First Edition News for February 12, 2003

Edited by John Stevenson

Domina Vacanze reinstated in Tour of Med

Mario Cipollini's Domina Vacanze team will start the Tour Méditerranéen tomorrow after all, albeit still without Cipo. The team has been reinstated after intervention by Claudio Santi, director of the Council of Professional Cycling of the Italian Cycling Federation. Santi appealed to the UCI for the team's participation to be enforced under UCI rules (see yesterday's news) and the UCI has obliged.

"The decision to exclude the team from the race because of the abscence of Cipollini was unjust and lacking in foundation," said Vincenzo Santoni, Domina Vacanze General Manager. "Thanks to the appeal made by Santi the UCI has fulfilled our request and reinstated the team to the Tour Méditerranéen."

Millar to make track debut at Herne Hill

The 100th edition of Britain's biggest annual track meet, the Herne Hill Good Friday meeting, is shaping up as a battle of Britain's top road cyclists. After Bradley Wiggins announced last week that he would be making the trip home for the April 18 event, Tour de France prologue winner David Millar has added his name to the roster, for his first ever track race.

The Wiggins/Millar showdown will happen in the Good Friday Meet's 10 minute pursuit, a race that's unique to this event and is known as "Roadman's Race" - its extra length compared to most track races providing a chance for road cyclists to show their stuff. Millar is looking forward to trying something new after testing with british Cycling on the Manchester track in October. "I haven't ever raced on the track but at the Manchester Velodrome I really enjoyed myself. It will be interesting to see how I get on but I'm definitely up for the challenge," he said.

Millar will have just finished the Circuit de la Sarthe in France and Wiggins has taken time out from his team to be at the event. Other stars lined up to ride include BMXer-turned-trackie Jamie Staff plus other as-yet-unnamed members of the UK and Australian track teams.

The 100th Good Friday Meeting takes place on the 18th April from 11.00am until around 5.30pm at Herne Hill Stadium, Burbage Road, London SE24.

For more information see www.hernehillcycling.com

Cipo, Millward, Evans & Grigson gear up for grabs

Cycling memorabilia donated by famous names including Mario Cipollini, Anna Millward, Cadel Evans and Mary Grigson will be auctioned during March to raise funds for the 4Wheels4Sean Trust, a charity that raises funds for people disabled in cycling accidents.

The 4Wheels4Sean Trust was created to raise to raise US$50,000 to provide a vehicle for Canberra, Australia cyclist Sean Fitzgerald, who is quadraplegic after an accident in 2000. According to Trust chairman Huw Kingston, the target is in sight after riders have given generously via events, raffles, dinners, auctions and so on.

With its original aim almost complete, the Trust has decided to continue and to offer support to any person severely disabled as a result of a cycling accident.

During March the Trust will continue its fund-raising efforts with an on-line auction of a wide range of goodies from the worlds of road and mountain biking, including a signed Cipollini jersey, signed Anna Millward World Cup jersey, signed Cadel Evans Tour Down Under King of the Mountains jersey, Mary Grigson's mountain bike from the 2000 Olympics, and lots more.

Full details in a couple of weeks when the auction gets underway, or see www.polarismtb.com.au/4w4s for full details of the 4Wheels4Sean Trust

Lurgan and Apollo merge to form Irish super-club

By Andy Layhe

The beginning of this year's Irish racing season will be remembered as a historic time as new and old come together to form the new look Apollo Cycling Team, based in Lurgan, County Armagh. Lurgan Road Club, which can claim its origins back to 1968 and Apollo Cycling Team which began more recently in 1995, have merged together to form the largest cycling team in the region.

Original members of Lurgan Road Club, Pat McGibbon, Donal Lavery and Colin Totten can all look back on 34 years of cycling history with pride as Lurgan Road Club was the beginning of many local cyclists' interest in the sport. Pat McGibbon himself, as one of the most successful local cyclists at national and international level, can list names such as Joe Hatchel, Roy Kennedy, David Wilson, Charlie and Davy Gardiner, all of whom began their cycling careers in the ranks of the Lurgan Road Club. Even four founder members of Apollo Cycling Team, Martin Rogers, Myles McCorry, John Donnelly and Mark McAlorum began cycling in the red jerseys of the Road Club. The club has a long history in the cycling world and is lead by the irrepressible Billy Stewart, who, although in his eighties still manages to keep in touch with all the goings on in the cycling world.

Apollo Cycling Team is almost the complete opposite to Lurgan Road Club which makes this merger ideal. Apollo CT, formed in 1995 by a competitive young group of cyclists who wished for a local club that did not have any affiliations, quickly grew in attracting like minded cyclists who wanted to compete and enjoy cycling. Apollo quickly stamped their name on the Irish cycling scene and became renowned for their friendly attitude and sense of fun, but were also respected as a team of competitive cyclists in road racing, cyclo-cross, mountain biking and time trialing. Apollo were instrumental in the 're-birth' of cyclo-cross in Ireland by successfully promoting the National Championships for a number of years, winning the team prize two years running with Aiden McDonald taking the bronze medal this season. The club also set up its own website (www.apolloct.com) allowing members to be updated on the latest club news and events and see photographs of themselves in races.

Last year also saw Davy Gardiner, a former Road Club member himself, selected to ride the Commonwealth Games in Manchester where he rode to a top 30 place. Whilst a Lurgan Road Club member Davy was also selected to ride the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984 but due to a serious accident was not able to compete.

There is a lot of excitement about the forthcoming racing season which is only a month away. Overall this merger will prove beneficial to Irish Cycling and local cycling alike and you never know, with a bit of good fortune, maybe the next Sean Kelly or Stephen Roche will come from the Lurgan area. Apollo Cycling Team looks forward to a very bright future indeed.

Team Chocolate Sol

Colombian under 23 squad Chocolate Sol has announced its roster for 2003. Joining the team are Samuel Cabrera (ex Cundeportes) and Ferney Bello (Aquitania), while Wilson Cepeda and Félix Castro have left to join Loteria Boyacá.

Team Roster

Mauricio Soler
Ferney Bello
José D. Bernal
Erney Casallas
Mauricio Neiza
Edwin Parra
Samuel Cabrera

Staff

Directeur sportif: Serafín Bernal
Technical assistant: Jahir Bernal

Terry team seeks rider

The Terry Precision Cycling Team is accepting resumes for a potential opening on the team roster. The Team plans to race at the Tucson Bicycle Classic, Tour of the Gila, Bisbee, Housatonic, Nature Valley, Fitchburg, Superweek, Tour de Toona, Tour of Vermont, Bermuda Grand Prix among others. If you are interested in this opportunity please send your race resume (1 page maximum) to rosie@terrybicycles.com.

IMBA announces 2003 Epic rides

The International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA) has announced its 2003 Epic Rides - four, two-day celebrations of a great trail with the two days split between trailwork on the first day and riding on the second.

Since 1999 IMBA has selected 24 routes for Epic Ride status. The four selected for 2003, and the weekend yoou can join other enthusiasts to maintain and ride them are:

March 15-16, Alafia River Epic, Brandon, Florida
May 3-4, Henry Coe Epic, Morgan Hill, California
June 14 -15, Mansfield Epic, Alliston, Ontario
September 6-7, The Nan Epic, North Conway, New Hampshire

Epic celebrations are free to IMBA members and are limited to the first 100 pre-registered riders. For more info and to register see www.imba.com.

Hi-techbikes.com swapmeet

San Diego bike store Hi-techbikes.com is hosting a swapmeet March 30 to raise money for the Leukemia Society of San Diego Bicycling Division. Cost is $5 for sellers and $2 for buyers, and the meet opens 8:00 am for sellers and 9:00 am for buyers at:

HI-TECHBIKES.COM
6162 Mission Gorge Rd. suite G
San Diego, Ca. 92120
(1/4 mile north of freeway 8 , left on Twain and swapmeet will be in the parking lot on your right just past the bank driveup.)

Essex County Velo chooses to stick with the US

The Essex County Velo club has announced its elite team for 2003 and in a wry press release, the team says it has "elected to forego the European calendar in favor of racing in the Northeast USA, including select NRC events." However, all is not lost for the team's legion of European fan, as the announcement goes on to say, "if the UCI were to ask nicely, the team would consider a trip to France in July." Over to you, Hein and Jean-Marie.

Team Roster

Christopher Benoit (Beverly, MA, Cat 1)
Cody Harple (Dartmouth, MA, Cat 1)
William Letendre (Norwich, VT, Cat 1)
Ken Dille (Somerville, MA, Cat 1)
Philip Wong (Gloucester, MA, Cat 2)
Trenton Ashburn (Somerville, MA, Cat 2)
Ben Silberfarb (Norwich, VT, Cat 2)
Ben Peters (Burlington, VT, Cat 2)
Forest Reid (Providence, RI, Cat 2)
Mark Abramson (Somerville, MA, Cat 2)
Jeff Gray (Northboro, MA, Cat 2)
Gregory Montello (Winchester, MA, Cat 3)
Jonathan Bruno (Somerville, MA, Cat 3)
Jason Knauff (Arlington, MA, Cat 3)

Sponsors

Trek (frames)
Shimano (components)
Bontrager (wheels)
Bell (helmets)
Michelin (tires)
Speedplay (pedals)
Pedro's
Smith (eyewear)
EXTRAN
Sportsbalm
VOMax
Bay Road Bikes
Riverside Cycles
Seaside Cycles
Harborside Cycles

Staff

Elite Team Manager: Christopher Benoit
Director Sportif: Jeff Gray
Assistant DS: Mark Abramson

Website: www.ecvcycling.org
Contact E-mail: chris@ecvcycling.org.

Intermountain Color Cycling Team

The Intermountain Color Cycling Team is a recently formed team for the 2003 road racing season, supported by a consortium of publishing and graphic arts companies from around the U.S., but all having roots in Boulder, CO. This is a grass roots team designed to bring corporate sponsorship back to the Colorado area. The team consists of all criterium specialists who will be focusing on the Colorado circuit as well as the national championships.

Team Roster

Robert Hicken (Boulder, CO, Cat. 1, ex Dean Bicycles)
Ryan Mcdermitt (Boulder, CO, Cat. 1, ex C.U. Cycling)
Walt White (Boulder, CO, Cat. 1, ex 7-Up)
Brent Jenkins (Sydney, Australia, Cat. 1, ex Parramatta)

Sponsors

Intermountain Color (IMC) (www.imcprint.com)
Alitibi-Consolidated (www.abicon.com)
US Ink (www.usink.com)
Pitman Company (www.pitman.com)
Pulse Fitness Center (www.boulderpulse.com)
Dr. Evan Katz D.C.

Staff

Team Director: Lloyd Streit
Team Manager: Robert Hicken
Team Physician: Dr. Evan Katz

Faulkner Honda Racing

Faulkner Honda Racing is a new amateur squad based in Harrisburg, PA, with a roster of nine Cat. 3 & Cat. 4 riders. The team' main 2003 goal is the small team category of the Pennsylvania Cycling Association's PA Best All-around Rider competition(PA B.A.R.), a series of road events from April to September. This year's schedule will include the 2003 Senior PA State Criterium Championship race, the Faulkner Honda Harrisburg Criterium, on July 12.

Team Roster

Mike Carney (Cat 3, Treasurer)
Nathan Deibert (Cat 3, Vice President)
Kevin Mowery (Cat 4)
Mike Peters (Cat 4, President)
Steve Reed (Cat 4)
Brian Rife (Cat 3)
Alex Roberts (Cat 4)
Scott Sanderson (Cat 3)
Ryan Sohmer (Cat 4, Secretary)

Sponsors

Faulkner Honda
The Hawley Company
Peters Rice Associates
King of the Mountain Cycling
Bergwerks
Arthur Funk & Sons Inc., Construction Services

(All rights reserved/Copyright Knapp Communications Pty Limited 2003)