Pip Sports Network

[Hadash]

Pip Sports Network

Yukimura Matsuko elected as Chairman of the Sioran Cycling Association (SCA)
By Richard W. Wallance
Published: Vintyr 1579


Matsuko, 57, has been Vice-president of the Sainamese Cycling federation since 1570


Yukimura Matsuko, the candidate nominated by the Sainamese Cycling Union, was surprisingly elected as new Chairman of the Sioran Cycling Association, defeating Georges Marquette, the Vallish candidate and favourite, and current SCA Vice-Chairman since 1570.

Matsuko obtained the support of 57% of the federations, and therefore assuring her victory in the first round of voting. Marquette obtained only 29% of the vote, while the Mordvanian candidate, Stanislav Srebotnjek, obtained only 14% of the vote.

Matsuko, a retired cyclist and former Sainemse Social Democratic Party MP, becomes the first woman to head the Sioran Cycling Association, and also the first Ostaran. She has promised to improve the fighting against doping, more support for youth cycling, and tackling corruption more effectively.

Matsuko will serve a five-year term, until late 1584. It remains to be seen if she will be able to fulfill all her ambitious promises.

[Hadash]

Pip Sports Network

Aydar Ruslanur announced as Kyrzbekistani national coach until 1584
By Maureen Hoxha
Published: 1580


Aydur Ruslanur, manager of the Kyrzbekistani national football team.


Ayduramazan, Kyrzbekistan - Aydur Ruslanur has been confirmed as manager of the national team of Kyrzbekistan.

The Football Association of Kyrzbekistan announced that Aydur Ruslanur, 48, will become the manager of the national team for the next four years. He had already been in charge of the team for ten months, after manager Enver Spahiu resigned after the Ostaran Golden Cup, in which the Kyrzbekistani team reached the final for second time but lost against Tieguo 2-1.

Aydur Ruslanur had been assistant manager to the Kyrzbekistan national team since 1575, so the leadership of the Football Association of Kyrzbekistan is likely looking for a continuation of Spahiu tenure as manager, in which the Kyrzbekistani football team won the 1571 Ostaran Cup, the 1573 Confederation Cup, and the 1578 World Cup. Before his role as assistant manager in the national team, Ruslanur was a coach in the Terek Bakyt and the Partizani Basan, winning the Aydur Amazat Cup with the latter in 1574 and the Kyrzbekistani Supercup in early 1575.

The first challenge for Ruslanur will be trying to win for second time the Confederation Cup in 1581, before defending the champion title in the 1582 World Cup. It remains to be seen if Ruslanur will repeat, or at least getting close, to the success of Spahiu. Spahiu, who was in charge of the national team since late 1568 to 1579, won 52 of 87 matches, a 59.8% all-time record for the Kyrzbekistani national team, besides the three international trophies achieved in 1571, 1573, and 1578. Many have considered Spahiu the best Ostaran manager in history, at least regarding national teams.

Spahiu, who before his time as Kyrzbekistan national manager had developed all his career in Arberian and Mestran team, currently lives in Qenderë. The 70-year old coach has no expressed desire to continue his career as coach, despite the rumours about his alleged hiring by other national football teams, and Brigidnan, Kvaennan, Angirisian and Nylander clubs.

The first match for Ruslanur since signing the new contract until 1584 will be a friendly match against Severyane in Ayduramazan, the next month. The friendly match is expected to serve as a homage for Spahiu, who will receive a honorary medal by the Football Association of Kyrzbekistan and a guest appearance in the stadium field before the match.

[Hadash]

Pip Sports Network

Johan Van Engelen wins 1580 Tour de Valland
By Richard W. Wallace
Published: Zechyr 25, 1580


The veteran Batavian climber was able to impose to his main rivals without epic exhibitions.


Lauren, Valland - Johan Van Engelen won yesterday the Tour de Valland after a calm last stage in Lauren, which was won by Oslanburgan sprinter Sven-Ole Wieth (Scholden-Gulcron), his third individual stage win this Tour. Wieth overtook Batavian Immanuel Botha (Lentar-Swift) and Mordvanian Elmar Nurksë (Crédit Blondel) in a disputed final sprint.

Johan Van Engelen, 34, becomes the first Batavian to win a Grand Tour, and the first Skathian rider to win the Tour de Valland. Van Engelen ended 5th last year, but it was not expected to be a top contender for the final victory. Van Engelen had his better result in 1576, when he was defeated by the young Goldecian all-rounder Max Jordan in the Ceribian Tour, in the only Grand Tour podium until today for the Batavian climber. Van Engelen was regarded as a competitive climber, but not very consistent for the fight of the general classification, very often suffering in the last week of the Tour, and poor performances in time-trial.

This year the Tour de Valland was considered not as tough as previous years, and with a second and final time-trial stage without high mountain stages left, and riders such as Stavros Michelakakis (MTS Team), Elton Isaksson (ZMG-Nissen), Marc Menethil (Dagslag-NVB), Ceribian Tour winner Wenceslao Cánovas (New Galeae) or last year winner Strathaen Kieran McLucais were considered the top contenders for the Tour. However, Van Engelen proved to be more constant and tenacious rider, and achieved his greatest victory in his career as cyclist.

It was already clear at the beginning of the third week that Van Engelen and Ceribian climber Murtaz Sukhisvili (AM-Koske), along Kelly McCullain (United Strathae) at some distance, were the only riders left to the fight for the title. Van Engelen almost clinched the victory in the last high mountain stage won by the Vallish champion Robert Artaud (Rolareux-Printemps), in which he took the leading maillot for first time, and with a lead of almost three minutes over Marc Menethil, after both Sukhisvili and McCullain collapsed and lost five and six minutes respectively. Van Engelen's lead became definitive when Menethil lost a minute to Van Engelen's main group on the next stage in a mid-mountain stage which was expected to be a transition one. Although he is certainly not a specialist at time-trial, Van Engelen had a comfortable and decent performance on the time-trial on stage 19, only losing less than two minutes regarding the Adwestene all-rounder, who ended two minutes and five seconds behind Van Engelen in the final general classification.

It was the second time Marc Menethil (Dagslag-NVB) ended as runners-up in the Tour de Valland as he already did in 1577. Mestran climber and twice-winner of the Tour de Valland Stavros Michelakakis (MTS Team) completed the podium. Michelakakis had a disappointing second week, losing several minutes in key stages, but -as he did in 1579- could improve and get back in the final third week.

Svarna Vemulakonda (Ogo Cycling) could only be fourth, in this third top ten for the promising Goldecian all-rounder, while Strathaen climber Kelly McCullain  ended fifth winning the Mountain classification as well. His team, United Strathae, won the Team classification as well, a consolation as the Strathaen team was unable to defend the title,  1579 winner Kieran McLucais ending 32th, way behind his teammates McCullain and Keane MacPhàil.

Only two riders repeated victory this Tour de Valland, the sprinters Robert Malone (Dido-Dreher Cycling) with 4 wins, and Sven-Ole Wieth (Scholden-Gulcron) with 3 wins. However, although he failed to win any individual stage, Batavian sprinter Immanuel Botha (Lentar-Swift) proved to be more consistent and won the Points classification, the first rider to win the green maillot without winning an individual stage.

[Hadash]

Pip Sports Network

Two Ceribian Tour riders test positive
By Richard W. Wallace
Published: Nueva 22, 1580


Stanislaw Wachowski, during the last Tour of Nentsia


Gardafoni, Ceribia - A Nentsian and a Florinthian riders have tested positive for banned substances at the 1580 Ceribian Tour, the Sioran Cycling Association reported today. The Nentsian, Stanislaw Wachowski (AHN-KozMetal), tested positive for artificial testosterone while Florinthian Jeremy Cowden (ZMG-Nissen) tested positive for an ashtma-related substance.

Both riders have withdrawn two days ago, after stage 16th; in the case of Wachowski, the alleged reason seemed to be a knee injury, as he had suffered a crash on stage 4th. The SCA has already issued a temporary suspension on both riders, while their teams has issued no statement to date on this so far.

Wachowski, 36, is an experienced time-trial specialist who has won several times the Nentsian time-trial championship. It is the second doping positive for AHN-KozMetal team, as Biyran sprinter Sergiusz Krzyzaniak already tested positive in last season Tour de Valland.

Florinthian Jeremy Cowden, 28, had been riding for AHN-KozMetal for the previous seasons, but this season he had signed up with Nylander team ZMG-Nissen to serve as a domestique. Cowden had won an individual stage on 1578 Ceribian Tour, but his first season in the Nylander team he was more focused to help the expected team leader Elton Isaksson, who failed to fight for the title in the last Tour de Valland.  

[Hadash]

Pip Sports Network

Miks Lieltirums wins 1580 Ceribian Tour
By Richard W. Wallace
Published: Nueva 25, 1580


Miks Lieltirums


Makvari, Ceribia - Seļi climber Miks Lieltirums (Keszariakom Cycling) won yesterday the 1580 Ceribian Tour. The last stage, a high mountain stage ending in Mtis Tamtri was won by Goldecian Rory McLucais (Razzies-SaveMart). Lieltirums had a more calmed than expected stage, resisting the attacks of his main rival, the Ceribian climber Kakha Arsenidze (Chikhura-KDK). Lieltirums only lost five seconds to Arsenidze.

The 33-year climber became the unexpected winner, became the first cyclist from Videjszeme to win the Ceribian Tour, and the second to win a Grand Tour (after Pavel Bezbiksis, who won the Tour de Valland in 1577). Lieltirums won the leading jearsey since stage 13th, when he obtained an impressive victory in one of the main individual stages. After he suffered in the next stage, when he lost almost two minutes to Sainamese climber Asai Satoshi (Nitenryu Cycling), he surprisingly recovered and won the next stage in another exhibition. Although he lost about two minutes in the ITT stage and the following medium-mountain stage, Lieltirums' lead was large enough to resist comfortably the attack of his rivals.

Kakha Arsenidze ended second, two minutes and thirty-five seconds behind Lieltirums, the best result for a Ceribian rider since 1572, when Arsenidze's teammate Zurab Avakidze won the Ceribian Tour. Asai Satoshi (Nitenryu Cycling) ended third, six minutes and twenty-four seconds behind Lieltirums, the best result for a Sainamese cyclist in a Grand Tour.

None of the main contenders -Tour de Valland winner Stavros Michelakakis, Nylander Elton Isaksson, Adwestene Marc Menethil, or 1579 winner Wenceslao Cánovas- were able to be combative enough, only Menethil achieving a position in the top ten after an improving third week. Lieltirums' win is the last for so-called Videjszeme's "Golden Generation", which includes Tour de Valland-winner Pavel Bezbiksis, climber Kurts Kozlovskis, and sprinter Tomass Kukulmuznieks (Bagdati Team) who won two individual stages as well this Ceribian Tour. However, Seļi fans are worried about the lack of competitive cyclist of young age in late years.

Lieltirums also won the Mountain classification, and his team won the General classification, a huge success for a team created only three years ago, becoming the first Keszarian team to win a team classification in a Grand Tour.

The Points classification was won by Florinthian sprinter Richard Malone (Dido-Dreher Cycling), who won four individual stages - which complete a great season for the Florinthian sprinter and his new team, as he won another four stages a few months ago in the Tour de Valland.

[Hadash]

Pip Sports Network

Durvasas Borah becomes the third doping case in 1580 Ceribian Tour
By Richard W. Wallace
Published: Nueva 28, 1580


The Svarnan rider already tested positive in 1573


Etori, Ceribia - Keszariakom Cycling Durvasas Borah has been informed that he tested positive for a testosterone while racing at the Ceribian Tour. The Svarnan time-trialist tested positive after stage 18th and has been provisionally suspended by the SCA.

Along Florinthian Jeremy Cowden and Nentsian Stanislav Wachowski, Borah becomes the third rider to test positive in the 1580 Ceribian Tour.

The Sioran Cycling Association announced today that it "notified Svarna Surya rider Durvasas Borah of an Adverse Analytical Finding of testosterone drug in a sample collected in the scope of an in-competition control on 22 Nueva 1580 during the Ceribian Tour".

The Keszariakom Cycling team confirmed that it has suspended Borah from the team, and as soon as the result of sample B is confirmed, Borah will be fired from the team. "Keszariakom is fully determined to collaborate with the anti-doping agencies in order to resolve the matter, as our team is resolved to fight all forms of doping", the team managed said in a public statement.

Keszariakom Cycling, whose leading rider Miks Lieltirums won the general classification of the 1580 Ceribian Tour, was founded in 1577 and led by retired cyclist Ákos Simonyi, who once claimed that the team aspired to be the "cleanest team in the peloton". The team was created under an anti-doping program, recruiting admitted dopers (before being hired riders are required to admit to the team any past doping offenses, while keeping those revelations from the public), and being tested repeatedly to develop a bio-stable marker profile, in cooperation with the SCA.

Borah had been hired in 1579, the previous two readers he was riding for a Kortoan continental team. He served as a domestique in Keszariakom for leading riders Miks Lieltirums and Dô Công Quang, although his result at time-trial were lately mediocre. Keszariakom Company owner showed concern about Borah positive, declaring that sponsorship may be withdrawn if situations like this are repeated in a statement in social media. Hours later, however, he declared to be convinced by Simonyi's version of the case.

Durvasas Borah already tested positive in 1573 Ceribian Tour, while riding by the extinct Mahindra Cycling and was suspended during the seasons 1574 and 1575. Borah's case is likely to reinforce the controversy over suspension for life in case of doping. SCA Chairman Yukimura Matsuko proposed a suspension for life in the case of repeat doping offenders. However, even if SCA General Assembly decides to pass Matsuko's reform, Borah will not be affected, as SCA rules does not allow retroactivity. In any case, the 30-year old Svarnan time-trialist is likely to face another 2-year suspension for doping.

[Hadash]

Pip Sports Network

Stavros Michelakakis wins his third Tour de Valland
By Richard W. Wallace
Published: Zeychyr 24, 1581


Stavros Michelakakis on stage 7


Lauren, Valland Mestran climber Stavros Michelakakis (MTS Team) won his third Tour de Valland, becoming the fifth rider to achieve that record.

Michelakakis, who had already won the 1576 and 1578 Tour de Valland, and he had to be content with a third position overall in 1579 and 1580, had not rival this season, winning two high mountain stages and the Mountain classification as well. The second overall, the veteran climber Nylander Robbie Bristow (AHN-KozMetal) ended five minutes and five seconds behind Michelakakis.

Another Nylander climber, Antonio Andersson (Dagslag-NVB) ended third, keeping the podium by only twenty-six seconds ahead of his teammate Vallish climber Jean-Claude Lefebvre. Andersson ended almost seven minutes behid Michelakakis in the

Florinthian Richard Malone (Dido-Dreher) had no rival in the final metres of the flat stages either, and won yesterday his fifth stage this Tour de Valland, winning as well the Point classification for third time and second in a row.

The Team classification was won by United Strathae, their third time since 1577, while Gehennan all-rounder Jan Daxenberger (Scholden-Gulcron) won the Young classification.

[Hadash]

Pip Sports Network

Asai Satoshi wins 1581 Ceribian Tour
By Richard W. Wallace
Published: Elva 24, 1581


Asai Satoshi during stage 20


Ceribia | Sainamese climber Asai Satoshi (Nitenryu Cycling) won the 1581 Ceribian Tour, after defeating his main rivals in the last stage, a 33-km time-trial stage. The stage was won by Strathaen Dáire Tadg McRoibeirt (United Strathae).

Unlike the last Tour de Valland, the 1581 Ceribian Tour lacked a clear top contender and six different riders wore the golden maillot at least one day during the last week of the race. Four riders, Strathaen climber Kieran McLucais (United Strathae), Mordvanian Slavoj Savincek (Mordvelo), Satoshi himself and Sequoian Christophe Malletze (Le Cycle Super) came to the last stage with options not only to fight for a place in the podium, but to win the Tour as well.

The veteran Strathaen climber, who had won the Tour de Valland in 1579, had fourty-nine secons over Savincek and one minute and twenty-seven seconds over Satoshi, while Malletze -who had started stage 18 as leader of the general classification- was down to one minute and fifty-six seconds.

Satoshi, although not a specialist, proved to be a competent time-trialist, ending with a time of one minute and twenty-two seconds over the stage winner, and about two minutes better than his main rivals. McLucais failed to keep the first position and had to resign himself with the second position in the general classification.

Christophe Malletze, who had prepared the season thinking to win the Ceribian Tour, lost one minute to Satoshi, and ended third, only six seconds ahead of Slavoj Savincek, who after a great season, will have to resign with a 8th and 4th position in the two Grand Tours.

Along with Kieran McLucais' runners-up and two stage wins, United Strathae won the team classification again, and Kelly R. McCullain won the Mountain classification, becoming the first Strathaen to win the Mountain classification in both Grand Tours.

Richard Malone (Dido-Dreher) won four stages and the Point classification, to be added to the five individual stages and the Point classification he had won earlier this season in the Tour de Valland. In his best season of his career, Richard Malone is considered the favourite to win the World Championship in Chartois, Kyrland, late this year, although it is not he will not face many contenders. Between them, Nylander Pierce Frazier (Dagslag-NVB), who won three stages this Ceribian Tour.

Gehennan Jan Daxenberger (Scholden-Gulcron) won the Young Rider classification, after winning the same classification in the last Tour de Valland, becoming the second rider to achieve it after Christophe Malletze, who won both classifications in 1579. Daxenberger led the general classification jersery for a day after stage 14, ending 14th after a declining third week. Despite that, Daxenberger is expected to be the great hope for Gehennan fans in the next decade.  

Asai Satoshi, 28, who already was third in the 1580 Ceribian Tour and has not  confirmed if he will join the Sainamese national team in the coming World Championship, has declared he aims to focus in the 1582 season to win the Tour de Valland, although he will try to defend the title in the 1582 Ceribian Tour.

He will not have it easy, as the Sainamese climber will have to face Stavros Michelakakis -between many other contenders-, who aims to become the second rider to win four times the Tour de Valland. Michelakakis (MTS Team), who will 34 in 1582, ended 8th in the Ceribian Tour, lacking the regularity and power he showed in Valland.

[Hadash]

Pip Sports Network

Nentsian figure skating is granted Mordvanian citizenship
By Milena Bratek
Published: Tolven 11, 1581


Guzalya Zofarova, during a recent figure skating event in Mestarka.


Slovograd, Mordvania - The Republican Gazette of Mordvania, the official state gazette of the Republic of Mordvania, has published a decree granting Mordvanian citizenship to Guzalya Zofarova, a Nentsian national.

Guzalya Zofarova, 14, is a well-known and promising figure skater. She had won the Nentsian Junior Championship twice, and became the first junior lady skater to break the total score above the 200 mark in the Brigidnan Junior Grand Prix of Wroclaw, a year ago. She was as well runner-up in the Junior World Championship held in early 1580 in Viendag, Vienland, being therefore one of the most promising Nentsian sportwomen for the next years. She was expected to be one of the main options for the Nentsian national team in the next Winter Olympics, where Nentsia has never obtained a medal in figure skating so far.

However, Guzalya's promising future seemed to be threatened when his father, an opposition activist, was detained and sentenced to 6 months of jail on tax fraud charges in a controversial trial. Guzalya and her mother, an independent journalist, then fled to Mordvania, where they were granted assylum as refugees. Gulazya's father rejoined them three months ago. They are currently living in Wojek, northeastern Mordvania, where Zofarova often trained with members of the Mordvanian figure skating team. Guzalya's mother was recently hired by Mordvanoske Novice, a Mordvanian newspaper, where she writes as a reporter on literary and cultural events in Wojek province.

The Republican Council had proposed granting citizenship to Zofarova arguing that an extended interruption in her sport career "was likely to have negative influence in her personal development as human being", besides other humanitarian and professional considerations.

Zofarova is expected to join the Mordvanian figure skating team in international championships as soon as possible.

Neither the Nentsian authorities nor the Nentsian Federation have commented on this issue so far.

[Hadash]

Pip Sports Network

Sven-Ole Wieth becomes World Champion for third time
By Richard W. Wallace
Published: Dein 1581


Oslanburgan champion Sven-Ole Wieth


Chatois, Kyrland - Oslanburgan sprinter Sven-Ole Wieth won the World Championship Men's Road Race, becoming the third incumbent champion to win the title. Previously, only Nerysian Julien Herbstritt (1562, 1563) and Vallish Sebastian Lescott (1571, 1572).

Wieth defeated the main favourite, Florinthian sprinter Richard Malone in a mass sprint which decided the World Championship between the 112 riders who remained in the main peloton after 227 km. Goldecian Skanda Basak was third and achieved the bronze medal, his second medal as he obtained the silver medal a year ago in Lauren, Valland. Mordvanian Samo Mahnik was fourth while Sainamese Yoneda Arata, who headed the final sprint for many metres before being caught by his fastest rivals, was fifth.

It is the third World Championship title for Sven-Ole Wieth, 27, becoming the second rider to achieve that record after Nerysian Julien Herbstritt, who won three World Championships in 1557, 1562, and 1563. Wieth had previously won the World Championship in 1577, surprising everyone and defeating the main favourite, Vallish sprinter Philippe Peaugeot. Wieth was only 23, barely just a promising sprinter back then, who was expected to serve as a pacemarker for the veteran Oslanburgan sprinter Troels Moller, who withdrew at the first half of the race.

The Oslanburg sprinter made history and redeemed himself again after another relatively disappointing season, specially in the Grand Tours, where he was only to win an individual stage during the 1580 and 1581 seasons. It had been rumoured that several teams -NDM Cycling, NVB-Anzcell, and Mordvelo Cycling between others- were interested to sign up the Oslanburgan champion, but it is expected that Scholden-Gulcron would try to retain their sprinting star after this historical victory.

Wieth will have an unique chance of ending the 1582 season as the greatest World Championship champion as the first and only rider to win both a third World Championship in a row and four-time World Champion. The Oslanburgan rider has declared that "it will be a beautiful challenge", but that he is not obsessed about that historical record, and he will focus to prepare the 1582 season in order to improve his results in the Spring season and the Grand Tours, even hinting to try to defeat Malone as Point classification winner in the Tour de Valland. The Florinthian sprinter aims to win the Tour de Valland's Point classification for third time, after being the most successful sprinter along the season, winning 9 Grand Tour's individual stages in 1581.

"Although I wouldn't mind if I could have the chance of winning the title a third time in a row again in the future", Wieth joked before the ceremony. Next year the World Championship will be hold in Nueva Ávila, Magentina, the first World Championship ever in the Mandavines region.

With Wieth's win and Amanda Beck winning the Women's ITT title, Oslanburg was the best national team in the Cycling World Championship for a second year in a row, winning two golden medals and a bronze, to be added to the one gold, two silvers, and bronze obtained in 1580.