News for October 17, 2000World's newsA reversal for VainsteinsLatvian Romans Vainsteins is good at playing poker it seems. Not only during the World Championship Road Race on Sunday, where he relied on the strength of the Italian, Spanish and Belgian teams to keep things together until the finish. He also answered many back home who strongly criticised him for not riding in the Olympic Games. When he made the announcement during summer, it was considered almost treasonous, although he had his reasons. He wanted to concentrate solely on the World's and also had to deal with the recent death of his father. There were certainly big expectations on the relative newcomer to the professional ranks (he has only been pro since 1998). A top 10 was the very minimum, a medal acceptable and a gold one and a rainbow jersey. Well, all would be forgiven and more. He might now be a little more courteously received in his native country, although his place of residence is in Italy.
Fusi's commentsNot since 1992 have Italy won a rainbow jersey in the Men's World Road Championships. Despite often having the biggest and best team on paper, things have never quite gone their way and Sunday in Plouay was no different. Bartoli was their main man yet again, but he was unable to escape the clutches of the Belgian team, who were just as determined as the Italians to put their top man Tchmil in a solo move. It happened on more than one occasion that both Bartoli and Tchmil were together, but for each one it was all or nothing. The early break that contained Danilo Di Luca was planned, according to national coach Antonio Fusi. "That was superlative because it allowed the others not to work near the beginning," he said to La Gazzetta dello Sport. Then there were the continuous ineffectual attacks from Bartoli, "Michele was our captain and as such he had the option to decide which tactics to follow. He was not forced to wait for the final kilometres or the climb. However on the second last lap, Tchmil also demonstrated that he had a lot of strength, despite his 38 years," he added. Casagrande and Bettini spent a lot of time in the middle of the bunch and were not a great deal of help to Bartoli. Casagrande almost pulled off a last minute attack, but kept looking behind and was chased down by the Belgians. "I needed a longer false flat in order to make it successful, there was also a headwind," said Casagrande. Bartoli was fortunate to have his personal domestique, Luca Scinto in fine form to do a lot of work at the end. "I said I would work for Bartoli, as it had been established by the team, the others I don't know," said Scinto. "Casagrande was not seen throughout the race, never giving a hand, then tried to attack at the end. With three laps to go Bettini, who said to me he was with us, instead tried to escape." Bettini commented that "on a parcours that was not particularly selective and a race that was disputed at a high speed, it was extremely difficult to make a selection. Bartoli told me near the end to stay close because he wanted to win in a breakaway. But then Tchmil attacked and Rebellin followed. When Michele let me in front, there were two away: I took the wheel of Freire but the others had twenty metres advantage by now." At least Di Luca was happy: "I believe that with this race I have redeemed my performance in Sydney. I have made an escape of 200 km, and demonstrated that when I am fit I can play any role."
UCI rankings post World's
Ever since they were moved to October, the World Championships have signified the culmination of the road season. Although most riders are tired of racing at this point in the season, the UCI points on offer are valuable for those seeking better contracts for the following year. In the men's points table, a World Championship Road Race is worth 400 points, while a time trial win is worth 240. Even 50th place is worth 10 points. The ever consistent Andrei Tchmil came close to bagging the 400, as did Casagrande who still retains his number one ranking after the latest rankings were issued by the UCI. Romans Vainsteins moved himself to second place, within 190 points of Casagrande - an impressive performance for a non-stage race rider. Who knows what Erik Zabel could have done if fully fit? That will remain forever a hypothetical. Other big movers in the men's ranks include Serhiy Honchar, winner of the men's time trial and now up to 39th place. Despite his bronze medal, Oscar Freire (Spa) actually lost points because he didn't win although he still holds down 12th position. Michele Bartoli moved back into the top 20 with his fighting fourth place, while Zbigniew Spruch jumped from 90th to 40th. Other notable leaps include Tobias Steinhauser (196th to 109th) and Scott Sunderland (247th to 157th).
Despite not finishing the women's race, Diana Ziliute is still clearly number one in the women's rankings. She leads German Hanka Kupfernagel by 75 points, with Australian Anna Wilson in third. Women's road race winner, Zinaida Stahurskaya jumped up from 37th to 10th, while second placed Chantal Beltman went from 23rd to 9th. Time trial champion, Mari Holden is now 8th overall, just ahead of Beltman. In the teams, Acca Due O is as usual, untouchable. However the Netherlands finally supplanted Lithuania in the nations rankings to take the number one position. To the younger categories, and the Under 23 Men's "winner" for 2000 is Russian Evgeny Petrov, who easily jumped from third into the number one spot courtesy of his two gold medals in the road race and the time trial. Consistent Italian, Graziano Gasparre led for most of the year, but had to be content with second overall.
In the junior ranks, there was no contest. Despite crashing out of the junior men's race, Poland's Peter Mazur beat his nearest rival Marcel Sieberg of Germany in the rankings by 135 points, after dominating the junior scene all year long and winning the World's time trial. The surprise winner of the road race, Jeremy Yates of New Zealand, moved from a long way down the scale up to third, after netting 100 points for his fine win. Riding without a team and little financial support, Yates leapfrogged himself into a winning position in the closing kilometres to become New Zealand's first ever medallist at the World Road Championships, and a gold one at that. He is, according to his father "a normal teenager who goes to parties, does well at school and holds down a job in his local bakery." He aims to come home and start school again on Wednesday. Elite Men 1 Francesco Casagrande (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Sidermec 2,170.00 pts 2 Romans Vainsteins (Lat) Vini Caldirola-Sidermec 1,981.00 3 Erik Zabel (Ger) Team Deutsche Telekom 1,901.00 4 Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal Service 1,894.00 5 Roberto Heras Hernandez (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 1,767.00 6 Jan Ullrich (Ger) Team Deutsche Telekom 1,749.75 7 Andrei Tchmil (Bel) Lotto-Adecco 1,535.00 8 Laurent Jalabert (Fra) O.N.C.E.-Deutsche Bank 1,493.75 9 Paolo Bettini (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step 1,446.00 10 Davide Rebellin (Ita) Liquigas-Pata 1,443.00 11 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Lampre-Daikin 1,292.00 12 Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa) Mapei-Quick Step 1,237.00 13 Stefano Garzelli (Ita) Mercatone Uno-Albacom 1,192.00 14 Wladimir Belli (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 1,139.00 15 Andreas Klöden (Ger) Team Deutsche Telekom 1,133.00 16 Erik Dekker (Ned) Rabobank 1,122.00 17 Marcus Zberg (Swi) Rabobank 1,083.25 18 Michele Bartoli (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step 1,079.35 19 Abraham Olano Manzano (Spa) O.N.C.E.-Deutsche Bank 1,074.75 20 Peter Van Petegem (Bel) Farm Frites 1,034.00 Division I Teams: 1 Mapei-Quick Step 9,472.25 pts 2 Team Deutsche Telekom 8,261.25 3 Kelme-Costa Blanca 6,410.00 4 Fassa Bortolo 6,253.00 5 Lampre-Daikin 6,204.00 6 O.N.C.E.-Deutsche Bank 5,726.75 7 Rabobank 5,651.75 8 Vini Caldirola-Sidermec 5,580.00 9 Banesto 5,166.00 10 Festina 4,213.00 Nations: 1 Italy 12,312.20 pts 2 Spain 9,442.75 3 Germany 8,060.75 4 Belgium 7,957.50 5 France 6,805.25Elite Women 1 Diana Ziliute (Ltu) Acca Due O-Lorena Camicie 706.00 pts 2 Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) Radteam Kupfernagel 631.67 3 Anna Wilson (Aus) Saturn Cycling Team 555.00 4 Leontien Zijlaard-Van Moorsel (Ned) Farm Frites-Hartol 510.00 5 Mirjam Melchers (Ned) Dutch National Team 483.50 6 Joane Somarriba Arrola (Spa) Team Alfa Lum R.S.M. 417.00 7 Pia Sundstedt (Fin) Gas Sport Team 361.00 8 Mari Holden (USA) Timex Women's Professional Cycling Team 324.00 9 Chantal Beltman (Ned) Dutch National Team 322.50 10 Svetlana Boubnenkova (Rus) Edilsavino 307.00 10 Zinaida Stahurskaya (Blr) S.C. Michela Fanini Record Rox 307.00 Teams: 1 Acca Due O - Lorena Camicie 1,338.00 pts 2 Team Farm Frites - Hartol 1,068.00 3 Saturn Cycling Team 946.00 4 Gas Sport Team 874.00 5 Team Alfa Lum R.S.M. 841.00 Nations: 1 Netherlands 1,522.67 pts 2 Lithuania 1,253.50 3 Germany 1,227.17 4 Australia 891.00 5 Russia 798.50U23 Men 1 Evgeni Petrov (Rus) 237 pts 2 Graziano Gasparre (Ita) 204 3 Patrik Sinkewitz (Ger) 150 4 Torsten Hiekmann (Ger) 134 5 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) 123 6 Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) 109 7 Stijn Devolder (Bel) 105 8 Matteo Carrara (Ita) 100 9 Bjorn Hoeben (Ned) 99 10 Bram Tankink (Ned) 98Junior Men 1 Peter Mazur (Pol) 313 2 Marcel Sieberg (Ger) 178 3 Jeremy Yates (NZl) 138 4 Alexandr Arekeev (Rus) 130 5 Antonio Bucciero (Ita) 105 6 Vladimir Goussev (Rus) 105 7 Blazej Janiaczyk (Pol) 105 8 Tomasz Nose (Slo) 101 9 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) 93 10 Lukasz Bodnar (Pol) 90 Eastern Europe still going strongThe medal table at the end of the World Championships revealed an interesting trend. Of a total of 10 gold medals, 6 went to eastern European nations, Russia, Poland, Ukraine, Belorussia and Latvia. By contrast, the traditionally strong cycling nations Belgium, France, Italy, Netherlands and Spain only managed to net one between them, while USA, Great Britain and New Zealand scored one each. The final tally again:
Gold Silver Bronze Total
Russia 2 1 1 4
Poland 1 2 1 4
France 1 1 - 2
Ukraine 1 1 - 2
Belorussia 1 - - 1
Great Britain 1 - - 1
Latvia 1 - - 1
New Zealand 1 - - 1
USA 1 - - 1
Australia - 1 1 2
Italy - 1 1 2
Netherlands - 1 1 2
Germany - 1 - 1
Switzerland - 1 - 1
Canada - - 1 1
Hungary - - 1 1
Lithuania - - 1 1
Spain - - 1 1
Sweden - - 1 1
Demet-Barry and Karen Kurreck finish careers at World'sTwo members of the US women's cycling team had their last race in the World Championship Road Race in Ploauy. Dede Demet-Barry (Saturn) finished with an impressive 7th place in the race. She rode aggressively throughout the race that saw many riders drop out due to crashes and problems due to the cold, wet weather. On the final lap, Dede attacked hard on the last climb and looked to be heading for a bronze medal. However the pack eventually pulled her back in and she sprinted to seventh place, the highest US finisher. Demet-Barry, 28, started racing in 1987 and has had a top national and international career. A gold medallist in the junior world championships in 1989, she progressed to the senior ranks with a silver medal in the team time trial at the 1993 World's. In 1995, she won the Thrift Drug Classic and the PowerBar International Women’s Challenge before becoming a national road race champion in 1996. Other major results include an overall win in the GP Féminin International (1997), Tour de Snowy (1998), 1st in the Sydney World Cup (1998), and many more stage wins in national and international events. She is a six time national champion, and in recent years a valued super-domestique for the Saturn women's team. "She will be greatly missed by all members of the Saturn family as she moves on to pursue her education and other goals in life," said the Saturn team. "We wish her well in all that lies ahead!" Karen Kurreck, 38, was USA's only other elite female World Champion, winning the time trial in 1994. She describes her final race as follows: "My 8th and final Road World Championships was Sat. in Plouay, France (Brittany). In fact, this was the final race of my career as I am retiring after this year. I had hoped to go out with a good race, but it was not to be. Northern France in October is not exactly the best place to hold a bike race. Temperatures hovered in the high 40s to low 50s with off and on rain every day. I had to dig out my long gloves and booties for training. This will also be my last time riding in the rain! The course was not that difficult compared to some other years, but it was not easy either. Laps were 14.2km and included 2 climbs of about 1.5 each. Neither one was super steep. We did 9 laps for a total of 127km. The whole course was on narrow roads though. Except for the 2nd climb and about 1km at the Start/Finish, we were entirely on 1 lane roads. In all the World's courses I have seen, none were this much on roads this narrow. There was snow fencing on either side of the road all the way. This was a recipe for large crashes and every field - Jrs., Under 23 and our field had their share. The problem was if 1 person went down, there was absolutely nowhere for anyone else to go and everyone around them and behind them generally went down too. Our race had by far the worst weather and the rain, slick roads and technical descent added to the problem. The field was 110 riders but it was not quite the caliber we normally see at World's. Many countries filled out their rosters at least partly with younger, more developmental riders as their "A" riders were tired or unmotivated after the Olympics. Many Olympians did race, but a lot of them were a bit jetlagged or not on top form. Still, it was a strong field and some teams, most notably Lithuania, sent all their best riders. The US team was myself, Mari Holden, Dede Demet-Barry, Kim Smith, Nicole Freedman and Lara Ruthven. The rain started just as were were starting to warm up and continued through the entire race. The first climb was only about 1km into the race and each team was called to the start in order of the finish of their top rider at last year's Worlds. This unfortunately meant we all started very close to the back with few chances to move up for almost the whole lap. The first climb was fast, but not too bad - you pretty much got sucked up by the big pack. Shortly after the the top of the climb, only about 5km into the race, a major crash happened. It was probably only 1/3 of the way back in the field. Someone hit the snow fencing and swerved or bounced off it and the entire row or riders went over like dominos. Then people from behind plowed into them. I was behind it and saw the whole thing unfold. I slowed as much as I could, hoping that somehow a hole would emerge for me to get through. None did and I ploughed into a pile of riders but didn't really hit the ground. Riders and bikes were completely spread across the road. I picked my way over them and got going again. We had a pretty good chase group and we caught the pack right at the base of the next climb. Lara went down and started out in my chase group but never quite made it back to the pack. It turned out Mari also crashed and Kim and Nicole were behind her and waited to help her chase but unfortunately none of them made it back either. By the end of the 2nd lap, Dede and I were the only Americans left in the race. I knew I was not going to have a good day though - this kind of weather is not good for asthmatics and I was having trouble breathing with every effort. The 3rd time up the 1st climb, someone picked up the pace and it strung out. This was enough to put me into a full fledged asthma attack. My race was basically over. I finished the lap in the first chase group and then called it a day. This is actually the first World's RR I have not finished. Not exactly the way I wanted to end. The rest of the race I watched from the sidelines and on the big screen TV. On the 4th lap, Elisabeth Chevanne-Brunel (France) attacked solo. Her gap hovered around 18-20 sec. for awhile and then Zinadia Stahurskaia (Belorussia) bridged up. Then the gap started to grow pretty fast to well over 1 min. It didn't seem that the field was chasing too much. Then Zinadia dropped Elisabeth and every lap her gap grew. With about 2 laps to go, Elisabeth was absorbed by the dwindling pack which was now down to maybe 30 riders. Zinadia had over 2 minutes and it looked very much like a race for silver. Jeannie Longo pulled out in disgust with 2 to go and Diana Ziliute pulled out a lap later. There were various small groups that got away from the main field and then got caught again. Somehow Chantal Beltman (Ned) got away solo with 1 lap or so to go. She stayed away and the sprint of the remaining 20 or so riders was for bronze and was won by Madeleine Lindberg from Sweden. Dede had a really good race, staying in the front group and making several attempts to get away in the end but none were successful. She ended up 5th in the sprint for 7th overall. It seemed like a race largely of attrition between the weather, crashes and flats. I think all 3 medals were somewhat of a surprise as well as some of the riders who were or weren't in the front group. Zinadia normally rides for the Italian team Fanini and has a few wins in minor races under her belt, mainly as a sprinter, as well as some stage wins here and there but this is by far the biggest win of her career. She had no teammates in the race and her country did not qualify for the Olympics in cycling. She showed very good form recently in the Tour of Tuscany though, winning something like 4 stages."
Wilson's hour record attempt tomorrowWith the UCI's scrapping of all hour records post disc wheels and the combining of indoor, outdoor and altitude marks, the women's hour record has been turned back to pre-Longo days. It should now stand at 43.08292 km, set by Cornelia Van Oosten-Hage (Ned) on Sept. 16, 1978 on the Olympic Velodrome in Munich. There is renewed interest in the mark now, and both Jeannie Longo and Anna Wilson will tackle it. As previously reported, Wilson's attempt will take place tomorrow in Melbourne's new Vodafone Arena at 10:30 am, Australian ESST. Cyclingnews.com will be providing full coverage of the event with live updates and pictures from the track. Be sure not to miss it!
Italian Olympians in the spotlightItalian daily, Corriere della Sera recently published a story claiming that five Italian Gold medallists at the Olympics have returned "irregular" drug tests leading up to the Games. Cyclist Antonella Bellutti was one of the five named by the newspaper, again causing a storm of controversy in Italy. The paper alleged that some of the results showed 30 times over the normal level of growth hormone. The tests were carried out by CONI (the Italian Olympic Committee) who were somewhat displeased at the publication of the results, calling it "morally irresponsible". The results were only preliminary, and have not yet been followed up with the correct procedures. The tests were part of CONI's nation wide campaign entitled, "I do not risk my health" which reportedly found 11% of the subjects were "positive". Judge Raffaelle Guariniello is currently investigating the 61 abnormal tests, however the athletes have denied any doping. "These results have no value, all they do is ruin the already tarnished image of athletes. I have fought against doping all my life," said Belutti to Reuters.
Morace attacks cycling in ItalyThe ongoing doping cases in Italy, and in particular the latest surrounding the Olympic athletes, have attracted comments from other areas of sport. Carolina Morace, the first woman in Italy to direct a professional male soccer team and now the director of the national team, has criticised cycling for being too hard. "If it were up to me, I would abolish cycling," she said according to ANSA newsagency. "To make riders to seven hours on a bicycle will force them the dope. The human physique cannot support that kind of effort. It would be enough to reduce the kilometres of the stages." In relation to doping, she said "you must always respect the athletes, but those who turn out to have doped should be disqualified for life." However, before pointing the finger at the Italian Olympic medallists, "they should first have verified it properly." Italian federation president, Giancarlo Ceruti reacted saying, "to attack cycling does not resolve the problem of doping - it is in all sports."
Italian classics cancelledThe two big Italian races held this week prior to the Tour of Lombardy have been cancelled by the organisers RCS Sport. The 86th Milan-Turin and 88th Giro del Piemonte (October 18 and 19) will not be held due to adverse meteorological conditions that have affected the Piemonte region recently. The decision was made in order not to interfere with the rescue operations to the affected population, said the official notice. Bartko outGerman Robert Bartko will not be able to defend his World Championship pursuit title in Manchester later this month, having pulled out through illness. Bartko won both the individual and team pursuit titles in Sydney, breaking the four minute barrier in the latter event. However, angina and other problems have forced the young star out of the upcoming Track Championships.
Blijlevens' programNew Lotto signing, Jeroen Blijlevens will not start in any World Cup races in 2001. He will concentrate on stage races as well as starting in the semi-classics, Gent-Wevelgem and Grote Scheldeprijs. Lotto hopes to sign Laurent Desbiens and Justin Spinelli in the coming week.
Team newsPolti's virtual disbandment will probably see Spanish rider, Daniel Clavero transfer to Mercatone Uno next season. Mercatone Uno's president, Felice Gimondi, said that they were still negotiating with the Spaniard and haven't yet finalised a deal. Clavero is contracted for another year with Polti, however there should be few problems in anulling this. Colombian Jose Castelblanco will join Hernan Buenahora and José Jaime "Chepe" González in Aguadiente Nectar-Selle Italia next season. Talented Hong Kong rider, Kam Po Wang, has ambitions to ride for a Euro team next season. He was Hong Kong's only competitor in the World's this year and finished 82nd, 12'20 behind the winner. Italian and German teams are reportedly interested in him.
Mobilvetta has signed Moreno Di Biase (Cantina Tollo) and Valentino Fois (Colpack) for 2001. Kjell Carlström, who carries Finland's white and blue Champion's jersey, will join Swedish amateur group Team Mälarenergi next year but race nationally for IF Länken. This year he has also won the national Estonian stage race Tour of Saaremaa and was eighth in the Tours of Bulgaria and Yugoslavia, both class 2.5.
Kangaroo with a licence to stealWith the cycling events at the Paralympics due to start on Thursday, October 19, there have already been attempts by the Australian team to sabotage the opposition. Recently, a Dutch Paralympic cyclist, Jan Mulder, lost (or was it stolen?) his training jacket and license to a kangaroo. While the team was visiting a kangaroo park in Adelaide, their car hit a kangaroo. The kangaroo was dizzy and stayed in the vicinity of the car and Mulder gave him his training jacket to take a photo. However, the kangaroo then ran away with his jacket. And in the jacket? His license. He now hopes the organisers of the Paralympics will be satisfied with a photocopy of his license. It worked for the Spanish at the World's after all. |
