Cycling Reports

Wacker times it to perfection; Li defends world title

Men

Eugen Wacker (Kirghizstan) took the gold medal in the 'B' World championships in Monthey, Switzerland on Saturday afternoon. The 28-year-old double national time trial champion completed the 24.7 kilometre flat time trial in 30'15" on a hot day that was thankfully cooled a little by strong breezes from the surrounding high mountains.

Wacker finally beat the time of Jianshi Luo by 49 seconds after he had been top of the leader board for over an hour. Luo had led at the 12km intermediate stage with 15'15" until Jean-Francois Laroche (Canada) finally smashed it with 14'56". The 23 year-old Canadian amateur was then involved in a bizarre incident when a commisaire's car knocked him into ditch losing valuable time.

Wacker had been preparing all year for the top event. "It was windy out there today," said Wacker: "I have been specialising in time-trials at home and working with the national squad for some time. I rode in the world time-trial championships in Verona in 1999 where I came eleventh."

Laroche was philosophical about the crash, which lost him the chance to take silver. "I lost about 20 or 30 seconds I guess", said Laroche, "which is disappointing as I only missed second spot by six. I was pleased with my first 15km but I did fade away a little at the end. I was pleased overall and I hope to go to the Pan-Am Games with good form for the pursuit and road time-trial events."

Eugen Wacker takes gold for Kirghizstan
Photo ©: Gerry McManus 2003

Women

Li Meifang (China) successfully defended the title she won in 1999 when she took the top podium spot in the 'B' World championships in women's 16.5 km individual time-trial held on the same day. However, it wasn't the a full podium of Chinese riders this time, as Evelyn Garcia (El Salvador) finished runner-up ahead of Juning Zhang (China).

Meifang's average speed was faster than many of the men's times and would even have earned her a bronze in that event if she was able to maintain her 47.5 km/h pace she averaged in the women's event.

Third place was very close with less than a second separating Zhang from fourth placed Marie Rosado (Puerto Rico).

Results

Men

1 Eugen Wacker (Kgz) 30:14.66
2 Jianshi Luo (Chn) 1:16.66
3 Jean-François Laroche (Can) 1:22.78
4 Muradjan Khalmuratov (Uzb) 1:35.20
5 Marcio May (Bra) 1:45.11
6 Alexandru Sabalin (Mda) 1:47.47
7 Luca Barazzutti (Ecu) 2:17.62
8 Nebojsa Jovanovic (Yug) 2:26.57
9 Wang Guozhang (Chn) 2:26.62
10 Jamsran Ulzii-Orshikh (Mgl) 2:30.89
11 Mannie Heymans (Nam) 2:36.80
12 Jose Reinaldo Murillo (ESa) 2:50.85
13 Mariano De Fino Silveiro (Uru) 2:54.31
14 Abdulhaq Al-Eissa (Ksa) 3:03.31
15 Cong Hieu Mai (Vie) 3:03.96
16 Patrique Azevedo (Bra) 3:12.10
17 Ephrem Tewelde (Eri) 3:24.17
18 Zineddine Merabent (Alg) 3:25.23
19 Necmettin Ozbek (Tur) 3:32.20
20 Khuyagt Purevsuren (Mgl) 3:35.31
21 Bader Al-Yasin (Ksa) 3:41.56
22 Ngai Ching Wong (HKg) 3:45.23
23 Habte Weldesimon (Eri) 3:56.68
24 Dong Trinh Sang (Vie) 3:57.48
25 Redouane Salah (Alg) 3:59.04
26 Guy Costa (Tri) 4:10.68
27 Yousev Sanchez (PRc) 4:13.28
28 Jim Melanie (Sey) 4:24.81
29 Mert Mutlu (Tur) 4:34.80
30 Andy Rose (Sey) 5:12.90
31 Carlos Hernandez (ESa) 5:27.99
32 Tinga Turner (Jam) 5:43.69
33 Robert Marsh (Ant) 5:54.79
34 Samuels Oneil (Jam) 6:08.86
35 Vugar Salahov (Aze) 6:14.99
36 Igor Demyashkin (Aze) 6:42.24
37 Duncan Seko (Ken) 8:08.70
DNS Abdoulaye Thiam (Sen)
DNS Tigran Korkotyan (Arm)
DNS Mickael Barboza (Sen)
DNS Miguel Angel Direnna Sattler (Uru)
DNS Sevacher Martirosyan (Arm)

Women

1 Li Meifang (Chn) 20:52.61
2 Evelyn Garcia (ESa) 0:41.32
3 Junying Zhang (Chn) 1:13.63
4 Marie Rosado (PRc) 1:14.28
5 Patricia Palencia Aleman (Mex) 1:27.01
6 Iona Wynter (Jam) 1:32.65
7 Maria Dolores Molina De Ortiz (Gua) 1:47.40
8 Laura Juliana Castro Gomez (Col) 1:53.26
9 Tan Hoang Thithanh (Vie) 2:58.29
10 Hsiao Yun Lan (Tpe) 3:34.72
11 Jimena Arce Vargus (CRc) 3:36.06
12 Thuy Vu Hong (Vie) 3:41.53

<Read More by Gerry McManus Here>