News for October 31, 2002Edited by Jeff Jones Ballerini will go to HamiltonItalian national technical director Franco Ballerini will go to Hamilton, Canada to scope out the course for the 2003 World Road Championships, which will be held between October 6-12. Ballerini will travel together with U23 director Antonio Fusi, and women's director Rosario Fina next Monday, November 4. "I'm curious to see the course and I'm thinking of taking my bike to experience it personally," said Ballerini. "It will be a useful trip to get an idea of what is in store for us at next year's World's, with the title finally regained and a team finally big enough like we saw at Zolder." USPS start preparation in AustinThe US Postal Service team will start next season's preparation for in Austin, Texas with a training camp programmed for early December. "On the menu are training rides and a respectable number of hours devoted to fitness," said team leader Dirk Demol according to Belgian teletekst. Demol also commented on the status of Tom Boonen, who has still not decided whether he will stay at USPS or go to Quick Step and pay a buyout fee. "At the moment it is not clear. The contract is valid through 2003, therefore he is still with us at the moment." Belda on Botero: no bad blood, but a contract is a contractVicente Belda is adamant that there is no bad blood between him and Santiago Botero, who is being courted by Team Telekom at the moment, despite being under contract for 2003. "Botero is a Kelme cyclist until December 2003 and this is the story with him for next season. The lot of Kelme is with Santiago, especially for the Tour," said Belda in an interview with Colombian daily El Pais. "I worship Santi - as everyone in the international peloton knows," added Belda. "As a sportsman and as a person he is marvellous, and I treat him as a leader. With everything that has passed anyone would think that I have a feud with him, but nothing could be further from the truth." "I don't know what has happened," added Belda. "What is clear is that we have given him a proposal for the improvement of his contract, because when a cyclist wins what Santiago has, he should be able to improve his income. However he wants a change of air, of team and finally he wants us to give him contractual liberty." "We cannot let him go because tomorrow another rider with the same thing will leave...The contracts are there to be complied with, the same as the clauses." Botero has an offer from Telekom, but it will cost 750,000 euros to buy his way out of Kelme. "What is happening with Santiago is natural. He is successful, he won the Classique des Alpes, two stage in the Tour, another in Spain and now the World's. Logically it appears that the "happy couple" want to change things," finished Belda. Conconi doping case postponedThe court case involving Professor Francesco Conconi, accused of supplying doping products to a number of athletes, has been postponed until December 5, 2002. Conconi's lawyer asked for his client to be released on the grounds that the "sporting fraud" law did not exist in Italy at the time Conconi allegedly injected riders and other top sports people with EPO in the early 1990's. The case against Conconi has been in progress since 1999. Vlaanderen T-Interim completes its line upBelgian Division II team Vlaanderen T-Interim has announced its complete line up for 2003. Seven riders will join the team and seven will leave, keeping the total number of riders at 20. The team has signed Mapei's Matthew Gilmore and Fredrick Willems, Domo's Steven Kleynen, and neo-professionals Bart De Spiegelaere, David Meys, Jef Peeters and Wouter Van Mechelen. Leaving the team are Yoeri Beyens, Kris Gerits, Jurgen Guns, Wesley Theunis, Danny Van Capellen, Andy Vidts and Kipcho Volckaerts. The full roster is as follows: Ben Berden (Bel) Rossner and Arndt sign for NürnbergerGerman team Nürnberger has signed two of the world's top female cyclists: Petra Rossner and Judith Arndt, both from Team Saturn. Rossner was the winner of the World Cup this season, and is ranked 4th in the world, while Arndt won several major stage races (Tour de Snowy, Tour de l'Aude, HP Women's Challenge) and finished the season in 5th place. Nürnberger is aiming to be the "Team Telekom" of women's cycling, and is capitalising on the popularity of women's cycling in Germany. So much so that the insurance company pulled its sponsorship of the Division II men's team at the end of this season. The team also includes reigning cyclo-cross World Champion Hanka Kupfernagel, Australian road champion Margaret Hemsley and Swedish TT champion Jenny Algelid-Bengtsson. Rochelle Gilmore signs for Acca Due OAustralian sprinter Rochelle Gilmore has signed her first professional contract with the Lithuanian registered team Acca Due O. The contract is for one year with an option for two more years. The team was interested in Gilmore at the beginning of this season, however she chose to stay with the Australian Institute of Sport in order to have "...more freedom to prepare specifically for the Commonwealth Games and World Track Championships." Acca Due O renewed their interest in September, by which stage Gilmore also had interest from several other teams, including Saturn. Despite the prospect of racing with Anna Millward, Gilmore opted for a more European base, as Saturn will mainly concentrate on the US domestic calendar next season. "After spending two years on full scholarship with the Australian Institute of Sport I am extremely happy and excited to be moving into a professional team," she said. "The AIS has been a great program for the development of young riders, it allows us the opportunity to experience international racing and competition in foreign countries at the same time as we learn about living in Europe away from our normal home environment for six months of the year." "This year I finished 5th overall on the 2002 World Cup Rankings without a supportive campaign with the AIS. My goal with my new team Acca Due O is to move my World Cup ranking to No.1. I am pleased to say that if I could choose any team in the World to help me achieve this goal, it would be Acca Due O!" Gilmore will be based in Treviso, Italy next season along with most of the other riders in the team.
Carrie Tuck signs for RONAThe RONA Cycling Team has announced that Canadian cyclist Carrie Tuck signed with them for 2003. Born and raised in Alberta, but now residing in Victoria, B.C., Carrie Tuck (22) has been competing for 11 years. "I was really motivated very early," says "My dad and my grandfather were both avid cycling fans!" Tuck has competed on the track and in mountain biking - she was the Canadian junior MTB champion and earned three top ten finishes at the world junior championships. Having discovered road racing in 2000, she now admits a preference for time trialing. She won the time trial gold medal at the 2001 Canada Games, as well as silver in the road race. Despite a collarbone injury this year, she placed well in several road events, including a third place at the Delta Road race and a second place at the Canadian criterium championships, right behind RONA's Andrea Hannos. "I knew Team RONA, having raced against Raphaële Lemieux at the Canada Games in 2001, and against Amy Jarvis and Manon Jutras at the Tour of White Rock this year," said Tuck. "I saw how much they improved by being with RONA. Joining RONA is such a great opportunity for me, I'll sure work hard to contribute to my new team!" Poggio to feature in Tour of the MedThe Tour of the Mediterranean will feature the Poggio climb, the well known finishing climb used in Milan-San Remo. The Tour of the Med will take place from February 12-16, 2003, while Milan-San Remo is programmed for March 22. The Netherlands wants Tour start in 2008The Dutch region of Rijnland is hoping to host the start of the 2008 Tour de France. A collective of the region's political and business leaders have drawn up a plan for the bid, which if successful would be the fifth time that The Netherlands has hosted the start of the Tour. The starting places for the next few years have more or less been determined already by the Tour organisers, thus 2008 is the first available year. Verge Mid-Atlantic Championship Cyclo-Cross Series: Rounds 6 & 7The Mid-Atlantic region will feature two rounds of the Verge Mid-Atlantic Championship Cyclo-Cross Series this weekend. On Saturday, the UCI ranked Lancaster 'Cross sponsored by Sportsbook.com will be on the menu in Pennsylvania, and on Sunday action continues in New Jersey with the Highland Park Cyclo-Cross. The Lancaster 'Cross course is one where the ability to ride fast matters more than superior technical skills, and riders pass within sight of the main viewing areas five times per lap. Action can be viewed from all angles including the entrance and exit of a large sandpit. Located approximately 1 - 1.5 hours from both Baltimore and Philadelphia, the venue is expected to draw riders from several regions. Racing starts at the Sportsbook.com Lancaster race at 11am. Elite Women race at 2:30pm and Elite Men take the course at 3:30pm. On Sunday, the racing moves to New Jersey for the third annual Highland Park Cyclo-Cross race. Promoted by the Highland Park Hermes and Rutgers University cycling teams, the race benefits the Highland Park Volunteer Fire Department. The course, set in a park overlooking the Raritan River, is fast and varied, with road, sand, grass, barriers, and a steep run-up. Racing kicks off at 10am and the Elite Women take the start line at 1pm. The Elite Men's race follows at 2pm. In the Elite Men's field, Marc Gullickson (Mongoose/Hyundai) returns to town looking to repeat his Mid-Atlantic win of two weeks ago. Expected to show up with Gully is teammate Todd Wells (Mongoose/Hyundai) who is the defending U.S. National 'Cross Champion. Both have been having great early seasons and have put on an impressive display of teamwork in the Verge New England Series. Carmen D'Alusio (Clif Bar) is red-hot right now in the Elite Women's races and has every intention of continuing her dominating win streak. D'Alusio won back to back UCI races in Delaware two weeks ago and continued that streak last weekend in New England at the Cycle-Smart Amherst International race. Rumour has it that this weekend teammate Gina Hall will be making her first Mid-Atlantic appearance. US Collegiate and U23 National Champion Alicia Genest (Richard Sachs) is expected on race day and Christine Vardaros (SallySpicer.com) is also making the trip to the Pennsylvania. D'Alusio is in a tie with First State Velo Sport rider, Josie Shew for the Verge series lead. D'Alusio won the Verge leader's jersey after winning both the Wooden Wheels at Granogue race and the Monkey Hill race. But, a combination of the absence of D'Alusio from All Hallows Cross and a strong ride by Shew, allowed Shew to gain enough points to tie for the lead. Other contenders in the battle for the Verge leader's jersey include teammates Sami Fournier and Diana Gilliam (Snow Valley) and junior rider Thais Silva (Dogfish). For race details or additional series details, please go to For more information, visit: www.monkeyhillcs.com/mac 2002 Verge Mid-Atlantic Championship Cyclo-Cross Series November 2: Lancaster 'Cross (UCI) Lancaster PA
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