* Following the decision to give Marcel Strauss a contract, the Post Swiss Team is also giving a contract to Stefan Rütimann from the Swiss amateur Team Schaller. The 20 year old Rüttimann is currently riding as a stagiaire the Ericsson-Villiger team, as is Strauss.
Roland Meier (Cofidis) will not start in the Worlds ITT for Switzerland. He will be replaced by Bruno Boscardin from the Festina Team. Meier, who was originally selected, decided to concentrate on road race instead.
Italy
The Italian selector Fusi has decided to go with two major team blocs - Mapei-Bricobi and Asics-CGA. He said after announcing the team that: "Michele will be our leader, but also Tafi and Rebellin will have important roles".
The team is: Michele Bartoli, Paolo Bettini, Gianni Bugno, Mirko Celestino, Massimo Donati, Gianni Faresin, Daniele Nardello, Davide Rebellin, Luca Scinto, Filippo Simeoni, Andrea Tafi and Stefano Zanini. The first reserve is Marco Velo, second reserve is Luca Mazzanti. Velo and Luca Malberti will contest the individual time trial on Thursday the 8th.
France
Laurent Jalabert (ONCE), will decide by next Thursday if he will be part of the French team for the Worlds, according to a communique by the French Cycling Federation. Laurent Jalabert has been preselected by Charly Mottet.
Jalabert, ranked number one in the world, is in the middle of a conflict with the UCI after he accused them of being Nazis. The UCI President Hein Verbruggen told the press: "Jalabert will have to apologize for the statements he made at the start of la Vuelta a Espańa if he wants to race at the Worlds."
The French team for the road race is: Christophe Bassons (Festina), Stephane Berges and Pascal Lino (Big Mat-Auber 93), Federic Bessy, Pascal Chanteur, Jacky Durand and Fabrice Gougot (Casino), Stephane Cueff and Gilles Maignan (Mutuelle de Saine-et-Marne), Frederic Guesdon, Xavier Jan, Emmanuel Magnien and Jean-Patrick Nazon (La Francaise des Jeux), Laurent Jalabert (ONCE), Anthony Langella, Francois Simon and Cedric Vasseur (Credit Agricole) and Jean-Cyril Robin (US Postal).
The preselected riders for the individual time trial are: Laurent Jalabert (ONCE), Francisque Teissier and Gilles Maignan (Mutuelle de Seine-et-Marne).
Belgium
The list is headed by ex-Ukranian Andrei Tchmil (Lotto), who will be the team leader with the absence of Mapei's Johan Museeuw and Franck Vandenbroucke, who are still recuperating from injuries and Axel Merckx (Polti), who is not in form after finishing his season after the Tour.
Together with Tchmil, will be teammates Mario Aerts, Ludo Dierckxens and Kurt Van de Wouwer; Nico Mattan, Wilfried Peeters & Tom Steels (Mapei); Erwin Thijs (Vlaanderen 2002), Peter Van Petegem (TVM) and Marc Wauters (Rabobank).
Sergeant will select two more men this Sunday after the last World Cup race, Paris-Tours. The 8 riders in contention are: Thierry Marichal, Jo Planckaert, Chris Peers and Geert Verheyen (Lotto); Mario De Clercq (Palmans), Tom Desmet (Collstrop), Peter Wuyts (Vlaanderen 2002) and Bart Leysen (Mapei).
Marc Streel (Casino), is the only rider that has been selected for the Individual Time Trial.
Denmark
Road: Rolf Sorensen (Rabobank), Bo Hamburger (Casino), Lars Michaelsen (TVM), Brian Holm (Acceptcard), Peter Meinert (US Postal), Nicolai Bo Larsen (TVM), Frank Hoej (Palmans), Claus Michael Moeller (TVM), Michael Kyneb (Team Home Jack Jones), Jesper Skibby (Team Home Jack Jones), Danny Jonassen (Rabobank), Allan Johansen (Chicky World).
Individual Time Trial: Peter Meinert (US Postal), Michael Sandstoed (Chicky World)
Netherlands
Road Race: Michael Boogerd, Leon van Bon, Maarten den Bakker, Aart Vierhouten, Koos Moerenhout, Max van Heeswijk, Marc Lotz (Rabobank), Tristan Hoffman, Bart Voskamp, Servais Knaven, Steven de Jongh (TVM), Danny Nelissen (Jack and Jones).
Individual Time Trial: Erik Dekker (Rabobank), Servais Knaven (TVM).
1. (1) Laurent Jalabert (Fra) 2898 2. (2) Michele Bartoli (Ita) 2540 3. (4) Marco Pantani (Ita) 1969 4. (21) Abraham Olano (Spa) 1791 5. (3) Alex Zulle (Swi) 1678 6. (6) Davide Rebellin (Ita) 1494 7. (7) Andrei Tchmil (Bel) 1396 8. (9) Franck Vandenbroucke (Bel) 1381 9. (10) Andrea Tafi (Ita) 1315 10. (11) Micheal Boogerd (Ned) 1285 11. (8) Francesco Casagrande (Ita) 1263 12. ( ) Bo Hamburger (Den) 1210 13. (12) Jan Ullrich (Ger) 1206
"El Chava" wants to close this debate: "I don't want a war. I get along with everybody. I'm only a worker. I don't like the controversy that has started. This situation is the saddest thing that can happen to a team. The worst thing to do is to argue with a teammate. I have done my job which was to help him win La Vuelta. I don't want a war. I don't want to talk about it anymore because I don't want to harm Banesto, which is very tired of this situation, they could say that only one of us can continue next year".
It looks difficult for the relationship between Olano and Jimenez to improve. "At the dinner on Sunday, I almost didn't get a chance to talk to Abraham. We congratulated each other, but we usually don't speak to each other. It is a matter of characters. Each person is different".
Jiménez also took advantage during Banesto's private party to say hello to Karmele, Olano's wife, who started the trouble in the first place. "She didn't want to speak to me, but I went to say hello".
Jimenez also recalls, that at the end of the stage at Burgos, Olano hugged him in the tent behind the podium and congratulated him for the stage. They hadn't heard the radio where Karmele was being harsh about his attack. After that, each one of them went to Burgos in separate helicopters thanks to two local radio stations. Then Olano transformed. He came in screaming at the hotel: "There is a traitor in the team".
In a previous interview Jimenez said:
"This has been a fantastic Vuelta. I leave the race with a clear conscience. I have given myself to the team 100%, plus I have won stages". About the possibility that I would have won the race if I would have been in another team. I have shown that Olano and I are compatible and complement each other. We have both benefitted, him from me and me from him. After the consistency that I've demonstrated, I know that I have the possibility of one day trying to win la Vuelta".