Abdoujaparov out for a yearThe Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne has suspended Uzbek cyclist Djamolidin Abdoujaparov for a year (from July 12, 1997) after he was caught taking banned substances. The test was taken on July 12, 1997 while Abdu was racing the Tour de France. He tested positive for clenbuterol and bromantan. He was also fined 4000 Swiss Francs (about $US2,790) and lost 300 UCI points.The UCI took the points off him because they also disqualified him from five other races that he won points in during 1997. The Uzbekistan Cycling Federation had suspended Abdu for only 6 months and the UCI appealed against the decision. An official statement by the UCI said that the decision was "unsatisfactory" and too lenient. The evidence shows that Adbu had not only tested positive for drugs during the Tour de France but also, in 6 other French races in 1997. He tested positive for taking bromantan during the 3 Days of Le Panne, the Dunkirk 4 Days, the GP de la Ville de Rennes, La Cote Picarde, and the Criterium du Dauphiné Liberé. Norwegian rider also suspendedThe UCI announced that it had fined the Norwegian Cycling Federation 5,000 Swiss francs (about $US3,500) because the Federation had not taken any actin against Rune Jogert who tested positive for Ephedrine during a stage race in Germany (the Berliner 4-Etappen-Fahrt). The Federation also did not tell the UCI of the finding and the UCI statement says this shows a "lack of respect" for the UCI anti-drug campaign.The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne heard the UCI appeal and suspended Jogert for 2 months from February 1, 1998. He was also fined 500 Swiss francs ($US345) and lost 15 UCI ranking points. Telekom unveil the teamOn Monday at Deutsche Telekom's head office in Bonn, Telekom unveiled its team for 1998 with Jan Ullrich being honoured with the highest sport's award in Germany. Ullrich is still flavour of the month after becoming the first German to ever win the Tour de France. The German Government presented Ullrich, Riis, Zabel and 7 other Telekom riders with the "Silver Bayleaf".Team manager Walter Godefroot presented the 17 riders who will carry the flag for the team in 1998 after the ceremony was concluded. In addition to the strength of Riis and Zabel, Telekom retained the services of Rolf Aldag and Udo Bolts. Newcomers include Germans Dirk Baldinger, Dirk Mueller and Jan Schaffrath, Dane Michael Blaudzun and Italian Francesco Frattini. Andreas Kloeden comes into the team in May. Riders who were not resigned include Frank Corvers (Belgium), Brian Holm (Denmark, Mario Kummer (Germany) and Michael Lafis (Sweden). On Rolf AldagUwe Amrhein sent this from Germany. Rolf Aldag is back in the saddle after serious injury. He visited me last Saturday to pick up the newest vesion of the CompuTrainer by Racermate. Because of his broken collarbone he can`t go out on the road for the next couple of weeks he will be able to do high quality training on his CompuTrainer. He is focusing on having his first race in March, but if everything goes perfect from here he will do the Tour of Vallencia at the end of February.IOC withdraws drug testing accreditation in Gent, Lisbon and SeoulThe IOC has temporarily cancelled the drug-testing accreditation for laboratories in Gent (Belgium), Lisbon (Portugal) and Seoul (South Korea), downgrading Gent and Seoul to Phase II standard and Lisbon to Phase I.Acccording to the current IOC newsletter the reason for the decision concerning Gent and Seoul was "for [their] failure to reach the highest standards" and for Lisbon - "key staff changes have necessitated the postponement of the reaccreditation test" The newsletter said that: "In these instances, the necessary corrective procedures are being carried out and it is hoped that these laboratories will be reaccredited shortly." This means that the laboratories are now unable to perform drug tests for any major international events. But it isn't the end of the world for the labs. The newsletter explains how a laboratory in Moscow had also lost its licence but is now re-accredited after passing the required IOC test. There are 21 fully accredited labs throughout the world. Tuscany the new place to trainToday at Donoratico, Saeco will meet for training and testing. Training in Maremma nearby will be the Mapei-Bricobì riders, including: Tonkov, Museeuw, Bugno, Tafi, and Franco Ballerini. Also in the neighbourhood is Team Riso Scotti, with Minali and Baldato and Team Polti with Davide Rebellin, Merckx, Leblanc, Guerini & Guidi. By tomorrow, Scrigno-Gaerne (Filippo Casagrande, Rossato, Casarotto & Conte) will also turn up in the area.Over the past days, other teams have trained in the area including Ballan (Gabriele Colombo, Baffi, Ugrumov and Gotchenkov), Asics-CGA (Bartoli and Malberti), Vini Caldirola-Longoni Sport (Faustini, Furlan & Apollonio) and Brescialat-Liquigas (Piccoli, Sgambelluri, Mason & Zaina). Most of these riders will also be racing on February 1st in the Costa degli Etruschi race. Tour of Sardinia CancelledThe Giro ciclistico di Sardegna has been cancelled for this year. It was announced by organizer Gino Mameli, after stating a few days ago that they were at risk of having to cancel due to money problems.Casagrande will ride with CofidisThe UCI has resolved the controversy about which team which team Francesco Casagrande will ride for in 1998. The Italian had signed a pre-contract with Mercatone Uno-Bianchi, but has been freed to ride with French Team Cofidis.Olano to begin at MallorcaAbraham Olano, leader of Team Banesto, will begin his season at the Challenge de Mallorca, which will be held between February 8-12. He has indicated that he will not be racing in the Tour of the Mediterranan or la Vuelta a Andalucía/Ruta del Sol. According to a comunique from Team Banesto, Olano is amongst the list of riders that will be in Mallorca, directed by Eusebio Unzué and José Luis Jaimerena, together with Marino Alonso, Cándido Barbosa, Manuel Beltrán, Armand de las Cuevas, Manuel Fernández Ginés, José Vicente García Acosta, Aitor Garmendia, Orlando Gomes, Jeremy Hunt, Eladio Jiménez Sánchez, José María Jiménez, Pablo Lastras, Aitor Osa, Unai Osa and Miguel Angel Peña.At the Tour of the Mediterranean (February 11-15), Banesto, directed by Eusebio Unzué & José Miguel Echávarri will enter José Luis Arrieta, Barbosa, De las Cuevas, David Latasa, Francisco Mancebo, David Navas, Jon Odriozola and César Solaun. And at la Vuelta a Andalucía ( February 15-19), Banesto will be directed by José Luis Jaimerena and the riders will be Beltrán, Fernández Ginés, Garmendia, Hunt, Eladio Jiménez, Lastras, Aitor Osa and Unai Osa. Paal, Belgium, GP de Bie Cyclo Cross, January 25, 1998Marc Gullickson (Team GT) and Tim Johnson (CCB International) placed in the top 20 at the GP de Bie Cyclo-cross event in Paal, Belgium Sunday. Gullickson, of Durango, Colo., was 17th, while Johnson, of Middleton, Mass., placed 18th. The event was won by Danny De Bie (Rolini), who led a Belgian sweep of the top 14 spots in the UCI calendar event. American Matt Kelly, Lake Mills, Wis., placed third in the junior men’s race, won by Belgian Sven Vanthourenhout (Koksijde). Kelly, 16, is a resident athlete at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. The U.S. team will compete in the 1998 UCI World Cyclo-cross Championships this week in Middelfart, Denmark. The men’s under-23 event is Saturday, while the junior and elite races will take place Sunday.
Elite Men 1. Danny di Bie (Rolini), Belgium, 59 mins, 57 secs; 2. Bart Wellens (Goed Verzekerd), Belgium, s.t.; 3. Ben Berden (BBS), Belgium, @:38: 4. Arne Daelmans (Den Tip), Belgium, @1:42; 5. Marc Janssens (Palmans), Belgium, @1:47; 6. Peter Willemsens (Den Tip), @2:15; 7. Pascal Van Riet (Wambeek), Belgium, s.t.; 8. David Willemsens (Den Tip), Belgium, s.t.; 9. Paul Herijgers (Tonissteiner Saxson), Belgium, @2:32; 10. Kipcho Volckaerts (Booischot), Belgium, @3:22. Americans: 17. Marc Gullickson (Team GT), Durango, Colo., @5:47; 18. Tim Johnson (CCB International), Middleton, Mass., -1 lap; 30. Adam Krause (Pazzo Velo), Seattle, Wash., -2 laps. Junior Men 1. Sven Vantehourenhout (Koksijde), Belgium; 2. Tim Van Nuffel (De Kastelse Durvers), Belgium; 3. Matt Kelly (U.S. National), Lake Mills, Wis.; 4. Tim Pauwels (Hoboken WAC), Belgium; 5. Tilo Schuller (Furstenwalde), Germany. Other American: 12. Narayon Mahon (U.S. National), Port Towsend, Wash. |