October 22/05 9:19 am - MTB Devo, Merckx Draw Winner, Kalentieva Leaves Merida, UCI News

Posted by Editor on 10/22/05
 

Mountain Bike Devo - Hardwood Hills
Courtesy Kevin Jones

Registration is now being accepted for the 2006 Mountain Bike Devo program. The Devo program is part of the National Cycling Centre development program at Hardwood Hills.

Devo was bigger and better in 2005, with the support of all the parents, and was the top points earning club for the OCA!

We are very excited to continue this program for riders age 13-18 who want to progress more into racing and develop as athletes. Devo is a multifaceted program focusing on technical skills, physiological training, race preparation and support, all within a fun and social environment.

See www.hardwoodhills.ca/mtb/pdf/2006devo.pdf for full details.


Winner of "An Evening Of Champions" Draw Announced

The Early Bird Draw for the two tickets to "An Evening Of Champions" with Eddy & Axel Merckx was drawn this afternoon at the Wedgewood Hotel in Vancouver.

Nick Locke Senior VP Development BC Cancer Foundation pulled the winners ticket revealing the name Simon Buchanan of Vancouver, a popular rider on the lower mainland cycling scene and current President of Team Soliton.

There are still raffle tickets available for a great list of prizes including an Eddy Merckx Road Bike and a Weekend Penthouse Retreat at The Wedgewood Hotel, details on all prizes and how to purchase raffle tickets are available at www.teamwedgewood.com all proceeds will go to support the BC Cancer Foundation.

An Evening Of Champions is sold out and takes place in Vancouver on Friday October 28, 2005.


Kalentieva Leaves Multivan Merida
Courtesy Multivan Merida

The Multivan Merida Biking Team and Russian elite mountain bike racer Irina Kalentieva have decided to part ways for the future. The most successful cross country racing team of recent years will be competing with five athletes. From the next season on, a sixth position will be available for the most promising talents of Merida's national racing teams. This way, young riders will get a chance to participate in international competitions with full professional back-up.

Irina Kalentieva, now leaving the team, has a firm hold on the third position in mountain biking's world ranking. The reigning Russian national champion won the Schladming (Austria) World Cup in 2005 and finished in the top six positions in every single World Cup race of the season.

Multivan Merida Biking Team:

Team members Cross Country (Oct. 2005):
Gunn-Rita Dahle (Nor)
Nina Gohl (Ger)
Jose Antonio Hermida (Esp)
Ralph Naf (SUui)
Moritz Milatz (Ger)

Team members Marathon (Oct. 2005):
Jurgen Kotulla (Ger)


UCI Partners with WCSN
Courtesy UCI

The UCI is pleased to announce the conclusion of an important agreement for the next 3 years with World Championship Sports Network (WCSN). This includes the broadcasting of UCI events "on demand" and "pay per view" on American cable networks as well as on the internet. WCSN will show exclusive coverage on American territory, both live and recorded, of the UCI Road, Track, Mountain Bike & Trials, Cyclo-cross, BMX and Indoor Cycling World Championships and World Cups. In addition, WCSN will show these events on its website, also live, for users on American territory.

The UCI President Pat McQuaid said that he was delighted with "this tremendous opportunity to showcase our world-class riders and bring the excitement of these events to the American viewers and internet users‰. Claude Ruibal, CEO and founder of WCSN said that he was "proud to be national home of UCI, adding that "adding cycling to WCSN lineup adds tremendous value to WCSN and provides USA viewers the opportunity for the first time to see all of these events live‰.

WCSN is the main American channel showing coverage of international sporting events. WCSN has obtained exclusive partnerships with big international sports federations like the FIS (skiing), IAAF (athletics) and the FIG (gymnastics).