News for February 2003

NATIONAL CHAMPION'S BELGIUM TEAM LAUNCH

Belgium's 'John Saey' Cycling Team 2003 Press Launch

One of Belgium's most successful and largest racing teams, the John Saey Cycling Team, had its launch for 2003 recently. Britishcycling.org.uk had a representive there in the form of a national champion no less, Dean Downing, UK National Criterium Champion. The team consists of 53 riders, with four category�s catered for within the team: Juniors, Under 23�s, Elites and Elite cyclo cross.

With a number of ex-professional riders in the team line up, the team has vast experience, along with a younger element as well, which includes talented a track rider and newly crowned Belgium Junior Champion, Tim Roels. First year under 23 rider, Nicky Cocquyt, is another talented rider, Belgium Champion as a Junior and has the most victories in 2002 with eleven.

On the Elite side of things, with ex-pro�s Dany Baeyens (Collstrop), Patrick Cocquyt (11 victories 2002) and Davy Dubbledam (TVM), the team has great experience and strength. When you add to this riders such as Johan Verhaegen who gained most victories in 2002 with 37, East-Flanders Area Champion Mario Willems (17 victories 2002), Danny Dierckx (9 victories 2002) and not forgetting our very British Criterium Champion Dean Downing (pictured left ---2 victories 2002), the squad is set to achieve big results.

Directors Norbert DeLatte and Lucien DeWilde are hoping for 60 victories in 2003 which will hopefully include some UCI ranked races and Interclubs in Belgium. All riders were at the launch for photos and presentations to the VIP guests which included some big names from Belgium cycling such as the legend of Paris Roubaix and other classics Roger DeVlaeminck, six day king and now promoter Patrick Sercu, top classics rider and now Telekom team manager Walter Godefroot and former world champion Etienne DeWilde to name but a few.

Left: Etienne DeWilde and Roger DeVlaeminck

Also there to see their team presented to the public were the sponsors. Head sponsor John Saey himself along with son Luc, co-sponsor Federale Insurance, Nico sport clothing, De Rocker (Fiat garage -- supplier of 2 team cars) and Godefroot Cycles (supplier of Ridley bikes equipped with Campagnolo Chorus groupset.)

The coming season will be Downing�s third season with the John Saey Cycling Team. After a good 2001 season which included 2 victories and 43 top ten placings on both the road and track, 2002 started badly with a 3 month lay off with illness. Coming back to training at the beginning of May and with his first race on 30th June in the National Road Race Championships, Downing went on to win the National Criterium Championship in mid August, take the mountains jersey in a UCI ranked 2-day stage race in Belgium and then a victory on the road in Melsele, Belgium, where he is based for the forthcoming season.

Right: John Saey and Walter Godefroot.

Looking forward to 2003, Downing has just returned from a two week training camp in Almeria, Spain where he trained with Division 2 Pro Team Vlaanderen � �t Interim. Talking of his form, he says �my condition is good for this time of the year, it is the first winter where I have trained full time and not worked, therefore I have packed the kilometers in�

Downing�s first race will be the season opener in East Flanders Belgium, �the club championships� for elite riders (alongside pros) on the 23rd February. Then the seasons starts in earnest in March when the UCI ranked races start. Events such as:

2nd March - Gent-Staden (place to place)
8th March - Vlaams Pijl, (International) 1.6 UCI ranked
16th March - Gent-Ieper, (International) 1.6 UCI ranked
23rd March - Challenge de Hesbaye, (International) 1.6 UCI ranked

Downing aims to concentrate more on the road in the beginning of the season as a build up to the National Road Race Championships in June and is also planning to come to the UK to compete in the reknowned Lincoln GP. Then he will start on the track as he plans to ride the National Track Titles.

Yes, I think it's safe to say that its cold as the team's head riders lineup for the camera with Dean Downing 3rd from the left.