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News for April 4, 2002

Edited by Jeff Jones

Bad break for Tchmil

Andre Tchmil almost saw a premature end to his career after a crash during the second stage of the Driedaagse van De Panne. Tchmil and six other riders came down after the Kemmelberg, and all went to hospital in Ieper. At first it was feared that Tchmil had broken his thigh bone, which would more than likely have meant the end of his career. However, the latest diagnosis is that he has two broken fingers, and hopes to start in the Amstel Gold Race on April 28.

Unfortunately, this means that he will miss the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix and Liege-Bastogne-Liege, the first two of which he stood a reasonable chance of winning. Tchmil, who turned 39 at the beginning of the year, had planned to retire after the spring classics season. Unfortunately, fate seems to have interrupted his plans - perhaps he will stay on for longer?

The other riders included Chris Peers (Cofidis), who at first was thought to have a broken hip, but now "only" has severe bruising, but his start in the Ronde van Vlaanderen on Sunday is very much in doubt; GP E3 winner Dario Pieri (Alessio), Kristof Trouve (Palmans-Collstrop), Paolo Bossoni (Tacconi), Daniele Bennati (Acqua e Sapone) and Robert Sassone (Cofidis).

Ekimov to make a comeback

By Sergey Kurdukov, Russian Eurosport commentator

On the flip side, the numerous fans of Viatcheslav Ekimov will breathe a great sigh of relief, as he has announced his comeback to cycling, aged 36. The double Olympic champion announced his retirement last autumn, but certainly not due to physical reasons. He took some time out and began coaching the ITERA team, and then started thinking about riding competitively again.

Although his first consideration was with ITERA, he has since reached an agreement with Johan Bruyneel's US Postal Team, and will be back in action in three months time in the Tour of Austria. That will be followed by some Spanish races in the lead up to the Vuelta and the World Championships.

The full interview is now posted on Cyclingnews. And for those of you who are thinking, aren't we a bit late? No, it's not an April Fools joke.

Sid Patterson Wheel Race preview

By Karen Forman in Melbourne

The last international track event of the Australian season - the $10,000 Sid Patterson Wheel Race in Melbourne this Saturday night - will boast an event said to be the first of its kind in the country.

Promoter Cyclists International has dreamed up a race that will pit the best wheel racers against each other in a dynamic six-lap handicap aimed at determining the Champion of Champions of the 2001-2002 Australian track scene. Open to any rider who has won or placed in a major wheel race this season, the race has attracted 18 top-class nominees.

Favourites will no doubt be the scratch markers - Brett Aitken, Shane Kelly, Darren Young and Mark Renshaw. Young, from Tasmania, won Australia's most famous wheel race, the Austral, on February 23, while Victorian rider Renshaw won the Clarence St Wheel Race in Sydney on March 2 and last month's Maurie Kramer Wheel Race in Melbourne. Olympic madison gold medallist Aitken, from Adelaide, won the Warragul (February 19) and Bendigo wheel (March 10) races and Victorian Kelly placed in every wheel race this season without a win.

Although they will start together and no doubt ride together to reel in the front markers, spectators can expect all hell to break loose when it comes time for the bell lap. These guys have been racing each other all season and they will be hungry for the win. Kelly, in particular, will want to pick up the $3000 first prize money after not managing to collect a first place during the season.

As to who will get it, is anyone's guess. CI spokesman Barry Langley suggests Forges Wheel Race (Melbourne, February 9) winner Nicholas Sanderson could be a real danger. He will ride off 20 metres and is in sizzling form. The question is, will he wait to hang on to the backmarkers as they fly through, or will he make a solo bid to get to the front?

Riding off 20 metres will be Kial stewart (ACT) and Sanderson, off 40 Mathew Heath (Vic), off 60 Tommy Nankervis (Vic), off 80, Richard England (Vic), off 90 Laurie Noonan (Vic), Andrew Rix (Vic) and Joel Stewart (ACT) , off 110 Ewin Williams (Vic), off 120, Graeme O'Neil (Vic) and off 120 Damien Lord (Vic).

Whatever happens, the Champion of Champions event should be fast and furious.

"This is the first time this kind of race has been held in Australia and it has proven very popular," Langley said.

"The aim was to have all the place getters in the major Australian wheel races over the season in the one "grand final' event and the result will be just that. It is going to be awesome."

The Champion of Champions is one in around 30 events scheduled for the program, to get underway at Vodafone Arena in Melbourne's Olympic Park district at 7pm.

The title event is the Sid Patterson Grand Prix, a final made up of the winners and placegetters in graded scratch races scattered throughout the program.

Last year's winner was Tommy Nankervis of the Carnegie Cycling Club in Melbourne.

Tickets for Saturday night's program are available by phoning Ticketek or at the door, starting from $20. An in-field bar will operate during the night.

US Team for track World Cup #1

The first round of the UCI Track World Cup will be held from April 19-21 in Monterrey, Mexico. The US team has been named for the three day event as follows:

Representing USA Cycling in the men's events are: Garth Blackburn (Houston, Texas), Jame Carney (Durango, Colo.), Adam Duvendeck (Colorado Springs, Colo.), Jeff LaBauve (Frisco, Texas), Brian Lopes (Laguna Beach, Calif.), Giddeon Massie (Colorado Springs, Colo.), Colby Pearce (Boulder, Colo.) and Mike Tillman (Santa Monica, Calif.). Tanya Lindenmuth (Trexlertown, Pa.), Erin Mirabella (Chula Vista, Calif.), Jennie Reed (Kirkland, Wash.) and Tammy Thomas (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) comprise the women's team.

Two more for Jura Suisse