Latest Cycling News for February 24, 2004

Edited by Chris Henry

Pantani investigation moves forward

More interviews & wild theories

By Tim Maloney, European Editor

While primary prosecutor Paolo Gengarelli is on vacation in Tunisia this week, his boss Franco Battaglino, chief prosecutor of Rimini has started to expand the interrogations related to Marco Pantani's death. The Rimini prosecutor's office is trying to ascertain who might have sold Pantani cocaine during his final week of life while he was staying in Residence Le Rose in Rimini.

After a two hour meeting in Battaglino's office yesterday, Sabato Riccio of the Rimini flying squad is now conducting a methodical investigation process where in-depth interviews are being conducted. Another search of Pantani's room in Residence Le Rose is expected shortly, seeking evidence that Pantani may have smoked crack while in his room, a claim made by a Pantani relative (and medical doctor) in the week's issue of Panorama Magazine. Cristina Jonsson, Pantani's ex girlfriend is expected to be interviewed, as well as his sister Manola and his parents to obtain more leads concerning who might have been supplying Pantani with his cocaine.

Regarding further information about the alleged plot against Pantani that excluded him from the 1999 Giro d'Italia, one of Pantani's friends, Maicol Rocchi told La Gazzetta dello Sport's Andrea Tosi that Pantani wanted to ride the Tour de France even after his exclusion from the Giro for high haematocrit.

"He trained for a few days (after the Giro) but then met with some people who were close to him and then there was the decision that Marco wouldn't ride the Tour. I don't know the reason. Perhaps they thought there might have been a plot against Marco and perhaps this might continue into the Tour to destabilize Marco." But Rocchi's suppositions currently have no whatsover basis in fact.

Vuelta a Murcia to honour Pantani

Marco Pantani's last stage race career victory came in theVuelta a Murcia in 1999. To honour Pantani, the Spanish race, to be run next week, has decided to dedicate the summit of Stage 4 on Saturday, March 6th from Totana-Collado Bermejo as Cima Pantani. Collado Bermejo is the hardest climb in the race and its only mountaintop finish.

Gaumont faces his failure

"My career was a failure," admitted Philippe Gaumont in l'Equipe interview Tuesday, speaking openly once again about the unceremonious end brought to his life as a professional cyclist. Gaumont was formally dropped from the Cofidis team February 16, following his being questioned by police for drug trafficking and his eventual confession to having used drugs during his career.

Although Gaumont retreated somewhat from his previous statement that 90 percent of professional riders were using some sort of banned substance, he maintains that doping remains a substantial problem in the peloton.

"I want to believe that there is still hope," Gaumont said, referring to the new generation of professionals. "When I speak [to the press], it's to share a personal experience. I'm not looking to incriminate anyone. I just want to let it be known that there are real problems in the sport."

For Gaumont, the turn to drugs in his career was perhaps avoidable, but he acknowledges his own decision in the process.

"When I was 20, I had a certain image of cycling without doping," he explained. "Then several years later, I was in it. Maybe I was too easily influenced. At that time, once I had turned pro, I thought that if I weren't doping, it might not look good. I thought that rest of my career might have been compromised.

Part of the indoctrination came when, as Gaumont explained, the dream young riders share of the life of a professional quickly turns into the habitual lifestyle of a cyclist.

"I was naive. I wasn't interested in money and doping was something I had only heard about," Gaumont said of his professional debut. "Then, I heard the older riders talking about it in the peloton... At first they don't say much to you and you don't really see much of what goes on. After six months, you start to get it.

"I began to understand that you could win big races, but that was most often the result of certain practices which I didn't want to admit at the time. Without realizing it, you get pulled into the spiral. Ten years go by and it's all become normal."

Millar sets first goal

Keeping a low profile amidst the drug accusations surrounding members of the Cofidis team since January, Great Britain's David Millar began his racing Sunday at the Trofeo Luis Puig in Spain. Millar didn't finish the race, but with the season underway he has set his first goal on the road to his two primary objectives, the Tour de France and Olympic Games.

"I'm looking forward to getting started and hope to be on good form by the Paris Nice where I'll try to win the first TT and hold the leaders jersey for as long as possible," Millar commented on his personal website.

"I've been training pretty hard and feel good," Millar said, adding that return trips to Spain to train with new teammates Matt White and Stuart O'Grady has helped ease the pressure of the team's rocky start.

Jeanson waiting for license

Canadian Geneviève Jeanson (Rona) has begun the season without a racing license, a factor which prevented her planned start at the Valley of the Sun stage race in Arizona. According to a Canadian Cyclist report, Jeanson has not been issued a license for 2004 from the Fédération Québécoise des Sports Cyclistes (FQSC).

The reasons for Jeanson's inability to start racing on schedule are unclear. Her Rona team suggests a simple problem of paperwork, while FQSC director general Louis Barbeay alludes to a bigger issue at hand.

"She'll have a licence, and will be able to race at Redlands, but I can't comment any more on the reasons (for the delay) at this point."

Jeanson caused a stir when she was prevented from racing at the World Championships in Hamilton, Canada due to an elevated hematocrit level. Subsequent urine tests were returned negative, yet the Canadian Cycling Association (CCA) has been looking for additional insight from Jeanson into the string of events.

"We met [with Jeanson], with some members of a scientific commission present, to ask some questions," Barbeau told Canadian Cyclist. "Some questions were answered and some remained unanswered. We were able to get some of the answers we were looking for, but not all of them."

Duquette affair re-opened

An investigation into the illegal prescription of EPO by Geneviève Jeanson's former doctor Maurice Duquette has been re-opened. Duquette had previously pled guilty in court to 13 charges, including one charge that he prescribed EPO to Jeanson, but later retracted his statement and denied any such charge concerning the cyclist. Duquette has claimed that his first lawyer was not authorized to enter the guilty plea, and thus has challenged the previous verdicts.

Jeanson's name, along with Duquette's figures among those listed in an inquiry by the Québec College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Dominguez back on track

With overall victory in the Ruta del Sol, Spain's Juan Carlos Dominguez (Saunier Duval-Prodir) has found renewed confidence heading into the 2004 season. The former Giro d'Italia prologue winner showed his climbing skills at the Ruta del Sol, beating Carlos Garcia Quesada (Kelme) and Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) for the overall honours.

"I'm very satisfied with the victory, because it means I'm back to my best," Dominguez commented. "After two years without a win, this is a boost for the morale not only for me, but for my team, without whom I couldn't have done it.

"Saunier Duval is a team with a lot of promising young riders, and at the Ruta del Sol it's clear that we're all motivated and we'll work together to win."

GP Breukink cancelled

The Grand Prix Erik Breukink, a three day stage race in the Netherlands slated for March 12-14, has been cancelled due to financial reasons. Making its debut in 2002, the race has been used as preparation for the northern classics with two long road stages and a closing individual time trial. Last year's race was won by Rabobank's Erik Dekker.

Pavé for sale

As work continues on the reconstruction of the famed cobbles of the Muur van Geraardsbergen, the town of Geraardsbergen has made the old stones available for sale to cycling fanatics and collectors. For a modest €2.50, a stone from the fabled climb, which often sets the stage for the critical showdown in the Ronde van Vlaanderen (Tour of Flanders), could be yours.

Work on the climb, where stones are being relaid in the same manner as the Koppenberg in recent years, is expected to continue through mid-March. Organisers of the Ronde insist that the climb will remain difficult, particularly with sections of 18%, but the newly planted stones will be somewhat safer and the opening portion of the climb will be smoother.

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