News for December 27, 2001

Edited by Jeff Jones

Recent results and new features

Cyclingnews' season review

The Cyclingnews' season review of some of the more memorable moments of 2001 continues with two items today. Regular European-based contributor Tim Maloney gives his precis of the season, which covers most of the professional road racing from spring through autumn.

Cyclingnews staff member Paul Goldsmith has decided to focus on one particular incident, and that was "The Look" that Lance Armstrong gave Jan Ullrich and others at the foot of L'Alpe d'Huez during the Tour de France. It was the start of Armstrong's dominance in this year's Tour, which he eventually won by a very healthy margin.

The following week will include more stories from the Tour de France, Vuelta a España, Giro d'Italia, MTB exploits, tech highlights and plenty more.

Another year, another Euro

By Tim Maloney
Click for larger image
Davide Rebellin
Photo: © Sirotti
 

As Europe, the heart of world wide cycle sport passes from deutschmarks, drachmas and other ducats to a unified currency, 2001 may enter the ledger of cycling history as, well, just another year. However, there were some bright moments in 2001. Here are some that come to mind.

Special spring moments come to mind like the miniscule margin of victory by Davide Rebellin over Lele Colombo in Tirreneo-Adriatico; opening the way for Tintin Rebellin to eventually post 11 wins for the season, top Italian winner, who was world #1 for a while.
 
Click for larger image
Domo-nation
Photo: © Tim Maloney

Remember Piotr Wadecki's dramatic stage win on Stage 5 in Paris-Nice to finally give a sputtering Domo-Farm Frites squad a much-needed morale boosting victory? Then April showers soaked the pavé of French Flanders, where Johan Museeuw and his DFF boys put on a show at a chaotic Paris-Roubaix, with classy Servais Knaven eventually countering for the win, an extraordinary 1-2-3 for Domo.
Click for larger image
The devil and Simoni
Photo: © Sirotti
 

Summer opened with chaos at the Giro d'Italia, where a moronic prosecutor took advantage of the transition between governments to stage a grandstand raid on the Giro in search of alleged drugs. The Opera Buffa almost cancelled the Giro, but in the end, the police action handed the race to winner Gibo Simoni on a plate as his emerging rival Dario Frigo ended committing auto da fe.

In the new world, Freddy Rodriguez took his second consecutive US PRO title in Philadelphia with a clever last moment move that kept the talented Domo rider in his Stars & Stripes for another year.
 
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Lance's Three-peat
Photo: © Sirotti

Oh oui; c'est Juilliet; c'est Le Tour - Lance Armstrong went for and got his three-peat and as the Star Spangled Banner once again wafted over the Champs-Elysées, it was a touching moment (except for when I lost my mobile phone in the media scrum) but 5 months later, one hopes for a more wide-open Tour next year. Le Tour, with all of it's gigantic, over-globalized, quasi-Disney hoopla runs the risk of becoming moribund.

With summer turning to fall, attention shifted to the post-tour classics and Erik Dekker's pursuit of a World Cup title. The solid Dutchman built on his April win in Amstel Gold all season with excellent rides in San Sebastian, Hamburg and Zurich.
Click for larger image
Hincapie wins San Fran
Photo: © Jonathan Devich
 

George Hincapie had his best season ever with April's classics win in Gent-Wevelgem, then a major victory in front of the enormous crowds at the inaugural San Francisco Grand Prix in September. As September's shadows lengthened, who could forget the big win by Scott Sunderland in GP Fourmies. The win by the 34 year-old Sunderland capped his tough comeback and catapulted him a long way up the top 100 on UCI points, a fitting reward for the likeable Aussie and Cyclingnews.com contributor.
 
Click for larger image
Richard Virenque
Photo: © AFP

October's falling leaves and cold gusty weather greeted the top cyclists in the world as the penultimate race of the 2001 World Cup rolled out of Paris on October 7th. Dekker's World Cup win was still not wrapped up but sprinters race to Tours was enlivened by an electrifying solo win from Richard Virenque. The Domo man was on the comeback trail and love 'em or hate 'em, Virenque great ride was one of the top moments of 2001 for me.

With his 13th place in Paris-Tours, Dekker clinched his well-deserved World Cup title, so all eyes turned to the World Championship in Lisbon. The Races For The Rainbow jerseys turned out to be a quite disappointing; sparse crowds on hand, very little event promotion and finally an inadequate road course that was simply too easy for World Championship racing.
Click for larger image
Oscar Freire
Photo: © AFP
 

Despite the negatives, I found a few exceptions; likeable Lithuanian Rasa Polikeviciute finally winning a world title in the Women's road race, American Danny Pate's stunning win in the U23 TT and the last three laps of the Men's Elite race, where eventually the immense class of sprinter Oscar Freire brought the Spaniard his second world title in 3 years.

But no worries mate - only a few more weeks to go until the 2002 racing season kicks off at the Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under in Adelaide, Australia! Let's get the show on the road.

Armstrong's look

By Paul Goldsmith
Click for larger image
Armstrong goes for it
Photo: © AFP
 

My moment of the year in cycling was the Armstrong "look". For me, nothing else compares.

During the tenth stage of the Tour de France, twice defending champion, Lance Armstrong, challenged 1997 Tour winner Jan Ullrich to a race. Always one to master the moment, Armstrong chose to assert his dominance on L'Alpe d'Huez, one of the most respected and mythical peaks in cycling.

After the "look", not only was the tenth stage of the Tour de France over, the whole race was now in Armstrong's hands, although he didn't take the yellow jersey until stage 13. The look was so Armstrong, so challenging as to be undeniable. And so Hollywood. But not in a bad Hollywood way.

Whatever was or wasn't said, and the actual intent of the glance, matters little. Armstrong looked at Ullrich at the bottom of a hill. Both parties noticed the look. And Armstrong rode away from Ullrich. Simple.

I can go harder than you. You cannot hurt me. Very Terminator.
 
Click for larger image
Robin Williams
Photo: © Sirotti

So what was funny person, come serious actor/sentimentality fan Robin Williams doing in a team car? Of course we all have famous friends, who we like to have around when we are competing. I mean that's understandable.

But on a day, that was pure soap-opera, as Armstrong "faked" lethargy to fool the Teutonic knight, Williams appearance gave the stage somewhat of a surreal tone. A particularly American, "je ne sais quoi" moment.

And where was Arnold Schwarzenegger? Probably in Jan's car watching the TV coverage of the race. Adding to the irony; there will be a very happy beautician somewhere if Williams is allowed to play Armstrong in the movie. The waxing alone will cost a fortune.

Everything else aside, it was a bloody good ride. Armstrong was magnificent.

So all up, we had a few laughs, we rode up a few big hills, there was a bit of chest puffing, and one hero beat another. What a great day.

*Note: Armstrong's own account of the look can be found here.

Basslink Invitational Keirin Series

By Rod Morris

The higher profile riders that help form part of the Basslink Tasmanian Carnival Series will be invited to compete in some spectacular Keirin racing. Each of the four clubs that make up the Tasmanian Carnival Series, will conduct heats and finals with the winner being formally announced at next Tuesday's Burnie New Years Day Carnival.

Keirin racing is a great spectacle of bike riding and includes small fields (between five and nine riders) following a motorbike at high speeds before a frenetic final lap and a half when the motorbike leaves the track. Riders are not allowed to jump in front of the motorbike, but are permitted to jostle for position and it's because of that rule, it is normally only the more experienced cyclists that are invited to compete.

Keirin racing is big business in some countries, particularly Japan and internationals Shinichi Fukushima and Kouji Yoshii are expected to make their mark on the invitational series this week.

Latrobe fielded two heats of the first round of the Basslink Invitational Keirin Series at yesterday's Boxing Day Carnival, while the final is scheduled for 12.35 this afternoon.

The invited stars to compete in the Keirin Series will include all nine scratchmen, Adriano Baffi (Italy), Erik Weisspfennig (Germany), Jame Carney (America), Jeff Hopkins (New South Wales), Ryan Bayley (West Australia), Shane Kelly (Victoria) and Tasmanians Gareth Atkins, Nathan Clarke and Darren Young.

Bayley is the current World Keirin Champion and should be keen to prove that win was no fluke. Other high profile riders such as Brent Dawson, Danny Day, Ashley Hutchinson and Todd Wilksch will also be invited to compete in the series.

Each of the four finals will carry prize money and for the overall series, a sliding points system of 5-3-2-1.

US riders wanted for 2002 Tour of Cuba

The US team competing in the 2002 Vuelta a Cuba (UCI 2.5) from February 12-24 is currently accepting resumes for unfilled rider and staff positions. The team will travel to Havana, Cuba on January 20 to complete a short training camp and two multi-day events in preparation for la Vuelta. Interested road riders, mechanics and therapists should contact Mike Fraysse, Vice President, UCI Pan American Confederation at mfsr@citlink.net or 1-800-994-3335.

Recent results and new features on Cyclingnews

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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   Breaking the Chain  - Dope planning and testing - From Willy Voet's book

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