Cycling News Roundup 20 April 2007
Predictor/Lotto Giro Prep, Cunego tests Zoncolan, Unibet's Coyot Injury, Race
Announcements - Philly Triple Crown, USA Women's Italy Center, Collegiate
Cycling Conference, Eurosport Classics TV, Bike Biz...
Predictor/Lotto
Wim Vanhuffel and Dario Cioni in reconnaissance for the Giro
Giro d'Italia (starting May 12) will be the first of the big tours.
Two racers of our team, Dario Cioni and Wim Vanhuffel, are in Italy to make a
reconnaissance in the mountains. Today, they will do about 100 km on the 15th
stage between Trento and Tre Cime di Lavaredo (finish at the top); tomorrow:
stage 17 with finish at the top of mount Zoncolan.
They will be coached by Roberto Damiani.
Unibet
Coyot breaks wrist in GP de Denain
The Frenchman Arnaud Coyot (Unibet.com) crashed during GP de Denain today and
broke his wrist in two places. Coyot will be out of competition for
approximately five weeks.
Lampre/Fondital
Giro d’Oro and Giro del Trentino: these will be the next Italian
appointments for Lampre-Fondital.
On the 22nd of April the blue-fucsia team will take part in Giro d’Oro with the
following riders: Bossoni, Bruseghin, Castraneda, Marzano, Possoni e Tiralongo.
Sport director Maurizio Piovani will be supported by doctor Ronchi, by masseurs
Della Torre e Rubino and by mechanics Pengo and Valli.
Giro del Trentino will start on the 24th of April and in this race there will
be Damiano Cunego, at his seasonal debut in Italian competition. Cunego will be
with team mates Bossoni, Bruseghin, Castaneda, Marzano, Possoni e Tiralongo. In
the blue-fucsia staff there will be sport directors Martinelli and Piovani,
doctor Pallini, mechanics Pengo and Valli and masseurs Corna, Inselvini and
Rubino.
Jet jockey, Damiano Cunego at team presentations. Photo c.
Lampre/Fondital
Cunego Giro d'Italia Reconaissance
Cunego has just finished the reconaissances of the 15th stage (Trento-Tre
Cime di Lavaredo) and 17th stage (Lienz-Monte Zoncolan) of Giro d’Italia. These
are his comments, “On Thursday we saw most of the parcour of the stage that will
end on Tre Cime di Lavaredo: it’s a long stage that will be selective. Because
of the snow we couldn’t cover the last 2.5 kms, but what we saw was enough to
understand how tough is this stage. On Friday we reached the top of the Zoncolan.
The first 5 kms are very tough, then the last 2 kms are lighter: during the
stage you have to save energies until Zoncolan, there it will be difficult to
attack, it will be better progress with agility”.
Collegiate Cycling Conference
From Sun to Thunder: Bucknell Cycling Storms Ahead at Army
West Point, New York (April 14-15, 2007)
The Bucknell cycling team charged back into the Eastern Collegiate Cycling
Conference point standings as the “Bison” team tallied yet another victory at
West Point, New York this weekend. Junior Michael Chauner clocked his fourth
individual win of the season by blowing his competitors away in a literally
bone-chilling field sprint through the pouring rain and sleet in Sunday’s A
category criterium. Senior Dan Himes contributed to the team’s success with his
own personal conquest as he battled the horrific conditions to mark his
first-ever bike race win in the Men’s Intro category. The Men’s A time-trial
team also notched a podium position in the 14-mile rollercoaster course that
wound its way through Harriman State Park.
The early morning Team Time Trial on Saturday gave Bucknell seniors Todd
Dowling, Charles Alexander, Adam “Krowbar” Kahler and junior Michael Chauner a
chance to shine as the Bison muscled through the undulating 2-lap circuit to
finish 3rd ahead of Vermont, New Hampshire, and Penn State. Kahler and Alexander
did the lion’s share of the work by towing the 4-man train towards finishing
only 6 seconds behind Dartmouth and 32 seconds behind the new-and-improved Yale
team.
The winds ensued in the afternoon for the road races as Angela Sherbondy
demonstrated true grit as she pushed her way through the grueling 56-mile
Women’s A competition and was only one of 17 to finish. Aaron Cravez, the
tough-as-nails freshman from Alaska, scored his personal best of 7th place in
the Men’s C 28-mile road race with a large 67 rider field.
The 70-mile Men’s A road race wound its way up Bear Mountain five times to
mark the toughest race of attrition in the 2007 ECCC to date. Mountain goats
Peter Horn (Vassar), Dan Cassidy (UVM) and Nick Frey (Princeton) kept the
pressure on each time up the 3 mile climb much to the flatlanders’ chagrin.
Five of the Bucknell team members fell victim to the harsh reality of gravity
as Bear Mountain became a seemingly insurmountable obstacle at each repeated
attempt. Bucknell’s Michael Chauner also lost contact with the select 9-man lead
group over the final climb of the day as the climbers purposely drilled the
screw tighter at signs of his distress. The race officials indicated that
Chauner lost over 45 seconds to the leaders on the road by the summit of the
mountain with only 8 miles remaining. Fueled only by a fleeting glimmer of hope,
Chauner’s heroic chase to regain contact with the leaders was a desperate
attempt that few onlookers expected.
The camouflaged pace-car miraculously reappeared as Chauner careened through
roundabouts and scorched by local traffic to unbelievably rejoin the elite group
of eight that remained. With a less than ample tank of gas, Chauner managed to
hang on for 3rd place in a “Clash of the Titans” sprint for the finish. Overall
conference leader Nick Frey (Princeton) proved triumphant by holding off the
charging Bison to take the win.
The taste of fair weather on Saturday’s road race was short lived as the
heavens let loose upon the 30 cyclists that were brave enough to start the
shortened Men’s A criterium on Sunday. Bucknell can at least claim a bigger
fan-base than West Point as hail and sleet deterred any spectators from lining
the one kilometer course. The Princeton powerhouse of Nick Frey and Nick
Bennette could not match Bucknell’s triple threat of Todd Dowling, Sam Camens,
and Michael Chauner as both teams went head-to-head in a sloppy slugfest along
the Hudson at the lowest point on West Point’s campus.
Undaunted by the freezing rain, senior Todd Dowling managed to single
handedly control the field by covering danger-moves made by the distinguished
Army and Princeton teams. The bunch stayed together and with two laps to go,
Dowling ratcheted up the pace creating a perfect situation for his teammate
Chauner who was destined to draw blood after the previous day’s teaser. As the
field rounded the last corner, Dowling helped Chauner rocket away from the
opposition to decisively win the Army Criterium for the second year in
succession. Senior Sam Camens swept up behind and claimed 7th (a 2nd top ten in
only one week of racing) after riding a perfectly positioned race. Chauner’s win
marks his fourth of the year moving him back into second place overall in the
Eastern Collegiate Cycling Conference.
Although most enjoyed the comfort of their own beds on Sunday morning, the
Bison persisted through the weather to make the weekend worthwhile by scoring
two epic wins. With the Eastern Conference Championships at Vassar only a week
and a half away, the Bison seek to continue their upward trend towards
qualifying for the National Collegiate Cycling Championships this May.
Race Announcements
Pro Women's Showcased at Commerce Bank Triple Crown
Fast Exciting Criterium Racing On Tap for First Two Races
Norristown, PA (April 19, 2007)… The Pennsylvania cities of Lancaster and
Reading will play host to some of the world’s best women professional cyclists
on June 3rd and June 7th respectively. The
first two races in this year’s Commerce Bank Triple Crown of Cycling will be
contested on fast paced criterium courses set in the downtown centers of these
two historic cities. The final event of this three race women’s series, the
Commerce Bank Liberty Classic, will be held in
Philadelphia on June 10th.
The Pro Women’s races in both cities will be part of a day packed with
exciting cycling events. Scheduled to go off between the Elite Amateur Men’s
criterium race and the featured Pro Men’s circuit race, the Pro Women will start
at 1:15 PM in the Commerce Bank Tom Bamford Lancaster Classic racing for a total
of 30 miles on the .6 mile four corner course. Four days later at the Commerce
Bank Reading Classic, the women will go off at 12:15 PM completing 25 miles on
the eight corner course. $2000 will be up for grabs in each race so the action
is sure to be fast and furious on these tight and spectator friendly courses
that use the same start/finish line as the Pro Men’s races that follow.
An extra incentive for the women will be the overall Triple Crown of Cycling
prize awarded to the rider with the most points after the two criterium races
and the final Liberty Classic road race in Philadelphia. Last year T-Mobile’s
Ina Tutenberg proved to be the most consistent rider over the three race series.
This year spectators can expect a spectacular battle as the strongest riders try
to assert their dominance and stake their claim to the $5,000 in prize money
offered to the winner of this specific competition.
Between races spectators can explore the sports expo adjacent to the
start/finish area with a diverse range of brands displaying and sampling their
products.
Teams interested in competing in the Pro Women’s races in Lancaster, Reading
and Philadelphia should contact technical director Drew Cunningham at
Drew21Cunningham@aol.com For more
information about the Commerce Bank Triple Crown of Cycling log on to
www.procyclingtour.com.
Round Two of the National Mountain Bike Series
Firestone Santa Ynez Mountain Bike Classic presented by Platinum Performance
Next weekend, April 27-29, professional and
amateur mountain bike racers will gather at the Ted Chamberlin Cattle Ranch and
the Firestone Vineyard in beautiful Santa Barbara County, California to contest
Round Two of the National Mountain Bike Series (NMBS) – The Firestone Santa Ynez
Valley Mountain Bike Classic presented by Platinum Performance.
This will be the 8 th annual Firestone Santa Ynez Valley Mountain Bike
Classic, but it is the first year that the popular event will be a part of the
prestigious National Mountain Bike Series. The partnership is a natural one, as
mountain bike history buffs will remember that the first ever NMBS race was held
in Santa Barbara, back in 1983 when the series was known as the NORBA National
Championship Series.
There will be four different mountain bike racing disciplines on offer at the
event: Cross Country, Short Track Cross Country, Super D, and Downhill. NMBS
points are on offer for the Kenda Cross Country presented by Trek-VW, the Kenda
Short Track Cross Country, and Super D races, but not the Chamberlin Ranch
Downhill event. The competition in the Kenda Cross Country presented by
Trek-Volkswagen will be particularly hot as, in addition to NMBS points, the
nation’s top pros will continue the hunt Olympic selection points ahead of the
2008 Olympics in Beijing.
When asked how the addition of NMBS status has affected the preparations for
this year’s race compared to the past seven years, race organizer Mike Hecker
said, “it’s a larger scale this year but everything is running completely
smooth. The expo area alone is going to be so much bigger, which will be great
for the spectators. I’m really excited about our first year with the NMBS.”
There’s great anticipation about the increased presence of professionals from
around the world at this year’s event. One pro who’s already in the area and
training is Team Colavita/Sutter Home rider Krista Park from Georgia. More pros
will be showing up throughout the week to acclimatize and get some practice on
the race courses.
Barry Wicks, from the Kona Factory Team,
winner of last year’s pro men’s cross country event is home in Santa Cruz
preparing himself for this year’s race. When asked if he would be going for the
win again this year, he simply replied, “I’ll try, you know.” Asked how he
thought the upgrade to NMBS status would affect his chances he said, “There were
a few really strong riders last year, like Burry Stander from South Africa and
my teammate Ryan , but this year there will be so many fast guys that it will be
really challenging.” Wicks scored an eighth place at NMBS Round One earlier this
month in Arizona, so he’s obviously going strong.
With all of the racing action from novice to professional and the giant expo
area featuring the latest and greatest products in the mountain bike industry
and more, the NMBS #2 Firestone Santa Ynez Mountain Bike Classic presented by
Platinum Performance will have something to keep everyone entertained.
For more info in the event, go to the
event website: or call
Race Organizer, Mike Hecker: (805) 896-0673
For more information on the NationalMountain Bike Series, go to
the website: or call Managing Director,
Jeffrey Frost, (435) 840-2651
USACycling Opens Women's European Center
Italian-Based Facility Modeled After Successful Men’s Program in Belgium
Eight years after opening its men’s European residence center in Izegem,
Belgium, USA Cycling announced today the opening of a similar facility for its
Women’s National Team and development programs in Lucca, Italy. USA Cycling’s
women’s European residence center will serve as a home away from home for
several developing athletes and current world-class cyclists as they receive the
consistent exposure to elite-level competition that is necessary to achieve
athletic excellence.
The Tuscan location was chosen for its proximity to European races, favorable
weather conditions, quiet and safe training environment and the passionate
Italian cycling culture. Italy has long been a training headquarters for several
UCI ProTour teams and other countries' National Team programs.
After competing in several events in Northern Europe throughout the last two
weeks, the first group of women moved in Monday before it returns to Holland and
Belgium this weekend for its next block of racing. The residents that opened the
house include Kristin Armstrong (Team Lipton), Katheryn Curi (Webcor Builders),
Lauren Franges (Team Lipton), Rebecca Larson (Aarons), Alison Powers (Colavita/Sutter
Home/Cooking Light), Brooke Miller (Team Tibco) and Christine Thorburn (Webcor
Builders).
“The opening of our European residence center represents the next step in our
efforts to develop the next crop of world-class women cyclists,” explained Pat
McDonough, USA Cycling Director of Athletics. “Right now, our women’s endurance
program is enjoying unprecedented success across all disciplines of cycling and
the opening of this facility is a crucial component in sustaining that success
long after the current class retires.”
The National Team will next compete at the Ronde van Gelderland in the
Netherlands on April 21, followed by La Fleche Wallone World Cup in Belgium on
April 25, the Giro di San Marino in Italy, May 4-6 and the Magi Pache Time Trial
in Switzerland on May 6.
“In order to replicate the achievements that the men’s program has yielded
over the years, and to be able to consistently compete against the world’s top
teams and nations, the women we have in the development pipeline need this type
of stimuli on a regular basis.” McDonough continued. “And, by involving proven
veterans at the height of their career throughout this process, USA Cycling is
providing the up-and-comers with another valuable resource that is paramount to
their long-term success.”
Since its inception in 1999, the men’s program has averaged the graduation of
one rider per year to UCI ProTour teams – the highest level of men’s
professional cycling in the world – and countless more to UCI Professional
Continental and Continental squads. And although women’s cycling doesn’t share
the same structure at the elite level as men, the overall goal of the program is
to cultivate world-class talent that will sustain competitive excellence at the
international level and compete for Olympic and World Championship medals.
The women’s European residence center and more competition in Europe will
help American athletes develop the skill set necessary for success. By competing
in larger and deeper fields, faster races and on the type of roads specific to
European racing, Americans will gain experience that isn’t readily available in
the United States.
Additionally, as USA Cycling restructures its track program, the facility is
also expected to be used by other athletes as a European training base.
“In the coming years, we expect that athletes of all disciplines and both
genders will ultimately spend time in Lucca,” said McDonough. “The residence
center really represents a continuation of the expansion of our programs into
Europe and is where we’ve been heading for some time now.”
Courtesy Andy Lee USACycling
Twenty Americans are slated to compete in the first
round of the 2007 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup series in Houffalize,
Belgium this weekend. Nine men will represent the United States as part of a
245-rider elite men’s field, while 11 of 128 riders in the elite women’s field
will be Americans.
As nations increase their participation in major international events with
the hopes of securing maximum Olympic start positions, the 2007 UCI Mountain
Bike World Cup series plays a major part in that process given the amount of
international ranking points available throughout the six-race series.
Since USA Cycling introduced several financial incentive programs for elite
mountain bike athletes, American participation at the sport’s top level has
increased dramatically. The result is a more competitive crop of American
mountain bikers and a deeper talent pool that has the United States ranked third
in the world in both men’s and women’s mountain biking.
“Racing internationally at World Cups is a vital component to any athlete’s
development,” explained Matt Cramer, USA Cycling Mountain Bike Development
Director. “The financial incentive programs we’ve introduced provide our
athletes with motivation to not only attend more World Cups, but also a reason
to perform at the highest level possible. These programs have already raised the
level of expectations and capabilities of many of our athletes.”
Americans scheduled to compete in Houffalize on
April 22 include:
Men
Todd Wells (Durango, Colo./GT-Hyundai)
Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Boulder, Colo./Subaru-Gary Fisher)
Adam Craig (Bend, Ore./Giant)
Sam Schultz (Colorado Springs, Colo./Subaru-Gary Fisher)
Jeremiah Bishop (Harrisonburg, Va./Trek-VW)
Sam Jurekovic (Jackson Hole, Wyo./USA Cycling National Development Team)
Michael Broderick (Chilmark, Mass./Kenda-Seven Cycles)
Colin Cares (Boulder, Colo./USA National Development Team)
Jeff Hall (Farmington, Minn./Salsa Cycles)
Women
Georgia Gould (Ketchum, Idaho/Luna)
Mary McConneloug (Chilmark, Mass./Kenda-Seven Cycles)
Willow Koerber (Ashville, N.C./Subaru-Gary Fisher)
Shonny Vanlandingham (Durango, Colo./Luna)
Heather Irmiger (Boulder, Colo./Subaru-Gary Fisher)
Kelli Emmett (Colorado Springs, Colo./Giant)
Sue Haywood (Davis, W.Va./Trek-VW)
Sara Bresnick (Somerville, Mass./Lynskey Performance)
Nina Baum (Albuquerque, N.M./Bear Naked-Cannondale)
Heather Svahn (Truckee, Calif.)
Kristi Lewis (Durango, Colo.)
Spring Classics on British Eurosport
British Eurosport will be broadcasting live action and highlights
from three of the great Spring cycling Classics in the next couple of weeks.
Cycling fans will be able to tune in to highlights the Amstel Gold race on
Monday 23 April and of the Liege-Bastogne-Liege on Tuesday 1 May. In addition,
there will be LIVE coverage of the Fleche Wallonne on Wednesday 25 April with
highlights the following day.
Please see the listing details below:
Mon 23 April
10.45pm Highlights from the Amstel Gold race on British Eurosport
Wed 25 April
1pm LIVE coverage of the Fleche Wallonne on British Eurosport
Thu 26 April
12pm Highlights from the Fleche Wallonne on British Eurosport
1pm Highlights from the Girvan 3 Day (British Premier Calendar) on British
Eurosport
Tue 1 May
10pm Highlights from the Liege-Bastogne-Liege on British Eurosport
Please note that all schedules are subject to change.
Bike Biz
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