News for January 25, 1998

Pontoni fails second drug test

31-year old Italian World cyclo-cross champion Daniele Pontoni who had tested positive for cocaine earlier this month, has had the finding affirmed with second positive test on Saturday. According to officials of the Italian Cycling Federation he faces a ban of up to 2 years. The official said he would be immediately suspended if he failed the second test and a full analysis would then occur.

Pontoni was scheduled to defend his world championship in Denmark next weekend. He won his second World Cyclo Cross Championship in Germany last year.

He is reported as saying prior to the findings of the second test being revealed: "If there's cocaine in that urine, then it's not my urine."

We can only wonder whether the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) will make a similar reversal to the way they handled the women's Olympic MTB champion Paola Pezzo this week. She also had two positive tests. CONI said that despite that there was insufficient proof that she had used nandrolone, a forbidden steroid.

WWW pages for Danish riders

The following three URLs will take you to Home Pages in English Bo Hamburger, Brian Holm and Jens Veggerby.

  1. Bo Hamburger
  2. Brian Holm
  3. Jens Veggerby

Abdu hangs his bike up

Djamolidine Abdoesjaparov has hung his bike up on the hook. This is according to a Flemish newspaper. The kamikaze sprinter, who crashed many times in the last stages of races, was caught out in the 1997 Tour de France for taking banned substances.

The Uzkekistan Cycling Federation gave Adbu a 6 months suspension, but the Arbitrage Tribunal of Sport (TAS) added another 6 months to the penalty. Abdoesjaparov said that at 34 years old he had no other option but to retire.

Langemark, Belgium, Cyclo Cross, Cat A, January 25, 1998

 1. Arne Daelmans (Bel)                           
 2. B. Rondelez (Bel)		0.45   
 3. P. Baelen (Bel)           	1.55   
 4. Peter Van Riet (Bel)      	2.35   
 5. P. Bassez (Bel)		3.24   
 ...
 9. Peter Farazijn (Bel)	4.11

25 starters

New sponsor for Belgian team

Sports Director Didier Paindaveine and the City of Charleroi have found a new sponsor for their cycling team. Home Market, a firm which sells outdoor furnishings, will replace Cedico who have withdrawn. The team will have 14 riders for the new season including Marc Bouillion, Ludovic Capelle, Sebastien Demarbaix and Flemish riders Filip Meirhaeghe and Jean-Pierre Heynderickx. There will be two French riders included.

According to Paindaveine the team is in oder with the UCI and the BWB. "All the financial guarantees are in."

New sponsor for German team

The German public broadcasting service, ARD is the new co-sponsor of the German Telekom team. They have taken a contract to maintain sponsorship for 3 years.

A spokesperson for ARD said" "This is purely a business agreement. Journalistic and editorial arrangements were not made."

If a rider for the team is caught using drugs, ARD can withdraw from the contract agreement. The financial injection is a welcome boost to the team which contains the 1997 Tour de France winner.