* South African David George has been signed by the US Postal Pro Cycling team for 1999. David Cowie writes that this is great news for cycling in South Africa and I'm sure everyone will be keen to follow David's progress in this famous team, led by Lance Armstrong. The team is a major contender in all big tours and classics and will definitely be taking part in the Tour de France and Vuelta. The team is currently ranked 17th in the world with 3460 UCI points.
The team manager is Johnny Weltz (Denmark), Assistants: Dan Osipow (USA), Denis Gonzalez (France) and Manager Mark Gorski (USA). Retired professional Johan Bruyneel has also been employed in a managerial position.
George said: "I leave for Santa Barbara (California) on the 12th (January 1999) for the training camp. This is a dream come true for me, as it is a chance for me to make it Europe, on the largest English speaking team in the world. I will be based in Valencia (Spain) for most of the season."
La Française des Jeux - Evgeni Berzin has left La Française des Jeux and will ride for the Italian team Amica Chips. Jean-Cyril Robin has left US Postal to join La Française des Jeux as a stage race rider. Also joining the team is Denmark's Lars Michaelsen, who will strengthen the team in the classics. They already have some one day specialists like Emmanuel Magnien, Maximilian Sciandri and Frédéric Guesdon. Interestingly, the only Festina rider to have come out of the drug scandal clean is Christophe Bassons. He is joining Française des Jeux.
The riders leaving are: Evgeni Berzin (Amica Chips), Franck Morelle (?), Andrea Peron (ONCE), Flavio Vanzella (retiring). The new riders are: Cyril Saugrain, (ex Cofidis), Christophe Bassons (ex Festina), Lars Michaelsen (ex TVM), Jean-Cyril Robin (ex US Postal), Jean-Michel Tessier (Neo-pro).
On the alleged dispute between the UCI and the IOC over the length of punishments he said: "The IOC considers the minimum sanction should be for two years for the first (drug) infringement and for life in case of a repeat. But for a cyclist two years represents a life ban."
And a swimmer? A sprinter? What is the difference?
Director Juan Fernández said: "I have found the riders to be very hopeful, with the will to work. The riders know that they will have more freedom and they all have aspirations. That motivates a lot".
Amongst the riders that could assume leadership at specific races are Wladimir Belli, Laurent Brochard, Fabian Jeker, Pascal Hervé, Laurent Madouas and sprinter Marcel Wust. Fernandez said: "Even though we don't have an undisputed leader, we have a lot of quality riders."
Even with the deep restructuring, Festina kept 14 riders from last season, amongst them the three Frenchmen who are suspended until April 30 after admitting to the use of doping substances. They are Brochard, Christophe Moreau and Didier Rous. Joining them in solidarity, even though he has not been sanctioned will be compatriot Pascal Hervé.
- It is very difficult to answer that question. We have a team that has the necessary potential to make people talk about us.
- With the Giro as an extra assignement.
- Yes, something that we haven't done since 1995. That's why we have hired a rider like Piepoli. He will be our reference in the Italian calendar. Like Zulle will be in the Tour or Jiménez in la Vuelta. But we won't go to all those races just for the sake of it. We will go with the goal of forming riders. Like we have always done, except in the time of Indurain, where we covered so much terrain due to his rank.
- You don't count with Miguel anymore...
- But I count on a team that has youth and contrasting riders. It is a balanced team with great leaders, like Zülle and Jiménez.
- Will they share the leadership?
- They will and there shouldn't be any problems, if they are intelligent and respect the form and the luck of their teammate. In fact, you could say that they will be forced to understand each other. We have once again put together two riders with different characteristics, like we did last year, because it is more probable that a rolleur and a climber will complement each other, than two climbers.
El Chaba to the wind tunnel
Jose María Jiménez and Banesto both know that the future must involve improvements in his time trial capacity. For that purpose, Chaba will undergo testing at the wind tunnel of the Instituto Nacional de Técnicas Aeroespaciales (National Institute of Aerospatial Techinics - INTA), in Madrid, to find out his exact aerodynamic profile. Marco Pantani did the same thing and his evolution is evident.
Banesto has made the official request to INTA, which has the only wind tunnel available in Spain and they haven't confirmed a date, even though team doctor, Jesús Hoyosit announced that it will probably be on January 15 or 16.
The wind tunnel is a machine that blows a strong wind current, which allows fine tuning by means of sensors. Thanks to those results, Jimenez will find out what his most aerodynamic position is for the time trial. He said: "What is clear to me is that by taking these test, I won't get worse."
Hoyos assured that, other that scientific data, the wind tunnel could have "psychological effects on Jimenez". "His problem is his aerodynamics, but if you only make his change positions, he could still think that he's not going to progress. But if you tell him to change based on exact data, he will always believe it more".
Hoyos added that "Jimenez will have a hard time changing his position at first, because for that he will have to work on the flexibility of his back, even though he will later notice important advances".
Jimenez was one of the eight Banesto riders that went through a medical checkup at the Consejo Superior de Deportes (Superior Council of Sports), together with a Manuel Beltrán, Miguel Angel Peña, Marzio Bruseguin, Dariusz Baranowski, Cándido Barbosa, Orlando Rodrigues and Jeremy Hunt.
1. Peter Van der Abeele (Bel) Elite 1.00.50 2. Pavel Prosek (Cze) Elite 0.48 3. Stanislav Hejduk (Cze) Under-23 1.33 4. David Seco (Spa) Velimsa Elite 2.03 5. Francisco Mena (Spa) Saunier Duval Elite 5.29 6. Jon Carbayeda (Spa) Dana Ona Elite 6.26 7. Oier Egaña (Spa) Super Froiz Elite 6.48 8. Iñaki Cendrero (Spa) AEG Elite 7.32 9. Aitor Díaz (Spa) SUNN Elite 8.11 10. Joseba Leon (Spa) Pan Ocio Under-23 8.26