News for October 20, 1999

McGee serious on track

By Alicia Camphuisen

Australian rider Brad McGee is set to move away from road racing next year and focus solely on track leading up to the 2000 Olympics.

The confirmation came from Cycling Australia national coaching director Ron Bonham, following some speculation on the issue. "I think that would be absolutely correct. Brad is headed towards 2000 on the track," said Bonham. "He wants an individual pursuit gold medal at the Sydney Olympics."

There have been suggestions that silver medallist in the World's U-23 ITT, Mick Rogers, might also shift from road to concentrate on track riding next year. However Rogers' coach at the ACT Academy of Sport, Warren McDonald, ruled this out.

"Because of his age, he realises he's a couple of years behind the Stuart O'Gradys," said McDonald. "He won't really be looking at the Olympics until 2004, and may then be representing on road."

McDonald added that Rogers' main goal next year was to win the Under 23 Time Trial World Championships, and that his long term goal is to race on the road.

"After the track Worlds, he may sit down with [Australian cycling coaches] Shayne Bannon and Charlie Walsh to determine how much time he'll need to develop his track racing, but nothing is confirmed yet."

Rogers has also received pro offers, but has already signed with the Mapei U-23 team, for whom he is expected to ride as a stagiaire by the end of next year.

Analysis of nation rankings

By Tomas Nilsson, cyclingnews.com correspondent

The nation rankings at the end of the year is important since it determines the UCI points value of the various national championships. In the five top nations, the national road champion receives 140 points and the total number of points at stake, in the road race as well as the ITT, is 1058 points. The nations ranked sixth to tenth get 572 points, the nations ranked 11 to 25 get 374 points while all other nations gets 80 points to share for the national championships competitors. But of course it's a bit harder to become Italian champion than British (right Max?).

In the latest rankings Switzerland is only 116.5 points behind France ,which would cost the Swiss champion 60 points if it had been the final ranking of the year. The country would also effectively lose 486 points despite only trailing the French by 116.5. For the lesser nations, this can be important when it comes to qualify for the World's. Norway in 26th is only 5.2 points behind New Zealand, but that means that the Norwegian Champion gets 15 points while the Kiwi champ gets 60. Riders from these nations take part in the World's on personal invitations based on the ranking of the 15th of August. This year a little more than 100 points were needed. A New Zealandian double RR and ITT champion would get 90 points - almost enough for the World's, while a Norwegian would get 23 points for the same feat.

Maybe this points mathematics could tempt nations "on the border" to compete in the Australian late season races. Danish pro team Home Jack&Jones is right now in Australia to get points to qualify for the first division next year. Maybe the Norwegians ought to have sent a squad also since the Kiwis are coming!

Nations ranking, October 17, 1999

1. Italy 	       11,202.00
2. Belgium 	 	9,578.50
3. Spain 		8,767.00
4. Netherlands 		7,229.50
5. France 		7,206.50
6. Switzerland 		7,090.00
7. Germany 		5,726.30
8. USA 			4,475.00
9. Denmark 		3,863.00
10. Russia 		3,507.00
11. Kazakhstan 		2,354.50
12. Poland 		2,249.00
13. Latvia 		2,168.00
14. Estonia 		1,925.50
15. Australia 		1,920.00
16. Sweden 		1,791.80
17. Colombia 		1,692.00
18. Great Britain 	1,517.50
19. Ukraine 		1,509.00
20. Austria 		1,468.00
21. Lithuania 		1,249.00
22. Czech Republic 	1,204.00
23. Portugal 		1,043.00
24. Slovenia 		  961.50
25. New Zealand 	  686.00
26. Norway 		  680.80
27. Canada 		  543.00
28. Venezuela 		  542.00
29. South Africa 	  313.00
30. Slovakia 		  267.00
31. Egypt 		  235.00
32. Luxembourg 		  231.00
33. Finland 		  225.00
34. Moldavia 		  224.50
35. Iran 		  199.00
36. Mexico 		  163.00
37. Chile 		  155.00
38. Cuba 		  154.00
39. Yugoslavia 		  134.00
40. Hungary 		  114.00
41. Uruguay 		  113.00
42. Zimbabwe 		  101.00
43. Burkina Faso 	   99.00
43. Uzbekistan 		   99.00
45. Croatia 		   98.50
46. Japan 		   98.00
47. Hong Kong 		   96.00
48. Guatemala 		   92.00
49. Ireland 		   89.00
50. Argentina 		   86.00
51. Belarus 		   83.00
52. Peru 		   80.00
53. Algeria 		   78.00
54. Brazil 		   51.00
55. Dominican Rep 	   47.00
56. Kirghyzstan 	   39.00
57. Syria 		   19.00
58. Armenia 		   13.00
59. Trinidad and Tobago     6.00
60. Liechtenstein   	    5.00
61. Costa Rica 		    4.00
61. Georgia 		    4.00

Why no Boardman?

Courtesy of Phillip Ingham (press officer for British team)

Readers of these pages may have noticed the absence of a certain person from the British World's track squad. One Chris Boardman, who had targeted the individual pursuit as one of his goals for this year, has relinquished his position to Rob Hayles for the event.

According to his coach, Peter Keen, Boardman felt it would be too hard to focus on both the World road TT (where he finished 3rd) as well as the individual pursuit. The demands of each are somewhat different, with quite a lot of high speed work being necessary for the the pursuit, as opposed to the hour-long ITT. The time required to develop this after the road event was not deemed to be enough to satisfy Boardman's desire to be at his best for the track.

However, all is not lost for British track fans, as there are rumours that Boardman would like to ride in the Team's pursuit at next year's Olympics. Possible medallists there?

Vitalicio losing Russians

Vitalicio Seguros seem to have problems in keeping their good riders. Last Sunday's winner of the Escalada a Montjuïc, Russian Andrei Zintchenko and his compatriot Serguei Smetanine will leave the team next year. They still haven't got acceptable offers to renew their contracts with the team that has already lost World Champion Oscar Freire, Spanish
Champion Angel Casero and also Daniel Clavero.

The Russians have raced together throughout the years, but are now considering going to different teams if they have to. According to their agent Gorka Arrinda they have offers from Italy and Portugal.

Most victories

Although such figures are always subject to debate, it's always interesting to know which riders are winning the most throughout the year. According to a list published by Netherlands newsagency ANP, Canada's Gord Fraser (Mercury) heads the table for 1999 with 23 UCI-ranked wins, ahead of Mario Cipollini (Saeco-Cannondale and Jaan Kirsipuu (Casino) who have 18 apiece.

How is this possible? Well, again it depends on your definition. The list was made with riders from the first and second division trade teams. Wins in all races carrying a UCI ranking count, no matter how strong the field, or the relative rank of the race, i.e. a 1.1 race rates the same as a 1.4.

Fraser for example, won 5 stages in the Tour of Canada, and 7th place on the list, Batavus-rider Rudi Kemna won 14 times, including 4 stages in the Olympia's Tour. This puts him level with UCI number one, Laurent Jalabert. Cipo only won four stages in the Tour de France as part of his 18, so this probably compensated for him not being at the top of the table.

The message is that while the list may be of interest to sponsors looking for sprinters, it does not say who is the best rider of 1999. The UCI rankings are meant to give this indication.

As of October 13, 1999:

1.  Gord Fraser (Can) 		23
2.  Mario Cipollini (Ita)	18
=2. Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) 	18
4.  Jeroen Blijlevens (Ned)	17
=4. Jans Koerts (Ned) 		17
6.  Eric Zabel (Ger) 		15
7.  Laurent Jalabert (Fra)	14
=7. Rudi Kemna (Ned) 		14
9.  Wim Omloop (Bel)		12
=9. Marcel Wüst (Ger)		12
For a bit more of a reality check, consider the following. Eddy Merckx won 53 races in 1971 and Freddy Maertens did the same in 1977 (Maertens also won 52 times in 1976).

Also, that other great Belgian Rik van Steenbergen - who is apparently alive and well kicking around the kermesse circuit at age 75, has significantly more career victories than table below indicates. When you count his track results, his total comes to 1656(!) - the equivalent one a day for four half years...

Most career victories:

1. Eddy Merckx (Bel) 		436
2. Rik Van Looy (Bel) 		379
3. Fransesco Moser (Ita) 	275
4. Rik Van Steenbergen (Bel) 	273
5. Roger De Vlaeminck (Bel) 	256
...
9. Zoetemelk 			208
18. Mario Cipollini		149 (most for still competing rider) 
21. Raas 			145
27. Knetemann 			130