| |
|
||||
|
Tech Features Road MTB Cyclocross Track News Photos Feedback | |
|||
Edited by Jeff Jones
Lance Armstrong is currently training in Arizona together with members of his US Postal team, who are holding a training camp there until Sunday, January 20. According to a report in the Arizona Republic newspaper, Armstrong is as motivated as ever to keep training, and is on target to ride and win a fourth consecutive Tour de France this year.
"All that I've overcome is what keeps me motivated," said the cancer survivor. "I'm a lot more committed now than I was before because of all I went through and what I still remember. It's not something you forget."
"The thing that is really different is life, demands on your time, leading a hectic, busy life very different, so you have to juggle all these things between sponsors, your family, training. Four years ago, I didn't have any of that; it was just (wife) Kristin and I, not many demands on my time. Nowadays, winters are filled with stuff to do."
At the moment, he has no plans to finish his racing career, which has spanned 10 seasons. He is 30 now and believes that he could have anywhere up to five good years left in him, depending on how his abilities hold up. "The good news is, I had a couple of years off in the middle, which I think will help the rear end of my career."
"Everybody's been supportive, and I can't think of any reason to stop right now."
Professional cyclo-cross team Spaar Select has lodged a protest against Mario De Clercq's victory in the Belgian national championships on Sunday. De Clercq, together with Erwin Vervecken (Spaar Select), Sven Vanthourenhout (Domo-Farm Frites), and Tom Vannoppen (Collstrop-Palmans) arrived at the finish together, with De Clercq winning the sprint from Vervecken and Vanthourenhout.
However, Spaar-Select's manager Jan Daems and director Danny de Bie believe that TV images show De Clercq did not sprint correctly, preventing Vervecken from coming around him by closing the gap between him and the barricades. After the race, De Clercq admitted that he closed the gap but not that he did anything wrong.
Elite Men
Mario De Clercq, Sven Nys, Tom Vannoppen, Erwin Vervecken, Bart Wellens (6th place to Ben Berden, Peter Van Santvliet or Sven Vanthourenhout)
Espoirs
Bart Aernouts, Davy Commeyne, Wim Jacobs, Wesley Van Der Linden, Klaas Vantornout (reserves: Tim Pauwels, Geert Wellens)
Juniors
Kevin Pauwels, Nick Sels, Jan Soetens, Mike Thielemans, Dieter Vanthourenhout (reserves: Jef De Boeck, Tom Van Den Bosch)
Women
Véronique Belleter, Anja Nobus, Hilde Quintens, Loes Sels, Katleen Vermeiren (reserves: Veerle Ingels, Lory Laroy)
Elite Men
Robert Glajza, Pavol Medved, Vaclav Metlicka
Espoirs
Marián Zovcák
Juniors
Stefan Gajdosik, Lubomir Glovniak, Lukas Batora, Tomas Cervenan
Elite Men
Jirí Pospísil (Author), Václav Jezek (Author), Kamil Ausbuher (Budvar Tábor), Radek Tichý (Tatra mléko)
Espoirs
Martin Bína (Budvar Tábor), Martin Zlámalík (Budvar Tábor), Vladimír Kyzivát (Johnson Control Mladá Boleslav), and two of the following three:, Radomír Simunek (MEZ Team Belgium), Tomás Trunschka (Author), Jan Kunta (Dukla Praha)
Juniors
Jan Kulhavý (CCC Mat Kolín), Jan Sel (CK A JE TO Trebíc), Zdenek Stybar (Dukla Praha), and two of the following three: Pavel Adel (Tatra mléko), Frantisek Kloucek (Dukla Praha), Ladislav Sulc (Dukla Praha)
Elite Men
Kim Petersen (Kalundborg Cycle Club), Tommy Nielsen (Vćrlřse/Farum)
The Dutch cycling federation (KNWU) has awarded the 2003 Dutch cyclo-cross championships to the West-Brabant town of Huijbergen. The championships will take place on January 11-12, and this will be the first time that they have been held in Huijbergen.
The KNWU will also decide this month about which place can bid for the World Cyclo-cross Championships in 2006: Heerlen, Hoogerheide, Zeddam and Pijnacker are the candidates.
The Mallorca Challenge is a series of five one day races held at the beginning of the season (February 3-7) on the Spanish island. Although there is an overall general classification awarded to the best rider, the series is not classified as a tour as riders can participate in any stages they like. Of course, to be eligible for the overall, a rider must complete all five stages.
This year's races will see the likes of Vuelta Espańa champion Angel Casero (Team Coast), World Champion Oscar Freire (Mapei), Laurent Jalabert (CSC) and Mario Cipollini (Acqua e Sapone). Also present will be the top Spanish teams ibanesto.com, ONCE-Eroski, Jazztel-Costa del Almeria, Euskaltel-Euskadi, Relax Fuenlabrada and Kelme-Costa Blanca, in addition to foreign teams such as Acqua e Sapone, Team Coast, Telekom, Mapei, Rabobank, Domo, Phonak, Maia and LA Pecol
The first stage will depart from Paseo Marítimo in Palma de Mallorca, and will be just 80 kilometres long. The total distance covered by the Mallorca Challenge is 712 kilometres in five stages.
Five riders from three different countries have tested positive for illegal drugs following the 43rd Vuelta a Guatemala, held between October 20 and November 1, 2001. The Guatemalan cycling federation announced that Colombians Ismael Sarmiento and Victor Hugo Gonzalez, Guatemalans Alberto Fermin Mendez and José Soto and USA's Duane Dickey tested positive for various substances ranging from testosterone (Sarmiento and Mendez), ephedrine (Soto), lidocaine (Gonzalez) and nandrolone (Dickey).
The riders risk up to a two year suspension under international rules.
|
|
Cyclingnews.com Copyright ©1995-2002 Knapp Communications Pty Ltd.
Telephone: +61-2-9318 2644 - Fax: +61-2-9310 4608
Contacts:
Editorial - Advertising Systems:
Economic Outlook