First Edition Cycling News for October 26, 2004

Edited by Jeff Jones

Second Jayco Tour of Queensland

By Rod Morris

Jonas Ljungblad
Photo ©: Shane Goss

Newly crowned Herald Sun Tour champion Jonas Ljungblad and defending titleholder David McKenzie will be the main riders in next week's second annual Jayco Tour of Queensland. Ljungblad, from Sweden, and McKenzie, from Ballarat in Victoria, will be part of an invitation-only 60 man field, which will contest the 393 km, eight stage event over six days.

Ljungblad and McKenzie ran first and second respectively in the 53rd Herald Sun Tour, which finished in Victoria last Sunday. Ljungblad became the first Swedish winner in the history of the Herald Sun Tour, denying McKenzie his dream of winning the longest running stage race in Australia. Ljungblad will ride for Bendigo Bank and will be joined by fellow Swede Thomas Gr�nqvist, England's Jamie Burrow and Polish pair Artur Kraeszowiec and Mateusz Mroz.

McKenzie has been given the honour of carrying the No. 1 saddlecloth and his Jayco team will comprise Canadians Eric Wohlberg and Dominique Perras, Victorian Matthew Goold and local Queensland rider Mark Roland.

The Tour of Queensland field underwent a slight change yesterday when South Australian Steven Cunningham was replaced in the Lysaght team by fellow "Croweater" Corey Sweet. The all-South Australian will be headed by former gold medal Olympian Brett Aitken. Meanwhile tour organisers have deleted the Saturday morning stage at The Hummock in Bargara because of time constraints.

The tour will start in Maryborough next Monday (November 1) with a 27 km criterium and will finish in Bundaberg the following Saturday.

Revised teams

Jayco: David McKenzie (Vic), Matthew Goold (Vic), Eric Wohlberg (Can), Dominique Perras (Can), Mark Roland (Qld).
Mirvac: Ashley Hutchinson (Qld), Aaron Kemps (Qld), Miles Olman (Qld), Daniel Newnham (Qld), Cameron Jennings (Qld).
Bundaberg Sugar: Steven De Decker (Bel), Bart Heirewegh (Bel), Beno�t Poilvet (Fra), Christophe Le Mevel (Fra), Josh Wilson (Tas).
Malaysia Airlines: Felix Oldebrecht (Ger), Thomas Liese (Ger), Jorn Reuss (Ger), Timo Scholz (Ger), Bernard Sulzberger (Tas).
Argon 18 Bikes - Caravello: Tony Mann (Qld), Peter Milostic (NSW), Peter McDonald (NSW), Jose Rodriguez (NSW), Richard Vollebregt (NSW).
Bendigo Bank: Jonas Ljungblad (Swe), Thomas Gr�nqvist (Swe), Jamie Burrow (GBr), Artur Kraeszowiec (Pol), Mateusz Mroz (Pol).
Radio 4BU-KIX FM: Kristian House (GBr), Stephen Cummings (GBr), Dean Downing (GBr), Russell Downing (GBr), Keiran Page (GBr).
Subaru: Tomas Buchacek (Cze), Ruber Marin (Col), Trent Wilson (NSW), Bradley Mills (NSW), Russell Van Hout (SA).
Centracks: Dermot Nally (Irl), Paul Healion (Irl), Brian Kenneally (Irl), Philip Finnegan (Irl), Rob Sharman (GBr).
Lysaght: Brett Aitken (SA), Corey Sweet (SA), James Hannam (SA), Chris George (SA), Mathew Rex (SA).
Europcar: Jorge Libonatti (Uru), Jeremy Betts (Qld), Gilbert Gutowski (Qld), Brad Edmunds (Vic), David Harrigan (NSW).
Uno Clothing: George Vallins (Vic), Dylan Boone (Vic), Chris Bradford (Vic), Andrew Graham (Vic), Damian Forster (Vic).

The stages

Stage 1 - November 1: Maryborough Criterium, 27 km, 11 sprints
Stage 2 - November 2: Hervey Bay Kermesse, 72 km, 9 sprints
Stage 3 - November 3: Oakhurst Canefields, 70.3 km, 3 sprints, 8 hill climbs.
Stage 4 - November 3, Bundaberg Criterium, 33 km, 11 sprints
Stage 5 - November 4, Miriam Vale to Town of 1770, 90.2 km, 6 sprints, 1 hill climb.
Stage 6 - November 5, Gin Gin to Mount Perry, 63.3 km, 6 sprints, 5 hill climbs.
Stage 7 - November 5, Mount Perry Individual Time Trial, 4.1 km
Stage 8 - November 6, Bundaberg Criterium, 42 km, 11 sprints

Giro blitz trial starts

Over three years after the infamous police blitz during the 2001 Giro d'Italia, the first part of a doping inquiry will start next Wednesday in San Remo. 10 cyclists and two soigneurs will be questioned by the investigating magistrate over alleged possession of insulin, growth hormones and steroids, which contravenes the Italian anti-doping law of 2000. The investigation into another part of the case, involving the deceased Marco Pantani, finished in Pistoia.

Vandenbroucke hearing postponed

The correctional court in Dendermonde, Belgium, has postponed the hearing of the Frank Vandenbroucke case until November 29 after a request from VDB's defence. One of his lawyers, Luc Deleu, is currently involved in an Assizes case in Gent and wanted the date of VDB's hearing put back until after the Gent Six. In any case, Vandenbroucke was not present in court today due to sickness.

Vandenbroucke is facing criminal proceedings (charged with the illegal importation of hormones, among other offences) after a search of his house in 2002 revealed a large cache of illegal drugs.

Torn shoulder for Nys

Belgian cyclo-crosser Sven Nys will not be back to full form for at least 10 days after tearing a muscle in his shoulder during Sunday's Superprestige race in Hamme-Zogge. Nys hit a barrier with his right shoulder while leading the race on the first lap and fortunately only damaged the muscle. "A bit higher and there would have been something broken," said Nys. "Then my season was perhaps over."

Nys will still be in action as part of the Belgian team in the World Cup in Tabor, Czech Republic this Thursday

Boonen operated on

Tom Boonen (Quick.Step-Davitamon) has had an operation for an intestinal occlusion (Meckel's Diverticulitis) in Mol hospital, Belgium on Monday. The operation was successful and Boonen will be discharged from hospital this weekend.

According to an interview with Tom's mother Agnes in Het Laatste Nieuws, the problem started with food poisoning at the World Championships in Verona. "Tom has already lost three kilos and his complexion is so pale that he looks 20 years older," she said.

Utrecht and Rotterdam propose Tour start plans

The Dutch cities of Utrecht and Rotterdam have presented their plans to host the Grand D�part of the Tour de France in 2008 or 2009. According to Dutch cycling federation president Joop Atsma, one of the two cities will be chosen before presenting the bid to ASO in order to give it the best possible chance. Atsma also confirmed the possibility that Valkenburg will host a stage during the 2006 Tour.

The route of the 2005 Tour de France will be presented in Paris this Thursday, October 28.

Bas Peters stays with Binnenvaart-Merida

Dutch mountain biker Bas Peters has signed a new contract for one year with the Binnenvaart-Merida team. Peters, who was fifth at the world championships in 2003 and 13th at the Olympics in Athens, will focus on the World Cup and the major Championships in 2005.

In addition, young Dutch talent Hans Becking has signed a contract with Binnenvaart-Merida. Becking was twice Dutch Champion in the junior category and won a bronze medal in the European Championships in Poland. Becking will ride in 2005 in the espoirs category. The other riders in the team are Frank Schotman (espoirs), Laura Turpijn (women), Diederik Bakker (amateurs) and triathlete Rob Barel (veterans). Binnenvaart (Dutch inland navigation) and Merida (bikes) are the two main sponsors of this mountain bike team.

Davis Phinney foundation presents $100,000 to UC hospital

The Davis Phinney Foundation for Parkinson's Disease Research and Wellness presented a $100,000 cheque to the Neuroscience Institute at the University of Cincinnati (UC) and University Hospital last Wednesday, October 20. The gift, presented by Davis Phinney at LOCAL-12 WKRC-TV, will go to the Davis Phinney-Don Krumme Fund, a new fund at the UC College of Medicine that will support research into the causes of and treatments for Parkinson's disease.

The money was raised at the inaugural Sunflower Revolution, a gala and bike ride held in Cincinnati last July. The 2005 Sunflower Revolution is scheduled for August 19-21.

Australian industry on display in Melbourne

Olivia Gollan at the Bicycling Australia show
Photo ©: Paul Mirtschin

The Australian bike industry was on display over the weekend at the Bicycling Australia show in Melbourne's Royal Exhibition Building. Over 8,000 people ventured into this classic Victorian building - one of Melbourne's landmarks - that was built for the Centennial International Exhibition in 1888. Well over a century later, it provided the venue for a mini-Interbike with over 100 of Australia's importers and manufacturers displaying their 2005 equipment.

Unlike Interbike, though, the Bicycling Australia show is also open to the public (after one trade-only day) and to keep the punters entertained, organisers put on range of displays including roller racing, where trackies race each other on very large stationary rollers mechanically linked to lap counters. The sound of 4000 watts of human energy reverberating through the timber construction sounded like the building itself was about to take off. For the dirt crowd, there were equally impressive MTB trials displays, as well as two BMX ramps for the extreme crowd.

It's one of those rare occasions when all branches of cycling come together under one buttressed and elegantly vaulting roof, with the displays by some of Australia's best exponents of their chosen disciplines injecting some energy into what can be dull affairs.

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