News for January 10, 1998

Another Aussie Pro Contract

Heiko, AIS National Coach, sent me this today:

After endless wheeling and dealing with countless European Trade Teams Nick Gates got finaly what he deserves - A Pro Contract for 1998 with a Trade Team. He finaly got an offer from the German "Olympia Dortmund/Die Continentale" Team, a team with a rich tradition in German Cycling. The former team of Gregor Braun, Erik Zabel, Manfred Otto (now working as a bike sales man with VeloVita, Sydney) has taken up for 1998 the third Aussie rider. They already signed Scott McGrory and Jason Phillips.

Nick is now the 16th Australian Cyclist with a Pro Contract for the 1998 season.

Erwan Mentheour retires at 24

Erwan Mentheour retires at 24 French rider Erwan Mentheour, whose one-year contract with La Francaise des Jeux has not been renewed for 1998, has announced his retirement from pro bike racing having failed to seal a deal with Scotti directeur sportif Emanuele Bombini. Brest-born Mentheour (24) had been negotiating with the Italian team having given up hopes of a new contract in France. Mentheour rode for Catavana-Corbeil in 1994, Belgian team Cedico in 1995 and Italian team Aki in 1996 before joining La Francaise des Jeux in 1997. He wore the yellow jersey in the 1997 Tour de l'Avenir before crashing out of the race, sustaining a double fracture of the forearm. His stage win in that race -- the 28km Stage 4 time trial at Agen which put him in yellow - was his first and only pro victory.

Mentheour's most unhappy memory of his pro career is likely to be his disqualification from Paris-Nice last March: he was one of the three first riders (with Luca Colombo and Mauro Santaromita) to have his licence suspended after the new haemocrit-testing regime was introduced. Mentheour, who vigorously protested that he had not used EPO and offered other explanations for his high red blood cell count, was allowed to start the Paris-Nice prologue after scoring over 50% in the haemocrit test but was subsequently disqualified together with Colombo and Santaromita.

Tonkov will ride the Giro but not the Tour

"Yes" to the Giro d'Italia: "Because it is the most important race that I have ever won and I want to win it again". "No" to the Tour: "Because of the risk of reaching the race too tired, with the danger of performing badly". "Yes" to La Vuelta a España: "To close the season in a high note, also the Worlds at Valkenburg and the Giro di Lombardia". Pavel Tonkov, Russian from Italy, Maglia Rosa (Pink Jersey) in '96, speaks of his '98 from a table at the Winter headquarters of Team Mapei-Bricobrì in Costa Azzurra, a step from the Oasis of the club di Valescure.

Tonkov has very clear ideas: "My program is very clear... Meanwhile the new season has started better than a year ago: a day like today, on January 7th, I fell in Toscana and fractured the metatarsal in my left hand. And then, before the Giro, I fell again and broke the scaphoid. This time things are going better since January 7th has passed without a fall". Tonkov laughs.

About his preparation: "I'm not as advanced in my preparation as my teammates Belgians Frank Vandenbroucke and Tom Steels who have arrived here in Provenza with their motors running, but I'm sure that even though I've had a hard time my condition will come at the right time: the goal is May, for the Giro d'Italia", explains Tonkov.

He will debut in six weeks at Laigueglia. And he will get in tune for the Giro at the Tour of Romandie. Some of the riders that will be riding the same program will be Camenzind, Faresin (who's still in Italy due to sickness), Nardello and Lanfranchi... He will have to deal with Zülle, Gotti and Pantani. He won the Giro in '96 and can win it again: "last year Gotti played me with tactics and he didn't win because he was stronger than me. In May we will see again, me and Gotti. Zulle will be there Zülle? Good. So Zülle is animated to conquest the Giro d'Italia?: I was thinking of before, the Tour of Switzerland of '95, which I won... Zülle is strong in the time trial and we all know that: we will se if he will succeed in the tough climbs".

Karen Kurreck

Brad Anders sent me the following snippet - Karen Kurreck has joined Saturn for the 1998 season. I don't have a full team roster but will send it to you when I get it.