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Edited by Jeff Jones
By Gerard Knapp
One of the favourites for the upcoming Australian national road title and leader of the recently launched iTeamnova.com, David McKenzie, has suffered a serious setback following a crash on a training ride in suburban Melbourne this morning.
McKenzie suffered lacerations to his face and quad from colliding with a parked truck, and will be prevented from any riding for at least two weeks, with a return to competition some four-to-five weeks away. McKenzie was set to enter the Australian national road racing title this weekend, then the Tour Down Under, as well as lead iTeamnova.com in the Tour de Langkawi in Malaysia next month.
The Victorian rider had recently secured the first podium for iTeamnova.com with a win in stage 4 of the Skilled Geelong Bay Classic and was said to be in excellent form for the nationals.
This morning he was on a training ride with team-mates Allan Iacuone, Russell Downing and Dominic Perras when Downing's front wheel ran into a tram-line on Hawthorn Road, Caulfield. As Downing hopped his front wheel out of the track, he bumped McKenzie, who was riding alongside.
"He said to me 'I felt we were OK after that and I'd recovered'," said John Trevorrow, a director of iTeamnova who spoke to McKenzie before he underwent surgery. "But as Dave straightened up, his arm clipped a car's wing mirror, which pulled the bars around and he ran straight into the back of parked truck."
Trevorrow said they were fortunate to be travelling at only 25-30 km/h, but McKenzie hit his head and leg on the gardening truck, requiring some 20 stitches to the laceration on his chin which had been gashed to the bone, while his quad also received a similarly serious gash.
Ambulance drivers were quick on the scene, with one of the ambulance drivers - coincidentally - a former elite rider. The owner of the truck was so upset he drove one the riders back to their flat with the team bikes.
"I really do believe that Dave and Stuey (O'Grady) would have fought out the (Australian road) title this weekend," said Trevorrow. McKenzie is a former winner of a stage of the Giro d'Italia - while with the Linda McCartney squad - and winner of major Australian one-day races. His promising career was thwarted with the failure of the LM team in early 2001, leaving McKenzie without a contract for all of last year.
But in the latter half of 2001, McKenzie's partner Susan Stewart commenced the hard work to create the subscriber-funded iTeamnova.com that was launched in December. The future was looking bright for an emerging Division 3 squad that will base itself in Belgium from March this year.
"It could have been worse," said Stewart, the driving force behind iTeamnova.com. "He's alright and that's the main thing."
Although the timing of the accident could not come at a worse time, Stewart remained philosophical: "That's how cycling goes, doesn't it."
For the first time ever, Sydney will play host to a round of the UCI Track World Cup. The event will take place from May 10-12, 2002 at Bankstown's Dunc Gray velodrome, the venue used for the 2000 Olympic Games. The NSW Government, Bankstown City Council and Bankstown District Sports Club will provide the necessary funding and operational support for the event, which has been secured for the next seven years in Sydney.
The Sydney round of the Track World Cup will serve as Round 2 of the five round series, which forms part of the qualifying criteria for the World Championships and the Olympic Games. There will be 12 events at each round, split amongst six sessions over the three days. Between 30 to 40 countries will be represented (roughly 200 riders) and the will be televised throughout Europe, Australasia, Japan and the USA.
Tickets will go on sale in February 2002
Despite rumours to the contrary, the women's Tour de Snowy will take place as planned from March 4-6, 2002. The TdS is the first stage race on the UCI women's calendar, and is considered one of the toughest of the season. It is in its 5th edition this year, and will follow on immediately from Round 1 of the Women's World Cup, which will be staged from Cooma to Thredbo on March 3.
Race organiser Phill Bates told Cyclingnews that he is hoping to avoid the situation that occurred in 2001. Last year, he became the largest sponsor after the Snowy Mountains Authority cut back its involvement with the event that showcases the natural beauty of Australia's high country.
Bates is expected to announce a new sponsor soon, as well as finalising the details of the stages for the three day event, which has been reduced from its five day format.
The Driedaagse De Panne-Koksijde (April 2-4) has changed the starting location of its second stage. This year, the 232 kilometre stage 2 will begin in Zottegem's Heldenlaan, finishing on Leopold II-laan in Oostduinkerke. This is the only modification to the four stage race that serves as a lead up to the Ronde Van Vlaanderen.
The first stage (176 km) has its traditional start in Moeskroen's Excelsior football stadium, finishing next to Zottegem station. The last day will feature two stages: a 112 kilometre road stage from De Panne-Koksijde-De Panne, followed by a 14 kilometre time trial in De Panne.
The finale of each stage will be broadcast live on Belgian TV1.
By Kathie Stove
It seemed as though Servais Knaven burst on to the scene with his stunning victory in Paris-Roubaix last year. But this determined and talented rider has been working towards such a victory since he first started riding at seven years of age. Servais rode as an amateur for four years, a period he capped off with a trip to the Commonwealth Cycle Classic and a race in Hawaii in 1993 before turning professional. Since then he has stayed with the same team, through its several iterations, and steadily improved each year.
Click here for the full interview
Los Angeles police and park rangers have been banned from riding on the off-road trails in the city's Elysian and Griffith parks, which have been used for training by the LAPD for the past two decades. The ban is part of a blanket restriction on the use of mountain trails by cyclists in the city where the car is king.
Strangely enough, the rangers are still allowed to ride on the trails while they are at work. This could lead to an interesting situation if they have to report one of their fellows for trespassing. Furthermore, the LAPD bike unit will no longer be able to hold training classes in the parks, where they have for years taught their officers how to handle such terrain.
The ban on police came after an Elysian Park resident complained about dangerous behaviour by police cyclists in an incident four months ago. According to the Los Angeles Times, Christine Peters saw "a group of LAPD officers training on the trail. The trainees tore down the precipitous hill at high speeds. One flew off his bike, and paramedics had to be called."
"This guy was being yelled at by his superior to go fast," said Peters. "He was being told to virtually kill himself. That's not exactly what we want to see up here. It's not safe for them, and it's not safe for people walking here."
Peters, who was a member of a park advocates group, lodged a complaint with the head of the Citizens Committee to Save Elysian Park. The matter was referred to the Recreation and Parks Department, which determined that police were violating the ban. They were subsequently asked to stop training on the trails.
Sergeant Vance Bjorklund of the LAPD bike unit is now wondering where he will be able to prepare his officers for off-road riding, with one option being a relocation to Burbank park. "Unless they change the law, there's no place to train off-road in Los Angeles," said Bjorklund to the LA times.
After yesterday's report on the suicide attempt by former 4000m and Hour Record holder Graeme Obree, Cyclingnews has received a number of letters from people expressing their shock at what happened. Obree was diagnosed three years ago with bipolar disorder, but doctors believe he may have had it since he was 19 years old. They also point to this as the likely cause for the suicide attempt, as Obree claims he has no memory of what happened.
To express your support for Graeme, a special Cyclingnews letters page will be set up with messages of encouragement. Simply email us your letter.
John Lieswyn's warm and insightful reports of life in the US pro peloton have made himone of our most popular diarists. He kicks off 2002 with a report of a few days in Brazil that included a win against a 315-strong field in the Copa America.
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Head to the latest photos page for a few new photos of the Nommay World Cup Cup #4 race and the Acqua&Sapone team launch. The Nommay section features some great images of Erwin Vervecken (Bel) taking his latest victory as well as the man you recenly voted #1 male Cyclo-cross rider, Sven Nys (Bel), flying through the course in his rainbow jersey.
Meanwhile, we have also added some pictures from the Acqua&Sapone team launch, showing an unusual side to how the new team was celebrated (some of these pics should be classified with an "M" rating).
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