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News for February 18, 2002

Edited by Jeff Jones

Bartoli claims overall in Tour of the Med

Petacchi gives Fassa Bortolo three wins

Alessandro Petacchi
Photo ©: AFP

Michele Bartoli (Fassa Bortolo) has won his first race of the year after a commanding performance in yesterday's crucial stage of the Tour of the Mediterranean which finished at the top of Mt Faron. Bartoli and his powerful Fassa Bortolo team had no problems in defending his lead today when the five day race finished in Marseille after a 120 kilometre stage with few real difficulties.

Click here for the full results and report

Vuelta a Andalucia: First blood to Leoni

Endrio Leoni
Photo ©: AFP

Endrio Leoni (Alessio) won the first stage of the Ruta del Sol, that finished in a bunch sprint in Sevilla. Leoni held off Erik Zabel (Telekom) for the win, who has yet to open his account this season. In third place was Fabrizio Guidi (Team Coast).

The 148 kilometre stage from Huelva to Sevilla that marked the first leg of the 48th Vuelta a Andalucia (Ruta Del Sol) was favoured to finish in a mass sprint. Only four category three climbs faced the riders, the first one after just 600 metres. The first three climbs were won by Rabobank's Steven De Jongh, who also finished second in the last mountain sprint and secured the mountains jersey for day 1.

Click here for the full results and report

Pantani back into the fray

Marco Pantani has made his 2002 racing debut in the Vuelta a Andalucia (Ruta del Sol), where he finished 106th in the first stage from Huelva to Sevilla. 159 of the 160 riders in the peloton all finished in the same time as Alessio's Endrio Leoni sprinted to victory ahead of Erik Zabel and Fabrizio Guidi.

Speaking at the first stage, Pantani outlined his goals for the future, which include winning another Grand Tour and performing well in Milan San Remo. He also confirmed his views on triple Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong, who he does not consider an "hors categorie" (above category) rider.

"I do not want to enter debate, but for me Armstrong is not hors categorie," said Pantani. "He is a great rider but not a great champion. He is astute. I really want to meet Armstrong in the Tour."

37th Tirreno-Adriatico teams

The 37th edition of the 2.HC stage race, Tirreno Adriatico, will start on March 14 in Sorrento and finish on March 20 in San Benedetto del Tronto, a total of seven stages. It is one of the biggest races in the early part of the season (along with Paris-Nice) and is seen as a key means of preparation for the first round of the World Cup, Milan-San Remo on March 23.

The race of the two seas is organised by RCS Sport on behalf of La Gazzetta dello Sport and will see 200 riders from 25 teams take part:

The teams

Acqua Sapone - Cantina Tollo
Alessio
Alexia Alluminio
Ceramiche Panaria - Fiordo
Cofidis
Credit Agricole
Team CSC Tiscali
Domo - Farm Frites
Fassa Bortolo
Gerolsteiner
iBanesto.com
Kelme
Lampre - Daikin
Lotto - Adecco
Mapei - Quick Step
Mercatone Uno
Mobilvetta - Formaggi Trentini
ONCE - Eroski
Phonak
Rabobank
Saeco - Longoni Sport
Tacconi Sport - Vini Caldirola
Team Coast
Team Telekom
US Postal Service

David McKenzie back in the saddle

By Karen Forman in Warragul

Less than a month after a training accident that threatened to wipe out his season, iteamNova.com captain David McKenzie is back in the saddle and looking ahead to the World Championships.

Doctors had feared the worst for the 27 year old Australian, who suffered a deep gash to his thigh requiring four layers of sutures after he came into contact with a parked truck during an early morning team ride in Melbourne in January - the week before the Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under, which he had intended to ride as part of the Australian Institute of Sport team.

Click here for the full interview

World Champions to farewell De Wilde

Six former World Champions will ride at the Gentse Kuipke on February 23 on the occasion of Etienne De Wilde's last track race. The start list includes Matthew Gilmore, Andreas Kappes, Silvio Martinello, Juan Llaneras and Bruno Risi, as well as former pro Sammy Moreels, who will ride in place of Britain's Dean Downing in the teams omnium for U23 and elite without contract riders.

Germans vying for 2007 road World's

Six German cities are vying for the right to be a candidate for the 2007 World Road Championships. If the championships are awarded to Germany by the UCI, it will be the first time since 1991 when they were in Stuttgart. Stuttgart is once again one of the cities on the list, which includes Bad Dürrheim, Braunfels bei Gießen, Frankfurt am Main, Freiburg and Nürnberg. The German cycling federation will decide on its 2007 candidate by October 31, 2002.

So far, the hosting cities for the World's have only been decided for the next three years, including 2002: Zolder, Belgium (2002), Hamilton, Canada (2003) and Verona, Italy (2004).

Vuelta a Madrid

The Vuelta a Madrid for elite and U23 riders will be held this year from May 11-15, after a year's hiatus. The race will feature 20 teams, including five foreign teams.

The stages

Stage 1 - May 11: Rivas Vaciamadrid
Stage 2 - May 12: Valdemoro
Stage 3 - May 13: Humanes
Stage 4 - May 14: San Sebastián de los Reyes
Stage 5 - May 15: Madrid (Circuito de la Casa de Campo)

Big Shark Racing

Team Roster

Cat 1/2

Jeff Hartman
Dirk Sprogoe
Joe Hill
Chris Woody
Michael Weiss
Jerry Shurlow
Chris Harre
Aaron Inch
Pat Collier
Craig Wolschlager
Joe Walsh
Todd Lipson
Eric Metzdorf
Heather Brice

Cat 3

Bryan Happel
John Gohl
Jyri Niveri
Blaine Little
Ethan Johnson
Steve Reardon
Kent Jones
Sven Sprogoe
Ryan Hermsmeyer
Kent Jones
Glen Bullard
Phil Shoulberg
Pauli DeCarlo
P.J. Walsh
Amy Strahan
Cindi Inman

Cat 4/5

Jeff Constance
Ryan Barr
David Bair
Jim Klages
Adrian McBride
Tony Rowther
Brian Kindell
Steve Ryan
Joe Fuller
David Garthe
Tim Sandfort
Steve Martin
Christian Bugyis
Paul Burkemper
Dann Burke
Roddy Dowell
Tom Hammontree
Les Hanks
Jim Sullivan
David Kaslow
Brian Meier
Grant Folkmann
Shawn Kraft
Tim Meyer
Hugh Templeman
Greg Nauser
Keith Duigud
Loran Cavanno
Kurt Schenk
Mark Hofmeister
Chris Dolson
Aaron Johnson
Rick Barnes
Kurt Martin
John Conners
Jason Bridwell
Gary Saettele
Jill Saettele
Moises Romero
Claudia Perrault
Kristi Wollenberg
Joy Laux
Heather Edwards
Natalie Fasick
Carrie Cash
Stacy Knowlton
Jodi Otis
Sally Frischkorn
Tambra Galarnyk

Cat 6

Tim Vogl

Staff

Manager: Mike Weiss
Directors: Hugh Templeman, Steve Ryan, Jeff Constance
Website: www.bigshark.com