|
|
|
Richard Virenque yesterday ended months of rumour and speculation about his future by announcing he will ride for the Belgian Domo-Farm Frites team for the latter part of 2001.
Virenque is currently suspended as a result of admitting EPO use during the Festina trial, but that suspension ends August 15. His name has been linked to several teams over the last few months including Jean Delatour and Mapei, though the latter squad strenuously denied they were ever talking to the former Tour King of the Mountains.
Virenque's contract with Domo will run from August 15 to November 30, and his focus will be on the Vuelta d'Espana which starts September 8. Domo has the option to renew the contract for a further year, and Domo Directeur sportif Patrick Lefévère commented that he had "always liked Richard Virenque" and said the Frenchman had convinced him of his good will in two conversations.
Speaking at a press conference in Dunkirk, Virenque said he was glad to be getting on with his career again after a ten month break. "I am very motivated. I have a lot to prove again. I want to appeal."
Lefévère and Virenque admitted that there was not much slack in the team's budget this late in the season. Virenque said he had accepted the financial constrants on the deal. "It's not Zinédine Zidane's contract," he joked. More important to Virenque was the opportunity to take part in the Vuelta, and he will ride the Tour de Burgos and the Grand Prix de Plouay as preparation.
Virenque seemed aware that this was perhaps too little preparation for a Grand Tour. "I won't have many points of reference, but after there will be the great classics and the world championships in Portugal. For the moment the essential job is to find my riding strength again."
During his suspension, Virenque said the thought of quitting for good had crossed his mind, and thanks his friend Laurent Jalabert for helping him to stay motivated and to continue to train while unable to race.
The 'old man' of the Rabobank team, Maarten Den Bakker has signed with the Dutch outfit for two more years. Rabobank team manager Theo de Rooy commented that the 32 year-old Den Bakker was a good team worker and he believed he was not yet past his best.
Last September the cycling community lost Nicole Reinhart in a freak accident during the inaugural BMC Software Grand Prix in Arlington. The race returns this Saturday as the BMC Software Tour of Arlington with a new course and a new mission to celebrate the memory of one of cycling's most beloved. Bicycles will take over for two days filled with events, rides and receptions.
Saturday will begin at BMC Software Headquarters in Waltham for the start of the Nicole Reinhart Memorial Ride. The event will be a friendly 30-mile spin along the historic roads of Boston's western suburbs.
The headquarters are located at 800 Winter Street in Waltham. The entry fee is $25 with all the proceeds going to the Nicole Reinhart Memorial Ride. Riders may register on BikeReg.com. Several of the nation's top pro teams, including Reinhart's Saturn squad, will be on the ride.
The tour will roll through Lincoln, Concord, Bedford and Lexington before ending in Arlington Center.
Richard Fries, publisher of 'The Ride Magazine' and one of the ride leaders, will make brief stops at significant sites along the way. Those stops will include the DeCordova Museum, Walden Pond, Author's Row in Concord Cemetery, the Old North Bridge, and the Battle Green in Lexington.
The ride, which begins at 10 am at BMC headquarters in Waltham, will end at Arlington Town Hall where an interfaith service will be held at 12 noon. At 1 p.m. there will be a dedication of the Saturn Nicole Reinhart Park at the Cutter School.
Shortly thereafter The Ride Magazine, located at 1173 Mass. Ave., will host a post-ride reception featuring food from Blue Ribbon Barbecue and ales from Harpoon.
The Mt. Holly-Smithville Invitational GP, August 11, has announced the teams selected for this event in Historic Mt. Holly, New Jersey(USA).
The selection committee received more than 42 requests to fill the 25 six-rider team spots in the 2001 event. This year's race has been lengthened to 96 miles (8 laps of the 12 mile circuit) with a guaranteed prize list of $6000.00 for the Elite/Cat1-2 men's race. The race course will again be closed to traffic during the event. The GP will again pass through several historic towns in Burlington County, New Jersey. All of the race proceeds will go to the Smithville Conservancy to help aid in there efforts to restore the turn of the century town of Smithville, NJ(USA).
The selection committee has also increased the original field size from 25 to 26 teams to enable the committee to also invite the Argentinean National Team.
Race info can be found at www.co.burlington.nj.us/bikerace.
Team Toga/CRCA(defending champions)
Ready Pac-Knapp's team racing
Ideal Tile-Brielle Cyclery
SBCG-CRCA
G.S. Mengoni
Flyers-Bikyle
Dash.com-Bicycle Renaissance
Kissena Cycling team
Remax cycling team
MBS/Colavita Pasta
D&Q Sports Specialist/Mambo Kings
N.E. Hardware-CJCT
Goodales/Trek-VW
Bicycle Therapy
Wheelworks-Cannondale
NCC-Bikereg.com
Essex County Velo
Lateral Stress Velo/Trek-VW
Snow Valley
National Capital Velo Club
Exite-Smartfuel
Capital Velo Club-Pig Iron Sports
Aquafina cycling team
Amoroso-Victory-cyclesport
Enzymatic Therapy-Carrera
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 |