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The woes of Dutch champion Jans Koerts (Mercury) continue. During today's first stage of the Ronde van Nederland, the big sprinter was involved in a fall in the bunch sprint with 150 metres to go. Koerts was knocked unconscious for a short time and was taken to hospital for observation and X-rays, where it was revealed that he had torn a cruciate ligament behind his right knee. This means he will not be able to start in stage 2 tomorrow and will be out of competition for at least a month, placing doubt on the rest of his season.
By Tomas Nilsson, cyclingnews.com correspondent
Swedish Nicklas Axelsson leaves Mercury for Alessio immediately. He will ride for his new team in the Vuelta a España less than two weeks from now. He has signed a contract with the top Italian division II team for two years.
Axelsson took his first pro victory some weeks ago on the final stage of the Tour de la Région Wallones in Belgium and finished seventh overall. A sixth place in the Giro d'Italia of 1999 and third in last year's Giro de Lombardia are other fine merits.
He is currently suffering from a slight cold at the moment, and chose to skip the Ronde van Nederland in orderr to be in shape for the Vuelta. He easily catches bronchitis (Giro last year) and doesn't want to spoil this chance.
Swiss rider Roland Meier (Team Coast) has been given an eight month suspension by the Swiss federation after he tested positive for EPO following La Fleche Wallonne on April 18. The penalty does not include the winter months, meaning that the 33 year old will not be able to race again until July 19, 2002.
Meier will be 34 by this date, and this may mean the end of the career of the rider who finished 7th in the 1998 Tour de France. Both his A and B samples were considered "100 percent positive" by the Lausanne anti-doping lab, and his team director Wolfram Lindner said that he will dismiss him as soon as he gets the official report from the Swiss Cycling Federation.
Meier can appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne within 30 days to try and get his suspension reduced. Danish rider Bo Hamburger has already succeeded in his appeal to his national federation to get his positive EPO test dropped, due to an "error of procedure" in the test. His team, CSC-Tiscali, has been forced to keep him on in the meantime, however the UCI is still studying the case before making an official announcement as far as Hamburger's participation in international races goes.
Since 1998, Roland Meier is the fifth Swiss rider to be given a suspension for a positive doping test. Alex Zülle, Laurent Dufaux and Armin Meier were given 9 months following the Festina affair, and Stefan Rütimann was recently given a 7 month suspension.
Next year's Ronde van Vlaanderen will see the return of the infamous Koppenberg, a very steep cobbled climb that is situated near Oudenaarde, in the Flemish Ardennes. The Koppenberg is but one of a number of ways to get over that particular part of Belgium, but there are plenty of other routes over the same hill that are used in the Ronde van Vlaanderen. It's much longer than the Muur van Geraardsbergen, but the location of the latter often produces a decisive break in the race.
The city of Oudenaarde will start repairing the cobbles next week, and it will cost around 250,000 Euro and take approximately 3 months. Oudenaarde also wants to host the finish of the Ronde in 2003, as it has more historical appeal than the current finish in Ninove and there's even a Ronde van Vlaanderen museum there.
The Koppenberg was taken out of the race in 1987 after an incident involving Jesper Skibby. At the end of a long attack, he came into the berg with a small gap of a chasing group. Half-way up the steep climb he fell. The following car containing the jury president tried to pass the Dane because the peloton was coming up to him strongly. The gap was too small and the car hit the wheel of Skibby's bike. A policeman came to help because the driver of the car panicked. Since that time, the climb has been excluded from the race
The 5th edition of the Trophée d'or Féminin will be held over the next five days, starting Wednesday August 29 and finishing on Sunday August 31. The race comprises six stages, finishing in Saint-Amand-Montrond on Sunday. The biggest draw cards will be French riders Jeannie Longo and Sévérine Desbouys (GAS Sport, returning from a fall), and Lithuanian ex-World Champion Edita Pucinskaite (Acca Due O), Australian Alison Wright and Russian Olga Zabelinskaia (Carpe Diem).
The San Rafael Cycling Classic will be held on September 8, 2001, one day prior to the San Francisco Grand Prix, Lance Armstrong's only US race in 2001. San Rafael serves as the third round of the BMC Software Grand Prix for women and will feature more than 100 top professional women cyclists as they race for 45 km on a 2.4 km circuit through downtown San Rafael. Following is a Pro Men's 72 km race with leading athletes including Prime Alliance star and US Olympian Jonas Carney.
Athletes will be competing for $10,000 for both men and women ($20,000 total).
Where: San Rafael (Marin County), CA When: Saturday, September 8
Professional Races: Other Events: Expo Area - bike shops, food vendors, entertainment, children's activities,
and kid's cycling safety clinic.
Belgian sprinter Tom Steels (Mapei-Quick Step), who abandoned during stage
3 of the Tour of Denmark, will return to competition on September 3 in the Tour
of Poland.
BankGiroLoterij-Batavus team director Johan Capiot has extended his contract
with the team for another year. The 36 year old will work with Piet Hoekstra
next year. Capiot has been busy in his first season with the Dutch team which
recently re-signed Bart Voskamp.
Capiot had mixed emotions about Stefan van Dijk's win in the first stage of
the Ronde van Nederland today. On the one hand it was a nice win, but Van Dijk
will go to Lotto next season. He commented that "We will be working next year
with the same budget, but we can't keep the same riders to work with us. Some
of them are leaving, because other teams can offer more money. Others are looking
for another arrangement, because they would prefer to ride in the first rather
than the second category. Van Dijk is the best example. Next year he will ride
for Lotto-Adecco."
"We must look for new names. No neo's, but riders who are looking for a second
chance, in case they could not sign for a big team."
Rabobank has prolonged the contracts of four more of its riders: Matthé Pronk
(27), Coen Boerman (24) and Marcel Duijn (24) have all signed for one more year,
while Mathew Hayman (23) has prolonged his contract for two years.
All four riders have come through the Rabobank amateur team. Pronk is in his
third year as a pro, while Hayman, Boerman and Duijn are all second year pro's.
Gerben Löwik is one Rabo rider who has not got a new contract.
In addition, two of Rabobank's amateur riders, Roy Sentjens and Ronald Mutsaars
will make their debuts with the professional team next season. Sentjens rode
with the amateur team of Nico Verhoeven, while Mutsaars started with the junior
squad of Frans Maassen before riding with Verhoeven. Team leader Theo de Rooij
thinks that they are good prospects for the future, in particular for the classics.
Belgian track star Etienne de Wilde will ride his last track race on February
23, 2002, a month before he turns 44. The race will be between Belgian and foreign
teams and will be held at Gent's Kuipke. Germans Erik Zabel and Andreas Kappes
will also take part, according to the organisers.
By Tomas Nilsson, cyclingnews.com correspondent
Norwegian Solrun Flataas (Team Sponsorservice) might have done her bit for
the season. In Saturday's long distance MTB race Birkebeinerrittet from Rena
to Lillehammer she fell a few metres before the finish line. She came back on
the bike and finished in fourth position but suffered a heavy concussion.
The race finish was preceded by a downhill stretch down the Olympic freestyle
ski slope in Lillehammer. Birkebeinerrittet is the one of the world's biggest
races with more than 10,000 participants. Last year Solrun Flataas was fourth
in the World Championships time trial, but now it is uncertain if she will be
able to participate.
The first race in the 2001/2002 Six Day season will be in Amsterdam from September
11-16, followed by the World Track Championships in Antwerp which start on September
25. At the press conference in Scheveningen today, a strong field was named
including German World Champions Stefan Steinweg and Erik Weisspfennig, Olympic
champion Scott McGrory who will pair with European champion Matthew Gilmore,
and dynamic Swiss duo Bruno Risi and Kurt Betschart. Italians Marco Villa and
Silvio Martinello will also form a pair, and the competition should be fierce
between the top teams.
On September 9, two days prior to the event, the European Derny Championships
will be held.
Stefan Steinweg/Erik Weisspfennig (Ger)
National coach Leo van Zeeland made his selection on Monday for the Dutch
team to contest the World MTB Championships in Vail, Colorado from September
12-16. Six men and two women will ride in the cross country and downhill events,
with the captain being European champion Bart Brentjens.
Men - XC
Bart Brentjens Men - Downhill
Bas de Bever Wilfred van den Haterd Women - XC
Corine Dorland
Women - Downhill
Anneke Beerten
Eight American cyclists will compete in the 2001 Goodwill Games in Brisbane,
September 1-2. The competition will be held at the Chandler Velodrome and promises
to showcase the fastest athletes on two wheels.
A squad of three women and five men will represent the United States at the
competition. 2000 Olympian, Erin Mirabella (Chula Vista, Calif.), already has
two national titles under her belt in the individual pursuit and points race
this year. Mirabella has been to the Track World Championships the past three
years and will bring a high level of international racing experience to the
table. She will be competing in the points race and elimination Saturday, September
1 and the scratch race Sunday, September 2.
Becky Quinn (Quakertown, Pa.) is a past national collegiate champion and is
a staple in the women's domestic track circuit. The world championship competitor
takes on the world in the points race on the first day of competition, as well
as the match sprint and scratch race on Sunday.
As the youngest member of the team, Ashley Kimmet (Bethlehem, Pa.) brings
a high level of maturity and experience in her racing. The 19-year-old snagged
a silver medal at the 2000 Junior World Track Cycling Championships and holds
seven junior national titles. Kimmet is slated to race in the elimination on
Saturday and the match sprint on the second day of competition.
A two-time Olympian, Jame Carney (Durango, Colo.) holds more than a dozen
national titles and has proven year in and year out his ability to ride with
the world's best riders. The Prime Alliance rider brought home a bronze in the
points race from the final World Track Cup #5 event in Ipoh, Malaysia, Aug.
25. Carney will ride in the scratch race, elimination and Madison in his hunt
for more medals.
Mike Tillman (Santa Monica, Calif.) brings sheer power and athleticism to
the team. A former boxer, swimmer and world-level water polo player, Tillman
holds four elite national titles and two collegiate championships. The 32-year-old
former Wall Street businessman will compete in the points race on Saturday,
Sept. 1.
Colby Pearce (Boulder, Colo.) broke full force onto the domestic racing scene
in 1998 and has been putting in top performances ever since. The Boulder resident
captured several top five finishes in world track cup competitions in the past
few years and took two national titles this year at the USCF Elite National
Track Cycling Championships. Pearce will be looking to medal in the points race
and the Madison.
Garth Blackburn (Houston) has been racking up great results since his days
as a junior in Houston, starting in 1993. With almost a decade of experience
on his resume, Blackburn snagged four first place finishes at the Southern Games
in Trinidad this spring, as well as the Top International Rider honours. The
Texan also finished fourth in the Keirin at the World Track Cup #5 in Malaysia
last week. Celebrating his 24th birthday a day before the competition begins,
Blackburn is slated to ride in the match sprint and the Keirin.
2000 Olympic gold medalist Marty Nothstein (Trexlertown, Pa.) has a full slate
of racing planned for the weekend, competing in the match sprint, scratch race,
Keirin and elimination. The holder of 30 national titles and seven world championship
medals, Nothstein has already proven his prowess in numerous domestic and international
competitions.
Day 1 - September 1
Women: 15km Points Race, Elimination Race Day 2 - September 2
Women: 10km Scratch Race, Match Sprint
Major Races and Events Results: local racing Recently on Cyclingnews
12:40-1:40: Pro Women
2:00 - 3:30: Pro and Category 1 Men
12:00-12:20: Free Kids Race (under 10)
3:40 - 4:00: Free Public Fat Tire Crit
Steels to ride in Tour of Poland
Capiot stays with BankGiroLoterij-Batavus
Rabobank prolongs more contracts
De Wilde to retire in early 2002
Flataas KO
6 Days of Amsterdam
Starting list
Danny Stam/Robert Slippens (Ned)
Bruno Risi/Kurt Betschart (Swi)
Silvio Martinello/Marco Villa (Ita)
Matthew Gilmore/Scott McGrory (Bel/Aus)
Jimmi Madsen/Jimmy Hansen (Den)
Lorenzo Lapage/Wouter Van Mechelen (Bel)
Jean-Pierre Van Zijl/Frank Corvers (RSA/Bel)
John den Braber/Wilco Zuijderwijk (Ned)
Kouji Yoshui/Gerd Dörich (Jap/Ger)
Martin Zabka/Josef Liska (Slo)
Mario Vonhoff/David Hubschwerlin (Ger/Fra)
Dutch MTB World Championships selection
Bas van Dooren
Bas Peters
Gert Tholen
US team for Goodwill Games
Goodwill Games Schedule
Men: 10km Scratch Race, 20km Points Race, Match Sprint
Men: Elimination Race, Keirin, 30km Madison
Recent results and new features on Cyclingnews
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
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
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
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