U.S. Postal team members look to deliver gold


USA Cycling


Doug Pensinger/Allsport
Besides Lance Armstrong, Tyler Hamilton is another possible medalist for the U.S.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 1, 2000) — Two-time defending Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong headlines the 2000 U.S. Olympic Men's Road Cycling Team, which has been nominated by the United States Olympic Committee, USA Cycling announced Tuesday.

"Our men's Olympic road team will be as strong as any country in the world," said Sean Petty, USA Cycling director of athlete performance. "The athletes we are taking give us a lot of options and horsepower in the road race. I believe we have two athletes, in Lance Armstrong and Tyler Hamilton, who are capable of winning medals in the individual time trial."

Armstrong became just the 19th cyclist ever to win consecutive Tour de France titles, and will be making his third Olympic appearance in Sydney. The 1993 world champion placed 14th in the road race at the Barcelona Olympics (1992), and sixth (individual time trial) and 12th (road race) at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.

"We have assembled a first-rate team that will no doubt be favored in both the road race and individual time trial,” said U.S. Olympic men's road coach Jim Ochowicz. “Lance Armstrong demonstrated once again during last month's Tour de France that he is up to the challenge and I believe he will be there again in Sydney."

No Tour de France champion has won an Olympic medal the same year they won the Tour. Miguel Indurain of Spain, who garnered five consecutive Tour de France titles (1991-95), captured the inaugural Olympic individual time trial gold medal four years ago in Atlanta.

George Hincapie (Greenville, S.C.) will also be making his third Olympic appearance, after competing at the 1992 and 1996 Games. Hamilton (Marblehead, Mass.), Fred Rodriguez (Emeryville, Calif.) and Antonio Cruz (Long Beach, Calif.) will be making their Olympic debuts in 2000.

Hincapie is the top-ranked U.S. cyclist in the World Cup standings at 16th. Among his top performances are fourth at Trofeo-Luis Puig, sixth at the Paris-Roubaix (2000), fourth at Paris-Roubaix (1999), fifth at KEW Cycleclassic (1999)and first at First Union USPRO Championships (1998). All of the aforementioned races are one-day road races, similar to the Olympic road race.

With a fourth-place finish at Stage 19 of this year's Tour de France, Hamilton is regarded as one of the world's premier individual time trialists. He captured two stages and the overall title at the Dauphine Libere in France, the last major event prior to the Tour de France. He has finished among the top 25 at the past two Tour de France events; 13th in 1999 and 25th in 2000. He was an alternate for the 1996 U.S. Olympic squad.

In his first Tour de France, Rodriguez earned three top-four stage finishes. Among his other accomplishments are winning the 2000 USPRO championship with a second-place finish at the First Union USPRO Championships, and winning stage races at the Tour of Switzerland and Four Days of Dunkirk (France).

Cruz earned his spot on the team after winning the U.S. Olympic Trials in May in Jackson, Miss. He won the 1999 USPRO National Criterium Championship in Downers Grove, Ill.

Two-time Olympic cyclist Ochowicz will coach the USA Cycling Olympic men's road cycling team. He was a member of the 1972 and 1976 U.S. Olympic Track cycling squad. He was the founder, general manager and coach of the prestigious 7-Eleven Cycling Team (1981-90).

The 7-Eleven Cycling Team was the first U.S. professional cycling team to participate at the Tour of Italy (1985) and Tour de France (1986). He also was the founder, general manager and coach of the Motorola Cycling Team (1991-96), and presently works as a financial advisor for Robert W. Baird & Company, Inc. in Waukesha, Wis.

The United States ranks eighth in the current world rankings following the Tour de France. Armstrong is ranked sixth in the world, followed by teammates Hamilton (49th), Rodriguez (68th) and Hincapie (80th).

All five cyclists will be competing in Europe during August and September prior to arriving in Sydney.



   This is an event that Jeri wants to be able to do again this year, and next year and for as long as she is able to go on doing it, but she needs sponsors to make it possible.

If anyone reading this would like to participate in this event by doing the ride or by helping others do it, I would encourage you to get in touch with me or Jeri for more details. "The more people involved the better" is the motto they go by, but it is going to take time and commitment. If you have the time to do it yourself or the money to help others do it, we want to hear from you. I know I would like to give some of the money from the races the Great Smoky Mountains Triathlon Club puts on this year to help Jeri bike for the Lord.

My e-mail address is tri2000@dnet.net

I look forward to hearing from you on this matter. Thanks

Scott Hanna Race Director