News for October 11, 2000Plouay World's will be full of surprisesBy Tim Maloney, cyclingnews.com correspondent
France's seacoast region of Brittany will host the final World Road Cycling Championships of the Millennium this week, with most of the action located in the tiny village of Plouay, site of the wildly popular (250,000 spectators) Grand Prix de l'Ouest race each August. With the Sydney Olympics just fading to black, will the 2000 World Road Cycling Championships be more about who isn't racing? With the weather currently cold and wet, blowing in from the Atlantic Ocean, this year's World's will be full of surprises and cyclingnews predicts some great racing. What a great, classic road world's circuit; a tough, technical and unpredictable parcours that will crown worthy champions. Named after Jean-Yves Perron, the organizer of the Grand Prix de l'Ouest, it's a 14.150 km tour through the arriere-pays of Morbihan. The parcours heads southeast with a tailwind right away, up the fast first climb, a côte of 1.5km long and 6% average grade, with the last 300m to Le Harras steeper at 8% gradient. Here's where the attacks will start on Circuit Perron after 2.2 km. This is followed by a short descent, then another quick leg-sapping climb of 300m at 10%. After a tight technical descent through Kerscoulic and Questenen to Poulhibet, the third and perhaps most crucial climb of Circuit Perron heads towards the finish in Plouay. With 3.5km to go, the final cote is a wide-open, windy 1.5km haul with an average gradient of 8%. When counter-moves get away on the second climb and the descent to Poulhibet, the chasers will feel empowered to bring them back up the final climb. Once the last climb is crested, there are 2.15 km to go on a fast, rolling tailwind section to the finish. Beware, the final 1 km is downhill for much of the way, with a tricky uphill finish that may be difficult to judge. The time trial courses are all point to point along a rolling country road that comes from the back-country of Brittany into the center of Plouay. Not really built for all out speed due to the rolling terrain and rough road surface, the 2000 Road World's TT course will reward those in form from the Sydney Olympics with the big results. As for the what and when, here's your the tale of the tape. Regarding the Who and Why of the 2000 World Road Cycling Championships, well, you'll just have to wait, won't you! So stay with cyclingnews.com for all the news on the 2000 World Road Cycling Championships from Plouay, France . Cyclingnews.com schedule Time Trials (all times CET) Wednesday 11 October Junior Men 24.5km / Le Croisty-Plouay 1200-1400 - Start
list/preview Thursday 12 October Elite Men 47.6km / Rostrenen-Plouay (live) 1400-1700 Road Races (all times CET) Friday 13 October Junior Women 0915-1130 U23 Men 1230-1715 Saturday 14 October Junior Men 0900-1215 Elite Women 1345-1730 Sunday 15 October Elite Men 1030-1730 Klöden in doubt
German hopes for a medal in this year's World Championships are being diminished after firstly Jan Ullrich had to withdraw from the time trial and the road race, and now Olympic bronze medallist Andreas Klöden is suffering from a cold. He contracted it immediately after Sunday's Paris-Tours World Cup race, that saw Ullrich crash out with 20 kilometres to go. Klöden is taking antibiotics to combat it and hopes to be ready by Sunday. Ullrich on the other hand has been forced to end his season two weeks early, not being able to defend his World time trial title or help his teammate Erik Zabel clinch the World Cup in the Tour of Lombardy on October 21. Despite being in impressive form for the past two months, Ullrich will finish 2000 with a sense of unfulfillment, as the World TT title and the Tour de France yellow jersey have eluded him. Erik Zabel will carry the leader's mantle in Sunday's road race, although the parcours is not totally suited to his abilities. The best medal chances probably rest with the German women, Hanka Kupfernagel, Petra Rossner and Ina Teutenberg.
Dietz will finishGerman cyclist, Bert Dietz (Nürnberger) has announced his retirement from cycling after the World Championship road race on Sunday. Dietz (31) has had a career spanning 7 years with 7 victories - not stunning by professional standards, but he spent several years as a domestique with Telekom. His best known win was in stage 12 of the 1995 Vuelta, which finished atop a 2,300 metre climb. Away for most of the day, he was finally caught by Laurent Jalabert with one kilometre to go. However, the Frenchman gave the win to him in a courteous gesture, as he was already well on track to win the tour. Dietz will now move into a directing role with division II Nürnberger, and the team hopes for success in 2001 with a new generation of riders.
Plouay drug tests to go to GermanyThe UCI will not be using the national drug testing laboratory of Châtenay-Malabry in Paris for the analysis of samples taken during the World Championships. Instead, they will send them to a laboratory in Cologne, Germany to avoid a couple of technical issues. Both the Cologne and Parisian laboratories are accredited by the IOC, but due to doping regulations in France, the list of banned substances is different to the UCI, European Council or the IOC's lists. Another problem could arise if someone of non-French nationality tests positive, and has to face disciplinary action from both the French Federation and their own federation.
Kappes and Müller positiveTwo German cyclists have officially tested positive to banned substances, according to the German Cycling Federation. 34 year old Andreas Kappes (Agro Adler-Brandenburg) and 27 year old Dirk Müller (Post Swiss) had both their A and B samples confirmed for the drugs Nandrolone and HCG (a human growth hormone) respectively. Kappes' test was carried out during the German national championships in Hamburg, while Müller's result came from the Regio Tour in August. Kappes has already served a six month suspension for doping in 1997, and his case will now be heard by the German Federation's Sporting Court. The six day specialist faces a two year suspension for a repeat offence.
Ray Godkin elected Vice President of UCICycling Australia's outgoing president, Ray Godkin OAM, has been elected Vice President of the UCI after a meeting in Plouay, France yesterday. He described himself as "pleasantly shocked" with the appointment that came "out of the blue". Mr Godkin already serves on the Management Committee of the UCI and is President of the organisation's Youth Development, Coaching and Training Commission. He flew to France after acting as Competition Manager for Cycling at the Olympic Games and will return to Australia in this position for the Paralympics.
First for a womanFor the first time in World Championships history there will be a female member of the head jury: Miriam Bellemakers-Van Es (35) from Stein in Limburg (Netherlands). She started studying to be a jury member in 1986 and in 1994 she went to Tunisia for her international license and became a B jury member. Four years later she became an A jury member. "With my report marks, I'm in the top 10 in the world. Like Tijn Swinkels and Martin Bruin," she said. Today she was the chairwoman of the jury for the junior women's time trial. Next season she will be chairwoman of the jury in the Waalse Pijl (Fleche Wallone). "That's beautiful. Okay, it will be more beautiful to be invited for the Tour de France and the final target is - of course - the Olympics," she added. She spends 100 days a year with this 'hobby', and she is the mother of two children.
Canadian World's teamElite Men Mike Barry (Saturn) Elite Women Erin Carter (Elita) U23 Men Charles Dionne (Volkswagen) Junior Men Dominique Rollin Junior Women Raphaelle Lemieux
Van Petegem talksPeter Van Petegem has been trying to sort out his career for the last few months, aiming to secure a place in a strong team in order to have a chance to reach his best again. So far, all negotiations have not been fruitful, and time is running out as the big teams are using their 2001 budgets. He has been tied with former TVM director, Cees Priem, who is reportedly trying to start a team with Euro 1.5 million. However, he will need more than this to get a top team together and Van Petegem seems to be caught in a net between Priem, Mapei and Domo-Farm Frites. Priem's cash comes from Mr Lips, of the Dutch Libema company which is involved in event sponsorship and theme parks. With this, Priem hopes to join with other sponsors or a smaller team to realise his goal, but no-one has welcomed him. Van Petegem, according to Domo director Patrick Lefevere "has to leave the ghost of Priem, otherwise he will lose." Van Petegem is still holding firm, according to sportnet.be, "How can he [Lefevere] say that. He knows how strong the Lefevere-Museeuw tandem is. The Priem-Van Petegem tandem is strong too. We became big because we worked very closely for six years." He has had troubles with Farm Frites because of their current adviser, Peter Post. The former Panasonic team leader has been out of cycling for 10 years, but according to Van Petegem came in and ruined an agreement between Van Petegem and boss Piet De Bruyne and manager Jaques Hanagraaf "He can't negotiate...he doesn't even know who I am, what qualities I have," said Van Petegem. "Do you know what really happened in our team this year? After the pre-season, half of the team already started to negotiate with other teams. The other part looked at me and wanted to go further with me," he added. However, Priem's money and Van Petegem's name wasn't enough to start a new team. In July, Priem negotiated with Farm Frites in a co-sponsorship deal, however that didn't eventuate and Farm Frites joined Domo instead. Priem also tried Mapei, but then Peter Post raised the question of a buyout, and Van Petegem did not want to pay a cent. In addition, Van Petegem has had an offer from MemoryCard and a US sponsor, "but I don't want to pay 400,000 Euro" he says. "My lawyer Gerrit Vixseboxse says I can leave - under Dutch law - without a buy-out. I don't like solving it in court, but if I need it, I will do it." A court case could also take several months, and this is critical as it will take time away from riding. At the moment, his career is still in the clouds with Priem.
Tour 2001As reported yesterday, the Tour de France 2001 will have 20 teams of 9 riders each in line with this year's field size. In addtion there will be 6 French teams. The full parcours will be revealed on October 26, and cyclingnews.com will be at the launch with a full preview and profile of Le Tour 2001. There will be three mountaintop finishes next year: one in the Alps at Alpe d'Huez, taking place a day later a mountain time trial to the Olympic ski station Chamrousse; and two in the Pyrenees: Pla d'Adet and a day later to Luz Ardiden.
Team newsThe ProVision-PlanetX team for 2001 will be a joint Anglo-Irish project with Mark Lovatt, Wayne Randle and two riders from their Northern Ireland outfit. This year's UK national champion, John Tanner will be joining the Linda McCartney team. The Real Cost Cars team has been disbanded after the sponsors failed to get sufficient coverage in the cycling press. The team had an impressive first season with Antony Malarcyk and Danny Axford getting notable results. Thanks to BritProNews Sciandri up and downBritain's Max Sciandri (Linda McCartney) has had a mixed lead-up to the World Championships in Plouay. On a positive side, his wife Caterina gave birth to baby Leonardo, and is now back home recovering well in bed. However, in terms of his physical condition, Max found that his crash in Sydney has left him with a tiny fracture to the pelvis. Fluid is continually building up on the injury, and he will have it syringed before leaving for Brittany and the World Championships on Thursday. "I feel good, my legs are strong and it hasn't stopped me training," said Max after a 190 km training ride yesterday. "If anything my back hurts more from the crash, but I'm determined to ride this weekend. I think that this is one of the best ever World Championship opportunities for me and I have good form. I hope the injury doesn't prevent me doing well."
Page joins SachsUS cyclocrosser, Jonathan Page has joined the Richard Sachs Cyclocross Team and will contest all of the World GP Cross events and the full Super Prestige Cross Series this coming season. He hopes to emulate other US 'cross stars such as Tim Johnson who won a bronze medal in the World Championships in 1999. Jonathan won the US Junior Cyclo-Cross title in 1995, got back on his bike an hour later and, even though he got a puncture early in the last lap, placed 4th in the Elite race. That same year, Jonathan also won the US Junior Road Championships. He joins the other Richard Sachs Team members, Alicia Genest (reigning Junior Women's National Cross Champion, Sarah Uhl (1998 Junior Women's National Cross Champion and U23 racer Bill Skinner. He plans to race in Europe from his base in Germany until the US National Cyclocross Championships in Kansas City in early December. He will then return to Europe for the remainder of their 'cross season and hopes to represent the US at the 2001 World Cross Championships in the Czech Republic in February 2001. |
