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Euskaltel's Txema del Olmo was the only rider to be excluded from the Tour de France after he returned a positive urine control in the prologue. Although riders are allowed to request that their B samples be analysed to confirm a positive test, Tour regulations stated that a rider would be excluded on the basis of their A sample alone.
Del Olmo told Euskadi radio recently that he hopes that the counter-analysis will be negative, therefore he will be able to clear his name. He is absolutely convinced of his innocence, and believes that it could be a "mistake with the machine."
The counter-analysis will be performed in the next couple of days.
Paolo Savoldelli and mountain biker Cadel Evans will be the two leaders of the Saeco Macchine per Caffe team for this weekend’s Brixia Tour in Brescia. Savoldelli is making a comeback to racing after the Tour of Switzerland and so will not be going for the overall classification but he will be using the race to hopefully find some good form for the second half of the season.
Cadel Evans, the Aussie mountain biker who has decided to dedicate more time to road racing this year and who has already won the Tour of Austria. According to directeur sportif Guido Bontempi, Evans could be the perfect team leader for what looks like a tough race.
"I know the roads of the race really well because I live near Brescia," Bontempi said. "The first two stages are really selective and so suit Cadel, as well as other Saeco riders Igor Pugaci and Justin Spinelli. they’re going well and should do better than the rest of the team."
As well as Pugaci and Spinelli, Bontempi will have Oscar Cavagnis, Brad Davidson and Dario Pieri and Christian Wegmann.
One of the best performed riders for Euskaltel-Euskadi this season, Iban Mayo, has extended his contract with the Basque squad for another two years. Mayo won the Midi Libre this year, as well as the Classique des Alpes and the toughest stage of the Dauphine Libere, and is considered a big prospect for the future.
The 23 year old received offers from other teams, but decided to stay with the team that he started with as a professional in 2000.
Former Linda McCartney protege Russell Downing has accepted an offer to ride as a "stagiaire" (trainee) with La Francaise Des Jeux until the end of the season. Former Paris-Roubaix double champion Marc Madiot has snapped up the Rotherham rider after seeing him win several races in France this year.
"I can't wait to get involved," said the man known through cycling as "Fonzie". His main aim remains the Tour de l'Avenir, the Tour de France for young riders, won in the past by his new FDJ teammate Emmanuel Magnien. "I want to make the most of this opportunity and tie up a permanent deal for next year if I can," said Russ.
Courtesy of John Deering
Sydney cyclists who want to make their voices heard on the proposed changes to traffic flow in Centennial Park have only a few days left to send in their comments. Deadline for submissions via Cycle Centennial is July 30, so it's time to put aside a few hours this weekend to email your comments. Full contact details are at the end of this report.
Centennial Park is a 220 hectare haven for many types of sport and recreation. The loop of road that circles just inside its borders — Grand drive — is the main thoroughfare used by motor vehicle drivers, cyclists, wheel chair athletes and roller bladers. The road is currently shared peacefully by this diverse user community, for one very simple reason: all the traffic flows in the same direction. But new traffic flow plans for the park will effectively remove a facility that is central Sydney's only safe training venue for cyclists.
Extensive and costly changes to Grand Drive are being proposed in a plan devised by consultants Sinclair Knight Mertz on behalf of Centennial Park Trust. The plan involves narrowing the existing road to provide car parking space on the Grand Drive, moving the existing cycle lane to the inside of the loop, and changing its direction so cyclists would ride against oncoming traffic, though we will have he option to use the reduced-width car lane.
The plan presents substantial hazards for cyclists:
The local traffic police — the professionals in these matters of traffic flow — oppose the proposals on the grounds that they are unsafe and hugely increase the potential for fatalities.
The consultants' own report reveals some anomalies in the attitude to cyclists. In section 2 of the summary, one of the 'issues' to be addressed is "Concerns about "packs" of training cyclists dominating Centennial Park, resulting in safety and amenity impacts". No peak body involved in cycle racing was consulted on the drafting of the plan: only the Randwick Botany Cycling Club is listed as having had input. Cycling Australia, Cycling NSW and Triathlon NSW were not consulted. Appendix D of the report gives the number of collisions involving cyclists over a three and a half year period as just32, half of them involving vehicles and five involving dogs.
A survey of visitor dislikes about the park cited in the draft plan's Appendix 2 said 13 per cent of visitors disliked cars and speeding traffic, and only 5 per cent disliked 'Rollerbladers/stakers/cyclists' (sic). The plan makes very few suggestions to curb speeding cars, beyond enforcing the current speed limits. Figures elsewhere in Appendix 2 estimate that 500,000 cyclists per year use the park, out of 2.3-2.9 million total visits.
A PDF file of the summary of the draft proposal is available here: www.cp.nsw.gov.au/research/consult.htm. The full report and appendices are available from the same site and also make interesting reading.
The Randwick Botany Cycling Club has also posted relevant information on their web site: ww.randwickbotanycc.com/centennial_parklands_transport.htm
Cycle Centennial has undertaken to coordinate and deliver all submissions on the draft proposal personally to the consultant. Cycle Centennial will register all received submissions, and forward copies to the Premier's Department. Bob Carr is the Patron of the Randwick Botany Cycle Club, and his office appoints the Board of the Centennial Park and Moore Park Trust.
Centennial Park Trust is historically receptive to the concerns of park visitors: recent proposals to change the rules relating to use of thepark for walking dogs met with considerable criticism and were changed as a result, so this is by no means a lost cause. With cyclists making such a large number of the park's visitors, it's essential that our voice be heardloud and clear. If Australian sports fans want to continue to bask in the glory of our Stuart O'Gradys and Brad McGees, future champions need somewhere to train away from Sydney's bike-hostile traffic environment.
Please post your submissions to:
The Director
Centennial Parklands Draft Transport Access & Parking Plan
c/- Cycle Centennial
PO Box 154
KENSINGTON NSW 1465
Or alternatively, you may prefer to email your submissions to: cyclecentennial@hotmail.com
The Tattersall's Cup - Australia's premier road cycling series - will conclude in Tasmania this year. The first four races of the five-part series will be staged in regional Victoria, with the final hit-out - the 150km Tour of the Tamar to be conducted in Launceston, on Wednesday, August 29.
The series started in Victoria in 1996, as a three-race event, and has been proudly supported by Tattersall's since its inception. The overwhelming success of the concept necessitated the move to a four-race program in 1997, and then to the current five-day format in 1998.
The series is now one of Australia's most competitive, attracting an average 100 racers each week from across the country and overseas. Each race is conducted as a separate classic with its own prizemoney. However, an accumulative points system operates over the five events to provide an overall Tattersall's Cup champion.
Tattersall's Cup jerseys are designed for the overall leader in the series, the Sprint Champion and the King of the Mountains title.
The series offers $25,500 total prizemoney, with the top 10 overall point-scorers guaranteed automatic selection in the prestigious 50th Herald Sun Tour, to be held from October 18 -28.
Last year, Tattersall's introduced the Sid Patterson Rider of the Future award, in memory of one of Australia's greatest cyclists. This award is presented to a rider (under 23 years of age at the commencement of the first race) who represents and displays some of Sid's tenacity, strength and ability.
The introduction of the Tour of the Tamar, continues Tattersall's long and proud connection with Tasmania, with their founder George Adams having been invited by the Tasmanian Government in 1897 to conduct Australia's first official licensed lottery.
Wednesday, August 1, 2001
Tour of the Goldfields: 127.6 km
Venue: Ballarat
Start: 10am, North Ballarat Sports Club, Creswick Rd, Ballarat
Finish: 1pm, Midlands Golf Club, Heinz Lane, Ballarat
(Via Brown Hill, Dean, Newlyn, Blampied, Eganstown, Daylesford, Hepburn, Franklinford,
Campbelltown, Glengower, Clunes, Creswick, Sulky)
Wednesday, August 8, 2001
Tour of the Strathbogie Ranges: 165.5 km Wednesday, August 15, 2001
Colac Otway Classic: 147.6 km Wednesday, August 22
Tour of Wellington Shire: 132.2 km Wednesday, August 29
Tour of the Tamar: 150 km Readers blessed with Eurosport coverage of the Tour de France might be wondering
who David Duffield, the much loved cycling commentator really is. London based
Addiscombe Cycling Club have put together what they reckon is the ultimate David
Duffield internet fan page. Devised by club members it required many hundreds
of hours of Eurosport coverage to be painstakingly monitored in order to glean
as much information on the great man as possible.
As well as an interesting 'Duffield Facts' section it also has an entire section
devoted to 'Duffieldisms', sayings and catchphrases that Duffield uses along
with their supposed translations into plain English for those new to his particular
style of commentary. For example:
"After doing the thick end of ...(fifty)..miles" = After riding ...(fifty)..
miles
"The man with the hammer has got him" = The rider is so fatigued he can barely
continue.
"Its not over till the fat lady sings" = The race could be won by anyone. Often
uttered five minutes after "Its all over bar the shouting"
Or if you just wanted to find more about the time he was stranded at the roadside
when he should have been commentating after putting petrol into a diesel Europsort
car then point your browsers to: www.addiscombecc.freeserve.co.uk/features/Duffield.htm
Major Races and Events Results: local racing Recently on Cyclingnews
Venue: Nagambie
Start: 10am, Nagambie Rowing Club, Buckley Park, Nagambie
(Via Locksley, Longwood, Euroa, Strathbogie, Euroa, Longwood, Locksley)
Venue: Colac
Start: 10am, Austral Hotel, Corangamite St, Colac
Finish: 1.35pm, Colac Racecourse
(Via Cororooke, Coragulac, Alvie, Warrion, Beeac, Pennyroyal, Murroon, Barwon
Downs, Forrest, Gerangamete, Elliminyt)
Venue: Sale
Start: 10am, Star Hotel, Macalister St, Sale
Finish: 1.20pm Saleyards Kiosk, Saleyards Rd, Sale
(Via Boisdale, Briagalong, Valencia Creek, Newry, Heyfield, Tinamba)
Venue: Launceston
Start: 10am Launceston City Hall, St. Johns St, Launceston
Finish: 1.45pm Rocherlea Primary School
(Via Legana, Exeter, Beaconsfield, Beauty Point, Beaconsfield, Sidmouth, Bell
Bay, Georgetown, Piper's River, Mt. Direction, Dilston, Rocherlea)
David Duffield fan page
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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