First Edition Cycling News for January 19, 2006Edited by John Stevenson Gerrans takes opening stage of Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under
Australian Simon Gerrans (AG2R - Prevoyance) won the opening road stage of the Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under yesterday afternoon after he and three of the races strongest riders escaped from the already-split peloton with 50km to go. Gerrans, defending champion Luis Leon Sanchez Gil (Liberty Seguros - Wurth), Robbie McEwen (Davitamon-Lotto) and William Walker (United Water - Australia U23) broke away from a 29-rider lead group that already had 15 minutes' advantage over the rest of the field. The quartet joined forces and as the finish approached they had built up a margin of two to 12 minutes over the splintered chasers. Knowing he probably couldn't take McEwen in a head-to-head sprint finish, Gerrans cannily attacked with five kilometres to go and stayed away till the line. Surviving what he called "the longest five k's I've ever ridden" brought compensation for Gerrans after a crash in last Saturday's Australian Open Road Championships. "I was disappointed with how I went at the nationals, so to come up and win today, I was just over the moon," Gerrans said. "It's going to be tough to defend the overall lead for the rest of the week, but I've got a really strong team here. They're a great bunch of guys and I'm sure they'll support me all the way." See also: Full results,
report & photos, Live
report, Farewell to 'The Legend' of American cycling
US racer John Sinibaldi, an Olympian at the 1932 and 1936 Games, died last week. Les Woodland looks back at the career of a rider who kept racing all the way through his long life and was known to all as 'The Legend'. The American comedian George Burns used to have a good line. When TV hosts said it was good of him to be on their show, he'd raise an eyebrow and say: "At my age, it's good to be anywhere." John Sinibaldi probably smiled at that as well. In one of his last interviews, he said quietly: "I'd like to live to be 100… but I'm not promising anything." Well, George Burns made it. John Sinibaldi died on January 10. He was 92. And so? John Sinibaldi was one of cycling's last remaining connections with the notorious Hitler Olympics of 1936, having already ridden the Los Angeles Games of 1932. Nothing much came of either - he came down with food poisoning at the first and crashed in the second. But for many people, that'd have been enough. A shrug, a smile, a good tale told over a pint of beer. "Did I ever tell you about the day I saw Hitler in Berlin? I did? Well, let me tell you again anyway…" No, Sinibaldi's career was somewhat on the right side of different. This was a man who set an American 100km record that lasted 50 years. It was 2:25:09. At 80, he had five national championship jerseys for riders of his age. When he died on January 10, he was the oldest man in America to have a racing licence. Probably the oldest man in the world. At 91, he travelled to Utah from Florida to try for his 18th national time-trial championship. Click here for the full story. Armstrong takes cancer fight to South AfricaLance Armstrong, seven-time Tour de France winner and cancer survivor, made a whistle-stop visit to South Africa on Tuesday and Wednesday and revealed in interviews with local media that his work as an anti-cancer activist is keeping him as busy as training for the Tour de France - and will almost certainly keep him out of US politics. Armstrong was in South Africa as a guest of Adcock Ingram to launch its Unite 4 Health health-care programme. "This, the fight against cancer and pushing health care, is my new Tour de France," the Cape Argus reports Armstrong said in an interview broadcast to over 8000 people in South African cinemas. "It's my new race, a longer, harder race. If I can help people to improve their health and perhaps inspire them in some way to overcome their illness, then I'm doing well in that race. I'm supposed to be retired at 34 and be doing nothing, but I've been working harder than ever. I was in Los Angeles the day before, London on Tuesday, then I'm going back to a dinner in London, then there's more speeches and dinners back home. I keep myself busy." Too busy for politics, despite his well-publicised friendship with US President George Bush. "If I go into politics, that means I lose 50 percent of the people whose support I need for the campaign against cancer," said Armstrong. "It just doesn't make sense for me to go into politics - I want the support of both political parties so that we can help people who are suffering from cancer." Armstrong added that he and President Bush did not talk politics while riding together, and that he didn't necessarily support everything Bush stood for. "I've known him since he was Governor of Texas," said Armstrong. "He loves cycling, and so do I. When we go cycling together, we aren't talking about Iraq or anything like that - we are talking about cycling and bikes." And while Armstrong is still involved with the Discovery Channel team, of which he is part owner, he again said he will not be pulling on Discovery Channel strip for this year's Tour, or any other race. "That's final," he said. "I won't race, but I will watch it. I love the race. I think that Jan Ullrich will win it. He looks fit. I still ride every day, but I'm finished racing." Australian team for Los Angeles track World CupCycling Australia has announced the team that will compete in this weekend's third round of the UCI Track World Cup Classics in Los Angeles, January 20 to 22. The team includes double Olympic gold medalist and 2001 keirin world champion Ryan Bayley, multiple kilo world champion Shane Kelly, reigning World Cup series kilo champion Ben Kersten, Oceania Keirin champion Kerrie Meares and multi-talented road and track rider Rochelle Gilmore. The full roster is: Ryan Bayley (Alexander Heights, WA - 09.03.1982) The Los Angeles round of the track World Cup series will be held at the ADT Event Center at The Home Depot Center in Carson, CA. As well as the high-quality Australian team, the LA round will host the largest ever contingent of U.S. riders at a World Cup. For tickets, call 1-877-AEGTICKETS (877-234-8425) or visit www.aeggrouptickets.com or www.ticketmaster.com. Trebon out, Baker in to U.S. cyclocross teamKona rider Ryan Trebon has declined his place in the U.S. team for the Cyclocross World Championships in Zeddam, Netherlands, January 29. He 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. Revolution ready to rollThe World Cup isn't the only major track action this weekend - Manchester Velodrome will host the third event in this season's Revolution series on Saturday January 21. Organisers says this round looks set to see some of the most exciting racing of the series. The Bradleys - Wiggins and McGee - will face off in what is slated to be a mammoth revenge 4km pursuit for McGee. Wiggins will fly in from a Cofidis training camp and team presentation and then try and get enough rest before the showdown with McGee. Scottish fast man Craig MacLean was pleased to learn the young riders joining him the sprint competition are excited about the prospect, but he himself is a little wary. "They're all really good young guys, I've seen a few of them over the last few days and they all seem to be on some good form, I don't think they're going to be a walk over!" On the prospect of facing French kilo ace Arnaud Tournant however he seemed much more enthusiastic. "Tournant is a great rider and the crowd love him so he always goes that bit harder to try and get the win - he's a proper showman and it's brilliant fun when he's at Revolution so I'm really looking forward to it." The racing schedule includes a 1km Madison time trial, a devil scratch combination race, a 4km pursuit head to head and a match sprint and keirin. Tickets are available online at www.cyclingrevolution.com or by calling 07005 942 579 or the Manchester Velodrome on 0161 223 2244 and selecting option 3. Sean Kelly team to launch MondayThe UCI Continental team backed by former professional Sean Kelly will be formally launched on Monday January 23, 2006. As mentioned back in December, the team, which is supported by Cycling Ireland, will be based at the Sean Kelly Cycling Academy in Belgium and will comprise young Irish riders and some Belgians. Cycling Ireland says it will use the team as a development tool to help Irish cyclists progress to professional level cycling. Irish riders on the team will include Tim Cassidy, Roger Aiken, Paídi O'Brien, Ciarán Kelly, Eoin and Miceal Concannon and Andrew McQuaid. Yorkshire honours Tour pioneer RobinsonFormer professional Brian Robinson, the first British rider to complete the Tour de France back in 1955, has been awarded the C A Rhodes Memorial Award. The award is the premier honour for cyclists from Robinson's home region of Yorkshire in the north of England. "It's a great honour to receive the C A Rhodes Memorial Award, particularly when you look at some of the names of the others who have won it, including Beryl Burton and Barry Hoban," Robinson told The Huddersfield Daily Examiner. Robinson, who still rides 90 miles a week at the age of 75, was a member of the British Hercules team that started the 1955 Tour de France. Only Robinson and Tony Hoar finished, Robinson in 29th place and Hoar last. While Hoar never returned to the Tour, Robinson finished the race four more times and took two stage victories. His best overall placing was in 1956 when he was 14th, one place behind his team leader, that year's king of the mountains, Charly Gaul. Robinson's pioneering efforts opened the door for a significant British presence in the Tour. In 1961 11 Britons started the race. Robinson will collect the award at the Yorkshire Veterans Time Trials Association Luncheon at The Bridge Hotel, Walshford, near Wetherby, on January 29. Top Aussie regional riders head for RockhamptonA top-quality field of Australian track riders is set to light up the Kenrick Tucker Velodrome in Rockhampton on Friday January 20 and Saturday January 21 at the 2006 CQU Rockhampton Cup. A big contingent of interstate riders be part of the field of over 125 competitors coming to the beef capital of Australia for two days of fast and furious track cycling. Joining the line up of riders from interstate is 29 year old Darren Young. Originally from Tasmania, 29 year old Young's career highlights include various six-day events in 2004 and 2005 and representing Australia at track World Cups in 2002 and 2003. He is a regular on the carnival circuit and has won numerous Madison titles, including the illustrious Bendigo Madison in 2001. He has also won many major wheelraces including the Austral Wheelrace, the Sid Patterson Wheelrace and the Bendigo Golden Mile. Todd Wilksch is also a carnival circuit regular with his most recent winnings coming from the Hobart Carnival on 8th January, winning the Keirin. Wilksch also represents at the state championships level, having won 27 Victorian Championships between 1990 and 2006. Also making their annual pilgrimage to Rockhampton are the Hopkins brothers, Jeff and Shaun. Shaun won the prestigious CQU Rockhampton Cup on Wheels in 1996 whilst Jeff has won it three times (in 1999, 2000 and 2002). The brothers both enjoy the carnival atmosphere that Rocky provides as well as catching up with family whilst in town. Several top Australia women riders are busy elsewhere this weekend, with Kerrie Meares and Chloe Macpherson representing Australia at the track World Cup in Los Angeles. Nevertheless, what the women's field lacks in major international competitors it will make up in youth and up and coming riders. NSW is sending north Liz Georgouras (Bicisport), a 2006 Australian representative at the Oceania Championships in Wanganui, New Zealand. Georgouras came to track cycling in 2002 in a talent identification program run by the Australian Institute of Sport - the same talent program that introduced Rockhampton Cycling Club member Alex Bright to cycling. She will have strong competition from Bright and in form rider Anouska Edwards, who is coming off a successful State Championships in Brisbane earlier this month, collecting gold in the elite women's 3000m individual pursuit and elite women's 25km points score. The feature women's event, the Herron Todd White Capricornia Cup could be anyone's race this year without the Olympians taking up the scratch marks and the winner may even come from middle markers. Up and coming riders in the junior ranks include Courtney LeLay who is also coming off a highly successful state championship campaign, taking out Gold in all U19 women's events and collecting two silver medals to Edwards in the combined women 10km scratch race and combined women 25km points score. All the action kicks off on Friday night at 6pm and Saturday from 3pm with the main races commencing at approximately 7pm, including the CQU Rockhampton Cup and the Herron Todd White Capricornia Cup. More information: www.cyclingnews.com/sponsors/rockhamptoncup/ (All rights reserved/Copyright Knapp Communications Pty Limited 2006) |
|
January 2009 |
Recently on Cyclingnews.com |
 Bayern Rundfahrt Photo ©: Schaaf |
