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Edited by John Stevenson
Hot on the heels of our interview with new recruit Floyd Landis yesterday, the US Postal Service team today announced its roster for 2002. Landis is confirmed as a new team member, along with compatriots David Clinger (ex Festina) and Chann McRae (ex Mercury), Canadian Michael Barry (Saturn), Belgian Tom Boonen (Kortrijk Groeninge), Italian Gianpaolo Mondini (Mercatone Uno) of Italy and Czech Pavel Padrnos (Saeco).
The addition of McRae will be no surprise to avid Postal-watchers as the rumour mill has been gently buzzing in the last couple of days with stories of McRae and Armstrong mountain biking together, as well as reliable tales of a done deal. According to the team's announcement one not-quite-done-yet deal is with France's Stephane Barthe. Negotiations for Barthe to stay with USPS as the 22nd member of the 2002 squad are still in progress.
Of the new arrivals, Clinger is notable for having been the only US rider in the 2000 Tour of Spain, a situation unlikely ever to recurr, while McRae has a wealth of experience in Europe with Mercury and previously Mapei.
For Michael Barry the move is a step up to Division I after three solid years at Saturn, the highlight of which was a stage win in the Tour of Willamette. Tom Boonen rode with USPS as a stagaire at the end of 2000, and was expected to join the team for 2002 after a season that saw him win Zelik - Galmaarden and a stage of the GP Tell as well as figuring prominently in U23 races in Belgium.
Gianpaolo Mondini arrives after a lean year at Mercatone Uno and will be looking to add to his ten career victories, while Pavel Padrnos's career is that of a classic faithful domestique who occassionally figures in the climbing and intermediate sprint contests.
Remaining with the team are triple Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong, George Hincapie, Dylan Casey, Antonio Cruz, Kenny Labbe, Christian Vande Velde, Robbie Ventura and Dave Zabriskie, Spain's Heras and Jose Luis Rubiera, Benoit Joachim of Luxembourg, Norway's Steffen Kjaergaard, Colombia's Victor Hugo Pena and Matthew White of Australia.
Goals for the team in 2002 include another Tour de France victory for Armstrong, and also a concerted attempt to win a World Cup, and perhaps silence critics who accuse Postal of being a one-trick pony that's only interested in le Tour.
The official announcement says: "The team will also attempt to win its first World Cup event after several near misses over the last few years by Hincapie, the team's leading one-day rider. Hincapie has finished in the top six at one of the world's most difficult events, Paris-Roubaix, the last three years and this year won his first Classic event in Gent-Wevelgem as well as America's newest premier event, the San Francisco Grand Prix."
The announcement goes on to pledge support for Roberto Heras in the Tour of Spain, and to add that U.S. domestic goals include the U.S. Professional Championship and the San Francisco Grand Prix.
Mark Gorski, CEO of Tailwind Sports, the sports marketing company and owns and manages the team, is quoted in the announcement as saying: "As we have said at the start of each year, we again feel we have fielded our best team ever. Combining a highly motivated Lance, a healthy Roberto and a more seasoned George along with the team we have assembled, I am confident we will be better than ever before. Plus, our new group of American riders gives the team some great potential."
Johan Bruyneel, the team's Director Sportif, echoed Gorski's sentiments. "I think we have put together a very well balanced group of new riders to the team, which wasn't an easy task after losing riders such as Viatcheslav Ekimov, Tyler Hamilton and Levi Leipheimer. I am confident that we have compensated for those who left the team with riders like Mondini, Padrnos, Clinger and Boonen for the Classics and with Landis and McRae for the Tour. Also, Michael Barry will be a good addition for both the U.S. races and the smaller European stage races."
Of the new riders, Bruyneel was particularly enthused about the American contingent. "I'm very happy that we have added three important American riders to the team. Landis and Clinger are young and very talented with possess great potential that we will try to develop further, while McRae is an experienced rider with solid all around skills."
The team will hold its first winter training camp next month in Austin, TX, and then in January will hold formal training camps in both the U.S. and Europe.
Lance Armstrong (USA)
Michael Barry (Can)
Tom Boonen (Bel)
Dylan Casey (USA)
David Clinger (USA)
Antonio Cruz (USA)
Roberto Heras (Spa)
George Hincapie (USA)
Benoit Joachim (Lux)
Steffen Kjaergaard (Nor)
Kenny Labbe (USA)
Floyd Landis (USA)
Chann McRae (USA)
Gianpaolo Mondini (Ita)
Pevel Padrnos (Cze)
Victor Hugo Pena (Col)
Jose Luis Rubiera (Spa)
Christian Vande Velde (USA)
Robbie Ventura (USA)
Matthew White (Aus)
Dave Zabriskie (USA)
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
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