News for November 28, 1998

Drugs Update

Richard Virenque claims he his innocent. The anti-doping tests carried out five days after his exclusion from the Tour de France we negative. The story was published in L'Equipe on Friday morning in Paris. Totally clear the report reads. There was no trace of steroids, growth hormones, corticoids, or masking agents. The article also says that Richard Virenque is unlikely to have taken EPO. A measure of the rate of transferrine, which if around the rate of 12 to 15 micrograms per millilitre reveals EPO usage, showed that Virenque was in the 4.4 micrograms range on July 17. The test was done in police custody. His hemacrit level was also 49.3 per cent which is below the 50 per cent level dictated by the UCI.

Franco Ballerini

Franco Ballerini and Oskar Camenzind who both rode fro Mapei-Bricobi in 1998 wil be the captains of the Lampre-Daikin team - which brings together the Saronni-Algeri-Colnago axis.

Camenzind will lead the team for the stage races, while Ballerini will take on the captaincy for the classics. Nearing 34-years, Ballerini will be one of the best of the old-guard remaining in the peloton. He said: "I want to ride another two seasons. Physically I am well and psychologically I do not feel the weight of the years. In a few words: I have still have the desire to suffer."

After five seasons at Mapei, Ballerini has gone to the Lampre-Daikin team in order to benefit from the experience of Saronni and Peter Algeri, who were teammates with him at the beginning. He explained: "I have ridden in a team with Saronni to the end of 1980s and they were decisive and important years in my development. I have a great relationship with Giuseppe. Mapei have treated me very well. George Squinzi and Mrs. Adriana have treated me in an exemplary way and that will leave great memories for me. I could have stayed there."

Ballerini, has to undergo a medical test at Lampre-Daikin which delayed his signing. 20 days ago he underwent a nose operation in Florence - micro surgery to help him breathe better. He said the will begin 1999 at the Tour of the Mediterrannean and concentrate on the period between Milan-San Remo and the Amstel Gold Race. He of-course is known for his 2 great wins in Paris-Roubaix. He will again be the favourite in 1999. He emphasised the importance of the race: "To win at Roubaix is the dream of all young riders. It is the race of races. But I do not want to be remembered as as the man who won the Hell of the North. I also want to win the Tour of Flanders. That will show that I am a great classics rider."

He was asked about the sharing of the captaincy in the new team. He said: "I have never had cohabitation problems. Remember that I had the fortune to ride alongside unequalled riders like Johan Museeuw. The Mapei team is still the team to beat. But I think our new team will be very strong - Serpellini, Missaglia and Dierckxsens can also take control at times."

He commented on Camenzind: "Oscar has grown, in the sense that he is now more aware of his talent and is more confident. And that is exactly what he lacked before." But Ballerini was not about to compare Camenzind with Pantani. "Marco will be one of the toughest riders in the 1999 Giro. To make comparisons with him is impossible. There is only one Pirate. But Camenzind can still get on the Podium in Milan. He showed his skill during last year's Tour of Switzerland."

Pantani's case goes to court

The 1995 edition of Milan-Turin caused Marco Pantani grief. A car driving down the wrong side of the road hit him and caused severe fractures to his leg. The matter is now before the courts in Turin. Also hurt were Davide Dall'Olio and Francisco Secchiari. In the court on Thursday, preliminary issues were discussed. Judge Felicita Bertinetti rejected early demands from the defence - the City of Turin's Mayor - to exclude Pantani from the process.

There are three culprits in the case - the driver and two policeman who allowed the car to enter the parcours. Only Dall'Olio was present yesterday for the riders. The next hearing will be on January 26, 1999.

Casino Roundup for 1998

Victories

GP La Marselleise (Fra) - Marco Saligiari (Ita)
5th Stage Etoile de Bessèges (Fra) - Jan Kirsipuu (Est)
Tour Mediterránean (Fra) - Rodolfo Massi (Ita)
Trofeo Laigueglia (Ita) - Pascal Chanteur (Fra)
Classic Haribo (Fra) - Lauri Aus (Est)
2nd Stage Tour of Comunidad Valenciana (Spa) - Bo Hamburger (Den)
Tour of Comunidad Valenciana (Spa) Pascal Chanteur (Fra)
2nd Stage Giro Calabria (Ita) - Rodolfo Massi (Ita)
Giro Calabria (Ita) - Rodolfo Massi (Ita)
3rd Stage Tour of Murcia (Spa) - Alberto Elli (Ita)
5th Stage Tour of Murcia (Spa) - Alberto Elli (Ita)
Tour of Murcia (Spa) - Alberto Elli (Ita)
Tirreno-Adriático (Ita) - Rolf Jaermann (Swi)
Cholet Pais Loira (Fra) - Jan Kirsipuu (Est)
1st Stage Setmana Catalana (Spa) - Stéphane Barthe (Fra)
2nd Stage Setmana Catalana (Spa) - Rolf Jaermann (Swi)
2nd Stage Criterium Internacional (Fra) - Rodolfo Massi (Ita)
Route Adélie (Fra) - Jan Kirsipuu (Est)
GP Ville Rennes (Fra) - Pascal Chanteur (Fra)
1st Stage Tour of País Vasco (Spa) - Bo Hamburger (Den)
4th Stage Tour of País Vasco (Spa) - Alberto Elli (Ita)
1st Stage Circuit La Sarthe (Fra) - Jan Kirsipuu (Est)
3rd Stage Circuit La Sarthe (Fra) - Jan Kirsipuu (Est)
5th Stage Circuit La Sarthe (Fra) - Jan Kirsipuu (Est)
4th Stage Tour Vaucluse (Fra) - Benoit Salmon (Fra)
Tour Vaucluse (Bel) - Benoit Salmon (Fra)
Flecha Wallonia (Bel) - Bo Hamburger (Den)
GP Denain (Fra) - Jan Kirsipuu (Est)
Amstel Gold Race (Ned) - Rolf Jaermann (Swi)
4th Stage Circuit Minas (Fra) - Alex Vinokourov (Kaz)
Circuit Mines (Fra) - Alex Vinokourov - (Kaz)
5th Stage Tour of Romandíe (Swi) - Christophe Agnolutto (Fra)
1st Stage 4 Days Dunkerque (Fra) - Jan Kirsipuu (Est)
4 Days Dunkerque (Fra) - Alex Vinokourov (Kaz)
1st Stage Tour l'Oise - Lauri Aus (Est)
2nd Stage Tour l'Oise (Fra) - Alex Vinokourov (Kaz)
3rd Stage Tour l'Oise (Fra) - Stéphane Barthe (Fra)
Tour l'Oise (Fra) - Alex Vinokourov (Kaz)
GP Villa Cotterets (Fra) - Jan Kirsipuu (Est)
2nd Stage Tour of Luxemburgo (Lux) - Jacky Durand (Fra)
3rd Stage Ruta Sur (Fra) - Jan Kirsipuu (Est)
Championship of Estonia ITT - Jan Kirsipuu (Est)
Championship of Estonia Road - Jan Kirsipuu (Est)
8th Stage Tour de France - Jacky Durand (Fra)
10th Tour de France - Rodolfo Massi (Ita)
GP Dourges (Fra) - Marc Streel (Bel)
GP Westrozebeke (Bel) - Marc Streel (Bel)
4th Stage Tour of Región Wallonia (Bel) - Marc Streel (Bel)
1st Stage Tour of Denmark - Marc Streel (Bel)
4th Stage (Bel) Tour of Denmark - Marc Streel (Bel)
Tour of Denmark - Marc Streel (Bel)
5th Stage Prix Amitié (Fra) - Fabrice Gougot (Fra)
GP Bles d'Or (Fra) - Frédéric Bessy (Fra)
GP Falaises (Fra) - Vincent Cali (Fra)
3rd Stage Tour Limousin (Fra) - Vincent Cali (Fra)
Tour Limousin (Fra) - Vincent Cali (Fra)
4th Stage Tour Poitu Charentes (Fra) - Marc Streel (Bel)
1st Stage Tour Poitu Charentes (Fra) - Lauri Aus (Est)
2nd Stage Tour Poitu Charentes (Fra) - Jan Kirsipuu (Est)
Tour Poitu Charentes (Fra) - Lauri Aus (Est)
3rd Stage Tour of España - Jan Kirsipuu (Est)
6th Stage Tour of Poland - Alex Vinokourov (Kaz)
7th Stage Tour of Poland - Jacky Durand (Fra)
1st Stage Giro Puglia (Ita) - Jan Kirsipuu (Est)
3rd Stage Giro Puglia (Ita) - Jan Kirsipuu (Est)
París-Tours (Fra) - Jacky Durand (Fra)

Second Places

Etoile de Bessèges (Fra) - Alberto Elli (Ita)
Tour Mediterránean (Fra) - Bo Hamburger (Den)
Tour Haut Var (Fra) - Pascal Chanteur (Fra)
Tour of Comuidad Valenciana(Spa) - Bo Hamburger (Den)
Tour of Murcia (Spa) - Alex Vinokourov (Kaz)
GP Lillers (Fra) - Alex Vinokourov (Kaz)
GP Villa Rennes (Fra) - Gilles Bouvard (Fra)
Circuit La Sarthe (Fra) - Marc Streel (Bel)
Tour Vaucluse (Fra) - Arturas Kasputis (Lit)
4 Days Dunkerque (Fra) - Arturas Kasputis (Lit)
Tour l'Oise (Fra) - Lauri Aus (Est)
GP Winterthur (Swi) - Pascal Richard (Swi)
Championship of Denmark Road - Bo Hamburger (Den)
Championship of Estonia ITT - Lauri Aus (Est)
Coppa Bernocchi (Ita) - Alberto Elli (Ita)
Tour of Poland - Jacky Durand (Fra)

Third Places

Clásica Haribo (Fra) - Jan Kirsipuu (Est)
Circuit La Sarthe (Fra) - Jan Kirsipuu (Est)
París-Camembert (Fra) - Rodolfo Massi (Ita)
Flecha Wallonia (Bel) - Alberto Elli (Ita)
Luik-Bastenaken-Luik (Bel) - Rodolfo Massi (Ita)
Tour Vendée (Fra) - Jan Kirsipuu (Est)
Trofeo Escaladores (Fra) - Christophe Agnolutto (Fra)
Boucles Saint Denis (Fra) - Lauri Aus (Est)
Clásica Alpes (Fra) - Benoit Salmon (Fra)
Championship of Italy Road - Alberto Elli (Ita)
Championship of Estonia Road - Lauri Aus (Est)
GP Thimister (Bel) - Marc Streel (Bel)
Prix Amitié (Fra) - Vincent Cali (Fra)
GP Calvaire (Fra) - Vincent Cali (Fra)
Tour Limousin (Fra) - Jacky Durand (Fra)
Tour Poitu Charentes (Fra) - Marc Streel (Bel)
GP Naciones (Fra) - Marc Streel (Bel)
Giro Puglia (Ita) - Jan Kirsipuu (Est)
París-Tours (Fra) - Jan Kirsipuu (Est)

Fourth Places

Tour Haut Var (Fra) - Rodolfo Massi (Ita)
Kuurne-Bruselas-Kuurne (Bel) - Jan Kirsipuu (Est)
GP Lillers (Fra) - Jan Kirsipuu (Est)
Criterium Internacional (Fra) - Bo Hamburger (Den)
Ruta Adélie (Fra) - Gilles Bouvard (Fra)
La Costa Picardía (Fra) - Stéphane Barthe (Fra)
Giro Trentino (Ita) - Pascal Richard (Swi)
Championship of - Denmark CRI - Bo Hamburger (Den)
Tour of Wartenberg (Swi) - Pascal Richard (Swi)
GP Fourmies (Fra) - Bo Hamburger (Den)
GP Naciones (Fra) - Jacky Durand (Fra)
Giro Emilia (Ita) - Alberto Elli (Ita)
Milán-Vignola (Ita) - Alberto Elli (Ita)
París-Bourges (Fra) - Fabrice Gougot (Fra)
Chrono Herbiers (Fra) - Jacky Durand (Fra)

Fifth Places

GP La Marselleisse (Fra) - Gilles Bouvard (Fra)
Giro Calabria (Ita) - Alberto Elli (Ita)
París-Niza (Fra) - Rodolfo Massi (Ita)
Amstel Gold Race (Ned) - Bo Hamburger (Den)
Circuit Minas (Fra) - Arturas Kasputis (Lit)
Volta Catalunya (Spa) - Alberto Elli (Ita)
Championship of - Suisse fondo - Pascal Richard (Swi)
Tour of Denmark - Bo Hamburger (Den)
Milán-Vignola (Ita) - Bo Hamburger (Den)
Giro Lombardia (Ita) - Pascal Richard (Swi)

Sixth Places

Tour Mediterránean (Fra) - Fabrice Gougot (Fra)
Giro Reggio Calabria (Ita) - Alberto Elli (Ita)
Tour of País Vasco (Spa) - Rodolfo Massi (Ita)
Tour l'Oise (Fra) - Stéphane Barthe (Fra)
GP Midi Libre (Fra) - Benoit Salmon (Fra)
Clásica Alpes (Fra) - Bo Hamburger (Den)
Luk-Copa Buhl (A) - Frédéric Bessy (Fra)
Tour of Región Wallonia (Bel) - Alex Vinokourov (Kaz)

Seventh Places

Etoile de Bessèges (Fra) - Alex Vinokourov (Kaz)
Giro Calabria (Ita) - Alex Vinokourov (Kaz)
Setmana Catalana (Spa) - Rodolfo Massi (Ita)
La Costa Picardía (Fra) - Jan Kirsipuu (Est)
GP Midi Libre (Fra) - Gilles Bouvard (Fra)
Tour of Luxemburgo - Alberto Elli (Ita)
Tour of Región Wallonia (Bel) - Marc Streel (Bel)
GP Eddy Merckx (Bel) - Marc Streel (Bel)
GP Eddy Merckx (Bel) - Jacky Durand (Fra)

Eighth Places

GP La Marselleisse (Fra) - Fabrice Gougot (Fra)
Giro Reggio Calabria - Marco Saligari (Ita)
Cholet Pais Loira (Fra) - Alex Vinokourov (Kaz)
Flecha Brabançona (Bel) - Lauri Aus (Est)
Tour Vendée (Fra) - Stéphane Barthe (Fra)
GP Vilvoorde (Bel) - Marc Streel (Bel)
Tour l'Oise (Fra) - Jan Kirsipuu (Est)
GP Villa Cotterets (Fra) - Alex Vinokourov (Kaz)
Ruta Sur (Fra) - Alberto Elli (Ita)
GP Deinze (Bel) - Marc Streel (Bel)
Tres Valles Varesinos (Ita) - Pascal Chanteur (Fra)
Coppa Agostoni (Ita) - Pascal Richard (Swi)
Tour of Poland - Alex Vinokourov (Kaz)
Escalada Montjuïc (Spa) - Frédéric Bessy (Fra)
Japan Cup - Frédéric Bessy (Fra)

Ninth Places

GP La Marselleisse (Fra) - Frédéric Bessy (Fra)
Tour Mediterránean (Fra) - Pascal Chanteur (Fra)
GP Fayt le Franc (Bel) - Marc Streel (Bel)
GP Villa Rennes (Fra) - Marc Streel (Bel)
GP Escalda (Bel) - Christophe Agnolutto (Fra)
Amstel Gold Race (Ned) - Alberto Elli (Ita)
GP Villa Cotterets (Fra) - Christophe Agnolutto (Fra)
A Través Morbihan (Fra) - Pascal Chanteur (Fra)
Giro Romagna (Ita) - Bo Hamburger (Den)
General Copa Mundo - Rolf Jaermann (Swi)

Tenth Places

Tour of Andalucía(Spa) - Frédéric Bessy (Fra)
GP Chiasso (Swi) - Pascal Richard (Swi)
Milán-San Remo (Ita) - Alberto Elli (Ita)
Flecha Wallonia (Bel) - Rodolfo Massi (I
Giro Trentino (Ita) - Pascal Richard (Swi)
GP Canton Argovia (Swi) - Pascal Richard (Swi)
Giro Piamonte (Ita) - Rolf Jaermann (Swi)
Japan Cup - Rolf Jaermann (Swi)

Other Places

11th Tour of Andalucía (Spa) - Rolf Jaermann (Swi)
11th Setmana Catalana (Spa) - Rolf Jaermann (Swi)
11th Tour l'Oise (Fra) - Jacky Durand (Fra)
12th Luik-Bastenaken-Luik (Bel) - Bo Hamburger (Den)
13th Tour of Murcia (Spa) - Vincent Cali (Fra)
13th Tour of Luxemburgo - Lauri Aus (Est)
14th Giro Trentino (Ita) - Rodolfo Massi (Ita)
14th Tour l'Oise - Gilles Bouvard (Fra)
14th Tour of Luxemburgo - Jacky Durand (Fra)
14th Volta Catalunya (Spa) - Bo Hamburger (Den)
15th Criterium Internacional (Fra) - Alberto Elli (Ita)
15th Dauphiné Libéré (Fra) - Benoit Salmon (Fra)
15th Tour de France - Bo Hamburger (Den)
16th Milán-San Remo (Ita) - Rolf Jaermann (Swi)
17th GP Suisse - Alberto Elli (Ita)
18th Milán-San Remo (Ita) - Bo Hamburger (Den)
18th Tour of España - Fabrice Gougot (Fra)
18th Giro Lombardia (Ita) - Fabrice Gougot (Fra)
18th General Copa Mundo - Alberto Elli (Ita)
21st Luik-Bastenaken-Luik (Bel) - Alberto Elli (Ita)
22nd Clásica San Sebastián (Spa) - Alberto Elli (Ita)
25th París-Tours (Fra) - Rolf Jaermann (Swi)
26th Giro Italia - Fabrice Gougot (Fra)
28th Tour de France - Benoit Salmon (Fra)
29th Tour de France - Alberto Elli (Ita)
31st Tour de France - Christophe Agnolutto (Fra)
35th Tour de France - Pascal Chanteur (Fra)
43rd Tour of España - Frédéric Bessy (Fra)
47th Tour of España - Pascal Chanteur (Fra)
51st Tour of España - Vincent Cali (Fra)
65th Tour de France - Jacky Durand (Fra)
79th Giro Italia - Frédéric Bessy (Fra)
84th Giro Italia - David Lefevre (Fra)
85th Giro Italia - Rolf Jaermann (Swi)
92nd Giro Italia - Marco Saligari (Ita)
101st Tour of España - Christophe Agnolutto (Fra)

Thanks to Fernando Ferrari, from Meta2Mil, Spain