* Dutch cycling team Rabobank, directed by Jan Raas and Theo de Rooy, has signed six new riders for the 1999 season. They have signed Swiss Niki Aebersold and Markus Zberg, from Post Swiss, German Grischa Niermann, from Die Continental, Dutch amateurs Karsten Kroon and Matthe Pronk and Belgian cyclo crosser Sven Nijs.
Five riders, Bruinsma, Luttenberger, Jonasson, Koerts and van Heeswijk, have left the team. The 1999 team will be made of: Michael Boogerd, Jan Boven, Erik Dekker, Maarten den Bakker, Richard Groenendaal, Bert Hiemstra, Patrick Jonker, Karsten Kroon, Marc Lotz, Koos Moerenhout, Matthe Pronk, Leon van Bon, Adri van der Poel, Aart Vierhouten, Robbie McEwen, Grischa Niemann, Sven Nijs, Marc Wouters, Rolf Sorensen, Niki Aebersold, Beat Zberg and Markus Zberg.
* The Italian Cycling Federation has refused to affiliate Vini Caldirola. The directors of Team revealed that this had occurred even though they had presented a request covering all the requirements, including banking guarantees. Team management stated yesterday that the Lega (Italian Cycling Federation), based on their rules, didn't accept the candidacy of Vini Caldirola because the management of the company is located in Switzerland, a country outside of the European Community".
For 1999, Team Vini Caldirola has confirmed: Borghi, Apollonio, Radaelli, Sironi, Trentin, Zanetti and is being reinforced by Francesco and Filippo Casagrande, Bortolami, Donati, Lupi, White (Aus), Klemencic (Slo, neo), Hauptmann (Slo, neo). The general manager is Enrico Maggioni, the team manager is Roberto Amadio. The sporting directors are Alberto Volpi and Sandro Lerici.
The legislators in France will soon pass the toughest set of laws against drugs in the world. The legislation will establish a anti-doping committee with far-reaching powers, bring sporting federations under the laws and require that they be responsible for stopping doping, and enact harsh penalties for individuals who are involved in any way at all with the use of illegal drugs (prescribing, supplying, encouraging, anything).
The committee will comprise 9 people evenly divided among legal, medical and sporting interests.
The real pressure will now be placed on sporting federations like the French Cycling Federation who will now have to convince the committee that they are doing all that they can to stamp out illegal drugs use within their sport. The federations will be required to impose their own penalties within a short time horizon on sportspersons who are detected using illegal drugs. Any suspicion that the federations are not doing all that they can will result in a loss of their licences to act as federations (a new part of the legislation - licences will be issued and reviewed by the committee)
Germany and drugs
The chief doctor for the German athletics squad, Karlheinz Graff, has informed the German Athletics Federation (DLV) that he believes that top German athletes are using undetectable performance-enhancing drugs. Apparently, two of the athletes asked him for plasma. He said that this plasma was used sometimes to stop blood thickening that is a part of EPO use. The practice of blood doping can also be aided by using plasma.
During the 1988 Tour de France he won the Mountains jersey. He also won the "Queen's Stage" on L'Alpe d'Huez and beat Miguel Indurain in a time trial. Rooks was best in the classics though and won Luik-Bastenaken-Luik and the Amstel Gold Race during his career.
In the last week he has been involved in scandal over comments he allegedly made which were reported in the Dutch provincial newspaper, De Limburger. He was reported as having no ethical problems with riders using EPO. He is alleged to have said that the only concern was for riders not to get caught.
In an interview to the Dutch newspaper, de Volkskrant, after announcing that he would become the new TVM manager next week, Rooks denied the contents of the earlier article. He said "I was wrongly quoted. It was as if I was for doping. This is the greatest nonsense that I have heard. I know that the use of drugs will possibly lead to a rider being exiled, but as the team manager would I want my riders to face that."
- Will you be the leader of Lampre?
- I will be the leader for the Giro d'Italia while Pavel Tonkov is the leader for the Tour de France
When does Lampre start training?
Training starts by the 2nd week of December in Italy. Lampre will be going to Australia to race and train in January.
What bikes will you be riding?
Colnago.
When training, do you use clinchers or do you ride tubulars exclusively?
Clinchers for training and tubulars for racing.
Of your teammates on Mapei, who was the most "cocky", and "least approachable"?
Frank Vandenbroucke.
We also spoke of the Tour de Okinawa, Japan. I (Kevin Davis), rode it four times (1991-1994), while stationed there in the Navy while Oscar Camenzind rode it in 1995, the last year before turning professional.
So, tell all the professionals out there that if they want to ride in peace and quiet in a reasonably priced area they should come to the Port Hueneme/Oxnard California.
1. Daniele PONTONI (Ita) 2. Davide Bertoni (Ita) 3. Massimo Sargenti (Ita) .. 5. Fabrizio Dall'Oste (Ita)
The Tour of Hessen will run from September 28 until October 3. Just after this race is the World Championships in Italy which are from October 5 to 10.