Latest Cycling News for April 5, 2004Edited by Jeff Jones & Anthony Tan Wesemann plays his cards right
As the quickest sprinter of the three riders left at the end of the Ronde van Vlaanderen, Steffen Wesemann was confident that things would work out in his favour. But there were some doubts. Leif Hoste, who had been in the break all day, had not done a turn for the last 15 km, and was in one sense "fresher" than Wesemann and Bruylandts. So when Bruylandts attacked with 1 km to go, Wesemann played a smart game of poker. "Leif Hoste didn't ride one metre at the front in the last 15 kilometres and still wanted to win," Wesemann was quoted in Het Nieuwsblad. "When Dave Bruylandts tried, it was something like, 'Hoste, it's up to you to bring him back.' I played it smart and immediately I found myself in a good position. On paper I was the fastest sprinter. Like my teammate Erik Zabel, who is also after 300 kilometres in Milan-San Remo." Wesemann also played his cards right during the rest of the race, watching the rivalry between favourites Johan Museeuw and Peter Van Petegem. "Johan Museeuw was strong on the Koppenberg and the Taaienberg," said Wesemann. "I looked at Van Petegem. Peter normally rides on the wheel of Johan, but he couldn't follow. If Johan was good, he would have attacked in Geraardsbergen. But the attack never came. The thought then came into my head, 'This is my chance'." The Swiss based German who has a love for fast cars is now looking forward to Paris-Roubaix, where he is a solid chance to do what Van Petegem did last year and win the double. Dekker annoyedErik Dekker (Rabobank) finished fifth in the Ronde van Vlaanderen after missing the move from Wesemann, Bruylandts and Hoste on the Muur van Geraardsbergen. The Dutchman finished up in the company of Leon van Bon (Lotto-Domo) and Andreas Klier (T-Mobile), both of whom had teammates in front, and was a little frustrated at how things unfolded. "My radio didn't work," he told Het Nieuwsblad. "The only form of communication wasn't there. I didn't know where I was positioned when I was with Leon Van Bon and Andreas Klier. I thought that we were completely in front, but that wasn't the case. What inspired Van Bon? If he rode fully with us, then we would have caught the leaders. Now Hoste was second and Van Bon fourth. This was a unique chance for Leon." Freire OK
World Cup leader Oscar Freire (Rabobank) did not break his nose as he feared after a crash in yesterday's Ronde van Vlaanderen. Freire received medical treatment on the road and managed to finish 23rd in Ninove, just enough to hold onto his World Cup leader's jersey. But that could well change in this Sunday's Paris-Roubaix, with Steffen Wesemann only three points behind him and definitely a podium chance in P-R. No Pais Vasco for BruylandtsDave Bruylandts (Chocolade Jacques) will skip the Vuelta a Pais Vasco, which starts today. Bruylandts had planned to ride it in preparation for the Ardennes classics, but team director Johan Capiot gave him permission to stay home to look after his girlfriend Femke, who was hit by a minibus last Friday whilst out training with Dave. Cyclingnews Ronde van Vlaanderen coverageFull results &
report Zabirova too good againA second World Cup win for Zoulfia Zabirova (Let's Go Finland) in the women's Ronde van Vlaanderen moved her up to second overall in the World Cup standings behind Oenone Wood (Australia). The Russian made the decisive move on the Muur van Geraardsbergen, holding off Trixi Worrack (Nürnberger), Leontien Van Moorsel and Mirjam Melchers (Farm Frites) by just four seconds in Ninove. The next main group finished 1'20 behind at the end of the 94 km race. "Pace yourself, they told me beforehand," Zabirova was quoted in Het Nieuwsblad. "How do you do that in this race? This is a World Cup race with a lot of unknowns. The mixture of cobbles and short, steep pinches, it takes some getting used to. There's also no end to the twisting and turning." Zabirova added that the women's Ronde was a positive step for the sport. "This is propaganda for women's cycling. The crowds seen in Oudenaarde and on the way. A pleasure." See also: Full results &
report Illes Balears for Gent-Wevelgem and Paris-RoubaixThe Illes Balears-Banesto team will start with eight men in Gent-Wevelgem this Wednesday, but only six in Sunday's Paris-Roubaix. Gent-Wevelgem: Daniel Becke, Toni Colom, Isaac Gálvez, Jose Vicente García Acosta, Pablo Lastras, José Antonio López Gil, Steffen Radochla, Vicente Reynés. Paris-Roubaix: Daniel Becke, Toni Colom, Isaac Gálvez, Jose Vicente García Acosta, José Antonio López, Steffen Radochla. Steels decides against OlympicsTom Steels (Landbouwkrediet-Colnago) has decided against participating in the Olympic Games in Athens this year. The Belgian was hoping to ride with Matthew Gilmore in the madison, but a crash in the Moscow round of the Track World Cup in February changed everything. Since then he has only been able to make a brief return to racing, and together with his team management and the Belgian cycling federation, has opted not to try for Athens. "I find it disappointing because I fully believed in my chances," said Steels. "The fall in Moscow sent everything down the drain. In normal circumstances we would easily make the spot. I'm now not yet in a state to make any plans. Thus I must be honest and give the chance to other riders who are in better condition. I'm now looking to the road season. Landbouwkrediet is behind me which is good, and allows me to build up again in peace." The president of the Belgian cycling federation, Laurent De Backer, said that, "We regret Tom's decision. It puts a damper on the sporting ambitions that we nourished at the beginning of this year. But on the other side, we also have respect for Steels' decision." Women's Prestige Cycling Series kicks offThe USA's Women's Prestige Cycling Series began with Redlands Bicycle Classic stage race, held between March 23-28. The participation was impressive, with a record turnout of 141 riders in the women's peloton. Although Geneviève Jeanson (Equipe Rona) took the early lead at Redlands, Lyne Bessette (Quark Cycling Team) took charge during the Ford Oak Glen Road Race and was able to defend that until the end. Bessette now holds the lead in the WPCS series, followed by Jeanson, Christine Thorburn, Sue Palmer-Komar and Kristin Armstrong. In the Best Young Rider (U26) competition, Jeanson claimed the lead ahead of Katherine Sherwin (Team Kenda Tire) and Stefanie Graeter (Webcor Builders Cycling Team). The Sprints Competition is led by Laura Van Gilder (Genesis Scuba / FCCC) from Gina Grain (Victory Brewing Cycling Team) and Amy Moore (Quark Cycling Team), while Equipe Rona leads the team standings from Quark and T-Mobile. The WPCS continues at the Nature Valley Grand Prix (June 9-13), followed by the Tour de Toona/International (July 26-August 5) and the Bermuda Grand Prix (September 23-26). Welsh Cycling seeks coachesThe Welsh Cycling Union is looking to appoint two people to satisfy the position of National Coach and Director, Performance, Racing & Coaching. The position of National Coach will require the person to:
The position of Director, Performance, Racing & Coaching, encompasses the duties of National Coach mentioned above, as well as:
For more information, go to: www.welshcyclingunion.com World's largest naked (cycling) eventAnd now for something completely different (and very strange): On June 12, 2004, cyclists in Vancouver, London, San Francisco, Chicago, Apeldoorn, Montreal, among a number of other cities, will be riding naked to protest against oil dependency and, according to organisers, "celebrate the power and individuality of our bodies." In what is being hailed as "the world's largest naked event since the dawn of the textile industry", the organisation's message is one of simplification, human harmony and love. "For a future to exist for tomorrows generations, we have to stop wasting the life blood energy of the Earth, stop fighting and killing in the name of consumerist wealth accumulation and learn to love and respect all life on this planet." For more information, go to: www.worldnakedbikeride.org. And peace, man.
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