Cycling Round Up |
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Archives: September 2001 Casero wins Tour of Spain: (Sept 30) Spain's Angel Casero won the 2001 Tour of Spain after overhauling fellow countryman Oscar Sevilla in a spectacular finale to the 56th edition of the race. Read the full story in the Irish Times Here >> SCANLON WINS FRENCH RACE: (By Shane Stokes Sept 30) With the world championships fast approaching, Mark Scanlon today got a vital confidence booster when he won the Grand Prix de la Ville d'Esperanza in France. The Team Ireland cyclist broke clear in the closing stages to finish 10 seconds clear of the next two riders, with the rest of the field over three minutes back. Team-mate Tommy Evans was 9th, 3 minutes and 53 seconds behind Scanlon. Olympic chief acknowledges anti-doping progress: (By Shane Stokes Sept 29) IOC president Jacques Rogge has applauded the efforts of cycling's governing body, the UCI, to clear the sport of doping. Commenting at the World Track Championships in Belgium, Rogge said that recent efforts - which include a urine-based test for EPO - showed that cycling was setting an example that other sports should follow. 'The UCI is doing a very good job in terms of doping and I must commend the efforts made by (president) Hein Verbruggen and his colleagues', he said. 'They are on the right track.'
McQUAID
TO DROP WORLDS BID: (By
Shane Stokes Sept 28) Pat McQuaid has abandoned all hope
of bringing the world cycling championships to Ireland
in 2004, after he received official confirmation
yesterday from Bord Failte that they will offer only £1
million of the £2.7 million sought in state funding. McQuaid is to contact cycling's world governing body, the UCI, next week to inform them that Ireland is withdrawing its bid for the championships, which was expected to bring a minimum of 25,000 spectators to Kerry and be watched by a TV audience of 300 million people. 'It would have been a huge boost to the economy', McQuaid asserted. 'I feel that Bord Failte has turned down a big opportunity, and at a time when there are calls for the predicted shortfall in American businesses to be made up through increased targeting of European markets.' The world cycling championships in Plouay last year saw over 100,000 spectators travel to the Breton town, and this statistic, plus the predicted return of 38 million dollars for the 2003 races in Ontario, Canada, has also led to angry condemnation of the decision in Kerry. 'There is massive disappointment down here', said Paddy O'Callaghan of the world championship organizing committee in Killarney. 'Tourism has been badly affected by foot and mouth, and now the recent events in America mean that things will be getting even more difficult. There are a lot of people under pressure and bringing the world championships here would have been a huge boost.' World event hopes dashed: (Sept 28) The prospect of Ireland staging the world cycling championships in three years' time looks to have been dashed following a decision made yesterday by Bord Fáilte to invest just £1 million in the project. Read the full story in the Irish Times Here >> SEYMOUR, OWENS RETAIN NATIONAL TITLES: (By Shane Stokes Sept 23) Mountain bike riders Robin Seymour and Tarja Owens today further extended their remarkable winning sequences in national cross-country championship titles in an atmospheric, action-filled day of racing at the picturesque Kilruddery Estate near Bray. Owens shrugged off the disappointment of missing last weekend's world championships through illness to easily take her seventh consecutive title, while fellow Olympian Robin Seymour took his tally to eight straight victories. Of the two races, the senior men's competition was the greater spectacle, with visiting English rider Liam Killeen and Seymour tussling throughout the two-hour contest. A focused Seymour was first out of the blocks, opening up a slight lead at the end of the first lap, but last year's European junior champion Killeen fought back as the rest of the field faded out of contention.
With two laps remaining a determined Seymour made a big effort to go clear but as his strained style suggested, he was starting to run out of steam. Killeen made his move one lap later, opening up a slight lead and pedaling smoothly clear on the flat and uphill sections. He finally crossed the line 47 seconds clear of a disappointed Seymour, but while the latter lost out on the win he had the consolation of beating the next Irish rider home by over 8 minutes and thus taking his eighth national title. 'It was good to get a good bit of competition today, I think it was 1994 since I was pushed so hard', he said afterwards. 'I think Liam was a fair bit stronger - I was taking a bit of time out of him on the technical sections but he was closing me down after that. Then on the final two laps I started to cramp and was struggling to hold his wheel.' Killeen was clearly pleased with his win and the 20 world ranking points he netted, praising both the course and the technical ability of Seymour. 'It was a great course, it makes a change from the usual as it was so technical and the laps were so short. I knew that if Robin had a hand in designing it, it was sure to be technical. On sections like that I was losing a bit of ground to him but was able to close up afterwards, and then with a lap to go I got clear.' The 19 year old, who was an excellent 10th in the Napa world cup earlier this year, is hoping to turn professional next season. Tarja Owens was equally pleased with her win, especially as she is only now starting to get over the gastroenteritis which ruled her out of last week's world championships. 'I was pretty worried about today's race', she admitted. 'I haven't been able to eat properly all weak as my stomach still isn't right and was only able to have a bit of pasta last night. My back was also quite sore during the race (she injured it with a heavy fall during the women's Tour of Italy) but I got a good gap on the first lap and was then able to ease back slightly. It is great that it all worked out okay - I was worried that either my back or stomach could stop me today but fortunately I felt quite good.' Owens is likely to return to ride for the Michela Fanini team again next year, but like Seymour, is looking forward to a rest after a hectic season. Meanwhile, dominant junior Glen Kinning went one place better than last year' silver medal with a dominant victory today. The XMTB rider forged clear in the early stages of the 5-lap race and finished over 8 minutes ahead of Johnny Reid. Knud Jensen was first veteran while sons Thomas and Chris took gold in the under 16 and under 12 races. Darren Quille took the under 14 title, Peter McConville the masters and Joules Dormer ran out the victor in the Sport race. <See Pictures Here> National Cross-Country MTB Championships, Kilruddery Estate, Bray. Results: Senior Elite: 1, Liam Killeen (Y2K) 7 laps in 1h 48'13"; 2, R. Seymour (Team WORC) at 47"; 3, A. Landsley (Helly Hansen) at 6'47"; 4, P. Cooper (Blue Sky Cycles); 5, D. Travers (Banbridge CC) 6, J. Mason (unattached) 7, A. McDonald (Apollo CC); 8, S. Loughlan (unattached) Women: 1, Tarja Owens (Michela Fanini); 2, Gillian Darby (IMBRC) at 1lap; 3, J. Vidal (Killarney CC) Masters: 1, Peter McConville (Newry Wheelers); 2, J. Doris (Sorrento CC); 3, R. Lamont (XMTB) Veterans: 1, Knud Jensen (Sorrento CC); 2, A. Ryan (Sorrento CC); 3, J. Synott (IMBRC) Junior: 1, Glen Kinning (XMTB); 2, J. Reid (XMTB); 3, P. Roche (Cycleways); 4, M. McCutcheon (Cycle Ways); 5, R. O'Shaughnessy (Cuchullain CC) Sport: 1, Joules Dormer (unattached); 2. B. Joyce (unattached); 3, P. Gilsenan (unattached) Under 12: Chris Jensen (IMBRC); 2, L. McTiernan (Sligo CC); 3, G. Boyd (XMTB) Under 14: Darren Quille (Newbridge CC); 2, D. Malone (Garda CC); 3, C. Bermingham (IMBRC) Under 16: Thomas Jensen (Sorrento CC); 2, G. Weston (IMBRC); 3, M. Mulvena (XMTB) CYCLISTS TARGET STRONG END OF SEASON: (By Shane Stokes Sept 21) Following their dominant display in the Tour of Hokkaido, the Irish team have returned from Japan with renewed confidence. Their haul of three stage wins, the overall title and the points classification (David McCann), one stage, third overall and the mountains jersey (Paul Griffin) were a huge boost to Irish cycling, as was the prize for best team won by the quintet in the world-ranked race. <Read More Here>
In addition to the second-ever Irish
triumph in the event (Stephen Spratt won in 1992), there
was more success for the dominant squad, who had
effectively controlled the race throughout. McCann's
team-mate Paul Griffin took a stage victory, finished
third overall and won the mountains jersey, while Paddy
Moriarty repeated his fourth place of last year. The
quintet also came out on top in the best team
classification. Tour of
the Peak: Finally
Denis Lynch was best of the Irish in the Tour of the
Peaks, finishing 15th. Provision rider Mark Lovatt took
the honours for the fourth year in succession. <Full
Report by Gerry McManus Here> CYCLISTS TARGET STRONG END OF SEASON: (By Shane Stokes Sept 21) Following their dominant display in the Tour of Hokkaido, the Irish team have returned from Japan with renewed confidence. Their haul of three stage wins, the overall title and the points classification (David McCann), one stage, third overall and the mountains jersey (Paul Griffin) were a huge boost to Irish cycling, as was the prize for best team won by the quintet in the world-ranked race. Attention now turns towards end of season events such as the world championships in Portugal and the Herald Sun Tour in Australia. The line-out for the Grant Thornton-sponsored world's teams will not be announced until an ICF press reception on October 2nd, but it is expected that McCann will ride in the Elite time trial and Mark Scanlon will lead the under 23 team. Both are then likely to travel to the Australian event. To mountainbiking, and defending cross-country champions Robin Seymour and Tarja Owens have returned to Ireland for Sunday's national championships in Kilruddery Estate, Bray. Both were part of the Irish squad which had traveled to Vail, Colorado for the world championships which took place last week. Seymour finished 60th in the Elite cross-country event and, after setting the race as his big goal for 2001, was disappointed not to approach his performance of last year when he was 34th. He will be concentrating this weekend on trying to take his eighth consecutive win in the national championships, drawing additional motivation from the fact that the race is on his home course. Also determined to ride well is Tarja Owens, who was bitterly disappointed last weekend when she was forced to withdraw before the Elite woman's race due to gastroenteritis. The Michela Fanini rider had been taken to hospital the evening before with suspected appendicitis and was too ill to race. A seventh consecutive title on Sunday would go a little way towards easing the heartbreak. All indications are that a good day's racing is in store. The race organizers report a high entry, with the English riders Adrian Landsley, Phil Cooper and former European junior champion Liam Killeen amongst those chasing world-ranking points. Sign on begins at 9.30, with the underage races starting at 12 noon. The events for juniors, veterans and senior riders then follow two hours later. Spectators are welcome, with the road to Kilruddery signposted from the N11 at Bray. IRISH IN WORLD MTB CHAMPIONSHIPS: (By Shane Stokes Sept 17) Robin Seymour was 60th in the elite cross country race in the World Mountain Bike championships in Vail, Colorado. Competing at 9,000 feet, Seymour was unable to match his 34th place of last year. However he drew some consolation from the fact that he finished within 17 and a half minutes of race winner Roland Green of Canada, a smaller time gap than might be expected on such a hard course. Tarja Owens was unwell and thus forced to withdraw before the start the women's elite race, ultimately won by US rider Alison Dunlap. Meanwhile in the downhill competitions, Glynn O'Brien was 44th, Andrew Yoong 50th and John Lawlor 57th in the elite race, while Colin Ross and William Corry were 31st and 34th respectively in the junior contest. ICF to return to the international track : (Sept 7) The Irish Cycling Federation (ICF) is aiming to return to international track racing in 2002, under a new scheme detailed by their track commission officer Philip Collins this week. Read the full story in the Irish Times Here >> |
McCann
wins Tour of Hokkaido:
(By Shane Stokes Sept 18) Professional cyclist David
McCann today won the world-ranked Tour of Hokkaido race
in Japan, completing what was one of the most successful
overseas campaigns in years for the Irish team. The
double national champion finished 7th in the tussling
bunch sprint which decided the final stage, a high-speed
criterium around the streets of Sapporo, and won the
race outright by 1 minute and 43 seconds from the
second-placed rider. His three stage victories also
earned him victory in the points competition.