|
|
|
Following the Meisterschaft von Zürich the UCI has updated its rankings of the world's top cyclists. There's no change at the very top of the ladder, with Lance Armstrong still ahead of Davide Rebellin and Erik Zabel, but Paolo Bettini's victory in the Zürich world cup round takes him to 13th spot, leap-frogging Roberto Heras and Laurent Jalabert.
The top teams are largely unchanged with minor shuffling in the lower end of the Division I top ten, and no change at all in Division II.
Men - Individual 1 (1) Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal Service 2,058.0 2 (2) Davide Rebellin (Ita) Liquigas-Pata 2,009.0 3 (3) Erik Zabel (Ger) Team Deutsche Telekom 1,933.0 4 (5) Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Lampre-Daikin 1,819.0 5 (4) Jan Ullrich (Ger) Team Deutsche Telekom 1,805.0 6 (6) Francesco Casagrande (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 1,741.0 7 (9) Michele Bartoli (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step 1,568.2 8 (8) Romans Vainsteins (Lat) Domo-Farm Frites 1,557.0 9 (7) Raimondas Rumsas (Ltu) Fassa Bortolo 1,503.0 10 (10) Michael Boogerd (Ned) Rabobank 1,473.0 11 (12) Erik Dekker (Ned) Rabobank 1,459.0 12 (11) Dario Frigo (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 1,447.0 13 (16) Paolo Bettini (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step 1,413.2 14 (13) Roberto Heras Hernandez (Spa) US Postal Service 1,305.0 15 (14) Laurent Jalabert (Fra) CSC-Tiscali 1,217.0 16 (15) Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) Team Deutsche Telekom 1,166.0 17 (18) Abraham Olano Manzano (Spa) ONCE-Eroski 1,048.0 18 (17) Andrei Tchmil (Bel) Lotto-Adecco 1,028.0 19 (19) Joseba Beloki Dorronsoro (Spa) ONCE-Eroski 975.0 19 (22) Serhiy Honchar (Ukr) Liquigas-Pata 975.0 19 (19) Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) Ag2r-Prevoyance 975.0 22 (19) Oscar Camenzind (Swi) Lampre-Daikin 946.0 23 (25) Daniele Nardello (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step 906.2 24 (26) Christophe Moreau (Fra) Festina 903.0 25 (24) Pavel Tonkov (Rus) Mercury 889.0 26 (28) Wladimir Belli (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 876.0 26 (27) Oscar Sevilla Ribera (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 876.0 28 (29) Didier Rous (Fra) Bonjour 875.0 29 (30) Rik Verbrugghe (Bel) Lotto-Adecco 869.0 30 (23) Igor Gonzalez De Galdeano (Spa) ONCE-Eroski 849.0 Men - Teams Division I 1 (1) Team Deutsche Telekom 6,636.0 2 (2) Fassa Bortolo 6,465.0 3 (3) O.N.C.E. - Eroski 5,824.0 4 (4) Rabobank 5,618.0 5 (5) Mapei - Quick Step 5,380.2 6 (6) Lotto - Adecco 4,881.0 7 (8) Lampre - Daikin 4,627.0 8 (9) iBanesto.Com 4,611.0 9 (7) Cofidis, Le Credit Par Telephone 4,595.2 10 (10) US Postal Service 4,470.0 Division II 1 (1) Alessio 3,494.0 2 (2) Ag2R Prevoyance 2,447.0 3 (3) Bonjour 2,398.0 4 (4) Jean Delatour 2,284.0 5 (5) Cantina Tollo Acqua & Sapone 1,874.0 6 (6) La Francaise Des Jeux 1,616.0 7 (7) Gerolsteiner 1,431.0 8 (8) Selle Italia - Pacific 1,196.0 9 (9) Milaneza - MSS 1,107.0 10 (10) Team Fakta 1,097.0 (x) denotes previous position
Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad reports that Peter van Petegem will ride out this season with the Mercury team. The races on his September program are exactly the same races that the East Flandrian wanted to ride in preparation for the World Championships: "Ronde van Nederland, Leuven (GP Jef Scherens) Isbergues, Fourmies... On the other hand I had a plan to look for another solution," said Van Petegem. "That way I would have been able to race for Collstrop-Palmans until the end of the season, but I would have had to sign a document from my employer renouncing the right to take legal action, which would only leave me with the right to the three months salary to be paid by the UCI from the Mercury bank guarantee. "
A brief report on French news agency AFP tips Rabobank's Erik Dekker as a favourite in the Ronde van Nederland (Tour of the Netherlands) which starts today, strongly implying that the Dutch World Cup leader will be riding after all. It was reported yesterday that Dekker planned to concentrate on the defence of his World Cup lead for the rest of this season, and so was unlikely to ride his national tour.
If Dekker does show, he'll have strong competition from other Dutch riders such as Michael Boogerd (Rabobank), Servais Knaven and Max Van Heeswijk (Domo), Leon Van Bon (Mercury-Viatel) and Jeroen Blijlevens (Lotto).
The five-day, six stage race - rated 2.1 by the UCI - is characterised by relatively long stages to compensate for the country's noted lack of elevation change, and livened by a split third day with an individual time trial in the afternoon.
Stage 1 - August 28: Rotterdam - Tilburg, 186 km
Stage 2 - August 29: Tiel - Nijverdal, 184 km
Stage 3 - August 30: Nijverdal - Denekamp, 83 km
Stage 4 - August 30: Nordhorn - Denekamp ITT, 23 km
Stage 5 - August 31: Markelo/Goor - Venlo, 192 km
Stage 6 - September 1: Blerick - Landgraaf, 228 km
Alexia, Axa, Bankgiroloterij, CSC-Tiscali, Domo, iBanesto.com, Lampre, Liquidas, Lotto, Mapei, Mercury-Viatel, Rabobank, Team Coast, Telekom, US Postal
Finally the deal between Tiscali and Professional Cycling Denmark, the company that runs CSC-Tiscali, is settled. Tiscali has signed as a sponsor for next year so manager Bjarne Riis can start shopping for some new riders for next year. Credit Agricole's Bobby Julich is said to be one prospect; Carlos Sastre of ONCE and Mapei's Manuel Beltran are other names mentioned as well as Swede Nicklas Axelsson who has also been linked with Alessio. Riis is also reported to be talking to Juan Antonio Flecha and European U23 champion Gianpaulo Caruso. And then there are the plans to add a top sprinter...
CSC, the top Danish team's main sponsor, is now trying to form a sponsors' front against doping. Its managing director Asger Jensby has sent a letter to all the main sponsors of the first division teams as well as of the French second division teams that rode the Tour de France this year.
The idea is to form a "club" that places demands on teams and riders. One suggestion is a common policy to not sign contracts with doped rider during a three year period.
"I would like to create some sort of group pressure," says Jensen who acts with the support of CSC Tiscali's team manager Bjarne Riis. Tour de France manager Jean Marie Leblanc is also reported to support the idea.. A meeting is planned for mid September for sponsors. Race organizers will join in a later stage, according to news agency Ritzau.
29 year old Michael Kyneb of Team Fakta, will quit active cycling at the end of this season. He will work in the team's administration from now on. Kyneb has had knee problems for several years. He rode for Home-Jack&Jones for two years but this year moved to team Fakta. The Peace Race was his final appearance where he came in as 60th. Kyneb won the Tour de Region Wallonie in 1999 and was ninth in Grand Prix Midi Libre the same year.
The recently appointed National Track Team Manager for Great Britain's track squad, Heiko Salzwedel, tells Cyclingnews in this interview of his "burning desire" to help make Britain a superpower in track cycling. Indeed, in last year's Olympics the GB squad surprised quite a few observers with its depth and talent, both on and off the track. Jason Queally's Gold in the kilo through to Yvonne MacGregor's Bronze in the Women's Individual Pursuit, the team was well-prepared and performed above expectations - at least those of the other nations.
Salzwedel comes to the position with a background developing similar squads for both Australia and Germany. In the interview, Salzwedel says of the upcoming World Track Championships: "Germany and France will aim for the majority of medals, but GB is not any more the underdog. The new team has to grow together which is not a matter of weeks but months and years. The major goal is Athens."
Italian sprint demi-god Mario Cipollini is confirmed as going to Cantina Tollo (as reported about a month ago), and will take Mario Scirea with him. Lombardi will also go, and Saeco will take Di Luca as a substitute.
Leon Van Bon is reported to be in discussions with Domo-Farm Frites. Patrick Lefevere meets the directors of Domo today, to discuss the future of the team.
Peter Van Petegem and Frank Vandenbroucke were linked with Collstrop-Palmans, but Van Petegem is going to stay with Mercury for the time being (see above). His future depends on how talks with a new main sponsor go. Team boss Hilaire van der Schuren will discuss this in the coming weeks; it could mean a third "top Belgian team" after Domo and Lotto.
Domo has announced the 10 riders preselected for the Vuelta Espana. Of these ten, only nine will race: Richard Virenque (Fra), Dave Bruylandts (Bel), Leif Hoste (Bel), Wilfried Cretskens (Bel), Steve de Wolf (Bel), Steven Kleynen (Bel), Robbie McEwen (Aus), Glenn Magnusson (Swe), Tomas Konecny (Cze), Koos Moerenhout (Ned).
As the racing season moves into its final phase with the late-season world cups and the Vuelta, the bike industry starts looking forward to next year with the annual schmoozeathon of the Autumn trade shows. The expo round starts this weekend in Friedrichschafen, Germany with the Eurobike gear-fest, followed a couple of weeks later by the Milan EICMA show, and then the huge US Interbike at the end of September. Once the international fuss dies down, Australians get a look at the equipment about to hit their stores as the summer gets under way at Sydney's Bicycling Australia show. An unusual feature of the Bicycling Australia show is the Bicycling Australia Challenge, a 100-strong ride from Melbourne to Sydney that will finish at the show.
With the exception of Interbike — still resolutely trade-only despite years of calls for some public access — all these shows have public days that allow you to go along, drool at all the shiny new goodies you can't afford, plan the sale of half your family so you can, inhale motorbike industry cigarette smoke (Milan only) and ask questions of the manufacturers and importers. If you really want to annoy a product designer, the question: "Why didn't you make it out of titanium/carbon fibre/lithium-aluminium/any other material du jour?" usually sends them gibbering toward the coffee booth, especially delivered at the end of the show's fourth or fifth day.
Cyclingnews will be covering the trade shows, bringing you news and photos of all the gear we'd like but can't afford, and we look forward to our Australian readers coming along to say hi at our booth at the Sydney show.
Eurobike: August 30 - September 2, Friedrichschafen, Germany. Public day:
September 2
More details: http://www.messe-fn.de/messen/eurobike/3
EICMA: September 18-23, Milan, Italy. Public days: September 20-23 (open till
10 pm September 20 & 21)
More details:
http://www.eicma.it/eicma/english/eicma_2001_visitare.html
Interbike: September 30 - October 3, Sands Expo and Convention Center, Las
Vegas, USA. Public days: None (Trade only, though some bike shops seem to sprout
large numbers of part-time staff around Interbike time)
More details:
http://www.bicycleretailer.com/ibike/home_1.htm
Bicycling Australia Show: October 19-21, Rosehill race course, Sydney. Public
day: October 21
More details:
http://www.bicyclingaustralia.com
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
Recently on Cyclingnews
Latest Photos - Olympic
Armstrong, Boulder & California 'cross, More Pan-Am, Canberra, Boston & REI
'cross (December 13)
Cyclingnews survey -
Reader Poll 2001 - Vote for your favourite riders
Letters
- VDB, Lance, Boring Tour, Coastal Post, Respect (December 13)
Cyclingnews Interview
- Ryan Bayley - the KFC-fuelled world champ (December 13)
Cyclingnews Interview
- David McKenzie - Macca's back (December 12)
Cyclingnews Interview
- Laurent Jalabert - Jalabert looks ahead (December 11)
Cyclingnews Interview
- Charly Wegelius - A coffee stop with Charly (December 8)
Cyclingnews
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
| Home Search Survey Contact us |