Cycling: Tragedy touches field

By CHRIS RATTUE

Susy Pryde is among the riders in Tuesday's road race who are having to deal with the death of a friend and team-mate as they enter the race of their lives.

Twenty-four-year-old Nicole Reinhart, who rode with Pryde on the top-rated Saturn team in America, was killed last week in a road race in Arlington, Massachusetts.

A host of track and road riders, especially on the American team, have been greatly affected by Reinhart's death. Her memorial service was held on Sunday, and Pryde is said to be "devastated" at the news.

One of the road race favourites, Australian Anna Wilson, also rides for Saturn, as do other Olympic entries Petra Rossner (Germany), Lynne Bessette and Clara Hughes (both Canada). Hughes was third in the road race at the Atlanta Games.

Reinhart, a former national track cyclist who switched to road racing, was on the verge of picking up a $US250,000 paycheque when she died.

While she was leading the fourth and final race in a grand prix event, approaching the final downhill bend, she hit a pothole and went headfirst into a tree.

Wilson, the world No 1 road rider, won the silver medal in the road and time trial at the world championships in Italy last year.

The Victorian lawyer is expected to contest the gold medal with the likes of Diana Ziliute and Edita Pucinskaite from Lithuania and German Hanka Kupfernagel. Pucinskaite is the world road champion.

Also in the race is the legendary French cyclist Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli, the winner at Atlanta, who also won silver at Barcelona behind Australian Kathryn Watt.

Longo-Ciprelli now has a world ranking of 13, and at 41 is not being talked about as a leading contender over the seven lap, 120km course.

Pryde and fellow Aucklander Jacinta Coleman have world rankings in the 60s, while Roz Reekie-May is ranked about 100.

Pryde, the Commonwealth Games silver medallist, broke a collarbone just before the Atlanta Olympics, where she was 31st in the road race.

She is probably New Zealand's leading rider but has been suffering a virus and was pulled out of Saturday's mountainbike race after being battered around.

Tuesday's race is over a relatively flat course which begins and ends outside the Sydney Football Stadium, and takes in Moore Park, Queens Park, Waverley, Bronte Beach, Charing Cross, Centennial Park and Paddington.


Cycling: Tragedy touches field

By CHRIS RATTUE

Susy Pryde is among the riders in Tuesday's road race who are having to deal with the death of a friend and team-mate as they enter the race of their lives.

Twenty-four-year-old Nicole Reinhart, who rode with Pryde on the top-rated Saturn team in America, was killed last week in a road race in Arlington, Massachusetts.

A host of track and road riders, especially on the American team, have been greatly affected by Reinhart's death. Her memorial service was held on Sunday, and Pryde is said to be "devastated" at the news.

One of the road race favourites, Australian Anna Wilson, also rides for Saturn, as do other Olympic entries Petra Rossner (Germany), Lynne Bessette and Clara Hughes (both Canada). Hughes was third in the road race at the Atlanta Games.

Reinhart, a former national track cyclist who switched to road racing, was on the verge of picking up a $US250,000 paycheque when she died.

While she was leading the fourth and final race in a grand prix event, approaching the final downhill bend, she hit a pothole and went headfirst into a tree.

Wilson, the world No 1 road rider, won the silver medal in the road and time trial at the world championships in Italy last year.

The Victorian lawyer is expected to contest the gold medal with the likes of Diana Ziliute and Edita Pucinskaite from Lithuania and German Hanka Kupfernagel. Pucinskaite is the world road champion.

Also in the race is the legendary French cyclist Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli, the winner at Atlanta, who also won silver at Barcelona behind Australian Kathryn Watt.

Longo-Ciprelli now has a world ranking of 13, and at 41 is not being talked about as a leading contender over the seven lap, 120km course.

Pryde and fellow Aucklander Jacinta Coleman have world rankings in the 60s, while Roz Reekie-May is ranked about 100.

Pryde, the Commonwealth Games silver medallist, broke a collarbone just before the Atlanta Olympics, where she was 31st in the road race.

She is probably New Zealand's leading rider but has been suffering a virus and was pulled out of Saturday's mountainbike race after being battered around.

Tuesday's race is over a relatively flat course which begins and ends outside the Sydney Football Stadium, and takes in Moore Park, Queens Park, Waverley, Bronte Beach, Charing Cross, Centennial Park and Paddington.