News for November 20, 1999

Kersten and Oz track cycling

By Jeff Jones, cyclingnews.com

Australian 1 km time trial specialist, Josh Kersten was one of several athletes who were unhappy at the World Track Cycling Championships last month. He expressed his anger towards head coach Charlie Walsh, as well as the setup of the track team in no uncertain terms: "There's problems, definitely major problems, in the team. There should have been changes years ago. The head coach has been there too long," he let fly at the time.

He was the only athlete who put their thoughts into words, and as such was set to be disciplined by Cycling Australia. However, he made a formal apology and withdrew the remarks after meeting with the disciplinary committee. If he does it again, he will be fined $AUS 1000.

While the matter appears to be settled for the time being, it is obvious that this is not going to be the long term cure, and the team is facing big problems. As the results from this year's World's showed (2 silvers), Australian elite track cycling is at a low point compared with its strength of just a few years ago.

Head coach Charlie Walsh seems to be the centre of most of the controversies. It is clearly time that his power is revised and the athletes are given more rights. Currently, any athletes that wish to train outside the "program" meet with extreme difficulty in doing so. In order to avoid lawsuits, they must sign an agreement with CA denying them access to lawyers in case of a dispute. While it is admirable to try and keep the law out of sport, the disputes committee that athletes turn to may be made up of members that are "not unbiased" towards the athlete.

Where the head coach has absolute power, he must also have absolute responsibility in establishing a good relationship with all the athletes under his guard. Not all of Australia's most talented cyclists can work with Walsh - this has been shown time and time again. The "Eastern Bloc" training schemes are now outdated - what is the point of locking the team away in Buttgen in Germany for extended periods away from friends and family? And the insistence from CA that athletes "must train within the program or else"? Swimmers and track & field athletes in Australia enjoy more freedom to train where and with whom they feel most comfortable - track cyclists have little choice.

Clearly more flexibility needs to be introduced if Australia is to get close to the French at next year's Olympics. Otherwise, look forward to a few lean years ahead in terms of funding, results, and morale.

Mauri to continue with Benfica

33 year old Spanish cyclist Melchor Mauri, currently riding for Benfica, has signed for the team again after they paid him what they owed for back wages.

Singed might be a more appropriate word, however Mauri is confident that the team will remain liquid next year. He is quite happy with the team otherwise, and enjoys the pressure of being captain.

The team's big goal next year is the Tour of Portugal, however it would like to start in some of the big tours and classics.

Sgambelluri for Alessio

Roberto Sgambelluri from the financially strapped Cantina Tollo team will be captain of the new (17th) Italian pro team Alessio-SMG, which will succeed Ballan. The 25 year old calabrian climber has not yet signed, but according to La Gazetta dello Sport he is "certain" to do so. The team will be directed by Franco Chioccioli.

The sponsor Alessio manufactures aluminium car rims and has ambitions to stay in cycling for at least four years. The co-sponsor SMG is a bank in Monaco.

The team will have 17 or 18 riders, among those Stefano Casagranda, Alexander Gontchenkov and Felice Puttini. An eighteenth team is also under construction under the name of "Meridional 2000" under the management of ex-Ballan assistant manager Dario Mariuzzo, with sprinters Mario Traversoni and Massimo Strazzer rumored to be among the riders.

Team Alessio-SMG

Sports directors: Franco Chioccioli and Bruno Cenghialta

Bikes : De Rosa or Pinarello "Opera"

Riders: Roberto Sgambelluri, Alessandro Bertolini, Stefano Casagranda, Carlo Finco, Gaijcic, C. Gobbi, Alexander Gontchenkov (Rus), Leonardo Guidi, Martin Hvastija (Slo), Endrio Leoni, Alexander Shefr (Kaz), Felice Puttini (Swi), Roberto Ongarato, Marco Magnani, Nicola Miceli, Vinale and Flavio Zandarin (Italian unless stated)

Giro 2000 route tomorrow

Although the prologue of the Giro d'Italia for the year 2000 is already known, the remainder of the route will be unveiled in Milan tomorrow.

The Giro runs from May 13th to June 4th and it is the first time in 26 years that it will start in the Vatican in Rome. The last time it started there (1974), Belgian Eddy Merckx won the race from Giovan-Battista Baronchelli and Felice Gimondi. Rome also hosted the start in 1911, 1929 and 1960.

However, the capital has been visited a total of 57 times during the Giro's history, although the last time was 11 years ago when Urs Freuler (Swi) beat the comparatively unknown Mario Cipollini in a bunch sprint.

The short prologue, starting in the capital's center, follows a route along the Via del Corso, leading to the Piazza del Popolo, passing the Tiber and finishing on the Via della Conciliazione facing St Peter's cathedral.

Van Zyl banned

Courtesy of David Cowie

Jean-Pierre van Zyl, who is South Africa's top sprinter and Olympic medal hope in next year's Sydney Games, has been banned until May 2000. According to South African Press, he tested positive for the Androgenic anabolic steroid, testosterone and the masking agent epi-testosterone.

Van Zyl was a member of the National Olympic Committee's Operation Excellence, which sponsors riders to prepare for the Olympic Games. The South African Cycling Federation (SACF) announced his ban, which came into effect immediately. He has also been fined SFR 2000.

Tour of Germany extra

During the 2000 Tour of Germany there will be a touring event held. The stages will be between 60 and 120 kms, and go on the same roads, and with the same finishing line as the pro race (May 26 to June 1). A maximum of 500 tour riders will be accepted. The organizers are counting on the touring riders arriving approximately half an hour ahead of the racing field.