News for October 4, 2000
Olano: could do better
The Spanish team brought home one gold and one bronze medal from the Games, but none in the road events. Their best results were in the time trials with Abraham Olano (4th) and Joane Somarriba (5th). Olano returned home with the rest of the Spanish team today, and was reasonably happy with his performances. "The expectations were higher, but the Olympic Games have become tougher. I do not feel disappointed with my performance...I gave everything I had," said Olano at the airport in Barajas. "I was at least in the fight for a medal." Olano has not yet decided whether to participate in the World Championships in Plouay next week. "First I am going to recover for three days, and then I will think about the World's," he said. Heras aims for the TourVuelta 2000 winner and US Postal's new signing next year, Roberto Heras, will focus on the Tour de France for the next few years. In an interview with EFE, Heras said that he "will continue thinking about the Vuelta, but the Tour will be the race that I will aim for in future. I believe that with my age I can continue to contest the Vuelta though." Heras has been criticised for leaving Kelme purely for economic reasons, however he stated that he did not leave for that purpose. "I need a change of atmosphere, and to look at other goals," he said. In future, he will have to work for Lance Armstrong in the Tour, and he believes that this is a positive step. "In this sport you are always learning something and I am not going to waste the opportunity," he added, also indicating that he would like to improve in races against the clock.
Team newsItalian movementMercatone Uno will lose their Giro d'Italia winner, Stefano Garzelli to Mapei next season. Marco Pantani's "right hand man" has done little else since winning the Giro but does not want to continue in Pantani's shadow. Current world number one, Francesco Casagrande and his brother Filippo will definitely be leaving Vini Caldirola at the end of this season to join Fassa Bortolo.
Peeters bitterMapei stalwart, Wilfried Peeters says that he is disappointed with his farewell to the team, as he will join Domo next year. Ever since the Tour de France, the Mapei team has been split between those staying and those leaving to Patrick Lefevere's Domo team. Axel Merckx, Max van Heeswijk and Wilfried Peeters will not be starting in Paris-Tours next Sunday, instead riding the Hessen Rundfahrt in Germany that starts today. In addition, co-team leader Marc Sergeant will not be required - he is another who is leaving to Domo. "Still two weeks. Then it's over," Peeters told De Standaard newspaper in Belgium. Peeters said that he would ride for Axel Merckx and the Belgian team in the World Championships on October 15, and the following day his contract will be finished after six "beautiful years" with Mapei. However, he desperately wanted to start in Paris-Tours, "It was on my list until I heard from Marc Sergeant that I was off. They put neo-pro Paolini and Beltran on the list who, whenever there is some wind, are blown off the road. Paris-Tours isn't a race for these kind of riders," said a disappointed Peeters. He managed to persuade Aldo Sassi that he should be the one to start in Paris-Tours, as it was a race that he knew very well. However, Eric Vanderaerden told his the next day that Alvaro Crespi, the new top man in Mapei, would not allow him to start. "I don't have anything bad to say about my six years, because I was very satisfied. But I don't understand - I did my work very well, for the Italian and for the Belgian riders. And I would have liked to do that till the end of the season," he questioned. Patrick Lefevere said that he wished that Mapei wouldn't do things in this way. "How many times in the past have we seen this in teams because of transfers and new structures. But, if you know Wilfried Peeters a little, you know he always does his job at 100 percent. I can understand he feels hurt now," said Mapei's ex-director. World Championships
No PantaniDespite assurances by his team manager, Guiseppi Martinelli yesterday, Marco Pantani will not be contesting the World Championships in Plouay next week. The word came from national selector, Antonio Fusi, who said after stage one of the Giro dell Provinca di Lucca, "In light of his performance in Sydney where Pantani showed that he was not in a satisfactory condition, I would have liked to verify his shape here in Lucca. Pantani has not come, therefore I must make the obligatory choice. Pantani will not be in the team."
No Dekker
Erik Dekker's season has finally come to a close, after his below average 29th place in the time trial in Sydney. The Rabobank triple Tour de France stage winner, and Clasica San Sebastian winner, said "My season is over. I can't peak again for the championships and I don't want to ride if I can't play role. It was a beautiful season."
Poland (unofficial)Cyclingnews.com correspondent, Daniel Marszalek writes that the Polish team for the World's is likely to be similar to the following, with more information to be revealed soon. Elite men Road: Zbigniew Spruch (Lampre) Probable remaining selections: Kazimierz Stafiej (Mroz-Supradyn Witaminy) ITT: Piotr Wadecki (Mroz-Supradyn Witaminy) Bogumila Matusiak. U 23 Men Road: Michal Olejnik (Saint-Quentin stagiaire) ITT: Pawel Zugaj Junior Men Peter Mazur Junior Women Magdalena Sadlecka SloveniaElite men Road: Gorazd Stangelj (Liquigas) ITT: Martin Hvastija (Alessio) U 23 Men Road Matej Stare ITT: Mitja Kotnik Junior Men Road Jure Zrimsek ITT: Andrej Omulec Thanks to Metod Mocnik Superprestige 2000/2001The second major cyclocross series along with the UCI World Cup is the Superprestige series. This season it has been cut from 11 to 8 rounds, with 18 riders scheduled to start in each round. The first race is on October 22 in Ruddervoorde, Belgium.
Girard leavesUSA Cycling's National MTB coach, Stephane Girard has resigned to move back to France with his family, effective as of the end of this year. Girard has served for the past three years with USA Cycling, but admitted that family pressures and too much time away from home has made it hard. "My kids are young and they need me to spend more time with them. I think I helped USA Cycling to start building some strong mountain bike programs, and I'm sure they will keep working in this direction to make America one of the best mountain bike nations. Working with the U.S. athletes has been a pleasure and an honor, I would like to thank them all, with a very special thanks to Ruthie Matthes, Leigh Donovan and Steve Larsen," said Girard, During his tenure in the position, Girard established the initial national mountain bike camps, develop a national program for mountain biking in the United States and helped establish the resident-athlete program for mountain bikers at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. He will be missed by the team, who respect his decision to leave.
Letters to cyclingnewsIn the next day or so, cyclingnews.com will be introducing a new "letters" page, in order to give our readers a voice in the affairs of cycling. We receive many emails each day, some of which are certainly worthy of publication. Although we'd like to reply to all of them, there are simply not enough hours in the day. If you'd like to have your view published, simply email us and indicate somewhere in the email that publication is permitted. We will have a permanent link on the home page for the weekly letters, which will also be archived for posterity. |
