Heiko Salzwedel Interview:

Today we announce that the Australian Institute of Sport has sacked AIS Road Cycling Coach Heiko Salzwedel. For overseas readers, and perhaps some Australian readers, the significance of this move may be lost. But let me tell you that in my opinion it means that Jonathan Hall, who recently signed a professional contract with Festina-Lotus, will be the last professional rider Australia produces for a long-time. The pipeline that Heiko created which has seen Patrick Jonker, Henk Vogels, Jonathan Hall, Jay Sweet, Alan Iacuone, Robbie McEwen, and more in recent years has been cut off.

A lot of cyclists in Australia have their own versions of the affair. They point to an alleged over-funded, under-achieving National Track program as being instrumental in the downgrading of the road program. They allege that there are petty jealousies tearing the sport apart. They allege that officialdom is out of control and they allege that it does not serve or properly promote our sport. And without naming names they allege drug cover-ups, misuse of funds and more. I may or may not present further evidence on these issues.

But whatever the riders think about all of this, the loser is Australian road cycling which has already begun its decline back into mediocrity. And isn't the Olympics here in 18 months. What a joke!

Laurie Cousins, has sent me another transcript from the ABC radio program, Grandstand with ABC sport's reporter, Tim Gabriel talking with Heiko. Here it is. Sad day here.

bill

Saturday July 4, 1998, ABC Grandstand

TIM GABRIEL: Heiko Salzwedel has been told that his services are no longer required by the Australian Institute of Sport. In recent times Salzwedel was working on establishing sponsorship and a structure for a professional Australian team. He was previously head coach of the Australian men's road team and the AIS Pro team. He was also in the news following his feud with track coach Charlie Walsh. Heiko Salzwedel is on line this morning. Heiko, how do you feel about the events this week?

HEIKO SALZWEDEL: Disappointment, of course, yeah. I mean you expect it and you think about what's going to be happening but when the day comes it's totally different when you finally get your termination of your contract. When you're finally sitting there with nothing and being unemployed - it's a different feeling I tell you.

TIM GABRIEL: Did you see it coming at all?

HEIKO SALZWEDEL: Of course you are thinking about it. You discuss with people and you find out what's going to be happening and so it's not a total surprise. Especially after the Australian Cycling Federation had already terminated my voluntary position as the national road coach half a year ago.

TIM GABRIEL: So, let's just clarify things. You were originally the head men's coach at the Australian Institute of Sport, Shayne Bannan is now in that position. You then took up a roll, after that position was terminated, trying to establish a fully professional team for Australia. Is that right?

HEIKO SALZWEDEL: Yes. That's right. Basically to re-establish the Australian professional team which has been abandoned last year (in August) by the Australian Sport's Commission.

TIM GABRIEL: So, what happens now to that team?

HEIKO SALZWEDEL: It definitely will make things more difficult and more complicated. I'm just flying out this afternoon to Europe to negotiate with some Swiss sponsors who might be interested in this team. I'm still a bit too stubborn to give up that great idea and too stubborn to just let things go.

TIM GABRIEL: So, where does your future lie, do you think, in Australian cycling? Have you got a future here now?

HEIKO SALZWEDEL: Difficult to say. Definitely Cycling Australia has no interest in working with me. The Australian Institute of Sport have been a great supporter of my whole career here in Australia. For the past eight years they have been my employer and they have supported me with a lot of things, but I think the only future what I really see is being a part of an Australian professional team.

TIM GABRIEL: Is that likely though ?

HEIKO SALZWEDEL: It's very difficult, but we have a lot of supportors. I mean cycling is such an exciting sport. It's too exciting to just be pushed aside and just it's too exciting to be ignored.

TIM GABRIEL: But, your future at the moment is very uncertain isn't it. You're flying out, you haven't got a job back in Australia, you haven't got a job over there as well. So, your future at the moment is very, very much up in the air, isn't it?

HEIKO SALZWEDEL: Very up in the air and it makes the whole thing more complicated as my family is Australian. My son lived most of his life here. He was born in Germany but he's an Aussie. My wife has pursued her own career here with the ACT Department for Land, Environment and Planning. She is working there as a civil engineer. So, it's not so easy to make a final decision.

TIM GABRIEL: Was any reason given by the Australian Institute of Sport for the termination of your services?

HEIKO SALZWEDEL: Yes. The official reason is due to re-structuring of the management of Cycling Australia the Institute of Sport reckons that my job is no longer required.

TIM GABRIEL: Are you satisfied with that explanation?

HEIKO SALZWEDEL: I'm not at all satisfied because there are still a lot of things to do with me and I'm still pursuing them. If I win the job or not and that is looking after Australia's professionals. We have eighteen riders in Europe at the moment, and most of them came through that great Australian Institute of Sport cycling program. They are still my boys and I will still continue to support them, to give them advice and to help them in their sporting careers.

TIM GABRIEL: Heiko, all the best in the furure. Thanks very much for speaking to "Grandstand" today.

HEIKO SALZWEDEL: Thanks very much. Bye.

TIM GABRIEL: Heiko Salzwedel.

Final Standings 1998 Club Competition:

  1. WV WSV Emmen             	 			  73 points
  2. WV De Hoekse Renners     	 			  57
  3. WV Omega                 	 			  56
  4. CC 75                    	 			  54
  5. WV Eemland               	 			  51
  6. GRTC Excelsior           	 			  49
  7. ZRTC Theo Middelkamp     	 			  48
  8. WV De Peddelaars         	 			  40
  9. WV De Volharding         	 			  39
 10. WV Olympia               	 			  38
 11. WV Assen/Roden           	 			  36
 12. WV De Ijsselstreek       	 			  35
 13. WV Willebrord Wil Vooruit	 			  35
 14. Pijnenburg/Snelle Wiel   	 			  33
 15. HSV de Kampioen          	 			  33
 16. WV PRC Delta             	 			  26
 17. WV TWC de Kempen         	 			  21
 18. WV Breda                 	 			  19
 19. WV Jan van Arkel         	 			  17

39th Annual Fitchburg Longsjo Classic, USA, July 2-5

The stage evened out stage wins between the dominating men’s teams. Saturn’s Brian Walton, winner of yesterday’s time trial, maintained the overall lead. Walton commented simply that a status quo was reached, "they worked, we worked." But Saturn’s team manager Rene Wenzel recognized that both Saturn and Mercury dished out mutual beatings through the 120 km race.

"Blood was shed on both sides," Wenzel said.

Saturn was in position throughout the race to make significant gains. On two occasions, breaks rolled up to about a minute’s margin, once with two and later with three Saturn riders. Each move included Frank McCormack (Saturn), who briefly became the leader on the road. But Mercury, who only had one rider in each move, brought it back together both times.

"With one guy we didn’t like the odds," Peters said. "This was a race that our whole team put in 100 percent."

He figured the Mercury squad, which outnumbers Saturn riders two-to-one in terms of race rosters, had a better chance at a field sprint.

So Peters roared past the start-finish with two to go, leading the pack around the remnants of the last break, taking Jacques Landry (Radio Energie) and one other rider away. Half later the bunch brought them back, and Peters held position in the top five. On the backstretch descent, Peters said he got swarmed by the pack when the pace lulled, but Mercury yanked him back to the front as the pace raised to tackle the hill for the bell lap.

"That hill was a real gut checker. It was a matter of how much pain you can sustain," he said.

In last year’s race, Peters had shot through the final corner first; it was a move he repeated this year. He used a short flat spot in the climb as his springboard, and crossed the lines several lengths ahead of his teammate David Clinger, who’d come from 15 riders back to take second. Trent Klasna (Navigators) was third.

In the women’s event, sprinter Karen Bliss Livingston used the Saturn women’s team’s numbers to close Laura Van Gilder (Navigators) into a box to take the stage. The 50 kms race came down to the last corner.

"Dede [Demet} and Elizabeth [Emery] went through first, with Laura on them. Liz gapped Dede a bit, and forced Laura’s hand," Bliss Livingston said.

Van Gilder, a past winner of this stage, jumped early. Bliss Livingston took her wheel for the lead-out, and released her own powerful sprint with 100 meters to go. Van Gilder muscled up the hill to second place, with Leigh Hobson (Hydro Quebec) taking third in the stage. Emery maintained her overall leader’s jersey.

Racers will tackle Fitchburg’s Mount Wachusett for Saturday’s road race stage.

Stage 2, Aubuchon-Glidden Circuit Race

Men, 120 kms:

 1. John Peters (USA) Mercury			     2.40.05
 2. David Clinger (USA) Mercury
 3. Trent Klasna (USA) Navigators
 4. Michael Barry (Can) Team Radio Energie
 5. Matthew Gould (USA) Fitchburg Cycling
 6. Torrey Marks (USA) Snow Valley
 7. Andy Rhodes (USA) Snow Valley
 8. Gord Fraser (Can) Mercury
 9. Tom Davis (USA) Jeep-Brielle
10. Skip Spangenburg (USA) Navigators)			s.t.

Overall:

 1. Brian Walton (USA) Saturn
 2. Adam Sbeih (USA) Nutra Fig 				0.17
 3. Clark Sheehan (USA) Colorado Cyclist)		0.27
 4. Mat Anand (Can) Mercury				0.37
 5. Frank McCormack (USA) Saturn			0.41
 6. Bart Bowen (USA) Saturn				0.44
 7. David Zabriskie (USA) Jeep-Brielle			0.46
 8. Mike Creed (USA) Colorado Cyclist			0.46
 9. Mark McCormack (USA) Saturn				0.55
10. Trent Klasna (USA) Navigators			0.52

Women, 50 kms:

 1. Karen Bliss Livingston (USA) Saturn		     1.14.14
 2. Laura Van Gilder (USA) Navigators
 3. Leigh Hobson (Can) Hydro Quebec
 4. Cheryl Binney (USA) Ralph’s-Klein
 5. Jen Dial (USA) CRCA-Sony
 6. Katie Compton (USA) First State Velo
 7. Deirdre Murphy (USA) CRCA-Nautica
 8. Annie Gariepy (Can) Elita
 9. Anne Samplonius (Can) Hydro Quebec
10. Cybil DiGuistini (Can) Elita			s.t.

Overall:

 1. Elizabeth Emery (USA) Saturn
 2. Dede Demet (USA) 					0.28
 3. Karen Bliss Livingston (USA) Saturn			0.39
 4. Anne Samplonius (Can) Hydro Quebec			0.45
 5. Annie Gariepy (Can) Elita				0.46
 6. Tina Mayolo (USA) PowerBar				1.06
 7. Leigh Hobson (Can) Hydro Quebec			1.11
 8. Ward Griffiths (USA) Safeway-Saturn			1.27
 9. Rydeen Stevens (USA) Safeway-Saturn			1.51
10. Maria Hassan (NZ) New Zealand			1.56

US National Track Championships, June 30-July 4

Nothstein, 27, won the keirin title for the third consecutive year. The two- time world champion controlled the event from early in the race with teammate and coach Gil Hatton, 42, right behind. Nothstein stayed out front for the last two and one-half laps and was never threatened.

"Being one-two with Gil is awesome," Nothstein said. "This means a little more than winning a championship. We’ve been friends since I was 15."

Nothstein won the men’s match sprint title Thursday and will try to add the Olympic sprint championship tomorrow during the final day of competition.

Jane Quigley (PowerBar), 28, won her fifth career women’s 3km individual pursuit title, defeating Karen Kurreck (Saturn) in the final. Kurreck led after the first kilometer of the ride, but Quigley stayed steady to earn her 12th career senior national title. Quigley finished with a time of three minutes, 40.680 seconds.

"This is very, very satisfying," said Quigley, who returned to full-time competition this season after a one-year hiatus.

Jennie Reed (Ikon-Lexus), 20, earned her first senior national title in the women’s match sprint when she defeated Chris Witty (PowerBar) in the final in two rides. Reed controlled the first ride easily, while Witty made it close in the second ride, taking Reed high on the track with three-quarters of a lap to go. Reed was able to hold off Witty -- a double medalist at the 1998 Olympic Games in speed skating -- to take the title.

"I came into this year with a lot more confidence," said Reed, who has made the transformation from being a junior national pursuit champion.

In the event’s last championship, Jonas Carney (Shaklee), 27, won the men’s points race, taking advantage of a strong team performance. Shaklee had eight riders in the 24-man final. There were two key moves in the 160-lap, 40km race as 10 riders lapped the field on each occasion. Carney was among six riders to make both breaks. He also won five point sprints during the race to finish with 32 points, topping Mike McCarthy (Saturn). It is Carney’s ninth senior national championship, but first in the points race. Shaklee finished with five riders in the top 10.

"I knew we had the numbers," Carney said. "A Shaklee guy pulled the field the whole race and didn’t chase when my brother and I were up the road."

Jame Carney, a three-time national champion in the event, finished fifth.

The EDS National Cycling Championships conclude Sunday with finals in the Olympic sprint, tandem sprint, Paralympic omnium, women’s points race and Madison.

Women’s Individual Pursuit

1. Jane Quigley (Powerbar), Encinitas, Calif., three mins, 40.680 secs; 2.
Karen Kurreck (Saturn), Cupertino, Calif., 3:44.960; 3. Erin Veenstra (BMC-
WalMart), Colorado Springs, Colo., 3:49.616; 4. Jen Evans (Team EDS), Austin,
Texas, 3:52.517; 5. Marisa Vande Velde (BMC-WalMart), Colorado Springs, Colo.,
3:51.957; 6. Megan Troxell (Shaklee), Palo Alto, Calif., 3:52.082; 7. Laura
Reed (Ikon-Lexus), Kirkland, Wash., 3:53.859; 8. Ryan Kelly (Team EDS), St.
Paul, Minn., 4:00.540; 9. Terry Ann Roach (Landis Cycling), Phoenix, Ariz.,
4:06.479; 10. Lisa Merrell (Gregg’s-Specialized), Seattle, Wash., 4:06.605.

Keirin

1. Marty Nothstein (Team EDS), Trexlertown, Pa.; 2. Gil Hatton (Team EDS),
Alburtis, Pa.; 3. Garth Blackburn (Cox Atlanta Velo), Houston, Texas; 4. Jason
Garner (Ikon-Lexus), Newport Beach, Calif.; 5. Marcelo Arrue (Cox Atlanta
Velo), Alburtis, Pa.; 6. Bill Clay (Ikon-Lexus), Gurnee, Ill.; 7. Paul Swift
(Shaklee), Kenosha, Wis.; 8. Sky Christopherson (Cox Atlanta Velo), Tucson,
Ariz.; 9. Kirk Whiteman (unattached), Brooklyn, N.Y.; 10. Mike Grabowski
(Quality Shoppe-Radius), Macungie, Pa.

Women’s Match Sprint

1. Jennie Reed (Ikon-Lexus), Kirkland, Wash.; 2. Chris Witty (PowerBar),
Milwaukee, Wis.; 3. Becky Quinn (Tri State Velo), Quakertown, Pa.; 4. Tanya
Lindenmuth (Tri State Velo), Trexlertown, Pa.; 5. Tammy Thomas (GS LaBorde),
Yazoo City, Miss.; 6. Linda Braley (Alan’s), Philadelphia, Pa.; 7. Suzie
Marshall (LGBRC), Redwood City, Calif.; 8. Sarah Hammer (Celo Pacific),
Temecula, Calif.; 9. Amber Holt (Ikon-Lexus), Torrance, Calif.; 10. Kelly
Herndon (Peninsula Velo), Kensington, Calif.

Men’s Points Race

1. Jonas Carney (Shaklee), Asheville, N.C., 32 pts (5 sprint wins); 2. Mike
McCarthy (Saturn), New York, N.Y., 26 (3); 3. Matt Koschara (Shaklee),
Carrboro, N.C., 22 (1); 4. Tommy Mulkey (Ikon-Lexus), Winterville, Ga., 17
(2); 5. Jame Carney (Shaklee), Durango, Colo., 16 (1); 6. Zac Conrad (Ikon-
Lexus), Grand Junction, Colo., 9 (0); 7. Ben Sharp (Ikon-Lexus), Indianapolis,
Ind., -1 lap, 11 (1); 8. John Walrod (Shaklee), Macungie, Pa., -1, 11 (1); 9.
Carl Sundquist (BMC-WalMart), Ft. Smith, Ark., -1, 7 (0); 10. Kent Bostick
(Shaklee), Corrales, N.M., -1, 7 (0).

Tandem Sprint, Semifinals

Mark Garrett, Arcadia, Calif., and Nick Chenowth, Plano, Texas, def. Scott
Cain, Edwardsville, Ill., and Wayne Whitesides, Avondale East, Ga., 2-0.
Sam Baker, Ventura, Calif., and Jason Orowitz, Bethlehem, Pa., def. Garth
Blackburn, Houston, Texas, and Matt King, Colorado Springs, Colo., 2-1.

Paralympic Individual Pursuit (omnium, including km TT and 200m TT)

Women’s LC 2, 3km

1. Adrienne Schmidt (Fulton Flyers), Duluth, Ga., five mins, 21.218 secs.

Men’s LC 1, 4km

1. Bruce Gordon (Road Dogs-PowerBar), South Bend, Ind., five mins, 30.302.

Men’s LC 2, 4km

1. Dory Selinger (Oaktown-Peet’s), Oakland, Calif., 5:14.984; 2. Gary Seghi
(Velocity), Austin, Texas, 5:44.178; 3. Greg Lakomski (Velocity), Austin,
Texas, 6:19.534.

Men’s LC 3, 4km

1. Rex Patrick (unattached), Englewood, Colo., 6:08.855.

Junior Women’s Individual Pursuit

1. Leah Toffolon (Fraysse’s), Lisbon, N.Y., two mins, 41.380 secs; 2. Amy
Heckman (Tri State Velo), Lancaster, Pa., 2:45.100.