Day One
Christian Vande Velde make a stellar return to track cycling Friday in the opening day of action at the EDS World Cup of Cycling with a track record performance en route to the gold medal in the individual pursuit.
Vande Velde broke his own track record with a winning time of 4.27.047 in winning the four-kilometer individual pursuit. Italy's Mauro Trentini earned the silver medal while Australia's Luke Roberts captured the bronze medal. Two-time defending world champ Philippe Ermenault of France placed fourth.
"Two years ago I had no idea where I would be internationally" said Vande Velde the 1997 World Cup overall individual pursuit champion. "Things are going well for me and it felt very comfortable to ride strong tonight. My base and fitness from riding on the road all year was a benefit for me tonight."
During the qualifying round Vande Velde set the track record with a time of 4.27.402 eclipsing the mark of 4.29.684 set at the 1998 EDS Elite National Track Cycling Championship by current U.S. Postal Service teammate Dylan Casey (Mountain View Calif.). Competing as an unofficial competitor Casey posted the second-fastest qualifying time (4.29.725). After completing his race Casey drove three-and-a-half hours to Austin Texas to compete at the BMC Software Downtown Criterum (road cycling event). It marked the first track cycling event of the season for both Vande Velde and Casey who return to Europe next month to compete at the Tour of Luxembourg.
"I am looking forward to competing at the Tour de France and at the World Track Cycling Championships later this year" said Vande Velde whose father John was a member of the 1968 and 1972 U.S. Olympic Cycling team. "I would like to compete in the Olympics in both rack and road cycling but that is still a long way away."
In 1997 Vande Velde won the overall World Cup crown in the individual pursuit in addition to the U.S. national crown.
In preliminary competition Canada's Tanya Dubnicoff established a track record (11.439) in the women's 200-meter flying start. Jennie Reed of the United States held the previous record (11.676) which was set at last year's national championships. Dubnicoff who finished third at the 1998 World Championships in Bordeaux (Fra) was the third cyclist to break the record in Friday morning's preliminary session.
A native of Kirkland Wash. Reed placed fourth at last year's world championships and recorded the third-fastest qualifying mark in Friday's qualifying. Meanwhile teammate Tammy Thomas (Yazoo City Miss.) finished 15th but did not advance. The top 12 riders advanced to the next round however Reed failed to advance to the semifinals and will race for fifth place Saturday. She was the runner-up to Dubnicoff at last week's World Cup opener in Mexico City.
Dubnicoff and Ballanger advanced to Saturday's semifinals.
Meanwhile 1996 Olympic silver medalist Marty Nothstein (Trexlertown Pa.) advanced to Saturday's men's match sprint quarterfinals. Nothstein was the fastest of the 40 competitors in the qualifying with a time of 10.407 less than a tenth of a second off his own track record which was set at the EDS Track Cup in April.
A week ago Nothstein finished third in the men's match sprint an event won by Germany's Jan Van Eidjen.
"He (Rene Wolff of Germany) was trying to outjump me but I know he could not do that" said Nothstein a three-time world champion. "I did a lot of work on my quickness earlier this year. I have been known for my power and want to improve my speed and quickness for Sydney and the 2000 Olympic Games. With the World Championships in late October this makes for a long season. After this World Cup my next event is the Pan American Games (Winnipeg Canada) and that may be the most important event of the year for me."
The finals for both the men and women's sprints are slated for Saturday night.
The EDS World Cup of Cycling continues through Sunday. Among Saturday's other events are the women's individual pursuit men's team pursuit and men's points race.
Men's 4000m Individual Pursuit Finals: 1. Christian Vande Velde (USA) 4.27.047 * 2. Mauro Trentini (Ita) 4.28.096 3. Luke Roberts (Aus) 4.29.684 4. Philippe Ermenault (Fra) 4.35.529 5. Franco Marvulli (Swi) 4.33.006 6. Robert Slippens (Ned) 4.37.595 7. Gary Anderson (NZ) 4.37.906 8. Robert Karsinicki (Pol) 4.38.079 9. Paul Manning (GB) 4.40.091 10. Garen Bloch (RSA) 4.40.854 11. Michael Kalenda (Cze) 4.41.235 12. Marlon Perez (Col) 4.41.291 13. Isaac Galvez (Spa) 4.42.095 14. Linas Balciunas (Lit) 4.41.156 15. Marco Arriagada (Chi) 4.43.858 16. Igar Grumkou (Blr) 4.44.811 17. Marco Hesselschwerdt (Ger) 4.45.210 18. Andrei Minachkine (Rus) 4.45.545 19. Miguel Alcantara Barrera (Mex) 4.46.398 20. Paul Henderson (Can) 4.47.832 21. Apostolos Sotis (Gre) 4.48.776 22. Tomas Gil (Ven) 4.54.087 * Track record previous mark 4.27.402 VandeVelde May 28 1999 Top 4 qualifiers to final all other times established in earlier round Men's Kilometer Time Trial Finals: 1. Soren Lausberg (Ger) 1.03.525 2. Shane Kelly (Aus) 1.03.686 3. Grzegorz Krejner (Pol) 1.04.547 4. Frederic Lancien (Fra) 1.04.817 5. Matthew Sinton (NZ) 1.05.147 6. Diego Ortega (Spa) 1.05.677 7. Jim Fisher (Can) 1.05.715 8. Nikolaos Agelidis (Gre) 1.06.037 9. Martin Polak (Cze) 1.06.047 10. Toshiya Koizumi (Jap) 1.06.380 11. Nathan Rogut (USA) 1.06.398 12. Leskovar Matjaz (Slo) 1.06.436 13. Patrik Merk (Swi) 1.06.440 14. Christian Meidlinger (Aut) 1.06.705 15. Michael Phillips (T&T) 1.06.752 16. Craig Corbett (RSA) 1.06.785 17. Jan Lepka (Slo) 1.07.217 18. Oscar Marcelo Ammendolia (Arg) 1.07.308 19. Alexander Cornieles (Ven) 1.08.332 20. Samu Laine (Fin) 1.08.772 Men's Match Sprint (top 18 riders advanced). 1. Marty Nothstein (USA) 10.407 2. Laurent Gane (Fra) 10.461 3. Arnaud Tourant (Fra) 10.511 4. Roberto Chiappa (Ita) 10.601 5. Ainars Kiksis (Lat) 10.603 6. Jan Van Eijden (Ger) 10.620 7. Pavel Buran (Cze) 10.636 8. Craig MacLean (GB) 10.642 9. Marcelo Arrue (USA) 10.710 10. Anthony Peden (NZ) 10.744 11. Jose Antonio Escuredo (Spa) 10.747 12. Viesturs Berzins (Lat) 10.758 13. Grzegorz Trebski (Pol) 10.827 14. Lampros Vasilopoloulos (Gre) 10.830 15. Rene Wolff (Ger) 10.842 16. Haroslav Herabek (Slo) 10.884 16. Jose Antonio Villanueva (Spa) 10.884 19. Douglas Baron (Can) 10.885 20. Jean-Pierre Van Zyl (RSA) 10.949 Advanced to 1/4 Finals: Nothstein Arrue Gane Tourant Chiappa Kiksis Van Eijden Buran Women's Match Sprint (top 12 riders advanced): 1. Tanya Dubnicoff (Can) 11.439 * 2. Felicia Ballanger (Fra) 11.485 3. Jennie Reed (USA) 11.503 4. Yan Wang (Chn) 11.520 5. Michelle Ferris (Aus) 11.545 6. Cuihua Jiang (Chn) 11.598 7. Oksana Grichina (Rus) 11.619 8. Lyndelle Higginson (Aus) 11.686 9. Magali Fauve (Fra) 11.726 10. Daniela Larreal (Ven) 11.859 11. Fiona Ramage (NZ) 11.887 12. Szilivia Szabolcsi (Hun) 11.934 13. Olga Grichina (Rus) 14. Susan Panzer (Ger) 15. Tammy Thomas (USA) 16. Rita Razmaite (Lit) 17. Natalia Markaunichanka (Blr) 18. Mira Kasslin (Fin) 19. Eleftheria Ellinikaki (Gre) 20. Julie Forrester (GB) 21. Karelia Machado (Ven) 22. Nancy Contreras Reyes (Mex) 23. Agnieszka Wilczynska (Pol) * Track record old mark Jennie Reed (USA) 1998 11.676 Advanced to Semis: Dubnicoff Ballanger Wang Jiang
Day Two
May 29 saw day two action at Frisco (Texas). Erin Veenstra of Colorado Springs captured the women's individual pursuit title while France's Laurent Gane and Felicia Ballanger won the men's and women's match sprint events during the second day of competition at the EDS World Cup of Cycling Saturday at the EDS Superdrome in Frisco Texas.
For Veenstra a resident-athlete at the U.S. Olympic Training Center it marked her first career international victory. A week ago at the World Cup season-opener in Mexico City Veenstra placed seventh in the 3000-meter individual pursuit. She looks to improve upon her sixth-place finish in Mexico City in the points race which will be held on Sunday.
"I was sick during last week's competition and did not ride my bike until this Thursday" said Veenstra a sixth-place finish at the 1998 world championships in the points race. "I was not on my bike for four days but I felt great today. I felt so comfortable and confidence from the start of the finals."
Veenstra recorded the second-fastest time in the qualifying round (3.42.493) less than 0.2 seconds behind Sarah Ulmer of New Zealand.
In addition reigning world individual pursuit champion Antonella Bellutti of Italy failed to finish the race.
Meanwhile Gane defeated 1996 Olympic silver medalist Marty Nothstein of Trexlertown Pa. in the finals of the match sprint. The bronze medalist at the 1998 World Track Cycling Championships in Bordeaux (Fra) Gane swept two consecutive races to defeat Nothstein.
"I was a little disappointed by not winning but considering how sick I was earlier this week I am happy that I was able to compete well in the sprint" said Nothstein winner of three world championship titles. "With World Cups in consecutive weeks it makes for two long weeks of competition since I compete in three events. Gane had fresher legs since he did not compete in Mexico City and that may have been the difference."
Nothstein who finished third in the match sprint and second in the Keirin in Mexico City last week will compete in the Olympic Sprint and Keirin on Sunday.
In the women's match sprint four-time defending world champion Felicia Ballanger swept two successive races from Tanya Dubnicoff of Canada. Dubnicoff captured the sprint at the World Cup opener in Mexico and finished third at the '98 world championships. Jennie Reed (Kirkland Wash.) was the lone U.S. entry in the field and finished eighth after placing fourth at last year's worlds.
In the fourth event of the night Australia broke its own track record in winning the 4000-meter team pursuit competition by defeating France in the finals. The quartet of Graeme Brown Nigel Grigg Brett Lancaster Luke Roberts posted a winning time of 4.10.808 eclipsing their own qualifying time of 4.13.482. The American squad of Adam Laurent (Shell Beach Calif.) Tommy Mulkey (Winterville Ga.) Mike Tillman (Lafayette Calif.) and Christian Vande Velde (LeMont Ill.) finished third by defeating New Zealand in the bronze medal race.
Sunday's events include the women's 500-meter time trial and points race plus the men's Keirin Olympic Sprint points race and Madison. The morning session begins at 10 a.m. while the evening session starts at 5 p.m.
Women, 3000m Individual Pursuit Finals:
1. Erin Veenstra (USA) 3.41.183
2. Sarah Ulmer (NZ) 3.44.646
3. Natalia Karimova (Rus) 3.40.441
4. Anke Wichmann (Ger) 3.40.997
5. Alayna Burns (Aus) 3.43.679
6. Yvonne McGregor (GB) 3.44.151
7. Maria Luisa Calle (Col) 3.44.426
8. Rasa Mazeikyte (Lit) 3.46.853
9. Anouska Van der Zee (Ned) 3.48.371
10. Marion Clignet (Fra) 3.48.813
11. Lada Kozlikova (Cze) 3.52.088
12. Haijuan Zhao (Chn) 3.55.035
13. Andrea Hannos (Can) 3.44.807
14. Teodora Ruano (Spa) 3.59.461
15. Monika Tyburska (Pol) 4.05.682
16. Hrisoula Zaharioudaki (Gre) 4.06.151
17. Anrrosy Paruta (Ven) 4.14.771
18. Maaria Siren (Fin) 4.13.928
DNF:
Antonella Bellutti (Ita)
* Top 4 times established in finals all other times in qualifying rounds.
Men, 4000m Team Pursuit Finals
1. Australia - 4.10.808 *
(Graeme Brown, Nigel Grigg, Brett Lancaster, Luke Roberts)
2. France - 4.12.532
(Cyril Bos, Philippe Ermenault, Francis Moreau, Damien Pommereau)
3. USA - 4.13.132
(Adam Laurent, Tommy Mulkey, Mike Tillman, Christian Vande Velde)
4. New Zealand - 4.15.657
(Gary Anderson, Timothy Carswell, Greg Henderson, Lee Vertongen)
5. Argentina - 4.19.487
(Gustavo Artacho, Gonzalo Garcia, Walter Perez, Edgardo Simon)
6. Spain - 4.20.146
(Miguel Alzamora, Xavier Florencio, Isaac Galvez, Carles Torrent)
7. Great Britain - 4.24.365
(Paul Manning, James Notley, James Taylor, Phillip West)
8. Czech Republic - 4.24.695
(Libor Hlavac, Michal Kalenda, Josef Kankovsky, Tomas Lejska)
9. Russia - 4.24.695
(Alexei Garanine, Oleg Grichkine, Serguei Koudentsov, Andrei Minachkine)
10. Belarus - 4.25.398
(Igar Grumko,u Makalai Mikula, Viktor Repinski, Vadzim Verkhavodka)
11. Netherlands - 4.26.059
(Martjin Lust, Robert Slippens, Danny Stam, Matthijs Van Bon)
12. Greece - 4.26.573
13. Chile - 4.28.073
14. Mexico - 4.35.031
15. Venezuela - 4.38.693
* Track record, previous track record 4.13.482, Australia, May 29, 1999, qualifying.
* Top 4 times established in finals all other times in qualifying rounds.
Men, Match Sprint Finals:
1. Laurent Gane (Fra) 10.955
2. Marty Nothstein (USA)
3. Jan Van Eijden (Ger) 11.236
4. Ainars Kiksis (Lat)
5. Marcelo Arrue (USA) 11.484
6. Pavel Buran (Cze)
7. Arnaud Tournant (Fra)
8. Roberto Chiappa (Ita)
9. Viesturs Berzins (Lat) 11.238
10. Rene Wolff (Ger)
11. Craig MacLean (GB)
12. Grzegorz Trebski (Pol)
Women, Match Sprint Finals:
1. Felicia Ballanger (Fra) 12.233
2. Tanya Dubnicoff (Can)
3. Yan Wang (Chn) 14.883
4. Cuihua Jiang (Chn)
5. Michelle Ferris (Aus) 12.772
6. Lyndelle Higginson (Aus)
7. Oksana Grichina (Rus)
8. Jennie Reed (USA)
9. Szilvia Szabolcsi (Hun)
10. Daniela Larreal (Ven)
11. Magali Faure (Fra)
12. Fiona Ramage (NZ)
Team Scoring:
1. France 53
2. United States 51
3. Australia 47
4. Germany 28
5. New Zealand 27
6. China 15
7. Canada 14
7. Russia 14
9. Italy 13
10. Poland 11
11. Great Britain 11
Once again this program has gone to the crux of the important issues with more perceptive interviews. The regular host for the program, Karen Tighe, interviewed Bob Elphinstone, of SOCOG and the Stephen Hodge on the issue of proposals to move the course for the road cycling events from the Eastern suburbs course out to the pancake streets of Bankstown.
Karen: ..... and also the sport's international body the UCI. Last week it was announced that the course would be changed from the Eastern suburbs of Sydney, including Centennial Park, to most probably Bankstown, the site of the velodrome and track cycling for the 2000 Games. While SOCOG says the change is to help in cutting costs for the Games, a request from Rupert Murdoch's Fox Studios which are located near Centennial Park also appears to have had a bearing. The International Cycling Union has expressed disappointment over the move and will be sending two technical delegates out to Australia to study the proposed new course. So, what is SOCOG's reaction to the negative feedback? I caught up earlier this morning with SOCOG's General Manager of Sport, Bob Elphinstone, and started off by asking him if SOCOG had been surprised by the disappointment expressed by the sport's international body?
Bob: No, I haven't and look I can very clearly understand that - I've spoken with the UCI - I have a copy of their information. I've spoken with the sport director of the IOC. They know exactly what we are doing in this matter. I mean let's not move away from it, the course that we put up, and was approved by the UCI was a very, very good course. And that's the one that they are comfortable with, and of course have signed off, so they'd like to stay there. Now that we've gone into the much more detailed planning we really understand the operational issues - the extra costs involved - there is in the order of about a two and a half million dollars savings if, in fact, we relocate the course to, for example, a course like the one at Bankstown which we have been looking at. But, people need to understand that first and foremost there has been no decision made in this. The UCI understand that. We're attempting to have the UCI technical delegate visit Sydney and look at the course first hand. We have to give them the course profiles, and when all of that is considered, and particularly the traffic implications which are still being studied by ORTA (the Olympic Roads and Traffic Authority) we will then be in a position to fully assess all of the issues and make a decision.
Karen: As you say the new course has to meet international standards, and the UCI will be sending one or two delegates to Sydney to study this alternative.
Bob: That's right.
Karen: Are you confident that this new proposed course in Bankstown does meet the international standards?
Bob: Absolutely. Not only, because I should say I rode it one day with Ray Godkin, he dragged me around and as a non-cyclist I found it dreadful! But, no, it's a good course, and as Ray Godkin has said, and regretably was misquoted, it's a course that's very demanding there are two very tough hills - Henry Lawson Drive and Marion Street - and it has all the right characteristics, fifteen kilometres in length, good road pavement, and I mean it has the great appropriateness of starting and finishing outside the velodrome. So, from a technical point of view we are convinced that it's a very good course. And that is our first consideration.
Karen: Former Olympic cyclists Brett Sutton and Stephen Hodge were quoted yesterday as saying that this proposed course in Bankstown is too flat, in fact, it's not fit for an Olympic Games, what do you say to that?
Bob: Well, I'm a little reluctant to criticise them, but I mean, Brett of course is a track cyclist, not a road cyclist and Stephen Hodge as far as I'm aware has not ridden the course. I'm guided, as we are here by Ray Godkin and others who are extraordinarily experienced cycling officials, and that's our advice, at the moment.
Karen: When will the final decision be made? What's your time-line? The time-line that SOCOG has in mind to say "Yes, this will be the course for the road cycling for 2000."
Bob: Well, it's all dependant on getting the available information and the UCI delegate to visit. I mean we would like to have it reviewed and sort of considered by next week. Certainly we have a SOCOG Sports Commission meeting next week - we will not have had the visit of the UCI technical delegate before that point of time. We would certainly like to be able to go to the IOC executive board when we report to them on the 17th of June with either a reaffirmation of the Eastern Suburbs course or a firm proposal for a new course.
Bob: Bob, just finally as you mentioned cost-cutting has been a significant factor in the decision to make this move of course, but how big a factor has been the request by the Fox Studios.
Bob: No, look, I mean first and foremost it is very much driven by the cost factors overall, the operational requirements. And when I say operational requirements I mean the costs in that regard. And, I mean, the issues of our start/finish in Driver Avenue are one issue, but there are many others as well. The road surfaces, and things like that, and the ability to use particularly the velodrome, which will be standing free and empty at the time of the road race, it is a very, very attractive proposition.
Karen: So, at the moment, you're fairly confident that Bankstown will be the site for Road Cycling in 2000?
Bob: Given resolution of the traffic issues, which is in the hands of ORTA and I'm not suitably experienced enough to comment on that area, but on all other factors, including the needs of the cyclists and for the success of the event, yes, most definitely.
Karen: Bob, a busy day ahead for you, thanks for your time.
Bob: Thank you, Karen.
Karen: SOCOG's General Manager of Sports, Bob Elphinstone, I spoke with Bob a little earlier this morning. we did approach Ray Godkin, the president of Australian Cycling and also Competition Manager for cycling at SOCOG but he was not available to speak to us on the issue. But, joining me now on the line is former Olympic cyclist for Australia, Stephen Hodge, who did compete in Atlanta. He has also ridden many Tour de France classics. Stephen, good morning.
Stephen: Yes, good morning Karen.
Karen: Now, just to clarify, Bob was right you didn't ride the course this week, but you know the area well and you have spoken in detail with Brett Dutton?
Stephen: Yes, I was obviously very concerned about the change after having ridden in Atlanta and being somewhat disappointed by a 100% residential street circuit that we had in Atlanta. I thought that we were really going to make the road cycling events in Sydney something that the whole world would have found an appropriate sporting event for the elite of road cycling and I was extremely excited by the course that went down through Bronte and the Eastern Suburbs. It is a fantastic road circuit.
Karen: So, is it more the aesthetics of the location that you're worried about? Of promoting Sydney and Australia to the rest of the world and the sport of cycling or is it the actual race route itself with Brett saying that in his mind, and also after talking to him, you also saying that it's too flat.
Stephen: Well, first and foremost, the Olympic road cycling event should be the showcase for the world's best cyclists. I'm not in a position to comment on all of the technical and monetary issues that Bob Elphinstone talked about, one thing that I certainly can say is that this event MUST showcase to an exceptionally large audience. I don't know if the Australian public realise just how big road cycling is in especially Europe and in South America,. It's second in terms of TV audience only to soccer, to football. It is a huge audience that we will be playing too with our road cycling events. Now, the Eastern Suburbs course provides all the technical requirements. It has some difficult roads that set up the grounds for an attack by some of the world's top cyclists. you then have a much harder hill, coming out of Bronte, than I gather from Brett Sutton, who as Bob said is only a track cyclist but he has a great deal of international experience, he has said to me that they were doing a photo shoot on the one significant hill of the course which is five or a maximum of seven hundred metres long, and they were starting off in their big chain rings which is to say that it is not very steep at all.
Karen: Will you be going out to take a look at this proposed new course yourself Stephen.
Stephen: Look I'm going to make an effort, I will be in Sydney for the board meeting of Cycling Australia on the fifth of June and I will make an effort to see if I can inspect the course myself, as Bob did say, I'm not in a position, unlike him to have been able to ride on the course so far.
Karen: Just finally Stephen, you've ridden the original course around the Eastern Suburbs, you know that well, from your knowledge of that existing course structure would there be any possibility that perhaps the start/finish line could be changed to avoid congestion around that Driver Avenue area?
Stephen: There actually is, I talked yesterday for quite a long time to Phil Bates, who is one of our premier road cycling event organisers, having done the Commonwealth Bank cycling classic for many years. Centennial Park has hosted the Australian road cycling championshiops on and off for the last 30 years, he assured me that there are many options available. And, listen, this circuit in the Eastern Suburbs is seventy to eighty per cent in parkland. The issues for the public getting in and out from the circuit are much less, propose much less problems than does the Bankstown course, on my understanding. There are technical issues I'm sure that can be sorted out with the Eastern Suburbs course.
Karen: Okay Stephen we'll leave it there, we appreciate your time this morning and we'll follow this with a lot of interest.
Stephen: You're welcome Karen.
Karen: Former Olympic cyclist for Australia Stephen Hodge. As we said in our interview with Bob Ephinstone the two technical delegates from the International Cycling Union, the UCI, will be making their way to Australia shortly to take a look at the proposed changed course in Bankstown because it must have their seal of approval to be actually used for the Olympic Games.
"The addition of Brendon to our roster will dramatically augment our stage racing and particularly our mountain climbing capabilities," stated Ed Beamon, the Team's Directeur Sportif. "We have a great collection of young climbing talent and I am excited about their potential in the difficult races ahead", he added. "I expect Brendon to add experience and stability to the most demanding climbing days."
The First Union/Christiana Care Cup race is the opening event in the week-long series known as the First Union Week of Cycling that brings racing action to Wilmington, Lancaster, Trenton and Philadelphia. These events are also key stops on the 15-city Saturn USPRO Cycling Tour. The main event on Sunday, June 6th in Philadelphia is also the USPRO National Championship, where the highest placed American is designated as the 1999 Professional National Champion.
If the clubs and the union manages to find eight to nine million Norwegian kroner (about the same amount in French Francs) in the next couple of months the team will be on the roads next year. National team manager Atle Kvålsvoll will probably act as team manager. Under-23 ace Thor Hushovd of Ringerike (ranked 421) is a key figure. According to Kvålsvoll, himself a pro during the Norwegian "golden era" a decade ago, Thor Hushovd and Sandnes-rider Erlend Engelsvoll (rank 846) are the only ones in the Norwegian amateur peloton that have professional qualities. To reach a decent level we will need a couple of foreign riders as a complement to today's Norwegian pros." Kvålsvoll was talking to the Norwegian news paper Adresseavisen. He said: "Six Norwegians are riding for a living now - Steffen Kjærgaard (ranked 191), Svein Gaute Hølestøl (372), Stig Kristiansen (1201), Bjørnar Vestøl (476) and Ole Sigurd Simensen (657) and all have contracts expiring at the end of this season. All are in minor teams in Denmark and Germany. The 1998 World Under-23 champion Kurt Asle Arvesens (822) has a contract with Riso Scotti for another year.
Norwegian Cycling Union president Jan Erik Steen, who will also be the president of the new team said: "Our aim is to have a team good enough for the higher ranking races below the grand tours."