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Angel Casero (Festina, Vuelta winner)
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"It is a wonderful sensation, like being on a cloud. I did not believe it until I saw myself with the yellow jersey. I am certainly very happy because it compensates me for many years of sacrifice, and hopefully people will continue supporting me"
"It takes years of experience to time trial well, and I know what it's like to do it badly. I started very calm and concentrated. When I saw that Oscar had the same time as me at the tenth kilometre, I did not lose myself. I knew that the difference would be made later."
"I was concentrating only on the Vuelta victory, and not on the stage. I was only interested in the time of Oscar. I have to pay tribute to him because he rode a beautiful race and I believe that he proved that he has a lot of promise."
"I see myself as more a rider for the Tour de France. The last year was hard, but it gave me confidence to obtain this triumph. I am going to continue fighting for the podium in the Tour. I have won the Vuelta and now I want to be on the podium in Paris. I hope the injuries do not stop me."
"It's a shame that this team [Festina] will end. I doubted that the team was going to work to win the Vuelta. But you saw the work of my teammates yesterday. It is good that although the team disappears, they had confidence in me."
Oscar Sevilla (Kelme, 2nd GC)
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"I started a bit fast, perhaps too fast. In any case, I am not disappointed in my performance. I see the positive side. I rode an excellent Tour de France and I finished second here in Madrid. That means that I am able to win a grand tour one day. I will gain the experience that I missed today.
"Casero won honestly, I gave everything I had. I congratulate him because he was the stronger. Last year he was second and this year has won it, he deserves it as he worked very well. I am proud to say Casero won because he is a great rider and competitor."
"The team worked very well and thanks to them I obtained this second position, I thank them for that reason and for all the work that they did for me."
Juan Fernandez (Festina DS)
"The final victory of Angel makes me feel very satisfied, and he deserves it because he rode a sensational Vuelta España. Angel Casero is a rider who can contest the final victory in the Tour de France, and with this triumph already he is up with the greats of cycling."
Vicente Belda (Kelme DS)
"It is necessary to remember the misfortunes of the past year, perhaps because with the Otxoa brothers the team has changed. Also to consider that to maintain the leadership for 14 days is not easy and in addition at an average speed of 43 km/h. For that reason, chapeau and congratulations to all my riders".
"The time references I gave him [Sevilla] were good at the beginning. After a little time I had to deceive him, because if I said he was 20 seconds down he would have done worse. It was necessary to maintain hope until five kilometres from the end...he arrived at the finish knowing that he was going to be second, but he is only 25 and has a big future."
Stage 21 - Full results & report
Jose Maria Jimenez (iBanesto) took home two of the four individual jerseys after he won both the points and the mountains classifications in the Vuelta. In the points he beat another triple stage winner, Erik Zabel (Telekom) by just five points, while in the mountains he finished 52 points clear of Klaus Möller (Milaneza-MSS).
It's a rare feat to win both these jerseys in the Vuelta, and Jimenez joins Swiss rider Tony Rominger (who won just about everything in the 1993 edition) and Frenchman Laurent Jalabert, who did similarly well in 1995. However, both these riders won the Vuelta, while Jimenez finished 17th overall this year.
"It was a very closely disputed, beautiful, balanced race, and the emotion has stayed until the finish," commented Jimenez afterwards. "The Vuelta has been won by a time trialist, but we were left with a good taste in the mouth for Sevilla."
"For us [iBanesto.com] it has been a well-rounded Vuelta, a good year for the team, a lot of success. I am more than satisfied with three stages, the mountains and points jerseys, I will leave very contented."
Vuelta winner Angel Casero is part of the soon to be defunct Festina team. He has not signed a contract for next season yet, but is looking to do so soon. "Tomorrow I will analyse the teams, mainly from a sporting perspective rather than an economic one," said Casero of his several offers for next season. "Hopefully I can come to Spain next year, as that is what I desire."
Next up for Casero are the World Championships in Lisbon, where he hopes to ride both the time trial and the road race. "But if there is another teammate who can time trial better then I will yield the position to him."
Zimbabwean rider Tim Jones (Mobilvetta) was seriously injured in the 49th Milano-Vignola, won by Belgian Andrei Tchmil today. Jones crashed on one of the descents and had to be transported to Sant'Orsola hospital in Bologna, where a fracture of the sixth vertebrae was diagnosed, as well as a broken right collarbone, facial contusions and injuries to one of his kidneys.
Frenchman Florian Rousseau fell during the final of the Men's Keirin at the World's in Antwerp (won by Australian Ryan Bayley) and was taken to Antwerp hospital. There he was X-rayed and it was found that no bones were broken, although he has several bruises, burns and contusions.
Since Lars Michaelsen's (Team Coast) rib injury still prevents him from riding at his best, he will miss the World's in Lisbon. The following ten riders are selected. Eight of them will ride.
Rolf Sørensen (CSC Tiscali)
Michael Blaudzun (CSC Tiscali)
Nicki Sørensen (CSC Tiscali)
Bjarke Nielsen (CSC Tiscali)
Frank Høj (Team Coast)
Morten Sonne (Team Fakta)
Michael Skelde (Team Fakta)
Lennie Kristensen (Team Fakta)
Jørgen Bo Petersen (Team Fakta)
Michael Rasmussen (CSC Tiscali)
Jørgen Marcussen, one of the sports directors in Team Coast, risks getting sacked, he revealed to Danish news agency Ritzau. The team has hired new sports directors for the future since the team's season has been far from what was expected.
"I have asked several times about what's going on but haven't got any real answers. I was told to take it easy, but it's an odd situation. I've decided to wait and see", said Marcussen who was national team manager before he joined Team Coast.
Marcel Wüst has been hired as manager for the next season and brings former Festina director Juan Fernandez along. Not so long ago Alain Gallopin from Mercury was hired as sports director. According to Spanish press another Festina sports director, Roberto Torres, will also join.
The team had three other sports directors this season, among them Marcussen, so it seems a bit crowded at the top on the team.
The team has three Danes. Bekim Christensen has been with the team a couple of years while Lars Michaelsen and Frank Høj came with the first division project this season. They both have two year contracts but with a clause permitting them to leave in case they get a better offer. Høj had an offer from CSC-Tiscali but has decided to stay with Coast.
Bjarne Riis, CSC-Tiscali manager, hopes to have 25 riders in the team next season, which means that there still are four spots left to fill after the signings of Sastre (ONCE) and Dean (USPS).
"It all depends on how many neo's we will bring in. It is important to have a certain number of riders for the team to be able to perform well", said Riis who is a bit disappointed with his riders' late season form. It's only Michel Blaudzun who has been up to the expected standard.
Riis is however impressed by ex-MTB World Champion Michael Rasmussen's performances in the Italian classics lately where he has raced on a stagiaire contract. Also young Thomas B. Eriksen has done well in the Rheinland Pfalz Rundfahrt. Whether they will get contracts is still uncertain, Riis will first try to sign some foreigners on the open market before they are taken by someone else.
With Michael Blaudzun, Jakob Piil, Nicki Sørensen, Bjarke Nielsen, Michael Sandstød and Danny Jonasson there are only six Danes on the team, but it can go on being registered as a Danish team since there is no other nation with more riders, France comes nearest with four in this truly international outfit with also three Spaniards, two Belgians and one each from the Netherlands, Italy, New Zealand, Latvia, Sweden and 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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