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Noan Lelarge's positive doping control has sent shockwaves through the Bonjour team, directed by Jean-Rene Bernaudeau. Lelarge returned a positive test for triamcinolone acetonide, a glucocorticosteroid, during a stage of the Giro d'Italia, and the team immediately sacked him when they heard the news yesterday.
Jean-Rene Bernaudeau told French newsagency AFP that "I thought that it was a bad dream, that there was an error. He could not provide us with an explanation."
The rest of the riders in the team were reportedly "nauseated, extremely disappointed" when they heard the news on Saturday night. Lelarge was not a member of the team's Tour squad so there was no
Manager Philippe Raimbaud said that there was no doubt about the presence of the product in Lelarge's urine.
Bonjour's sponsors will still support the team, as spokesman Alain Barrelle said that "We had confirmation that it was an isolated case. We rely fully on Jean-Rene Bernaudeau who always does what he says."
Currently going after a third successive Tour de France win, Lance Armstrong is clearly determined to put himself on the roster of cycling's greats. One certain way to have your name mentioned in the same breath as Eddy Merckx, Francesco Moser and Jacques Anquetil is to set an hour record, and Armstrong has sent a few ripples through cycling circles by telling Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport that he is considering an attempt on that record, in collaboration with well known Italian sports doctor, Michele Ferrari.
Doctor Ferrari is currently being investigated in relation to accusations that he systematically doped a large number of top athletes in the early 1990's. However, this hasn't deterred Armstrong, who has known Ferrari since 1995 and describes him as an "honest man".
"I have never denied having contacts with him, but it is difficult to talk about because as soon as his name is mentioned, everyone thinks the worst. He is depicted as the worst character in cycling but I believe that there are a lot of ambiguities behind this bad image."
"Ferrari is part of my technical staff," added Armstrong. "He is added to Carmichael who is my real coach and my point of technical reference, as well as with all my other consultants. Ferrari in particular follows my diet, the tests, altitude preparation, and the use of a hypobaric chamber."
Armstrong also specified that he would tackle Chris Boardman's 49.441 km Hour Record before the end of the year, making that decision after the Tour.
US Postal's team manager, Mark Gorski, told reporters at the Tour de France that there was no problem. "Ferrari worked with Lance in relation to altitude training. I don't see any problem with that. He did nothing wrong. There are always noises made around a lot of people. I don't believe that there is cause for concern."
Dr Ferrari is due to appear in court on September 21 to answer questions about the doping affair.
Quoting "Danish sources", Dutch website Cycling4all alleged last week that the UCI had admitted it made a mistake with the analysis of Bo Hamburger's doping tests.
According to the report, CSC-Tiscali press spokesman Anders Bay told the press that if this were true and if the UCI withdraws the doping case against Bo Hamburger he could return to CSC-Tiscali immediately.
Cyclingnews has asked the UCI for comment and we'll relay what the organisation has to say as soon as we get a response.
Major Races and Events
September 7-29, 2002: Vuelta
a España (GT) - Preview, stage list
May 11-June 2, 2002: Giro
d'Italia (GT) - Preview, stage list, photos
July 6-28, 2002: Tour
de France (GT) - Full preview & official route details
December 8: Superprestige
Rd 5 (Cat. 1) - Erwin Vervecken
November 29-December 4: Six
Days of Noumea (6D) - Sassone/Neuville victorious
November 26-December 1: Six
Days of Zurich (6D) - Day
6 - McGrory/Gilmore/Schnider win
December 1: Melbourne
Cup on Wheels (IM) - Scott Moller, Keirin,
Sprint, Support
races
December 2: Cyclo-cross
World Cup #2 (CDM) - Sven Nijs again
November 24-December 3: Juegos
Deportivos Centroamericanos (JR) - Final results
December 8-9: Frankfurter
Rad-Cross (Cat. 2) - Alex Mudroch, UK
National Trophy Series #4 (Cat. 3) - Roger Hammond, Grote
Prijs Industrie Bosduin - Kalmthout (Cat. 1) - Bart Wellens, Int.
Radquer Obergösgen (Cat. 2) - Björn Rondelez, Trofeo
Mamma e Papa Guerciotti (Cat. 3) - Enrico Franzoi, Premio
Egondo (Cat 3) - David Seco, Irish
cyclo-cross championships - Robin Seymour
Results: local racing
Australia - CycleWest
Promotions Omnium Series #2, Eastern
Suburbs Summer Criterium Series, Carnegie
Caulfield Tuesday criterium, Southern
Cross Junior Track Open & Madison Cup, Manly
Warringah CC, George
Town Track Carnival, Carnegie
Caulfield CC, Randwick
Botany CC, Gold
Coast CATS CC, Caesar's
Illawarra CC, Caesar's
Illawarra (track)
Denmark - Danish
cyclo-cross Post Cup #3
Italy - Gran
Premio Città di Bassano
Luxembourg - GP
De Kopstal
New Zealand - Cyco
Criterium series
Spain - Elorrio
cyclo-cross
USA - Georgia
Cross Series Championship, Chimborazo
Grand Prix cyclo-cross, Boulder
Cross Rd 6, New
Mexico State Cyclo-x Champs, Sorrento
Cyclo-x & California State Champ's, Boulder
Cross Rd 5, Verge
New England series, Northampton
CC Cyclo-cross Championships, Chris
Cross International CycloCross
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- Rochelle Gilmore - Road scholar (December 6)
Tales from the Peloton
- 12 Hours of Oleta - MTB endurance race in Miami (December 6)
Tales from the Peloton
- Tony Cruz - back to his roots (December 7)
Marco Polo
Diary - Tour du Faso - Part II - Nathan Dahlberg's report (December 3)
Tech
maintenance - Wheels - how to keep them true and tight
Tech letters
- Headsets, Pegoretti, Carbon cage, gloves & tubes (December 10)
Tech news - Navigators
power-tap, Headsets, Carbon cages (December 7)
Tech- Recycling
- How to protect your chainstay for free
Tech Reviews:
Egg Beater pedals; Park
Tool belt; Shimano shoes;
Speedplay
Breaking
the Chain - Dope planning and testing - From Willy Voet's book
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