News for April 8, 1998

Van Bon will miss Gent-Wevelgem

Leon van Bon will not start in the Belgian classic, Gent-Wevelgem. He fell during the Ronde van Vlaanderen. and while his injuries are not serious he still is suffering from a headache. He thinks he will start in Paris-Roubaix next Sunday. His team doctor Leinders believes the rest period will enhance his chances in Paris-Roubaix.

Riis probably in Peace Race

Bjarne Riis will probably make his return to racing in the Peace Race. The 1996 Tour winner still hopes to ride the Tour this season. The 34-year old Dane suffered a complicated break in his hand during a training mishap in February. His return to the peloton was predicted to be for the Tour of Aragon, which starts on April 15. "However, after my long injury period I have to begin with a smaller tour. The Peace Race will suit me well."

His Telekom team was successful in the Peace Race last year when Steffen won. The race is between May 8-17.

Rudy Dhaenens - No seat belt

Rudy Dhaenens was not wearing his seatbelt when he crashed, apparently as a result of a blowout. The pictures of the car I show that the airbag had clearly gone off but obviously it wasn't enough.

Mapei after Ronde van Vlaanderen

Before and after the Tour of Flanders there has been a lot of talk about the about the future of Giorgio Squinzi's team Mapei-Bricobì. The great majority of the contracts for the number one team in the world expire this year and secondly, Squinzi, the team's boss seems to be ready to pause and do some reflecting. This adds to a tense situation, which divides the Italian group (Ernesto Colnago-Giuseppe Saronni) and the Belgian group lead by Patrick Lefevere.

About this subject Johan Museeuw is very explicit. "I'm tied and will stay with Patrick Lefevere. I hope that the group remains as it is. Mapei-Bricobì is a great team and it would be a sin to interrupt this adventure. We expect a decision during the Four Days of Dunkerque. In fact to be precise it is Frank Vandenbroucke and Tom Steels that want an answer by that date. I place my trust in Lefevere".

The Four Days of Dunkerque will be raced from May 5th to the 10th. It is not a casual appointment. Vandenbroucke and Steels have asked Giorgio Squinzi to clarify whether he will continue sponsoring the team.

If Squinzi decided to leave cycling the Belgian and Italian groups would separate. Vandenbroucke and Steels could go to Team Lotto, which have intentions of reinforce a team of Belgian foundation or French Team Cofidis, which already last year had intentions of taking the block the Lefevere group.

Patrick Lefevere: "It's only gossip. At this moment my conversations have always been with Mapei-Bricobì. If Squinzi renews the sponsorship, we will stay with him, if things change, then we will start looking at different alternatives. We will know at the end of April, now we aspire to the great races like Gent-Wevelgem, where we will start with Steels as favorite and Paris-Roubaix, with Ballerini, Musseuw and Zanini, who head the list of predictions".

Banesto will renew Olano's Contract

Banesto has told Abraham Olano that they are willing to start talking about his contract renewal whenever he wants. Olano hasn't answered, he knows that he won't have any problems in getting whatever he wants from any of the big teams of the peloton and he doesn't want to hurry a decision.

"We want to transmit tranquility to everyone, specially to Abraham. To wait until the end of the Tour in in a certain way, logical from the point of view of the rider, but nobody knows if it can benefit him or not", explains José Miguel Echávarri, manager of Banesto. "What I would like is that he could prepare for the key moment of the season in tranquility. To negotiate then is always distracting and takes away from the necessary tranquility to concentrate on the work at hand", adds Echávarri.

The money matter doesn't seem specially important for Abraham, who's making good money. Plus he assures that 2 years ago he signed for Banesto for a smaller quantity that what was offered to him by other teams. From what is known, Abraham is satisfied with the treatment and system that he's allowed to have at Banesto. The danger for Echávarri is Olano's curiosity with other systems of organization. Olano has always admired Team ONCE.

Meanwhile, ONCE has found an financial injection which would allow him to go for the number one Spaniard. The 250 million pesetas (US$1,603,000) from Deustche Bank could increase if he comes to Team ONCE.

Tour de Auvergnier, France, April 3-5

Prologue in Ydes, Team Time Trial, 3 kms:

 1. Team Wirsbo       		4.00:67
 2. Holland              	4.02:22
 3. Italien                	4.06:72

 Leader: Stefan Adamsson (Swe) Team Wirsbo

Stage 1, 79 kms:

  1. Laurent Paumier (Fra)                 	     1.58.48
  2. Erland Engelsvoll (Nor)             	    	0.24
  3. Yves Duzekkier  (Fra)                 	    	0.27
  4. Henrik Sparr (Swe) Team Wirsbo     	       	0.27

Stage 2, to the top of Puy de Dome,  85 kms:

  1. Laurent Paumier (Fra)                 	     1.28.19
  2. Alain Saillor(Fra)                        		0.19
  3. Vincent Klaes (Fra)                       		0.20
  5. Henrik Sparr (Swe) Team Wirsbo         		0.21

Stage 3, 154 kms:

  1. Tony Jousset (Fra)                              3.33.18
  2. Younn Leboulanger (Fra)
  3. Gillesain Zeck (Pol)

Final overall:

  1. Laurent Paumier (Fra)
  2. Vincent Klaes (Fra)                		0.37
  3. Henrik Sparr (Swe) Team Wirsbo     		0.38

 Grand prix de Montagne:

 1. Henrik Sparr (Swe) Team Wirsbo           		27 points
 2. Laurent Paumier (Fra)                   		26
 3. Alain Saillor(Fra)                        		12