First Edition News for February 25, 2003Edited by Jeff Jones Wellens gives his team a choiceThe future of cyclo-cross team Spaar Select hangs in the balance, with World Champion Bart Wellens holding the key. Wellens has given the team a choice: keep him and Erwin Vervecken, and bring new riders in the team, or let him go, meaning that the team would probably fold. He has a contract through 2004, but he says without a proper team around him he will not stay. Wellens wants to bring his brother Geert to the team, and in addition to Vervecken, keep Peter Van Santvliet and Wim Jacobs, the latter two having not been offered an extension of their contracts yet. If he leaves the team, then the new Roger de Vlaeminck managed John Saey-Deschacht 'cross team would likely be his destination. Dierckxsens sickDespite winning the GP d'Ouverture La Marseillaise at the beginning of this month, Landbouwkrediet - Colnago's Ludo Dierckxsens is not having an ideal start to the season. He is currently suffering from the 'flu, which threatens to prevent him from starting in Saturday's Omloop Het Volk. The 38 year old is taking antibiotics until Wednesday, and hopes that he will be able to get a long training ride in this week. However he will not be able to train over the parcours with his teammates. 61st Vuelta Ciclista a la Comunidad ValencianaBy Jeff Jones Taking place between Tuesday, February 25 and Saturday, March 1 is the 61st edition of the Spanish stage race, Vuelta Ciclista a la Comunidad Valenciana. Given a fairly modest 2.3 ranking by the UCI, the Vuelta Valenciana has a long tradition, first being run in 1929 in November. It moved to its present dates in February/March in 1956, and has since become an important part of the early season race program. The five stage race starts with a 9.7 kilometre individual time trial in San Vicent Del Raspeig, and this will define the classification for the stages to come. The second stage from (Xorret del Cat�) Castalla to Vila-Joiosa is a mountainous 160 km journey, containing the Cat. 1 climbs of Alto de Tudons (at 42 and 126 km) and the Cat. 2 climb of Alto de Confrides (at 112 km). There is quite a long descent into Vila-Joiosa after the second climb of Alto de Tudons, but the sprinters will certainly have to have their good climbing legs on today make it to the finish in front. Stage 3 from Onda to Port De Sagunt again contains a Cat. 1 climb with 34 km to go, this time it's the Alto del Garb� (5.3 km at approx. 8% with some sections of 14%). If that wasn't enough to shake the morale of the sprinters, the fourth stage from Sagunt to Alto Del Campello finishes on a climb, the main part of which is 5 km long and averages 6.6%, with some 14% sections. The final stage is a not so hilly 165 kilometres around Valencia, with two Cat. 2 climbs to break the monotony. If they haven't already, the sprinters will be able to shine in this stage. GC Riders to watch include last year's winner Alex Z�lle (Team Coast), Danilo Di Luca (Saeco), Richard Virenque (Quick Step), Pedro Cardoso (Milaneza), Javier Pascual Llorente (Kelme), Dario Frigo (Fassa Bortolo), Giampaolo Caruso (ONCE), Michael Boogerd (Rabobank). For the sprinters, Mario Cipollini (Domina Vacanze), Erik Zabel (Telekom), Alessandro Petacchi (Fassa Bortolo), and Angel Edo (Milaneza) should all be prominent. The teams: Fassa Bortolo, Coast, Cofidis, ONCE, ibanesto .com, Rabobank, Telekom, Kelme, Saeco, Domina Vacanze, Phonak, Milaneza, Euskaltel-Euskadi, Relax-Fuenlabrada, Paternina-Costa De Almeria Labarca-2 Caf� Baque, and Quick Step-Davitamon. The stages Stage 1 - February 25: San Vicent Del Raspeig ITT, 9.7 km Stages announced for 38th Tirreno-AdriaticoThe seven stages of the 38th Tirreno-Adriatico were presented today in the Auditorium del Comune di S. Benedetto del Tronto, for the race that takes place between March 13-19. Organised by RCS Sport and La Gazzetta dello Sport, the "Race of the Two Seas" is of key importance for Italians preparing for Milan-San Remo on March 22. It also overlaps with Paris-Nice, but both races carry a Hors Categorie rating and are thus equivalent in terms of UCI points. The seven stages this year do not include any time trials, something of a departure from tradition. Starting on March 13 with a 178 km stage from Sabaudia-Sabaudia, the race travels 1235 km over the next week, via Tarquinia, Foligno, Ortezzano, Rapagnano, Torricella Sicura and finishing in San Benedetto. There are two mountain top finishes: stage 5 (to Rapagnano) and Stage 6 (to Torricella Sicura). 20 teams of eight riders will contest the race as follows: Alessio, Ceramiche Panaria Fiordo, Cofidis, De Nardi-Colpack, Domina Vacanze-Elitron, Fassa Bortolo, Formaggi Pinzolo Fiave-Ciarrocchi, Gerolsteiner, iBanesto.com, Lampre, Landbouwkrediet Colnago, Lotto-Domo, ONCE-Eroski, Phonak, Quick Step-Davitamon, Rabobank, Saeco-Longoni Sport, Sidermec, Team CSC, Team Telekom The stages Stage 1 - March 13: Sabaudia-Sabaudia, 178 km 33rd Menton - Savona previewJust a few days after the completion of the Giro della Liguria for professionals, the Societ� Ciclistica Liguria Sport is organising the 33rd edition of the Menton-Savona, a 144.7 km race reserved for Elite and U23 riders. 200 riders from 26 teams will start at 11:50 outside Stadio Rondelli in Menton, racing via Ventimglia, San Remo, Arma di Taggia, Imperia, Capo Berta, Capo Mele, Laigueglia, Alassio, Loano, Pietra Ligure, Noli, Vado Ligure, and Savona. With 15 km to go, the riders will hit a 370m climb on Via alla Str�, and this will be one of the key points in the race. The field includes Trofeo Caduti di Soprazocco winner Gianluca Cavalli, as well as other members of Fabio Borghesi's Italian U23 national team. Also the top three riders from the 2002 edition of Menton-Savona, Roman Luhovyy, Antonio D�Aniello e Paride Grillo, will be present. Teams and main riders Pratesi San Paolo Saeco (Borghesi, Checchi, Rohtmer) Past winners 2002 Roman Luhovyy (Ukr) Stronger local scene for Aussie womenBy Karen Forman in Geelong
Australian elite women's cycling has never been healthier, or happier. According to two of the coaches working with the girls through Cycling Australia, the State bodies and the Australian Institute of Sport - Gary Sutton and James Victor - the sport is offering more elite competition on home soil and more opportunity for development onto the pro scene. As well, it is friendlier, with a more unified approach between the States. And, it's better organised. However, Sutton and Victor, who are managing the FRF Couriers NSWIS and AIS Australia teams respectively at this week's inaugural Geelong Bellarine Tour 03, recognise there is still a way to go, particularly when the women's scene is compared to the men's. For Sutton - "Sutto" to those close to him - it's been a long time coming. But now it's happening, he's reveling in it. He's particularly happy about the opportunity for his girls to compete in this tour, which features 80 riders from all over the world. "Take this race," he says. "Each girl is here for a different reason. Young Kate (Nichols, 18 year old daughter of Olympic gold medallist Kevin) is here to learn. She rode well yesterday (in the first-stage crit) and today (in the second stage 84km road race) is struggling to hang in. But she's learning." "Also, we have got Rochelle (Gilmore - who last year won the Australian points and scratch race championships and the Bay Criterium Series) in the team, which is great for the young riders like Kate. It's a great stepping stone for the under 23 riders. Then, for the sake of the sponsors, we want to get someone on the podium. That's the bottom line. We have Olivia Gollan wearing the leader's jersey which is great, especially considering the international competition we have here." James says the scene is "still evolving" but that for the past few years, Australian cycling had been able to provide the steps to land riders in Europe on the pro scene. There are currently 10 Australians riding in Europe on the pro scene. And there's more to come. "This race has replaced the Tour de Snowy but plans are in place to have another Cooma (NSW) tour next year as well as the Geelong Tour (Vic), as a leadup to the World Cup," he said. "We'd like to make it four to five days and there's a chance this one might also be extended to four days. That would be two international women's tours, here in Australia, before the World Cup round. That would be fantastic. Cycling Australia is involved with coordinating the calendar so programming would be effective." Sutto says with more elite racing now available at home, he is encouraging first and second year seniors to stay home in Australia rather than facing the expense of going to Europe just yet. "There is enough racing and development available now for them not to go away for the first couple of years, as they used to have to do, and get settled into work or study," he says. "I think the stepping stone into seniors is still too great." James believes the key to the renewed solidarity is communication, which he says has never been as healthy. "Before, there was always interstate rivalry, but now everyone has got the big picture in mind," he said. "In fact, the rest of the world is envious. What we take when we go to Europe is different. It has taken 20 years to get to where it is and a major part of it is Shayne Bannan, who has really got the communication going." "It's the same with the men. There are now career opportunities in Europe with the Italians, and Gary's Francaise de Jeux [development team with NSWIS] and we want to see it happening for the women as well." Gary adds that it's "absolutely fantastic...it started when Shayne took over. Everyone is getting on well." It is obviously working too. Gollan, from James Victor's team, has worn the leader's jersey for the past two days. And another Australian, Margaret Hemsley, won today's second stage for her new German-based professional team, N�rnberger Versicherung. Fuji adds track cyclists
Fuji America has signed the current US U23 Track Champions, Bobby Lea and Kyle Wamsely, to its European based T3 Pro Team, Team Fuji Bikes. The US National Racing Calendar (NRC), historically a road only series, will include three men's track cycling events in 2003; the 10 Mile Dash for Cash on June 27, the Bicycling Magazine Madison Cup on July 11, and events at the USCF National Track Cycling Championships between August 26-30. All events will be at the Lehigh Valley Velodrome in Trexlertown, PA. "The new Track Program will help Team Fuji Bikes gain important NRC points here in the U.S. as well as support the Olympic sport of track cycling," said Fuji's sponsorship coordinator Tracy Lea. The Lea/Wamsley madison pair will be looking to defend their overall title in the T-town Enduro Track Series as well as win the 2003 Madison National Championship after their bronze medal performance in 2002. Both riders will be splitting their time between US Track Cycling events and their European road racing calendar. Czech MTB national cup programCzech 4X Cup 2003 May 11: Sumperk - Rapotin, Round No.1 Czech DH Cup 2003 April 13: Bystrice pod Hostynem, Rounds No.1&2 Other events October 18: Marosana BikerCross & Dirt Jump & Freeride Party, Benatky nad Jizerou (6th season ending at Michal Marosi's hometown) (All rights reserved/Copyright Knapp Communications Pty Limited 2003) |
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