News for January 21, 2001Recent results and new features Interview with Robert BartkoCyclingnews inspires Telekom win
By Jeff Jones & John Doggett-Williams We should have published this on Friday night, shortly after the interview took place at the end of Stage 4. Under the potted palms of the Hawaiian section of the JCTDU press room at Adelaide's Hilton Hotel , we were graced with the presence of dual Olympic Gold Medalist and Track World Champion, Robert Bartko. Although Robert is not comfortable with speaking English, he still granted us his time (and he was hungry!). Despite the use of interpreters, we think our suggestion that it was so early in the year for European teams that we would forgive them if they were were out here for a training run, came across the wrong way. During stage 5, in extreme heat and over the toughest hill climbs of the week, Telekom's Kai Hundermarck not only won the stage but took over the yellow jersey, and has a chance of winning the entire event. Was the previous night's interview with Bartko the catalyst for a Telekom win? You decide. CN: Stage 4 was the hottest day of the tour. How did you find it coming from European winter? RB: Coming from minus temperatures to this heat is quite a shock, but thankfully the team got here about ten days early and got somewhat used to the conditions. CN: In previous years you've had Zabel and he's been the team leader along with Steffen Wesemann. At the moment, the team has Kai Hundertmarck for the GC, but no one else because of the second day (where Telekom mostly missed the break). Is it your aim to use this as early season training now and forget about the overall GC? RB: It was very good to come out here and operate under race conditions. This is great training for the entire season in race conditions, but it also gets us set up for the rest of the season. And obviously if Kai is in contention we're going to work for him. CN: The change from road racing after 'climbing the mountain' of winning two Olympic gold medals? Why do it? Had you satisfied everything you wanted to do on the track? RB: I got to the point on the track where I was twice world champion and had two gold medals. There was a great deal of pressure to try and achieve anything more than that, because I reached such a high level. So in order to develop the skills to go higher, I had to move to road racing. CN: What's the new mountain then? Do you have a favourite race you'd like to win? The Paris-Roubaix or the Tour of Flanders for example? RB: At this point it's not easy to what I'd like to do. It's my first year in the professionals and I will see what happens in the future. CN: When you leave the sport, how would you like to be remembered and what would you like to have contributed? RB: I haven't thought about it yet. So I have no idea what I want to give back because I feel like I've just started. CN: So no plans for the future? You live day to day? RB: Yes! CN: Lucky you! Cadel Evans interviewBy Gabriella Ekström, cyclingnews.com correspondent Although a mid-race report of his withdrawal from the 2001 JCTDU during stage 4 was (fortunately) incorrect, Cadel Evans is still hoping to avoid problems and finish the race this year. Last year, a broken collarbone caused by a crash in the final stage was the start of an up and down season. This year, he is riding well to hold down 10th place on the GC. CN: You had a disappointing start last year with two broken clavicles, but yet you managed to win two World Cup races and start at the Sydney Olympics. What do you think about your year if you look back and what comes after Sydney? CE: Looking back over my year as a whole, it was not to bad. Two World Cup victories (Mont. St. Anne and Canmore) is usually enough to make most riders happy, but with my own expectations at the World's and Olympics, which were my major goal for the year, it was disappointing. The collarbone problems forced me to miss some racing and training which had a lot to do with my inconsistent results, but that is the way things go sometimes. Unfortunately for me, it was the year that the Olympics were in my own country. Now, I looking forward to some new and slightly different challenges on the Road, although MTB will still remain my major focus, especially the MTB races towards the end of the year. CN: This year you have signed a contract with Saeco, alongside your contract with Cannondale's MTB team. What does your future look like? Is road racing a complement to your off road career or do you see yourself participating in the bigger road races in a couple of years? CE: Yes, I have signed with the Volvo Cannondale team again for another two years. I also have signed a contract with the Saeco Road team, as always, the road races are to complement my MTB'ing, but of course with the Saeco team, it is possible to ride in bigger road races. Possibly, depending on my results, I may be participating in bigger road races in the future. CN: Which races will you be targeting at this year, on and off the road? CE: Off road, a good result at the Worlds would satisfy me. On the road, things will be a bit different, as it will be the first time that I will be riding a lot of the races so it will take a bit of getting used to. Any of the hillier races I would like to get some results in. CN: Why are these races so attractive? CE: The MTB World's, that is simple, I have 5 medals from World Championships, but none of them are gold. On the road, I have not ridden Tour of Aragon or Tour of Austria before, but usually, when the road goes uphill, I am OK so we will see. CN: Your hopes for the 2001 season, and even further on? CE: Some solid and consistent results on and off the road. CN: What inspires you? Is it the same thing that inspired you when you started to ride? CE: When I started to ride, it was just for fun, as anything is when you are young. Now, I still enjoy it but for different reasons. It is my job, so that changes things slightly, but now for me it is the challenge. reaching higher levels of performance, improving, basically getting the best out of myself in terms of performance. CN: What can two sports that are similar, but also very different like road racing and MTB learn from each other? CE: The mentality is certainly different. Being on two professional teams brings out a lot of differences. The biggest difference for me is the training, for MTB I am spending so much time and effort specifically training and preparing for one or two events. But on the road, because you can race so often, that makes up the majority of your training, you spend a lot of time at races. CN: Do you have any hidden talents? Wind surfing, horse riding? CE: I hope so, but I have not found them yet. CN: Are you interested in diets and ideas like "Don't eat the middle of the bread, there's where all the fat is hidden"? (True story!) CE: I try to eat a healthy diet, but I also enjoy good food so I look for a balance. I used to pull the middle out of my bread because I only like the crust. Is that strange? The Grand FinaleThe Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under 2001 finishes today with a spectacular city circuit race near Adelaide's centre. With the general classification poised as it is between Kai Hundertmarck and Stuart O'Grady (on equal time), the final stage is an organiser's dream and a bike rider's nightmare. Two series of sprint bonuses are on offer, for 3, 2 and 1 seconds bonus. There is also a 6-4-2 second bonus at the finish, so O'Grady and Hundertmarck will not only have to watch each other, but also be wary of five or six other riders who threaten the GC. Catch all the action with cyclingnews.com's live updates of stage 6, starting from 1300 AUS-SA time = 1330 AUS-EST = 1030 AUS-WA = 1830 US EDT = 0230 GMT (UK). This one will be a thriller!
Big guns confirmed for MurciaThe twenty-first edition of Spain's Tour of Murcia, starting March 7, will be one of the first significant outings of the year for the big names, with Marco Pantani, Stefano Garzelli, Jan Ullrich, Lance Armstrong, Robert Heras, Fernando Escartín and Alex Zulle all confirmed to ride. A total of 18 teams will take part, six from Spain plus Telekom, US Postal, Rabobank, Mapei, Mercatone Uno, Lotto, Coast, Alessio, Linda Mcartney, Nurnberger, Palmans-Collstrop and Vlaanderen 2002-ddy Merckx. The five stages will cover 640.7 km with nine climbs (two category one, two category two and five category three) and finishing with an short, sharp individual time trial in Murcia. Tour of Murcia stages Stage 1 - March 7 - Murcia-Aguilas 146.9km
Seco in doubtTop Spanish cyclocross rider, David Seco, is in doubt for the World Championships in Tabor (Cze) early next month after a serious crash. Although the extent of the injuries is yet to be completely determined, Seco broke the little finger of his right hand while training near Muxika yesterday. If an operation is necessary, he will definitely be out of the World's. The recently crowned Spanish cyclocross champion was doing interval training between Muxika and Gernika, and was travelling at 50 km/h when he hit an obstacle in his path. His (bare) head struck a temporary traffic signal, and he lost balance and fell. He suffered extensive injuries to his right shoulder and back, as well as the broken finger. He was transferred from the emergency medical centre in Gernika to the hospital in Galdakao, where he stayed for several hours before returning home, several stitches later. Courtesy of Ciclismo en España De Wilde and Gilmore to Euskadi SixFormer world champions, Etienne de Wilde and Matthew Gilmore confirmed that they would participate in the 6 Hours of Euskadi, cycling's eqivalent of a one day cricket match compared with the longer six day events. The race will be held in Spain's Anoeta velodrome on February 3, and has also attracted the likes of Italian pair Silvio Martinello/Marco Villa, winners of this race in 1996 and third placed last year. The Euskaltel-Euskadi team has yet to be confirmed however, with track specialist Alberto Martinez to combine with either David Etxebarria or Haimar Zubeldia.
BLM backs down on MTB/OHV groupingAfter a massive campaign orchestrated by access group IMBA, the US Bureau of land management has dropped plans to group mountain bikers with motorized vehicles in its latest management plan. The BLM's OHV Strategy, made official January 19th, calls for a separate plan to manage mountain bikes. The BLM received more than 10,000 comment letters from mountain bikers in 30 days, according to IMBA. IMBA executive director Tim Blumenthal said, "This is exactly what we want. Mountain bikers spoke and the BLM listened. This is a milestone for mountain biking." IMBA was concerned that the BLM's plan to link mountain biking and motorized policies would have led to unwarranted access restrictions and served as a negative precedent. The BLM and IMBA will continue to work together to promote responsible mountain biking through education, volunteer trailwork and other joint projects.
Dogfish team signs Moats, Malenkovich
The newly formed Dogfish Women's Elite Team will provide a home for the talents of two up-and-coming mountain bike racers from the American Miidwest, Kyia Malenkovich and Stephanie Moats. The team is sponsored by clothing manufacturer Dogfish and supported by retailer Bokoo Bikes and Trek Bicycles. It's the second full pro season for Kyia Malenkovich, 25 of St. Cloud, Minnesota. Malenkovich placed 20th overall in the NORBA National Championship Series in her first pro season and looks forward to improving her results in 2001. Malenkovich has multiple national expert victories and is the former Champion of the Chequamegon Fat Tire 40. Stephanie Moats, 25 of Shoreview, Minnesota is the defending Minnesota Expert State Champion and will defend her title, as well as test her skills on the national level this season. Recent results and new features on cyclingnews |
