2B - The Michigan Daily - SportsMonday - April 4, 2005 CLUBSPORTsWEEKLY C yclists bike for miles and miles hete fiheieaneail ^thlete o0 the Week By Colt Rosensweig Daily Sports Writer Alex Eversmeyer used to be a runner, riding a bike for valuable cross-training. But what used to be an aid to his running career has turned into Eversmeyer's passion. After being involved in cycling for four years, he is now the president of the Michigan cycling club. Competitive cycling is completely different from casual biking, though both activities are highly pleasurable to the participants. "You'll never see one of our bikes locked outside, first of all," Eversmeyer said. "They're generally lighter, with ram's-horn bars. They're designed to be comfort- able for long distances." Individual race distances vary, but none are easy jaunts. Cyclists are divided into classes based on ability. C-class riders, who usually have the least amount of experience, compete for 15 to 30 miles. A-class riders compete in races as long as 75 miles. Riders also participate in individual time trials against the clock and in criterium, where racers ride the same loop 15 to 20 times, trying for the best overall time. "You have to be able to be comfortable on your bike for four hours and up," Eversmeyer said. Bikes are the most specialized piece of equipment for a cyclist, but the athletes must also have special cycling shoes and of course, their infamous clothing, which is often mocked. "In general, our clothing is spandex," Eversmeyer said. "We don't generally have a problem with it, but other people seem to." Much of the necessary equipment for cycling continually has to be replaced because of inevitable wear and tear. "It's not exactly the easiest activity to take up, for those of us on our own bud- gets," Eversmeyer said. Name: Rondell Ruff Hometown: Detroit Though much more success is expected in the future, this year has been a good one so far for the cycling club. Signs of success are already starting to show. Before this fall, it had been several years since any Michigan individ- ual cyclists or a team had qualified for nationals. But this October, Michigan cyclists Steve Cain, Pete Hurst and Katherine Fultz competed in the mountain bike nationals. All rode very well, even though they did not place. "This is a season to build and develop," Eversmeyer said. "We have a solid core of about 35 people. This year is a starting point for future success." The cycling club actually has two seasons. Mountain-bike season runs from early September until the end of October, and road-racing season begins in February, continu- ing through the end of the semester. They compete in the Midwest Collegiate Cycling Conference, which is part of the larger National Collegiate Cycling Association. This spring's road-racing season started with a bang. The team made an impres- sive showing at an uphill time trial in Austin, Texas, in the first road race of the year. In a field of 106 riders, four Wolverines placed in the top-35, with Scott Riddle and Hurst finishing at fifth and sixth, respectively. Cycling is both an individual and a team sport. Individuals receive points based on where they place in a race; these points are kept in a running tally for both the individual and collectively for all team members. The point totals determine which individuals and teams go to nationals. "Generally the top three or four teams from our conference get to go (to nation- als)," Eversmeyer said. This year, the team just barely missed out on going to mountain bike nationals. The top four teams in the conference qualified for the competition, and Michigan finished fifth. The team hopes to qualify for road nationals, which will be held May 13-15 in Lawrence, Kan. "We're fairly optimistic about our chances," Eversmeyer said. "It's possible, this year, that we may send a team. It's more likely that, this year, we'll send indi- viduals, then send the whole team next year." Team: Men's track and field Class: Senior/junior Why; Ruff won the 1,500-meter run for the men's track team in Atlanta on Saturday. In total, five Wolverines placed in the top- 15 in the race. Ruff ran a time of 3:53.99 to win his outdoor sea- son debut. The win was Ruff's third individual victory of 2005. 'M' SCHEDULE Date Event Location 4/6 Softball at Central Michigan 4/6 Baseball vs. Central Michigan 4/7 M Gymnastics at National Qualifier 4/8-9 W Track/Field at Duke Blue Devil Invitational 4/8 Baseball vs. Iowa 4/8 Softball at Wisconsin 4/8 M Gymnastics at Team and All-Around Finals 4/9 W Rowing vs. Michigan St. 4/9 Softball at Wisconsin, 4/9 M Tennis vs. Purdue 4/9 Baseball vs. Iowa 4/9 W Tennis vs. Purdue 4/9 W Gymnastics at NCAA Regional Championships 4/9 M Gymnastics at Individual Event Finals 4/9-10 W Golf at Lady Boilermaker Invitational Mount Pleasant Ann Arbor West Point, N.Y. Durham, N.C. Ann Arbor Madison West Point, N.Y. Columbus Madison Ann Arbor Ann Arbor West Lafayette TBD West Point, N.Y. West Lafayette Champaign Minneapolis Ann Arbor Ann Arbor Time 2 p.m. 3 p.m. 1 p.m. TBA 3 p.m. 6 p.m. 7 p.m. TBA 12 p.m. 12 p.m. 1 p.m. 1 p.m. 6 p.m. 7 p.m. TBA 11 a.m. 12 p.m. 12 p.m. 1 p.m. Former ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) - Tampa Bay outfielder Alex Sanchez was suspended 10 days for violating baseball's new policy on performance- enhancing drugs, the first player publicly identified under the major leagues' tougher rules. The suspension begins today when Tampa Bay opens its season against Toronto, the commissioner's office said yesterday. Under the new policy that took effect last month, steroids and other performance-enchancing substances are the only drugs to draw a 10-day suspension. Baseball officials and the players' union agreed they would not disclose the exact substance for which a player tests positive. Sanchez said he was surprised by the suspension, adding that he uses milk- shakes and multivitamins to build his energy - and blaming the positive test on something he bought over the coun- ter. "I'm going to fight it because I've never taken steroids or anything like that," said Sanchez, who was released by Detroit in mid-March and signed by the Devil Rays. "I never take any ste- roids because I don't need them,' Sanchez, 28, who hit .322 with 19 stolen bases in 79 games for the Tigers last season, said he was drug tested while he was with Detroit. He was to Tn Tiger fals new drug test be the Devil Rays' centerfielder on opening day. Because the suspension is without pay, Sanchez will lose $32,787 of his $600,000 salary. Devil Rays general manager Chuck LaMar said the team would have no comment on the suspension. "It's surprising," manager Lou Piniel- la said. "That's all I have to say on that." Piniella conceded that it was frus- trating to have to make a lineup change on the eve of the season opener. "Sanchez had come in here and hit the ball," Piniella said. "Now we've just got to make adjustments, and we will." Sanchez learned of the positive test result early yesterday and participated in a workout at Tropicana Field later in the day. He said he had not been told what banned substance was detected. But he insisted that he has never used steroids. "I know I did nothing incorrect," San- chez said. "I take stuff I buy over the counter. Multivitamins, protein shakes, muscle relaxants. That kind of stuff." "I'm surprised because look at what kind of player I am. I'm a leadoff hit- ter. I never hit any home runs." Sanchez did not identify any of the products he purchased over the counter, but described them as "something to give me energy, put a 4/10 4/10 4/10 4/10 W Tennis at Illinois Softball at Minnesota M Tennis vs Illinois Baseball vs. Iowa Michigan Daily's NBA Power Ton Rankings Michian Dlly' 2. Phoenix (55-17) 2. New York Yankees " Nash is the league's MVP. After " Best pitching staff top to comparing the Suns' record this year bottom in all of baseball. The Bronx to the Suns' record last year, how could fans will go crazy for Ting's return, he not be? but how will they treat Giambi? AP PHOTO Devil Rays' centerflelder Alex Sanchez tries to avoid a tag at home earlier this spring. little muscle on my body. That's it." "Everything on the banned list is a Schedule III controlled substance except for Human Growth Hor- mone," said Gene Orza, the union's chief operating officer. "There is nothing sold over the counter after Jan. 15, the effective date of the new (federal) legislation, that is a banned substance." Baseball has only urine tests, which can't detect HGH. It is possible the Sanchez took a substance that he pur- chased legally before Jan. 15. Sanchez left Cuba on a rickety raft II years ago, leaving his family behind. He spent about 16 months in a refugee camp before finally making it to the United States. Last month, Sanchez was reunited with his mother and brother in Miami for the first time since 1994. Asked if he was embarrassed to become the first player to be disci- plined under baseball's new steroids policy, Sanchez shrugged. "There's nothing we can do about it," he said. 4. Detroit (45-27) 4. Atlanta * Larry Brown's return should get * Smoltz's return to the starting the Pistons rolling again. The Miami- rotation could prove to be brilliant Detroit Eastern Conference Final will or disastrous. Chipper and Andruw be very interesting, will provide the offense again. 4 6. Seattle (50-22) " The record is pretty sweet, but will the threes continue to fall in the playoffs? 6. St. Louis * Can the pitching hold up for another year? We doubt it, too. The onus will be on the offense again. 8. Dallas (49-23) * Seems like the Mavericks are in the same position every year. We predict another second-round exit for Mark Cuban's bunch. S° . . hQ f M I 8. Los Angeles Angels " Vlad should have another monster year, but how will Colon perform after a crummy season? 4 F? io. Minnesota (39-35) " Don't sleep on these guys after the terribly slow start. Kevin Garnett is still one of the league's best. 10. New York Mets * Yeah that's right. Gammons predicted that Pedro will win the Cy Young. We agree. OK, some of us do. 4 4 I