News for December 28, 2002

Edited by Jeff Jones

Lotto-Domo finalise budget

Merckx and co. get contracts

The Lotto-Domo team can at last be completed for 2003, with manager Christophe Sercu announcing that the team will meet its six million euro budget. That means that Axel Merckx, Serge Baguet, Leif Hoste and Gert Steegmans will all get contracts, bringing the team's roster to 22 riders. Axel Merckx's father Eddy expressed his relief, telling Het Nieuwsblad that "I am satisfied. I had almost run out of patience. I have immediately conveyed the good news to Axel, who is in California for training at the moment."

It was hoped that a third sponsor (Euphony) would come on board to increase the team's budget from five to six million euros, but as that deal was looking unlikely, the team's two major sponsors Lotto and Domo have pledged to contribute an extra 500,000 euros each to avoid any shortfall. Sercu is still looking for a third sponsor, "Who that will be is not yet certain...We can prepare for the season completely at ease."

Lotto-Domo's first training camp will be on January 17 at Calpe, Spain. Some riders will be absent due to the Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under (January 21-26) and the Tour of Qatar (January 31-February 4).

The contracts of the remaining four riders will be signed on the weekend, and everything is expected to be in order by Monday, according to Sercu. The team will thus consist of: Serge Baguet, Christophe Brandt, Hans De Clercq, Glenn D'Hollander, Christophe Detilloux, Nico Eeckhout, Gorik Gardeyn, Nick Gates, Leif Hoste, Thierry Marichal, Robbie McEwen, Axel Merckx, Koos Moerenhout, Gert Steegmans, Leon van Bon, Stefan van Dijck, Kevin Van Impe, Peter Van Petegem, Wim Vansevenant, Ief Verbrugghe, Rik Verbrugghe and Aart Vierhouten.

Colnago Christmas Cheer

By Tim Maloney, European editor

Colnago and Squinzi
Photo: © CN

Cyclingnews.com was invited to Colnago World HQ in Cambiago, Italy on the Saturday before Christmas for Ernesto & Co.'s annual Christmas bash for friends and the extended Colnago family.

"It's a long-time tradition here," explained Alessandro Colnago, Ernesto's nephew and a key part of his marketing team.

Among the luminaries at the festa di natale was 81 year old Fiorenzo Magni from nearby Monza, a long time friend and supporter of Colnago. Dr. Giorgio Squinzi of Mapei s.p.a. and his wife were also on hand as well to celebrate the final moments of their successful collaboration with the Mapei cycling team.

"I'm very happy everyone could attend," Ernesto Colnago told cyclingnews. "I want to wish all of my friends all around the world 'tante auguri' and 'buon anno'."

Images by Tim Maloney/Cyclingnews.com

• Colnago's Christmas present to team sponsor (and major cycling enthusiast) Nicolo Pirera of Olympus Italia was a brand new, personalized CF3 Colnago Ferrari road bike!
• Ernesto Colnago and Giorgio Squinzi enjoy a laugh at Colnago's Christmas party. Squinzi still has passion for cycling and his long and successful collaboration with Colnago was evident by the many World Championship and World Cup jerseys bearing the Mapei name on display at Colnago WHQ.
• Prior to the buffet luncheon, Don Antonio Mazzi, a noted Milanese priest and founder of the Fondazione Exodus said mass in Colnago's plant.
• An elegant Giuseppe Sarroni exchanges Christmas greetings with a fellow Colnago Christmas party goer. While Sarroni's Lampre squad might ride another bike brand for business reasons, he is still close to his old friend Ernesto Colnago.
• 82 year old Fiorenzo Magni, who has worked with Ernesto Colnago for half a century, wishes Italian television a Merry Christmas. Alongside Magni, who was three-time consecutive winner of the Tour of Flanders, three time Italian champion and Giro d'Italia, are Italian national soccer coach Trappatoni, and Sandro Gamba, former Italian national basketball coach.
• Ho Ho Ho! How would you like to find this new Colnago-Ferrari mountain bike under your tree? Check out the revised photo graphics on the top tube.
• Colnago direttore commerciale Luciano Fusarpoli spreads Christmas cheer

Rotterdam wants Tour start in 2005

The Mayor of Rotterdam has written to the organiser of the Tour de France to request that his city be allowed to host the start of the Tour in 2005. In that year, Rotterdam will also be organising the World Judo Championships and World Baseball Championships.

Carney leads Tassie pointscore

By Rod Morris

American Jame Carney has opened a sizeable lead in the new Hahn Light Ice A Grade Rider of the Series award, which is part of the Telstra Country Wide Tasmanian Christmas Carnivals. Carney won both the 8000 m and 16,000 m A Grade Scratch races at Latrobe on Boxing Day and has earned the maximum 10 points on offer. Carney leads from Tasmanian riders Nathan Clarke and Matthew Gilmore, who took the two runner-up positions to Carney on Thursday.

The new award, will include all A Grade Scratch events at the TCE series, which incorporates carnivals at Launceston, Devonport and Burnie. Telstra Country Wide has sponsored similar awards for male and female runners and the leading axeman of the carnivals.

Tooheys Hahn Light Ice A Grade Scratch Cyclist of the carnivals

1 Jame Carney             10             
2 Nathan Clarke            3             
3 Matthew Gilmore          3             
4 Robert Wilson            3             
5 Jeff Hopkins             2             
6 Stephen Rossendell       1

Ladd on top of prizemoney stakes

With a purse of $8000 for winning the Patrick's Latrobe Wheel on Boxing Day, Bendigo cyclist Damian Ladd has shot to the top of the Sports Carnivals Association of Tasmania's Order of Merit. Ladd has official earnings of $8250 after also picking up victory in the E Grade Scratch and has a monster lead of more than $5000 from American scratchman, Jame Carney ($3090).

The SCAT OOM continues throughout the Telstra Country Wide Tasmanian Christmas Carnivals and will continue till the season ending St Helens Carnival on January 18.

Third on $2600 is unheralded Wagga rider Brenton Crawley, who finished second to Ladd at Latrobe, while new Rosebery Wheel winner Adam Hartley is officially fourth with earnings of $1975 and is the best placed Tasmanian. The only other rider to top the $1000 mark so far is Launceston based veteran Laurie Venn, who won the time honoured A. J. Clarke and Sons Handicap at Boxing Day.

SCAT Order of Merit rankings

1 Damian Ladd          $8250	
2 Jame Carney          $3090	
3 Brenton Crawley      $2600	
4 Adam Hartley         $1975	
5 Laurie Venn          $1360	
6 Nathan Clarke         $845	
7 Robert Wilson         $715	
8 Ryan  Johnson         $670	
9 Daniel Cutting        $645	
10 Michael Johnson      $645	
11 Dwayne Smith         $500	
12 Clint Johnson        $450	
13 David Oliver         $400	

Praties Tasmania Launceston Wheelrace

By Rod Morris

Newly crowned Latrobe Wheel champion, Damian Ladd has incurred the maximum penalty from Tasmanian senior track handicapper Peter Coventry. Ladd (25), a carpet layer from Bendigo in Victoria has been re-handicapped 30, 60 & 90 metres over race distances of 1000 m, 2000 m and 3000 m respectively for the remainder of the Telstra Country Wide Tasmanian Christmas Carnivals, which continue on Saturday with action at the Launceston Silverdome Carnival.

Ladd said he was philosophical about his new mark. "I certainly didn't expect to lose only a few metres, not after winning Australia's richest track handicap," he said.

In Bendigo, Ladd's club handicap over 3000 m is 200 m, but he won the $12,000 Latrobe Wheel off a liberal 315 m. Ladd will now contest the 2000 m Praties Tasmania Launceston Wheelrace from 150 m, instead of the 210 m, he was originally listed for. He will ride in the second of six heats.

Because of the re-handicap, Ladd has been overlooked by the Sports Carnivals Association of Tasmania's team of cycling experts, which includes former Burnie Wheel winner Grant Atkins, ex-Latrobe Wheel champ Graeme Hodskiss and sports journalist Rod Morris. The trio of SCAT experts are split on who they think will win the Launceston, each coming up with different selections.

Atkins has opted for little known Victorian Clint Johnson, while Hodskiss has chosen volatile scratchmen Graeme Brown, who is only in the State for one carnival and Morris believes another scratchman - Luke Roberts - will greet the judge.

Roberts won the Launceston Wheel back in 1993 and is the reigning Tour of Tasmania titleholder and like most topline Australian riders has enjoyed a wonderful year. At the World Track Championships in Denmark, Roberts won gold in the teams pursuit and silver in the individual pursuit and at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester was part of the gold medal 4000 m pursuit team, which rode a new world record time.

Other possible Launceston Wheel candidates from the SCAT panel include Jame Carney, Brenton Crawley, Matt Goss and another unknown Victorian, Nathan Kean.

The TCW Carnivals will continue after Launceston with the two night Devonport Carnival and then culminating with the Burnie New Year's Day Carnival.

Other riders to incur the slash of handicapper Coventry include Latrobe Wheel runner-up Brenton Crawley (20 m, 40 m, 60 m), A. J. Clarke & Sons Handicap winner Laurie Venn (15, 30, 45) and Rosebery Wheel winner Adam Hartley (15, 30, 45).

Di Biase eyes stage victories in LTDL

Moreno Di Biase, the stocky Italian sprinter who won two stages in this year's Tour de Langkawi, will be back to taunt his rivals as he prepares to stamp his mark again in the Telekom Malaysia Le Tour de Langkawi 2003.

Combining experience, speed and power, the 27 year old Italian will be the fast man for Italian Division II team Formaggi-Trentini in the 10 day race. It will be Formaggi's fourth consecutive appearance in the Tour. Apart from Di Biase, Formaggi will bring three familiar faces - Italians Antonio Rizzi, Domenico Gualdi and Colombian Hectar Mesa - in its bid to tighten up their challenge and improve on their 14th overall placing this year.

The presence of three new signings this season - Rinaldo Nocentini (ex-Mapei and Fassa Bortolo), Elio Aggiano (ex-Mapei) and Biagio Conte (ex-Saeco) - will further reinforce Formaggi's hopes in both the sprints and overall competition. Nocentini is no stranger to the Tour, having won two stages in the 1999 edition.

Among the local cycling enthusiasts, Di Biase needs no introduction following his exploits in sprint finishes in previous editions of the Tour. "It would be good for me to win a few more stages in Malaysia. Since I first rode here with Cantina Tollo in 1999, I've developed a liking towards the country and hopefully, 2003 will bring with it better luck for me," said Di Biase.

With seven wins under his belt, Di Biase, who finished fourth overall in the sprints competition in LTdL 2002, has been one of the most consistent performers in the race. He has won stages in Tour of Japan and Tour of Slovakia and this year, Di Biase has three wins to his credit. This includes winning two stages in Tour de Langkawi and a stage in Brixia Tour (ranked 2.3). His first win in Malaysia came in 1999 when he won stage 5 in Port Dickson. Winning two stages (one each in 2002 and 2001) in Giro d'Italia were by far Di Biase's biggest achievement since turning professional in 1998.

In the mountains, Formaggi will be looking at former Mapei riders Rinaldo Nocentini and Elio Aggiano to inspire and shake up their rivals. Nocentini had sweet memories in Malaysia, posting a back to back stage wins with the then Mapei team in his debut appearance in the 1999 edition. The Italian won Stage 9 from Kuala Terengganu to Kota Bharu and Stage 10 from Pasir Mas to Gerik.

With six career victories, Aggiano comes with strong credentials as an all-rounder. He notched stage wins in three major races this year - Danmark Rundt (2.2), Tour du Poitou Charentes et de la Vienne (2.3) and International Uniqa Classic (2.3). Aggiano has also posted stage wins in Volta a Galega (2.2) and Trofeo Palmanova-Calvia, a 1.4-ranked race.

Meanwhile, former Mapei rider Antonio Rizzi, at 23rd overall was the team's best finisher this year, will also be the contender for the overall title.

Formaggi Trentini for LTDL

Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita), Moreno Di Biase (Ita), Biagio Conte (Ita), Elio Aggiano (Ita), Antonio Rizzi (Ita), Domenico Gualdi (Ita), Hector Mesa (Col)

CSC team presentation live

On Saturday, December 28 at 15:30 European time, the CSC team for 2003 will be presented in Denmark. Riders will be flown in from all over the world to be presented to the fans, with the presentation able to be seen live on the internet at www.csc-tiscali.com. During the presentation, the team's best moments from 2002 and exclusive footage from its first training camp in Lanzarote will be shown.

Deportment for cyclists

Being a professional cyclist is not just about riding the bike - that is only half of the equation. Presenting a good image to the fans and media is the other half, but this is not necessarily something that comes naturally. Thus, the Spanish Association of Professional Cyclists (ACP) decided to organise a three day course to teach professional cyclists how to conduct themselves properly, much to the relief of a certain Podium Girl.

The course was run by a company that specialises in teaching politicians and businessmen how to improve their image, and was attended by five cyclists: Jon Odriozola, Felix García Casas, David Navas, Nacor Burgos and José Antonio Pecharromán.

"Cyclists have poorer images than the majority of sportspeople," said the agency's director Flor Regueira (a modern day Mr. Turveydrop) to AS. "We have tried to instill in them the importance of the correct use of language, external appearance, gestures and the postures to improve their personal images, which will have a positive result within their teams and in cycling."

Other cyclists were invited, such as Heras, Beloki, Mercado and Mancebo, but they did not attend. However, there will probably be a second running of the course in future.

Source: AS

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