First Edition News for November 29, 2001

Recent results and new features

Lance to enter Spring Classics - for George

By Gerard Knapp

Three times TdF winner - and recent father of twin girls - Lance Armstrong, has announced his plans in the lead-up on his attempt for a fourth consecutive Tour de France victory with a program that includes an expanded campaign in the Spring classics.

Armstrong plans to enter not only the Amstel Gold, a race where he has finished second on two frustrating occasions, but will also enter Milan-San Remo, the Tour of Flanders and possibly Liege-Bastogne-Liege, in addition to the Dutch classic at the end of April.

Significantly, Armstrong has said that he will enter the Spring classics in a support role for his team-mate George Hincapie, who has come very close to securing a win in a major one-day classic and has often found himself the sole rider from the US Postal Service team in the final selection of these races.

In an interview with Jean-Pierre Bidet of French sports daily L'Equipe, Armstrong said "If it all goes to plan I will take part in Milan-San Remo and the Tour of Flanders for George Hincapie. He works for me throughout the year and I hope to be able to pay him back.

"As for Liege-Bastogne-Liege, that is still up in the air," he told L'Equipe, although it is certain he will again enter Amstel Gold. On the other hand, it is extremely unlikely the TdF winner will enter the brutal and dangerous Paris-Roubaix, which celebrates its centenary in 2002, due to the risks involved. "They are prestigious races and it is always an honour to take part," Armstrong said.

In this year's Spring classics, Hincapie was perhaps the most unlucky of all the strong men, although he did bag a win in the Gent-Wevelgem semi-classic. He was always in the final selection of the major classics, with a 9th place in Milan-San Remo, 13th in Flanders at 19 seconds behind and then a fourth in Paris-Roubaix.

In the Queen of the Classics, Hincapie found himself in the company of four Domo riders in the closing kilometres and his fellow break-away rider, Lampre's Ludo Dierckxsens, said afterwards "I think Hincapie was the strongest, but you can forget it with such a Domo-clan."

It was apparent that the American needed more help from his team, but Hincapie himself remained statesmanlike throughout. In an interview on Cyclingnews shortly after Paris-Roubaix, all he would say is "People were wondering where my team was at Roubaix. If they had only seen how strong the team rode for me at Flanders you know, they support me 100%."

Change of plans for LA's TdF preparation

Armstrong has also revealed that instead of racing in the Tour de Suisse, as he did this year in the lead-up to the TdF, he may instead ride the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré (June 9-16, 2002), for two special reasons. The first is that there is a mountain top finish on Mont Ventoux, while the other reason is the penultimate stage of the Dauphine includes most of the climbs of stage 17 of next year's TdF.

The Tour de Suisse (June 18-27, 2002) starts two days after the Dauphine ends, so it appears unlikely he will enter both races. If Armstrong does indeed ride in the Dauphine, then it is impossible for American fans to see him in the First Union USPRO Championship, which is being held on June 9, the same day the Dauphine commences.

To kick off his 2002 season, it appears likely that Armstrong will ride in the Tour of Murcia, from March 6-10, while he did not rule out entering Paris-Nice, which starts a few days later and runs from March 10-17.

Recent results and new features on Cyclingnews

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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