News for March 17, 2000Milan - San RemoBoogerd doesn't rate it Dutchman Michael Boogerd seems to be turning into a little bit of an "anti" cyclist, if his writings in "De Telegraaf" are anything to go by. Firstly, he dismissed his second position on the UCI ranking saying that he would no longer chase points, and now he waves off Milan - San Remo, where he will not be starting on Saturday. He writes: "After the stage-victory last Tuesday [Tirreno-Adriatico], for some seconds I thought I was strong enough for Milan San Remo. But that was only for a few seconds. Milan San Remo is nothing for me. It's a one-cent race, it's nothing. The Primavera is only popular because it's the first classic of the season. Okay, the ambience at the start is nice, but that's all. Ask Johan Museeuw. He doesn't like this race either, because you can't go real deep. To be explosive on the Cipressa or the Poggio - that's the only important part in this race." Ouch. That Italian thing. However, he reveals his alternative plans, which do not involve tooling around Italy along the Mediterranean Coast: "I'll start in the Setmana Catalana de Ciclismo. I hope to have a good classification. I won that race in 1998 and was second last year. Then the Brabantse Pijl (1.2) in Belgium (I was second last year), and then I can concentrate on the Ronde van Vlaanderen for one week. I will check the parcours. Maybe you don't believe it, but I have never climbed the Muur van Geraardsbergen, so I'll have to look there," he writes.
Freire believes One of the big favourites for Milan-San Remo is Mapei's Spanish World Champ, Oscar Freire. It will be the first time that he has competed in the 294 km classic, but the distance does not concern him. "The World Championships had 260 kilometres, and I imagine that I'll be in the group that arrives in San Remo to contest the victory. I must be there," he said according to EFE (Spanish press). He is well satisfied with his team, and will have Johan Museeuw and Michele Bartoli at his disposal. Neither of whom are bad domestiques at a pinch. The last time a Spaniard won La Primavera was in 1959, with Miguel Poblet. Definitely a long time between drinks. However, Freire is in form and not too fazed about racing against his idols, Zabel and Jalabert. He made a trip today with Paolo Fornaciari by helicopter to check out the last 60 kilometers of the course, before doing a little training on the Poggio. The Mapei-team: Oscar Freire (Spa), Michele Bartoli, Paolo Bettini, Paolo Fornaciari, Andrea Tafi and Stefano Zanini (Ita), Johan Museeuw and Wilfried Peeters (Bel). Tchmil's plans Last year's Milan San Remo winner, Andrei Tchmil has a cunning plan for tomorrow's event, that involves pain. "A good recipe for the Primavera? Go deep in the weeks before. Feel the pain. Fignon arranged a great run in to Milan San Remo. His parcours in Paris-Nice was beautiful. Not too heavy, but selective enough for who wants to go deep. The stage to Sisteron, the stage to the coast along the Route Napoleon and the climb to the Col d'Eze were ideal preparations to the Primavera. One bad thing: the transfer of 350 km after the Thursday stage. So I'm ready for Saturday," he says. Armstrong to ride Lance Armstrong will contest Milan San Remo, after doing some serious training this week. He will meet with the US Postal team tomorrow morning for a final briefing. As he hasn't been racing a great deal recently, he is likely to play a supporting role to George Hincapie who has been gaining some top placings in the early season races. Teams 25 teams are enrolled for Milan-San Remo: Lotto-Adecco (Tchmil); Memory Card-Jack&Jones; Banesto (Mancebo); Kelme (Cabello); ONCE-Deutsche Bank (Jalabert, Olano); Vitalicio Seguros (Aggiano); AG2R Prevoyance (Voigt); Cofidis (Vandenbroucke); Festina (Wust); La Française des Jeux (F. Guidi); Telekom (Zabel, Fagnini, Elli); Fassa Bortolo (Baldato, Konyshev); Lampre-Daikin (Svorada, Camenzind); Mapei-Quick Step (Bartoli, Freire, Museeuw); Mercatone Uno-Albacom (Garzelli, Velo); Saeco Valli&Valli (Cipollini, Commesso); Team Polti (Celestino); Vini Caldirola-Sidermec (Vainsteins, Casagrande); Farm Frites (Van Petegem); Rabobank (Den Bakker); Us Postal (Armstrong); Amica Chips-Tacconi Sport (Basso); Cantina Tollo (Di Luca, Colombo); Mobilvetta-Rossin (Quaranta). Odds According to La Gazzetta, the odds are on Erik Zabel to win at 5 to 1, with notable others being Freire (7 to 1), Tchmil, Vainsteins, Zberg (12 to 1), Bettini, Jalabert and Rebellin (15 to 1), Baldato, Celestino, Colombo, Konyshev, Planckaert, Sorensen, Spruch and Van Petegem (at 20 to 1). Curiously, Mario Cipollini is given 30 to 1, with Bartoli and Museeuw at 50 to 1.
Savoldelli to be heardSecond overall in last year's Giro, Paolo Savoldelli (Saeco) has been called in for questioning by the CONI Anti-Drug Commission. He will answer questions today regarding his hematocrit values in that race, which saw the leader (Marco Pantani) thrown out, and the successor (Ivan Gotti) come under investigation.
Australian NationalsNot one, but two types of national titles will be held this weekend in separate locations in Australia. Today marks the start of the Australian Track Championships at the Dunc Gray Velodrome in Sydney. The junior U15 and U17 races will be held over the next three days, with the senior and U19 competition starting next week on Wednesday, March 22 running until March 26. Finally, the Masters track championships will be held on March 28-29. Cyclingnews will be publishing daily results from the championships. On Saturday, March 18 there is the national road time trial championships for women in Melbourne (7.00 am, Beach Rd Beaumaris). The 3-lap, 27 km race is an important one for Olympic selection, although it carries no UCI points. All eyes will be on the contest between Anna Wilson, Tracey Gaudry, Kirsty Scrymgeour, Kathy Watt and Juanita Feldhahn to see who will hold the jersey this year. Australia can field two women in the Olympic time trial, with the first being named in June and the second after the Olympic road race in September. On Sunday, March 19 the women will back up for the United Energy Grand Prix, a 78 km road race that is part of the National Compaq Trophy series. Start and finish at Hanover Rd at Vermont Sth shopping centre. The women's race starts 11 am, the men's (120 km) at 1.15 pm. Although it is a national series race, it does not carry a lot of weight in terms of Olympic selection, coming the day after the national time trial championships.
Dave Rayner FundThe following is the list of riders that are being supported by the Dave Rayner Fund this year. Matt Pryce VC Lanester (France) Courtesy of BritProNews |