Second edition news for August 18, 2000

More Museeuw

Father Eddy Museeuw said Johan isn't an avid motorbike rider. "It was the second time this year that he used his Harley Davidson for a little trip. He bought the motorbike 5 years ago in a foolish moment," said Museeuw senior.

Veronique Museeuw didn't like it at all, and after last Sunday she knows it for sure. It was the first time ever that she was sitting behind Johan on the Harley. The police in Brugge confirmed that Johan and Veronique were wearing a motorbike helmet, and Stefano a bike helmet.

"But it was not allowed to do what they did, so the insurance company will not pay. It's forbidden to sit on a motorbike with three people. Even when one of the passengers is a child, sitting between their parents. The rules are clear."

The driver of the car, Bertin Decock from Oudenaarde, will be known for the rest of his life as the man who hit the Museeuw family.

"I called the police with my mobile. Then when some neighbours came and yelled 'it's Johan Museeuw' my heart stood still. I'm not a cycling fan, I don't watch TV, don't read papers, don't like sport. But I knew the name Johan Museeuw. I admire him as champion. On Sunday night I called the father of Johan. I was concerned, I felt bad hitting such young people. But that feeling I would have with everyone who falls under my car. It's normal that you feel guilty, even when it isn't your fault."

Museeuw's condition is reported to be improving in the neurosurgery division of the University Hospital in Gent where he has transferred to.

Moerenhout as a second

Farm Frites' Koos Moerenhout has been selected as the second Dutch starter in the Olympic time trial by Gerrie Knetemann. However, he didn't make things easy for Knetemann because his result in the Dutch championships on Wednesday was quite poor. Moerenhout came 27th, more than 5 minutes behind winner Erik Dekker.

Time trial specialist Servais Knaven wasn't selected for the Dutch team (he came 2nd at 25 seconds). So Knetemann had to make a choice out of the selected road or track riders after the Dutch championships. Jens Mouris came second in the U23 riders, and in the elite race Peter Schep came 24th and Moerenhout 27th...

Van Moorsel can't stop

After winning the Dutch time trial title on Wednesday, Leontien Van Moorsel is losing count: "I really don't know how many titles I have won now. I don't count them anymore. The national title was not the most important thing for me, but the recorded time. Three years ago we had almost the same parcours here in Zaltbommel. I hoped to do the race under half an hour. I did this time trial 2 minutes and 30 second faster! That counts! It's good for my morale, one month before Sydney," she said afterwards.

"I tried to simulate the situation in Sydney. When I checked the parcours in Australia in January I wasn't satisfied about the parcours. Corners, corners and corners. I counted around 30 corners. A rider like Anna Wilson is much better in corners than I an. But I trained the last few months on corners, and I did all criteriums in the last few weeks, all those laps around the church. On that type of parcours you only have corners, and that was good training, starting after every corner."

"So I'm very satisfied now. Again. It's good for my morale, because as we are coming closer to the Olympics, the pressure on me is growing and growing."

McCartney moves

British team Linda McCartney are continuing to strengthen their lineup for next year, signing Vitalicio's Juan Carlos Dominguez as their team leader. The team has also acquired the services of Dane, Nicki Sørensen who will come across from Fakta. David Etxebarria was on the menu, but he was snapped up by Euskaltel-Euskadi.

Thijs moves up

Erwin Thijs (Vlaanderen 2002) has signed with Belgian division I team, Lotto-Adecco, managed by Jef Braeckevelt and Claude Criquielion for one year contract.

"I spoke to Patrick Lefevere, but I didn't get a yes or no. It went faster with Lotto. And I heard from Mario Aerts and Kurt van de Wouwer that I'm very welcome in their team. Because Lotto starts in the Giro and the Tour, I can finally compete in a big tour. That's been a dream for me for years."

South Africans for Plouay and China

James Perry and Daniel Spence will double in the World U23 Championships in Plouay for the South African team, while Owen Hannie will ride the road race only. All riders represent the IBM/Lotus team in their home country. Before that they will, together with IBM/Lotus teammate Douglas Ryder, Minolta's Jacques LeRoux and Cycle Mania's Morne Bester, ride the Quingzhang Plateau Tour in China from August 28 to September 10.

VVZ to join with Axa

Dutch group Axa and Czech VVZ are joining forces to sponsor a professional team for the next five years. In the first year, eight riders will be contracted: John den Braber, Marcel Luppes, Daniel van Elven, Robert Slippens, Danny Stam and Michael van der Wolf (all on one year contracts), with Jan Hordijk and Peter Schep for two years. The technical manager is Ton Welling, current manager of Axa.

During the first year the team will have the status of a division III team, but one year later they will move to division II. The UCI decides about the status on basis of budget and number of riders. Axa will be the head sponsor for the first two years, while VVZ will take over in the final three years, meaning that the official name of the team is Axa-VVZ for now.

European MTB Championships

Rhenen in Holland is the site for the European Mountainbike Championships this coming weekend. The parcours is 8.75 kilometers, and is quite heavy, not Dutch and sandy. Adrie van der Poel said that "it's the same as a mountain stage in the Tour de France," about the parcours. Nearly 500 riders from 28 countries will start in the different races.

The Euro Championships are for most of the riders preparation for Sydney. Favourites from Holland: Bart Brentjens and Bas van Dooren, "but the most important races will be the World Cup in Lausanne and Sydney," and Corine Dorland in the elite women.

The Program:

Friday, Aug 18: 14:00 Open race for juniors

Saturday, Aug 19: 09:30 Junior Women, 11:45 Junior Men, 14:15 Espoirs

Sunday: 10:00 International open race for men and women (the so called 'sportclasse'), 13:00 Elite Women, 15:30 Elite Men