boise.
The IdahoFitness.com Multi-Sport Team includes Jenny Tobin (top 5 in XTERRA, Ironman, and Powerman), Cori Mooney (World Amateur Duathlon Champion, Race to Robie Creek record holder), and Carol Severa (previous Weight Watchers Women's Cycling Team member). This Boise-based Multi-Sport Team will compete in Duathlon/Triathlon events at the regional and national levels.
Mike Cooley
Alex Gardner
Jeff Gasser
Lou Gilbert
Andre Gonzalez
T.J. Henshall
Tad Hamilton
Robert Hoene
Eric Jensen
Mike Larsen
Eric Messenger
Shawn Mitchell
Eric Rumps
Joe Savola
Michael Tobin
Scott Yribar
Whit Henry
Chris Liby
Jared Patchin
Matt Pasley
Erica Dallas
Shannon Edson
Teresa Gonzalez
Margaret Hepworth
Cori Mooney
Kathy Olsen
Carol Severa
Jenny Tobin
Sarah Vestal
Sponsors
Lyle Pearson Company, IdahoFitness.com, George's Cycles & Fitness, House of Brokers, Biz Print, AceCo Precision Manufacturing, Specialized, and Lightspeed Bicycles.
The Three Bears Racing Team, established in September, 2000, will be entering its 2nd year of racing as 3BRT-Cyfac. 3BRT-Cyfac, based in Emeryville, California, will be focusing on the early season National Road Calendar Races, California State Road Championships, California State Time Trial Championships and US Master National Championships.
In addition, many of the will be participating in the US Collegiate National Championships.For 2002, 3BRT-Cyfac have added the following Elite riders to their team list;
Katherine Maher: 2001 US National Collegiate Mountain Bike Champion (Cross Country and Overall Classification). Katherine was 2001 Collegiate Cyclist of the year.
Abraham Taylor: 3BRT-Cyfac's youngest rider at 20 years old. Abraham placed second in the 2001 NRC race, San Rafael Classic. Abraham plans to attend Espoir National Championships in 2002.
Takumi Shimomura: Takumi is a strong all around rider winning the Oakland Grad Prix and The Susuin City Classic in 2001. Both are Northern California races.
Gen Kogure: Gen will continue as Team Captain and brings 14 years of racing experience to 3BRT-Cyfac having raced for several years as an amateur in Switzerland.
Additional Team Members:
Men
Michael Campbell
Domenico Comacchio
Lance Doherty
Todd Edmister
Michael Garcia
Chris Gielow
Kahn Kogure
Lionel Lambourn
Justin Lucke
Eric Neely
Mansur Nurullah
William O'Dell
Lucas Paz
Troy Raffelson
Jason Salkind
Takumi Shimomura
Scott Storms
Chris Whittall
David Widmark
Steven Wu
Women
Jenna Loyd
Audrey Maher
Anya Hinkle
Stephanie Moon
Anna Lang
Team Managment
Jason Salkind
Jenna Loyd
Sponsors
Cyfac Cycles Professionals
Biemme Clothing
Northwave Shoes
Limar Helmets
Ritchey Components
Pedro's Lubricants
Columbus Tubing
Rudy Project Eyeware
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