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Richard Virenque (Domo-Farm Frites, 1st)
"I'm very moved. I'm happy. I can't believe it. Thank you!"
"10 km from the finish, the group had closed the gap to 45 seconds, but I didn't want to give in. I didn't want history to repeat itself". (Virenque got caught with 500m to go to the finish in 1996).
"I said to Jacky (Durand); you have to believe in it! He told me he couldn't do it anymore. On the last climb I gave it everything. In the last straight, it was hell, I closed my eyes and gave it everything. I really did suffer. In the last kilometers is was close, close, close. I didn't mean to take revenge after my suspension. No, this is just a beautiful fairy-tale."
For 10 months I haven't raced; it is a lesson of courage I have given today. This is the sport."
Patrick Lefevere (Domo-Farm Frites director)
"Super! What a character, what a character. He came up to me and asked me, at the moment they were almost caught : do you still think I made a mistake taking off like that in the start of the race? He's incredible. It will cost me a million French francs more now to keep him."
Serge Baguet (Lotto, protagonist)
"It's hard to finish like this; doing all that work and getting nothing in return. This wasn't a parcours in which I could sit quietly in the peloton. But we'll see for the World Championships next week"
Results and report
Live
report
This Sunday morning, Jan Raas of the Rabobank squad spoke with the manager of Levi Leipheimer (USPS), who recently finished third in the Vuelta España. "He is one of our favourites for the next season. We'll have a second meeting soon," said Raas.
In the meantime, Domo-Farm Frites have spoken twice with Leipheimer who is considered hot property at the moment.
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Former World Junior Pursuit Champion, Bradley Wiggins, recently signed for La Francaise des Jeux, but will be involved with Sigma Sport for the winter. Britain's biggest bike team are working with the Sport & Publicity network to support Bradley over the winter until he joins up with his new French teammates next year.
"It's great to be involved. The Sigma bikes are so nice, so it was an easy decision," said Bradley. "They're really pleased for me getting the deal with FDJ too, so it's good to be involved with such an understanding and helpful bunch."
Sigma Sport have come in alongside Sport & Publicity, who have been Bradley's patrons since he began his career.
Bradley is off to hospital next week, hoping to have the cast removed from his broken wrist. Despite the fracture, Bradley still returned from last week's World Championships in Antwerp with a silver medal from the Team Pursuit. The GB quartet just missed out to the all-conquering Ukraine foursome in the final. That was an improvement on last year, when Bradley was part of the team that won bronze at both the World Championships in Manchester and also at the Sydney Olympics.
The 21 year old is building a cast-iron reputation as one of the best emerging track riders in the world. He has already become the youngest professional in history to break into the hallowed circuit of six-day track races that keeps Europe cycling-mad through the cold winter months. But now it is time for Bradley to prove himself on the road with a top team... he should have no problem, having ridden brilliantly to catch the eyes of the top bosses in April's Circuit des Mines in France.
"We're very pleased to be able to help Bradley, and it's fantastic to think that he could be doing some of the biggest races next year with FDJ," said Sigma Sport's Dom Stewart. "Speak to anybody in cycling and they will tell you the same thing: Bradley Wiggins is the future of British cycling."
The Japan Cup (1.3) takes place on October 28, and is the largest one day race in Japan. The 151.3 km race will be held again on the Forest Park Circuit course, Utsunomiya City and will involve 80 riders in 16 teams from Japan and overseas. The organiser has confirmed that Cadel Evans (Saeco) will ride the Japan Cup, but Saeco director Guido Bontempi said at Paris-Brussels that he would only confirm his team with two weeks to go.
Lotto's Fabien Dewaele will not be riding the Japan Cup.
Courtesy of Miwako Sasaki, Japanese Cyclesport
By Geoff Stoker, cyclingnews.com correspondent at the World Masters Track Championships
It is October and time for the UCI Worlds Master's Track Championships. The championships are being held in Manchester England as they have been for the last few years. Starting the 8th and finishing the 13th of October.
You may be wondering about the title of this article? It seems to be the best way to describe what is happening here at the moment. Riders from around the World are checking in, then there is a considerable amount of time spent checking out the competition.
Maruyama the 35 year old Sprint champion from last year will be missing this year's championships. Maruyama unfortunately was involved in a Keirin accident in Japan suffering a broken collarbone. The collarbone was actually snapped in three pieces. Even after an operation to speed up his recovery by wiring the bone together, last year's champion will still be unable to ride.
This year's championships are shaping up to be the best ever, with a record number of entries and so many new competitors, it looks great in every aspect.
Trying to figure out winners before the competition starts at the Master's Worlds is a tough job. Riders are in 5 year age groups so there is constant change, riders who struggled in their last year of an age group move on then become competitive in the next age group. I can try to give you an idea of some riders to watch out for.
After a good look at the programme, the 50-54's should have some of the toughest and closest fought battles this year. Here are some of the reasons for that. Danny Clarke from Australia is now 50, one of the all time greats of the six days circuit and many times World champion. He will be competitive in all four events, the sprint, 500 metre time trial, 2000 metre pursuit and the points race. Competition in these events will come from Ron Boyle from Australia, 1976 Olympian in the sprint and time trial. Olympian Ian Hallam from Great Britain will be great in the pursuit and points. Hallam dominated this category last year, recording 2'19 for the 2000 metre pursuit and wining all the other events as well.
Keith Oliver celebrated his 60th birthday this year and now has some new competition. Keith who raced the 55-59's last year and won the pursuit and points race will race the German powerhouse Otto Altwick in the 60-65's. Both riders have ridden around the 2'29 mark for the pursuit and both have been past champions, it should be good to watch.
Two Brits will face off again in the 45-49's. Dave Le Grys and Mark Zaske, both past champions, will battle it out in the sprint and time trial again this year. The 40-44's have also changed with the pursuit champion Sean Yates from 2000 not listed to start. The competition for the top spot in the pursuit should be between past champion Larry Nolan from the USA, Robert Upton from Australia and first time master 1984 Olympian Steve Bent from Britain.
Robert Upton, who has been on World record pace in training in Sydney, may just make it happen this year after coming close in his three other attempts. Everyone got a first look at Steve Bent yesterday on the track and he also was sitting right around world record pace. Larry Nolan hasn't checked in yet but from previous years I am fairly sure he will be there in the final. There are also many new riders in each of these categories so an upset is never out of the question. Stay tuned and we will get the results to you as soon as possible.
Todd Wells (Mongoose) started this season working a full-time job for IBM. A former junior sensation, Wells entered the first race of the national mountain bike championship series riding for a shop team, Broadway Bicycles.
Five races later he's in contention to win the cross-country national title and the short track title, too. He's crushing Tinker Juarez and Travis Brown and Steve Larsen at every race. He finishes second American. He's named to the World's team. Mongoose signed him (he quit the job).
Part of the deal, however, was he had to race cyclocross in support of Mongoose's 1999 National Champion and defending SuperCup champion Marc Gullickson, also a product of New York. Wells will race his first major cyclocross race on Oct. 13, the SuperCup opener at Stage Fort Park in Gloucester, Mass.
It will be a baptism of fire. First there's the noise of the notorious New England 'cross crowds. And then there's the clientele. He'll face World Champion Erwin Vervecken (Spar Select) of Belgium, current National Champion Tim Johnson (Team Saturn) of Middleton, Mass., the Canadian National Champion Peter Wedge (Team Kona) and Saturn's fabled McCormack brothers, Frank and Mark McCormack, South Shore stars sharing four national titles and a SuperCup title between them.
Kona, - Running through an avenue of waving American flags and chants of "USA, USA", Tim DeBoom crossed the finish line of the 2001 Hawaii Ironman to become the first American to win this hallowed race since Mark Allen's victory in 1995.
DeBoom overcame a three minute drafting penalty during his bike-to-run transition to reel in fellow American Steve Larsen on the run. Larsen is a former pro-cyclist and easily set the fastest bike split of the day, 12 minutes better than the next placed rider.
DeBoom, cranking out miles in the low six minute range, was running significantly faster than Larsen who had stormed the bike leg to take the lead.
Challenges from previous winners Peter Reid and Luc van Lierde faded as they were reduced to walking during the marathon leg after the difficulty of high winds on the bike course. They later dropped out. In recent years the race has come to be dominated by Europeans, but DeBoom ensured that the spotlight stayed on the Americans today. One by one the top Europeans failed to hold the pace laid down by DeBoom.
Still not quite able to take it all in, DeBoom tried to explain, "I can't describe the feeling of coming down Alii Drive with the crowds chanting and waving flags. After I won I had to turn around and go back. When I was in the sin-bin I just tried to stay calm and focused. Maybe it was a help, I don't know. All I do know is that I was flying on the run. I was thinking a lot about the events of Sept. 11 and the thoughts drummed up emotions that encouraged me not to quit."
Switzerland's Natascha Badmann won the women's title for the second year in a row in 9:28:37. Lori Bowden of Canada was second in 9:32:59 and Germany's Nina Kraft took third in 9:40:59.
Badmann said the winds gusting up to 50 mph made the day difficult, (as if swimming 3.8kms, riding180kms and then running a marathon wasn't tough enough!)."The swim times were slow because the water was rough," Badmann said. "However it was the main problem on the bike," she added. "It was blowing me from one side of the street to the other side," she said of her first moments on the bike. "It was scary."
Organizers said 1,468 competitors from 46 countries started the race. Among the few who withdrew were military personnel who have been deployed in the wake of the attacks.
Results
Men 1 Tim DeBoom (USA) 8.31.15 2 Cameron Brown (Nzl) 8.46.10 3 Thomas Hellreigel (Ger) 8.47.40 4 Norman Stadler (Ger) 5 Lothar Leder (Ger) 6 Marc Herremens (Bel) 7 Andreas Neidrig (Ger) 8 Cameron Widoff (USA) 9 Steve Larsen (USA) 10 Christophe Mauch (Swi) Tim DeBoom's splits: Swim: 52.01 T1: 1.00 Bike: 4.48.17 T2 (with penalty): 4.04 Run: 2.45.53 Women 1 Natascha Badmann (Swi) 9.28.37 2 Lori Bowden (Can) 9.32.59 3 Nina Kraft (Ger) 9.40.59 4 Paula Newby-Fraser (USA) 9.41.35 5 Karen Smyers (USA) 9.48.34 6 Fernanda Keller (Bra) 9.51.20 7 Wendy Ingraham (USA) 9.57.33 8 Gina Kehr (USA) 9.57.36 9 Heather Fuhr (Can) 10.00.58 10 Jill Savege (Can) 10.03.30
Next year's World Cyclocross Championships will be held in Zolder, Belgium between February 2-3, 2002. USA Cycling has announced its athlete nomination procedures and its level of support to those selected.
USA Cycling will manage logistics (food, housing, transportation, race entry) for ONLY the athletes and staff who are selected for the World Championships i.e. not for pro team managers, pro team staff, personal coaches, athletes' families, spouses, friends or significant others.
As far as qualification is concerned, there are a maximum of five positions in each category (Elite Men, Elite Women, U23 Men, Junior Men) available. The Elite men's and women's winners of the USCF Cyclo-cross National Championship on December 15, 2001 will gain automatic berths; The top placed eligible US riders in the Under 23 and Junior category races scheduled as part of the UCI calendar Super Cup event on December 16, 2001 will gain automatic qualification in their respective categories, provided they finish in the top 5.
In addition, any eligible athlete who finished in the top 8 in the UCI Cyclocross World Championships in 2001 will be selected, provided they show similar form this season (World Cup events, National Championships, other USAC competitions).
The full criteria can be viewed at: www.usacycling.org/cx/?2002_world_cx_selectionprocedures.html
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
Recently on Cyclingnews
Latest Photos - Olympic
Armstrong, Boulder & California 'cross, More Pan-Am, Canberra, Boston & REI
'cross (December 13)
Cyclingnews survey -
Reader Poll 2001 - Vote for your favourite riders
Letters
- VDB, Lance, Boring Tour, Coastal Post, Respect (December 13)
Cyclingnews Interview
- Ryan Bayley - the KFC-fuelled world champ (December 13)
Cyclingnews Interview
- David McKenzie - Macca's back (December 12)
Cyclingnews Interview
- Laurent Jalabert - Jalabert looks ahead (December 11)
Cyclingnews Interview
- Charly Wegelius - A coffee stop with Charly (December 8)
Cyclingnews
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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