|
|
|
Edited by Jeff Jones
The Cyclingnews' season review of some of the more memorable moments of 2001 continues with today's contribution by Darren Tulett, a correspondent with Bloomberg News who is also a Cyclingnews 'regular'. Darren's piece is on one of the most polarisable characters in the sport - Richard Virenque. This year he went from disgrace to the heights of success when he came back from a drug suspension to win the Paris-Tours World Cup in sensational fashion.
Did he deserve it after his role in the Festina affair, where he refused to admit taking drugs for over two years, in the face of overwhelming evidence. Darren argues that despite this, Virenque has served his time, and should not be punished any longer for coming clean. Either way, it was certainly one of the highlights of the 2001 season.
There's more on the way in our season review, so stay tuned.
By Darren Tulett, Bloomberg News
|
As the dog days of 2001 drag on and us sports writers turn our thoughts to end-of-year pieces, I would like to propose a toast: Three cheers for Richard Virenque!
Yes, the same Richard Virenque who ridiculed the sport we love for two years with his line of 'not tested positive, not guilty' today, in my humble opinion, deserves to be celebrated. And let me make it clear from my Paris base that I am, and have never been, a member of the Frenchman's fan club. Even so, the courage and determination shown this year by the Moroccan-born idol of French cycling crowds merits a little glass-raising.
Banned from the sport for nine months after finally owning up to using and abusing EPO during his Festina hey-days at the October, 2000 trial in Lille, France, many predicted it would be the end of Virenque's career. After all, he was 31 then and without a team. How would he be able to maintain any sort of racing form now he was on his own, find the motivation to go out on long, lonely training rides with no specific goals to aim at?
Even if he could overcome that rather large handicap, would he ever find an employer?
I was among the skeptics. But that was without taking into account Virenque's remarkable will to win. His desire to gain vengeance on a system he felt had dealt with him unjustly. Yes, he should have admitted his errors earlier and paid the price, just like Alex Zülle & Co. Of course he was wrong to try to string us along with his nuanced denials.
But once he found the courage to stand up and tell the truth, whatever you think of Virenque as a person, did he not deserve better than to find himself virtually banished from cycling? What kind of message was his ban sending out to any other rider out there who might have been tempted to say something similar? Can we not find a way to allow riders to confess to past sins and try to move on?
Without wanting to sound too naïve here (I can feel those eyebrows raising out there, almost feel the little wave of displaced air from cynical heads shaking in resigned fashion), can we not believe it possible for riders to have their own version of Alcoholics Anonymous?
Are they not allowed to come clean, for want of a better expression?
Call me a dreamer, by all means, and who knows, you may be right. But I want to believe. I want to believe that the sweat and pain I see out there on the roads is not being soaked up, softened by drugs. And for those who can never give anyone the benefit of doubt, never overcome their cynicism nor believe people when they look you in the eye and say they are clean, maybe it's time to throw in the towel. Find another sport to follow.
Whatever.
Richard Virenque said he'd learned from his mistakes and let us assume this proud man is back on the straight and narrow. After suffering through the pain of watching his beloved Tour de France on the television this year, he managed to swing a three-month contract with Belgium's Domo-Farm Frites team.
It was all Virenque needed. A little window of opportunity. A chance to show us he still had the rage. Still had the legs. And my, did he show us.
His performance in the Vuelta, for a man with virtually no racing behind him all year, was remarkable. By the end of the three-week race he was looking as strong as anyone and was often to the fore. He'd almost won his comeback bet on that showing alone, but the best was yet to come.
The Paris-Tours classic is a long, wind-swept ride offering little respite to riders at the fag-end of the season. It's almost entirely flat, meaning climbers like Virenque most often don't even bother showing up. Virenque, though, isn't like many other climbers. He set out on a breakaway with Jacky Durand (and hats off to him, too. Who better to have on board?) that was to last 240 kilometres and end in one of the most memorable images of the cycling year.
Both men gave it their all. The peloton, though, with many hungry sprinters licking their lips at the thought of the long, straight run-in to the finish-line on the avenue de Grammont, seemed to have everything under control. The pack closed to within 15 seconds some 10 kilometres from the finish. It was all over, thought the commentators.
Virenque thought otherwise.
Leaving the brave Durand for dead on the short, sharp slopes leading into Tours, Virenque gritted his teeth and banged the pedals. Behind him, riders took it in turns to try to break from the pack, not wanting to allow Oscar Freire and Erik Zabel the luxury of fighting out victory in a bunch sprint.
That played into Virenque's hands, as petty rivalries between riders meant there was no co-operation and the breaks turned into futile, stop-start exercises. Surely, though, those behind the lone raider were going faster? How long would it be before they bore down on Virenque, just like in 1996, when his breakaway bid was dashed 500 meters from the line?
Only Virenque seemed to believe he could hold off the pack, and hold off the pack he did. The peloton got it wrong, perhaps underestimating a man with a mission. The look on Virenque's face as he began to punch the air and shout out loud once he knew he had it won, will go down as one of the abiding images of the 2001 season.
He had succeeded in the face of adversity, completed a remarkable renaissance. Oh that Marco Pantani and Frank Vandenbroucke take heart from his example!
Three cheers for Richard Virenque!
South Australian cyclist, Luke Roberts, has his sights set on a jersey of a different kind when the field in the 2002 Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under contests Stage 2 from Hahndorf to Strathalbyn. Roberts won this year's 157km Stage 4 into Strathalbyn in a photo finish after close to four hours of racing in sweltering conditions. Apart from the honour of a stage victory for his UniSA team the 24 year old was also introduced to his own "tour jersey" a dairy cow from the Strathalbyn region.
In 2002 Mayor Kym McHugh will again award a "jersey" cow to the stage winner. The 2002 jersey is called Fleurieu Freckle.
2001 Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under champion Stuart O'Grady will fly to Victoria on January 2nd to contest the four day Skilled Bay Series. The series incorporates the Australian Criterium Title to be decided in Geelong on January 4th. O'Grady will then head to Ballarat for the Australian Open Road Championships being raced from the 10th to the 13th. A number of other 2002 Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under cyclists will be racing in Victoria including Cadel Evans, Robbie McEwen, David McKenzie, Mark Renshaw and Brett Lancaster.
While the Australians use the Bay Series to gain race form for the 2002 Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under the European contingent will descend on Adelaide. The arrival dates for the teams are as follows:
For more information, please visit the official Tour Down Under website.
World Madison Champion Robert Sassonne was crowned New Caledonian Sportsman of the Year at a celebration in Nouméa. Sassonne won the title with Jerome Neuville, he is also French Champion with Jean Michel Tessier with whom he won the six days of Nouméa. Last year he won the European title with Damien Pommereau.
The jury of the IIe Nuit des Trophées du sport was in particular impressed by Sassonne's ability to win with different partners. Last year's New Caledonian Sportsman of the Year, the first, was won by track sprinter Laurent Gané.
Sassonne said at the event that he will direct his career more toward the road in the next season for Cofidis however without any fixed goals. "The classics are difficult. They are demanding both physically and mentally, and you need a lot of experience. In the stage races you also need experience. Tactics are not improvised, you have to learn it", said the 23 years old champion.
Mountain biker Filip Meirhaeghe will be riding for Landbouwkrediet-Colnago for another year, after coming to an agreement with the team about his contract. Meirhaeghe, silver medallist in the Sydney Olympics, will ride in both mountain bike and road races for Landbouwkrediet, including six of the eight rounds of the MTB World Cup.
According to Belgian Teletekst, Meirhaeghe is also going to sign a contract with a specific mountain bike team, yet to be revealed.
One of Belgium's top amateur teams, Kortrijkse Groeningespurters, will undergo some changes next year. The most important will be a name change to reflect its new sponsors: Wielerteam Affligem-Bianchi. The team will still be directed by Willy Teirlinck and will have 30 riders on its roster. There will be 10 elite riders without contract, 10 juniors and 10 juveniles, with the top riders from Kortrijk all being part of the team.
African Cycling Champion, South African Chris Williams is scheduled to race in Nigeria on January 13 for the inaugural Nigeria Champions Cycling Competition in Lagos (January 19-20). Williams will be competing along with his father, who is his coach as well as a bicycle manufacturer in South Africa.
Both male and female categories will be contested, and it is expected that the two South Africans' presence will help boost the sport of cycling in Nigeria.
What was the best performance of 2001? Who was the best rider? It's time for you, the readers of Cyclingnews, to tell us the stand-out riders, rides and equipment of the year. However you need to act soon as entries close December 31, 2001.
Go to our Reader Poll page to cast your vote for the Legend of Cycling; the Cycling Personality of the Year; Photograph of the Year; the best teams and male and female riders across a range of disciplines, and the best bikes and equipment.
Click here to vote now! Results will be announced in the New Year.
Note: Please answer all categories and complete your form (including your name and email) to ensure your vote is counted. This is to ensure the accuracy of the poll as you may only vote once. Your details will not be revealed to any other party.
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 |
