‘Cross it up
The cyclo-cross season reaches its climax in Abergavenny, North Wales this weekend with the National Championships.

The women’s race looks to be one of the highlights of the weekend with local girl Nicole Cooke taking on in-form ‘crossers Helen Wyman, Gaby Day (Both Team Bottecchia/Fat Birds) and Victoria Wilkinson (SIS). They will certainly have their hands full with the multi-talented international rider from Wales. Cooke finished 5th in the Severn Cyclo Cross main event (men and women) last weekend in preparation for the Championship.

The Men’s race will also be a hotly contested one. It could be a day for the mountain bikers with in-form Jody Crawforth (Evans) taking on Liam Killeen (Specialized) and Oli Beckinsale (Scott) who are all down to start. The likes of Nick Craig (SIS), Gary Foord and Adrain Timmis (Pinarello RT) also offer a potentially exciting ‘experienced rider’ challenge. It should be a good day out.

Start sheets for the ‘Cross championship are here
And the event details here

On the right track
Obviously the ‘cross champs clashes with the Track World Cup meeting in Manchester which expects to be one of the best line-ups the UK has ever hosted.
More information and ticket availability here

Night-time Crossers
Taking cyclo-cross one-step further – The “Extra Exposure” night time cyclo-cross race, is the latest event on the racing calendar. Taking place towards the end of the season, the event is sure to be a must to all those with “end of season” form. It’s to be held on the 14th January 2005 at the Derby County Cricket Ground, Racecourse Park, Derbyshire.
For the full story go here

Is it Millar’s time?
The 24th of January sees David Millar’s hearing at the CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport). The current two year ban could be reduced to one year and see Britain’s tarnished jewel back in action as soon as 2006.
Court of Arbitration for Sport
www.itsmillartime.com

Tour tittle-tattle
Six months before the Tour 2005 and Lance Armstrong remains undecided. However crowd-pleaser and all round nice guy Jan Ullrich is certain he will be takling the American come next summer. Ullrich also said, during his South African training camp, that the T-Mobile team has no clear leader and anyone of a number of their ‘big guns’ (namely Alexandre Vinokourov and Andreas Klodden) could make the top step of the podium in Paris next July. Blimey, this also means we only have six months to go before the Etape…