News for May 3, 2000Armstrong rates Ullrich"I think that Jan Ullrich is the biggest talent in cycling and if he is fit and in shape I think he is the favourite for the Tour de France." These are the words of last year's Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong who yesterday visited a centre for high precision radiation treatment against tumours. "It was unfortunate he was not there last year but I feel confident that he'll feel prepared this year and we'll see," said the American to Reuters newsagency. Armstrong himself is a little bit out of his ordinary form. Asked about his own chances of a repeat success, Armstrong replied: "I started a little bit behind but I think in the last three weeks I've made big progress and I like to think that I am in better shape now than I was a year ago."
Italian supported Belgian team?Italian newspapers are reporting that there will be a new Belgian team next season with riders such as Johan Museeuw (who wants to stop after 2001), Wilfried Peeters, Tom Steels, Bart Leysen and Max van Heeswijk. The team manager? Patrick Lefevere, now with Mapei. Mapei's sponsor, Giorgio Squinzi wants to go further with young riders as Bettini, Figueras and Oscar Freire. He's interested in Axel Merckx too. The future of Michele Bartoli, Stefano Zanini, Andrea Tafi and Pavel Tonkov isn't known yet. Giancarlo Ferretti (former team manager of Bartoli) is interested in Bartoli again, and he wants Frank Vandenbroucke and Ivan Basso as well. However Vandenbroucke could also sign with Saeco, although the most likely candidate for him is ONCE, but that means there will be some problems with Laurent Jalabert. JaJa doesn't want to ride in the same team as VDB. Other reports in the Italian papers say that Marco Pantani will leave Mercatone Uno at the end of the season (if indeed he rides at all this year).
Amore's bad fortune in TrentinoLast week, the UCI stopped British registered team Amore & Vita from participating in the Giro del Trentino. The reason was said to have been that the team hadn't deposited the required guarantee money for their riders. The team manager, the controversial Ivano Fanini, gave another story to Italian Radio Corsa. He said that he is being punished by the UCI for his strong stance towards doping "The UCI has been at war with me since the Giro in 1996 when I spoke up against the faults of the Italian anti doping bureau. I have also been critical at many other occasions, I have for instance said that a haematocrit level of 50 percent is to encourage doping, 45 would have been better." Fanini says that everything is in order with the guarantee sum. It was paid before October 28, according to Fanini. "This affair goes back a couple of weeks when we told our cyclists that their salaries were too low. We pay them 21 million lire per year (US$10,000), 24 if they are good riders. That is the minimum wage set by the UCI for the United Kingdom where we are registered. For some reason UCI says that the minimum salary is 30 million lire. It's strange since our contracts are passed by UCI in London." Fanini says he will not raise the salaries and he also says that the riders are satisfied. "UCI has made a mistake. I was joking today saying that UCI will be our main sponsor next year, since we are raising a lawsuit for compensation and so will the riders." "We have registered here in the UK because we have always been disqualified in Italy. I have lost time and money on always defending the team. Our team is well known all over the world and our sponsor's message is universal. We started in 1989 in the Vatican city and in a way we are still Italian, but we had to move since we will be "executed" in Italy."
Longo for the OlympicsJeannie Longo, 41, wants to ride the Olympic Road race. She is the title defender but she is not guaranteed a place in the race. Last weekend she finished 17th at the Trophée des Grimpeurs. "I found the motivation for an Olympic effort from the enthusiasm of the crowd," she said. She will still have to qualify under normal French Olympic selection procedures however.
Finn joins the Black Train25 year-old Sanna Lehtimaki, who normally rides for the US based Timex team will switch to Farm Frites-Hartol for the up coming Tour de l'Aude (May 4-14). She adds to the Scandinavian emphasis of the team, joining Susanne Ljungskog (Swe), Rikke Sandhoj Olsen (Den), Yvonne Brunen (Ned), Madeleine Lindberg (Swe), Sharon van Essen (Ned) for the 11 day race. The change is not permanent though, and she will continue to ride for Timex afterwards.
Chyla firedGerman division III team, Hohenfelder-Concorde has been forced to lay off one of its riders, Rafael Chyla. According to team management, Chyla did not present himself second stage of the Ster der Beloften in the Netherlands recently, choosing instead to drive home with a pair of team Spinergys (he should have entered our competition!). The team were only able to contact him almost a week later, when he said he was ill, but this did not go down too well. Hohenfelder-oncorde is also the home to two Australian riders, Corey Sweet and Peter Rogers. The latter has been suffering from a knee injury for the early part of the year, and had his first race last Saturday, the Rund um den Flughafen Köln-Bonn. Sweet on the other hand is riding quite well, with several top placings in the Ringerike GP in Norway, finishing 4th overall and winning the climber's jersey.
Watt to MoscowAustralian 3000m pursuit champion, Kathy Watt will continue her quest for the sole spot in Australia's Olympic team in that event, by riding in several rounds of the track World Cup. She has been given permission to do this by the national body, Cycling Australia, whilst the other main contender for the position, Alayna Burns will remain training with the AIS. Recently, Watt won each stage and the overall of the Canberra Tour, a highly ranked national event, and will now fly to Moscow for the May 18-22 round of the World Cup. According to boyfriend and coach, Carey Hall, this is the ideal way for her to prepare and she hopes that there will be a top class European field there.
European Derny ChampionshipsThe European Derny Championships will be held next Sunday on the Amsterdam 200 metre velodrome. Among the favourites are Matthew Gilmore (Bel), Etienne de Wilde (Bel), Jimmy Madsen (Den) and Marco Villa (Ita) with Dutchman Robert Slippens as outsider. 12 riders from seven counties are registered. The championships will be held with a two series qualification from which the seven best go to the final. On the program for the day is also Derny Masters and the Rabobank Omnium consisting of an 8 km scratch race, a race over 20 kms, a flying lap, a 10 kms points race and an elimination race. The racing starts at 10:30 am, May 7, with a scheduled finish at approximately 5 pm.
2000 ACT Cycling AwardsThe Australian Capital Territory's best cyclists were recognised last night in the Awards Night and Annual General Meeting of the ACT Cycling Federation. Attended by members from all four member clubs - Canberra Cycling Club, Cooma Cycling Club, Females In Training and Tuggeranong Vikings Cycling Club, the Awards were hosted by members of the ACT Cycling Federation Committee, and Canberra Cyclist and Atlanta Olympian, Stephen Hodge. Although the ACT has only 250 of Australia's 9,500 registered competitors, its riders are relatively successful. Michael Rogers, Tracey Gaudry, Alison Wright, and Mary Grigson are all members of ACT clubs, and they have been performing at the highest level on the international scene this year. Awards Recipients Junior MTB Cyclist of the Year: Male - Jared Rando ACT Male Cyclist of the Year: Michael Rogers Stephen Hodge Achievement Award The Stephen Hodge Achievement Award is a perpetual trophy awarded to the rider who has shown significant improvement in their respective category, has shown sportsmanship and dedication in the pursuit of excellence (professionalism), and has contributed to cycling in the ACT. This year's winner is Christena Singh. |