News for July 18, 1998

Festina out of Tour

My partner in cyclingnews.com, Hans just rang me from the Netherlands (23.20 Friday Dutch time) to tell me that Festina have been thrown out of the Tour de France. They have now admitted to systematic drug use under the direction of their doctors. All the top officials are involved. They have allegedly said that it was safer to do it under the direction of the medical staff rather than leave it to the riders. Comprehensive cheating no less.

The peloton is now in tatters for the Tour. The point is that Willy Voet was carrying enough dope to provide for the whole peloton and then some. The allegations are coming fast now of other teams and riders involved. More news as it breaks.

Junior World Track Titles

Stuart Dutton from Cycling Australia has sent me these results from the Junior Worlds. Information is very hard to get and I am working on it. But to date, this is all we can get. 

Women's 500m Time Trial:

 1. Rahna Demarte (Aus) 36.92

Mens 1000m Time Trial:

 1. Ben Kersten (Aus)	1.06

Olympic Sprint:

 1. France
 2. Australia 1.03
    (Josh Rogash, Ben Kersten, Jobie Dajka)

Women's Pursuit Final:

 Alayna Burns (Aus) will ride against Alison Wright (Aus)

Danish News

Kim Plesner Frederiksen writes that Jesper Skibby is possibly on his way back to TVM. He's negotiating with Cees Priem at the moment, and when he was asked about the situation directly on Danish TV today - he confirmed it, but said that there was no result yet.

Jens Veggerby has undergone surgery for a broken collarbone. He was hit by a car during training with teammates Jimmi Madsen and Brian Holm on Tuesday. It's a very bad situation for Veggerby as we have the Danish Pairs National Championships on August 1st and Tour of Denmark from August 11th.

Drugs

Andrew Malakoff writes that a Swiss newspaper Le Temps recently commented on the Willy Voet affair. It alleges that Voet acquired most of his substances from "complacent" doctors in Switzerland. Gerald Gremion, a sport's doctor at the Lausanne Orthopaedic Hospital, told the newspaper that he could (but wouldn't) name 3 doctors who work closely with cyclists and supply them with dope. The physician further alleges that 100% of professional cyclists use doping products.

Darwin Cycling Club, Cafe Bella Cup, Rounds 4 and 5

Round 4, Darwin River Dam , Cox Peninsula Road Race 85 kms:

A Grade:

 1. Dwayne Thompson
 2. Dave Clarke
 3. Alistair Hartley

B Grade:

 1. Sean Catley
 2. Tony Pettitt
 3. Paul Bubb
 4. Dal Hartley

Round 5, Humpty Doo Bush Shop Road Race 75 kms:

A Grade:

 1. Alistair Hartley        	2.10.30
 2. Steve Morrow

B Grade:

 1. Sean Catley     		2.10.24
 2. Tony Pettitt    		2.13.45
 3. Charlie Fryc   		2.16.02
 4. Paul Bubb       		2.25.43

Women:

 1. Tambra Simpson 		2.16.02

Open Standings after Round 5:

 1. Alistair Hartley 		286
 2. David Clarke 		240
 3. Dwayne Thompson 		240
 4. Anthony Cooper 		102
 5. Peter Verhagen 		100
 6. Owen Pike 			100
 7. David Wilkinson 		 90
 8. Steve Morrow 		 70
 9 .Gordon Atkinson  		 40
10. Justin Miller 		 36
11. Andrew Hall 		 28

Veteran Standings after Round 5:

 1. Sean Catley           	400
 2. Tony Pettit             	280
 3. Martin Hardie       	190
 4. Paul Bubb              	162
 5. Charlie Fryc           	140
 6. Dal Hartley            	 98
 7. Bob Pettit               	 72
 8. Barry Densley         	 70
 9. Graham Franklin     	 26

Women Standings after Round 5:

 1. Margaret McLachlan      	100
 2. Jytte Tiley  		100
 3. Tambra Simpson  		100
 4. Katrina Skellern 		 70

Junior Standings after Round 5:

 1. Larry Snell 		240
 2. Brendan Mouatt 		200
 3. Lillie Hardie 		160
 4. Corey Heath 		 50
 5. Ross Sinclair 		 40
 6. Nicky Sinclair 		 36
Points Allocation: 1st 100, 2nd 70, 3rd 50, 4th 40, 5th 36, 6th 32, 7th 28, 8th 24, 9th 20 10th 16.

USA, Cascade Cycling Classic

The Cascade Cycling Classic is a five day, six stage race that winds through the roads of the Cascade Mountains and the city of Bend, Ore. The event contains two road races, two criteriums, a circuit race and a time trial.

John Peters (Mercury) took the win and the leader’s jersey at the end of the 175 kms opening stage of the Cascade Cycling Classic.

10 kms into the stage that headed into the Cascade Mountains, a break of nine riders took the lead, building a four-minute gap. Concentrating on holding the gap, Mike Engleman (Navigators) pulled the break through the KOM's without any sprinting. Along with the United States Postal Service pair of Christian VandeVelde and Lance Armstrong, Engleman held that gap for almost 60 miles before being caught by the field.

Moments later, Peters, Trent Klasna (Navigators) and Ron Schmeer (Nutra Fig) attacked and held a two minute gap to the finish with Peters coming in first.

Stage 2 of the Cascade Cycling Classic cover two, 80 km loops around Mt. Bachelor. Burke Swindlehurst (Nutra Fig) took top honors, attacking with 10 kms to go. Four riders -- David Clinger (Mercury), Mike Engleman (Navigators), Thurlow Rogers (Mercury) and Bart Bowen (Saturn) finished 1.25 behind Swindlehurst. Swindlehurst moved into the leader’s jersey by the same margin.

Friday is a double day, starting with the stage 3 16 kms individual time trial, followed by stage 4, a criterium on a new course in downtown Bend. 

Stage 1, 175 kms:

 1. John Peters (USA) Mercury		     4.04.36
 2. Trent Klasna (USA) Navigators
 3. Ron Schmeer (USA) Nutra Fig
 4. Thurlow Rogers (USA) Mercury
 5. Tony Cruz (USA) Nutra Fig			s.t.

Stage 2, 160 kms:

 1. Burke Swindlehurst (USA) Nutra Fig       4.11.14
 2. David Clinger (USA) Mercury			1.25
 3. Mike Engleman (USA) Navigators
 4. Thurlow Rogers (USA) Mercury
 5. Bart Bowen (USA) Saturn
 6. Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal		1.31
 7. Dylan Casey (USA) US National		1.48
 8. Chann McRae (USA) Saturn
 9. Scott Moninger (USA) Navigators
10. Adham Sbeih (USA) Nutra Fig 		2.18

Overall after Stage 2:

 1. Burke Swindlehurst (USA) Nutra Fig	     8.17.50
 2. David Clinger (USA) Mercury			1.25
 3. Mike Engleman (USA) Navigators
 4. Thurlow Rogers (USA) Mercury
 5. Bart Bowen (USA) Saturn
 6. John Peters (USA) Mercury			1.30
 7. Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal		1.31
 8. Scott Moninger (USA) Navigators		1.48
 9. Adham Sbeih (USA) Nutra Fig 		2.18
10. Patrick Heaney (USA) Lombardi’s		2.18

Mountain Jersey:

 1. Burke Swindlehurst (USA) Nutra Fig		20 pts
 1. Mike Engleman (USA) Navigators		20
 3. Thurlow Rogers (USA) Mercury		17