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Marion Clignet
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Olympic news for September 25
Miguel Martinez profile
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In winning the Olympic MTB cross country race yesterday at Fairfield City Farm, 24 year old Frenchman Miguel Martinez has done everything in the MTB world. This season, he has won the World Cup, the World Championships, and now an Olympic gold medal. He has also won the Tour de France VTT, the off-road equivalent of Le Tour. He has won World Titles in all categories (including cyclocross) since the junior ranks, and was certainly unstoppable yesterday.
After being in the leading group from the outset, Martinez chose to stay there (apart from a brief sortie on lap 2) with his teammate Christophe Dupouey who later crashed and abandoned. When Swiss rider, Thomas Frischknecht started to tire, Martinez and Meirhaeghe put the pressure on to close the gap, before "Little Mig" rode away from the Belgian with over a lap to go. "I believe I rode a tactically perfect race," he said, although it was clearly his strength and technique, not his tactics that was the prime factor yesterday.
Just before he crossed the line, he grabbed a toy kangaroo (here's one I prepared earlier...) that was painted in French colours, holding it triumphantly aloft to photographers afterward. He then got a taste of the real thing, asked to pose with a Koala and a Bilby. There were no wombats to hand unfortunately...
What next for this 50 kg, 164 cm pocket powerhouse? According to his father and trainer, Mariano Martinez, a road career beckons. Martinez senior hails from Spain, and has a solid grounding in road racing. He won the polka dotted jersey as the best climber in the Tour de France in 1978, to go with his two stage victories in that race and a bronze medal in the World's in Montreal (1974).
Martinez Jr. has been racing since he was 6, and had already won over 200 races on the road before he took up mountain biking over 4 years ago. His father has been the biggest influence on his training, helping him both psychologically and physically. For example, in the last lap yesterday the words "Miguel, it is the last race of your life, you must explode your legs and die on the bicycle," echoed through Little Mig's earpiece.
Martinez has lived in Marostica, Italy for the past two years but still has a strong attachment with his birthplace of Fourchambault (Nièvre). As to the future, he said that he "does not intend to finish his career without making it on the road."
Miguel Martinez: A brief bio
Born: January 17,
1976 in Fourchambault (Nièvre)
Height: 1.64 m
Weight: 50 kg
Coach: Mariano Martinez
Major results:
1996
3rd, Olympic Games
cross country
1st, U23 World Cyclocross Championships
1997
1st, U23 World MTB Championships, cross country
1998:
1st, U23 World MTB
Championships, cross country
1st, Tour de France VTT
1999:
2nd, World MTB Championships, cross country
2000:
1st, Olympic Games
cross country
1st, World Cup overall standings + 1 win
1st, World MTB Championships, cross country
Van Dooren and Brentjens' future
Dutch MTB'er, Bas Van Dooren rode a strong race in yesterday's cross country, and was between 2nd and 5th place for most of the race. That was until the last lap when he punctured, dropping to 11th. His teammate, Bart Brentjens wasn't feeling too good on the day, starting off badly but improving to 12th by the finish.
Van Dooren will make a decision about which team to join next year after the Olympics. He currently rides for Be-One, but has had offers from Specialized, managed by Gert Jan Theunisse.
Bart Brentjens' contract with Specialized will not be continued after four years with the team, and he is looking for sponsors at the moment.
Somarriba hopeful, but will have to work for it
This year's winner of two of the biggest stage races in women's cycling (the Giro d'Italia Femminile and La Grande Boucle Feminine), Joane Somarriba, wants to end the season on a high note by winning an Olympic gold medal in Sydney. The Basque cyclist will contest both the road race (Tuesday, September 26) and the time trial (Saturday, September 30) with the aim of winning one of them. However, she has not raced since her Tour de France triumph, and does not know her current form. "I would not change my triumphs in the Giro and the Tour for anything in the world, but it would be nice to get something positive from Sydney," she said.
The circuit, as many have commented, is tough but by no means Alpine, and riders like Somarriba will not be able to use their superior mountain climbing skills to get away clear. The Spaniard will be aided by Fátima Blázquez and Mercedes Cagigas, and they will have to contend with several top line national teams.
The strongest of these are the Lithuanians, with 2000 World Cup winner, Diana Ziliute, 1999 World Champion Edita Pucinsakaite, and the formidable Rasa Polikeviciute. Equally as strong are the Germans, with Hanka Kupfernagel, Petra Rossner and Ina Yoko-Teutenberg. The Australians of course have Anna Wilson and Tracey Gaudry, with Juanita Feldhahn likely to ride in a strong supporting role. Canada, with Clara Hughes, Genevieve Jeanson and Lyne Bessette are also tipped as hot contenders, while the British team led by Ceris Gilfillan, Sarah Symington and Yvonne McGregor may turn a few heads.
The Netherlands line up with Mirjam Melchers and Leontien Van Moorsel, while Italy will have Alessandra and Valeria Capellotto, with Roberta Bonanomi as their third rider. Strong challenges may also come from the US (Mari Holden, Nicole Freedman and Karen Kurreck), the Russians (Svetlana Boubnenkova, Olga Slioussareva, and Zoulfia Zabirova), Ukranians (Valentyna Karpenko, Oksana Saprykina, Tatyana Stiajkina).
That is not to rule out other individuals, such as Jeannie Longo (Fra) and Pia Sundstedt (Fin), in what promises to be one of the best quality fields for a women's race ever. A full start list will be available later today.
In addition, those readers without blanket TV coverage will be able to follow the race live via a link from cyclingnews.com's front page. The race starts at 1000 hrs Sydney time (0100 European time, 1900 US EDT). No 'spoilers' will be given on the homepage for those wishing to keep their suspense, and the same will apply to the men's road race and the time trials.
Pantani in Bowral
The Italian men's road team has been finalising their Olympic preparation in the area of Bowral, about 130 kilometres south west of Sydney. Well known in Australia as the birthplace of Sir Donald Bradman, Bowral and its surrounds are quiet, hilly and scenic, offering an ideal place for any cyclist to train.
Marco Pantani and his Danish fiancèe Kristin seemed to be enjoying the atmosphere there, after he was questioned by journalists as to his chances. "Now I am ready to race. I feel myself to be relaxed enough, even though I have not neglected to dot the i's."
When asked about Lance Armstrong's comment that he 'didn't know what Pantani was doing here', the Pirate replied, "on the day he will know why I am here". He added that the decision as to who will lead 'Gli Azurri' in the road race will be made on the day, depending on who is feeling the best. At the moment, they are all given equal status.
Drug tests for cyclists
Over the next two days, many of the riders competing in the road races in Sydney will be tested by the World Anti Drug Agency (WADA). All athletes have been put on notice that they could be asked for blood and urine samples, and the tests will incorporate the new EPO screens. As most have been training outside of Sydney, the most convenient time to test is when they are all in the one (large) place.
To be deemed 'positive' for EPO at the Olympics, an athlete must fail both the blood and the urine test according to the IOC's medical protocol. While it is unlikely that anyone will fail the urine test (24-72 hour effectiveness) the results of the blood tests will be noted and any abnormalities used as evidence in future if required.
Rain hits Sydney
The long dry spell during winter in Sydney has finally ended, with some heavy showers last night after a warm day. Although it didn't effect the men's mountain biking, today's Olympic training day on the road course will see a few wet cyclists around Bronte. It is clearing now, but rain is predicted for Wednesday's men's road race which could make for an interesting first few laps.
However, as most Sydney siders know, the most accurate weather prediction can be made by looking out the window in the morning. i.e. you never know.