First Edition Cycling News for December 25, 2005

Edited by Hedwig Kröner

2005 - the end of an era, but not in every way

'And so this is Christmas' sung the bloke from Liverpool, and it's that time when we get a chance to reflect on the year and where we're heading. OK, maybe the latter part can wait until the pudding has well and truly settled.

Above all, the Cyclingnews.com staff wish our readers a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year (that's assuming you recognize the holiday season, but you get our drift). Thanks for visiting and reading - and making suggestions - over what has been another year of highs and lows.

At the time of year we also announce the results of our global Reader Poll, and the entries this year are huge, so there may be some surprises in store.

This year was significant for the retirement of seven-time Tour de France winner, Lance Armstrong. He will be remembered as one of the riders who defined the sport, transcending the normal boundaries set by the exceptional athletes who also win Grand Tours, or Spring Classics, or Gold Medals.

His absence will leave the Tour de France wide open in 2006, and could make it very interesting. I am tempted to say 'for a change', because when Lance caught Jan Ullrich in the *first stage* of this year's Tour, I was probably not alone in thinking 'game over'.

But why will people outside the sport remember Lance? Will it be for his achievements on the bike, or off the bike? Surely, the recovery from cancer is the factor that makes him break through to the mainstream media. But he wasn't long retired before the knives came out. That is not to say the claims are not without foundation; they just haven't really proven anything - yet. And on that topic, let's just hope that Roberto Heras really is innocent, because the prospect of a rider being stripped of a victory in a Grand Tour is really very bleak, and perhaps indicative that maybe we haven't moved on that far from 1998.

It's interesting that the riders - other than Armstrong - who stood out in 2004, like Damiano Cunego, didn't back it up this year. Then again, Tom Boonen and Oenone Wood showed they weren't flashes in their respective pans, either.

This year was also significant for the realization of what I consider to be every cyclist's worst nightmare; you're out riding with your friends or team-mates, enjoying what you love to do, enjoying each other's company and then …

The Cyclingnews team was devastated when news began to filter through on July 18 from Germany. The loss of Amy Gillett and the injuries to her team-mates was such a tragedy that it affected not only cyclists, but everyone. Over the past five months, we have witnessed the determined recovery of these five remarkable young women, and to think that two of them will be lining up to race in Melbourne is cycling's Christmas miracle.

Results time

As it's the muddy season for many, we've kicked off the Reader's Poll results of the best male and female cyclo-cross riders in 2005, with many categories to follow until we announce the rider of the year on New Year's Day.

At Cyclingnews, we've enjoyed another season of excellent growth and exciting race coverage. We extend our thanks to you for your support and thanks to our advertisers for their support, without which the site could not continue to grow as it has.

A big thank you as well to our diarists and the numerous contributors from around the world who help extend the reach of our staff, already spread across three continents.

Cyclingnews was also proud to support three development teams racing on three continents this year - a big congratulations to the riders and staff on the Tasmanian Institute of Sport (TIS/Cyclingnews) team in Australia, to Jonathan Vaughters' TIAA-CREF squad in the USA, and of course, Team Cyclingnews.com, based in Belgium and taking on the big guns in Europe.

Over the next week, we will bring you the results of the poll so many of you entered, and I'm sure you're keen to know the results.

Safe riding, and best wishes for a healthy and happy 2006.

Gerard Knapp, Publisher

Chavanel looking to prove himself in 2006

By Hedwig Kröner

Sylvain Chavanel winning the 2005 Circuit de la Sarthe
Photo ©: JF Quenet

French rider Sylvain Chavanel, who will be racing his second year with Cofidis next season, knows what is expected of him in 2006. At the team’s mid-December training camp in South of France town Baillargues, directeur sportif Francis Van Londersele told Cyclingnews' Hedwig Kröner that Chavanel was one of the riders he was counting on to bring results next year, as the squad has been rejuvenated in an effort to develop younger talents on long term. The 26 year-old is also one of the hopes of a cycling nation longing for great victories, whose last public heroes were Laurent Jalabert and Richard Virenque - not to speak of Bernard Hinault, the last Frenchman to have won the Tour de France some 20 years ago.

So was he feeling any pressure? "There’s always pressure coming from the team management, of course, but as long as I do my job the best that I can, it’s not negative," Chavanel responded calmly. "Of course, I’m entering a time of my life where I’m expected to bring some results, and I know that."

Looking back on 2005, the Frenchman was happy to list his victories and top places, as there were quite a few. "For me, it was a pretty good season," he continued. "I always achieved high placings, especially in the races that I had targeted at the end of the season. The changing of teams was smooth [Chavanel had spent five years at Brioches La Boulangère - ed.], and as I was in good form they took me to the Tour de France, too."

Chavanel describes himself as a "rouleur-puncheur" - strong in a long effort but able to accelerate at the right times. "I get along in the mountains, too, but not the real high ones - that’s something I’m still working on." Although he won't be targeting any true climbing events of course, and "pretty much" repeating his 2005 programme next year, Chavanel is looking forward to making his debut at some Northern spring classics in a few months.

"I will again participate in a lot of stage races, but we’ve decided for me to also target the Classics, as I want to find out what I can achieve there," he continued. "Except for the Tour de France and races like Paris-Nice, I will ride one day races like the Tour of Flanders, which I have never done. It’s a race that I don’t know at all, so I will discover everything about it. Of course I hope to be able to pull something off! The Belgians in the team [Rik Verbrugghe and Thierry Marichal - ed.] know it well, so I hope that they will guide me."

Not wanting to further raise any expectancies, Chavanel did not reveal what he hoped to achieve at these races. "Right now, all we have established is a racing programme, but I can’t really talk about my ambitions or goals yet," he explained. "We’ll have to see once we’re there. The level of performance is so high that I can’t put forward my objectives now - I’ll have to make the best of my form at the right time. If I say 'I want to win this race' now and then I miss it...

"I do have personal goals, but I don’t like to talk about them. Especially not to journalists...," he added with a smile. But did he have any particular races he aimed at? "Yes, there are certain races where I need to prove myself, because I missed them this year. Take Paris-Nice: I was in good form arriving there, but then suffered a gastroenteritis. I want to make up for that."

Taking up the challenge of finding out what Chavanel’s ultimate goals were, I asked him about his dreams. "Dreams are something that we can’t really imagine; something inaccessible," he responded, weighing his words. "Any great race would do, I think, if the dream becomes accessible. Winning a stage at the Tour? Next year, it will be my sixth Tour, and I haven’t won yet."

Chavanel knew that a lifetime's goals can only be achieved by constant renewal. "Cycling is about progress, over and over again. To question oneself, to prove oneself and not rely on past achievements," he added.

Speaking of French cycling’s lack of great results in recent years, the winner of the Circuit de la Sarthe realised that it wasn’t easy to live up to the public’s expectations. "Everybody is looking for a new Jalabert or a new Virenque, but the problem is that you can’t compare apples and oranges. Everybody is different and has different careers; there’s not one resembling the other," he concluded.

AIS training camp, Part II: An interview with Amanda Spratt

Getting ready for the next step

After much success as a junior, it's now time for Amanda Spratt to move into senior ranks, a move that is not always easy. But this quietly-spoken teenager from the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, is ready for the challenge. Kristy Scrymgeour caught up with her after witnessing her go through the "torture test" in the lab at the AIS camp.

Already accomplished.
Photo ©: John Veage

Despite having just been through a lung-busting test on the indoor bike in the physiology lab at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) in Canberra, Spratt was still all smiles. "It's good to be here to familiarise myself with the people here and the coaches," she told us. "It's a good experience and really my first taste of what it's like to be a senior. I'm a little bit nervous. There are a lot of riders here who I've looked up to for a long time, but mostly I'm excited."

Spratt was one of 25 Australian women cyclists invited to Canberra in early December for testing and get-together, organized by national women's coach, Warren McDonald.

Many coaches have spotted Spratt as a rider of the future, but in her eyes, this camp and the upcoming races are still a chance for her to prove to herself that she's ready to move up into the senior ranks. "Hopefully I'll get the opportunity to go overseas and get some racing experience," she said. "I won't be going for a full year. Just for short stints to get experience and see what it's like. It depends on how I go at camp and in the racing in January."

Racing for the women is full-on in the New Year, starting with the Jayco Bay Classic in early January, the Australian Open Road Championships, the Adelaide Advertiser women's crits, and for Amanda, "hopefully track National's", then the Geelong Tour at the end of February, and the World Cup rounds in Geelong and then New Zealand. "I'm looking forward to it," she said of the packed program.

Click here for the full interview

European programme for Giant Asia

By Shane Stokes

The Taiwan-based Giant Asia team look set to spend part of the 2006 season racing in Europe following the news that a Northern Ireland firm are to become involved in the sponsorship of the Continental team. Jamijo Overseas Property Agents have signed a deal to provide backing to the Asian squad, marking the first significant investment by a Northern Ireland firm in international cycling.

The company is owned by investment advisor Philip Orr, who became interested in working with the team due to the Irish element in its lineup. A total of three such riders will be with the team next season. David McCann and Paul Griffin are both returning, extending their contracts for one and two years respectively, while Stephen Gallagher is moving to the team after competing with the Flanders squad in 2005. Like McCann, who is currently leading the 2006 Asian Continental Tour classification, Gallagher is part of the Northern Ireland Commonwealth Games team for Melbourne.

British rider Daniel Lloyd will also join the Giant Asia squad. "I think this is a very positive development for the sport here," said Gallagher at the sponsorship launch on Thursday. "Jamijo's backing is the first major Irish investment in international cycling and hopefully it will encourage other companies to also get involved. It is a big boost for Irish riders, and so is very welcome."

"I have always believed in supporting local sport," Philip Orr explained at the press launch. "When I realised that there are a number of Irish cyclists competing on the professional circuit, I felt that it was a cause worth backing."

The Giant Asia team will be targeting races such as the Tour of Siam, the Tour of Langkawi, the Tour of Thailand and the Tour of Taiwan early in 2006. The new sponsorship deal means that the team is also expected to compete in some European events a little later in the season.

Jamijo is also considering establishing a cycling base in Carcassonne in France, which would cater for professional teams, national squads and other riders. It is thought that the base would be established by 2007.

Ljungskog confirmed for NZ Women's World Cup

Organisers of the New Zealand leg of the Women's Cycling World Cup have received a welcome Christmas present, with the first big name confirmed for next year's race in Wellington on March 5. Swedish rider Susanne Ljungskog is returning for both the World Cup race, and the preceding Trust House Women's Tour of New Zealand - a three-day tour around the Wellington region from March 1-3.

Race director Jorge Sandoval is happy to have confirmation of Ljungskog's entry, as the 29 year-old is a former world champion and currently placed second on the UCI rankings. "She really enjoyed her time here this year, and I'm sure that's why she's coming back," Sandoval said. "Her Dutch team is not coming because of budget constraints, but she still has her reasons to come as an individual. It may be she wants the training, or maybe she thinks she can win this race. She will certainly be a good chance."

When Ljungskog raced in the inaugural Wellington World Cup event this year she finished seventh. But she went on to finished second in the overall World Cup standings, and placed seventh at the world championships in Madrid. The Wellington race is the second of eight legs in the UCI's World Cup series, with the first leg held a week earlier in Geelong, Australia.

Sandoval said there is likely to be a strong international flavour to next year's event, with riders from as many as 24 countries expected to enter. He hopes to be able to confirm more big names in early January.

SRAM unveils U.S. road program with Kodakgallery.com/Sierra Nevada

On the heels of its recent commitment to support grass roots road events in North America, SRAM will debut its new professional level racing technology both on the 2006 European and North American continental race calendars. Two exclusive teams will represent SRAM in this launch, and while the European team will be revealed in early 2006, the U.S. team supported by SRAM will be the Kodakgallery.com/Sierra Nevada team, based in Northern California, USA.

The 12-member squad will be SRAM’s sole U.S.-based road team with a multi-year agreement that begins in 2006. The team’s focus will be on all major events of the pro calendar including the Amgen Tour of California, Sea Otter Classic, Tour de Georgia, Philadelphia International Championships, and the US National Championship events.

SRAM’s recently revealed DoubleTap shift technology will lead the list of the SRAM group components mounted onto Kodakgallery.com/Sierra Nevada’s custom race bikes. "I think the form, function, and quality of this componentry is going to shake up the industry in setting the new benchmark in road technology as well give us more opportunities to win," said 1990 USPRO Champion, former SRAM test pilot, and Kodakgallery.com/Sierra Nevada Operations Manager Kurt Stockton.

SRAM’s On the Road Manager, Alex Wassmann added, "We wanted to align with the high level of enthusiasm and passion this program demonstrates, plus we’ve had a really productive history with Kurt. These guys are a great mix of dyed in the wool pros with an intense desire to win. We’ll count on them for critical feedback as well as setting the tone for SRAM’s ambitions on the road."

Of special note, Kodakgallery.com/Sierra Nevada athletes will join a host of international SRAM sponsored athletes in promoting World Bicycle Relief (WBR). In addition to spokesman duties, riders will don the WBR logo on their team jersey. WBR is raising $1.5 million dollars that will go towards supplying 25,000 bikes to victims of the Tsunami that struck the coast of Sri Lanka on Dec. 26, 2004.

To find out more on the World Bicycle Relief, go to www.worldbicyclerelief.org.

Selle San Marco partners with women's teams

Selle San Marco has announced partnerships with three of the premier elite women’s cycling teams in America: Velo Bella-Kona, Colavita-Cooking Light and Team Comedy Central, which will be given Aspide Glamour Collection saddles for next season.

The Glamour collection features three models - the Aspide, Aspide Glamour Gel, and Aspide Arrowhead designs. Each saddle features a non-slip seamless top, a wider platform for the sit bones, and anatomic cut-outs in the saddle frame for ultimate comfort and performance.

"Selle San Marco approached us to get feedback about what would make the ultimate performance saddle for female racers and enthusiasts," said Jed Peters, Business and Sponsorship Coordinator for Velo Bella-Kona. "Their willingness to take our team’s feedback and create what women cyclists need is exactly what we are looking for in our partners."

"These Glamour saddles are really making a difference in performance for women cyclists," says Tom Petrie, of Velimpex, US agent for Selle San Marco. "The feedback we’ve received so far has been amazing, and we look forward to more female cycling enthusiasts feeling the benefits that these saddles will bring to their bike riding experience."

Frazz a fan of Health Net Presented by Maxxis

Was that a Health Net Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis wind vest comic strip character Frazz was wearing in the December 11 strip? Indeed it was. And it’s not the first time Frazz has donned Team Health Net apparel. The December 8 edition shows Frazz wearing a team T-shirt.

It turns out that the creator of the syndicated strip, Lansing, Michigan-based Jef Mallett, not only is a cyclist, but also a big fan of the Health Net Presented by Maxxis squad.

"The original version (of the strip) had Scott Moninger’s name right there underneath Lance Armstrong’s," Mallett said. "But my editors at United Feature Syndicate thought it might be wiser to name a cyclist and a triathlete instead of two cyclists. It was probably smart - I've got a lot of triathlete fans - but I still wanted to slip Scott in there. On top of his racing success and class, a friend of mine who knows him says very nice things. Then again, I'll probably come up with another chance. It's my strip, right?"

The strip’s namesake is also a cycling enthusiast, a direct reflection of the cartoonist’s own interests. "I’m an avid cyclist. I don’t race bikes anymore - too afraid of a hand-breaking crash, since I have no substitute now," Mallett continued. "Also, you have to race too often if you want to do it right, and I can’t let that get in the way of bike time with my wife. So triathlon works perfectly. But as a spectator, I follow bike racing more, and Health Net is the class of the pack."

Frazz appears in 125 newspapers worldwide, including the Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, Seattle Times, Chicago Tribune, Rocky Mountain News, and Detroit Free Press. Frazz won the Wilbur Award from the Religion Communicators Council for excellence in communicating values and ethics in 2003 and 2005. Also, the recently published first compilation of Frazz cartoons, called Frazz: Live from Bryson Elementary, is now available.

To view the December 11 strip, click here: www.comics.com/comics/frazz/archive/frazz-20051211.html

Previous News    Next News

(All rights reserved/Copyright Knapp Communications Pty Limited 2005)