News for April 27, 1999

The crash that stopped Zberg

Jacques Garcia, the motor cycle rider who stood in the corner before the Pietersberg with a photographer of l'Equipe and blocked the path of the 4 riders coming up has said: "We are not allowed to ride up the Pietersberg. Therefore we had to leave the parcours and go straight on. But they put fencing in that corner and there was a lot of people standing before the fencing. That was the reason we were standing in that place."

Bartoli will ride the Amsterdam Derny race

Michele Bartoli has signed a contract to start in the Amsterdam RAI Dernyrace on May 16.

Classics Schedule to change?

Team managers have asked the UCI to change the schedule for the classics. They want to end the first part of the season to coincide with LBL (the hardest of the Spring classics) and the Amstel Gold Race to precede it. They still would like the preparation for LBL to be the Waalse Pijl and Veenendaal-Veenendaal. Leo van Vliet of the Amstel Gold Race commented: "We are very surprised about this plan. We don't want to become a yo-yo."

Lance Armstrong commanding respect

No one would have blamed Lance Armstrong, the former world champion, if he had have retired after his fight against cancer. But the American had other ideas and he is now back at the top of the crop with a great second place in the Amstel Gold Race at the weekend. He had to contend with the Rabobank team and Dutch rider Michael Boogerd, the overall winner, who sat his wheel over the last kms. Boogerd won in the most unsporting manner possible in cycling. Tactically Boogerd was superb. But that is cycling - team tactics do not necessarily equate to sportpersonship. Armstrong deserved to win but instead had to be content with the moral victory.

27-year old Armstrong has taken a year or so to return to the top. His initial return to Europe in 1998 was not successful and he was placed under a lot of pressure by doubters. He returned to the USA to gather his thoughts and to get really strong. He came back and won the Tour de Luxembourg and later gained 4th place on GC in the Vuelta before taking 4th places in the World ITT and Road Race in October. That was enough to shut the critics up.

Armstrong now is content with the way he is riding. He told an interview with the French Vélo Magazine that he was content. He is now an improved rider in a tactical sense and is also attacking a lot and creating the breaks. He was initially classified as being presumptuous when he began his professional career in August 1992 (after the Olympic Games) but now he is a man who has the respect of all the riders in the peloton. Like Boogerd, who said after his victory in the Amstel Gold Race that: "I have immense admiration for Lance." Nice words.

Santiago Botero breaks an arm

Colombian rider Santiago Botero (Kelme Costa Blanca) has broken two bones in his left arm in a fall during training in Aspe. He will undergo surgery on Tuesday and according to doctors he will have to be inactive for at least one month. So it looks like Botero will miss the Giro d'Italia, which will begin on May 15. The Italian Tour was one of the main objectives of the South American. Botero has two victories this season (stages at Vuelta Andalucía and Paris-Nice).

Weekend Roundup

Netherlands, Made, Profronde:

 1. Jeroen Blijlevens (Ned) TVM-Farm Frites 80 kms in 1.59.10
 2. Maarten Den Bakker (Ned) Rabobank
 3. John Talen (Ned) Batavus
 4. Tristan Hoffman (Ned) TVM-Farm Frites
 5. Peter Van Petegem (Bel) TVM-Farm Frites

Netherlands, Koewacht, Wim Hendriks Trofee, Elite with and without contract:

 1. Van Pelt (Lierop) 160 kms in 3.44.06
 2. Dahmers (Bel)
 3. Bothof (Zwijndrecht)
 4. De Groote (Bel)
 5. Van Heeswijk (Eindhoven)

Netherlands, Linne, Derny Race for Women:

 1. Van Moorsel (gangmaker Zijlaard)
 2. Laan (De Bakker)
 3. Mansveld (Walraven)

Netherlands, Heerenveen, Ronde van Zuid-Friesland: 

Elite with and without contract:

 1. Kemna (Deurningen) 175 kms in 4.08.12
 2. Theus (Bergeyk)
 3. Zuyderwijk (Poeldijk)
 4. Lust (Tuitjenhorn)
 5. Van der Tang (Voorhout)

Women:

 1. Van Moorsel (Rotterdam) 80 kms in 1.59.39
 2. Brunen (Swifterband)
 3. Van der Helm (Moordrecht)

Netherlands, Utrecht, Omloop van Kanaleneiland, Women:

 1. Van Moorsel (Rotterdam)
 2. Teutenburg (Ger)
 3. Gemser (Groningen)

Spain, Madrid, MTB World Cup Wereldbeker, Round 3:

Men:

 1. Cadel Evans (Aus)		     2.27.05
 2. Van Dooren (Ned) 			3.31
 3. Martinez (Fra) 			4.03
 4. Dubau (Fra) 			4.53
 5. Cioni (Ita) 			5.03
..
11. Brentjens (Ned)			8.31

Standings after race 3:

 1. Cadel Evans (Aus)			 650 points
 2. Martinez (Fra) 			515
 3. Vollet (Fra) 			420

Women:

 1. Fullana (Spa) 		     1.54.39
 2. Sydor (Can) 			0.21
 3. Dahle (Nor) 			0.35
 4. Pezzo (Ita) 			2.23
 5. Dunlop (USA)			3.47

Standings after race 3:

 1. Sydor (Can)				620 points
 2. Dahle (Nor)				540
 3. Dunlap (USA)			465

Australian news from Germany

Isn't it interesting, the coach that Cycling Australia sacked because he was too successful - Heiko Salzwedel - who is now the head coach with the German National Team and training riders to take gold medals at the next Olympics, is now sending us results of Australian riders. Cycling Australia refuses to send cyclingnews.com any information about Australian cyclists abroad.

Heiko reports that on Sunday, April 18 in an International circuit race in Bad Neuenahr, former Bank Classic winner Nick Gates (Die Continentale) placed second behind former Team Pursuit Olympic Gold medalist and World Champion Stefan Steinweg.

The good Aussie presence has been completed by the third placegetter and Neo professional Corey Sweet (Team Leonardo Coast).

Great Britain, East Riding of Yorkshire, 2 Day Race

The race, which hopes to be a UCI 2.5 event next year, was staged over a very hilly course with fast racing throughout. Gethin Butler the overall winner excelled on Stage 3 when he rode the last 50 kms along to win by 50 seconds.

Stage 1, Prologue, 5 kms:

 1. Chris Walker (Linda McCartney)

Stage 2, 120 kms:

 1. Huw Pritchard (Team Mens Health)

Stage 3, 140 kms:

 1.  Gethin Butler (Team Mens Health)

Overall GC:

 1. Gethin Butler (Team Mens Health)
 2. Julian Ramsbottom (Harrods)			0.46
 3. Wayne Randle (Provision Planet X)		0.56
 4. Jeff Wright (Travelwise)			1.37
 5. Danny Axford (Arctic 2000) 			1.43
 6. Russel Downing (Linda McCartney) 		1.56
 7. Huw Pritchard (Team Mens Health) 		2.44
 8. Chris Lillywhite (Linda McCartney) 		2.53
 9. Mark Lovatt (Provision Planet X) 		3.00
10. Matt Rogers (Amore e Vita-Giubileo 2000) 	3.04

Thanks to Kevin Eckersall, England

Footscray Cycling Club, Frank O'Brien Memorial, April 10, 1999, 86 kms Handicap:

 1. William Hamilton
 2. Trish Beasley
 3. Janine Donaldson
 4. Vern Smith
 5. Robert Riley

The first 5 riders were in the 25 minute bunch. The fastest time was recorded by Robert Wilson (scratch). Robert Wilson also won the 1999 Burnie Wheelrace.