Vuelta de las Americas

The Mexican Cycling Federation and its president Guillermo Gutiérrez have apparently placed restrictions on Mexican teams wishing to participate in the Vuelta de las Americas, set to take place from 22 February through 16 March 2003. The race is 21 stages, covering 3400 km.

Mexican teams will not be allowed any sponsor advertising on their clothing or equipment, no foreign riders will be allowed to ride on a Mexican team, and the Federation also wants a national selection process - this last is with a view toward preparing for the Pan-American Games. These requirements are seen as making it difficult to impossible for Mexican teams to compete against international teams with strong, multi-national riders.

The race is slated for eleven flat or mostly flat stages, six semi-mountain stages and four mountain stages, all of which fall near the end of the contest. There is one transfer day and one rest day.

Tour de Georgia

In order to comply with UCI regulations, the Tour de Georgia has changed the end of stage four rom Athens to Gainesville.

“While we are very disappointed that we have to change the route at this relatively late date, we are excited that we will have a host city with the caliber of Gainesville to ensure the quality of the race,” said Stan Holm, executive director. “Creating a world-class event is very challenging. UCI certification is key to the long-term success of Tour de Georgia. When we began the planning process for the 2003 Tour de Georgia, we selected Athens for the Saturday stage finish because of the community’s commitment to cycling, its beauty and the natural tie-in with the Twilight Criterium cycling race. However, in developing the detailed routing between cities the combination on stage length requirements, total cumulative mileage requirements and having a mountain course that would challenge the world’s greatest cyclists, left us no choice but to make this change.

“This year, Tour de Georgia will continue to work with organizers of the Twilight on sponsorship and cross promotional opportunities to help ensure the continued success of this great event,” Holm continued. “And, of course, Tour de Georgia will change its race route each year and we will look forward to working with Athens as a host venue in the future.”

Tour de Georgia will begin on Tuesday, April 22 with a prologue in Savannah, in which racers will compete individually against the clock in a time trial. Stage one will start on Wednesday in Augusta and finish in Macon. Stage two will see racers leave Macon on Thursday and race to Columbus. Pine Mountain (Callaway) will furnish the start for Stage three on Friday, which finishes in Rome. The north Georgia mountains play host to the cyclists on Stage four from Dalton to Gainesville on Saturday. The final stage on Sunday, April 27, will be a circuit race around the city streets of Atlanta. (Tour de Georgia)

Sanroma Memorial tomorrow

Tomorrow in Ossa de Montiel, Spain, is the 3rd Sanroma Memorial contest, held in memory of Fuenlabrada rider Manuel Sanroma, who died after a fall in the 1999 Volta a Catalunya. Sanroma was seen as one of Spain's rising stars - in his first pro season, at the age of 22, he beat Mario Cipollini at the Vuelta a la Comunidad Valenciana, one of seven victories he garnered.

Tomorrow's contest will consist of two parts, a points competition and an elimination. Expected to take part in the event are Óscar Sevilla (a close friend of Sanroma's), Paco Cerezo, Óscar Laguna, Juan Antonio Pecharromán, Rafael Díaz Justo, Pablo Lastras, Ángel Vicioso and Quique Gutiérrez. (Contra Reloj)

Gilmore laps field in Ulverstone Crit

Tasmanian Matthew Gilmore was untouchable in the Ulverstone Criterium, a 30 minute plus two lap contest, during which a early break of four, including Gilmore, were lapping some riders two thirds into the race. Then with five minutes to go, Gilmore dropped his fellow escapees and lapped the entire field.

Gilmore is Belgian born and rode for Mapei last season. He will be competing against McEwen, O'Grady, Cooke and McGee in the December 27th Launceston Classic (see related story here). (The Examiner)

Francaise de Jeux.com for 2003

The 2003 team presentation of FdJ.com was today in Paris - we hope to be bringing you exclusive information and photos of the presentation in cooperation with Cyclingpictures.de. In the meantime, here is the lineup:

Baden Cooke, Bradley McGee, Bradley Wiggins, Matthew Wilson (Australia)
Bernard Eisel (Austria)
Philippe Gilbert (Belgium)
Sandy Casar, Jimmy Casper, Carlos de Cruz, David Derepas, Jacky Durand, Nicolas Fritsch, Frederic Guesdon, Regis Lhuillier, Christophe Mengin, Mickael Pichon, Jean Cyrill Robin, Jeremy Roy, Fabien Sanchez, Benoit Vaugrenard and Nicolas Vogondy (France). (Velo Club du Net)

Team, Rider, Transfer Tidbits

Australian and former Schroeder Iron rider Hilton Clarke will be riding for the South Africa Division III Barloworld next season. The team so far looks like this:
Riders:
Ryan Cox (Rsa - former Team Cologne), 
Hilton Clarke (Aus - former Schroeder Iron), 
Tiaan Kannemeyer (Rsa),
Sean Sullivan (Aus)
Eric Berthou (Fra)
Sylvain Calzati (Fra)
Jaco de Witt (Rsa)
Jacques Fullard (Rsa)
Jacque Le Roux (Rsa)
Jaco Odendaal (Rsa)
Manager: John Robertson; Sport Directors Michel Gros and Graeme McCallum. (Cycling4All)

Division III Team Crescent is now Team Bianchi Scandinavia. (Cycling4All)

The Domo Farm-Frites website is now gone, but the new Lotto Domo website is under construction. You can be notified when the site goes online by signing up here.

Johan Museeuw (Quickstep-Davitamon) has gone back to one of his old passions: cyclo-cross. On 26th January he will start in the French cross in Lanarvilly. He once debuted there as a junior on the world championships. "Maybe I will do some other cross' and the Belgian championship. But I'm not going to make a fool out of myself", says Museeuw in Het Nieuwsblad.

Circuit-Zolder, the organisation that was hosting the World Championships of Road Racing last October, will organise a new cross race in August: the GP Eric De Vlaeminck. With this race no UCI points will be earned, but the organisation wants to find out if cross has any chance of success in summer.

Frank Vandebroucke is in Saint-Raphael in France with Frederic Amorison. The two of Quick Step - Davitamon will train there until Friday or until Monday 23rd December. They will join Tom Boonen, Kurt van de Wouwer and Wilfried Cretskens. (Gazet van Antwerpen)

Dave Bruylandts will decide if he joins Marlux or Palmans after his training camp in Spain.

Baguet, Hoste and Steegmans will probably know very soon if Lotto-Domo-Euphony becomes their new team. Lotto-Domo is currently negociating with the telephone operator, who would invest 1.2 million EUR into the team according to the Belgian newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws.

Joseba Albizu, who had earlier been expected to remain with Cafe Baque as it moved up the division ranks for next season, now will ride in the new Italian team Scanavino La Verve with Fabio Testi and Eddy Serri. Albizu topped the GC at the Vuelta a Tenerife in September, was second on GC in the Baby Giro and was fourth at Navarre. A few days ago we reported that Ivan Gotti might also be a possibility for this team. See related item on Gotti. (Velo Club du Net)

Lehigh Valley Velodrome Events on National Race Calendar

Press Release: The Lehigh Valley Velodrome and USA Cycling announced the 2003 National Race Calendar (NRC). Entering its seventh year, the NRC is comprised of the top road cycling events from all over the country and lends itself to a national ranking system. Over 20 new events have been added to the 2003 calendar, including 4 track events at the Lehigh Valley Velodrome.

In addition to traditional offering of road races, criteriums, and time trials, the NRC will feature endurance track racing for the first time in 2003. Scratch races at the top domestic track events including the USCF Elite Track National Championships, the All-American Cycling Showdown, and the Madison Cup at the Lehigh Valley Velodrome will earn riders NRC points.

“Many of our domestic trade teams contain riders with accomplished track racing resumes, so we’ve chosen to include endurance track events in the NRC allowing teams to send riders to the track to earn points for their squads,” commented Matt Murphy, USA Cycling’s National Events Manager & Director.

Four NRC track events will feature track cyclists such as Sarah Uhl, Jame Carney, and Marty Nothstein who began their cycling careers in track and were later signed by major road teams. The 2003 events will be as follows:
June 6 -  U.S. Women’s Open
June 27  - All American Cycling Showdown
July 11  - Madison Cup
August 26-30  - USCF Elite Track National Cycling Championships

“By being on the NRC we have elevated the status of track racing and the Lehigh Valley Velodrome in the world of National and International Cycling,” commented Pat McDonough, director of the Lehigh Valley Velodrome. “It will also be great to have our top track alumni return to delight the fans in T-Town.” (Trexler, Pennsylvania)

The 28th Velodrome season will kick off on May 30 and finish up with the 2003 USCF Elite Track National Championships, August 26-30. The entire season schedule will be announced early next year. Stay tuned to www.lvvelo.org for more information on International, Regional, Masters and Amateur race schedules. For the complete NRC schedule go to www.usacycling.org.

About the Lehigh Valley Velodrome
The Lehigh Valley Velodrome, the East Coast's only professional track cycling venue, is located in Trexlertown, PA at the intersection of Routes 222 and 100, less than one hour from most Philadelphia suburbs. Experience international racing every Friday night from May 30, 2003 through August 29, 2003. Gates open at 6:00pm race action starts at 7:00pm. Also coming in 2003 – USCF Track National Cycling Championships, August 26-30. For more information on racing, volunteering, VIP entertaining or corporate sponsorship, visit our website at www.lvvelo.org or call 610.967.7587.