Aussie Road Squad for Commonwealth Games and World ChampionshipsCycling Australia today named the road squad which will form the basis of the Commonwealth Games tean in Malaysia in September and the World Championships in Valkenburg, NL in October. There are 14 riders included in the team who are racing with professional teams in Europe.Some commentators noted that the Commonwealth Games conflicts with the Tour of Spain and they expressed concern that this will certainly see some of the European based pros being unable to ride in Malaysia. Neil Stephen's Festina team has the Vuelta on its schedule for certain. [Bill notes: So what! Fancy comparing the CGs with the Vuelta] The road squad is: Nick Gates (NSW), Marcel Gono (Vic), Jonathon Hall (NSW), David McKenzie (Vic), Bradley McGee (NSW), Robbie McEwan (Qld), Scott McGrory (Qld), Stuart O'Grady (SA), Nathan O'Neil (Qld), Peter Rogers (ACT), Jay Sweet (SA), Scott Sunderland (NSW), Tristam Priem (Vic), Neil Stephens (ACT), Henk Vogels (WA), Matthew White (WA). The Commonwealth Games team will comprise 6 riders (4 road and 2 ITT), and the World's Squad will comprise 8 riders (6 road and 2 ITT). National road coach Shayne Bannan was reported as saying: "This is probably one of the strongest teams we have ever named. We'll be very competitive at both the Games and the world championships." Bit of an understatement really. The team is very strong and is comprised of several riders who have come up through Heiko Salzwedel's squad before he was deposed as National Coach by Bannan. TVM settles with Van der SteenA day before the court was due to hear a lawsuit brought against TVM by Niels van der Steen, the two parties have reached a financial settlement.Van der Steen went to the court over his dismissal from the team. At the end of last year the rider was dismissed because he rode a nonsponsored bike at the Brinta Beach Classic. Van der Steen said he had to ride the bike because the day before the beach race his frame was broken on his TVM bike. Van der Steen, who for 2.5 seasons rode in the shirt of Cees Priem's team, will ride for the amateur team Tegeltoko in the coming season. Nelissen remains adamant that he is not guiltyDanny Nelissen remains adamant that he is not guilty in the Sander's doping affair. Last Wednesday, he went to court after taking action against the Dagblad De Limburger who had used his name in the black money dealings with Sanders, a GP from Geleen, north of Maastricht.Nelissen's counsel M. Nijssen saif before the court that the newspaper's publications were unlawful. "The report of the FIOD ... [The Dutch Tax Investigators] ... was done in an underhand manner. Danny Nelissen is entitled to his privacy. His good name has been damaged. The advocate demanded rectification via an apology in the national media. "What proof is there that I am guilty." said Nelissen. "I have been named in the black money affair but the articles gave the impression that I was involved in doping. That is not right. I'm innocent of any doping and involvement with Sanders. They have never found anything on me in drug tests." A decision will be made on January 28. The Six Day season to dateWim van Rossum has been at his spreadsheet again. This time it is the 6-Day season which gets his attention.There have been 11 out of 18 scheduled 6-Day events raced in the current 1997-98 Winter season. There have been three victories for the Italians Silvio Martinello and Marco Villa and also for the Swiss pair Kurt Betschart and Bruno Risi. There have been two victories for the Danish pair of Jimmi Madsen and Jens Veggerby, and 1 victory for Etienne De Wilde (Bel) and Matthew Gilmore (Australia), 1 victory for the Danes Tayeb Brakia and Jacob Piil Storm and also for Adriano Baffi (Italy) and Andres Kappes (Ger). Silvio Martinello holds the most runner-up trophies, namely 5. If we take the UCI-points gained in this season to date we would get the following ranking:
1. Silvio Martinello (Ita) 405 points
2. Marco Villa (Ita) 342 points
3. Kurt Betschart (Swi) 335 points
Bruno Risi (Swi) 335 points
5. Jimmi Madsen (Den) 295 points
6. Jens Veggerby (Den) 287 points
7. Adriano Baffi (Ita) 245 points
8. Etienne de Wilde (Bel) 214 points
9. Matthew Gilmore (Australia) 199 points
10. Andreas Kappes (Ger) 145 points
11. Giovanni Lombardi (Ita) 125 points
12. Tyeb Braikia (Den) 112 points
Jacob Piil Storm (Den) 112 points
14. Scott McGrory (Australia) 109 points
15. Gerd Dörich (Ger) 104 points
Carsten Wolf (Ger) 104 points
17. Juan Llaneras (Spa) 100 points
18. Bjarne Riis (Den) 80 points
19. Andrea Collinelli (Ita) 70 points
20. Lars Teutenberg (Ger) 65 points
21. Lorenzo Lapage (Bel) 50 points
22. Andreas Beikirch (Ger) 44 points
23. Rolf Aldag (Ger) 40 points
M. Alzamora (Spa) 40 points
G. Curuchet (Arg) 40 points
J. Curuchet (Arg) 40 points
followed by 20 other riders with less than 40 points.
By country:
1. Italy - 1187 points - 5 riders - average: 237.40
2. Denmark - 933 points - 7 riders - average: 133.29
3. Switzerland - 705 points - 4 riders - average: 176.25
4. Germany - 589 points - 11 riders - average: 53.55
5. Belgium - 328 points - 4 riders - average: 82.00
6. Australia - 308 points - 2 riders - average: 154.00
7. France - 154 points - 8 riders - average: 19.25
8. Spain - 140 points - 2 riders - average: 70.00
9. Argentina - 80 points - 2 riders - average: 40.00
10. The Netherlands - 20 points - 1 rider - average: 20.00
World Championship Schedules and Route DescriptionsTime Trials All time trials start in the centre of Maastricht at the Vrijthof and finish in Rijksweg Valkenburg.Monday October 5, 1998 12.00 - 15.00 training Tuesday October 6, 1998 13.00 - 14.00 ladies juniors - 15,2 km 14.45 - 16.30 men under 23 - 32,9 km Wednesday October 7, 1998 11.00 - 13.00 men juniors - 23 km 14.00 - 16.30 ladies elite - 23 km Thursday October 8, 1998 13.30 - 16.30 men elite - 43,6 km Time Trial Route Decription for Elite Men - 43.6 km: Start: MAASTRICHT in front of Theater Vrijthof - Papenstraat - Bouillonstraat - Tongersestraat - Prins Bisschopsingel - Kennedybrug - Akersteenweg - Vijverdalseweg - Doornlaan - Oude Molenweg BEMELEN Oude Akerstraat - Bemelerbrug (11%) - Gasthuis MARGRATEN 't Rooth - Klein Welsden - Trichterweg - Hoenderstraat - Pastoor Brouwersstraat - Rijksweg Gulpen-Maastricht CADIER EN KEER Kerkstraat - Fommestraat HONTHEM ECKELRADE Dorpstraat - Molenweg SINT GEERTRUID Burgemeester Wolfsstraat - Julianaweg - Langsteeg MHEER Duivenstraat - Burgemeester Beckersweg BANHOLT Mheerderweg - Dalestraat - Bergstraat BRUISTERBOSCH Bruisterboschweg MARGRATEN Broenshemweg - Termaar - Sterre der Zeestraat - Rijksweg - Sprinkstraat - Eijkerstraat - Eijkerweg SIBBE Kenkersweg - Bemelerweg - Daalhemmerweg VALKENBURG Grendelplein - Cauberg (12%) - Rijksweg Valkenburg-Maastricht - finish on border Vilt/Berg en Terblijt Time Trial Route Description for Junior Women - 15.2 km: Start: MAASTRICHT in front of Theater Vrijthof - Papenstraat - Bouillonstraat - Tongersestraat - Prins Bisschopsingel - Kennedybrug - Akersteenweg - Vijverdalseweg - Doornlaan - Oude Molenweg BEMELEN Oude Akerstraat - Bemelerbrug (11%) - Gasthuis - Wolfshuis SIBBE Bemelerweg - Sibberweg VILT/VALKENBURG Rijksweg Valkenburg-Maastricht - finish (124 meter) on border Vilt/Berg en Terblijt Time Trial Route Decription for Under 23 Men - 32.9 km: Start: MAASTRICHT in front of Theater Vrijthof - Papenstraat - Bouillonstraat - Tongersestraat - Prins Bisschopsingel - Kennedybrug - Akersteenweg - Vijverdalseweg - Doornlaan - Oude Molenweg BEMELEN Oude Akerstraat - Bemelerbrug (11%) - Gasthuis MARGRATEN 't Rooth - Klein Welsden - Trichterweg - Hoenderstraat - Pastoor Brouwersstraat - Rijksweg Gulpen-Maastricht CADIER EN KEER Kerkstraat - Fommestraat HONTHEM Bruisterboschweg MARGRATEN Broenshemweg - Termaar - Sterre der Zeestraat - Rijksweg - Sprinkstraat - Eijkerstraat - Eijkerweg SIBBE Kenkersweg - Bemelerweg - Daalhemmerweg VALKENBURG Grendelplein - Cauberg (12%) - Rijksweg Valkenburg-Maastricht - finish on border Vilt/Berg en Terblijt Time Trial Route Decription for Junior Men and Elite Women - 23 km: Start: MAASTRICHT in front of Theater Vrijthof - Papenstraat - Bouillonstraat - Tongersestraat - Prins Bisschopsingel - Kennedybrug - Akersteenweg - Vijverdalseweg - Doornlaan - Oude Molenweg BEMELEN Oude Akerstraat - Bemelerbrug (11%) - Gasthuis MARGRATEN 't Rooth - Klein Welsden - Trichterweg - Hoenderstraat - Pastoor Brouwersstraat - Eijkerstraat - Eijkerweg SIBBE Kenkersweg - Bemelerweg - Daalhemmerweg VALKENBURG Grendelplein - Cauberg (12%) - Rijksweg Valkenburg-Maastricht - finish on border Vilt/Berg en Terblijt Road Races All the road races start and finish on the Rijksweg Valkenburg. Thursday October 8, 1998 10.00 - 12.30 training Friday October 9, 1998 09.30 - 12.00 ladies juniors - 68,8 km (4 laps) 13.00 - 19.00 men under 23 - 172 km (10 laps) Saturday October 10, 1998 08.30 - 12.30 men juniors - 137,6 km (8 laps) 13.30 - 17.30 ladies elite - 103,2 km (6 laps) Sunday October 11, 1998 09.45 - 17.00 men elite - 258 km (15 laps) Route Decription for Road Race - Each Circuit 17.2 kms: Start: VALKENBURG Rijksweg Valkenburg-Maastricht in front of cafe Noben - Rasberg MAASTRICHT Terblijterweg - Vijverdalseweg - Doornlaan - Oude Molenweg BEMELEN/MARGRATEN Oude Akerstraat - Bemelerberg (11%) - Gasthuis - Daalhemmerweg VALKENBURG - Grendelplein - Cauberg (12%) - Rijksweg Valkenburg-Maastricht - finish on the border Vilt/Berg en Terblijt. |