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Victoria, Canada World Track Cup, Round 2, May 29-31, 1998:Robert Jones from Canadian Cyclist is providing direct reports from Victoria of the second round in the World Track Cup. Here is his first report from Day 1.
When I arrived yesterday, it
appeared that the trip might be in vain - 3 days of rain, with an
uncertain forecast for race day. However, today dawned bright and
sunny, absolutely perfect for track racing. So far today we have had
the Flying 200 metre time trial (qualifier for the Match Sprint). Five
riders went under 11 seconds, with American Marty Nothstein posting the
fastest time of 10.788 seconds. Although the conditions seemed perfect
- cool, little wind - no one came close to Curt Harnett’s track record
of 10.542 . This can probably be attributed to lack of practice time
(with the rain), and rider fatigue after coming directly from Cali,
Colombia. There is also a rumour that some of the bikes were delayed in
getting to Victoria.
200 Metre Time Trial (UnofficialTimes)
Match Sprint - First Rounds
Individual Pursuit - Mens 4000m Qualifier Stefano Della Santa Back On The BikeRos Mary rider Stefano Della Santa took his first bike ride last Thursday (May 21) since the terrible accident he suffered in February. Della Santa crashed in the Vuelta a La Comunidad Valenciana, hitting a security barrier and ruptured a tendon attached to his kneecap. Doctors had their doubts that he would ever ride again.Changes to Dutch Top Competition for 1999The Dutch Top Competition will change in 1999. There is no place on the calendar for the Omloop der Kempen, the Ronde van Brabant and the Omloop van de Bommelerwaard, all traditional Top Competition races. The Ronde van Noord-Holland comes back into the calendar. Three races are being reserved for neo-amateurs: the Ronde van Zuid-Holland, Arjaan de Schipper trofee and the OZ Tour Beneden-Maas. The other races are for neo-amateurs and elite riders. All the races has still to be placed on the international calendar of the UCI.
March 13: Ronde van Zuid-Holland March 20 Dokkum Woudenomloop April 4 Ronde van Noord-Holland April 24 Arjaan de Schipper trofee May 1 Ronde van Overijssel June 6 Ronde van Limburg June 12/13 OZ Wielerweekend June 19 Ronde van Drenthe September 11 OZ Tour Beneden-Maas October 3 Grote Prijs Wieler Revue Danish newsDanish reporter Lars Mikkelsen writes regularly for www.cyclingnews.com. Here is his latest report.At a press conference after Thursday's GP Aarhus, Bjarne Riis admitted to being behind in his preparations for "Tour de France" (but that he fully expects to win again - the word here is, that Telekom will ride with two captains, and that the events in the race will reveal the strongest rider), and he pointed out that there still were some 50 days till the start in Ireland. Rolf Sorensen has a whole new - to me very interesting - plan for the rest of the season. Basically he intends to go on until the National Championships (he doesn't expect to participate in the Danish part, which I believe is the right thing to do - he's always at the lowest point of his form curve at that time, and it really is unfair to expect him to win under those conditions). He feels 80% certain to "escape" Tour de France. What he wants to do instead is to use The Vuelta to build up his World Championship form, and first I believe it will be his first appearance in that race, but I also think it's the second best preparation he could make. Team Chicky World are not registered as an official UCI-team (yet), has a very small budget, but nevertheless they have managed to do very well so far - in fact, not counting Team Home Jack and Jones' two ex-Soviets they have very clearly earned more UCI-points than the two registered teams have managed. Keep an open eye for them. Aside from two really good riders (Torsten Schmidt and Michael Sandstod), they've got a couple of the best young Danish riders (Dennis Rasmussen, Allan Johansen) around. Pascal Richard At Odds With CasinoPascal Richard, who abandoned the Giro d'Italia during stage 6 when already 8.59 behind the maglia rosa, has expressed himself dissatisfied with the treatment he has received from the team. The Olympic road race champion told the press that he received no support from team-mates from the outset of the race. "I found myself alone every day," he said, "and that made me give up in my head." He also claimed that the team osteopath was not available to treat a slight vertebral displacement. Richard has already made it known that he will not be taking up the option to renew his contract with Casino next season.Super Mario Even More EffervescentWatch out for Mario if you share the podium with him. On Sunday when he won the stage he arrived on the podium in an Inter-Milan soccer shirt (no 10 to be precise) and instead of spraying champagne or whatever the fizz-pop is -- Asti spumante?) at the usual victims -- the press photographers -- turned immediately to the skin-tight-black-lycra-clad women on his right. She rapidly fled, leaving her colleague to take the full brunt of the spraying. What the women did to Mario and said to him after they got off the podium I don't yet know but I doubt they were polite. The Inter-Milan shirt will probably attract a UCI Swiss franc fine (Mario has already been docked one for using his mobile phone on the road) but is there anything in the UCI rule book about discourtesy to shapely young women?American Road Standings, May 26, 1998Women’s Individual: 1. 273 Clara Hughes, Saturn, Hamilton, Ont., Canada 2. 269 Nicole Freedman, Shaklee, Palo Alto, Calif. 3. 198 Linda Jackson, Saeco-Timex, Napean, Ont., Canada 4. 181 Karen Kurreck, Saturn, Cupertino, Calif. 5. 177 Susy Pryde, Saeco-Timex, Auckland, New Zealand 6. 169 Tina Mayolo, PowerBar, Athens, Ga. 7. 163 Marie Holjer, Ralph's-Klein, Sweden 8. 158 Jennifer Evans, Shaklee, Austin, Texas 9. 136 Mari Holden, U.S. National, Colorado Springs, Colo. 10. 136 Laura Van Gilder, Navigators, Cresco, Pa. 11. 117 Leigh Hobson, Shaklee, Kitchener, Ont., Canada 12. 117 Annette Kamm, Fuji Racing Team, Asheville, N.C. 13. 116 Pam Schuster, Saeco-Timex, Northridge, Calif. 14. 115 Julie Hanson, Saturn, Boulder, Colo. 15. 111 Cheryl Binney, Ralph's-Klein, Los Angeles, Calif. 16. 104 Tammy Jacques, Schwinn-Toyota, Carbondale, Colo. 17. 99 Dede Demet, Saturn, Boulder, Colo. 18. 92 Karen Bliss Livingston, Saturn, Gainesville, Fla. 19. 90 Alison Sydor, Volvo-Cannondale, N.Vancouver, B.C., Canada 20. 89 Jeanne Golay, Schwinn Paramount, Glenwood Springs, Colo. 21. 89 Elizabeth Emery, Saturn, New York, N.Y. 22. 89 Joan Wilson, Celestial Seasonings, Palo Alto, Calif. 23. 86 Nicole Reinhart, Shaklee, Portland, Ore. 24. 82 Brenda Brashears, PowerBar, Grants Pass, Ore. 25. 79 Louisa Jenkins, Shaklee, Boulder, Colo. 26. 75 Sherri Stedje, Ticycles-BBC, Lutz, Fla. 27. 74 Ward Griffiths, Safeway-Saturn, Seattle, Wash. 28. 72 Alison Dunlap, Team GT, Colorado Springs, Colo. 29. 66 Kendra Wenzel, Saeco-Timex, McKenzie Bridge, Ore. 30. 61 Emily Robbins, Celestial Seasonings, Littleton, Colo. 31. 57 Aleka Skouras, unattached, Los Altos, Calif. 32. 56 Julie Young, Fanini, Auburn, Calif. 33. 44 Aileen Loe, Start to Finish, Arroyo Grande, Calif. 34. 44 Bonnie Breeze, PowerBar, Columbus, Ohio 35. 42 Sandra Kolb, Pacific Velo, Aiea, Hawaii 36. 41 Kim Erdoes, PowerBar, Oklahoma City, Okla. 37. 38 Cybil Diguistini, Elita, Victoria, B.C., Canada 38. 37 Maureen Kaila Vergara, Shaklee, Soquel, Calif. 39. 36 Kathleen Gleason, Potomac, Chapel Hill, N.C. 40. 35 Angela Rodriguez, Ticycles-BBC, Ocala, Fla. 41. 34 Laura Mullen, Safeway-Saturn, Campbell, Calif. 42. 34 Stacey Peters, LeMond-Bike Gallery, Portland, Ore. 43. 32 Sue Palmer, Haro, Hamilton, Ont., Canada 44. 32 Katie Blincoe, Safeway-Saturn, Mercer Island, Wash. 45. 30 Andrea Ratkovic-Bowman, Pedalers, Norman, Okla. 46. 27 Andrea Smessaert, Team Wisconsin, Eagle, Wis. 47. 26 Cynthia Ferguson, Ralph's-Klein, Palo Alto, Calif. 48. 25 Tana Stone, Bingham's, Sandy, Utah 49. 25 Kelley Herndon, Shaws GCC, Menlo Park, Calif. 50. 23 Keri Silk, Start to Finish, Mountain View, Calif. Women’s Team: 1. 760 Saturn 2. 619 Shaklee 3. 562 Saeco-Timex 4. 347 PowerBar 5. 251 Ralph's-Klein 6. 167 Safeway-Saturn 7. 115 Ticycles-BBC 8. 73 Celestial Seasonings Men’s Individual: 1. 474 Julian Dean, Mercury, Hamilton, New Zealand 2. 352 Gord Fraser, Mercury, Ottawa, Ont., Canada 3. 271 Kirk Willett, Mercury, Pullman, Wash. 4. 222 Trent Klasna, Navigators, Pine Valley, Calif. 5. 183 Jonathan Vaughters, U.S. Postal Service, Englewood, Colo. 6. 165 Mike McCarthy, Saturn, New York, N.Y. 7. 139 Eddy Gragus, OilMe, Fort Collins, Colo. 8. 137 Fred Rodriguez, Saturn, Piedmont, Calif. 9. 133 Derek Bouchard-Hall, Shaklee, Menlo Park, Calif. 10. 131 Eric Wohlberg, Shaklee, Burlington, Ont., Canada 11. 130 John Peters, Mercury, Santa Rosa, Calif. 12. 130 Roberto Gaggioli, OilMe, Vinci, Italy 13. 110 Cadel Evans, Volvo-Cannondale, Plenty, Vic., Australia 14. 104 Michael Sayers, Mercury, Sacramento, Calif. 15. 96 Thurlow Rogers, Mercury, Van Nuys, Calif. 16. 90 Levi Leipheimer, Saturn, Windsor, Calif. 17. 86 Frank McCormack, Saturn, Leicester, Mass. 18. 85 Chris Wherry, Saturn, Boulder, Colo. 19. 85 Chann McRae, Saturn, Austin, Texas 20. 83 Norm Alvis, Saturn, Colorado Springs, Colo. 21. 79 Jonas Carney, Shaklee, Boulder, Colo. 22. 76 George Hincapie, U.S. Postal Service, Charlotte, N.C. 23. 75 Brian Walton, Saturn, N. Delta, B.C., Canada 24. 74 Scott Fortner, Saturn, Littleton, Colo. 25. 70 Marty Jemison, U.S. Postal Service, Salt Lake City, Utah 26. 69 Antonio Cruz, Nutra Fig, Sparks, Nev. 27. 64 Robbie Ventura, Navigators, Gurnee, Ill. 28. 63 Jim Copeland, Colorado Cyclist, Colorado Springs, Colo. 29. 62 Colby Pearce, Colorado Cyclist, Boulder, Colo. 30. 62 Olin Bakke, Shaklee, Sierra Madre, Calif. 31. 60 Tyler Hamilton, U.S. Postal Service, Brookline, Mass. 32. 60 Bart Bowen, Saturn, Albuquerque, N.M. 33. 60 Greg Randolph, Team GT, Durango, Colo. 34. 58 John Lieswyn, GoMart-West Virginia, Asheville, N.C. 35. 55 Roy Knickman, Mercury, Colorado Springs, Colo. 36. 55 Scott Moninger, Navigators, Boulder, Colo. 37. 55 Ron Schmeer, Nutra Fig, Seattle, Wash. 38. 50 Chad Gerlach, OilMe, W. Sacramento, Calif. 39. 48 Steve Larsen, Schwinn-Toyota, Bend, Ore. 40. 48 Mark McCormack, Saturn, N. Easton, Mass. 41. 48 Scott Mercer, Breakaway, Boulder, Colo. 42. 47 David Clinger, Mercury, Woodland Hills, Calif. 43. 45 Paul Martin, Navigators, N. Royalton, Ohio 44. 45 Steve Sevener, Wisconsin Ginseng, Athens, Ga. 45. 45 Yannick Cojan, SRC Dominic, Montreal, Quebec, Canada 46. 43 Adham Sbeih, Nutra Fig, Pollock Pines, Calif. 47. 43 Torrey Marks, Snow Valley, Williamsport, Pa. 48. 42 Pelle Kil, Free Agent, Netherlands 49. 40 Clark Sheehan, Colorado Cyclist, Boulder, Colo. 50. 40 Billy Innes, Kissena, Flushing, N.Y. Men’s Team: 1. 1331 Mercury 2. 563 Saturn 3. 411 Navigators 4. 394 United States Postal Service 5. 371 Shaklee 6. 337 OilMe 7. 200 Nutra Fig 8. 176 Colorado Cyclist 9. 168 Breakaway 10. 65 Wisconsin Ginseng 11. 59 Kissena 12. 50 Ikon-Lexus 13. 30 GS Mengoni Report from the Sprint 56 CriteriumOur on-the-spot reporter, Shawn Furgason was at the Sprint 56 Criterium in Texas last weekend. Here is his report.This past weekend a series of events were held to raise funds for the Lance Armstrong Foundation (http://www.laf.org/). As many of you know, the LAF was initiated by Lance to raise awareness about urological cancer and to raise funds for education and research to fight this form of cancer. The events were well sponsored and (to my thinking) fell into two categories. The Sprint 56K Criterium with additional crits at all levels, and everything else. Although "everything else" included a lot of events. These were a formal VIP reception on Thursday night, a two day bike exposition on Friday and Saturday, a visit to a local bike shop by Greg Lemond, a fundraising combination road race and charity ride on Saturday followed by a concert. The whole weekend appeared to be a tremendous success. Several cycling luminaries were on hand along with thousands of participants at all events. I don't know of anytime when Lance, Greg Lemond, Miguel Indurain, Sean Kelly, and Raul Alcala all stood over their bikes at a start line. It was something to see as they prepared to lead out an estimated 4000 riders for the fund raising rides. Several of the leading US national teams were also present along with numerous other sport stars. I heard reports of Davis Phinney, Juli Furtado being present although I can't confirm that. All of them came for the weekend to support Lance and help draw attention to the LAF's cause. The Race: The criteriums were held in downtown Austin. The course was a basic layout with four straight sections and four right hand ninety degree turns. The length of the circuit was almost exactly one kilometer. However the only flat portion of the course was the straight section with the start/finish line on 6th Street. Immediately following the first corner is short but very steep hill on the second straight. The climb continues through turn two and increases for a short distance up the back straight. The road then begins to descend. The descent continues through turn three and bottoms out during turn four. Nothing like a sharp right turn at the bottom of a hill - while racing, eh? There were five race categories. These were Masters 45 +, Masters 35+, Cat 4/5, Cat 3, Cat 1-2/Elite. All races except the 1-2/Elite were timed events of 30, 40 or 50 minutes. The Elite was set for 56 K (56 laps). The first race began at 7 PM local, and the 1-2/Elite began at 10:30 (22:30). It seemed late to me to start a race, but there you have it. Regrettably, I do not have the results for the earlier races. I did not see all the races, and there was no summary of finishes to be found. The Elite race was contested by riders from some of the top teams in US national racing. The Saturn, Navigators, and Shaklee teams were represented. The United States Postal Service (USPS) was not fully represented as only Lance and Frankie Andreu were present. Several other fine teams and independent riders participated also. My apologies to them for not recording them here. (A press kit and some previous experience at this would have helped immensely.) At the start Raul Alcala went to the front with a handful of riders going into the first corner. A clean break didn't really develop however. The first several laps passed with no decisive action taking place. All the same the speed was quite good as laps were ticked off at just over a minute each. During the middle portion of the race, riders settled into an expected rhythm. It seemed that each of the stronger teams made an attempt to send a break cleanly away, but each was subsequently caught before getting to far away. A counter attack was launched almost every time the breaks were caught. None of these were successful either for very long. In the mean time the local favorite, Lance, was watched carefully. He was never too far back, staying in the front one-third most of the time. Some amateur racers were overheard expressing concern that they thought Lance looked like he was struggling. Others who were unfamiliar with crits felt began to worry that he was never in the lead. Then somewhat over halfway through he race, Dylan Casey (Shaklee) made a solo break. I didn't see the actual break, so I don't know how he made the jump, but it was a good one. It seemed a little early to be out solo, but there he was. Casey then not only stayed away but his lead grew. With 17 K to go, he held a lead of 17 seconds. There was no organized chase behind him as no one seemed able to break after him. He continued to add to his lead and showed no signs of letting up. Ah, this is when one truly values those moto-cameras on a course. Something happened in the span of a lap. As the lead official motorcycle swept by it was no longer followed by a solo Casey. Now a trio followed in a new clean break. The trio consisted of Todd Littlehales (Navigators), Chann McRae (Saturn, 6th in this year's Peace Race) and Lance Armstrong. The crowd went crazy! This looked like a break that might stick. With only 12 laps to go, and two of the strongest teams having riders in the break things looked good. In the local paper the next day, McRae and Littlehales said that Lance made a huge move and they were able to grab his wheel and go. Once away the three looked like they were working well together. By the time there were only 4 laps remaining, the trio had built a lead of over 30 seconds. Each lap added to the lead over the peloton, and no effective chase was coming. Frankie Andreu put on an amazing show of strength also at this time. Because there were no other USPS team members in the race to help guarantee that Lance break away, Andreu managed to single handedly move off the front and split the difference between the break and the group. I'm sure that if he could have bridged to the break he would have, but there was no way a solo rider was going to catch it. However, Andreu put himself in an excellent position to best guard the break as a single rider. As the last few laps were counted down the crowd really came alive cheering Lance and liking his odds in the three up finish that was coming. McRae and Littlehales continued to look strong and nothing was certain for Armstrong. On the final lap the three came out of turn four. There was no time for cat and mouse tactics. All three went for the line and Lance powered away. At the line he leaned back in his saddle and pumped the air with his right fist. It was a perfectly executed crit strategy for a win with the strength to pull it off. Littlehales finished second, and McRae was third. After Andreu in fourth came Jonas Carney (Shaklee). Afterward, Armstrong was asked if he thought anyone gave anything to him. He replied that, "With $10,000 on the line, nobody cares what disease you've had." My personal high point after the race was seeing Indurain making his way through the crowd. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to shake his hand and say something to him. Unfortunately, I don't speak Spanish, and I was so surprised and star struck that I can't remember what I said. Still, it was a thrill. An insight from the Tour of Somerville, USA, May 25JD Velo writes:Here is a bit of insight on the "back room deal" at Somerville. The team director of Shaklee, Jonas' trade team failed to send in an entry for him. When Jonas and his brother arrived at the race, they were told that they weren't on the start list, and that the field limit was full. Charlie Issendorf, the director of the Breakaway team gave up his own spot in the race to Jonas. In return for the spot in the race and team support, Jonas wore the Breakaway colours for the day. Jame Carney had to pay a local rider $200 for his spot in the race, and he helped Jonas in the race as well. The Carneys have a sentimental spot for Somerville since they are from New Jersey, close to the course. Another interesting Breakaway-Shaklee connection: last year at the Killington Stage race in Vermont Kevin Monohan of Breakaway rode with Shaklee as a sort of stagiere, or try out. Also Kevin had just won the overall title in the Atlantic cup Criterium series the day before Somerville. |