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27.11.2006/ Ryan Cox is still waiting, Cross: Sven Nys won Koksijde and
Gieten, Boonen nominated for Belgian athlete of the year, Andy Rihs says thank you and goodbye, Charity spin strengthens T-Mobile
links, Valverde won Criterium Ciudad de Murcia, Sevilla claims conspiracy against him; Mario Kummer to Astana, Dimitri De
Fauw about his collision with Isaac Galvez
Toyota-United set a fast pace to become a dominant force in U.S. Cycling in its first season
Saul Raisin: "My ultimate goal is to race by the end of next year"
Isaac Galvez dies after crash at Sixdays in Gent
New: Ullrich: training in Austria and Italy
New: Official Pressrelease Caisse d'Epargne about the fatal crash of Isaac Galvez
Ryan Cox is still waiting
As reported the Tour de Langkawi solve its problems and will take place in 2007 but the winner of the 2005 edition, Ryan Cox wrote on his personal website that he and David
George, who won this years edition of the Tour de Langkawi, still did not get their prize money. Cox wrote on ryancox.co.za:
"Like last year it seems as though we once again need to fight for our prize money. We had the same problem last year when
I won and now again when David won this year. I really think it's not acceptable as we ride our butts off and then need to
fight for something which is ours. I hope some kind of prize money comes soon..."
Cross: Sven Nys won Koksijde and Gieten
Sven Nys won the sixth weltcup cross of the season in Koksijde (Belgium) on Saturday. The so-called "dune"
cross was won after an impressive solo of the Belgian Rabobank rider. Bart Wellens won the sprint of a chasing group of five
riders but the chasing group never had a chance against Nys. Vanthourenhout came in third, De Knegt came in fourth and Franch
AG2R rider John Gadret came in fourth.
On Sunday Sven Nys won the fourth Super Prestiges cross of the season. The race in Gieten (Netherlands) was
again a solo win for Nys. Before the race there was a minute of silence to honour Isaac Galvez, who crashed Saturday night during the Sixdays
of Gent. Sven Nys opend the race with an attack in the first lap and only Gerben De Knegt and Klaas Vantornout were
able to follow the cannibal. Wellens already lost 15 seconds after the first round. The three race leaders worked
together very well and their lead was growing constantly. Wellens tried to get closer but did not succeed. With two laps to
go Nys attacked again and won the race. Wellens lost to much energy by trying to close the gap and did not manage to reach
the other two riders at the front of the race. Gerben De Knegt came in second and Klaas Vantornout came in third. Nys
now has a score of four out of four at the Super Prestige series.
Boonen nominated for Belgian athlete of the year
Tom Boonen is nominated for the Belgian athlete of the year award. Boonen already won the award in 2005 after
his impressive wins in the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix and at the world championships that year. This season Boonen
repeated his win of the Tour of Flanders and was riding in the maillot jaune at the Tour de France. The other two atthletes
who are nominated are the Belgian cross rider Sven Nys and motor cross rider and ten times world champion Stefan Everts. The
winner of the award will be announced on December 17.
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| Tom Boonen: again Belgiums athlete of the year? (picture: Cyclingheroes) |
Andy Rihs says thank you and goodbye
In a written statement Phonak's team owner thanks the cycling fans for theit
support, Rihs wrote on phonak-cycling.ch: "I still have that special sound of the peloton rushing by in my ear and images
of good times in my eyes. In the beginning there was a dream." Rihs continued: "After seven years the Phonak Cycling Team
crossed the finish line. For the last time. What remains are memories."
Andy Rihs will stay in touch with the peloton as his Bike company BMC will
sponsor the Astana squad in the 2007 season. Rihs wrote: "To all of you I say thank you. Thank you for making our dream come
true and thank you for the brilliant support. Bu I'll also say goodbye - especially as far as the BMC cycling company goes
- I'll stay connected to cycling, a sport that continues to fascinate me."
Charity spin strengthens T-Mobile links
A typically busy Friday evening at the Fitness Company in Cologne, and a group cycling class in aid of charity
was in full swing in the gym’s upstairs spin room. The scene was similar to spinning sessions the world over; a single
instructor at the front leading the participants through a number of different types of cycling simulations, with thumping
dance music and enthusiastic coaching helping to motivate the participants to work harder.
Spinning furiously in the
front row were the magenta-clad figures of T-Mobile International’s Chief Finance Officer Thomas G. Winkler and T-Mobile
cycling pro Linus Gerdemann, as well as team newcomer Gerald Ciolek; an unlikely trio drawn together to help a good cause.
A chance to get to know the riders
After the fundraising spin, Winkler, the two cycling pros and three other spinners
relaxed and chatted in the sauna before retiring to a nearby restaurant for a well-earned meal.
“There were
three convincing reasons for me coming here tonight; the charity aspect, the chance to do a physical work-out after an office-bound
week, and above all, the chance to meet and get to know the riders in a relaxed informal setting," says Winkler, a keen hobby
cyclist.
“The focus has changed at T-Mobile. Going forward the sponsor will have less influence on the team’s
sporting decisions, but the relationship with the riders will be stronger.
“As ambassadors for T-Mobile, it
is important that the riders can properly relate to the company, the brand and the employees,” stresses Winkler. “We
want the riders to feel a strong sense of responsibility to T-Mobile.
Seeing things from a different angle
“We
sometimes meet at press conferences, presentations and other events, where there’s little time to properly get to know
each other. Joining forces tonight has brought us a whole lot closer.”
The beauty of spinning is that participants
with vastly different fitness levels can set their own goals for the session and ride at a level where they feel comfortable,
but challenged. Gerdemann was as competitive as ever, however: “I sneaked a look at Thomas' bike display; he can really
put the hammer down!"
“Though seriously, it really means a lot to us as riders to enjoy an evening like this
with a senior figure from T-Mobile. It’s a chance to have fun, swap stories and experiences and see things from a different
perspective. Overall, it strengthens our connection to T-Mobile.”
For more information on how you can spin for
charity, go to:
www.rtl.de/spendenmarathon
Source: T-Mobile team
Valverde won Criterium Ciudad de Murcia
Just one day after his teammate Isaac Galvez died after he crashed during the Gent Sixdays, Alejandro Valverde won the Criterium Ciudad de Murcia. Before the race begun the riders and spectators
held a minute of silence to honour Galvez, and all the winners dedicated their victories to him and his relatives. Valverde
won the overall of the Murcia crit, Samuel Sanchez became third and the final podium spot was grabbed by José Luis Martinez.
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| Alejandro Valverde also won this years Liège-Bastogne-Liège(Picture: Cyclingheroes) |
Sevilla claims conspiracy against him
As reported eight out of around 90 bags of blood that were seized during
the raids at appartments of Spanish doctor Eufemiano Fuentes contained high levels of epo. According to Spanish media three of the bags belonged to the person behind
the codename Sevilliano and Spanish media often speculated that Sevillano must be Oscar Sevilla. During the
weekend Sevilla told Spanish daily news paper El Mundo: "This Operation Puerto is making my life impossible." Sevilla continued
by saying: "A while ago I was warned that they were out to get me and my colleague Paco Mancebo." Sevilla's attorney, Juan
Zorzona admitted that three of the bags belong to Sevilliano (or number 5 of the Fuentes list) but that would say nothing
about his clients involvement. Zorzona claimed that Oscar Sevilla is not the person behind the codename Sevilliano: "All the
more because Sevilla is known as Niño or Manchego in the peloton, and not as Sevilliano. In this case the names and the reference
numbers where mixed up so often already."
Oscar Sevilla was sacked by the German T-Mobile team because of his alleged
involvement in the Puerto scandal and sees himself as a victim of a conspiracy.
Mario Kummer to Astana
Former T-Mobile sports director Mario Kummer signed with the Astana squad
of Marc Biver. Kummer will work with the other sport directors Alexandre Shefer, Giovanni Fidanza and Adriano Baffi under technical
director Walter Godefroot. In an official statement Kummer said: "It is a great challenge for me to work together with
this new founded team. With its excellent riders the team will be able to ride at the front in the coming year."
Team manger Marc Biver said: "I am happy that we could win a capacity of
cycling for us with the person of Mario Kummer. His competence and experience will surely be an advantage for our team."
Mario Kummer was a professional cyclist until 1997. He was sports director
with the T-Mobile squad sine the year 2000 and had to leave the German team after the reorganisation last month.
Dimitri De Fauw about his collision with Isaac Galvez
As reported Isaac Galvez died after he collided with Belgian rider Dimitri De
Fauw and a railing during the Sixdays of Gent. De Fauw spoke with Belgian daily newspaper De Standaard about the crash,
De Fauw said: "I have to go on." The Belgian rider told the Standaard that he is an "emotional wreck."
De Fauw does not know how to go on: "I was in 'het kuipke' [the name of the
Gent velodrome, Cyclingheroes] on Sunday morning, to talk with organizer Discart and Robert D'Hont, my soigneur. They supported
me, told me that it was not my fault. You are innocent... But still, you start to imagine things in your head that aren't
there. How can I handle this?"
25 years old De Fauw heard in the hospital that Galvez died after the crash:
"At the emergency section I heard two doctors talking about the crash en the death of... that guy. My heartbeat shot rocket
high."
The Standaard writes that De Fauw has trouble to be able to talk with
them, De fauw said: " I was at the fourth or fifth position in the field. Iljo Keise just attacked. We came out of a curve
in the direction to the finish when the peloton made a swinging move. I did not see anything, I did not hear anything but
suddenly Galves was there, he started to chase Iljo out of my back. I never saw him coming. We touched with our
handlebars and were catapulted to the upper side of the track. It all happened in a split second."
De Fauw was treated in the hospital as well: "Only graze injuries." But
de Fauws real injury is much deeper: "It wozld have been a party. Iljo wins or at least at the podium. IFor me my lap of honour,
every day 7000 people going mad. Untill suddenly... boom. And everything gets black."
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