News for August 19, 2002

Edited by Jeff Jones

Meisterschaft von Zürich wrap up and comments

The podium
Photo: © AFP

The eighth round of the World Cup saw the Italians back into the fray, with Dario Frigo recording the fifth Italian World Cup win this season. Frigo took off like a rocket on the final climb of the Pfannenstiel, leaving a good quality group of 12 riders in his wake. Second place went to "Grillo" Paolo Bettini, who took over the World Cup leader's jersey in the process. And third place, showing a very good turn of speed in the group sprint was Lance Armstrong, who has often placed highly in this race

Post race quotes

Dario Frigo (Tacconi Sport, 1st)

"Last week in San Sebastian, I was in good form and today, despite the heat, my legs were good and I just gave it my all in the final. With all the top riders here today, I tried to ride my best today and I did it."

Paolo Bettini (Mapei-Quick Step, 2nd and World Cup leader)

"Sure I wanted to win again, but the main objective today was to get (World Cup) points. Frigo was really strong today and deserved to win. I was happy to be up front, especially since Museeuw and Astarloa were not with the front group."

"Freire and Cañada helped me a lot today; I was trying to just stay in the front group and Freire brought me to the front at the right time. When the team rides this well, things can only go well."

Lance Armstrong (US Postal, 3rd)

"Today was a tough race. It wasn't easy to find the right place to attack. It's been a long time since I was in a sprint, even for 2nd place and I'm happy I beat some other riders."

Museeuw abandons, Bettini into the lead

New World Cup leader
Photo: © Sirotti

World Cup leader Johan Museeuw (Domo-Farm Frites) found himself in the wrong half of the peloton when it split on the second lap. That was the last he saw of the front, eventually abandoning after 150 km. As it turned out, his main rival Paolo Bettini was in the final split when it happened on the Pfannenstiel on the last lap. Bettini couldn't go with Frigo, but used his powerful sprint to finish ahead of his 12 companions to pick up second in the race and 70 World Cup points. That meant that Bettini became the new World Cup leader on 272 points with just a two point advantage over Museeuw.

This sets things up for a very interesting finale to the World Cup. In the largely flat Paris-Tours on October 6, Museeuw has the opportunity to score more points, although Bettini is quick in a bunch sprint as well. But the final round, the Giro di Lombardia on October 19, is definitely more suited to Bettini, being much hillier than Paris-Tours.

At the moment, the odds and points favour Bettini, but it certainly looks as though the World Cup will come down to the final race this year.

Results & report
Live report
Photos

Bettini with Museeuw in 2003?

Paolo Bettini and Johan Museeuw might be rivals for the World Cup at the moment, but next year there is a possibility that they could ride for the same team. Patrick Lefevere has a verbal agreement with Johan Museeuw to join Quick Step, while Bettini is currently negotiating with Lampre-Daikin according to several sources. However, he has not committed to Saronni's team, and could return to Lefevere's side in 2003.

No Vuelta for Virenque

Richard Virenque (Domo-Farm Frites), will not be riding the Vuelta España this year. Last year, Virenque used it to get back into shape after his suspension, subsequently winning Paris-Tours. This year, the Domo rider has different objectives, "I will concentrate mainly on the one day races such as Plouay and use the month of September for preparation."

Alan Davis to ONCE

Australian rider Alan Davis, currently with the Mapei-Quick Step Espoirs team, will ride for ONCE-Eroski next year according to Globeros.com. His brother Scott already has a contract with the Italian Panaria team.

Canadians dominate NORBA XC

After demolishing the opposition in the Commonwealth Games recently, where they won both cross country events, the Canadian mountain bikers were at it again in the final round of the NORBA series in Mt Snow. In the short and long course cross country events, only the women's cross country eluded them, with Argentinean Jimena Florit winning ahead of Canadians Alison Sydor and Chrissy Redden.

In the men's cross country, Roland Green and Ryder Hesjedal finished first and second, with 5 Canadians in the top 10. In the men's short track, also won by Green from Australian Paul Rowney, the domination was even greater, with seven Canadians in the top nine. Finally, in the women's short track, won by Chrissy Redden, two of the top three spots went to Canadians.

This bodes well for them at the upcoming World Mountainbike Championships in Kaprun, Austria, where they will face stiffer opposition but are still strong chances for gold in the cross country events.

This is in stark contrast to their male road riders, with no Canadian listed in the top 400 of the UCI rankings, meaning that Canada will get zero riders in the World Championships in Zolder later this year.

First ever U.S. Women's Keirin Championship promoted by Mid-Atlantic Dairy Council

The Lehigh Valley Velodrome, which will host the 2002 U.S. National Track Cycling Championships from August 27-31, will feature as part of the program a Women's Keirin Championship. The race will be sponsored by got milk? (Mid-Atlantic Dairy Council).

Although cycling has been part of the modern Olympic Games since the first running in 1896, women did not compete until 1984 when a Women's Road Race was added. Women's track cycling was added to the 1988 Olympic schedule and since then every Olympic Games has added a Women's track cycling event. The Women's Keirin will make its debut in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens and at the World Championships in 2002. The winner of the U.S. National Women's Keirin Championship automatically represents the U.S. at this year's World Championships.

The Keirin, a Japanese invention, was first raced by the men over 50 years ago as an alternative form of paramutual betting to help rebuild the economy after World War II. In the early 1980's the Keirin took America by storm in conjunction with becoming a world championship event in 1982. The men's Keirin made its Olympic debut in 2000.

A very tactical and physical race, the Keirin features a controlled start with all 8 riders following a motorcycle. While the motor is on the track, the racers cannot pass it but can manoeuvre for position. Once the motor reaches a speed of approximately 30 miles per hour, in about 4 laps, the motor pulls off and the cyclists race for an all out sprint to the finish line.

The first U.S. National Women's Keirin competition will be hotly contested. Sarah Uhl (Perkasie, PA) has won the past two Lehigh Valley Velodrome Keirin Cups, but don't count out 2000 Olympian Tanya Lindenmuth (Trexlertown, PA) who is still the best female sprinter in the U.S. The field will be rounded out by Californian Sarah Hammer, Bethlehem's Ashley Kimmet and recent road racing convert Becky Conzelmen.

"I really like the Keirin event because it takes a well rounded athlete who can use their sprint, strength and power all at once," commented Uhl. "Winning the Keirin at Nationals is my best shot of making the U.S. team for the World Championships. I am very grateful to the Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association for sponsoring this first ever U.S. Women's Keirin Championship."

Labor Day Memorial Ride in Long Beach, CA

The Velo Allegro club is inviting cyclists to ride with them on Labor Day, Monday, September 2nd at 7:30am to remember all cyclists who have died as a result of being hit by a motor vehicle. The club will especially be honouring Jay Buchbinder, who was killed on his tandem June 30, 2002 after being struck from behind by a car. They will also be honouring the memory of Larry Hilbert of Velo Allegro and Debra Goldsmith of Velo La Grange, who each died in separate but similar incidents.

The moderately paced, neutralized ride will leave from the Long Beach Marina parking lot at 2nd Street and Marina Drive and go south on PCH to Newport Shores at Orange and PCH. The ride will return via PCH to 2nd Street and continue over the bridge to Naples Island for a free beverage of your choice and cookies at the Plantation Coffee House, 5710 2nd Street.

For more, contact Lee Myers on 562.272.0023 or newsletter@veloallegro.org. Alternatively, visit the club's website at www.veloallegro.org.

(All rights reserved/Copyright Knapp Communications Pty Limited 2002)