Latest News for September 18, 2003

Edited by Chris Henry

Lance Armstrong: Soccer dad and superstar

Smiling in San Francisco
Photo: © Bob Wilson

As he celebrates his 32nd birthday today, Lance Armstrong may have drawn his racing season to a close, but he's not slowing down. After the T-Mobile International in San Francisco, Armstrong has embarked on a busy fall season to promote his new book Every Second Counts, as well as continue his work on behalf of the President's Cancer Panel and participate in the Tour of Hope, a bike tour across the United States for cancer survivors, cancer researchers and family members.

In an exclusive interview with Cyclingnews on the eve of the T-Mobile International, Armstrong reflected on a year filled with great success, highlighted by his fifth consecutive Tour de France victories, and personal struggles.

He also revealed that his racing schedule will likely change in 2004 to allow for more travel back to the United States, though the goal of winning his sixth Tour de France remains foremost in his mind.

"It will probably be different because of the situation at home," Armstrong said of his spring program. "I won't leave in February and stay (in Spain) until the Tour. I'll have to come back and spend more time here in the States so I can see my kids."

The Olympics in Athens figure into his schedule, but the timing of the games, three weeks after the Tour, do not inspire too much confidence. "All I'm thinking about is the Tour," he insisted. "Three weeks after the Tour is hard! If you said 'OK, pick the worst day for you after the Tour de France,' I might say '21 days later'. It's a hard time, so I don't know how that will exactly work."

See the full interview with Lance here.

Beltran hopes to bounce back

US Postal Service's Manuel Beltran, third overall after Stage 11 in the Vuelta a España, suffered through a bad day Wednesday and nearly lost his provisional podium place. Although ostensibly working for team leader Roberto Heras, Beltran's good form in the opening week of the Vuelta and his aggressive riding in the first mountain stages saw him bounce ahead of Heras in the general classification.

Tuesday's rest day did not smile on Beltran, however, and the Spaniard suffered on the final climb of Stage 11 to Cuenca, losing over a minute to his principal rivals.

"I didn't have a good day," Beltran said simply in a Marca interview. "I didn't handle the rest day well. I felt bad on the climb but and I tried in vain to stay with the first group."

Beltran denied feeling the pressure of his proximity to the race lead, and is ready to look ahead to the rest of the three week tour. "There are a lot of races left, and we can do better or worse."

Beloki stays prudent

Although on the mend from his serious crash in Stage 9 of the Tour de France, ONCE-Eroski's Joseba Beloki has decided to choose the path of caution, ruling out any additional racing this season. Beloki fell heavily in a turn on the July 14 stage from Bourg d'Oisans to Gap and was diagnosed with a fractured upper femur, a complex fracture of the right elbow, a simple fracture of the right finger and multiple contusions to the hip.

"I'm recuperating quickly but I have to be prudent since I risk re-injuring my shoulder," Beloki said in a Reuters report.

Hoping to make a return to racing at the final round of the World Cup, the Giro di Lombardia, Beloki ultimately decided against it and will now focus on 2004.

"I wanted to race at Lombardia, but it would be too risky considering the weather at that time of the year," he explained.

Beloki has yet to sign with a team for 2004, preferring to wait until ONCE manager Manolo Saiz exhausted all possibilities for a new sponsor before looking to other teams.

Relaxed Ullrich enjoys reception at Milan EICMA

Jan Ullrich enjoyed a warm welcome at Milan's EICMA bike show this week, paying a visit to his team sponsor Bianchi and signing autographs for the assembled tifosi. Ullrich was given a guided tour of the Bianchi stand and took a look at the company's new XL EV3 bike. He also offered some insights into the end of his current season and the coming year.

"I'm riding my last race on Sunday on then I've got three weeks holiday with my girlfriend Gaby and our baby daughter," Ullrich said. "I'm not going to ride the world championships because after the Tour de France I was a bit tired and the worlds is right at the end of the season. This year I trained less because of my knee problems and don't have the base miles in my legs to keep racing right through to October.

Ullrich acknowledged once again that his contract options for 2004 remain open, but he doesn't plan a change of teams unless Bianchi is unable to meet his requirements.

"Several teams have called my manager to ask if I want to ride for them next year but I'm happy at Bianchi and I hope to stay with them next year," he explained. "Money isn't the most important thing, I want a strong team to help me win the Tour de France."

Courtesy: EICMA

Telekom still bidding

As Jan Ullrich basked in the glow of success at the EICMA bike show, Team Telekom manager Walter Godefroot offered an additional confirmation that he is indeed seriously interested in rehiring the 2003 Tour de France runner up for the coming season. Ullrich has already announced that he is entertaining offers, awaiting clarification of Team Bianchi's plans for the next year, including sponsorship plans and reinforcements of the roster to assist the German at the Tour de France.

"Ullrich's manager, Wolfgang Strohband, gave us their conditions and our sponsors made an offer in return," Godefroot told German news agency SID Wednesday. "I could very well imagine working with Jan again. Any team would want a rider with such talent."

French world's selection wide open

With Richard Virenque off the list of possible leaders for France at the world championships, the selection the Hamilton remains wide open. Preparing to build a team not around a sole leader, but rather capable of seizing any opportunity, national selector Charly Bérard appears to have some 30 riders from which he will choose the 12 man roster. Only three men are certain for the world's team: Cédric Vasseur, Andy Flickinger, and France's last road world champion, Laurent Brochard.

France could be sending a number of younger riders to Hamilton, but not without some notable results under their belts. Flickinger pulled off his biggest win yet at the GP Plouay in August, while probably selections Samuel Dumoulin and Maryan Hary have been showing aggressive riding and excellent form this month. Dumoulin won two stages at the Tour de l'Avenir and finished the stage race in third overall, while Hary raced to a third place in the Paris-Brussels classic.

Bérard had strong words of praise for Hary, who at 23 has made a strong impression. Hary was not selected for the U23 team at the 2002 World's in Zolder, something of a mistake in the selector's eyes.

"Last year he surprised us," Bérard said in l'Equipe of Hary's talent. "We thought he was a climber and he won Paris-Tours Espoirs. You're allowed to be wrong, but only once."

"There are a lot of motivated guys," Bérard continued. "I'm not in the process of searching for 12 riders... just the opposite!"

The long list of candidates for the French national team also includes, among others, Sylvain Chavanel, Franck Renier, Walter Bénéteau, Anthony Geslin, Thomas Voeckler, Jérôme Pineau, Sandy Casar, Nicolas Vogondy, Christophe Mengin, Nicolas Fritsch, Jean-Cyril Robin, Médéric Clain, David Moncoutié, Frédéric Bessy, Patrice Halgand, Laurent Lefèvre, Christophe Edaleine, Nicolas Portal, Ludovic Turpin, Nicolas Jalabert, Christophe Moreau, Sébastien Hinault, and Pierrick Fédrigo.

Meschenmoser in coma

German amateur Christoph Meschenmoser, 20, remains in a medically induced coma after a serious crash in the Giro della Toscana in Italy. Meschenmoser crashed in the first stage from Casalguidi to Cantagrillo, after two riders in front of him crashed into a car. He suffered a break in his lumbar region, as well as some head trauma. Doctors in Florence decided to induce a coma in an effort to reduce cranial swelling.

"Given the circumstances, things are relatively good," said Hartmut Täumler, director of Meschenmoser's Hofbräu-Radler team. Meschenmoser, junior world champion in 2001, is considered to be in stable condition.

Covadonga bids for Tour

The Spanish region of Asturias is planning to bid to host the Tour de France in the coming years. Tour director Jean-Marie Leblanc is expected to visit the region in October to receive the "Price of Asturias" prize in Oviedo, where regional officials will also take the opportunity to formally submit their candidature to host the Tour in the Covadonga lake region.

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