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Giro finale
Photo ©: Bettini

News for April 25, 2002

Edited by Jeff Jones

Ullrich cleared of doping accusations

Telekom's Jan Ullrich has been cleared of any accusations of doping during last year's Giro d'Italia, the German Cycling Federation announced today. Ullrich, together with team doctor Lothar Heinrich, was one of the foreign riders named in the Giro investigation conducted by Luigi Bocciolini. The pair were accused of possessing corticosteroids and caffeine tablets, which are restricted substances on the UCI list. However, Ullrich has always said that he had authorisation to use these drugs for an asthma problem, and today the UCI and the German Federation backed this up.

"In both cases, there was no instance of doping," said the UCI's anti-doping commission president Leon Schattenberg.

"Jan has always known that he was innocent, so the word 'relief' cannot be applied to him," said Telekom spokesman and German Federation vice president Olaf Ludwig.

This follows on from the five Italian riders cleared on Monday by the Italian Cycling Federation of drug possession, as they too only had caffeine tablets, which are not banned per sé. As predicted right from the beginning of this investigation, the proportion of cyclists who have actually been sanctioned as a result of the largely political Giro raids in San Remo last June, is quite small, and is expected to remain that way.

26th Giro del Trentino

Gilberto Simoni will start in the 26th Giro del Trentino (April 25-28) as one of the favourites, despite being in uncertain form at the moment. Simoni, riding for the Saeco team, has struggled this year to maintain his consistency after being interrupted by crashes. He hopes to be on the start line in Groningen in top condition in order to defend his Giro d'Italia crown on May 11.

In Trentino, he will face tough opposition from the likes of Stefano Garzelli, who showed in Liege-Bastogne-Liege that his preparation is going well. Also Giuliano Figueras (Panaria), Pavel Tonkov (Lampre) and Francesco Casagrande (Fassa Bortolo) will all challenge for the GC in Trentino.

The stages

  • April 25: Arco - Arco, 166.0 km
  • April 26: Arco - Lagundo Veloi, 176.5 km
  • April 27: Foresta Lagundo - Córedo Val Di Non, 156.3 km
  • April 28: Fondo Val Di Non - Lienz (Austria), 196.8 km

Lampre-Daikin for Amstel Gold Race

Ludo Dierckxsens, Gabriele Missaglia and Raimondas Rumsas will lead the Lampre-Daikin team for the Amstel Gold Race this Sunday. Dierckxsens and Rumsas are testing their legs at the moment in today's Scheldeprijs and tomorrow's GP Denain.

The team: Ludo Dierckxsens, Gabriele Missaglia, Raimondas Rumsas, Alessandro Cortinovis, Marco Serpellini, Zbigniew Spruch, Maximilian Sciandri, Johan Verstrepen. Team manager: Pietro Algeri

Lotto for the Giro

Lotto-Adecco has named its preliminary team for the Giro d'Italia, that starts on May 11. The team will be built around GC riders Rik Verbrugghe and Kurt Van de Wouwer, the former who wore the pink jersey for a few days last year after riding the fastest prologue ever in a major tour. The team is strong in the sprinting department too, with Robbie McEwen and Stefan van Dijk (1st and 3rd in today's Scheldeprijs) being supported by Aart Vierhouten, Ief Verbrugghe, Christophe Detilloux, Tom Stremersch and Kurt Van Lancker. Glenn D'Hollander and Thierry Marichal are on the reserve list.

No Giro for Domo-Farm Frites

Patrick Lefevere has decided against entering the Domo-Farm Frites team in the Giro d'Italia, due to the large number of injuries the team has experienced this season. Italian second division team Colpack-Astro will ride in place of Domo.

...And no Museeuw in Frankfurt

Domo's Johan Museeuw, current leader of the World Cup, will probably not ride in the Rund um den Henninger Turm (GP Frankfurt) on May 1, due to its proximity to the Amstel Gold Race on April 28. However, if he decides that he is recovered sufficiently from Sunday, he will take his place in Germany.

Mapei-Quick Step Espoirs for upcoming races

April 26-May 1: Circuit des Mines, France

Riders: Fabian Cancellara, Gian Paolo Cheula, Allan Davis, Graziano Gasparre, Evgueni Petrov, Frederik Willems. DS: Fabrizio Fabbri, Matxin Fernandez Rodriguez

April 28: 31st Tour de Vendée, France

Riders : Aurélien Clerc, Dmitriy Muravyev, Filippo Pozzato, Michael Rogers, Patrik Sinkewitz, Leonardo Zanotti, Pavel Zerzan. DS: Luca Guercilena

Professional Power to lead Irish Team for FBD Milk Ras

By Shane Stokes, IRishcycling.com

In an unexpected move, professional cyclist Ciarán Power will take a brief break from racing with the American Navigators team to head the Irish national squad in the 2.5 ranked FBD Milk Rás next month. The Waterford rider has not ridden the race since winning the tour in 1998 but the world-ranking points on offer plus the transformed nature of the event have both proved a big draw for the 25 year old, who is keen to pit his strength against the strong international field.

Power's inclusion on the squad is also of vital importance to the Irish team, given the strength of the foreign riders who now take part in the gruelling 8 day contest. It is almost three years since an Irishman last won the FBD Milk Rás, and with the best home rider back in 8th place last year, the higher standard is obvious.

"I am looking forward to coming back and riding the Rás," he said. "Everyone is telling me that the race has changed a lot since I won it, so it will be interesting to get in there and see how it goes. Hopefully I will be challenging for the overall . The Rás is a very unpredictable race but I am certainly in good form this year."

Power has been riding strongly since joining up with the Navigators team earlier this season. He was a fine fourth in the recent French cup race, the Grand Prix of Rennes, and seems back to full fitness after a 2001 season disrupted by injury and the Linda McCartney team collapse.

"Ciarán is definitely strong enough to win the race', said Ireland team manager Declan Byrne. "He is as good as any of the international guys coming over and he is very, very consistent in stage races. He never misses a move. I am expecting great things from the team in the race - we have a very strong selection and they will all work very well together."

Joining Power on the strong Irish national squad will be former world junior champion Mark Scanlon, who has been in impressive form this season. His VC La Pomme team-mate (and former FBD Milk Rás winner) Tommy Evans is also returning from France to don a green jersey, while Paul Griffin - who finished 9th in the race last year - and Timmy Barry complete the promising line-up.

Power will prepare for the FBD Milk Rás by riding a series of tough professional events with his Navigators team in Europe. These include the 4 days of Dunkirk race, in which he broke his collarbone last year.

Meanwhile Paul Griffin and Mark Scanlon will build up towards the May 19th start by participating in the French Circuit Des Mines race which starts on Friday. Martin O'Loughlin, Brian Kenneally, Stephen Gallagher and US-based professional David O'Loughlin complete the 6 rider line-up.

Irish teams for upcoming races

Circuit des Mines, 26th April-1st May

Mark Scanlon
Martin O'Loughlin
David O'Loughlin
Paul Griffin
Brian Kenneally
Stephen Gallagher

Shay Elliott, 28th April

Sean Lacey
Conor Murphy
Thomas Hogan
Paddy Moriarty

Lincoln GP, 14 May

Tim Barry
Paul Griffin
Brian Kenneally
David O'Loughlin

FBD Milk Rás, 19 - 26 May

Mark Scanlon
Ciarán Power
Tommy Evans
Paul Griffin
Tim Barry

UPMC Fuji Cycling

America's Cycling Team has announced its 2002 trade team: UPMC Fuji Cycling. Comprised of 18 riders split between the elite, under-23 and junior divisions, the team will compete throughout the United States and abroad with a focus on the US road and track national championships for Under-23's and Juniors.

The roster for UPMC Fuji Cycling, which is sponsored jointly by the UPMC Center for Sports Medicine and Fuji USA, includes Mike Friedman, reigning Under-23 National Road Champion and Christian Stahl, who placed 3rd in the 1km ITT at the 2001 Junior World Track Championships.

The squad will also employ the services of Joe Papp, who earned five top 10 stage finishes in the 2002 Vuelta a Cuba (UCI 2.5). Uruguay's Milton Wynants, second in the men's points race at the 2000 Olympics, and Gregorio Bare, winner of the 1999 B World Championships road race, will also ride for the team in select domestic events.

Team roster

Mike Friedman (USA)
Josh Gewirtz (USA)
Robby Ketchell (USA)
Michael Norton (USA)
Joe Papp (USA)
Christian Stahl (USA)
Dan Staite (USA)
Gregorio Toro Bare (Uru)
Gabriel Curuchet (Arg)
Mike Dietrich (USA)
Carlitos Jones (Bar)
Peter Lawler (USA)
Gerardo Castro Montero (Uru)
Guillaume Nelessen (USA)
Mike Rabe (USA)
Milton Wynants (Uru)

Team Director: Michael A. Fraysse
Team Coach: Eddie Borysewicz
Development Director: Marka Wise
Team Physician: Dr. Freddie H. Fu
Corporate Management: America's Cycling Team, LLC.

Sponsors/Suppliers
UPMC Center for Sports Medicine
Fuji Bicycles
Eddie B. Cycling
Mike Fraysse Sports, LLC.
Rudy Project USA
Extran
Trialtir-USA
Verge Sport
SRM
Bicycles: Fuji
Helmets: Limar
Glasses: Rudy Project
Powermeters: SRM
Clothing: Verge Sport
Nutraceuticals: Extran

Affiliated Developmental Clubs
NECSA - New England Cycling Support Association
NJBC - North Jersey Bicycle Club
PCC - Pittsburgh Cycling Club
RCC/Kwik Fill-Red Apple Cycling Team