Summing up 1997 from a Dutch perspectiveDick Soepenberg compiled the following and I made some changes. Note that Patrick Jonker is classified as a Dutch Rider because he has a KNWU licence. In my 1997 Australian summary below you will see that he is listed as an Australian rider.The Reg under UCI Cat refers to a National Event which carries no UCI points. The teams are Foreldorado Golff, TVM, and Rabobank. Dutch Victories Date Event UCI Cat Rider Team 08-03 Ronde van Zuid Holland 1.5 Michael vd Wolff Forel 09-03 Omloop Vlaamse Ardennen Reg Leon van Bon Rabo 15-03 Dokkum Woudenomloop 1.5 John Talen Forel 02-04 Panne Koksijde Stage Jeroen Blijlevens TVM 05-04 Hel van het Mergelland 1.5 Raymond Meys Forel 10-04 Sarthe Alencon Stage Jeroen Blijlevens TVM 12-04 Sarthe Besse-sur-Braye Stage Jeroen Blijlevens TVM 15-04 Teleflex Rosmalen Stage Michel Cornelisse Forel 16-04 Teleflex Schijndel Stage Michel Cornelisse Forel 17-04 Veenendaal-Veenendaal 1.2 Jeroen Blijlevens TVM 20-04 Teleflex Tour GC Eddy Bouwmans Forel 27-04 Made Crit Leon van Bon Rabo 08-05 Lekkerkerk Derny Adri van der Poel Rabo 09-05 Duinkerke Gravelines Stage Jeroen Blijlevens TVM 17-05 Olympia’s Tour Hoogeveen Stage John Talen Forel 18-05 Amsterdam Derny Crit 1.3 Leon van Bon Rabo 18-05 Olympia’s Tour Schijndel Stage Michael vd Wolff Forel 19-05 Woerden Crit Maarten den Bakker TVM 19-05 Olympia’s Tour Maasbracht Stage Michael vd Wolff Forel 20-05 Olympia’s Ronde Buchten Stage John van de Akker Forel 21-05 G.P. Houthalen-Helchteren Reg Steven de Jongh TVM 28-05 Bayern Belingries Stage Jeroen Blijlevens TVM 01-06 Ronde van Limburg 1.5 John van den Akker Forel 06-06 Hengelo Crit Jeroen Blijlevens TVM 08-06 Berg & Terblijt Crit Servais Knaven TVM 08-06 Veghel Crit Wim de Vos VKS 08-06 Zw Vlaanderen Sluiskil Stage Godert de Leeuw Forel 11-06 Groot Ammers Crit Maarten den Bakker TVM 15-06 Montanes El Astierro Stage Wim vd Meulenhof Forel 17-06 Route du Sud St Gaudens Stage Jeroen Blijlevens TVM 18-06 Montanes Palencia Stage Michael vd Wolff Forel 19-06 Montanes Torralvega Stage Michael vd Wolff Forel 24-06 Route du Sud GC Patrick Jonker Rabo 25-06 Klauterkoers Sweikhuizen Crit Erik Dekker Rabo 29-06 N.K. Meerssen NK Michael Boogerd Rabo 30-06 Noordwijk aan Zee Derny Max van Heeswijk Rabo 02-07 Ermelo Derny Adri van der Poel Rabo 03-07 Pfalz Montabauer Stage Wim vd Meulenhof Forel 04-07 Pfalz Bad Marienberg Stage Aart Vierhouten Rabo 07-07 Pfalz Trier Stage Godert de Leeuw Forel 10-07 Pfalz Kirn Stage Koos Moerenhout Rabo 11-07 TdF Marennes Stage Jeroen Blijlevens TVM 11-07 Pfalz Koblenz Stage Richard Groenendaal Rabo 12-07 Kamerik Crit John van den Akker Forel 12-07 Spijkenisse Crit Steven de Jongh TVM 15-07 G.P. Vilvoorde-Houthem Reg Steven de Jongh TVM 20-07 Oosteeklo Crit Godert de Leeuw Forel 28-07 Boxmeer Derny Eddy Bouwmans Forel 29-07 Stipthout Crit Erik Dekker Rabo 30-07 Chaam Omnium Michael Boogerd Rabo 31-07 Wateringen Crit Jeroen Blijlevens TVM 01-08 Heerlen Crit Michael Boogerd Rabo 05-08 Surhuisterveen Crit Jeroen Blijlevens TVM 07-08 Oostvoorne Crit Erik Breukink Rabo 08-08 Maarheeze Crit Bart Voskamp TVM 09-08 Giant Drielandenomloop 1.5 Raymond Meys Forel 10-08 Tour of Denmark GC Servais Knaven TVM 13-08 Steenwijk Crit Servais Knaven TVM 20-08 Zaltbommel timetrail NK Erik Breukink Rabo 20-08 Burgos Miranda de Ebro Stage Steven de Jongh TVM 23-08 Barendrecht Crit John Talen Forel 24-08 Dwars door Gendringen 1.5 Godert de Leeuw Forel 27-08 Groningen-Oosterpoort Crit Marcel Luppes Rabo 28-08 Groningen-Otto Ebbingestr Crit Marcel Luppes Rabo 29-08 Groningen GC Marcel Luppes Rabo 30-08 Ronde van Nederland GC Erik Dekker Rabo 06-09 Tour de l’Avenier Cholet Stage Steven de Jongh TVM 13-09 Vuelta Cordoba Stage Bart Voskamp TVM 22-09 G.P. Viane Reg John Talen Forel 24-09 Vuelta Valladollid Stage Leon van Bon Rabo 28-09 Vuelta Madrid Stage Max van Heeswijk Rabo 14-10 Putte-Kapellen Reg John Talen Forel 18-10 Aalsmeer Indoor Crit John Talen Forel 21-10 Boland Bank Vredenburg Stage Steven de Jongh TVM 25-10 Boland Bank Stage Luciën de Louw Forel FORELDORADO - GOLFF 08-03 Ronde van Zuid Holland 1.5 Michael van der Wolff 15-03 Dokkum Woudenomloop 1.5 Jonh Talen 05-04 Hel van het Mergelland 1.5 Raymond Meys 15-04 Teleflex Tour Rosmalen Stage Michel Cornelisse 16-04 Teleflex Tour Schijndel Stage Michel Cornelisse 20-04 Teleflex Tour GC Eddy Bouwmans 17-05 Olympia’s Tour Hoogeveen Stage John Talen 18-05 Olympia’s Tour Schijndel Stage Michael van der Wolff 19-05 Olympia’s Tour Maasbracht Stage Michael van der Wolff 20-05 Olympia’s Tour Buchten Stage John van den Akker 01-06 Ronde van Limburg 1.5 John van den Akker 08-06 Zw Vlaanderen Sluiskil Stage Godert de Leeuw 15-06 Montanes El Astierro Stage Wim van de Meulenhof 18-06 Montanes Palencia Stage Michael van der Wolff 19-06 Montanes Torralvega Stage Michael van der Wolff 03-07 Pfalz Montabauer Stage Wim van de Meulenhof 05-07 Pfalz Bad Neuenahr Stage Wim van de Meulenhof 07-07 Pfalz Trier Stage Godert de Leeuw 12-07 Kamerik Crit John van den Akker 20-07 Oosteeklo Reg Godert de Leeuw 28-07 Boxmeer Derny Eddy Bouwmans 09-08 Giant Drielandenomloop 1.5 Raymond Meys 23-08 Barendrecht Crit John Talen 24-08 Dwars door Gendringen 1.5 Godert de Leeuw 22-09 G.P. Viane Reg John Talen 14-10 Putte-Kapellen Reg John Talen 18-10 Aalsmeer Indoor Crit Crit John Talen John Talen 6 Godert de Leeuw 5 Michael van der Wolff 5 Wim van de Meulenhof 3 John van den Akker 3 Eddy Bouwmans 2 Michel Cornelisse 2 Raymond Meys 2 RABOBANK VICTORIES 1997 09-03 Omloop Vlaamse Ardennen Reg Leon van Bon 12-03 Tirreno Adriatico Sorrento Stage Rolf Sorensen 03-04 De Panne Stage Rolf Sorensen 06-04 RONDE VAN VLAANDEREN CdM Rolf Sorensen 27-04 Made Crit Leon van Bon 07-05 Duinkerke Henin Stage Robbie McEwan 08-05 Lekkerkerk Derny Adri van der Poel 18-05 Amsterdam Derny Crit Derny Leon van Bon 14-06 Luxemberg Beckerich Stage Robbie McEwan 24-06 Route du Sud GC Patrick Jonker 25-06 Klauterkoers Sweikhuizen Crit Erik Dekker 29-06 N.K. Meerssen NK Michael Boogerd 30-06 Noordwijk aan Zee Derny Max van Heeswijk 02-07 Ermelo Derny Adri van der Poel 04-07 Pfalz Bad Marienberg Stage Aart Vierhouten 10-07 Pfalz Kirn Stage Koos Moerenhout 11-07 Pfalz Koblenz Stage Richard Groenendaal 29-07 Kopenhagen Crit Rolf Sorensen 29-07 Stipthout Crit Erik Dekker 30-07 Chaam Omnium Michael Boogerd 01-08 Heerlen Crit Michael Boogerd 07-08 Oostvoorne Crit Erik Breukink 20-08 Zaltbommel timetrail NK Erik Breukink 27-08 Groningen-Oosterpoort Crit Marcel Luppes 27-08 RvN Haarlem Stage Robbie McEwan 28-08 RvN Denekamp Stage Robbie McEwan 28-08 Groningen-Otto Ebbingestr Crit Marcel Luppes 29-08 Groningen GC Marcel Luppes 30-08 Ronde van Nederland GC Erik Dekker 21-09 Fleche Namuroise 1.5 Johan Bruyneel 24-09 Vuelta Valladollid Stage Leon van Bon 28-09 Vuelta Madrid Stage Max van Heeswijk 21-12 Brisbane Crit Robbie McEwan Robbie McEwan 5 Erik Dekker 4 Rolf Sorensen 4 Leon van Bon 4 Michael Boogerd 3 Marcel Luppes 3 Adri van der Poel 3 Erik Breukink 2 Max van Heeswijk 2 Johan Bruyneel 1 Richard Groenendaal 1 Patrick Jonker 1 Koos Moerenhout 1 Aart Vierhouten 1 TVM 11-02 Trofeo Calaratjada 1.4 Peter van Petegem 12-02 Trofeo Manacir 1.4 Hendrick van Dijck 01-03 Omloop Het Volk 1.2 Peter van Petegem 18-03 Wanzele Reg Hendrik Redant 19-03 Nokere Reg Hendrick van Dijck 29-03 E-3 prijs Harelbeke 1.1 Hendrick van Dijck 02-04 De Panne Koksijde Stage Jeroen Blijlevens 10-04 Sarthe Alencon Stage Jeroen Blijlevens 12-04 Sarthe Besse-sur-Braye Stage Jeroen Blijlevens 17-04 Veenendaal-Veenendaal 1.2 Jeroen Blijlevens 27-04 Tour de Berne 1.3 Michael Andersson 09-05 Duinkerke Gravelines Stage Jeroen Blijlevens 10-05 Wien-Wien Gresten Stage Maarten den Bakker 18-05 Asturie Oviedo Stage Jeroen Blijlevens 19-05 Woerden Crit Maarten den Bakker 21-05 G.P. Houthalen-Helchteren Reg Steven de Jongh 28-05 Bayern Belingries Stage Jeroen Blijlevens 06-06 Hengelo Crit Jeroen Blijlevens 07-06 Classique des Alpes 1.1 Laurent Roux 08-06 Berg en Terblijt Crit Servais Knaven 11-06 Uppsala Stage Servais Knaven 16-06 Goteborg Stage Hendrick van Dijck 17-06 Groot Ammers Crit Maarten den Bakker 21-06 Route du Sud St Gaudens Stage Jeroen Blijlevens 23-06 Route du Sud Plateau de Bielle Stage Laurent Roux 25-06 Catalonie Andorra Stage Bo Hamburger 11-07 TdF Marennes Stage Jeroen Blijlevens 12-07 Spijkenisse Crit Steven de Jongh 15-07 G.P. Houthem-Vilvoorde Reg Steven de Jongh 31-07 Wateringen Crit Jeroen Blijlevens 01-08 MuurCriterium Geraardsbergen Crit Peter van Petegem 01-08 Rochechouart Crit Laurent Roux 04-08 Castiliya de Leon Salamanca Stage Hendrick van Dijck 05-08 Surhuisterveen Crit Jeroen Blijlevens 08-08 Maarheeze Crit Bart Voskamp 10-08 Tour of Denmark GC Servais Knaven 13-08 Steenwijk Crit Servais Knaven 18-08 Burgos Aranda di Deuro Stage Lars Michaelsen 18-08 G.P. Geetbets-Rumme Reg Johan Capiot 20-08 Burgos Miranda de Ebro Stage Steven de Jongh 06-09 Tour de l’Avnier Cholet Stage Steven de Jongh 06-09 Vuelta Estoril Stage Lars Michaelsen 12-09 Tour de l’Avenier Plau de Belle Stage Laurent Roux 13-09 Tour de l’Avenier GC Laurent Roux 13-09 Vuelta Cordoba Stage Bart Voskamp 15-09 G.P. Zwevegem Reg Peter van Petegem 19-09 Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen Reg Peter van Petegem 02-10 Parijs-Bourges 1.3 Laurent Roux 21-10 Boland Classic Vredenburg Stage Steven de Jongh 25-10 Boland Bank Classic GC Lars Michaelsen Jeroen Blijlevens 12 Steven de Jongh 6 Laurent Roux 6 Peter van Petegem 5 Hendrik van Dijck 5 Servais Knaven 4 Maarten den Bakker 3 Lars Michaelsen 3 Bart Voskamp 2 Michael Andersson 1 Johan Capiot 1 Bo Hamburger 1 Sergei Ivanov 1 Hendrik Redant 1 Silvia Pepels (22) wins first raceFormer triathlon-sporter Silvia Pepels from Stein in Limburg won her first MTB race yesterday. 'I rode only a few times on this bike; but never did a race.'Pepels was 18th in the worldchampionship triathlon in Perth in November. She is good in the water but the cycling part isn't good enough yet. That was the reason she started in a MTB race for the first time in her life. The race was for the Limburg Championship but you have to do at least eight races in the Limburg MTB circuit before getting this title. The title went to number two Irene Geebelen from Belgium. Summing up 1997 for Australian CyclingAustralia has been through a year of development and regression in 1997. The propensity to involve itself in public controversy continued with the reported large losses from Cycling Australia's promotion of the MTB World's at Cairns and the Track World's at Perth. All this when the road championships received a small budget. But this was overwhelmed by the decision of CA to sack Heiko Salzwedel as the national men's road coach. He retained his position as National Australian Institute of Sport Road Coach, a position beyond CA's sphere.We now faced the rather odd situation that the Top Training Coach in Australia for road racing would not accompany his riders to the top competitions for which he had prepared them for. The decision followed months of speculation. It was alleged that the other cycling coaches in Australia did not support Heiko, but no public statements were made as to why. The facts released mainly related to the financial problems that the Giant-AIS road team, Australia's first professional cycling team which aimed at Europe, had encountered. The officials suspended the AIS road program and disbanded the Giant-AIS team. It seemed odd that the Coach would take the blame for financial mismanagement when within the official structure of cycling there were managers appointed to do just that - manage. Coaches coach, managers manage. If it was true that the coach tried to assume all roles then that has never been explained publicly. While there is a lot of hearsay about why Heiko had to go, what evidence do we have of the work Heiko had been doing? That is much easier to see. Henk Vogels was declared in the annual CA awards to be the Australian Cyclist of the Year. A roadie. He beat Shane Kelly to the award. A trackie. The division in Australian cycling between the two disciplines remains large. Some say that Heiko's demise reflects the politics of this division. There is evidence both ways, none of it is publishable without legal consequences. Vogel's elevation reflected the emergence of a number of road cyclists who were gaining attention in Europe. We had a record number of Tour de France participants: Henk Vogels, Neil Stephens, Patrick Jonker, Stuart O'Grady and Robbie McEwen. Vogels, Jonker and McEwen all had been developed in the squads coached by Salzwedel. Other Heiko riders were also soon to be snapped up by European teams. Jay Sweet is an example. The exploits of these riders in 1997 in the Tour and the major races throughout Europe seemed to indicate that something right was being done in this country with respect to preparing Australian riders for the top level road competitions. In relative terms, the road program delivered more significant results than the more expensive track program (although please don't take this as a criticism of the track program). Women's cycling also made leaps and bounds in 1997. The top perfromance was that of Victorian Elizabeth Tadich who took second place in the World's road race in San Sebastian. West Australian Lyn Nixon also created a first by becoming the the first Australian to win a stage in the Tour de France Feminine. She was followed by Juanita Feldhahn. The controversy between Kathy Watt and National AIS Track Coach, Charlie Walsh continued with the Atlanta selection mayhem going to court - Watt alleging that Walsh had defamed her. But Watt had a poor year in cycling terms mainly it seems because of a persistent leg injury which inhibited her training and preparation for major events. She did take a second place in the Tour de France. A recent AAP report by Roger Vaughan concluded that: " Generally, Australia had a below-par year on the track, winning just one gold medal when it hosted the worlds in Perth. That went to Kelly, who overcame injury and limited preparation to win his third-straight one kilometre time trial title. Sprinter Ferris also won two silver medals as she continued to improve." The men's and women's hour records were set in 1997. Anna Wilson, who had remained home in Australia instead of travelling with the road team to pursue career development, set the inaugural hour mark for women at the Adelaide Superdrome. The record of 45.399 kms was a brilliant effort. Early in 1997, pursuit hope Bradley McGee set a men's hour record of 50.05 km surpassing the previous record set by Neil Stephens several years earlier. The attempt did not get McGee close to the international standards. And more worrying it appears to have led to persistent illness and his form has been non-existent since then. This was a serious weakness in our team pursuit campaign at the World's in Perth. So as we go into 1998, we see that domestic road cycling is in a mess. The NSW road program is in need of serious reform. The coaching situation will linger. But a new Tour looks like being announced in South Australia and two Giant-AIS riders cast aside by the demise of the team have now received contracts in Italy along with Sweet in France. |