News for March 30, 2001

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Museeuw doubtful

Johan Museeuw has intestinal flu, making his participation in the GP E3-Harelbeke and the Flèche Brabançonne doubtful. The Domo Classics specialist pulled out of Wednesday's Dwars door Vlaanderen, and was still too ill and feverish to train properly on Thursday, limiting himself to a roller session at home.

Museeuw will decide today whether to ride the GP E3-Harelbeke and the Flèche Brabançonne. "If I can't ride these two races I can write off the start of my season," said Museeuw. "However, my morale is still good. I think I am about 85 per cent fit."

Magne searches for record venue

Triple world keirin champion Frédéric Magné left for South America on Tuesday in search of the best track for an attempt on the world kilometer record. However, he's not looking for a venue for his own attempt, rather he's scouting for Cofidis team-mate Arnaud Tournant, the triple world kilo champ.

Tournant has already said that he has two objectives for this season: beat his own kilo record of 1 min 00.148s, set in Mexico City in 2000, and win a fourth world championships.

The world championships in Antwerp on September 26 is the main objective, however. Tournant said "I will practically be racing at home and in any case all my friends and family will be there to support me. These world championships are very close to my heart. That's my principal objective this season."

That said, Tournant is known to have been disappointed with his performance at Sydney, where he came fifth, and a world record would go a long way to alleviating that disappointment. That's why Cofidis has dispatched Frédéric Magné with a bike and a meter, to test tracks in Bogota, Colombia and La Paz and Cochabamba, both in Bolivia.

A date for the attempthas not yet been set, but it's expected to be either in the late May-early June period, or in October after the worlds.

Durand doored

Jackie Durand (La Française des Jeux) suffered multiple bruises Wednesday when a motorist opened a car door as he rode past.

Ochoa improving

The condition of Kelme rider Javier Ochoa continues to slowly improve, according to a release issued yesterday by the Hospital de Cruces Malaga, where Ochoa has been in intensive care since February 16.

The statement said, "Ochoa's condition has improved progressively in the last few days. Given this very important improvement, and the fact that he will need prolonged hospitalisation, a transfer to the Hospital de Cruces de Bilbao is being planned so he is in more familiar surroundings."

Ochoa has been able to breathe without assistance for the last 12 days, and the pneumonia he suffered previously has cleared up, with no further need for antibiotics. On the vital neurological level, Ochoa is able to spontaneously open his eyes, make small movements of his arms and legs and sometimes responds to simple instructions. Ochoa's doctors say his improvement has not ended and they are hopeful he will continue to recover.

UCI presents anti-EPO measures today

The UCI will officially present its new EPO testing regime today. From comments already made by UCI president Hein Verbruggen, the new system is expected to be a combination of a blood test to asses haematocrit and haemoglobin levels and the French urine test to detect artificial EPO.

Driedaagse DePanne details

Next week sees the three-day KBC Driedaagse van De Panne-Koksijde, which carries a UCI rating of 2.2 and is therefore the most significant Belgian stage race of the season so far.

Stages

  • Stage 1 ­ April 3: Moeskroen-Zottegem, 183 kms, over Edelare, Oude Steenweg Geraardsbergen, Bosberg, Leberg (3X) and Berendries.
  • Stage 2 ­ April 4: Zottegem-Koksijde 235 kms, over Kanarieberg, Tiegemberg,Monteberg, Kemmelberg, Rode Berg and Vidaigneberg.
  • Stage 3a ­ April 5: De Panne-De Panne 114 kms,
  • Stage 3b ­ April 5: De Panne 14 kms ITT.

Teams

Domo - Farm Frites, Lotto - Adecco, Collstrop - Palmans, Landbouwkrediet, Ville de Charleroi, Flanders - Prefetex, Vlaanderen - T-Interim, Cantina Tollo, Fassa Bortolo, Lampre, Liquigas, Mapei , Mercatone Uno, Saeco, Tacconi Sport, Bonjour, Cofidis, La Française des Jeux, Telekom, Gerolsteiner, Bankgiroloterij - Batavus, Rabobank, Mercury - Viatel, US Postal, CSC - World Online.

Dunc Gray Velodrome Training

Sydney's Dunc Gray Velodrome will be available for training from 9:30 - 12:00 Monday, Tuesday and Thursday until the weekend of April 7-8. The NSWCF will then review the numbers and decide on whether to keep the track open for training during the winter season.

Sea Otter breaks records

According to the organisers last weekend's Sea Otter Classic was the best-attended ever, with more than 50,000 spectators, and a record 8,232 event entries. These figures compare to a spectator turnout of 40,000 and 7,000 entries in 2000.

UK Women's program

UK National Women's Endurance Team Manager Ken Matheson has announced the 2001 racing programme of the BCF-WCPP Women's endurance riders, though attendance at several events will be dependant on rider availability. As with the majority of the WCPP riders, their season is geared to preparation and conditioning for the World Championships in October. This year, for the first time, the Track and Road women will share a common programme, reflecting the fact that the majority of the world's leading female riders perform with equal facility on track and road.

  • April 7: Novilon Internationale Damesronde van Drenthe
  • April 14: WCRA Easter Challenge 2 day
  • April 18: La Flèche Wallonne
  • April 28: Vuelta Internacional a Mallorca Feminas 4 day
  • May 12: Holland - Various races 5 day
  • May 25: Track World Cup 1 - Columbia 3 day
  • May 31: Montreal Downtown Criterium
  • June 2: Montréal WC
  • June 4: Lachine RR
  • June 5: Montréal Little Italy Criterium
  • June 8: Track World Cup 2 - Poland 3 day
  • June 10: First Union Liberty Classic
  • June 13: Hewlett-Packard LaserJet Women's Challenge 12 day
  • June 29: Track World Cup 3 - Mexico 3 day
  • July 24: Int. Thüringen-Rundfahrt der Frauen 6 day
  • August 3: Trophée International
  • August 3: National Track Championships 9 day
  • August 10: Track World Cup 4 - Italy 3 day
  • August 19: National Road Race Championships
  • August 22: GP Féminin International du Québec 5 day
  • August 24: European Championship - 23 3 day
  • August 24: Track World Cup 5 - Malaysia 3 day
  • September 2: Holland Ladies Tour 6 day
  • September 8: National Time Trial Championships
  • September 9: Grand Prix Suisse Féminin
  • September 11: Tour de Suisse Féminin 4 day
  • September 16: Chrono Champenois - Trophée Européen
  • September 16: Rotterdam Tour
  • September 22: GP des Nations
  • September 25: Tour Féminin de Bretagne 6 day
  • September 26: World Championships - Track 5 day
  • October 2: Tour Midi Pyrenees 6 day
  • October 9: World Championships - Time Trial (Junior W)
  • October 10: World Championships - Time Trial
  • October 12: World Championships - Road Race (Junior W)
  • October 13: World Championships - Road Race

UK Foot and mouth News

The following list of Foot and Mouth cancellations, postponements and changes contains details from race organisers who contacted the BCF's Competition department before 9am Thursday March 29. For the latest on Time Trials affected visit www.rttc.org.uk - also worth a visit is the official MAFF site www.maff.gov.uk which has physical descriptions and maps of restricted areas.

  • Saturday March 31: BCF Western Circuit Races (1) - Colerne Western VC Venta Circuits, Thruxton (postponed) Wessex
  • Sunday April 1: Darley Moor East Mids Elms Joinery Mercia RR (Postponed) East Mids; Tom Hawkins Memorial RR (1) Devon & Cornwall; Essex Roads Spring RR (Cancelled) Essex; Hantspol CC Circuits, Thruxton (Postponed) Wessex; Nolan/Greenfield RR (Postponed) Yorkshire
  • Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th April: VC Meudon Cycle Kingdom 2-Day Surrey; TQ Paper 2 Day (Postponed) Ireland
  • Sunday April 8: Neophix Nick Denby Memorial RR (Postponed) Yorkshire; Ham Hill & Pittards Road Races (Postponed) Western; Central Lancs RC First Gasp Road Race (Cancelled) Lakes & Lancs; Wetwang Spring RR (Postponed) Yorkshire; Royal Sutton Road Races Birmingham; De Mayo Velosystems Road Race Wessex
  • Saturday April 14 and Sunday 15: National Points Series Cross-Country MTB Round 2, Margam Park South Wales
  • Sat April 14: to Mon 16th April Girvan Stage Race (Premier Calendar) (Postponed to 8th/10th September) Scotland
  • Sunday April 15: New today - Steve Taylor Memorial Road Race (Cancelled) Western; BMX National 1 Farnham Spry Memorial RR Devon & Cornwall
  • Monday April 16: The Easter One Day Road Race (Cancelled) Lakes & Lancs
  • Sunday April 22: Pendle Forest RR (Cancelled) Lakes & Lancs; The Viper Classic (ERRL) (Cancelled) Essex; Cwmcarn Paragon Road Race (Plan to Switch to Llandow Race Circuit - please call organiser) WCU
  • Sunday April 29: Cheshire Classic BCF; Reynolds National Women's RR (Cancelled) Merseyside
  • Sunday May 6: New today - Autosave RR Cancelled WCU
  • Saturday May 26 and Sunday 27: New today - Tour of the Kingdom (BCF Premier Calendar RR Series) Cancelled SCU
  • Saturday May 26-Monday 28 Welsh Cycling Classic (BCF/Reynolds National Women's RR Series) reduced to a one day event, to be held on Saturday May 26
  • Sunday May 27: Colour-Tech Road Race (BCF National Espoirs RR Series) moved to the Lee Valley Cycle Circuit.
  • Mid-Devon C. update:
  • Good Friday TT, April 13: event still on. (If F & M is near the current course Mid-Devon CC has put in for 2 other options and the police are OK with either being used as last minute substitutes)
  • May 12: Rudy Project Time Trial Series (opening event now) Similar contingency plans in hand.
  • Totnes-Vire Twinning Stage Race - pressing on. Amendments being made to comply with the need to keep off any area that is not paved public highway.
  • Other Events Update
  • May 5-6: Cardiff Sports Festival 2 Day has been Cancelled.
  • May 22-July 31: South Wales Circuit Race Series will now not include any races for Youth categories. All six events for other Categories will now be held at the Llandow Race Circuit.
  • June 17: ZIPVIT Western Regional Finals has been moved to 22nd July.

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