News for March 24, 1998

Bjarne Riis out of Catalan week

Bjarne Riis will not start in the Catalaanse Week. The Danish rider has still not recovered from a broken hand. The injury was incurred at the beginning of February when he fell during training. He planned to begin again during Paris-Nice which started on March 8. But the 1996 Tour winner cannot train hard still. Every time he attempts anything significant the injury flares up again. He has told his team manager Walter Godefroot (Telekom) that he now hoped to be available for the Tour of the Basque Country starting on April 6.

Germany, GP Warnsteiner, Rund um Rhede, March 22

Elite, 164 kms:

 1. Paul van Schalen (Ned) P&O-Löwik-Giant	3.47.08
 2. Michael van der Wolff (Ned) Gerolsteiner
 3. Gerben Löwik (Ned) P&O-Löwik-Giant

Women, 72.5 kms:

 1. Cristine Mos (Ned) Hartol
 2. Chantal Beltman (Ned) Greenery
 3. Sandra Rombouts (Ned) National Team Ned
 4. Mirjam Melchers (Ned) National Team Ned
 5. Viola Paulitz (Ger)

Rolf's Diary

March 21, 1998 - Milan San Remo

I was very satisfied. I could follow on the Cipressa, the Pioggo and even in the last kilometer. It was a pity it was not possible to leave the group on my own and so i became 'only' 15th. I make me nervous a little but, but i know now for sure i belongs to the strongest riders and i hope now that everybody know that with winning the Tirrono only with 50 riders wasn't a present for me.

March 22, 1998 Lloret de Mar, Spain

I had a complete rest day. I think I deserve it. I don't want to be too tired for the Setimana Catalan. Hope to get a good place in the overall standings. Maybe in the top 10. But a stage-victory is okay too. We'll see. I know about my Milan San Remo that i'm not satisfied. I had the power, i think there was more in for me.

Australian Track Squad

This is the team that has been announced by Australian team selectors to contest track events at the World Championship at Bordeaux in August and the Commonwealth Games in Malaysia in September. The omission of Stephen Pate, Australian Madison Champion and the inclusion of Bradley McGee has caused a furore in Australian cycling already since the team was announced on Saturday evening. 

Men

B Aitken (SA)
N Clarke (Tas)
B Cooke (Vic)
D Day (Qld)
S Eadie (NSW)
J Kersten (NSW)
B Lancaster (Vic)
T Lyons (SA)
B McGee (NSW)
S O'Grady (SA)
L Roberts (SA)
M Rogers (ACT)
G Sharman (WA)

Women

K Barrow (Vic)
A Burns (SA)
M Ferris (Vic)
L Higginson (Vic)
L Tyler-Sharman (WA)

Junior World Championship, Cuba

Men

A Cox (NSW)
J Dajka (SA)
A Davis (Qld)
D Hunt (NSW)
B Kersten (NSW)
K Jensen (Qld)
D Pell (Vic)
J Rogash (Qld)

Women

A Burns (SA)
R Demarte (Vic)
R Hubbard (SA)
A Wright (ACT)

A story by Micheal Stevens appeared in the Herald Sun, a Victorian Newspaper (Monday March 23) which is relevant to the Pate controversy.

Stevens reports that "National Cycling coach Charlie Walsh has hit back at allegations made yesterday by Victorian Stephen Pate. Pate has vowed to take his non-selection in Australia's Commonwealth Games squad to the courts."

Pate was reported as saying: "I'm not going to sit back and take it any more. I will get legal advice and see what I can do." Pate had told a radio reporter the day before that Walsh had used the AIS squad to exact a vendetta against him which began in 1992.

Stevens writes: "Pate also claims Walsh instructed fellow members of the Victorian team, Baden Cooke and Brett Lancaster, who are also members of the Australian Institute of Sport squad, not to help him during Saturday nights 40 kms points score event."

Pate scored the most points but came second to Brett Aitken who took a lap out of the field.

Walsh has been reported by Stevens as saying that it was "Absolutely and totally incorrect that he had threatened Cooke and Lancaster with exclusion from the Australian team if they helped Pate in the points score event."

Walsh said: "My instructions have always been that I prefer to seem them go out and have a go themselves. Even when two cyclists are in a world or Commonwealth Games race, we don't go into an event setting one rider up."

Pate on the other hand is reported by Stevens as saying: "Charlie Walsh instructed all AIS riders to ride against me in both events, last night's scratch race and tonight. Now that's totally unfair. He instructed Victorian riders not to help me out when it's state versus state here. He instructed those riders that if they didn't screw me around in the race they would be left out of the team themselves. Now that's totally unprofessional."

The hint of vendetta stems from the Stuttgart disaster when Pate and Carey Hall tested positive after taking medals in the professional sprint. Walsh would not deny this nor affirm it.

Stevens reports Pate as saying: "This is not the first time. In 1986, I finished first, second and third in three Commonwealth Games events, but was still left out. I'm not financially well off to fight the system, all I'm asking for is a fair go like everyone else. I'm 34, I've only got a little while left, why aren't I given a fair chance?"

How much credence is there in the claims made by Pate about team riding against him. The Nationals are based around State teams. Riders go to the Nationals as State riders not as members of the AIS or any other combine. The Victorian Team Manager, Barry Langley was asked about the matter, and in particular about the allegations made against Cooke and Lancaster - that they had ridden against Pate.

Stevens reports that Langley said that both riders would find it difficult gaining selection in Victorian teams again after their performance on Saturday night in the points race.

Langley: "If I have any say in it, they will never be selected for Victoria again."

[Bill notes: Hmmmm!]

Interestingly, in a press release some years ago by Kathy Watt the issue of consistency in National track team selections was raised. It followed the Atlanta Games 3000m women's pursuit debacle which say Watt reinstated in the team after the Court for Arbitration for Sport ruled that she had been unfairly treated by the National Body in their selection processes. The reasons for the decisions were not to be made public unless both Watt and the ACF agreed. Only Watt agreed to make them public and so the reasons as to why the selections were unfair is still a secret to this day.

The concern that remains is over the lack of objective selection criteria. This is a sport that is taking more than 1.2 million dollars from the public purse. And almost every time there is a major event a selection scandal develops. The same allegations are made every time.

They are that a rider should know what they have to do in advance to gain selection. That unless there is injury or sickness, then the rider who satisfies the objective criteria should be selected. There have been too many cases where objectivity has been found wanting and the image of our sport is being continually tainted.

The allegations that have never been satisfactorily put to rest are that unless you choose to live in Adelaide and train there in the AIS program and go on expensive trips to Mexico (not to increase your RBC though) then you have Buckley's chance of being selected in a National track team. Pate is the current Australian Madison champion. He isn't considered good enough though to ride the Worlds as our representative. Who is good enough if it isn't the National Champion? Readers should note that the Australian Madison Championship, which is contested at the Bendigo meeting, is a really tough "rough-house" race to win. Pate did that.

Perhaps it is time that the Australian Sports Commission and the Sport's Minister entered the fray and asked a few questions. After all it is our money and our sport.

Weekend Roundup

Huijbergen

 1 Van der Tang    100 km in 2.18.40
 2 Leys
 3 Boekhout

Oud-Vossemeer

Men:

 1 Havermans       100 km in 2.19.40
 2 Fransen
 3 Boonstoppel

Women:

 1 Teutenberg (Ger) 60 km in 1.29.11
 2 Mansveld
 3 Paulitz (Ger)

Haarsteeg

 1 Van der Veen    100 km in 2.18.57
 2 Verwey
 3 Jansen

Lemelerveld, National MTB

 1. Paulissen (Bel)         52 km in 2.05.11
 2. Dekker (Doetinchem) 		0.01
 3. Smeets (Elsloo) 			0.46
 4. De Knegt (Tilburg)			1.38
 5. De Louw (Oss) 			2.01

Women:

 1. Ravenstijn (Wijchen)    32 km in 1.20.03
 2. Dorland (Eerbeek) 			3.41
 3. Sollaart (Alkmaar)			5.02
 4. Rotteveel (Doetinchem) 		5.37
 5. Van Loon (Apeldoorn) 		5.42

Peter Verbeek back

Peter Verbeek will make a comeback to cycling - as a team leader. The former leader of the Foreldorado Golff-team will be starting with the German Gerolsteiner team. He will be with his former team-riders Michael van der Wolf and Raymond Meijs. Verbeek will share the resposibilities with two other team managers and will split up the races accordingly. "Gerolsteiner does a double program so there will be enough possibilities for all of us." he said.

RAI Derny in Amsterdam - Early Contracts

Four riders are already contracted for the Dernyrace RAI Amsterdam on May 17: Frank Vandenbroucke, Johan Museeuw, Franco Ballerini and Leon van Bon.

Sea Otter Road Race, California, March 21

Trent Klasna (Navigators) and Clara Hughes (Saturn) came from behind to capture the overall titles in the Mavic Elite Road Stage Race at the SRAM Sea Otter Classic Saturday.

The stage race was just one of the multitude of events going on at Sea Otter, site of the USA Cycling Grand Slam Fest which features road, track, BMX and mountain bike events.

Klasna, Pine Valley, Calif., made up a 13-second gap over Gord Fraser (Mercury), Ottawa, Ont., Canada, by driving a four-rider break to the finish line at the end of 90-mile Vredestein Road Race. Klasna led a group which included Danish mountain biker Jorgen Petersen (Corrateca), Chann McRae (Saturn), Austin, Texas; and Thurlow Rogers (Mercury), Van Nuys, Calif.

"I just pulled the last lap of the circuit trying to get some time," Klasna said.

Peterson won the final sprint, edging ahead in the final 30 meters, while Klasna crossed in fourth place and stopped to check his watch. He got just enough time, beating Fraser -- who finished with the next group -- by 13 seconds to finish in an overall tie. Klasna won the tiebreaker, based on cumulative overall placings.

"We haven’t defended a lead yet this season," Fraser said. "We made some mistakes today."

Hughes took advantage of some good timing and a mixture of race fields to vanish from the women’s field en route to a two minute, 50-second victory. On the last of three laps through the course on Ft. Ord, Hughes attacked through the feed zone right as the women’s field mixed in with another men’s category and the men’s professional category.

"I feel I raced it fairly," Hughes said. "I just tried to keep my line, cut the corners and look ahead."

While Hughes was out in front, her teammate Karen Kurreck, Cupertino, Calif., effectively hampered the efforts of the other five chasers -- Emily Robbins (Celestial Seasonings), Wauwatosa, Wis.; Ralph’s-Klein teammates Cheryl Binney, Los Angeles, Calif.; and Joan Wilson, Palo Alto, Calif.; Swede Marie Holjer (Jane’s Cosmetics) and Linda Jackson (Saeco-Timex), Napean, Ont., Canada -- to bring Hughes back.

"We were chasing, but Karen did a great job of blocking," Binney said.

Kurreck edged Robbins in the final sprint and finished second overall in the stage race, giving the two-rider Saturn team the top two spots. A number of top North American riders were absent due to upcoming action in New Zealand and Australia.

"These races are so tough without the numbers," Hughes said. "There’s a lot of girls riding really well right now." 

Men, 150 kms:

 1. Jorgen Peterson (Den) Corratecca	     3.27.26
 2. Chann McRae (USA) Saturn			s.t.
 3. Thurlow Rogers (USA) Mercury		s.t.
 4. Trent Klasna (USA) Navigators		s.t.
 5. Derek Bouchard-Hall (USA) Shaklee		0.13

Final Overall:

 1. Trent Klasna (USA) Navigators	     5.04.13
 2. Gord Fraser (Can) Mercury			s.t.
 3. Thurlow Rogers (USA) Mercury		0.12
 4. Frank McCormack (USA) Saturn		0.22
 5. Derek Bouchard-Hall (USA) Shaklee		s.t.

Note: Klasna wins the overall due to lower cumulative placings.

Women, 85 kms:

 1. Clara Hughes (Can) Saturn		     2.31.27
 2. Karen Kurreck (USA) Saturn			2.50
 3. Emily Robbins (USA) Celestial Seasonings	s.t.
 4. Marie Holjer (Swe) Jane’s Cosmetics		s.t.
 5. Linda Jackson (Can) Saeco-Timex		s.t.

Final Overall

 1. Clara Hughes (Can) Saturn		     4.05.33
 2. Karen Kurreck (USA) Saturn			2.41
 3. Marie Holjer (Swe) Jane’s Cosmetics		2.43
 4. Joan Wilson (USA) Ralph’s Klein		2.57
 5. Emily Robbins (USA) Celestial Seasonings	3.00

U.S. National Racing Calendar Standings, March 22

Men:

 1. 194  Trent Klasna (US) Navigators
 2. 193  Gord Fraser (Can) Mercury
 3. 183  Jonathan Vaughters (US) US Postal Service
 4. 110  Cadel Evans (Aus) Volvo-Cannondale
 5.  90  Levi Leipheimer (US) Saturn
 6.  87  Julian Dean (NZ) Mercury
 7.  85  Derek Bouchard-Hall (US) Shaklee
 8.  82  Chris Wherry (US) Saturn
 9.  76  John Peters (US) Mercury
10.  62  Eric Wohlberg (Can) Shaklee
11.  60  Tyler Hamilton (US) US Postal Service
12.  60  Bart Bowen (US) Saturn
13.  58  Eddy Gragus (US) OilMe-Klein
14.  55  Scott Moninger (US) Navigators
15.  54  Thurlow Rogers (US) Mercury
16.  53  Kirk Willett (US) Mercury
17.  48  Steve Larsen (US) Schwinn-Toyota
18.  44  Frank McCormack (US) Saturn
19.  40  David Clinger (US) Mercury
20.  40  Clark Sheehan (US) Colorado Cyclist
21.  38  Mike McCarthy (US) Saturn
22.  36  Chann McRae (US) Saturn
23.  31  Roberto Gaggioli (Ita) OilMe-Klein
24.  31  Sean Bragstad (US) Start to Finish
25.  28  Colby Pearce (US) Colorado Cyclist
26.  27  Chad Gerlach (US) OilMe-Klein
27.  26  Antonio Cruz (US) Nutra Fig
28.  25  Todd Littlehales (US) Navigators
29.  23  Fred Rodriguez (US) Saturn
30.  21  Billy Innes (US) Kissena
31.  20  Johnny Bairos (US) Ikon-Lexus
32.  20  Shawn Cronkhite (US) 7-Up
33.  19  Zach Conrad (US) Ikon-Lexus
34.  18  Olin Bakke (US) Shaklee
35.  18  T. Burke Swindlehurst (US) Nutra Fig
36.  14  Andy Bishop (US) Gary Fisher
37.  11  Chris Fisher (US) OilMe-Klein
38.  11  Danny Pate (US) Colorado Cyclist
39.  10  Floyd Landis (US) Chevy-Trebron
40.  10  Mariano Friedick (US) Saturn
41.  10  Jorgen Petersen (Den)
42.   9  Mark Walters (Can) Mercury
43.   8  John Lieswyn (US) GoMart
44.   8  Kevin Monahan (US) Century Road
45.   8  Steve Tilford (US) Specialized
46.   7  Nikolai Semenchine (US) Atlanta Cyclery
47.   6  Greg Walker (US) Vegas Cycling
48.   6  Erik Saunders (US) Balance
49.   6  Jonathan Page (US) U.S. National
50.   6  Michael Sayers (US) Mercury
51.   6  Adam Livingston (US) 7-Up
52.   5  Adam Payne (US) Cox Atlanta Velo
53.   5  Paul Martin (US) Navigators
54.   4  Curt Davis (US) Kissena
55.   3  Ernesto Lechuga (US) Ikon-Lexus
56.   3  Mark McCormack (US) Saturn
57.   3  Chris Pic (US) Atlanta Cyclery
58.   2  Michael Rasmussen (Den) Trek-VW
59.   1  Andy Wilson (US) Vegas Cycling
60.   1  Skip Spangenburg (US) Navigators

Women

 1. 253  Clara Hughes (Can) Saturn
 2. 161  Karen Kurreck (US) Saturn
 3. 136  Mari Holden (US) Cratoni-Hawk
 4. 116  Pam Schuster (US) Saeco-Timex
 5. 100  Marie Holjer (Swe) Jane's Cosmetics
 6.  93  Linda Jackson (Can) Saeco-Timex
 7.  90  Alison Sydor (Can) Volvo-Cannondale
 8.  79  Joan Wilson (US) Ralph's-Klein
 9.  72  Alison Dunlap (US) Team GT
10.  63  Leigh Hobson (Can) Shaklee
11.  61  Emily Robbins (US) Celestial Seasonings
12.  60  Nicole Freedman (US) Shaklee
13.  57  Susy Pryde (NZ) Saeco-Timex
14.  56  Julie Young (US) Fanini
15.  56  Nicole Reinhart (US) Shaklee
16.  52  Karen Bliss Livingston (US) Saturn
17.  50  Elizabeth Emery (US) Saturn
18.  50  Cheryl Binney (US) Ralph's-Klein
19.  33  Tina Mayolo (US) PowerBar
20.  32  Sue Palmer (Can) Haro
21.  32  Aleka Skouras (US) Ralph's-Klein
22.  32  Brenda Brashears (US) PowerBar
23.  32  Laura Mullen (US) Safeway
24.  29  Kendra Wenzel (US) Saeco-Timex
25.  25  Tana Stone (US) Bingham's
26.  24  Dede Demet (US) Saturn
27.  24  Tammy Jacques (US) Schwinn-Toyota
28.  21  Carmen Richardson (US) HeadShok
29.  20  Aileen Loe (US) Start to Finish
30.  19  Jennifer Evans (US) Team EDS
31.  18  Julie Hanson (US) Saturn
32.  16  Maureen Kaila Vergara (US) Shaklee
33.  16  Louisa Jenkins (US) Shaklee
34.  14  Annette Kamm (US) Fuji Racing Team
35.  13  Keri Silk (US) Start to Finish
36.  13  Ward Griffiths (US) Safeway
37.  12  Alla Epifanova (Cze) Volvo-Cannondale
38.  11  Jeanne Golay (US) Schwinn Paramount
39.  10  Bettina Younge (US) unattached
40.  10  Leslie Tomlinson (Can) Polo Sport
41.  10  Cynthia Ferguson (US) Stanford
42.   9  Melanie McQuaid (Can) Rocky Mtn Bicycles
43.   9  Cynthia Mommsen (US) Olympic Club
44.   8  Chrissy Redden (Can) Ritchey
45.   8  Debra Durand (US) San Diego Cyclo Vets
46.   7  Madeleine Lindberg (Swe) Crescent
47.   7  Sandra Kolb (US)
48.   6  Jane Quigley (US) PowerBar
49.   5  Lisa Watkins (US) Southbay Wheelmen
50.   5  Christy Nicholson (US) Ralph's-Klein
51.   4  Giana Roberge (US) Saeco-Timex
52.   4  Trish Sinclair (Can)
53.   4  Lara Ruthven (US) Gold Coast Velo
54.   4  Kelley Herndon (US) Shaws GCC
55.   4  Kim Erdoes (US)
56.   3  Cybil Diguistini (Can)
57.   3  Rydeen Stevens (US) Safeway
58.   2  Sue Shook-Byrnes (US) Southbay Wheelmen
59.   2  Marisa VandeVelde (US) BMC-WalMart
60.   2  Michelle Orem (US) Jane's Cosmetics
61.   2  Cori Book (US) Celestial Seasonings
62.   2  Monica Gibson (US) Fuji Racing Team
63.   2  Nina Strika (US) Cox Atlanta Velo

English MPs get bicycle allowance

To make sure we cover the serious stories on www.cyclingnews.com I offer the following which a reader sent from England. It was written by the political reporter from the Times, James Landale and appeared in the March 21, 1998 edition under the heading "MPs to get on their bikes for 6p a mile". The only connection with us is the word bikes. But even so, here it is:

"They already travel in planes, trains and automobiles at the taxpayers' expense but now MPs will be able to claim expenses for riding a bike.

They yesterday awarded themselves a bicycle allowance for the first time but modestly agreed to limit the rate to 6.2p per mile. It will rise in line with inflation. The move is designed to provide cycling MPs with pocket money to cover new tyres, brakes and other wear and tear.

From April 1, MPs will be able to make an expenses claim "in respect of journeys which they have undertaken by bicycle while on parliamentary duties within the United Kingdom". Although this is designed to dissuade MPs from using a car in their constituencies, MPs will also be able to claim for their daily cycle ride to the Commons.

The resolution was passed without a vote in an almost empty chamber. Few MPs appeared to have cycled there - the racks under Big Ben contained 20 bikes, many of which are owned by Commons staff.

The move is a victory for Anne Campbell, MP for Cambridge, who had campaigned for a cycle allowance. During the recess, she cycles up to 70 miles a week in her largely flat constituency. "This is good news," she said. "I hope more colleagues will cycle in their constituencies." Charles Clarke, MP for Norwich South and chairman of the cycling group of MPs and peers, hoped an example would be set to employers to offer similar allowances to their staff

West Australian Vets

Roger writes from Perth:

Sorry I'm late by a Day. I had yesterday off as it was my 40th wedding anniversary and I didn't want to ruin anything at this stage of my life. Haven't even had time to look up your report on the Milan-San Remo. Will do so when I've sent this off to you.

[Bill notes: Can someone write to Roger for me and tell him to get his priorities in order. No wonder he has been married for so long! Well done mate.] 

 70+ R Abbott
 Women F Watson
 35-39 A Tindale 1; M Bowles 2; T Moore 3.
 40-44 D Towsend 1; A Devenish 2; M Lawrence 3.
 45-49 Eastcourt 1; A Nagy 2; R Argoon 3.
 50-54 S Ratcliffe 1; R Stephens 2; W welyky 3.
 55-59 W Lally 1; D Pursell 2; G Allen 3.
 60-64 L Ross 1; R Knowles 2; L Enright 3.
 65-69 D Williams 1; G Lawford 2; B Paxman 3.