Cipo celebrations

This Saturday two towns will hold celebrations to honor Worlds Road Race Champion Mario Cipollini. Mid afternoon is a celebration in Capannori where Cipollini was born, and in the evening a second celebration will be held in Lucca.

Cipollini, following in the tradition of other sports champions, has put up for auction his Acqua zebratto shirt and his zebratto bicycle. (Acqua e Sapone)

Team RONA adds 21 year old Erinne Willock

RONA Press Release: Team RONA is proud to announce that Canadian cyclist Erinne Willock has signed on to join the team in 2003.

Erinne Willock, who recently turned 21, already has seven years of racing behind her. “I grew up in Victoria, BC. Cycling is very popular there and schools mount teams in an inter-schools racing league,” says the young cyclist, who is now studying physical education and biology at the University of Victoria. But in fact Erinne was almost born into cycling. Her father, Martin Willock, wore the Canadian Olympic colors in the team time trial at the Los Angeles Games in 1984, while her uncle Bernie won a bronze medal in the team time trial at the 1979 Pan-American Games and was Canadian Road Race Champion In 1980.

Erinne, who is 5 ft 4 and 108 lbs, tried track and mountain bike races before switching to road racing. ”This is the type of race I enjoy most,” she says, after a 2002 season when she wore a Verizon jersey. “I like the road race atmosphere, the teamwork and tactics in the pack. And I like the climbing part. I’m eager to get into my RONA colors and become part of the team. Racing with Geneviève (Jeanson), Cathy (Marsal) and the others is going to be quite an experience.”

 As a part of the Canadian Cycling Association’s development program, Erinne’s road record already includes the Tour de l’Aude in 2001, the Tour de la Drome in 2002 (12th place in GC and one stage podium), and several races in the Coupe de France, notably the Trophée des Grimpeurs (8th place and 1st Espoirs in 2001).

“Erinne is young but she’s very promising,” says Team RONA coach André Aubut. “At Fitchburg this year, we saw her stay with leaders in a long breakaway that ended in the grueling climb up Mount Wachusset. She finished just behind Clara Hughes and ahead of Kim Bruckner. You couldn’t have taken that for granted. I think she’s got the right stuff.”

Eric Zabel to be on gameshow

Eric Zabel will appear on a sports edition of "Quizshow" today, Thursday 7th November. He is one of eight prominent sportsmen appearing on this special edition, and will compete with the other contestants by answering questions such as who said, "Sports is murder," or when Bud Spencer competed in the Olympics. Zabel's co-contestants include former heavyweight boxer Axel Schulz, soccer player Marco Bode,  Ingos Schulz and skiier Markus Wasmeier. The contestants play for charities. The show is schedule for 20.15 to 21.45 on ARD. (team-telekom)

Nuttli goes for hour record; Open des Nations

Swiss rider Jean Nuttli of the Division II Oktos-Saint-Quentin team will attempt the hour record on the Bordeaux-Lac Stadium in the opening of the 12th Open des Nations track event (15, 16 and 17 November).

Nuttli will ride on Friday, November 15 at 15.00 with an expected large crowd in attendance.

This edition of the Open des Nations will feature 16 teams or four riders each representing Germany, France, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Spain, Great Britain, Netherlands, Latvia-Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Switerland and Ukraine. There will also be a Madison for juniors and cadets. On Sunday is the 2nd Open de Kieren, a special sprinters' competition with 6 riders per leg. This competition will also see six Japanese keirin professionals compete. (letour.fr)

Transfer Roundup

While waiting for final team announcements to come next week, here are today's reports of riders moving about in the peloton;

Santiago Botero has announced he will remain with Kelme for next season. Both CSC and Telekom were interested in him but apparently the cost to buy out his current contract was prohibitive. (velo-club)

Team iBanesto has dissolved its three year contract with Vuelta 2001 triple stage winner Jose Maria Jimenez. Jimenez, 31, has been suffering emotional difficulties this year and has been kept on payroll by Banesto, but apparently the team is not hopeful enough about him to continue his contract.  Jimenez won stages 8, 11 and 12 in the 2001 Vuelta, and in 2000 the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya and Classique des Alpes.

Alex Zulle will remain the team TEAM Coast for 2003. Coast improved its offer to Zulle, who had been approached by several other teams, including CSC-Tiscali.

24 year old Koldo Gil moves from Banesto to ONCE for next season.

Kevin Van Der Slagomolen, who has been a trainee this year with Lotto-Addeco, moves to Vlaanderen T-Interim. (velo-club, team-telekom)

Berry Group signs with Postal for two seasons

The Berry Group has announced that it has signed for Berry Floor an agreement with Tailwind Sports Corporation, the sports marketing entity that owns the four-time Tour de France winning team with Lance Armstrong. The UCI registrations will be made under the name US Postal / Berry Floor.

The Berry Floor logo will be shown on the team's uniforms and cars and the worldwide advertising rights of the team may be used.

Wenzel Coaching adds Wobble-Naught System

Wenzel Coaching has announced that Wobble-Naught will be the official Wenzel bike-fitting system. The Daily Peloton published an introductory article on the Wobble-Naught system recently - the link to that article is here.

Orbitel ready to orbit?

Division III team 05 Orbitel has added some firepower to its team for next year, announcing its roster and race plans on Wednesday. Joining the team for next season are three Colombian riders, Hernán Buenahora, Felix "El Gato" Cárdenas and Carlos Contreras.

The 2003 full team lineup is: Hernán Buenahora, Carlos Contreras, Félix Cárdenas, Marlon Pérez, Jairo Hernández, Julio Aguirre, Élder Herrera, Jorge González, Luis Castañeda, Javier Zapata, Alejandro Cortés, Hernán Bonilla, Jorge Martínez, Olmedo Capacho, Héberth Gutiérrez and Johnny Leal.

Coach Raul Mesa said that the team will race in five Spanish contests next year: the Vuelta a la Rioja, the Vuelta a Castilla y León, the Clásica de Alcobendas, the Vuelta a Asturias and the Clásica Trepadores al Alto del Naranco.

Mesa explained that, "The Vuelta a Aragon is pending. But our great dream is to be invited to the Vuelta a Espana. All these races are organized by Unipublic, and if we do well we hope for an invitation to the Vuelta. "

As for the team's Colombian recruits, Mesa said, "We knew there was doubt that the Italian team Cage Maglieria would continue, so we contacted  Buenahora and Cárdenas. I worked with Contreras in 1997 and 1998, and believe he is capable of a lot more than he has done."

Contreras, who turns 30 next month, won the 14th stage of the 2001 Giro d'Italia and two stages of the Vuelta a Colombia in previous years. He has ridden for Kelme and Selle Italia, coming from Selle Italia this year.

Buenahora, 35, has won six stages in the Vuelta a Columbia, including two stages and the final General Classification in 2001.

Cardenas, 30, won a stage in the 2000 Vuelta a Espana, the 12th stage of the 2001 Tour de France while riding for Kelme and this year, the 4th stage of the Giro del Trentino as well as stages in the Vuelta a Columbia while riding for Selle Italia. (contrareloj.com)

AdventureSports Radio adds programming

AdventureSports Radio press release, Folsom, CA--November 7, 2002:
AdventureSports Radio has updated its archive page to include the 2002 San Francisco Grand Prix, presented by BMC Software. This exciting race was covered live on the Internet from start to finish. In this encore performance we’ve condensed the race's most memorable moments into an action packed highlight reel. Listeners should use the Winamp or RealPlayer media players. Visit www.adventuresportsradio.com and point your browser to the archive page.

“The Competitors” radio program comes to AdventureSports Radio, beginning November 14th at 9am PST. (12pm EST)  The Competitors radio show, hosted by Bob Babbitt and Paul Huddle, focuses on the dynamic sports of running, triathlon, cycling and adventure racing. Some of the high profile guests who have been on The Competitors include Ironman champions Paula Newby- Fraser, Mark Allen and Dave Scott, four time Tour De France Champion Lance Armstrong, Running Hall of Famers Rod Dixon, Alberto Salazar and Eamonn Coghlan, plus mountain bike legends Ned Overend and John Tomac. The fast paced sixty minute show is one you don’t want to miss!

“I have always wanted to have a presence on the web with The Competitors radio show,” says Bob Babbitt, the creator and host of the show and the Publisher of Competitor, CitySports, CitySports Northwest and Florida Sports Magazines. “We have been on XTRA Sports 690, a 77,000 watt Sports Superstation, for over 12 years now in Southern California and our guests have included everyone from Lance Armstrong to Carl Lewis to Greg LeMond to Paula Newby-Fraser comedian Will Ferrell and mountain bike Hall of Famer Ned Overend. It’s not out of line to say we have showcased most of world’s greatest endurance sports athletes.

"But our show is on Sunday nights at 9 pm West Coast time, which is midnight back east. Because of Adventure Sports Radio, people will be able to listen in any time. We love that. And we hope the listeners to Adventure Sports Radio tune us in on a regular basis.”

“AdventureSports Radio is the sports/talk radio station for the rest of us.” Through the technology of the Internet events like The 2002 San Francisco Grand Prix and the Interbike Trade-show can be brought to listeners. "Wheels of Steel," our signature talk show can be heard every Monday at 10am PST. (12pm EST)

The Tour Baby! eBay Auction Watch

As we announced the other day, a Lance Armstrong-autographed copy of Scott Coady's The Tour Baby! fund-raising film went on auction at eBay 6 November for one week. As of publication today, the bid stands at $510.00 for the film, with bidding between two individuals. You can watch the auction progress by clicking here.

The Tour Baby! is a fan's view and insider documentary of the 2000 Tour de France. Coady is a Peloton Project member, a volunteer corps that raises money to support cancer survivorship via the Lance Armstrong Foundation. The auction will help Coady meet his $100,000 fundraising goal for this year.