First Edition News for April 14, 2003

Edited by Anthony Tan and Jeff Jones

101st Paris-Roubaix post-race wrap up

A strong and smart Peter Van Petegem (Lotto-Domo) claimed the win in the 101st running of Paris-Roubaix, the third round of the World Cup. The World Cup leader did what no-one else has been able to do since Roger De Vlaeminck in 1977 - win both the Ronde van Vlaanderen and Paris-Roubaix in the same year. Van Petegem rode at the front when it mattered, bridging up to Dario Pieri (Saeco) and Viatcheslav Ekimov (US Postal-Berry Floor) on the Carrefour de l'Arbre with 14 km to go. From there, the three leaders remained together until the velodrome, when Van Petegem accounted for Pieri and Ekimov in the sprint.

It wasn't a day for Johan Museeuw to roar. His Quick.Step team lost Vandenbroucke and Boonen to crashes, while Museeuw himself punctured at 75 km to go while in the Van Petegem selection. He never saw the front again after that, and clearly did not have the legs on the day.

Full results and report
Live report
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Peter Van Petegem (Lotto-Domo, 1st)

The 33 year old Lotto-Domo leader couldn't contain his enthusiasm when he crossed the finish line in Roubaix to claim his second World Cup win of the season. "Fantastic! Unbelievable!" he exclaimed, giving full credit to his team. "Everyone in Lotto-Domo was motivated, because people thought that the team wasn't good enough. But I knew that my teammates could make it. And they worked perfectly. Leif Hoste was in a group in front. As for the rest, everyone worked well."

The Lotto man also praised his directeur sportif, who has had success in this race while working with Lefevere. "I have to thank Marc Sergeant because the whole way he was motivating me in my radio," said Van Petegem.

Van Petegem drew on his experience to make the moves at the right time today. "I have a good nose to read the race," he said. "In the first few kilometres, I had very heavy legs because I was using tyres with less pressure. And I fell in the big crash before the first cobbled section, but the rest of the team waited for me. Chapeau."

At the end, he wasn't sure he had it in him to win the sprint however, "I thought that everyone was going deep, but I was also kaput. My biggest advantage was my experience on the track, because for me, Pieri is normally the fastest. Ekimov went too from far out and was too high on the bank."

Ekimov did jump first, but Van Petegem was quickly next to him and left no room for Pieri to come around, "shutting the door" as Van Petegem put it.

As for winning the Ronde and Paris-Roubaix in the same week, "Records don't really interest me," said Van Petegem of Roger De Vlaeminck's 1977 feat.

Finally, with two wins in the World Cup to his credit, Van Petegem said that "I hope I will be very close at the end" to the overall.

Marc Sergeant (Lotto-Domo DS)

"Van Petegem rode very smartly. I speculated on the sprint, because I know Peter is in principle the fastest of the group. Before the race we said that the Ronde van Vlaanderen and Paris-Roubaix are our aims. If you win these two races, I can only say that it can't go wrong any more."

Dario Pieri (Saeco, 2nd)

The 27 year old Italian came close on the pavé, but could not account for a super Peter Van Petegem. "I've worked a lot to get this far now I feel happy but also disappointed. But I think I did a great ride," said Pieri. "I was beaten by a great champion, the number one in the world at the moment. I gave it everything to try and win, determination, strength and heart. Thanks to the people who have put their faith in me, this can only be the beginning of a great time."

Johan Bruyneel (USPS-Berry Floor director)

The US Postal Service-Berry Floor recorded its fifth consecutive top six performance in Paris-Roubaix, as Viatcheslav Ekimov came in metres behind Peter Van Petegem to finish third. Director Johan Bruyneel was justifiably happy with the performance, especially with the loss of George Hincapie to illness this season.

"Ekimov is Ekimov," said Bruyneel. "He is a real professional. He is always on a good level and is a great example to the others on the team. He is stronger than last year because he trained the whole winter. His objectives were the Classics, so following these races he will take a break and begin his preparation for the Tour de France."

"We knew before the race that Ekimov and Max [Van Heeswijk, 23rd] were riding very well and were both very motivated," added Bruyneel. "We expected them to be in the final and they both were. Eki was surprisingly strong - one of the strongest in the race. However, Van Petegem was very strong and Max crashed late in the race. Overall, it was a good team performance. Antonio (Cruz) was in the first break until he punctured and had two crashes. Benoît (Joachim, 52nd overall at 14:03) was in a counter attack Victor (Hugo Peña) rode very well also."

Marc Wauters (Rabobank, 4th)

"I'm disappointed at not being on the podium. I had good legs, I was always in front but at the end I had to pass. I was the leader of the team, and in previous years I succumbed to the pressure and I didn't get the results. Now, I've proved that I can still do it."

Nico Mattan (Cofidis, 19th)

Nico Mattan didn't have the numbers fall his way today, coming in 19th after crashing while in the leading group. "The 13th of April didn't bring me much luck," he told Belgian TV. "I was well placed in a group of 10, but then I fell and about 30 or 40 riders passed me. There was a photographer in my way. I yelled at him, but I had to jump onto the cobbles again and fell. Then my stem was broken and I had to wait for a spare bike which took some time. That's how it always is. You must be lucky in Paris-Roubaix."

When informed that Van Petegem had won, Mattan said, "The Ronde van Vlaanderen and Paris-Roubaix - Chapeau for him!"

Tom Boonen (Quick.Step-Davitamon, 24th)

"I had a lot of bad luck today. I crashed before I saw the first cobbles. I strained my groin again. I had tears in my eyes, and that's not very comfortable. In our team it was chaos: it was a very fast race that was difficult to control. Whoever is in front is gone, and at the back everything is slowing down. We sat muddling along with three men. Ach, Museeuw was not so good today."

Patrick Lefevere (Quick.Step-Davitamon DS)

Quick.Step-Davitamon director Patrick Lefevere had no reason to smile today, with Servais Knaven the best rider in the team in 7th place. For the man who has guided teams to seven victories in Paris-Roubaix, anything less than the top of the podium is not satisfactory.

"It had to happen once," said Lefevere. "It's easier to lose than to win. Details decide victory. The flat tyre [Museeuw's puncture at km 75] knocked our team off balance. Bad luck did it for us: Boonen and Vandenbroucke also had no luck."

When asked about Paolo Bettini's chances in Amstel Gold after his crash in Gent Wevelgem, Lefevere was not optimistic. "The latest news about Bettini is bad," he said.

Sven Nijs (Rabobank, DNF)

Sven Nijs had an ignomious exit from the race when he crashed and abandoned. "I fell into a ditch onto my face. I thought that my nose was broken, but it wasn't that bad in the end. I can't stand on my leg any more. My thigh and knee are swollen. I'll have to take it easy for the next few days. That's a pity, because I felt strong. I could have helped Marc Wauters more."

Star-studded line-up for Herne Hill centenary track meet

With names like Wiggins, O'Grady, McGee, Millar and points race world champion Chris Newton signed up to race, next Friday's track meet at Herne Hill looks on paper one of the finest line-ups in UK track history.

The main event, the 20 kilometre "Golden Wheel" points race, has a prize fund of 5,000 pounds and prizes down to 10th place, with primes of £75 every fifth lap to give the crowd plenty to cheer about before the finale.

Also in attendance will be last year's winner James Taylor and second placed Fabio Massotti, 2001 silver medallist at the World's, Tony Gibb, and Dutch six-day specialists Rob Slippens and Francis de Jaeger.

The track meet will also feature a derny race that Bradley Wiggins is hoping to win, however, Wiggins will certainly have his work cut out with in-form Aussies Stuart O'Grady (3rd at last weekend's Ronde Van Vlaanderen) and Bradley McGee (Individual Pursuit World and Commonwealth Games champion).

Cyclists vote for 14 year penalty for road death

Moves to jail drivers whose actions cause road deaths have been welcomed by National Cyclists' Organisation in the UK and Ireland, CTC, and have voted for the maximum penalty for causing death by dangerous driving to be raised to 14 years' imprisonment.

While condoning Lord Chief Justice Woolf's move in recommending that jail terms of up to ten years be faced by motorists who kill inadvertently, CTC Campaigns and Policy Manager Roger Geffen, said:

"Cyclists have died at the hands of incompetent or careless drivers, yet their lives have been valued at no more than paltry fines or points on their driving licences because they use mobile phones or fall asleep. Killing another road user by dangerous driving is no less a crime than killing by any other means."

Lord Falconer, Minister of State for the Home Office, agrees with Geffen, and CTC's push to increase the offence of causing death by dangerous driving from 10 to 14 years' imprisonment. The Minister intends to legislate this move as soon as parliamentary time allows.

News from Tasmania

Tassie Xmas carnivals make room for Launceston criterium

A disagreement over dates for the running of events within Tasmania's Christmas Carnival series has been dominating discussion among the interested parties over the past weeks.

Late last month, the Sports Carnival Association of Tasmania (SCAT) recommended the Latrobe Carnival be run on December 26, Launceston track carnival on December 27, Devonport on the following two nights, and the Burnie Carnival on New Year's Day. However, at last week's annual general meeting of Cycling Tasmania, an almost unanimous number of delegates from the state's cycling clubs voted to sanction the running of the Launceston International Criterium and Launceston Track Carnival on consecutive days, namely December 27 and 28, 2003, going against the recommendations of SCAT.

The sanctioning of the Launceston criterium on one of the days requested by the Devonport Athletic Club (DAC) has upset coastal officials, who feel that they made allowances in 2002 on the proviso that the DAC would have priority in 2003 for their carnival. DAC president, David Smith, also feels that a privately run event should not be able to take precedence over the traditional carnivals run by the clubs.

SCAT president, Grant Atkins said that while they recommended carnival dates based upon the wishes of the interested sporting groups, SCAT cannot set these dates without the approval of groups like Cycling Tasmania or the Tasmanian Athletics League. He also indicated that the association was unlikely to go through the process of recommending carnival dates in the future.

The promoter of the Launceston International Criterium, Dr. Stan Siejka, was pleased that the date for the 2003 event has now been confirmed and said that they hope to build on the 10,000 strong crowd that witnessed the inaugural event. Dr. Siejka said that he believed the two consecutive days of cycling, run by the Launceston Cycling Club, would only be of benefit to the wider cycling community, including the other Christmas Carnivals.

Junior trackies head to SA

Tasmania's junior track headed for South Australia last Thursday for the first leg of the 2003 Australian Track Championships.

The Tasmanian team is comprised of 15 athletes with Carolyn Cunningham, Will Robinson, Carrie Price, Kailee Goodwin, Sam Hellyer, Tom Robinson, Clay Murfet and Nick Kaine representing the Launceston City Cycling Club. Mersey Valley-Devonport riders in the State team are Natasha Mapley, Jarrod Harman, Matthew Bonham and John Rayner, while West Tamar will have one representative in Josh Myers and Burnie two representatives in Alex Holden and Sarah Eaves.

The championships began yesterday with the men's and women's 500 metre individual time trials and scratch races. Following these events will be the individual pursuit, 200 metre sprint and teams pursuit competition, an event where Tasmania has been particularly successful in the past.

Throughout the championships manager and coach Ron Bryan, assistant manager Louise Yaxley and mechanic Dave Robinson will accompany the team.

Australian BMX championships

Led by Australia's number one female, Tanya Bailey, a strong team of 364 local BMX riders will contest the Australian BMX Championships, to be held at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre next Easter weekend. With a record field from WA, the BMX bandits are eager to secure a berth in the Australian team for the 2003 BMX World Championships in Perth from July 19-27, 2003.

More information can be found at: www.bmxaustralia.com.au.

Colavita/Bolla finalises roster

The Colavita/Bolla Elite South Team, the elite offshoot of US Division III men's road squad Colavita/Bolla, has finalised its roster for the 2003 season, adding four new team members: Kent Bostick and Pat McCallion, current Masters National and World Champions, up and coming elite rider Thad Dulin, and Stephen Colavito as team manager.

Click here to go to Cyclingnews' 2003 team database.

CTC's big birthday bash

The CTC Hardy Rides, part of UK/Ireland national cyclists' organisation's 125th birthday celebrations, will be held at an exclusive site in Dorset from August 2-9, 2003.

Named after the county's famous novelist Thomas Hardy (a keen cyclist himself), the rides will involve eight days' countryside cycling to mark the anniversary of the national cyclists' organisation, with many of the event's rides visiting destinations Hardy both wrote of and cycled around himself.

The event is being hosted by Wessex CTC whose members have planned more than 30 road and off-road routes incorporating rides suitable for cyclists of all abilities, including families.

For full details, call Della McGavin on 01483 520737 or email: della.mcgavin@ctc.org.uk.

Fuji Women's Racing Series new web site

Following the initial success of the women's Cat. 4 race series in the Carolinas region of the USA, the Southeast Fuji Women's Cat 4 Racing series now have a new web site. With detailed information on the series including the Southeast Team Fuji women's cycling team, this web site is dedicated to promoting two-wheeled girl power in the region.

For more details on the Fuji Women's Racing Series, click here.

(All rights reserved/Copyright Knapp Communications Pty Limited 2003)