Recently on Cyclingnews.com

Cyclocross news & racing round-up for January 20, 2006

Edited by Steve Medcroft

Welcome to our regular roundup of what's happening in cyclocross. Feel free to send feedback, news and gossip to mtb@cyclingnews.com

Katie Compton plans a UCI schedule next season

By Steve Medcroft

Katie Compton (Redline)
Photo ©: Keli Medcroft

U.S. national cyclocross champion Katie Compton's approach to 'cross is unique for the fact that in the past two years in a row, she's come out of Colorado for only one major 'cross race a year; and won a national championship jersey both times. As most people who've followed her story know, Compton avoids UCI competition to retain eligibility for Paralympics, where she acts as the pilot to a blind stoker in a track-tandem duo. Due to a recent clarification in Paralympics eligibility rules though, the elite Carmichael Training Systems coach says she'll be taking things differently next season.

"After not going to world's again and everyone questioning the whole UCI points thing, I talked to the head of U.S. Paralympics," Compton said. The issue of where athletes like Compton could compete and still be eligible for Paralympics was brought before the International Paralympics Committee. Compton says she wasn't the only athlete that needed clarification. "I know that they had an issue with an Australian (tandem) pilot. She was doing higher-level events and it raised the question openly of what we can actually do and still be eligible for Paralympics."

"The committee clarified the rule for me," Compton said. "I can actually race UCI races and I will be able to compete for UCI points next season. I just can't go to Worlds or race for my country in any international competition."

The answer opens up the entire cyclocross calendar to Compton. But will it change her racing schedule? "There's a UCI race in Boulder next year; I'll probably do that. Chances are I won't travel to any races though; I can still get better training staying at home and resting rather than fly everywhere. But," she adds, "you never know. Next season is a long way off."

Beyond 2006/2007, Compton says she remains focused on the 2008 Paralympics but after says, "as long as I'm healthy and still riding well, I want to switch to 'cross full time."

Stay tuned to Cyclingnews in the next few days for a complete interview with the 2004/2005 U.S. cyclocross national champion.

Trebon gives up U.S. cyclocross team spot

Kona rider Ryan Trebon has declined his place in the U.S. team for the Cyclocross World Championships in Zeddam, Netherlands, January 29. Citing personal reasons, Trebon made a sudden trip back to the U.S. this week and says he would not be able to return until Wednesday of next week; only two days before Saturday's Worlds. "At this point," he said by phone on Thursday, "that's not a lot of time to get ready. Besides, my heart and head wouldn't be in it so it's better that someone who's ready to go take my spot."

Trebon will be replaced by Jonathan Baker (Primus Mootry Cyclocross Team) who was tenth at the US Cyclocross Championships in December. Baker says he has been preparing diligently for this eventuality and is ready to show he is deserving of the chance to race with the world's best.

World Cup #9; Nys with a last lap victory

Sven Nys (Rabobank) has taken his 8th World Cup and 22nd cyclocross victory this season, beating Francis Mourey (Française des Jeux) in a close race in Lieven, France. Nys had to wait until the last lap before he could shake the Frenchman, who would have been quicker than him in a sprint.

"I shook off Mourey just before the finish," Nys said to Sporza Radio. "I knew that I would lose if it came down to a sprint...In the second last lap I had already put in an attack. Mourey had to let go immediately but I couldn't keep going because my chain jumped. He came back but I waited until the same place on the last lap to put my final attack in."

Nys described the race as the "nicest cross in the world. A unique atmosphere and everything in it." But although he keeps winning, the season is starting to take its toll. "Physically I'm very good, but the freshness is gone a bit. I urgently need to rest a couple of days and then train."

Second placed Francis Mourey did a lot better than he did the previous day in Roubaix, when he was lapped. "I only got home on Friday evening after a week long training camp with four hours a day on the road in Saint-Raphael," he told Cyclo-cross.info . "That's why I couldn't do anything in Roubaix. Here, even more, I also didn't expect. For me, there's only one race that counts: the World Championship. That's why my season started with the French Championship in Sedan and I am still really fresh. In fourteen days I hope together with [John] Gadret that we can do something against Sven Nys in Zeddam."

Another Frenchman, John Gadret (Ag2r), finished third today after suffering a flat tyre not being able to stay in contact with Nys and Mourey.

For the complete report and results from the Lievin, France World Cup, click here.

Lars Boom signs with Rabobank through 2008

Lars Boom will stay with the Rabobank Cycling Teams through the end of the 2008 season. General director Theo de Rooij of the Rabobank Cycling Teams has reached an agreement with the Dutch under 23 national champion in cyclocross.

Besides Sven Nys, Gerben de Knegt, Richard Groenendaal and Sven Vanthourenhout, Lars Boom is one of the aces of the Rabobank in cyclocross. In 2006, Boom will ride a full road program with the Rabobank Continental Team of Nico Verhoeven. At the end of 2006, Boom will once again focus on a compact cyclocross program.

At the end of the 2005 road season, Boom showed his impressive possibilities in road racing: in three weeks time, he won Sint-Truiden - Bousalle, the youth classification of the Hessen Rundfahrt, the individual time trial and the general classification in Triptyque des Barrages plus a stage in Tour de la Somme.

In cyclocross, Boom is a class of his own. He became national youth champion in 2001, followed by national titles with the juniors in 2002 and 2003 and the under 23 in 2004, 2005 and 2006. In 2003, he was the junior World Champion of Monopoli, Italy. One year later, he beat Belgian Niels Albert for the European title in Vossem, Belgium.

Boom is only 20 years old. Since 2002, he has recorded 44 victories, of which he recorded 33 in cyclocross. This season, he was stronger than the international elite in both 'Vlaamse Druivenveldrit' in Overijse, Belgium, and 'Grote Prijs Sven Nys' in Baal, Belgium.

Previous News    Next News

(All rights reserved/Copyright Knapp Communications Pty Limited 2006)