As expected Marvulli-Aeschbach lost the lead at the 64th Vlaanderen Six Day in Ghent Friday night. But
they were not expected to lose it as drastically as they did, ending the Fourth night four laps back and
now totally out of contention despite the points they picked up in the Hunts.
The Flying Dutchmen, Slippens-Stam now hold a slim two point lead over Gilmore-Bartko with Risi-Betschart
on the Zero lap but some 40 points down.
The first Hunt (Madison) was won by Risi-Betschart and the second by Keisse-Beikirch
Despite the changes at the top end of the rankings, there were no changes in the relative positions
for the seventh to last placed pairs but the Downing Brothers, injured on Night One, continue to lose
laps and are now back 46 turns or around eight kilometers on the road.
Standings after Night Four
1 Robert Slippens - Danny Stam (NED), 242 Points
2 Matthew Gilmore (BEL) - Robert Bartko (GER), 240 Points
3 Bruno Risi - Kurt Betschart (SUI), 202 Points
Down 1 lap:
4 Iljo Keisse (BEL) - Andreas Beikirch (GER), 208 Points
Down 3 laps:
5 Gerd Dörich - Andreas Kappes (GER), 139 Points
Down 4 laps:
6 Franco Marvulli - Alexander Aeschbach (SUI), 240 Points
7 Marco Villa (ITA) - Franz Stocher (AUT), 102 Points
Down 10 laps:
8 Matthé Pronk - Wouter van Mechelen (BEL), 197 Points
9 Lars Teutenberg (GER) - Luke Roberts AUS), 128 Points
Down 16 laps:
10 Jimmi Madsen (DEN) - Robert Hayles (GBR), 75 Points
Down 22 laps:
11 Martin Liska - Jozef Zabka (SVK), 80 Points
Down 28 laps:
12 Jean-Pierre van Zyl (RSA) - Steven De Neef (BEL),135 Points
Down 46 laps:
13 Russel Downing - Dean Downing (GBR), 22 Points
Source : SixDay Staff
Scotland : Nixes 2012 London Olympics
Fri Nov 26 18:43:00 2004
Olympic bid will cost plenty but benefits only the south One man's opinion. A letter to The Scotsman editor : SIR, - Those unreservedly supporting London's 2012 Olympic bid completely ignore, or side-step, the main issues. It may be quite right to highlight the minuscule projected additional council tax cost to Londoners of a successful bid to secure the 2012 Olympic Games for the London honey-pot. Equally, it may be right to mention the anticipated financial windfalls in addition to the various transport and facilities-related infrastructural benefits accruing only to the immediately surrounding area in event of a successful bid. On the other hand, none of those benefits will extend in any meaningful ongoing way to the millions of UK citizens and taxpayers resident beyond easy reach of the UK capital. No-one should doubt the alienation - indeed outrage - that will assuredly accompany further top-slicing or reduction in (currently dwindling) Lottery funding available to any sports or other deserving project situated outwith the London/South of England area. In addition - mindful of the Dome fiasco of the not-so- distant past, which landed the public purse with a bill for £800million and a care-and-maintenance legacy of some £200,000 each year - there must surely be grave concern over the accuracy of estimates of the overall cost of London hosting the 2012 Olympic Games. These estimates "vary up to £4billion, with public funding capped at £2.375billion". To put that into perspective, the Greek government has only the other day announced that the final tally for the Athens Olympics will be in excess of $11.6billion. The warning signs and the recipe for another fine mess are there for all to see. London luvvies, and their acolytes, please take note. (Signed) RON SUTHERLAND Source : The Scotsman (English)
IOC recommends Slavkov expulsion
Fri Nov 26 15:43:24 2004
International Olympic Committee chiefs have recommended that Ivan Slavkov,
Bulgaria's top Olympic official, be expelled from the organisation.
Slavkov was suspended in August after being implicated in a BBC documentary on alleged corruption.
The 64-year-old was filmed discussing how votes could be bought in bidding for the 2012 Olympics.
The IOC discussed the case on Friday but no action can be taken until the full quota of members meet in July.
A two-thirds majority of the 100-plus members is needed for Slavkov's expulsion.
IOC president Jacques Rogge said: "The executive board has considered that Mr Slavkov has not abided
by the Olympic charter and has tarnished the reputation of the IOC.
"There is zero tolerance for unethical behaviour in the IOC and today's decision reinforces this position."
The BBC gave the IOC the names of more than 30 members allegedly open to corruption.
However, Rogge does not envisage any action against other individuals, and said the list has "no credibility,
no proof, no substantiated evidence.
"You can't condemn people on the basis of hearsay."
Source : BBC (English)
Japan's Beppu to join U.S. pro team
Fri Nov 26 14:03:45 2004
21 years old Bridgestone Anchor rider inks with Posties TOKYO - Japanese road race cyclist Fumiyuki Beppu will join the U.S. Postal cycling team led by six-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong, cycling officials said Wednesday. Beppu, a 21-year-old member of the Bridgestone Anchor team, has agreed with the U.S. professional team on a two-year contract. Source : Kyodo News
Hamilton promises to clear his name
Fri Nov 26 13:03:13 2004
Until I win the Tour de France, I won't be satisfied : Tyler Hamilton
Hamilton tested positive for a blood transfusion at the Olympics in Athens and also at the Tour of Spain.
But the American told BBC's Extratime programme: "I will never hold my hands up and say that I'm guilty
because I didn't blood dope.
"People who know me know 100% that I would never do something like this in my life."
Hamilton won gold at the Olympic time trial in Athens and was able to keep his medal despite the failed
test because his B sample was deep frozen by mistake.
The Russian team, however, are currently appealing the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport,
arguing the medal should go to Russian Vyacheslav Ekimov, who finished second.
Hamilton was subsequently suspended by his Phonak team after failing another test on 11 September,
although team officials have since questioned the validity of those tests.
"Phonak believes in me and they believe this test hasn't really been validated properly," said Hamilton.
"We have built a neutral scientific team just to look into this test to see if it's ready, not only for
all cyclists but for all athletes."
If found guilty, Hamilton faces a two-year ban from the sport.
But he insisted he was still looking ahead to July's Tour de France as he bids for his first win in
cycling's blue-riband event.
"Until I win the Tour de France, I won't be satisfied," he said.
Source : BBC (English)
OLN-TV to show Tour de Burkina Faso
Fri Nov 26 09:49:48 2004
Wraps up the current Retro-Show Series For those readers able to receive an OLN feed, there are several days when 2004 season major races will be broadcast. Check the listings in your area for precise events and times. OLN's Tour du Faso coverage airs at 12 p.m. EST on Thursday, December 2. Source : Zap-2-It Televison Listings
South Africa : Hunter Steals the Show
Fri Nov 26 09:28:00 2004
Robert Hunter peddles off with Top Award
Robert Hunter was named as the Pick 'n Pay road cyclist of the year last night, after what has been
South African cycling's best season on the international circuit for many a year.
Hunter won the tour of Qatar and two stages on the Tour of Switzerland in a year that saw victories
for HSBC's Nic White and Ian McLeod in France, and Jock Green of Barloworld in the Tour of Britain.
Anke Erlank won the women's road and mountain bike awards after a quite stunning season that she
capped in fine style on Sunday by winning the Pick 'n Pay 94.7 Cycle Challenge. Greg Minaar, the
2003 world downhill champion and 2004 Norba champion, grabbed the overall men's mountain bike award.
Road
Men: Robert Hunter
Women: Anke Erlank
Most promising man: John Lee Augustyn, Hanco Kachelhofer
Most promising woman: Carla Freysen
Disabled rider: Riaan Nel
Race: Pick 'n Pay Amashovashova
Mountain bike
Overall: Greg Minnaar
Downhill: Greg Minnaar
Cross-country: Jacques Rossouw
Mountain bike race: Cape Epic
Triathlon
Men: Raynard Tissink.
Women: Megan Hall
BMX
Men: Sifiso Nhlapo.
Women: Teagan O'Keeffe
Source : The Star (South Africa)
Damiano Cunego - Football commentator
Fri Nov 26 08:36:54 2004
Celebrity still a novelty Damiano Cunego will appear next Sunday on the Italian television show "Quelli che il Calcio". The Veronese 2004 Giro d'Italia winner will be the guest at the Bentegodi stadium in Verona to watch and provide commentary on the football game between Chievo Verona and Milan. This is another first for Cunego who is still somewhat overwhelmed by all the attention he is getting as a result of his Giro win. But he admits that he is "Getting used to it". Source : SixDay Staff
Ghent Six Day - Night Three (Thursday)
Fri Nov 26 07:14:14 2004
The two Hunts on Night Three at the Vlaanderen Six Day in Ghent were won by Gilmore-Bartko and Slippens-Stam.
Swiss European Madison Champions Marvulli-Aeschbach now lead but the lead is tenuous. Their sprinting abilities
in the Hunts allowed them to be first to claim the 200 point bonus lap but on the same Zero lap are Slippens-Stam
and Gilmore-Robert Bartko within easy distance of the bonus lap and so Marvulli-Aeschbach will need to steal a
lap if they have ambitions of retaining the lead long term.
The Downing Brothers, injured in a crash in the second Hunt of Night One, are gamely continuing and even managed
to win a few points on Night Three but now languish 29 laps back at the Half Way point.
Standings after Night Three
1 Franco Marvulli - Alexander Aeschbach (SUI), 201 Points
2 Robert Slippens - Danny Stam (NED), 175 Points
3 Matthew Gilmore (BEL) - Robert Bartko (GER), 173 Points
4 Bruno Risi - Kurt Betschart (SUI), 152 Points
Down 1 lap:
5 Iljo Keisse (BEL) - Andreas Beikirch (GER), 146 Points
6 Gerd Dörich - Andreas Kappes (GER), 110 Points
at 3 laps:
7 Marco Villa (ITA) - Franz Stocher (AUT), 75 Points
Down 7 laps:
8 Matthé Pronk - Wouter van Mechelen (BEL), 125 Points
9 Lars Teutenberg (GER) - Luke Roberts AUS), 91 Points
Down 11 laps:
10 Jimmi Madsen (DEN) - Robert Hayles (GBR), 60 Points
Down 15 laps:
11 Martin Liska - Jozef Zabka (SVK), 75 Points
Down 20 laps:
12 Jean-Pierre van Zyl (RSA) - Steven De Neef (BEL), 81 Points
Down 29 laps:
13 Russel Downing - Dean Downing (GBR), 9 Points
Source : SixDay Staff
Men Only
Fri Nov 26 06:53:54 2004
Here's France's Jens Voigt Source : Six Day staff; Photo Courtesy : Cyclisme féminin (French)
Ladies Only
Fri Nov 26 06:43:33 2004
Here's where Germany's Ines Gruetzmann hangs out Here's Ines :Source : Six Day staff
Happy Birthday - Men
Fri Nov 26 06:34:01 2004
Roger Rosiers (1946) Belgium 1st 1971 Paris-Roubaix (2nd Herman Van Springel, Belgium; 3rd Marino Basso, Italy) 3rd 1973 Paris-Roubaix (1st Eddy Merckx, Belgium; 2nd Walter Godefroot, Belgium) Ivan Basso (1977) Italy 3rd 2004 Tour de France (1st Lance Armstrong, USA; 2nd Andreas Kloden, Germany) Source : Six Day staff
Happy Birthday - Women
Fri Nov 26 06:17:19 2004
None today, Sorry But Guess who this Mystery Woman is - Email your Answer (Answer tomorrow)Source : Six Day staff
Today's Menu
Fri Nov 26 06:00:55 2004
Friday, November 26, 2004 Main Events:
MEN:
Stage Races : None
Single Day races : None
Six Day, Track :
64th Flanders Six Day at Ghent
WOMEN :
Stage Races : None
Single Day races : None
Source : UCI
UCI Calendars: Road Track UCI Home Page