On their own in Italy ...

Press, 28 July 1989, Page 40

On their own in Italy ...

Administrative problems in Italy were one of the main reasons Christchurch’s Tony Creelman gives for the inadequate build-up he had to the world junior cycling championships in Moscow recently. Creelman, aged 18, of the Hornby club, left New Zealand in May for several weeks training in Italy before the championships, which were from July 8 to 16. Along with Andrew Barlow, of Invercargill, New Zealand’s other entry to the junior worlds, Creelman stayed in Pisa, close to where their nominated manager, Mr Bruce Biddle, lived. Mr Biddle, who owns a small cycling shop in Italy, was selected to manage the pair and look after them for the five weeks before the Moscow event When the pair arrived, Mr Biddle was most uncooperative, according to Creelman. He would not travel with the pair to track meetings around Italy, and was unavailable for coaching or training work. This meant the two had to look after themselves in the foreign country. “We were living on a hill, which meant getting to the track was a .problem” .. Creelman

By

MALCOLM CONDIE

“We’d have to ride our track bikes there, down the hill and back up again. There was no motor-pacing either.” Because track racing is not very strong in Italy, Creelman and Barlow had trouble finding any track meetings they could attend. In the five weeks they were in the country they attended five track meets, one criterium and two road races. That entailed arranging their own transport and accommo dation to places like Florence, Venice and Pisa. In Venice, Creelman won a points race in a track meeting, and he recorded a second and a couple of thirds in other carnivals. On one occasion, he recalls catching a train to a track meeting in Florence. The two arrived at their destination, and found the local transport authorities were on strike. This meant they had to carry their road and track bikes, as well as all their luggage, in the search for the track. It took three hours of searching around the city before they found the velodrome, and then they found there was no

accommodation to be had.

Fortunately, the manager of an Italian track team helped them out and gave them a ride back to their lodgings. When Barlow’s parents heard of the uninterested attitude of Mr. Biddle, Mr Barlow flew Out to Italy. He arrived only three days before the cyclists were due to travel to Moscow. “We would not have been able to manage without Mr Barlow,” Creelman said. He added that he did not think they would have

been allowed to go to the Soviet Union had Mr Barlow not arrived at the eleventh hour. At the junior world championships both the New Zealanders were overwhelmed by the high standard of cycling at that international level. Neither was highly placed in any of their events. Creelman said that the standard of this year’s junior world event was probably higher than in previous years. Many first-year juniors won events last year, and so returned this year and trounced any opposition they faced. Most of these riders, particularly on the track, were from Eastern' Bloc countries. The Soviet cyclist who won the 1000 m time trial stopped the clocks in lmin 5.15. That time would have given him a bronze at the Seoul Olympics. The Soviet junior team which won the team’s pursuit recorded 4min 16.55. The New Zealand record for the same event is 4:27.19. That winning time was only three seconds slower than the 1988 Olympic winning time, and the riders were only 17 and 18 years o!c£a

Another example of the sheer strength of these cyclists was in the sprinting. The Italian sprinter who was second in 1988, qualified for his win with a 10.2 s 200 m. Riding a sub-12s sprint in New Zealand is considered quick. Creelman says the reason these riders are so good is because they are dedicated for only one event

Although Creelman saw no obvious evidence of drug-enhancement at. the junior world championships, he said it was probable some riders were taking drugs.

He recalled the instance of the Soviet pursuit team which finished its final ride, then the riders hopped off their bikes and waltzed into the changing sheds, hardly puffing or sweating. The Australian team, on the other hand, completed its final ride and their bikes had to be held to prevent the riders falling off. “I think New Zealanders try to do too many events,” he said. Creelman is not going to race competitively on the road this season. Next track season he is a first-year senior. “I’m going to start training for the track now and use the road races as training.” "Next track season I’m going for it”