News for August 11, 2000Complete Italian teamThe Italian Olympic committee today approved Antonio Fusi's five man Olympic road squad announced two weeks ago. Classics specialists and climbers, Michele Bartoli (Mapei), Paolo Bettini (Mapei), Francesco Casagrande (Vini Caldirola), climber Marco Pantani (Mercatone) and sprinter Danilo Di Luca (Cantina Tollo) comprise the team. There was a chance that Andrea Tafi might have found his way in, as the big Tuscan has been showing some form of late, but he was overlooked in favour of Bettini and Di Luca. Pantani said that he was both "moved and proud" to be selected for Sydney, and he will ride his best. His "automatic" selection was a little controversial in that he is not well known for his one-day feats, but it he said that he'd "always demonstrated the ability to make a difference in all races. Therefore we will wait until September 27 before drawing conclusions." He also stressed that he would be willing to work for the team, "the federation has always been interested in my racing - I always react instinctively and always try my hardest. I will be as competitive as possible and make use of all my experience for such an important goal. It is critical to create team spirit, and to be honest about one's own abilities when taking the race situation in hand. Fusi's team is one made up of five strong personalities, each with their own characteristics," he concluded. In the women's road squad, Gas Sport is well represented, with the Cappellotto sisters and Roberta Bonanomi comprising the three. The team had plenty to choose from, including Fabiana Luperini, Gabriella Pregnolato, and Greta Zocca, and have not opted the way of the men. Italian Olympic Team Road Michele Bartoli (Mapei) Alessandra Cappellotto (Gas Sport) (also TT) Mountain bike Marco Bui (Full-Dynamix) Paola Pezzo (Gary Fisher/Saab) Track Mauro Trentini (De Nardi-Montegrappa) - Ind/Team Pursuit Antonella Bellutti - Points/Pursuit Belgians without MattanMarc Wauters (Rabobank) gained the last "available" spot in the five man Belgian team announced by the Belgian Olympic Committee today. He got the nod ahead of strong time trialist, Nico Mattan who was hoping for a start in the team. The other riders are Belgian champion Axel Merckx, Johan Museeuw, Tom Steels (all Mapei) and Peter Van Petegem (Farm Frites). It's a strong team, with Merckx probably the best climber. Wauters will be likely called upon to do some attacking early on, while Museeuw and Van Petegem duke it out later. If it comes down to it, then double Tour de France stage winner, Tom Steels will handle the sprint. There will be no Belgians riding in the time trial on September 30, allowing the possibility of some of these riders doubling up for the World's in Plouay. The women's road squad consists of Cindy Pieters, Heidi Van de Vijver,
Vanja Vonckx (all Vlaanderen 2002), while Filip Meirhaeghe, Roel Paulissen
and Peter Van the Abeele will contest the men's mountain biking events.
Finally, the pair of Matthew Gilmore and Etienne De Wilde will ride
the madison and points races. Road Axel Merckx (Mapei) Cindy Pieters (Vlaanderen 2002) Mountain Bike Filip Meirhaeghe (Subaru-Specialized) Track Matthew Gilmore (Memorycard-Jack&Jones) Lotto to division II?Although the official transfer period in cycling starts on September 1st, a lot of division I teams are already busy trying to save their positions. Next season there will be 20 teams in division I, a reduction from the 22 this year. Lotto, the sole Belgian division I team is ranked 18th at the moment, and they will have to perform well for the rest of the season or buy riders with UCI points from other big teams. Otherwise they will drop down to the second division. Christophe Sercu, the manager of Lotto denies that there are problems, but he also knows that Lampre is interested in Jacky Durand and Rabobank in Geert Verheyen. Rabobank's team manager, Jan Raas told Belgian newspaper, De Standaard that "Verheyen is perfect for our team and we can use him in the early season races like the Ardennes Classics as well as for stage races including of course the Tour de France. We made him an offer and he asked for a few days to think about it. I think he has had more offers from other teams." Verheyen is not big on UCI points (141st with 341 points), but if Lotto-Adecco lose these points the effect could be quite dramatic. Sercu already has 14 riders for next season (Andrei Tchmil, Mario Aerts, Kurt Van De Wouwer, Thierry Marichal, Paul Van Hyfte, Fabien De Waele, Rik Verbrugghe, Hendrik Van Dijck, Erwin Thijs, Kurt Van Lancker, Hans De Clercq and the three neo's Gorik Gardeyn, Wesley Van Speybroeck and Ief Verbrugghe, the younger brother of Rik). He has space for another eight riders: Lotto want to do the Giro and the Tour, so they think they require 22 riders. Sercu points out their main weakness: "The problem is that we don't have a sprinter. So we have only won three races. I'm talking and negotiating with 4 riders from abroad. If we can sign one of them, our position will be a lot better."
Team Fakta aims highDanish second division Team Fakta had an excellent Tour of Denmark, with Lennie Kristensen in the leader's jersey and for next season there will be a new sponsor at the side of supermarket chain Fakta. Thus the budget, today some five million kroner ($US 550,000), will be almost doubled as Fakta will inject more money into the team. Their goals are to ride the Vuelta or the Giro. "The aim is top ten in the second division for next year. This year seven second division teams start in the Vuelta and to be in one of the grand tours next year is our main goal," said manager Peter Sejer Nielsen to Berlingske Tidende. There have also been rumours about a fusion of the two Danish top teams since Memorycard co-sponsor Jack & Jones bids farewell after this season. "We haven't got any proposals from them and I actually cannot imagine a fusion. We would rather like to be a top team in the second row," added Nielsen. The team will have at last twelve riders, today there are eleven, but also the organisation behind the team needs to be strengthened. The team is also looking for classy riders that can win important races. "But we are not afraid of salaries on the far side of half a million kroner ($US 55,000)," said Nielsen who expects that deals will be settled before the end of August. At the same time newspaper BT writes that the men behind Acceptcard, Brian Holm and Henrik Elmgreen will not form a team next year as planned. "I really want to but for next season we are not able to build a team with the right resources," said Holm.
Voigt to Telekom?German foreign Légionaire, Jens Voigt (Crédit Agricole) might come home to Telekom next year, according to German news agency sid. "I have two German offers, and one is from the team with the big T. I could imagine a change," he says. The Olympic road race gives him a chance to test his possible teammates, since he is the only non-Telekom rider on the German team. "It is quite clear that I'm riding for Germany in the Olympics. If we only think about ourselves no one will win," he said and thinks that Zabel as well as Ullrich are good enough for an Olympic gold medal. "Uli is like a Ferrari. He is either riding away from everybody or standing in the garage." Voigt has also had questions from US Postal during the Tour
Jaksche signs for ONCEJörg Jaksche, Telekom's promising talent, has signed a two year contract with ONCE after two years at Telekom. He expressed his wish to leave Telekom after he was left out of the Tour squad this year. The departure was said to be friendly though. Team boss Walter Godefroot has said before that he understands that Jaksche doesn't want to ride anymore in the shadow of Jan Ullrich.
Vote for ArmstrongLance Armstrong is in the polls again, this time for American TV network ESPN's Internet Athlete of the Year. He is currently slightly behind baseballer, Omar Vizquel in the grand final after negotiating his way through some tough qualifying and preliminary finals. There is an obvious solution to this discrepancy: vote for him by going to the ESPN site, and casting your vote. As all Lance fans know, Lancearmstrong.com is the place to go for news and updates on his career. Armstrong emailed his webmaster Chris Brewer from the Vuelta a Burgos, where he was reportedly "stoked" at making the finals. Here's a chance for cyclingnews.com readers (who haven't already voted) to push him across the line. You've got until 5pm (ET) Friday, August 11 to vote, so hurry! Ordrupbanen closingHe world's oldest velodrome, Ordrupbanen in Copenhagen, Denmark, will close for good on September 3. It is sad for the nostalgic but of course the new permanent indoor velodrome at Ballerup opening in a year will bring some comfort. Before the September meeting there will be the Danish Championships held this coming weekend, with 36 elite men. The sprint title will be decided in an omnium of 200 m TT, sprint matches and keirin. The kilometre is cancelled though due to lack of interest from the riders. The Espoirs will have a pursuit Championship of their own. The female track cycling seems less promising than the men's, as only five riders will enter the track for the pursuit. There will be no points or sprint races. Legend Kay Werner Nielsen, once anchor in the mythical pair seven and also 13 times Danish pursuit champion will attend the races to bid a farewell to the boards where he has had so much success.
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