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Santiago Botero (1st stage, GC)
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"I cannot be considered the team leader, because although I led the race for 24 hours, I went badly on the climb to Covadonga, where Oscar prevailed."
"Tactically, to have two riders at the head of the general classification is a great advantage for Kelme-Costa Blanca."
"I was more interested in the stage than in the classification after finishing second twice, and I really had problems in finding my rhythm today. But when I saw that I had gone faster than Beloki in the intermediate time check, it came to me immediately."
Angel Casero (Festina, 4th stage)
"Perhaps we as well as ONCE and the other teams will regret not having stopped their escape yesterday, and giving him [Botero] life. They say that the Spanish think well, but late, and possibly this is what happened in this case."
"He failed on the first day in the mountains, and after beating us today he could fail again. That is what we will have to take advantage of."
"My legs worked very well and in the end I was able to risk a little more."
Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano (ONCE, 9th stage)
"This is not going to be my Vuelta. As of this moment I will have to change my tactics and help Joseba to obtain the final victory that is our objective."
"As for me, I know that I am not going to achieve that, and for that reason it is necessary to help the team. I did not go well to los Lagos. It seemed as if my legs didn't respond to my head. I can't say much more, I'll do what I can."
Oscar Sevilla (Kelme, 2nd GC)
"I had a great stage, I rode really well with good feelings. The result for us was phenomenal, the has been one of my best races against the clock. Vicente [team director] directed me exceptionally, moving very well with the changes and above all, Botero has won when he needed to."
"In these stages, I am very good. It would have been impossible for this to be better. Let us hope that the luck continues to accompany us, because it is important until the end of the Vuelta."
"I have a lot of confidence in Santi, perhaps more than he does. I know that he is a great rider who always lacks a little self-belief, because he always has doubts."
Vicente Belda (Kelme director)
"Yesterday [Thursday] he made a demonstration. [Heras] is still rather weak in the first week, but he will be a dangerous man during the next two weeks."
Johan Bruyneel (USPS director sportif)
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"Levi was amazing. He finished the fastest. He gained time on Botero from the third check point - at the top of the climb - to the finish. Botero was really outstanding today; he was above everyone. But you see Levi's time against the others, including the specialists, and it's an amazing result."
"Third in the prologue and now second in the time trial, plus he did a good job working for Roberto in the fifth stage. The fact that he is seventh overall is strong if you consider he lost one minute when he was behind a crash in stage three and then worked for Roberto and even sat up a little bit (on stage five). He could have been in the top three (at this point)."
"The good thing is we have three guys up there and can now leave the race to other teams to control. With the Pyrenees in view, we have a lot of options. Kelme is very strong and as a team they will control the race. Tomorrow's stage has a mountain finish so we don't have to work much and only go as hard as we can in the last climb. If we can go into the Pyrenees with these three options - three riders in the top 10 - it gives us a lot of opportunities."
Stage 7
- Live report
Stage 7 - Full
results & report
Stage 8 from Reinosa to Alto Cruz de la Demanda will give the climbers an opportunity to regain some ground that they lost today in the time trial, although most of the good climbers actually performed quite well today. Look for more fireworks from Juan Miguel Mercado (iBanesto), or perhaps Iban Mayo (Euskaltel) on the slopes of the Alto Cruz de la Demanda, a category 1 climb with the final part averaging around 7 percent.
Note, there will be no live Vuelta coverage on Cyclingnews over the weekend (stages 8 and 9).
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By Rob Karman, cyclingnews.com correspondent
As the day's Cross Country events for Junior and U23 riders were postponed until Sunday morning, a remembrance service was held at the finish stadium in Vail Village. Peter Graves, The Voice of Mountain Biking, played master of ceremonies for a service that included video interviews taken over the past few days of the athletes, many of whom are understandably not 100% concentrated on the competitions that lie ahead of them.
Following the tone set earlier at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC where President Bush attended, the service in Vail included comments from local ministers.
Saturday's events will take place as planned with the DH finals for Junior and Elite categories taking place during the day and Dual competition in the evening. Cyclingnews will be providing live coverage.
Tomorrow's edition of Paris-Brussels is the 81st running of this Franco-Belgian classic, first held in 1906. Although last year's winner Max van Heeswijk (Domo-Farm Frites) will not be present, his teammate and 1999 winner Romans Vainsteins will be. Vainsteins is certainly one of the favourites for the 249 kilometre race, that is often won by a sprinter, although there are some hills along the parcours.
His principal rival will be Estonian fast man, Jaan Kirsipuu (Ag2r) who will be ably helped by his teammate Ludovic Capelle. Kirsipuu won a stage in the Tour of Poland, and wore the yellow jersey for four stages, and probably has the edge over the world champion in terms of form.
Others to watch include classics specialists Johan Museeuw (Domo), Nico Mattan (Cofidis), Andrei Tchmil (Lotto), Erik Dekker and Michael Boogerd (Rabobank), Andrea Tafi and Daniele Nardello (Mapei).
The first 144 kilometres of the race is in France, before crossing into Belgium for the final 105 kilometres. The weather is likely to be a little sketchy - alternating rain and sun, typical for this time of year.
BMC Software, the City of Houston, the Houston Police Department, USA Cycling and Threshold Sports announced that the BMC Software Tour of Houston professional bike race scheduled for this Sunday, September 16 will not be held. The reasons for the decision are to do with the uncertainty of travel schedules over the next few days. Most of the teams, while committed to participating, might not be able to arrive in Houston in time for the race. In addition, the support teams that ensure the safety of the course, the riders and the spectators are also en route and it is uncertain if they could make it to Houston in time.
"All of us at BMC Software were horrified by the barbaric attacks on the United States earlier this week. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families. While it is important that we move forward, all parties agreed that with the uncertainties in the ability to travel to Houston on a timely basis it would be best to cancel the race. BMC Software is an avid supporter of professional cycling and will continue to do so. BMC Software will donate the prize money that would have been awarded at the Tour of Houston to the American Red Cross relief efforts under way in New York, Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania," said Bob Beauchamp, president and CEO of BMC Software.
"We are extremely disappointed to have to make this decision; however after careful consideration of all the factors involved, we believe this is the right choice. All of us at Threshold Sports and the race competitors were making every effort to get to Houston but unfortunately, the problems facing the ability to travel became too difficult," said Dave Chauner, president and CEO of Threshold sports, the event organizers.
"USA Cycling fully supports the decision to cancel this weekend's BMC Software Tour of Houston. We feel the decision was made in the best interest of the event and look forward to next year's BMC Software Grand Prix events. Our thoughts are with the victims and families of this week's tragedy," said Lisa Voight, CEO of USA Cycling.
Paolo Bettini and the Italian Champion Daniele Nardello will make a reconnaissance next Monday on the Time Trial and Road World Championship circuits in Lisbon from October 9 to 14. The two Mapei-Quick Step riders will arrive in the Portuguese capital directly from France, after taking part on Sunday in the G.P. de Fourmies.
"I'm very interested in the Monsato circuit,but also in the Time Trial route which is very exacting and suitable for my characteristics," said Nardello. "However my main goal is the blue jersey of the competition on road; my condition is improving and the recent races, the Coppa Placci and Giro di Romagna, can testify that".
French cyclist Yoann Charpenteau (Crédit Agricole) who fell during Tuesday's stage of the Tour de l'Avenir, has been operated on in Bordeaux for a broken left collarbone. Charpenteau abandoned on Wednesday and was immediately taken to hospital.
Spaniard Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Euskaltel) was hospitalised in Neufchâteau after he fell and lost consciousness, but he was allowed to leave today.
Spanish rider Felix Garcia Casas (Festina) will be without a team next season, but is reportedly in advanced negotiations with BigMat Auber 93. His teammate and compatriot Angel Casero has been contacted by CSC-Tiscali, Phonak and ONCE.
Dutch cyclist Sandra Rombouts will ride next season for the German Nürnberger team. This year she rode for Ondernemers van Nature.
By Tommy Campbell, Irish Independent/Evening Herald/Sunday Independent
These are anxious days for Pat McQuaid. After years of cajoling delegates at the Union Cycliste Internationale to back Ireland's bid to host the 2004 World Championships, it's imperative that the Irish Government answer whether or not they will give the nod. At the end of the day it boils down to financial backing and only months ago the Department for Sport and Tourism initiated a survey by consultants to give the bid a thorough investigation. Unfortunately the clocking is ticking furiously at the moment and decisions are imminent for the bid.
The town of Killarney in Co. Kerry is the venue and according to members of the UCI hierarchy of which McQuaid is also a member, they were indeed very pleased with the infrastructure that is in place in the town and countryside.
At the end of the day it is all about commerce, but the notion of problems with the sport is also rearing its ugly head. Tourism people know the value of bed nights and the notion of losing that kind of revenue does not bear thinking about. Mind you at a conservative guess that would amount to 100,000 beds over a period of days.
This problem has been arrested in a significant manner and by the time the World s arrive here in 2004 the scent of those controversies i.e. the Tour de France debacle of 1998 will have long been forgotten.
To the decision makers in Government, if we reject McQuaid's ambition to host an event of that stature, you can bet your life savings that some prominent city on mainland Europe will rubbing their hands with glee.
Ireland needs this event, tourism more than ever after the wreaking of havoc in America this week. Inevitably whether we like it or not, numbers from America will drop at an alarming rate to our shores. The Foot and Mouth crisis is one glaring example.
Hopefully by this time next week the bubbly will be burst in favour of Ireland. This is a once in a lifetime ambition; please don’t let it slip Mr. Minister McDaid.
The Mapei-Quick Step team has been decided for the weekend's races:
September 15: 81st Paris - Brussels
Riders: Davide Bramati, Paolo Fornaciari, Stefano Garzelli, Bart Leysen, Daniele Nardello, Rinaldo Nocentini, Andrea Tafi, Stefano Zanini. DS: Eric Vanderaerden
September 16: Grand Prix de Fourmies
Riders: Paolo Bettini, Davide Bramati, Paolo Fornaciari, Philippe Koehler, Bart Leysen, Daniele Nardello, Rinaldo Nocentini, Andrea Tafi. DS: Eric Vanderaerden
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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Letters
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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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