News for April 29, 2001

Amstel Gold News

Dekker outfoxes Armstrong in sprint

Erik Dekker
Photo: © AFP

Erik Dekker and Lance Armstrong crafted a memorable Amstel Gold with a two-up sprint finish from a near-standstill after the pair escaped some 29km from the line. Armstrong attacked with 40km to go, taking Eddy Mazzoleni (Tacconi) with him. Dekker, whose Rabobank team had controlled the race, chasing down an early break, joined them 11km later. After Dekker and Armstrong dropped Mazzoleni they arrived at the finish with a minute in hand over the bunch, and almost came to a stop as they played cat and mouse 300m from the line. Dekker used his track experience to good effect, accelerating away from Armstrong to win by a bike length.

The win puts Dekker into the lead in the World Cup series.

Amstel Gold full report, live coverage, pictures and preview

Reactions

Erik Dekker, Rabobank, first place: "The whole team did it. I had to finish it but I died 1000 deaths in the last climbs. And I was glad to counter the attack by Lance on the Cauberg. And in the last 10 km Lance didn't want to work anymore, so we did it quiet. But the worst scenario is to come second. Maybe Lance was scared. He said to me in the race, 'You are faster than me,' but you can't count on such a statement."

"In a race like this, it's a bonus to arrive at the finish with the winner of the Tour. I was confident before the finish. First or second, it was excellent either way. I wasn't nervous. My directeur sportif (Theo de Rooy) was more nervous than me. When he came to see me to ask if I felt good, I answered 'Yes.'"

"In the sprint, Armstrong stayed on my wheel. I took all the risks and led [the sprint] as late as possible, whereas I prefer to be led out."

Lance Armstrong
Photo: © AFP

Lance Armstrong, US Postal, second: "In 1999 I was annoyed about my second place behind Boogerd, even if I didn't show it too much. This time I knew I was with a fast rider, a winner. I knew that it would be very hard to win. I am not disappointed. On the contrary I am very happy with my condition. This is the first time this year that I have ridden more than 250 kilometres. I had good legs and good breathing. Seeing all the best riders around me was good for my morale; I was in good company. It's a good starting point for the Tour de France."

Theo van Rooy, Rabobank directeur sportif (with 1 km of the race still to go): "What are the tactics? Dekker has to win. He has a 50 percent chance. But even if he is second I can be satisfied about the Rabobank team today. They controlled the whole race."

Johan Bruyneel, US Postal directeur sportif: "The best won today."

Ullrich chooses Giro

Telekom teamleader and Tour de France contender Jan Ullrich has told German newspaper "Bild am Sonntag" that he will ride this year's Giro d'Italia rather than the Tour of Germany. "it's wrong to say my Participation in the Giro has been decided for a long time," said Ullrich. "Last week we discussed it with the Telekom team doctor and [Telekom directeur sportif] Rudy Pevanage and decided on the Giro. It was not an easy decision."

Pevanage would not confirm or deny the news. "If Jan said it, it must be true, but I can't officially confirm anything."

The Giro, which runs May 19 to June 10, is ideal preparation for the Tour de France, Ullrich's main objective for the year. "In the Giro, I can ride 200 kilometres a day in competition conditions and in peace." Ullrich believes he reached his optimal condition 10 days too late in 2000.

Wust plans move to Australia

Marcel Wust says he wants to emigrate to Australia in 2004. The Festina pro, who is almost blind in his right eye after an accident on August 11 last year, plans to base himself in the coastal resort of Noosa Heads, north of Brisbane. "My son starts school then and will grow up speaking two languages," said Wust.

The multi-lingual Wust will probably officially retire from racing at the start of this year's Tour de France on July 7. His eye problem has prevented him from racing this year, though he has continued to train with Festina, as well as acting as right hand man to Festina Directeur sportif Juan Fernandez and writing for newspapers and websites.

Tour of Poland route unveiled

Courtesy of Daniel Marszalek

The route of this year's 58th edition of the Tour of Poland (September 3-9) was announced recently. The total length of the race will be 1,269 kilometres, with four relatively flat stages at the beginning, then three days in medium-sized mountains (Karkonosze near Czech border). A notable innovation in the race's route is a two-stage final day, with some climbing in both stages to decide the result.

The Stages

Stage 1: Gdansk - Sopot (178 km) This stage will go through Kaszuby region which is full of small hills, similar to those one can see in the Amstel Gold. The last two editions of the race (1999 and 2000) were decided on very first day, around Elblag. Despite relatively easy terrain (even easier than the route to Sopot) in 1999 six men managed to gain seven minutes on the peloton, while last year Polish trio Wadecki, Przydzial and Radosz gained more than three minutes, and that was it! On both occasions the overall winner came from the members of the first day's break.

Stage 2: Gdynia - Koszalin (246,5 km) The first of two very long stages, along the sea coast or close to it, and heading directly West, through undulating terrain similar to stage one. Headwinds are likely to add to the difficulty.

Stage 3: Kolobrzeg - Szczecin (178 km) The route goes west for another day parallel to the Baltic coast. This time it will be almost flat, although headwinds are again quite likely.

Stage 4: Stargard Szczecinski - Zielona Góra (256 km) The longest stage of the race, and probably one of the longest in the 2001 season in any stage race of significant classification. Course profile will be almost dead flat, but if it blows from the west like it usually does, we can expect cross-wind from right side.

Stage 5: Kozuchów - Szklarska Poreba (184 km) The stage that starts in Zbigniew's Spruch hometown takes the Tour de Poland TdP peloton to the first mountains of the 58th edition.

Stage 6: Piechowice - Karpacz (146,5 km) A couple more mountains, including an uphill finish to Karpacz-Orlinek with 325 metres of climbing in the last 4.85 kilometres.

Stage 7: Jelenia Góra - Karpacz (61 km) The first of Sunday's two sections, with three ascents over the well-known Orlinek. Further changes in GC are expected, just before the final ITT and of course there's an uphill finish.

Stage 8: Jelenia Góra - Karpacz ITT (19 km) For the first 14 kilometres this stage has a gentle rise, but gets steep for the last five up to Orlinek with a 12 per cent gradient in sections). These last five kilometres are the most important. Last year Wiaczeslaw Ekimow led to the base of the climb with 40 seconds advantage over all the other riders, but lost the stage to Siergiej Iwanow by three seconds in the end.

In the past Raimondas Rumsas (1999) and Siergiej Iwanow (2000) were the weekend's mountain kings in Karpacz, winning both its tough stages (road race and ITT), but were unable to take the overall after missing the crucial break on stage one. What's the secret of winning TdP then? Be strong in the mountains and against the clock, but also very attentive of escapes and the wind flurry that can happen on the flat stages. It's simply week of very intense riding: fast until Thursday — often averaging 45 km/h — and tough from Friday.

September is a somewhat "cooler" time in the UCI calendar than May or June when other 2.3 category races like the Peace Race, and the Tour of Germany and Austria are on. The Tour of Poland is therefore probably the number one late-season race in Central Europe, in terms of quality riders starting. The list of teams that have applied to start is quite impressive. They number 14 Division I teams: Telekom; Lotto; Domo; Fassa Bortolo;Mercatone Uno; iBanesto.com; Saeco; Festina; Kelme; US Postal; Tacconi Sport; Lampre; Liquigas; and Mapei; and 16 Division II teams: Mobilvetta; Ag2r; La Francaise des Jeux; Jean Delatour; Cantina Tollo; Bonjour; Alexia; De Nardi; Ceramiche Panaria; Alessio; Phonak; Wustenrot; Agro-Adler; Nurnberger; Costa Almeria; and KRKA Telekom. There are places for 18 eight-man teams.

Race director Czeslaw Lang (a former Gis, Carrera, Del Tongo and Malvor rider) says he will choose nine Division I teams and four from Division II, leaving the remaining five places for Polish teams. Already Atlas-Lukullus, Amore e Vita, CCC-Mat, and Mróz-Supradyn (all from Division II) are sure of entry. The fifth team will be the highest team in the UCI rankings of the four Polish Division III teams: Legia, Mikomax, Servisco and Weltour.

The total prize pool is US$120,000 and the overall winner will get a Fiat Doblo.

Belgian coach implicated in doping affair

Belgian national coach and professional selector José De Cauwer has been implicated in cycling's latest doping scandal after syringes were found at his home in a recent search, according to the Belga news service. De Cauwer is officially suspected of involvement in the use of hormones, according to an Antwerp judicial spokesman.

Laurent De Backer, chair of the Belgian cycling federation (RLVB) said. "If the judiciary prove that he did something against the law and against our regulations, we will meet on Monday or Wednesday to take action. Even if this investigation leads to nothing, it is not good for the image of the federation and Belgian cycling in general. But if it is true, of course it is a good thing that it has been found out."

Belga reports that the president of the RLVB was notified by De Cauwer himself that he had been subject to a search and questioning. "He told me that the investigators had found an ampoule of a product that is not on the prohibited list and that goes back to 1993," said De Backer. Belgian television reports De Cauwer as saying he is innocent.

Swedish cycling day

By Gabriella Ekström, cyclingnews.com correspondent

The Swedish Cycling Federation, together with Swedish Cycling Clubs and some of the bigger bike suppliers are organising a Try-out Cycling day for everyone who is interested in cycling, on May 5. The place is Gärdet (Lindarängsvägen/Greve von Essens väg) in Stockholm, and the time is 12.00-16.00.

This will be an opportunity for everyone who is interested to be inspired by all the new models of road and mountain bikes. It does not matter if you are an elite rider, or if you are thinking about buying your first racing/exercise bike, everyone is welcome.

There will be a shorter course where you can try the mountain bikes, and enough asphalt to try the road bikes. There will be helmets available for borrowing.

Representatives from Stockholm's cycling clubs and the bigger cycling tours in Sweden will be present to answer your questions, as well as Swedish MTB Champion, Henrik Sparr.

New sponsor for Broadmark Capital CT

Seattle based Broadmark Capital Cycling Team has added the Ex Officio clothing line to its list of sponsors. Ex Officio will be supplying the team with travel and podium wear after the team's fine performance at the recent Tour of Willamette, where the team placed second behind Saturn, the USA's top team.

Upgrade for Tour de Langkawi?

The organisers of the Malaysian Tour de Langkawi are seeking for an increase in UCI status to 2.2 next year. Currently, the event is classed 2.3 by the UCI, about halfway down the stage race 'pecking order'. A 2.2 rating would mean more professional teams would be able to take part (up to 80 per cent), and the excellent prize money is attractive to teams looking for early season racing.

O'Donnell becomes HPC in Canada

The Canadian Cycling Association has hired Sean O'Donnell as the new High Performance Coordinator with responsibility for some aspects of the National Team.

O'Donnell has an Honours Bachelor of Commerce degree in Sport Administration and several years experience from sports, including managing the logistics and operations of the Notre Dame College hockey program. He has also been the marketing assistant for the Regina Pats Hockey Club in Regina, Saskatchewan.

Pelizzotti signs for two more years

Alessio's Franco Pelizzotti has recently reached an agreement with the team whereby he will ride with them until the end of 2003, announced his management.