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Edited by Jeff Jones
The Angel Casero saga is not yet over, despite German Team Coast saying yesterday that his signing for them was a mere "formality". Interest has come from team Gerolsteiner, but a more attractive offer (on sporting grounds) has also been made by Lampre-Daikin. The Italian division I team that is guaranteed a start in the 2002 Tour de France may fit Casero's plans better than Team Coast, which does not have that guarantee.
Lampre spokesman Fernando Cortinovis told Darren Tulett of Bloomberg News that "Casero would be an ideal addition to the team, given we already have [Pavel] Tonkov for the Tour of Italy and [Raimondas] Rumsas for the Tour de France."
An answer from Casero is expected tomorrow by Cortinovis.
Spanish Olympic Champion Juan Llaneras and Italian sprinter Massimo Strazzer have both been cleared by the UCI of drug use. Both riders were reported as "non-negative" for EPO after tests were carried out at the World Track Championships in Antwerp. However, counter-analyses of their B samples showed that both were under the allowed limits, thus they could not be considered positive. "The case is definitively closed," read the UCI communiqué to the Spanish Cycling Federation.
The technical director of the Spanish Federation was quoted in Spanish newspaper AS as saying that "We repeatedly said that this procedure is not reliable. France and the UCI have made themselves look ridiculous. When will we finally decide on it?"
Llaneras first learned of the "non-negative" test during the Six Days of Grenoble, and the organiser was forced to prevent him from racing. Since then, he has been battling to clear his name.
"He was always innocent and we have demonstrated this," said Llaneras' lawyer Andreu Garriga today after the news broke. "I can say that Juan is innocent, since the result was negative, and furthermore it was clearly negative without the slightest doubt."
"I will now see how we can recover from the damage that has been done to this cyclist, a sportsman of the highest level."
The UCI will presumably now take a good look at the International Olympic Committee's decision to adopt a combined blood-urine test for EPO at next year's Salt Lake City Winter Olympics. The test will be similar to that used for the Sydney Olympics (which did not yield any positives), but will be more widely implemented.
According to IOC medical director, Dr Patrick Schamasch, the decision will be finalised at the next meeting of the World Anti-Doping Association in Lausanne, Switzerland on December 2-3. At that meeting, the allowable limits for blood parameters will be set. If an athlete's blood profile looks suspicious, the urinary test developed by the Châtenay-Malabry in Paris will be employed. An athlete will be declared positive if "there are blood abnormalities and the basic percentage of isoforms in the urine is above 80%," according to Schamasch.
The IOC are also clamping down on the number of asthma sufferers in sport, which seems to be significantly higher than the statistical proportion of asthmatics in their home countries, in particular in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Great Britain, and the USA. A detailed medical protocol will be published on the IOC's website next Monday that will instruct doctors how to correctly prepare their medical dossiers. Any doubtful dossiers will be examined by a panel of experts, and a misdiagnosis could lead to exclusion from the Olympics.
On day three of the Gent Six, Dutchman Danny Stam set a new record for the flying lap (166m) at 8.72 seconds. Stam beat Australian Scott McGrory's time of 8.75 seconds, set the previous night and the new time was an average speed of 68.807 km/h. He was also suffering from a saddle sore, but this did not slow him down.
After the marriage between Saeco Macchine per Caffe and new co-sponsor Longoni Sport recently, and Mirko Celestino who got married a few weeks ago, two riders of the 2002 Saeco team are also about to tie the knot.
Giro winner Gilberto Simoni is getting married next week and classics rider Salvatore Commesso is set to say yes to Guisy tomorrow in Gorlago near Bergamo. It has not been a great year for the Neapolitan rider but he still won two stages at the Tour of Portugal in August.
The couple will spend their honeymoon in New Caledonia. However Totò will be taking his bike with him and will take part in the six-day race on the exotic island.
Dutch mountain biker Bas van Dooren, who finished second in the World Cup in 2000, is looking at a road contract next season after his Specialized contract was not renewed. His team manager Gert Jan Theunisse has not been able to find a new sponsor, and Van Dooren said he will ride with a foreign road team.
He joins several other MTB'ers, including Australian Cadel Evans (Mapei), who have made the switch to the more traditional side of the sport recently. However, Van Dooren said to ANP news agency that "It's enormously painful for me to do this, but the sport is dying. I always will find it a beautiful sport, but in the current situation, it is not possible for me to go further."
Van Dooren added that it's "possible" that he'll return to mountain biking in 2003, "but I think that my future is on the road."
Another Specialized rider, Elsbeth Vink, will also concentrate on the road next year as she also has a contract with Farm Frites-Hartol. She said that it was too difficult to combine the two disciplines.
36 year old Danish rider Rolf Sørensen will become the 19th rider in the Belgian Landbouwkrediet-Colnago team, according to public relations officer Ivan Elegeert. Sørensen has won 58 races, including stages in the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France. He also won the Tour of Flanders.
The team now has 19 riders, 10 of whom are neo-professionals (first year pro's). The 20th rider will be announced in the next few days. The future of Meirhaeghe in the team is not certain, because there is no budget left.
1 Michel Vanhaecke (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
2 Bert Dewaele (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
3 Jurgen Vermeersch (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
4 Kurt Vanlandeghem (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
5 Nico Weynants (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
6 Steven Van Malderghem (Bel) Neo-pro
7 Erik Lievens (Bel) Neo-pro
8 To be confirmed
9 Jeff Louder (USA) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
10 Masahiko Mifune (Jap) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
11 Rolf Sorensen (Den) CSC-Tiscali
12 Nicolas Coudray (Swi) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
13 Yuri Metlushenko (Ukr) Neo-pro
14 Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Neo-pro
15 Ruslan Gryschenko (Ukr) Neo-pro (from 01/06/2002)
16 Volodimir Bileka (Ukr) Neo-pro
17 Sergiy Avdyeyev (Ukr) Neo-pro
18 Salvatore Scamardella (Ita) Neo-pro
19 Claudio Luchinni (Ita) Neo-pro
20 Lorenzo Bernucci (Ita) Neo-pro
Leaving:
Gordon McCauley (NZl)
Pauly Burke (USA)
Johan Vandenberg (RSA)
Bert Roesems (Bel)
Jurgen Vandewalle (Bel)
Filip Meirhaeghe ??
30 year old Frenchwoman Catherine Marsal is not intending on retiring in 2002, despite a recent report that she was. She rode for the financially troubled Intersports team this year, and is currently looking for a new team.
"I can assure you that I am in negotiations with teams for next year, and retirement is a long way from my plans at the moment," she said to Procycling recently.
Germany's Kai Hundertmarck will return to South Australia in January 2002 hoping to regain the Jacob's Creek leader's yellow jersey he wore going into the final day of this year's race. The 32 year old lined up for the final stage tied on time with local hero Stuart O'Grady. However his South Australian rival out-sprinted him during the stage to win the crucial bonus seconds he needed to secure victory. When the race finished, Hundertmarck found himself a mere two seconds off overall victory.
Telekom will have a strong chance in the SA Lotteries sprint competition with the inclusion of Danilo Hondo who this year won two stages of the Giro d'Italia (Tour of Italy) and finished second overall in the points competition. He finished in the top four in five other stages.
Also on the Telekom roster is American Bobby Julich, who has switched camps after two years riding with Credit Agricole. Julich, who in 1998 finished third overall in the Tour de France, combined with O'Grady and team-mates to win the team time trial of this year's Tour de France.
Sydney Olympic Games road race bronze medallist, Andreas Klöden will also start with the Telekom team.
Kai Hundertmarck (Ger)
2nd Overall Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under
3rd Stage 2 Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under
1st Stage 5 Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under
Steffen Wesemann (Ger)
9th Stage 3 Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under
Robert Bartko (Ger)
Jens Heppner (Ger)
Bobby Julich (USA)
New signing for 2002. Transfer from Credit Agricole
1st Team Time Trial Stage Tour de France
1st Teams Classification Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under
3rd Grand Prix Lugarno
7th Stage 8 Tour de France
18th overall Tour de France
David Kopp (Ger)
Moving up from Junior Team Telekom
10th German National Road Race
Andreas Klöden (Ger)
2nd Tour of Germany
Danilo Hondo (Ger)
1st Stage 5 Tour of Holland
1st Stage 1 Tour of Denmark
1st Stages 2 and 3 of Giro d'Italia
2nd Overall Points Classification Giro d'Italia
2nd Stages 6,9 & 21 Giro d'Italia
2nd Stage 17 Vuelta a España
3rd Stage 19 Giro d'Italia
3rd Stage 3 Vuelta a España
More information: Tour Down Under Website
The international category 1 cyclo-cross race on Koksijde, Belgium - known as the Duinencross - will be held on Saturday, November 24. It is being billed by the organisers as a prelude to the Belgian cyclo-cross championships on January 12-13, which will be held on the same course.
The last three winners of the Duinencross were Mario De Clercq (1998), Sven Nijs (1999) and Erwin Vervecken (2000), and these three riders all have their eyes on the Belgian title next year. This Saturday is a chance for them to try the sandy parcours under competition conditions.
Sven Nijs is in top form at the moment, but may hold something back for the following day's Superprestige race in Gieten. There are plenty of other challengers too, including 1997 winner Richard Groenendaal, Bart Wellens, Tom Vannoppen, Sven Vanthourenhout and more.
The final 70 kilometres of next year's Amstel Gold Race (April 28, 2002) will be held entirely in South Limburg, according to De Telegraaf. The organisers want to attract more interest from Belgium in the Dutch classic, and have modified the parcours. The climbs of the Kruisberg, Wahlwiller, Ijzerenbosweg, Fromberg, Keutenberg, Cauberg and Geulhemmerberg will all feature before the finish in Maastricht.
The Dutch cycling federation (KNWU) has announced that Hoogerheide and Pijnacker are the country's two candidates to host the World Cyclo-cross championships in 2006. Hoogerheide is the home of former top cyclo-crosser Adri van der Poel, and a race was held there in 2000 to mark the end of his career. Pijnacker played host to the Dutch championships last season.
Zeddam and Heerlen were two other candidates, but they did not officially register their interest with the KNWU.
22 year old Kenyan cyclist Duncan Seko will become his country's first professional cyclist when he debuts with Belgian squad RDM/Flanders next season. Seko, currently training in Canada, is the division II team's 12th rider.
The tech desk at Cyclingnews is pleased to announce a new regular section, a bike repair and maintenance slot generously supported by the folks at Park Tool. We've started with a extensive set of maintenance instructions and demystification of wheels, and over the next months we'll cover a range of topics from gears and brakes to bearings and forks.
Go here for the lowdown on wheels. Future installments will appear on the fourth Fix-It Friday of each month.
Also new in our tech section, letters on cyclo-cross brakes, Pegoretti frames, and Speedplay & other pedals; news about Full Speed Ahead, Eggbeater pedals, Chris King and Tool companies at play and a review of Shimano's R150 road shoes.
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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Armstrong, Boulder & California 'cross, More Pan-Am, Canberra, Boston & REI
'cross (December 13)
Cyclingnews survey -
Reader Poll 2001 - Vote for your favourite riders
Letters
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Cyclingnews Interview
- Ryan Bayley - the KFC-fuelled world champ (December 13)
Cyclingnews Interview
- David McKenzie - Macca's back (December 12)
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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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