Tour Down Under
Team UniSA-Australia Supporters Club
Team UniSA-Australia Supporters Club
2000 Olympic Madison champion and last year’s Australian National Road Series champion, Brett AITKEN, has been forced to withdraw from the UniSA team for the 2004 Jacob’s Creek Tour Down Under due to recurring tendonitis in his right knee.
It’s a bitter blow for AITKEN, 32, who has been a stalwart of the event since he claimed the points jersey in the inaugural race in 1999. But he says it’s no good going into such a hard race knowing you’ll have problems.
“I had a bad run in the weeks before Christmas in terms of training,” AITKEN explained. “That meant I was suffering from a lack of mileage in my legs when I lined up for the Tour of the South China Sea.
“The travel along with the racing was not the perfect recipe for my knee and sure enough five days into the race it became too sore for me to continue,” he explained. “I was third overall and well placed to win but I had to pull out because of the pain.”=
AITKEN has suffered the problem on and off for many years but has been relatively free of pain since 2000.
“The thing is that while I can race in shorter races and get through it the Tour involves four and five hours in the saddle each day and I know my knee won’t take that.
“I’m very disappointed because since I won the Olympic gold I have only two major goals left,” he said. “The primary one is the (Jacob’s Creek) Tour Down Under because after last season and my success in the National Road Series I know I can be really competitive.
“Hopefully next year I’ll get another shot.”
AITKEN’s unfortunate withdrawal has opened the way for first year U23 rider, Matthew REX, 18, to gain a start in the UniSA team.
Domina Vacanze has confirmed Francesco SECCHIARI will travel to Adelaide in place of Francesco FAILLI.
Francesco SECCHIARI ITA 24.08.72:
UniSA cyclist Brett AITKEN will be replaced by fellow South Australian Matthew REX
Matthew REX (AUS – SA) 14.02.1985:
