First Edition Cycling News for May 25, 2005

Edited by John Stevenson

Giro rest day wrap-up: Life in the mountains

By Les Clarke

Cliché warning: Baby-faced assassin ahead!
Photo ©: Sirotti

After the drama of the opening nine stages, this year's Giro contenders have hit their stride as the mountains arrived. As expected, most of the sprinters have called time and said arrivederci to fair Italia, although a few bunch gallops have proven fruitful for Ale-Jet. Davitamon-Lotto's wily super-sprinter Robbie McEwen put his hand up for stage win #3, and CSC's great GC hope, Ivan Basso, almost put his hand up for the broom wagon.

Danilo Di Luca continues to be a threat on GC, trailing leader Paolo Savoldelli by a meagre 25 seconds, and Lampre-Caffita men Simoni and Cunego aren't far behind either. But it's Discovery's 'secret' weapon, Paolo Savoldelli, who has been living up to his nickname 'il Falco' and flying up the testing mountain passes in the Dolomiti. For fans of Ivan Basso, it's been a tragedy: after his surge through GC during the time trial and the opening mountain stages, Basso fell ill and struggled on Stage 13, a tough slog over six GPMs.

Many people assumed Di Luca would struggle with the upward tilt in the road, but how wrong that's proven to be. Although not at the pointy end of the field during the first mountain stage, he's been able to stick like the proverbial adhesive to the overall leaders - with great support by fellow Liquigas man Dario Cioni, who is currently ninth on GC, meaning that Liquigas are the only team with two riders in the top 10.

No more dummy spits, confrontations or finish-straight crashes, but plenty of mountains and subsequent exit stage left scenarios for the sprinters; not before they had a chance to hit out on a couple of finishes, particularly stages 10, 12 and 15. It's the climbers, however, that have controlled proceedings at the vital times - up the climbs, where the race can be won or lost.

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The Giro's dark yellow horse

By Martin Hardie

Juan Manuel Garate (Saunier Duval)
Photo ©: Sirotti

While most watchers have their eyes fixed firmly on Savoldelli, Di Luca and Simoni as the favourites to fight out the final five days of the Giro, not many have cast there eyes one place further back and given a thought to the chances of Saunier Duval's Juan Manuel "Juanma" Garate. Garate just missed the podium back in 2002, when he finished fourth behind Savoldelli, Tyler Hamilton and Caucchioli. Since then hasn't really impressed as much as one would have hoped. This year however, having joined Matxin's magic yellow bus, he seems to have found a new lease of life.

Saunier's likeable and gregarious director, Joxean Matxin is not fussed by the lack of attention being given to Garate. Basque cycling's journalistic doyen Unai Larrea, noted in his round up on Tuesday's rest day that in the big guns of the daily printed cycling press, La Gazzetta dello Sport and L'Equipe, Garate didn't even rate a mention. But back home in the Basque Country, just as in 2002, Garate's efforts are firmly in the spotlight.

Asked if the lack of attention troubled him, Matxin was quick to respond. "Troubles me?, Not at all, it's better this way. There is less pressure on Juanma." Matxin has been confident since he signed Garate that the Guipuzkuano would do well in the Giro. He reminded Larrea that he had told him so earlier in the year. "I told you I had enormous confidence in what he could do in this Giro and I sincerely believe that we will see him on the podium in Milan." Matxin believes that Savoldelli is showing signs of weakness and could crack at any moment. Di Luca he says is "incredible" but he has "been at his peak for two months and this week he could crack."

With two mountain stages and a time trial to come, Matxin says, "when he is in form and confident there are not five riders in all the peloton who are better than Juanma and at the moment he is confident ... he is focused ... his preparation was focused on this last week." Matxin, who is no stranger to the Italian scene having cut his teeth as a junior director for Mapei, believes that Garate and Simoni need to come to an alliance in the coming stages to unseat Savoldelli and Di Luca in the two mountain top finishes. "Then they can play it out between themselves in the time trial. The truth is I think he can win this Giro. I see him going very well and when he is good he is dangerous."

Lampre riders take to the track

Riders from the Lampre-Caffita team spent the second rest day of the Giro d'Italia riding on the track. But we're not talking wooden boards and bankings here. Rather, in order to get away from the traffic, Gilberto Simoni and his team-mates had a couple of hours of light training on the motor racing track at Monza.

"It was important today to pedal without the stress of the traffic. This moment in Monza have given us good moment useful to relax" said Giuseppe Martinelli, Technical Director of Lampre-Caffita team.

Simoni then spent the afternoon relaxing and with his batteries suitably recharged, plans to contest the Giro lead over the race's five remaining days. " I'm conscious the next days will be difficult but I don't want to surrender," he said. "From Thursday I will attack again. As rivals I see Di Luca and Savoldelli, both strong and determined, but I don't underestimate Garate and Caucchioli. Damiano Cunego will be an important team-mate to take time on the mountains."

Cunego seems to be now committed to a role as Simoni's helper, despite the original expectation that he would be a contender for victory this year. "I hope to do well in the next days," he said. "My targets now are to help Simoni to win this Giro and to try to win a stage."

Cunego was philosophical about his disastrous ride on stage 11, where he lost six minutes to the leaders and all chance of winning this Giro. "The bad experience of Zoldo Alto will certainly be useful for my career," he said.

Giro riders protest finish dangers and prize money

Rider representatives from the UCI ProTeams met in Cinisello Balsamo, Italy yesterday during the Giro rest day, along with CPA (Association of Professional Cyclists) president Francesco Moser, ACCPI (Italian Association of professional Cyclists) president Amedeo Colombo, ACP (Spanish Association of Professional Cyclists) president José Rodriguez and UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) president Hein Verbruggen.

According to a CPA statement, riders expressed their concerns about safety issues in this year's race, denouncing the dangerous nature of some stage finishes and the lack of lighting in tunnels. As the CPA diplomatically puts it, the riders' group, "invites the [Giro] organizer to do things in such a way that such situations never again happen in the future."

Riders also discussed the unresolved issue of prize money, which was a source of contention before the start of the Giro. Riders rejected the Giro organiser's explanation for reduced prize money in 2005 - the general economic situation. The CPA stated that it, "also considers ... unacceptable the fact that, a few days before the finish of the race, the situation has not been cleared up yet. The organization will be asked to send a written and definitive answer about that particular point next Thursday (26/05) evening at the latest." If no resolution of the prize money issue has occurred by then, "riders don't exclude the possibility of holding a demonstration to assert their rights."

Riders also requested that the UCI's pre-race medical examinations be moved to the evening before the prologue to reduce the time riders have to spend at they event venue before it actually gets started.

Freire okay to return to training

World Champion Oscar Freire (Rabobank) has been cleared by his team's medical staff to start training again. During a full examination by team doctor Jan-Paul van Mantgem Freire's recent injuries were found to be adequately recovered. Van Mantgem found "a superficial, small subcutaneous build up of fluid, but there is no sign of inflammation," according to a team statement.

Freire spent the Spring Classics suffering from an injury to his saddle area, but nevertheless won Brabantse Pijl. He will now start preparing for the Tour of Switzerland, which starts June 11.

Champions return to Wachovia series

Organisers of the Wachovia Cycling Series (may 31-June 5) have announced the largest roster of riders in the event's history for the three-race series which culminates in the Wachovia USPRO Championships in Philadelphia, June 5. Twenty-three teams with 200 riders will take part in this year's series.

Among the top riders signed up for Wachovia are Paris-Nice winner and 2004 Olympic medalist Bobby Julich (CSC); reigning and three-time U.S. national professional champion Freddie Rodriguez (Davitamon Lotto); 2004 Wachovia USPRO winner Francisco Ventoso (Saunier Duval Prodir); 2004 Wachovia Cycling Series Lancaster winner Max van Heeswijk (Discovery Channel); 2003 Tour de Georgia winner Chris Horner (Prodir Saunier Duval); 2004 Olympic team pursuit silver medalists and 2005 team pursuit world champions Rob Hayles and Chris Newton (MG-XPower Litespeed); current world U-23 road race champion Guiliano Figueras (Lampre); former U-23 World Time Trial Champion Danny Pate (Jelly Belly-Pool Gel); and up and coming star Tyler Farrar (Health Net/Maxxis).

With the powerful CSC team behind him, Bobby Julich is a strong favourite for the USPRO Championships. "Bobby wants to win the stars and stripes shirt to wear to this year's Tour de France! And we have a team to help him do that," said CSC team director Scott Sunderland.

The 2005 Wachovia Cycling Series will host 16 American and seven international professional teams: Discovery Channel (USA), Davitamon-Lotto (Belgium), Team CSC (Denmark), Lampre-Caffita (Italy), Liquigas-Bianchi (Italy), and Saunier Duval-Prodir (Spain); Advantage Benefits-Endeavour (USA), Colavita Olive Oil-Sutter Home (USA), Health Net pb Maxxis (USA) Jelly Belly-Pool Gel (USA), Jittery Joe's-Kalahari (USA), Kodak Easy Share Sierra Nevada (USA), McGuire-Langdale (USA), MG-XPower/Litespeed (Great Britain), Monex (USA), Navigators Insurance (USA), Nerac.com (USA), SeaSilver (USA), Subway (USA), Symmetrics (Canada), Team Snow Valley (USA), TIAA-CREF (USA), and Webcor Builders (USA).

Sutton leaves Sea Otter for Specialized

Sea Otter front man Rick Sutton is to leave Sea Otter Classic LLC (aka Gale Force Sports Marketing), the company that promotes the Sea Otter Classic, to take up a new position as vice president of retail services with bike manufacturer Specialized.

Sea Otter Classic LLC will continue to run Sea Otter and the Cougar Mountain Classic under the control of Sutton's partners Frank Yohannan and Ron Sutton. "I may have been the most visible member of the band," said Sutton, "but there's an entire orchestra of professionals ready to play great music without me."

Sutton is expected to retain an advisory role in the race organisation.

OCA brands youth recruitment program a success

The Ontario Cycling Association (OCA) says its recent youth recruitment program has been a success. The program was made possible through a joint effort of the Ontario and Canadian governments, and provided a 25 percent reduction in membership fees for 2005 to 225 youth members of the organisation. Over 20% of these were new members.

Several OCA affiliated clubs also benefited from the Club Rewards program by recruiting new youth members into the organization. Several clubs partaking in this program signed up a total of 80 new youth members, including the Ottawa Bicycle Club; St. Catherines Cycling club; Timmins Cycling Club; Milton BMX; Bikefit Sunflower Cycling Club; and Port Elgin BMX.

Matthew Wittig memorial scholarship

To commemorate young bike racer Matthew Wittig, who died earlier this month after a crash in a Wisconsin Cup criterium, the University of Wisconsin has announced the Matthew James Wittig Cycling Scholarship at the University of Wisconsin.

The annual scholarship will be awarded to an undergraduate University of Wisconsin Student, male or female, who actively participates in the UW Cycling Club. This scholarship will function as an endowment such that after the initial instalment, the scholarship will sustain itself for the lifetime of the University of Wisconsin. Beginning this coming fall, a UW Cyclist will receive the Matthew James Wittig Cycling Scholarship every year for the lifetime of the University of Wisconsin. Recipients will be selected by a committee of UW Cycling Club Officers, select UW Cycling Alumni, the Wittig family, and the UW Foundation staff.

Scholarship coordinators have set a fundraising goal of $10,500 by the end of this cycling season. Proceeds from the Matthew James Wittig Wisconsin/IL State Time Trial Championships will benefit the scholarship, and private donations are strongly encouraged.

Announcing the scholarship, organizer Jeff Rose said, "I am pleased to say that 24 hours after the establishment of this endowment we are already at 25 percent of our fundraising goal."

Donations in the form of cheques made out to the 'UW Foundation' with "Matthew James Wittig Cycling Scholarship" on the memo line, can be sent to the following address:

M. J. Wittig Cycling Scholarship
c/o Jeff Rose
1339 Rutledge St., Apt. 1
Madison, WI 53703

For more information, contact Jeff Rose at jeff@woollymammothpromotions.com

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