Joni

I'm really interested in the system they're going to use...

And if you are planning your trip to Assen, maybe this list of hotels in Groningen (30 km from Assen) can be useful. Name of the hotel / Distance from city centre / Estimated price of a double room / Telephone number: Bastion Hotel Groningen / 5 km / € 66 / +31 50 541 49 77 Hampshire Hotel Groningen / 0,2 km / € 90 / +31 50 316 29 00 Hampshire Hotel Plaza / 5 km / € 85 / +31 50 524 80 00 Martini Hotel / 0,1 km / ? / € 82,50 / +31 50 312 99 19 Eden City Hotel Groningen / 0,1 km / € 99 / - NH hotel Groningen / 0,6 km / € 95 / +31 50 584 81 81 Mercure Hotel Groningen / 3,5 km / € 138 / +31 50 527 18 28 Hotel De Doelen / 0,0 km / € 95 / +31 50 312 70 41 Hotel Schimmelpenninck Huys / 0,1 km / € 140 / +31 50 318 95 02

Kononov's date of birth is 26/04/1987 - that's all I know at the moment. (Pfff... "the young lads"... what was your age again? )

Last season the Russian Track Racing Commission decided to send to the EC only junior riders, who don't (and didn't in the past, like Baltachov) take part in the WC. They didn't stick to that decision last season when Dmitri Khomitsevich became 2nd substitute and, ultimately, European Champion, but that's another story... Nevertheless, they decided to apply the same rule this season. Kononov, R. Akimenko, Ryabokon & Alekseyev were the best junior riders in the Russian Championship.