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Edited by Jeff Jones
Further to our report in yesterday's news of the route for the 2002 Giro d'Italia, more of the race's past, present and potential stars have given their reactions to the route.
Francesco Casagrande
"The Giro will return as my objective of the first phase of the season. The last four stages, until the time trial of Monticello Brianza, will be deciding."
Dario Frigo
"For me it will be the Giro of redemption."
Marco Pantani
"A beautiful Giro, not too hard, something for all. The organizers have presented some beautiful climbs."
Mario Cipollini
"The race is adapted for different riders, the climbs that is. It seems balanced enough to me for everyone. Sitting here now, the climbers will say that it will be easy, but we will then have to see how they go on the road. There are also good possibilities for the sprinters, like me."
Daniele Nardello
"The route traces that of the past year and it is opened to everyone."
Paolo Bettini
"This Giro appeals to me. I am still not sure of my participation. Pantani said that it is lacking in climbs, but Il Pirata is never content. For we normal riders this is a tough Giro."
Danilo Di Luca
"I prepare as normal and I will not think of the classification. For that, my captain Gilberto Simoni will be aiming for. Next year I will be aiming for the one day classics."
Franco Ballerini
"It is a very nice Giro, perhaps a little easier than the past two editions but always difficult. It is not for the pure climbers. In my opinion Garzelli and Frigo have good chances, as they are more suited. If Pantani is in good shape and things go his way then anything could happen."
Number of stages: 20 + prologue
Total kilometres: 3,334
Average stage length: 166 km
Total time trial kilometres: 80.5
Number of mountain finishes: 3
Metres of climbing: 18,200
Number of teams (maximum): 22 teams of 9 riders
Total prizemoney: 2 billion lire (1.03 million euro)
Stage 5 - May 17: Finish at Limone Piemonte (1407 m)
Stage 8 - May 20: Finish at Orvieto, longest stage (224 km)
Stage 11 - May 23: Finish at Campitello Matese (1440 m)
Stage 13 - May 25: Finish at San Giacomo (1105 m)
Stage 14 - May 26: Numana, Individual TT (30 km)
Stage 16 - May 29: Climbs of Forcella, Fedaia, Pordoi (Cima Coppi - 2239 m),
Campolongo
Stage 17 - May 30: Climbs of Gardena, Sella, Bondone, Santa Barbara finishing
at Folgaria (1340 m)
Stage 19 - June 1: Cambiago-Monticello, Individual TT (44 km)
At the unveiling of the 2002 Giro d'Italia, the organisers also presented their plan to combat doping in the 85th edition. This year's race turned into a farce when Italian narcotics police raided all the team hotels in San Remo, on the night before the toughest stage. After being kept up until 3 in the morning, the riders refused to start in stage 18, and what was potentially going to be an exciting battle in the mountains between Gilberto Simoni and Dario Frigo did not eventuate. To add insult to injury, Frigo was sacked by his team a couple of days later when he was found in possession of banned substances, and the Giro finished under a dark cloud in Milan.
Although the raids seemed to be as much a political stunt rather than a genuine attempt to combat doping, the ramifications and court cases will likely drag on for the next few years.
Giro director Carmine Castellano's plan for next year is entitled "Un traguardo in più per il Giro", a code of ethics that the riders and teams must agree to abide by. Its aim is to build an anti-drug culture, as well as to implement strict measures for those caught using illegal substances.
Castellano said that any prize money earned by riders who were later found to be positive would be given to others. Three information booklets on doping, the correct methods of eating and training, and the use of the bicycle will be given to the riders. A young rider who shows himself loyal to the code will earn a reward after the race.
The Giro will also give financial support to the FCI for the prevention of doping and the protection of health, focusing especially on the younger categories of riders (juniors and U23).
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Before the start of the first round of the cyclo-cross World Cup in Monopoli on Saturday, several professional team directors and managers raised their voices in protest because the riders have to wear national colours rather than their trade team jerseys.
"We are the money men and we want publicity in exchange for our engagement," said Patrick Lefevere, Domo-Farm Frites manager. "At the beginning of December, we will have a meeting. If the BWB (Belgian cycling federation) keeps its foot in the mud and the UCI are not convinced by our arguments, then my involvement in cyclo-cross will finish."
Two men associated with the Festina affair, Jeff D'Hont (Belgian soigneur) and Nicolas Terrados (ONCE team doctor) will appear in the Court of Appeal in Douai on Monday and Tuesday. Of the eight people convicted on December 22, 2000 in Lille, D'Hont and Terrados were the only two to appeal their sentences: D'Hont's penalty was a nine month suspended sentence, while Terrados was given a FF30,000 fine.
the Court of Appeal will also hear the complaints of two civil parties, the French Cycling Federation and the Union Cycliste Internationale, who were criticised during the trial for their 'ambiguous' attitudes towards doping.
This cyclo-tourist event named after Laurent Jalabert attracted 460 brave (or perhaps desperate) souls to ride in the cold snow on Saturday, November 17. The 70 kilometre ride was held between Carcassonne and Mas-Cabardès, winding through the vineyards of Montagne Noire. Tour de France stage winner and King of the Mountains Laurent Jalabert led his supporters on the ride, joined by notable French cyclists such as Didier Rous, Philippe Louviot, Laurent Roux, Richard Virenque, Cathy Marsal and Marion Clignet.
Hardewijk cycling group De IJsselstreek wants to organise a road World Cup event in 2004, according to the Amersfoortse Courant. It has been proposed that the race will be a team time trial in Dronten, making it the second World Cup race in the Netherlands after the Amstel Gold Race. The race will have to take the place of the Dutch club championships, which is organised each year by De IJsselstreek in conjunction with Stichting Dronten Wielerstad.
According to Jenco van Zalk, chairman of De IJsselstreek, the event can take place. "We must first examine the possibilities," he told the Amersfoortse Courant.
In organising a World Cup race, Van Zalk is not scared of aiming high. "Absolutely not. We have the advantage that we are not organising a whole new race, but that is not all. We have an event that we can hold at home, a wonderful parcours, and a good relationship with the Stichting Dronten Wielerstad. The Dutch time trial championship was held here this year, and a stage of the Holland Ladies Tour is held each year through Dronten."
2004 will also see a new "multifunctional centre" De Meerpaar opened in Dronten, which would serve as the start/finish place for the race.
Ten bicycle groups have been awarded 2001 IMBA/CLIF Bar Trail Preservation Grants. The $500 grants support projects that preserve and enhance trail access, promote environmental education, and inspire conservation in the mountain biking community.
"IMBA does excellent work and we're proud to be a longtime supporter of their efforts," said Clif Bar Inc. owner and CEO Gary Erickson.
Rockville Alternative Transportation Society Suisun, CA
Backcountry Bicycle Trails Club Seattle, WA
National Capitol Mountain Bike Association Ottawa, ON Canada
Earth Riders Mountain Bike Club Kansas City, MO
Responsible Organized Mountain Pedalers San Jose, CA
South Texas Off Road Mountain Bikers San Antonio, TX
Cathedral Panther Mountain Bike Club Gallup, NM
Northeast Tennessee Mountain Bike Association Piney Flats, TN
Central Iowa Trails Association Des Moines, IA
Wilmington Mountain Pedalers Wilmington, NY
With the World Cup finally underway, it's been a another busy weekend of cyclocross racing, and an unusually dry one, with an immaculate Sven Nys (Rabobank) taking the World Cup in Monopoli and a very clean Marc Gullickson winning the UCI Cat 3 Chicago Supercup. That race also saw a long-awaited upset in the women's ranks as Lyne Bessette (Saturn) was finally defeated by Ann Grande after a nine race winning streak.
In the Cat 2 Waidquer Zürich, Ben Barden edged out Beat Wabel on the line, while in US local racing the brothers McCormack used the fraternal and home-town edge to their advantage in the fourth round of the Verge New England series and Kevin Molloy won a hard-fought Kissena Double Cross. Mark McCormack went on to repeat his winning form at Sunday's Palmer 'Cross & Swap.
For lots of images from Monopli and Chicago, see our photography page.
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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