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Beginning on Sunday with a 9.9 kilometre time trial in Bilbao (Spain) is the 15th edition of La Grande Boucle Féminine, also known as the women's Tour de France. Last year's winner, Joane Somarriba (Alfa Lum) is in good condition for a repeat, after finishing 5th in the recent Giro Donne, despite not being well prepared for it. Her first goal will be to win the yellow jersey in the opening time trial, in order to wear it while the race remains in Spain.
"It would be fantastic," she said just two days prior to the start. But with riders such as Zulfia Zabirova (Acca Due O) and Somarriba's World TT champion teammate, Mari Holden, there will be some competition for that first yellow.
Somarriba's other competition includes Fabiana Luperini (Edil Savino), who has won this race three times, German Hanka Kupfernagel (Farm Frites-Hartol), and 1999 winner Diana Ziliute (Acca Due O).
There will be second stage on August 5, 107 kilometres from Bilbao to Guernika, which may see the jersey change hands. However, Stage 2 on August 6 takes the riders into France, from Barèges to Campan via the Tourmalet - the major difficulty in this short 34.4 km stage.
After the Pyrenees, the Massif Central and the Alps will be encountered during the race, with the Col d'Izoard on the second last day possibly causing a rearrangement to the GC. The 42.8 kilometre time trial in Loire on August 15 will also be quite important, and Somarriba excels in this discipline.
Acca Due O -H.P. Lorena Camicie, Alfa Lum R.S.M, Aliverti - Immobiliare Luca, Equipe Catalane Feminine, Ca Mantes La Ville (78), Carpe Diem Itera, Edilsavino, Gas Sport Team, Inter Regions France, Junkers-Noja, Nurnberger, S.C. Michela Fanini Record Box, Team Farm Frites-Hartol, Netherlands, Slovakia.
Danish rider Bo Hamburger, who was the first to test positive from the new EPO test this spring will resume his career, even if he is banned, he told Danish newspaper BT. The final sentence from the Danish Sports Federation will be meted out next Thursday.
The question is whether the B-sample has been handled correctly. When the test was done, with Hamburger's representatives present, it showed an allowed level, but the report filed later showed a higher level.
Hamburger told BT that he will pick up his career regardless of the decision Thursday. The sanction from the Danish Sports Federation is valid only for national races while the UCI handles international racing and that sentence can be expected to be shorter, as was the case with Hamburger's compatriot Claus Michael Møller a couple of years ago. He now rides for the Portuguese Milaneza-MSS team.
Hamburger indicates Spain to be an interesting scene for him in the future but he won't contact any teams before he knows when he will be able to ride again.
Mapei's Oscar Freire will make his return to racing on August 5 in the Vuelta a Castilla - Leon in Spain, after a long lay off due to a back injury. Freire, the 1999 World Champion, last raced in May during the Tour of Germany, after having renounced the first part of the season. However, he was forced into stopping again due to a viral gastroenteritis disease, which hit him in the early part of June.
"Now I am feeling better," says Freire. "My health is gradually improving; this race should allow me to find again the right sensations in order to take part in a good end of season and to be protagonist again in the races which suit me best".
"For the moment I haven't any ambition of winning; the race will help me in finding the right racing rhythm, and as preparation for the Vuelta España and the World Championships in Lisbon."
Along with Freire, there will be Elio Aggiano, Triki Beltran, David Cañada, Pedro Horrillo Muñoz, Paolo Lanfranchi, Andrea Noé and Eddy Ratti in the Mapei team, directed by Jesus Suarez Cueva and Fernandez Matxin.
In addition, the Mapei Quick Step team which will take part in the Luk-Cup Buhl in Germany on August 5 is: Philippe Koehler, Evgueni Petrov, Michael Rogers, Patrick Sinkewitz, David Tani and Charly Wegelius. D.S.: Roberto Damiani.
Saeco sprinter Mario Cipollini has fallen and injured himself while riding in Austria. Cipollini hurt his right wrist, and went to a specialist in Italy for examination. However, it was not a serious accident and Super Mario is allowed to again after a day's rest.
Danish ex-pro Martin Kryger is tested positive for nandrolone after the third race in the Post Cup series in Horsens July 24. Kryger came in second in the race. Martin Kryger raced three years for Acceptcard and Fakta but is now on the top amateur squad Team Cycling Ringsted.
"I am shocked that this was found in my urine and I hope for a clean B sample", said Kryger according to Danish website cyclingworld.dk
The UCI 1.4 race, Brussel-Izegem scheduled for September 9, has been cancelled for this year. According to long time organisers Patrick and Christophe Sercu, financial problems caused the cancellation of the race.
Hennie Kuiper and Herman Snoeijink, the men's and women's coaches of the Dutch espoir team, chose the following riders for the European championships, August 24-26, 2001.
Men
Roel Egelmeers (Rabobank) Joost Posthuma (Löwik - Tegeltoko)
Jens Mouris (Van Vliet - Weba)
Women
Sonja Pfister-van Kuijk (Farm Frites - Hartol)
Bertine Spijkerman (Farm Frites - Hartol)
Frederika van der Wiel (KNWU Juniors)
Men
Marco Bos (Löwik - Tegeltoko)
Mathijs Loohuis (Löwik - Tegeltoko)
Arno Wallaard (Löwik-Tegeltoko)
Alain van Katwijk (MGI)
Vincent van der Kooij (Rabobank)
Ronald Mutsaars (Rabobank)
Roy Sentjens (Rabobank)
Gerben van de Reep (Van Vliet - Weba)
Women
Sharon van Essen (Farm Frites - Hartol)
Esther van der Helm (Farm Frites - Hartol)
Sonja Pfister-Van Kuijk (Farm Frites - Hartol)
Bertine Spijkerman (Farm Frites - Hartol)
Josephine Groenveld (BIK-Toscany Sport)
Areke Hassink (Ondernemers van Nature)
Andrea Bosman (Ton van Bemmelen - Novilon)
Mirella van Melis (Rabobank - Dutch National Team)
Major Races and Events
September 7-29, 2002: Vuelta
a España (GT) - Preview, stage list
May 11-June 2, 2002: Giro
d'Italia (GT) - Preview, stage list, photos
July 6-28, 2002: Tour
de France (GT) - Full preview & official route details
December 8: Superprestige
Rd 5 (Cat. 1) - Erwin Vervecken
November 29-December 4: Six
Days of Noumea (6D) - Sassone/Neuville victorious
November 26-December 1: Six
Days of Zurich (6D) - Day
6 - McGrory/Gilmore/Schnider win
December 1: Melbourne
Cup on Wheels (IM) - Scott Moller, Keirin,
Sprint, Support
races
December 2: Cyclo-cross
World Cup #2 (CDM) - Sven Nijs again
November 24-December 3: Juegos
Deportivos Centroamericanos (JR) - Final results
December 8-9: Frankfurter
Rad-Cross (Cat. 2) - Alex Mudroch, UK
National Trophy Series #4 (Cat. 3) - Roger Hammond, Grote
Prijs Industrie Bosduin - Kalmthout (Cat. 1) - Bart Wellens, Int.
Radquer Obergösgen (Cat. 2) - Björn Rondelez, Trofeo
Mamma e Papa Guerciotti (Cat. 3) - Enrico Franzoi, Premio
Egondo (Cat 3) - David Seco, Irish
cyclo-cross championships - Robin Seymour
Results: local racing
Australia - CycleWest
Promotions Omnium Series #2, Eastern
Suburbs Summer Criterium Series, Carnegie
Caulfield Tuesday criterium, Southern
Cross Junior Track Open & Madison Cup, Manly
Warringah CC, George
Town Track Carnival, Carnegie
Caulfield CC, Randwick
Botany CC, Gold
Coast CATS CC, Caesar's
Illawarra CC, Caesar's
Illawarra (track)
Denmark - Danish
cyclo-cross Post Cup #3
Italy - Gran
Premio Città di Bassano
Luxembourg - GP
De Kopstal
New Zealand - Cyco
Criterium series
Spain - Elorrio
cyclo-cross
USA - Georgia
Cross Series Championship, Chimborazo
Grand Prix cyclo-cross, Boulder
Cross Rd 6, New
Mexico State Cyclo-x Champs, Sorrento
Cyclo-x & California State Champ's, Boulder
Cross Rd 5, Verge
New England series, Northampton
CC Cyclo-cross Championships, Chris
Cross International CycloCross
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Cyclingnews survey -
Reader Poll 2001 - Vote for your favourite riders
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- David McKenzie - Macca's back (December 12)
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- Charly Wegelius - A coffee stop with Charly (December 8)
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Interview - Sven Montgomery - Moving up in the world (December 6)
Cyclingnews Interview
- Rochelle Gilmore - Road scholar (December 6)
Tales from the Peloton
- 12 Hours of Oleta - MTB endurance race in Miami (December 6)
Tales from the Peloton
- Tony Cruz - back to his roots (December 7)
Marco Polo
Diary - Tour du Faso - Part II - Nathan Dahlberg's report (December 3)
Tech
maintenance - Wheels - how to keep them true and tight
Tech letters
- Headsets, Pegoretti, Carbon cage, gloves & tubes (December 10)
Tech news - Navigators
power-tap, Headsets, Carbon cages (December 7)
Tech- Recycling
- How to protect your chainstay for free
Tech Reviews:
Egg Beater pedals; Park
Tool belt; Shimano shoes;
Speedplay
Breaking
the Chain - Dope planning and testing - From Willy Voet's book
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