First Edition News for February 13, 2003Edited by John Stevenson Hesjedel & Grigson stay with Subaru/Gary FisherThe Subaru/Gary Fisher MTB team has announced its team for the 2003 season and surprisingly there is little change from last year. World Cup winner Ryder Hesjedal and five-time Australian National Champion Mary Grigson are back, as is two-time Canadian National Champion Chrissy Redden. American Walker Ferguson and the United Kingdom National Champion Liam Killeen round out the team. Cycling Made Real for rookie womenCycling Made Real is a US national racing series for beginner and category 4 women. According to Liz Hanson, coordinator of the series' southeast region, Cycling Made Real "aims to grow the sport of women's cycling at the grassroots level and to make it friendlier and more accessible for beginner women by offering separate fields whenever possible, separate prizes and primes, points standings, a newsletter, and support." While the details of the full national series aren't yet at the series website, the Southeast Division has a full series of races already planned. The Southeast series site is worth a look even if you're not a female Cat.4 or beginner racer. Who can go past sage advice in the FAQ such as: "What if I get dropped in a race?" "You should have eaten your Wheaties and listened to Rammstein at a high volume before the race." Words to live by. Team Rubicon adds men's squad to LAF fund-raising teamTeam Rubicon, the women's racing team founded by Norrene Godfrey in part to raise funds for the Lance Armstrong foundation, has announced its 2003 roster, and the addition of a men's team to the 2002 women-only squad. Team Rubicon was founded by racer Norrene Godfrey after she lost her mother to cancer a year and a half ago. During her battle with cancer, Norrene's mother was inspired by the courage of Lance Armstrong who took the time to personally encourage her to persevere. To repay Armstrong's kindness, Norrene created Team Rubicon to ride in support of the Lance Armstrong Foundation and in the ten months of its existence so far, the team has raised $7,872.08. Team Rubicon's goal is to make that $20,000 by August 15, 2003. To make a donation in honor of Team Rubicon please go to: secure.laf.org/source/Donations/Donate_amount.cfm?sid=200049128 For the 2003 season, Team Rubicon has added a full regional men's squad to help developing star junior rider Dean Tracy. The team has a full national and local calendar with primary focus on one day road events and the American Velodrome Track series along with the World Cup Track Qualifiers. Team Roster Men Brian Abers Team manager: Chauncey Curl Women Annette Hanson (5 x 2002 Master World and National Champion) Sponsors Alpenrose Dairy Tasmanian bar and brewery backs Longford tourThe Launceston City Cycling Club of Tasmania, Australia has announced the addition of significant new support for its March 8-10 three-day race which will now be known as the Cascade Brewery - Lounge Bar Northern Tour. The Tour will be held over six stages including four road stages, a criterium, and a mountain stage to the top of the strenuous Poatina Climb. The total distance of the event is in excess of 300km with over 100 riders expected to compete in two separate divisions, one for A, B and C grade riders, the other for D, E and F. Thanks to support from Cascade Brewery and The Lounge Bar, plus other sponsors including Geard Cycles, Glenroys Coffee, Woods, Watch, Clock & Jewellery and Greg Crick Honda, Launceston, the race offers almost $4,000 in cash prizes. Cascade Brewery - Lounge Bar Northern Tour stagesStage 1 - March 8: Oaks Road, 53.2km Rod Hansen Memorial Half Mile handicapThis year's Rod Hansen Memorial Half Mile handicap at the Manukau Velodrome, Auckland, New Zealand will run on a 'Champion of Champions' format, according to organizer David Benson. The Rod Hansen Memorial is part of the Cycle City Valentine's Day Carnival this Friday and riders who have won major events at Manukau Velodrome this summer are prequalified for the final. There were fifteen pre-qualifying events, but with Neil Campbell having won two, and Liz Williams (who will be absent) three, there should be at least nine places in the final for other riders contesting Friday's handicap heats. Other highlights this Friday include an A-Grade 15000m Scratch race, keirins, and a best of three match sprint series between U-19 Sprint Champion Alice King, and Senior Women's Champion Donna Wynd. 2002 Sprint trophy winner Justin Grace is under pressure. Grace needs to win both of the remaining sprint events to have a chance of winning the sprint trophy for a second time. If Neil Campbell finishes second in both events, the two will tie and the trophy will go to the winner of a one lap sprint tie breaker, as it did in 2002. Prequalified riders Julian Dean (30 metres, North Island Elimination Championship Senior
Men) Other riders may qualify via handicap heats for the total 20 places in the final. Epic ride against polioStarting at the end of May this year, a group of 21 riders will make the 12,000km trek from Vladivostok in Russia to Scheveningen in the Netherlands to raise money for Rotary International's campaign against polio. The ride is aiming to raise at least 100,000 Euros toward Rotary International's target of US$80 million to help free the world of polio. For more information see the Vladivostok to Scheveningen website Litespeed debuts owners' clubLitespeed is about to launch the Litespeed Owners' Circle, complete with its own web site. This will include an owners' forum, product previews and rider image galleries. Litespeed's Herbert Krabel said "We hope to foster a sense of community" among Litespeed owners, who can pre-register at www.litespeed.com and they will be notified when the site is completed. See Tech news for more details. Schroeder Iron camps outCyclingnews was at the Schroeder Iron Team Camp this last weekend and got a chance to ride one of the Team Issue Litespeed Sirius bikes which combines titanium-enhanced carbon seat stays with a triple butted aluminum frame. Look for a full report soon as well as interviews from US Pro Champ Chann McRae and sprinter Miguel Meza on why they chose to leave the continent behind and ride in the US for 2003. See See Tech news for pics from the camp. Breitling Tradeware Cycling TeamThe New York City-based Breitling Tradeware Cycling Team has announced its roster and new sponsors for the 2003 season. Known last year as CRCA/Think Racing, the team saw victory in the Univest Grand Prix, the New York State Criterium Championship, a Master's National Championship, and an emphatic win in the CRCA Team Cup standings. The squad's new name comes from two new major sponsors, Breitling USA, a manufacturer of Swiss wristwatches, and Tradeware, a maker of online trading software. Most of the team's 2002 members have returned and the team will focus on national caliber Pro/Am events and the New York City and Northeast racing circuit. Team Roster Brian Adams (Cat I) Sponsors Breitling USA (www.breitling.com) CRCA/MAGIC-Blue RibbonNew York's Century Road Club Association has announced the formation of a new Cat 3/4 team supported by two sponsors new to cycling: MAGIC Energy Kick & Recovery Drink, a new energy drink imported from Sweden; and Blue Ribbon Restaurants, a group of five New York City eateries. The ten rider squad will focus on Northeast regional races, including the Fitchburg and Green Mountain stage races, Jiminy Peak, Tour of the Hilltowns, the Lou Maltese Classic, and the CRCA Team Cup Series in Central Park. Team Roster David Cavallo (Cat. 3) Staff Team Managers: Marc Mauceri, David Cavallo Sponsors MAGIC Energy Kick & Recovery Drink Watson goes freerideFollowing the footsteps of a number of other riders, 2002 Canadian Downhill Athlete of the Year Dave Watson has stepped away from competitive downhill racing to pursue a career in "freeriding", signing with Kona's Clump team. Watson, who has mixed downhill racing with freeriding for the past two years, recently placed 15th at the Red Bull Ride in Australia. (All rights reserved/Copyright Knapp Communications Pty Limited 2003) |
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