News for April 19, 2001Recent results and new features
Rik Verbrugghe
The win is his fourth of the season, after he won two stages and the overall of the Criterium International. The fact that both these races are organised by the Sociètè du Tour de France did not go unnoticed, and Lotto-Adecco have done more than enough to ensure their spot when the final four wildcards are announced on May 2. Another team had an important showing today: CSC-World Online. Bjarne Riis' multinational outfit managed to place Marcelino Garica Alonso in the leading break, and he even soloed off the front for a short time before being told to wait. Also starting was home handyman extraordinaire, Laurent Jalabert. The Frenchman has been out of action for two months following his accident, and managed 100 kilometres in the race today. He is a star attraction in CSC's line up, and his form may well determine whether the team gets a start in the Tour. Verbrugghe Bio
Born: July 23, 1974 in Hélécine (Belgium) Major Wins 1997 Tour des Regions Wallonnes 2000 Belgian National Time Trial championships 2001 Criterium International (overall & 2 stage wins) Courtesy of Mario Stiehl Flèche Wallonne disrupted by protestersToday's edition of the Flèche Wallonne/Waalse Pijl between Charleroi and Huy did not quite go according to plan, after protesters succeeded in halting the race at the 70 kilometre mark, the bottom of the first of three ascents of the Mur de Huy. The demonstrators Continental factory in Herstal near Liege had deflated one of the kilometre markers, making it impossible to pass. By this stage, 12 riders had established a three minute gap on the bunch, but had to stop until the race organisation could clear the path. Although the peloton caught up, director Jean-Marie Leblanc allowed a restart with the same three minute gap, which as it turned out was enough for two of the leaders to stay away. Some of the riders were not satisfied with this, and attacked the demonstrators, before the police force intervened with fire-hoses. The women's race, which was held on the same parcours as the men, was also interrupted. Ekimov's Paris-RoubaixThe epicentre of the turmoil By Sergey Kurkudov
To view The Hell of the North from behind was not a normal or pleasant experience for the man who started it for the 5th time, and on previous occasions came in as close as 8th or even 4th (in 1995). Remember him and Tchmil as the only chasers of the fantastic Mapei trio? Today,in warm and sunny Spain, Ekimov sees this year's Paris-Roubaix as his worst nightmare that came true. This time, the race he always liked and dreamed to win in fact ended in the very first section of the Pavé. Just like for 75 percent of the rest of the riders. A lot of important action escaped the eyes of TV audience as cameramen were focused on the leaders, as usual. Before entering the cobbles, the pack went utterly mad sprinting for the chance to be up with the leaders. There was the feeling that it was about 1 km to the finish line. Ekimov failed to make it to the first 10 in this sprint (obviously because he was not so sure of himself this time, as he strongly prefers riding Paris-Roubaix in sunny weather), and that was literally the end of the road for him and for the majority of his opponents. He lost almost 3 minutes in a span of about 3 kilometers. Eki plunged into a chase, yet in the very next section of the cobbles, got stuck in endless crashes, desperately trying to avoid smashing against numerous cars, sometimes having to go straight through the field mud. Even when the road opened up, it meant that about 30 cm in the centre was relatively rideable, and for the group of almost 200 it turned out impossible to sort out who are the strongest amongst the unluckiest on a "tramway" like that. So Slava had to give up for the first time in the legendary race. Of course, Eki is disappointed and at the moment feels like ending his love affair with the Queen of Classics. 5 starts and 4 finishes is enough to prove you are a real pro, while some of the greats said even one finish speaks for itself. Apparently Slava is not going to cry over spilt milk (or, rather, spilt filth) and is starting in Aragon in good frame of mind. He'll try to make the best of his chance in some stages of the Spanish stage race. Then he'll ride Amstel Gold Race, not without ambitions of his own, although it seems to me that his position will be like Wesemann's in Telekom: try if you can but rely on yourself, as the team is sure to take care of in-form Hincapie. As soon as the first half of the World Cup is over, Eki will come back to St.Petersburgh. After that he's going to start in US Pro Championships in Philadelphia which is really important for the team and its sponsor (no intention to let a certain rider from a Belgian squad to make a double). Sergey Kurkudov is a Russian Eurosport commentator Wesemann's Hell
One of the many hard luck stories last Sunday was Telekom's classics man, Steffen Wesemann, who made the front group in Paris-Roubaix but experience problems with his pedals and shoes, causing him to pull his feet out at nearly every cobbled section. He still managed to retain contact with the leaders, finishing 7th in the Roubaix velodrome. Had he experienced a trouble-free day, the Domo whitewash might have been prevented. In an interview with German website Radsport-News.com, Wesemann was adamant that he could win Roubaix. He refused to blame the conditions, as "they were the same for everyone." (Museeuw had 5 punctures...) "I did not think that the crucial group would go so early," he said. "I had to fight a lot at the end because of my equipment problems." "First Robert Bartko helped me, then the group went, in which I was alone against four Domos. It was already clear then that it would become very difficult. And then I got my problem with the shoe, and it became even worse. I could only concentrate on that to stay on." The problem was that his cleat had come off his shoe, meaning that he could not click into one of his pedals. This is hard enough to manage on smooth roads, but when cobbles and mud are added, it became impossible for Wesemann to maintain control. He was not overly surprised at the "Domo-nation", as "They have the appropriate riders, who really like Roubaix, as opposed to some of the others who have no morale when it comes to Roubaix." Despite being isolated, he did not criticise his Telekom team, "It was very special race with the weather etc. Because it was so muddy...no, no criticism." In future, Wesemann aims to become the first German rider to win the Queen of the Classics since Jozef Fischer, who won the first ever Paris-Roubaix 105 years ago. His next goals are the Amstel Gold Race, Henninger Turm, GP Gippingen, then a rest before the Tour of Germany and the Tour de France.
Zabel to miss LBLGerman sprinter Erik Zabel (Telekom) will miss this weekend's round 4 of the UCI World Cup, Liege-Bastogne-Liege/Luik-Bastanaken-Luik. The hilly parcours is not suited to Zabel, who will take a break before trying to defend his Amstel Gold Race title the following weekend. Telekom's Walter Godefroot said that "Erik has no chance to score any points there."
Amstel Gold: Three times up the CaubergThe parcours of the Amstel Gold Race (April 28) has been modified to cope with the Foot and Mouth outbreaks in the Netherlands. The new course, revealed yesterday by the organisers, will take the riders three times up the Cauberg in the finale. In the last 30 kilometres, the race goes up the Keutenberg, Cauberg, and the Geulhemmerberg, with the finish in Maastricht.
No Rabobank in Dauphiné LibéréThe Rabobank team will not contest this year's Dauphiné Libéré, with Theo de Rooy saying that "This race is too hard for our young squad. During this period we will ride in the Tour of Sweden, the Midi Libre and the Tour de Suisse." "Michael Boogerd's preparatory race for the Tour is not yet certain. Maybe will choose a much easier race." Ochoa: still improving but slowlySpanish cyclist Javier Ochoa is still recovering from the near fatal accident that killed his brother, Ricardo. Javier has been transferred from the hospital in Malaga to one in Bilbao, and is still in intensive care. "He can move his lips when you ask him someone's name," said his agent Juanjo Rementeria to AS newspaper. "He cannot hear it but he understands...If you give him your hand, he will squeeze it." 26 year old Javier won the 10th stage of the Tour de France last year. Nothstein gets Father of the Year2000 Olympic Champion Marty Nothstein (Mercury-Viatel) will be honored as a 2001 Father of the Year by the National Fatherhood Initiative (NFI) at their annual awards banquet to be held on June 7 in Washington, DC. Nothstein's gesture in picking up his son out of the stands and taking him on a victory lap immediately after winning the gold medal in Sydney, earned him the award, according to NFI president Wade F. Horn "It took a man of great character, at the time of his greatest achievement in sport, to look beyond himself and think of his son - and of himself as a father," said Horn. Nothstein, said that he was "extremely honoured" to receive the award. "The birth of my children are the highlight of my life...It's more important than any Olympic medal or world championship jersey."
Sporting agreement between Colombia and FranceThe French and Colombian Institutes of Sport have reached a sporting agreement involving their cycling, shooting and fencing teams. The three year accord is aimed at helping train Colombian athletes by using French facilities and knowledge. Colombian cyclists will be able to live in Paris for 6 weeks in order to prepare for the next World Championships. In return, French athletes will be able to train in Bogota, Colombia at 2800 m altitude, in order to experience the benefits of the rarefied atmosphere.
UPMC Pittsburgh Cycling to contest Liberty ClassicThe Pittsburgh Cycling Club's competitive squad, University Of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Pittsburgh Cycling, has announced that its elite women's squad has been invited to contest the First Union Liberty Classic in Philadelphia on June 10. New Zealander Rosalind Reekie-May will lead the team at the First Union Liberty Classic, the only World Cup cycling race in the U.S. She will compete with over 100 of the world's best women cyclists for the $US 50,000 purse, the richest single-day women's event in the world. Reekie-May will ride with fellow Kiwis Melissa Holt and Tracy Clark, and is hoping for "A top ten finish or better to give our fledgling program the publicity it needs to continue to grow and attract better riders."
Team HotJobs.com2001 will be the second racing season for Team HotJobs.com, a mountain bike team based in San Diego, California, that competes in mountain bike races throughout the Southwestern US. Team HotJobs.com will focus on cross country events such as the NORBA NCS Races in Big Bear, California, Deer Valley, Utah, Mammoth Mountain, California, and Mount Snow, Vermont, the California State Championship Series, Snow Summit Amateur Cup Series, and Rim Nordic Series. They will also focus on endurance events such as the 24 Hours of Adrenaline Races in Monterey and Idyllwild, California, Brian Head Epic 100, and 12 Hours at the Summit. Team HotJobs.com riders also lead rides at mountain bike festivals and clinics, work on local trail maintenance projects, and do charitable work with San Diego's youth. Team Roster Team Director: Todd Galati Riders Pro Expert Sport Title Sponsor Business Sponsors Equipment Sponsors
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