Cycling photography for January 2002

The Local East Coast Australian Time is plus 30 minutes

Tour Down Under
GP de Suisse - CX World Cup 5
Tour of Qatar
Fassa Bortolo Team Presentation
Lampre-Daikin Team Presentation
Buena Vista Cyclocross
Rabobank Team Presentation
Team Telekom Training Camp
Cofidis team launch
Saeco Longoni Sport Training Camp
Australian Open Men's TT Championships
Centrum Cross Surhuisterveen
Dutch National Cyclo-cross Championships
Mapei Quick Step Training Camp
Acqua&Sapone Team Launch
Nommay Cross WC
Skilled Geelong Bay Classic - NE
Tasmanian Carnivals
New Year's Day Criterium

Copyright notice: The photo's that appear here are all subject to copyright, and may not be reproduced in any form anywhere else without the owner's permission. Copies, either print or electronic, of the photographs can be requested by contacting the photographer in most cases, as email or website addresses are usually provided with the images. The exceptions are AFP photo's, which are not available for individual sale.

GP de Suisse - Cyclo-cross World Cup #5

• A mud covered Sevn Nijs raises his hands in victory as he claims first place.

Tour of Qatar

Stage 1 - January 21: Doha (Khalifa Stadium) - Doha, 117 km

• The peloton - cycles past a seafront line of palm trees in Doha

Stage 2 - January 22: Al Zubarah - Doha, 131 km

• The peloton races toward the finish line of stage 2 in Doha.
• Magnus Bakstedt (Team Fakta) takes the lead of the GC after stage 2

Stage 3 - January 23: Camel Race Track - Doha, 179 km

• Cyclists - look at camels prior to the start
• German champion Jan Ullrich - looks thrilled as he poses next to a camel
• Laurent Jalabert - sits on a camel prior to the start
• Laurent Jalabert - interviewed before the start
• The riders - pass the "Camelodrome" at the start

Stage 4 - January 24: Ras Laffan - Doha, 125.5 km

• Riders - relax in traditional Qatari settings before stage 4

Fassa Bortolo team presentation

These photos courtesy of Fotoreporter Sirotti

• The Bortolo boys looking restless waiting for the presentation to start.
• The Fassa Bortolo team at their 2002 team presentation.
• Francesco Casagrande practices his evil eye on the photographers.
• The team stand while a local priest leads the room in a prayer.
• The team looking rather dapper in their suits.
• Michele Bartoli and new Fassa Bortolo rider Sven Montgomery talk to the press.
• Francesco Casagrande presents the 2002 team issue Pinarello at the launch.
• The Fassa Bortolo uniform and Pinarello bike the team will use in the 2002 season.
• The 2002 Fassa Bortolo team with team sponsor Paolo Fassa.
• Team sponsor Paolo Fassa with Giovanni Pinarello.

Photos by Roberto Bettini

• Michele Bartoli , back from Mapei
• The Fassa Bortolo team for 2002
• Team sponsor Paolo Fassa with two of his star riders; Michele Bartoli and Francesco Casagrande.

Lampre-Daikin team presentation

• Lampre-Daikin files out. The press looks disappointed at the lack of semi-nude girls.
• Lampre-Daikin team members demonstrate their 'sitting in chairs' abilities.

Buena Vista Cyclocross

All photos by Steve Smull

• Adam Craig (Devo) - gets some air while powering thorugh the field.
• Adam Craig - racing whith Buena Vista club locals before he goes to the Cyclo-cross Worlds.
• Brent Prenzlow (Celo Pacific) - runs through some track obstacles.
• Thad Sparrow - looks to be enjoying the track.
• Thad Sparrow - takes a big charge down the hill.

Rabobank Team Presentation

Bert Geerts was there for Rabobank's team launch and supplied these images

• New recruit Levi Leipheimer
• Beat and Markus, the Flying Zberg Brothers
• Geert Verheyen and Marc Wauters make up the team's Belgian posse
• Michael Boogerd seems to be unable to wait any longer for lunch
• Michael Boogerd and Levi Leipheimer are introduced
• Erik Dekker looking very serious
• Steven De Jongh, Karsten Kroon & Marc Lotz all looking delighted to be on Planet Rabobank
• Boogerd and Leipheimer are clearly enthralled by proceedings
• The junior team
• New Rider Ronald Mutsaars, Roy Sentjens & Erik Dekker
• The mud boys - cyclo-crossers Sven Nijs & Richard Groenendaal
• Jan Raas - Rabobank team manager
• Geert Verheyen & Marc Lotz checking their schedule for 2002
• Orange tulips to welcome Levi Leipheimer to the team

Team Telekom Training Camp

These photos are courtesy of AFP

• Jan Ullrich is given some advice from his trainer Peter Becker.
• Jan Ullrich and Peter Becker preparing for the 2002 season.
• Jan Ullrich takes new professional riders Dirk Reich and Stefan Schumacher for a training ride.

Cofidis team launch

Photos by AFP and Daniel Schamps respectively

• Nico Mattan Andrei Kivilev, David Millar and Arnaud Tournant model their new racing suits.
• Arnaud Tournant and Arnaud Duble show off their favourite numbers in the world.

Australian Open Men's TT Championships

Thanks to Scott Moro for these pre-flight pics.

• Brett Lancaster looks down the road
• Brett Lancaster sits up in the start house and takes a deep breath
• Craig McCartney gets ready for take-off
• Lee Godfrey warming up next to his sponsor's product
• Nathan O'Neill just before proving he's Australia's fastest against the clock
• Nathan O'Neill concentrating on the task ahead
• Nathan O'Neill warming up before the off
• Michael Rogers either looking thoughtful or trying to dislodge a scrap of breakfast from a molar.
• Kristjan Snorrason used his full aero rig to good effect for fourth place
• Tom Leaper moments before the off
• Russell Van Hout lets out one last big breath

Centrum Cross Surhuisterveen

Thanks to Bert Geerts for letting us use these photos

• Wim De Vos (SpaarSelect) - waits at the starting line.
• Gerben De Knegt (Rabobank) - staying ahead of the bunch.
• Wim De Vos (SpaarSelect) - flys through the obstacles.
• Richard Groenendaal (Rabobank) - stays with De Knegt for the Rabobank 1st & 2nd
• Richard Groenendaal (Rabobank) - gave the race everything he had and took home second place.
• Richard Groenendaal - Gerben De Knegt and Peter Van Santvliet take the podium.

Dutch National Cyclo-cross Championships

The following photos are courtesy of Michel Fontan

• Daphny van den Brand - takes the Dutch National Cyclo-cross title
• Daphny van den Brand - on the podium
• Corine Dorland - Daphny van den Brand and Debby Mansveld take the podium.
• Daphny van den Brand - with boyfriend Johan van der Ven

Saeco Longoni Sport Training Camp

This shot of the Saeco team by Roberto Bettini

• First, the Saeco team get the bull's attention - then the real workout begins.

These photos by Marco Massetti

• The 2002 Saeco team in training.
• Danilo Di Luca and Gilberto Simoni at work preparing for the new season.
• Mirko Celestino and Salvatore Commesso practicing their climbing.
• Danilo Di Luca stretches his legs.
• Gilberto Simoni with his new team.

Mapei Quick Step Training Camp

These photos by Fotoreporter Sirotti

• Paolo Bettini and Oscar Freire - say hi to the photographers before starting their ride.
• Paolo Bettini - in team colours.
• Oscar Freire - posing in his team shot.
• Bettini and Freire - lead the Mapei team on their training ride.

Photos by Roberto Bettini

• Belgian super-sprinter Tom Steels - gets ready to train with the 2002 team.
• Oscar Freire - seems quite cozy in his rainbow jersey.
• The Mapei men - head out in their trademark colours
• Olympic MTB champion Miguel Martinez - prepares for a season on the road.
• The view that Mapei - hope will be most seen by the rest of the peleton in 2002.
• Paolo Bettini and Oscar Freire - stretch their legs.

Acqua&Sapone Team Launch

Photos by Roberto Bettini (probably rated M).

• As the Acqua&Sapone team launch started more than one guest wasn't sure if they were in the right place.
• What the?
• Soccer star Ronaldo seems a little surprised at the opening show also.
• Mario Cipollini puts his playboy image in danger if he keeps paying more attention to the bike...

Photos by Fotoreporter Sirotti

• Mario Cipollini shows off the new Acqua&Sapone uniform and Specialized E5.
• For some reason everybody else decided they wanted to be on Cippo's team too.
• Italian Soccer star Fabio Galante, man of the night Mario Cipollini and Soccer god Ronaldo hold an impromptu smiling competition.
• Brazilian Soccer superstar Ronaldo and Italian MTB legend Poula Pezzo stop for a photo break.
• The crowd starts to wish they happn't asked Mario to wrap the night up with a song...
• Acqua&Sapone: the gear, the bike, the superstar.

Cross World Cup #4 Nommay, France

Photos by Patrick Nijs

• Richard Greonendaal (Ned) gets ready at the start line.
• Mario De Clercq (Bel) before the race, looking composed.
• Sven Nys (Bel) sticks to the inside of the track.
• Erwin Vervecken (Bel) leads Nys and De Clercq at the end of lap one.
• If the cold is bothering Sven Nys (Bel), he doesn't let it show.
• Mario De Clercq (Bel) starts to show some strain as the race goes into the final laps.
• Richard Greonendaal (Ned) hammers his way to third place.
• Erwin Vervecken (Bel) looks in great shape as he gets closer to taking the win.
• Racers eager to get going
• A cold start to the heated racing
• The snags were warm in the French cold
• De Clercq ahead of Vervecken early in the race
• Sven Nijs ploughing trough the French countryside
• Vervecken breaks away from Richard Greonendaal, Jiri Pospisil, and Mario De Clercq
• Vervecken powers away from the rest
• Sven Nijs only managed a tenth spot
• Spectators lined the course despite the cold
• Vervecken takes it home
• The podium: de Clercq, Vervecken, and Groenendaal
• Sven Nijs is still ahead in the world cup standings

Tasmanian Carnivals

Photos kindly supplied by Lynne Ryan

Burnie

• Perhaps two future champs - Alitta Laskey and Jacob Fielding
• Belinda Goss - wins the 2002 Harvey Norman Ladies Scratch Race
• Mark Jamieson - winner of the Brambles Shippping Burnie Wheel
• Mark Jamieson - the clear winner of the 2002 Betta Milk 2000m Handicap
• Jason Johnson - takes out the 2002 Australian Paper 1000m Lightning handicap from Andrew Rix 2nd and Josh Simpson 3rd
• Shane Kelly - wins the Russell-Smith Basslink Kierin Final to make a clean sweep of the 4 Kierin Races held over the Carnival series

Devonport

• Belinda Goss - Winner of the Womens' Cycling Handicap at Devonport
• Kym Smoker Mersey Wheel Placegetters - 1st Keiichi Maruyama, 2nd Makoto Tanabe, 3rd Ron Crawford
• Hugh Williams - Winner of the Junior Division 3 Wheelrace

Launceston (Track)

• The scratch men line up
• The tense moments - just prior to the start
• The track is just a blur - as the racers race past

Latrobe

• Shane Kelly wins - the 2001 J. Boag & Son Sid Patterson Memorial A. grade Scratch Race

New Year's Day Criterium

Photos of this annual pro/am event in Queensland by Tim Francis/Cyclingpics.com

• Riders line up at the start. The Beemer was not competing.
• The bunch looking orderly on the first lap
• The bunch gives chase after the early break slips away
• The early break: Scott Sunderland, Ben Litchfield, Robbie McEwen, Jason Philips
• Robbie McEwen's powerful sprint gave him second place
• Nick Gates in the bunch
• Jason Philips rode a canny race, lapping the field twice.
• The podium (L to R) - Ben Litchfield, Jason Philips, Robbie McEwen

Want some more?

For more cycling photography, with events such as Rocket Parts Xmas Cross, US cyclo-cross nationals, Be Active Cycle Instead Perth Criterium Series, United Youth Sports cyclocross race, Vlaamse Druivenveldrit, Overijse, Sven Nijs, Australian XC MTB national series #6, Skilled Bay Classic launch, SuperCup Round #3 - Cat. 3 Baltimore, USA, Cyclo-cross World Cup #3 - CDM Wortegem-Petegem, Lampre-Daikin team presentation please consult our monthly archives