News for April 26, 1999

Contracts and Transfers

It seems that Gian Matteo Fagnini (Ita) will transfer from the Italian Saeco-Cannondale team to the German Telekom team. Going the other way is Italian Giovanni Lombardi (Telekom to Saeco).

It is tough at the top

The Dutch team Batavus-Bankgiroloterij which stepped up into the professional ranks this year after being a Top Competition amateur team is finding life very hard in the top. The team was given a wild card for the Amstel Gold Race. Michel Cerneus was the last Batavus rider to abandon about 1.5 hours before Michael Boogerd finished. He told reporters afterwards that: "We know we can do very well in the amateur races. But today we learned how fast the top professionals ride. I couldn't stay on their wheels even on the flat parts of the parcours. Now we know we have to learn a lot more. We have to go faster..."

Scott Sunderland versus TVM

Reinier Meijer has sent me this article from the regional news service in the Zeeland province (Ned), GPD (Geassocieerde Pers Diensten) which was published on April 24. It was entitled "Priem's lawyer makes a silent offer to Sunderland" and was written by Guy Vermeiren.

Sabine Sunderland has confirmed what really happened:

We indeed had a meeting on the 29th of May at the Palmans team headquaters in Waregem (Belgium).
Scott was NOT present there.
The TVM people comprising Cees Priem, A. Boss and lawyer Joost Van Mierlo were very arrogant and asked me who I thought Scott Sunderland was - Museeuw maybe?!
TVM indeed made a 'peace-offer'. 500,000 Belgian francs (or $20,000 Australian dollars) as an advance on a final settlement - to be paid in two parts: 250,000 BF within 14 days after the meeting and the rest 14 days later just before the 2nd meeting.
This was agreed on on condition we did not talk to the press about the offer which we didn't.
The 2nd meeting never happened as TVM never deposited the money into our lawyer's account!
We decided to go to court after that and a complaint was made and sent to the office of the Crown Prosecutor in Tongeren (Belgium)
The civil case will be initiated on the 10th of June in Tongeren. This concerns the case TVM versus Scott Sunderland. TVM is involved because they are the insurer of the car which caused the accident.

TVM lawyer Joost van Mierlo confirmed the offer. He said: We have spoken with the Sunderland family. That is true. But we haven't heard anymore from them. Scott was not at the meeting. We wish to talk - out of human concern - but we cannot deal with a claim which is out of all proportions."

Meanwhile, Priem has to deal with two other legal actions against him. He is being charged by Belgian authorities for failing to stop after an accident and dangerous driving. Sunderland hopes to be compensated for the loss of income and costs. He said: "the medical costs, no premie victories, the loss of a place in the Commonwealth Games team for Australia - and I can now forget about the Olympic Games in Sydney - all that requires compensation."

Van Mierlo: "He went back to Australia in the off-season. He was racing over there and won a race there. What do you make of complaints against us when this has happened? On the charges against Priem in the Belgian courts I can say that Priem is not at fault. We will be making a strong submission to the court in Tongeren."

Luxembourg, Contern, GP François Faber, 113 kms, Elite 2 Cat 1.6, April 23:

 1. Kim Kirchen (Luxembourg)		     2.40.18
 2. Nico Strynchx (Belgium)			0.04
 3. Danny Swinnen (Belgium)			0.14
 4. Thomas Voeckler (France)			0.14
 5. Kirk O'Bee (USA)				0.24
 6. René Post (Netherlands)			0.24
 7. Steven Van Aken (Belgium)			0.27
 8. Domminique Hennebert (Belgium)		0.27
 9. Edwin Dunning (Netherlands)			0.27
10. Steve Fogen (Luxembourg)			0.27
11. Sébatian Van den Abeele (Belgium)		0.27
12. Nicolaj Knudsen (Denmark)			0.27
13. Samuel Rouyer (France)			0.27
14. Sandy Casar (France)			0.27
15. Kirk Albers (USA)				0.27
16. Vincenzo Centrone (Luxembourg)		0.27
17. Kristian Mugerli (Slovakia)			0.27
18. Fabrice Elias (Belgium)			0.27
19. Bram Tanking (Netherlands)			0.27
20. Frank Schleck (Luxembourg)			0.27

Started: 134
Finished: 71

Gérard Schiltz reports from Luxembourg

USA, Tucson Bike Classic, April 16-18:

Stage 1 involved a 3.3 km prologue which was won by Gord Fraser of Mercury in a record time of 4.58. The next stage was a 163 kms Road Race consisting of 3 laps going over Gates Pass. Fraser, Sayer, and Valenzuela of Mercury got away on Gates Pass on the first lap showing great form and holding off the chasing peloton for the remainder of the race. Going into the circuit race the 3rd day, Mercury has the top 3 spots locked up. Day 3 was won by Sayer (Mercury), then T. Erwin (Lions Eye Bank), and 3rd S. Price (Dominics). 97 riders started the event.

 1. Gord Fraser (Mercury)
 2. Michael Sayer (Mercury)
 3. Christian Valenzuela (Mercury)
 4. Cameron Williams (Racer's Edge)
 5. Todd Bauer (Giant/Domenics)
 6. Drew Miller (Landis/Toyota)
 7. Steve Hegg (Ikon/Lexus)
 8. Victor Ayala (Extreme)
 9. Chad Kazak (Sparkletts/Stewart)
10. Scott Price (Giant/Domenics)
11. Ian Bettinger (Jane Cosmetics)
12. Ken Zimmerman (NM Velosport)
13. Brian Husen (Lions Eye Bank)
14. John Knotts (Dean)
15. Mike Schatzman (Lions Eye Bank)

USCF announced coaching staff for Pan American Games

USA Cycling announced the appointment of Andrzej Bek, Des Dickie, Stephane Girard, Craig Griffin and Henny Top as coaches for the 1999 Pan American Games, July 24-August 8, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

In addition, Jiri Manius and Sean Petty were selected as the team leaders for the U.S. cycling contingent at the XIIIth Pan American Games. The U.S. cycling team will be nominated the team members on June 24, 1999. The U.S. Olympic Committee's International Games Preparation Committee must formally approve USA Cycling's athlete selections.

Bek, Dickie and Griffin work with the track cyclists, while Top coaches the female road cyclists and Girard handles coaching duties for the mountain bikers.

Bek has worked intermittently with the U.S. National Team in various capacities since 1980, including coaching the U.S. sprinters at the 1988 and 1996 Olympic Games. He was an assistant coach at the 1987 Pan American Games in Indianapolis, Ind., and the 1995 Pan Am Games in Mar del Plata, Argentina.

The 1988 and 1992 Canadian Olympic head coach, Dickie also worked as Canada's national track cycling coach for nearly a decade. In addition, he was Canada's 1983 and 1987 Pan American Games head coach.

Girard joined USA Cycling in 1998 as its first-ever national mountain bike coach. Girard, who is from France, is the primary director of the USA Cycling national mountain bike program. From 1995 to 1997, he was an assistant coach with the French national downhill team. In 1996, he served as the coach for the French women's downhill team at the European and World Mountain Bike Championships.

Griffin joined the U.S. Cycling Federation (USCF) as endurance track coach in 1990 and has worked extensively with track cyclists. This marks his third Pan American Games coaching appearance (1991, 1995, 1999), in addition to coaching the U.S. endurance track cyclists at the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games.

Top was selected as the U.S. Women's National Road Coach in 1991. The four-time Dutch national champion coached for the United States at the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games, as well as the 1995 Pan American Games. She also competed for the Dutch cycling team at the 1984 Olympic Games.

Mainus is USA Cycling's international competition director and has served on the U.S. staff at the 1988 and 1996 Olympic Games, as well as numerous world championship events. Manius was the team leader at the 1991 Pan American Games and 1992 Olympics. Meanwhile, Petty is USA Cycling's Director of Athlete Performance. He is responsible for directing the elite athlete development and training programs in all of the Olympic disciplines including road, track and mountain bike.

The United States captured nine gold, four silver and one bronze medals at the '95 Pan Am Games in Mar del Plata, Argentina. The 14 medals marked the most medals ever won by an U.S. cycling squad in Pan American Games competition (seven in track, five on road, two in mountain biking).

In 1995, the U.S. fielded a team of 28 athletes in 14 medal events. This year, the United States will sport 21 athletes in 18 medal events. The women's 500 meters and the men's Olympic sprint, Madison and Keirin are the new events for both the Pan Am Games and the 2000 Olympic Games.