News for March 17, 2002

Edited by John Stevenson

Kirsipuu hit by car, out for three weeks

Estonian sprinter Jaan Kirsipuu (AG2R) will be out of action for at least three weeks after being hit by a car while training on Friday.

Kirsipuu was descending a hill in the Chambery area when the crash occurred and came off at about 60km/h, injuring his knee. He is reported to have sustained a partial tear of the patellar tendon.His training partner Nicolas Inaudi was not hurt.

"Jaan has to completely stop [riding] for three weeks," said AG2R directeur sportif Vincent Lavenu, adding that he expected the team to be without its leader until the end of May.

Kirsipuu, who has had a storming early season winning Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne and the Classic Haribo, will therefore miss the remaining classics, including Paris-Roubaix, one of his main targets for 2002.

Kupfernagel hits out at Women's Tour

Team Nurnberger leader Hanka Kupfernagel has strongly criticised the organisation of the Grande Boucle Feminine Internationale, the women's equivalent of the Tour de France. Speaking to German website Radsport-news, Kupfernagel called the race "catastrophic", and said, "the organisation is bad, the food is bad and there are eternal transfers. The last time I rode I sometimes did not get to bed until midnight. Then at 8 am you have to do it all again."

"In short, the race is dreadful. You can't deliver your maximum output for 14 days under these conditions."

On the other hand, Kupfernagel praised the organisation of the Thüringen Rundfahrt, Tour de l'Aude and Tour of Idaho (HP Tour), calling them "super".

Kupfernagel is trying to put behind her a less-than-stellar 2001 in which she left the Farm Frites team mid-season and split up with her husband. She has already shown sparks of the form that won her the Tour de l'Aude in 2000, with a podium finish at the Hamilton World Cup.

Her targets for 2002 include the Tour de l'Aude. "A podium place would be nice, but that is hard. Of course the Thüringen Rundfahrt is also a high point for me."

Tour of Berlin

An indication of the growing importance of Germany on the circuit is the elevation this year of the Tour de Berlin (May 17-20) to UCI status. The 50th edition of the race will be a round in the Under 23 world cup and organising club BRV says it has had interest from all over the world. Enquiries have come from Haiti, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan and teams are expected from Denmark, Sweden, Finland, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and the USA as well as German squads KED Bianchi and Techem.

WADA delegate says new test caught Muehlegg

The World Anti-doping Agency was provided with a reliable new test for darbepoetin alfa by manufacturer Amgen, according to an interview given by Swedish WADA delegate Bengt Saltin to German newspaper Bild am Sonntag.

According to Saltin, "it was not difficult" to detect that Spanish skier Johann Muehlegg had used darbepoetin alfa at the Winter Olympics last month. "There were clear indications of doping by Muehlegg and the Russians," he said.

"During the winter season we carried out blood controls of all the skiers at the World Cups. When one injects EPO or darbepoetin, one strongly promotes the production of blood cells. This results in an increase in the red corpuscles and their precursors, reticulocytes. This gives a characteristic diagram."

Saltin said that Amgen had been very helpful with the new test. "A short time ago there was no reliable test for this drug. Amgen created one very quickly. They were very cooperative."

UCI seeks end-of-career payment for pros

The UCI and the International Association of Professional Cyclist have come up with an idea to alleviate the hardship many pro cyclists suffer when their careers end.

High-profile ex-riders often find jobs within the bike industry or take careers associated with the sport as agents, directeurs sportifs or managers, but many lesser pros find themselves in their mid-thirties with no skills or career prospects, and little in the way of savings.

The suggested scheme would see riders given a lump sum on retirement of about 20,000 Swiss Francs. To qualify, a rider would have to meet certain conditions, likely to be a minimum age of 30, and a five year spell as a pro. Alternatively, a rider or his dependents would be elegible in the case of permanent disability or death.

The money would be raised by the UCI from races of category 3 and above.

Wheelworks/Cannondale

Wheelworks/Cannondale has announced its roster for the year 2002. The team will focus on East Coast National Calendar Series Races as well as New England regional events. Wheelworks/Cannondale has served as a development squad for many young riders; one former team member who has jumped to the next level is Justin Spinelli who now rides for the Division 1 professional team Saeco - Longoni Sport.

For 2002 Wheelworks/Cannondale adds two new riders to the program: Mike Jones and Darby Thomas. Jones (age 24, Category 1) from Harpursville, NY has been racing for just two years, rapidly advancing to Category 1 status. He is the 2001 New York State and 2001 North Atlantic Road Race Champion and also won the Category 2 division of the Tour De 'Toona. Thomas (age 19, Category 2) from Montpelier, VT has top results as a junior in both the Tour de l'Abitibi Jr. World Cup Race as well as at the Junior National Time Trial Championships. He is currently a freshman at the University of Colorado - Boulder.

Returning veterans include former Navigators rider Jon Hamblen who was fourth at last year's BMC Arlington race, and Jon Page who had a stellar cyclocross season with a win at the Super Cup finals and a trip to the world championships. They will be joined by sprinters Shawn Milne, who won the sprint competition at the Fitchburg-Longsjo Classic, and Curt Davis, who took the sprint jersey at the Housatonic Valley Classic. The team is rounded out by perennial New England strongmen Matt Svatek, Don Mills, and Chris Peck.

Team Roster

Curt Davis (Cat 1, Bethel, CT)
Dave Edry (Cat. 2, Plymouth, NH) Manager
Jon Hamblen (Cat. 1, Deerfield, NH)
Mike Jones (Cat. 1, Harpursville, NY)
Don Mills (Cat. 1, Exeter, NH)
Shawn Milne (Cat. 1, Gloucester, MA)
Jon Page (Cat. 1, Northfield, NH)
Chris Peck (Cat 1, Bethel, CT) Director
Matt Svatek (Cat 1, Carlisle, MA)
Darby Thomas (Cat. 2, Montpelier, VT)

Title Sponsors

Wheelworks (Boston area bicycle retailer) www.wheelworks.com
Cannondale (Frames and clothing) www.cannondale.com

Contributing Sponsors

Briko www.briko.com
Cinelli www.cinelli.it
Clif Bar www.clifbar.com
Defeet www.defeet.com
New Hampshire Knee Center www.newhampshirekneecenter.com
Michelin http://cycleus.webmichelin.com/
Pedros www.pedros.com
Polar Pals
Selle Italia www.selleitalia.com
Spinergy www.spinergy.com
Time www.timesport.fr
Vetta www.vetta.com

Contact: Chris Peck chris.peck@cannondale.com

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