News for December 31, 2002

Edited by Jeff Jones

Cyclingnews reader poll: Best male and female road riders

You've voted with your feet (as it were) and selected the Best Male Road Rider and Best Female Road Rider for 2002. There were no big surprises, although the voting in the Male Rider of the Year was very close.

Cipollini vs. Schumacher

Mario Cipollini has responded to L'Equipe's recent naming of Formula 1 star Michael Schumacher as "Champion des champions" in typical style. Speaking at an end of year party held in his honour, Cipollini said that "Even though I wear the World Champion's jersey, I don't feel like a champion. However, he [Schumi] doesn't seem to me to have done any more than all those others who have achieved great things. Schumacher? Get on a bike and see how easy it is to win a race."

"I consider that sport is a competition in which a men counts for more than half, and that half is equal for all men. If I got into a Ferrari, after two hours I would do better times than most other drivers."

Finally, Cipollini commented on Lance Armstrong and his performances this year. "He is the greatest, huge, but for only three weeks. I have won from the beginning to the end of the season."

10 million for Ullrich?

Rumours that Team Coast has offered Jan Ullrich 10 million euros over the next three years have been described as false by several figures connected to the German star. Rival bidder CSC's manager Bjarne Riis said that he has also heard of the offer, calling it "insanity", while Ullrich's manager Wolfgang Strohband simply dismissed it as "rubbish", saying that Ullrich will decide around January 15 about his future.

Coast's boss Günter Dahms told DPA that "Those numbers are plucked out of the air. We are not involved in any sort of speculation." Team Coast has not yet got its Division I status confirmed by the UCI, although this is expected to happen by January 10.

Riis admitted in an interview with Sport1.de that he could not match this hypothetical offer, but did reveal the current Ullrich stakes. When asked about whether CSC's pre-Christmas offer was "around 1 million euros with a possible 600,000 euro bonus", Riis responded that "No, it is even greater than that," adding that he has already lodged the bank guarantee for a possible Ullrich salary.

For a rider who will have been out of competition for over a year, a 1 million plus euro salary is not to be sneezed at. Strohband seems to be interested in pushing it further though, "Before Christmas Riis made a better offer, on which we have yet to decide," he said.

Pevenage quits Telekom

Telekom's Rudy Pevenage will quit his post as top team director next year, according to Belgian Teletekst. After having spent the best part of 10 years with the team, Pevenage says that his destiny is linked with Jan Ullrich, who will ride for another team in 2003. Pevenage's position will be taken over by Mario Kummer, while Telekom's PR manager Olaf Ludwig will act as an assistant team director.

"This decision was very hard for me," said Pevenage. "I have had 10 fantastic years with Telekom, with highs and lows. I have thought about whether I will stay or go for the whole weekend. I leave a team where I was very happy to work. I sat for hours at the table with Godefroot, but my decision remains firm."

Vervecken annoyed at non-selection

Erwin Vervecken has expressed his annoyance at Belgian selector Rudy De Bie, after he was not named in the Belgian team for the next World Cup in France. Vervecken was left out after it was revealed he was suffering from a virus and doctors had told him to rest for six weeks. However, that would mean the end of the cyclo-cross season for him, and he decided to race in Loenhout (10th) and Diegem (4th) to test his condition.

"National coach Rudy De Bie did not keep his word," Vervecken was quoted in the Belgian press. "He had led me to believe that he would wait to make his selection until after Diegem. He has not done that. Outrageous. Has it ever happened that the fifth rider in the standings was not selected?"

De Bie admitted that Vervecken's condition prompted him to make his selection earlier than planned, but he did not regret his decision.

Dutch selection for next World Cup

National coach Frans Francissen has selected his team for the next round of the cyclo-cross World Cup on Sunday in Liévin, France. The team is led by the winner in Kalmthout and joint WC leader Richard Groenendaal, with Gerben de Knegt, Camiel van den Bergh, Maarten Nijland, Wilant van Gils and Thijs Verhagen comprising the remainder. Wim de Vos did not make the cut, as he feels he does not have the right condition to be competitive.

Meares back in action, despite fracture

Kerri Meares
Photo: © CN

Night 2 of the Devonport Christmas Carnival saw the return to the track of Kerri Meares after her dramatic fall on the first night of competition. Australia's female track cyclist of the year for 2002, Meares crashed heavily in the C Grade scratch race the previous evening, but was back on her bike with a fractured wrist that was heavily strapped, as well as many bandages covering the extensive abrasions she suffered in the bell-lap fall.

"I've come out here to support the women's cycling events," Meares said before the start of the Women's Scratch race, "but I won't be real competitive."

Meares raced cautiously in the Scratch Race and eventually pulled up before the end, but not before she had led the bunch past the start-finish line at genuine speed. The event was taken out by a dominant Rochelle Gilmore, with the NSW rider easily defeating Tasmania's Belinda Goss and Kirby Piscioneri, with Liz Williams from New Zealand in fourth.

NEWS UPDATE: 16.00, December 31, 2002: Due to constant rain, organisers have decided to abandon running the final of the Devonport Wheelrace and graded scratch races which were held over to New year's Eve. There is a possibility the Devonport Wheelrace final could be held at the Burnie Christmas Carnival, which is set down for New Year's Day, but this carnival may also be affected by the weather. It is the first time in the carnival's history that weather has prevented the running of the Devonport Wheelrace, which has been held since 1937. The only other time the event was not held was in 1943, due to the affects of World War 2.

Full results, report and photos

Be Active Cycle Instead Criterium Series

Over 40 elite cyclists will descend on Perth to race in the Be Active Cycle Instead Perth Criterium Series, held between January 2-5, 2003. The event will showcase the best local riders as well as a large contingent of interstate and international cyclists, including many who have competed in the Tour de France, Olympic and Commonwealth Games. Current world champion, Peter Dawson, State Criterium Champion, Daniel Mackey, Olympic Gold medallist Brett Aitkin, Tour de France cyclist Henk Vogels and other high profile cyclists such as Baden Cooke, Graeme Brown and Hilton Clarke are all slated to compete in the series.

Race Details:

January 2: Leederville (Oxford and Carr Streets), 7.30pm-8.30pm
January 3: Victoria Park (Albany Highway), 7.30pm-8.30pm
January 4: Subiaco (Hay Street), 7.30pm-8.30pm

Australian Criterium Championship

5 January: Joondalup (Grand Boulevard), 7.30pm-8.30pm

More information: www.perthcriterium.com.au.

U.S. Track World Cup qualifier at San Diego

The San Diego Velodrome will be hosting the U.S. Track World Cup Qualifier from February 28-March 2. The three day event will be used to determine which U.S. athletes will compete at the Mexico World Cup #2. The schedule includes a Madison, 10 Mile, Keirin, Olympic Sprint, Match Sprint, Pursuit and Kilo. More information at: www.veldromes.org.

(All rights reserved/Copyright Knapp Communications Pty Limited 2002)