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Mont Ventoux
Photo ©: Sirotti

Latest Cycling News for January 13, 2006

Edited by Jeff Jones

London Tour bid gathering momentum

The chance that London will host the start of the 2007 Tour de France is positive, according to a story in The Independent on Thursday. Two press conferences, scheduled in France and London in the next month, have fuelled speculation that the bid will be successful, as it's unlikely that London would be called on to host a press conference if it didn't have anything to do with next year's race.

If successful, it would be the first time that the British capital has ever hosted the world's biggest bike race. The prologue would be run through the centre of the city, taking in several of London's main tourist attractions and monuments. Stage 2 would run towards the east coast, via Tunbridge Wells and Folkestone, then the Tour circus would be moved back to France via the Channel Tunnel.

Changes for Race Across America in 2006

By Mark Zalewski, North American Editor

The 2006 edition of the annual ultra-marathon cycling race across the United States, RAAM, will have a significant change - a subdivision of the solo category. One solo category, named the Traditional Division, will remain predominantly unchanged from the previous races. But a new solo category, called the Enduro Division, will consist of a minimum of forty hours off the bike to combat the effects of sleep deprivation.

This change to what many see as a core attribute to one of the world's most demanding cycling races follows the deaths of two riders in the past three years - the first deaths in the 24 year history of the race. In the 2005 edition, solo rider Bob Breedlove was killed when he collided with a pick-up truck in Colorado. In 2003, a team rider Brett Malin also died in a collision with a truck.

RAAM Race Director Jim Pitre told Cyclingnews that this change has many purposes and reasons. "We need to expand the horizons of the race, is what it comes down to. Events that don't stay with the times, will cease to exist. When we brought the team category in in 1991, people said it was the death of RAAM. But it's been the best thing we have done."

Specifically, racers in the Enduro category will be required to stop and rest for two hours at five specific locations along the course, and rest for another thirty hours when they choose. With the average winning racer taking nine days to complete the race in the past, this will give racers an average of four hours of sleep per day.

A particular outcome Pitre hopes will come from this change is making the race more media and spectator friendly. "One of the reasons is for spectators and media, who never seem to know where the racers are. So now there will be five locations along the route where we know riders will be stopping. It will help the visibility of the race."

However, it is not hard to recognize that the recent fatalities, while not necessarily directly related to sleep deprivation, signals a call for increased safety for the riders - some that Pitre hopes allowing racers to sleep will allow. "[The fatalities] got us all really talking about it. Would it have made a difference? I can't say. One was a team competitor and sleep wasn't much of a factor that early in the race. What is clear is that it's a safety issue. The roads are getting busier and busier, and every year there is more traffic. So from a safety point of view, having a rider who is alert is better. We hope the riders will recognize that."

Of course, with any change, some people will be upset. And changing a core aspect of the race has resulted in mixed emotions. Pitre has tried to preempt some of this by sill having a traditional division without sleep requirements, but had to change his plans for prize money distribution. "I started off with the concept that the prize money will all be in the Enduro side, but that was met with a great deal of upset. So the prize money will be split based upon the number of riders in each division. If I had a choice from the race management point of view I would just have a single category. But we do have the die-hard RAAMsters that want the traditional style of RAAM."

One of those 'die-hard' riders is Mike Trevino who finished second in 2004, but had to withdraw from the 2005 race after breaking his collarbone coming off the bike. "It's the antithesis of the intent of RAAM and why it started [twenty-four] years ago," Trevino told the The San Diego Union-Tribune. "I don't know if it makes the race any safer. One person might need two hours sleep to be safe, another might need five hours."

Trevino's statement illustrates the fervour with which endurance athletes covet the endurance aspects of races like RAAM. "Mike Trevino broke his collarbone last year coming off the bike, and it is my opinion that it was related to sleep deprivation," Pitre said. "He is a great endurance athlete, and he is really focused on that. And I understand his position."

Pitre responds further by saying that the division of the solo category will help de-emphasize the sleep aspect of the race by allowing racers to decide which they feel is more comfortable for them individually. "Another thing is the emphasis on sleep deprivation," Pitre said. "Before, someone who can ride the race with only nine hours of total sleep has a distinct advantage on someone who needs four hours per night. So we want to de-emphasize that aspect of the race. And I think we are going to see some new strategies because of it."

For the future, Pitre expects that this new division will eventually overtake the old version, and even increase the amount of participation from cyclists that were previously intimidated by the effects of sleep deprivation. "I think time will tell. I expect in a couple of years most will go for the Enduro category because I think this will bring in racers who would not have normally done this. It opens the door for an expansion of the event."

O'Loughlin heads Down Under

By Tommy Campbell, Irish Independent, Evening Herald, Sunday Independent

Australia is the next stop on David O'Loughlin's itinerary. From Cong, Co. Mayo in Ireland, David's program will include a start in the Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under, which gets under way next Tuesday, January 17. It is recognised as the start of the season for cycling on the global level.

David has had his contract with the American based Navigators Insurance outfit renewed for another season with a very formidable team that is based in New Jersey.

The notion of getting in some stiff competition before he heads to the European scene in the next couple of months is a welcome innovation. "I have been to Australia on a number of occasions and the racing is very fast which will suit the Navigator's lads," said O'Loughlin. "As national champion, I have a lot to live up to, because I will wear the Irish champions jersey and in that part of the world there is tremendous interest from the ex-pats."

Ed Beamon of the Navigators Insurance team is quietly confident that David will be in the mix over the seven stages. "The 'tour' in recent years has had a tendency to suit the sprinters, which I have to say is a real bonus for us and David in particular," said Beamon. "Last season he made his debut for the team, and despite the fact he was new to the outfit, he settled in well. Basically your David is a team member. He is a good listener and the team members gel with him, which is important.

"Hopefully we can get our sprinters in the thick of the action and that David will be on hand to capitalise on our behalf."

High local hopes for the race are on Queenslander Allan Davis, who is racing for the Liberty Seguros-Würth team again. The boys in blue dominated the race last year, with Luis Leon Sánchez winning the overall classification.

Welsh team on the move

On Monday, January 9, the Welsh Commonwealth Games Cycling team returned from its training camp in Majorca to the news of the four deaths in Rhyl.

On Thursday, January 12, the male riders flew off to the Tour of Siam until Sunday, January 22. For the duration of the race, the team will wear black armbands. This will be echoed by all Welsh and British club cyclists this Sunday across the UK and beyond.

The riders will then have a week at home in Wales before flying out to the Tour of Langkawi on Monday, January 30 until Monday February 13. The Welsh riders will be split during this event, some riding for the Great Britain team whilst others ride for the Recycling.co.uk professional team.

The Welsh team will then fly out to join the joint holding camp with the other UK teams being held in Sydney on February 27 before flying into the Melbourne base on Sunday 12 March.

Young T-Mobile riders impressed

Frantisek Rabon (22) and Rebecca Much (19) are among the "babies" on the T-Mobile teams this year, and rather in awe of their new teammates and the whole set-up. "It is really like a dream come true to me," said Rabon, while Much called it "really awesome."

Rabon, from the Czech Republic, said, "I am here to learn. At races, but also from my teammates like Jan Ullrich and Andreas Klöden." He noted that last year he watched them on TV and now is riding alongside of them. "But I'm not a tourist. I also want wins."

Much, an American, said that her main goal was the US national U23 championships, but is also looking forward to learning from her teammates. She hopes to "continue developing as an all-rounder. Become a rider like Judith Arndt. What she has achieved in her career is incredible."

Much noted that there hasn't yet been much contact between the men's and women's team. "But it's great, the idea of having one big team with men and women. It's kind of unique in cycling. It really adds a different dimension."

Courtesy of Susan Westemeyer

Alberto Tacconi retires

After just two years as a pro, Italian Alberto Tacconi (Miche) has decided to retire from the sport. Tacconi will instead dedicate himself to his new pizzeria restaurant, Da I'Tacca, in Florence, which is popular among the local cyclists.

"It wasn't an easy choice," said Tacconi. "At the end, reason prevailed and commercial sense was respected over my deep attachment to the bicycle."

Tacconi won't leave cycling altogether, and he will continue to work with Miche team manager Marco Tozzi in managing the squad, particularly the interaction between the staff and the athletes.

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