News for February 15, 2000

Sad news from France

Courtesy of Jean-François Quenet

GP Ouest-France race organiser, Jean-Yves Perron, has died from cancer on Feb. 14th in an hospital in Lorient, France, aged 51. He was the organiser of the Grand Prix de Plouay, a traditional circuit race in Brittany since 1974. The event was later named the GP Ouest-France in 1989, with the aim of becoming a World Cup race. For the past two years, the UCI have ranked it "hors-categorie" (the same as the Flèche Wallonne).

In addition, the small town of Plouay (4,500 people) hosted the 1984 French National Championships won by Laurent Fignon, and it is also the venue for the World Championships this year (10-15 October), after the GP Ouest-France on July 30th. All of these organisations were mainly due to one man, Jean-Yves Perron. A big loss for the world of cycling.

Australian National MTB championships

Courtesy of Gennie Sheer

The Australian National Mountain biking championships will be held in Kooralbyn, Queensland on February 16-20. Some top competitors will be lining up, including World Cup espoir cross country champion, Cadel Evans, as well as defending Australian champion, Paul Rowney, from Sydney.

Rowney won the Oceania Grand Prix late last year, and is keen to make it two in a row by the end of this week. "I made the mistake last year of not racing enough, but I was determined to be in good form this year to set me up for the World Cup rounds which begin next month," he said. "I expect it will be a really close race".

The expected competition from Evans may not eventuate, as the 23 year-old is recovering from a broken collarbone sustained in the Tour Down Under last month. He intends on racing, but will not be in top fitness. "I'm hoping I can get in a good position early, and if I do then I'll really be trying for a good result," he said.

"It's my first year in the elite ranks, but since we've been racing U/23 and Elite together in the past, it won't be such a big adjustment," said Evans who is used to the competition.

Following this, the Men's National squad, consisting of: Cadel Evans (Vic), Josh Fleming (NSW), Craig Gordon (NSW), Paul Rowney (NSW), Matt Wallace (Vic), and Rob Woods (NSW) will head overseas to prepare and race in the world cup round in Napa Valley, California.

The women's squad consists of Anna Baylis (Vic), Dellys Franke (Vic), Hanneke Geysen (ACT) and Mary Grigson (ACT), the majority of whom will be based in Australia for the time being. Grigson will be racing overseas with her pro team, Gary Fisher, up to the Games in September.

Australian Men's road squad named

The Australian National Cycling Federation have named the 12 man "long" Olympic road squad for this year. The team will be narrowed to five by Games time to contest the 239 km road race and the 47 km individual time trial.

According to national road coach, Shayne Bannon, it will be hard to make the choice. "Currently, we have such a depth of talent in the professional cycling ranks that the competition to make the Olympic team will be very fierce," said Bannon. "But it also means we can expect to have a very competitive team with all the riders highly motivated and with an honest belief that we can succeed."

Under the 2000 Australian Olympic Team Nomination Criteria the two riders who are highest ranked on the UCI (International Cycling Union) rankings at the end of June will be nominated to the Australian Olympic Committee for team inclusion. "For the rest of them selectors will be looking for consistent performances particularly in World Cup (one day) races and we'll also be looking at what sort of a role they play in their professional teams and how well they carry out that role," said Bannon.

Men's Olympic Road Squad

Jamie Drew (Vic), Jonathan Hall (NSW), Patrick Jonker (SA), Robbie McEwen (Qld), David McKenzie (Vic), Stuart O'Grady (SA), Nathan O'Neill (Qld), Peter Rogers (ACT), Scott Sunderland (NSW), Jay Sweet (SA), Henk Vogels (WA), Matthew White (NSW).

Bradley McGee (NSW) and Michael Rogers (ACT) have also been named in the road squad subject to achieving selection in the track squad.

Double treat at Fiorenzuola

This summer, the Fiorenzuola velodrome, located between Parma and Piacenza, will have two major events on offer. First of all, the traditional Sei giorni delle rose, "The six days of the roses", will be held from July 25-30. It is the only outdoor six days on the European calendar with the usual experts like Martinello, Risi, Kappes, Madsen, Villa, Collinelli and the World Champions Llaneras and Galvez, but also road sprinters like Mario Cipollini and his crown prince Ivan Quaranta.

The second event is the Juniors' World Championships with the opening ceremony, with music of local composer Guiseppe Verdi. Racing will start the day after and lasts five days with participants from 40 nations. On July 31, between the events, there will be a celebration of the UCI's 100th anniversary at Castell'Arquato.

Italy will issue two special stamps for these occasions, the jubilee stamp on April 14, and one for the Championships on July 31.

IOC in Sydney

The head honchos of the International Olympic Committee, Juan Antonio Samaranch Jacques Rogge, and Anita Defrantz are planning on visiting Sydney this week on a "goodwill" mission. Part of the reason is to assess the traffic conditions and how the estimated 1.8 million "Olympic journeys" during the three week period encompassing the Games, will be carried out.

There was support from vice-president Defrantz for - wait for it - the bicycle as a means of transport in the city. Although Sydney is certainly not "anti-bike", the 50-100 km diameter of the city makes it hard for bike riders to get out into the wide open spaces. From the city centre to Homebush, the Olympic venue, it is about a 20 kilometer trip, along some fairly heavily trafficked roads in places. There are alternatives however, e.g. through the back streets of Five-Dock, but there are still places where cars rule the roads.

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