April 2/04 4:53 am - Canada at Georgia, Hesjedal Out of Flanders, OCA Racing Regulations

Posted by Editor on 04/2/04
 

Team Canada in Tour de Georgia

We have received word that the CCA has been invited to send a team to the Tour de Georgia later this month (April 20-25). The team would replaced a yet as unknown team that has withdrawn. Thus far, the only rider that we have been able to confirm to be on the squad is national champion Dominique Perras. Apparently Roland Green has been approached, but it may be too close to Sea Otter for him to consider riding in Georgia.


Hesjedal Out of Flanders
Courtesy CCA

April 2nd, 2004 - Canadian Ryder Hesjedal, who just finished 16th in the professional Dreidaagse van der Panne in Belgium, has decided not to start in the Tour of Flanders World Cup event this Sunday. Hesjedal was on the United States Postal Service presented by Berry Floor team list for Flanders, but has been suffering from a cold since before the Dreidaagse.

But Hesjedal will have plenty of racing despite this setback: he confirmed that he will race in the semi-classic Ghent-Wevelgem on April 7 and in a race often described as the Queen of the Classics, Paris-Roubaix, on April 11.

Hesjedal and USPS management decided it was not worth making his cold worse by starting in Flanders, which Hesjedal described as "not a race ˆ it's a battle."

"Lots of times in the race I was done," said Hesjedal of the first stage of the Dreidaagse, where he made it into the breakaway that determined the top 20 spots overall. "I just put my head down and rolled through the group." The effort paid off in the end.

With just three road races in his legs in the 2004 season, the 24-year-old is happy with the progress he has made, although he adds that "there's definitely improvement to be made." While it's tempting to credit his recent success on the Belgian cobbles to his mountain bike background, Hesjedal says it just boils down to the ability to go fast and be aggressive in close quarters.

"I don't think a lot of people have the slightest idea what it's like moving at 60 km/h down a road the size of a hallway," he said. Hesjedal is also scheduled to compete in the Quatre Jours de Dunkerque on May 5-9 before returning to MTB competition for the opening rounds of the World Cup, and the Olympic test event in Athens.


OCA Road Communique #1

From the OCA College of Road Commissaires:

This first communique for 2004 is to inform all road riders in Ontario of the new enforcement of several rules for the 2004 racing season. A handout outlining these rules will be provided at the first three races. Warnings will be issued for the first three races and then after that warnings and/or fines will be issued. All warnings and/ or fines will be communicated to the riders in a weekly communique like this one and in writing.

The following rules will be enforced for all riders:

1.1.029.1 - All riders must present their license during registration and may need to provide photo id. Any rider who does not have their license with them may approach the Chief Commissaire of the event to look-up their license information so that a temporary replacement license can be obtained for a fee of $10.00. Continuing to race without purchasing the replacement license will result in disqualification and a fine of $50.00.

12.1.040.N16 - Not reporting to a commissaire after dropping out of the race. If you decide to not complete a race, please inform any commissaire that you are a DNF. If a commissaire witnesses you dropping out without you notifying any commissaire at a later time then this may result in a $5.00 fine.

The following rules will be enforced for only Senior 1&2 riders (however warnings may be issued to all riders for educational purposes):

1.3.072.1 - All independent riders must wear a plain coloured jersey that does not display any team / club names or sponsors. Failure to do so may result in a fine of $5.00 to $20.00.

1.3.072.1 (Trade Teams) - All trade teams riders must wear the jersey with the design that was submitted with trade team application. Failing that, ALL riders must at least be wearing the identical jersey. Failure to do so may result in a fine of $5.00 to $20.00 for the offending rider and an additional fine to the team of $25.00 to $50.00 per offending rider.

1.3.072.2.3 - A rider not wearing the jersey of the team listed on their license will result in a fine $5.00 to $10.00.

The following rule will be enforced for all riders less than 19 years of age (except novice):

2.2.024 - The authorized maximum chain gear ratio is 7.93 metres. The OCA Development Committee has decided that juniors must ride with restricted gears at all times, even if they are riding in a senior 1/2 race. Gear restrictions will not apply to the Novice category at events. Please see the previous announcement and supported document regarding this at www.ontariocycling.org/web_pages/news1/newslisting.php?id=142.