News for April 13, 1999

Mottet Quits as French National Coach

Charly Mottet announced at the end of Paris-Roubaix on Sunday that he was quitting his position as Head Coach of the French National team. He told the Agence France Presse of his decision and cited "family reasons" and indicated it was nothing to do with the crisis that cycling had fallen into following the Festina scandal. The former professional champion has held the post since 1997 when he took the place of Bernard Thévenet who retired.

The 36-year old former teammate of Bernard Hinault and of Laurent Fignon counted among his achievements as a rider several victories in the GP des Nations and the Critérium du Dauphiné and also the Tour of Lombardy. He was number one in the world in 1989.

He is respected in French cycling. He said: "The next World Championships are less than 6 months away and I do not wish to wait until then to quit."

Erik Dekker to hospital

Rabobank rider Erik Dekker fell heavily during Paris-Roubaix and was taken to the Academic Hospital in Gent for X-rays on his injured wrist. The team leader of Rabobank Theo de Rooy requested the examination to see if there was anything broken. He fell at the half-way mark of the 3rd World Cup race. He reported that he was in good condition at the start. He has been riding well this season with no injuries.

The TVM rider Hendrik van Dijck has also been examined by a doctor after Paris-Roubaix. The Belgian fell at the 240 kms mark and his right hand was injured. He rode for the next hour to the finish in pain and finished in 40th place at 9.39 after being in the leading group.

Luxembourg, GP Jean Goldschmitt, 113 kms:

Gerard Schiltz, our Luxembourg correspondent writes that the Grand Prix Jean Goldschmitt is organised every year in memory of one of the best and most popular cyclists of Luxembourg. J. Goldschmitt was a stage winner in the Tour de France and Tour of Switzerland during the early 1950s. He was also the technical director of Charly Gaul during his glorious Tour de France win in 1958.

 1. Jan Ostergaard (Den) Team Corratec       2.47.56
 2. Bo Petersen (Den) Differdenge               0.09
 3. Frank Schleck (Lux) Tetange			4.39
 4. Greg Balland (Fra) Sarreguemines		4.39
 5. Vincenzo Centrone (Lux) Differdenge		4.39
 6. Cédric Flasse (Bel) 			5.41
 7. Steve Fogen (Lux) Dippach                   6.07
 8. Jean Michel Lance (Fra)  Nancy              6.13
 9. Ludovic Collignon (Fra) Epinal              7.05
10. Enzo Mezzapesa (Lux) Differdenge 		7.05
11. Stéphane Rit (Fra) Hettange			7.05
12. Uwe Sengewald (Ger) Sarreguemines           7.56
13. Boris Odendahl (Den)			7.56
14. Ben Schaack (Lux) Kayl			7.56

Hincapie comes of age in Paris-Roubaix

The United States Postal Service Pro Cycling Team's George Hincapie confirmed his position as America's leading hope in World Cup and Classic events with an impressive fourth place finish at Paris-Roubaix, the third round of the World Cup schedule. Hincapie finished the 273 km event known as the "Hell of the North" 2 minutes and 26 seconds behind race winner Andrea Tafi. Hincapie joins Greg LeMond as the only American cyclist to finish in the top five at Paris-Roubaix.

Hincapie's effort, added to his ninth place finish at Milan-San Remo and his 21st place finish at the Tour of Flanders, leaves him in 10th overall in the World Cup standings through three events with 65 points. Lotto's Andrei Tchmil, the winner of Milan-San Remo, holds the top spot in the standings with 152 points. Tchmil, a former winner of Paris-Roubaix, finished eighth today, at 2:40.

At the 232 km mark of the event, shortly after the 11th of 26 cobblestone zones, Hincapie and six other riders formed the decisive break. Hincapie was part of a 14 rider group chasing four breakaways through the famous Arenberg Forrest. However, as soon as the breakaway riders were caught, Tafi attacked, followed by Hincapie and four others. After a crash and a flat tire to Tafi, the final seven riders merged together - Tafi, Peters, Steels, Hincapie, Lotto's Jo Planckaert, Leon Van Bon of Rabobank and Cofidis' Frank Vanderbroucke. With two teammates among the lead seven, Tafi, who finished second last year and third in 1996, attacked with just over 30 kms remaining and rode the final hour alone to clinch the victory. With Tafi clear, Hincapie constantly attacked the rest of the leaders in an effort to make the podium. However, each attacked was countered by the rest of the riders, especially the two remaining Mapei team members. Once Tafi was far enough up the road, Peters attacked in the final kilometers and was able to solo in for second place, at 2:14. The five other leaders reached the line 12 seconds later with Steels taking the sprint from Hincapie and Planckaert.

Where you can find Saeco riders this week

Paolo Savoldelli will be the main Saeco-Cannondale rider in Belgium this week for the Waalse Pijl (Fléche Wallonne) on Wednesday April 14 and then on Sunday (April 18) for Luik-Bastenaken-Luik (Liege-Bastogne-Liege). The young rider, who is targetting a podium place in this year's Giro d'Italia, will be supported by Roberto Petito, who has come to Belgium two weeks later than planned because of a fall he suffered in Milan-San Remo. The manager of this squad will be Guido Bontempi and the rest of the team will comprise Dario Frigo, Vitali Kokorine, Eddy Mazzoleni, Igor Pugaci and Francesco Secchiari. They will also ride in Veenendal-Veenendal (Netherlands).

The team is able to be located at:

April 13, Hotel Hove Maalpertus (Herderen), Telephone: +32/12/45.15.38
April 14, National Sportcentrum Papendal (Arnhem), Telephone: +31/26/48.37.811
15-17/4 Hotel Hove Maalpertus (Herderen), Telephone: +32/12/45.15.38

Meanwhile, Mario Cipollini, who did not have success at Milan-San Remo nor Gent-Wevelgem, will be looking for some sprint wins at the Vuelta Aragon, which starts in Spain on Wednesday April 14-18.

He will have his usual "train", composed of Giuseppe Calcaterra, Gian Matteo Fagnini and Mario Scirea to assist him. The rest of the team, managed by Antonio Salutini, is Bruno Vicino, Salvatore Commesso, Alessio Galletti, Mario Traversoni and Alessandro Guerra. The last rider has been called in at the last minute to replace Massimiliano Mori, who crashed heavily during Paris-Roubaix.

The team is able to be located at:

April 13, Oroel (Jaca), Telephone: +34/974/36.24.11
April 14, Condes De Urgel (Lleida), Telephone: +34/973/20.23.00
April 15, NH Sport (Zaragoza), Telephone: +34/976/31.11.14
April 16, Mora (Mora de Rubielos), Telephone: +34/978/80.01.72
April 17, El Milagro (Teruel), Telephone: +34/978/60.30.95

Pascal Lino has further problems

Big Mat-Auber 93 have suspended Pascal Lino for 2 months which means that he will not be able to ride the Tour de France. The penalty has been placed on the rider because he has not complied with the anti-doping charter that the team has in place. This is in conformity with the agreement that all French teams have made. According to the team, 32-year old Lino has tried banned substances without consulting the team doctors. The penalty was given to him by an internal commission. Lino has been under contract with Big Mat since 1997. In 1992, he carried the yellow leader's jersey in the Tour de France for a number of days.

Vink seeking return in next World Cup race

Dutch women rider Elsbeth Vink will make her season debut in the next World Cup race for women - the Waalse Pijl on Wednesday. The team coach, ex-professional Jean-Paul van Poppel has confirmed her selection in the National Team for the 4th round of the World Cup for women.

She has been absent from racing following a heavy fall during a training camp on her MTB. He was number 4 in last year's World Cup and was looking to have a big season this year.

The rest of the Dutch team will comprise Mirjam Melchers, Janneke Vos, Sandra Rombouts and Edith Klep.

Verbruggen wants to talk to Judge Keil

The President of the UCI, Dutchman Hein Verbruggen, is seeking a meeting with the investigating Judge Patrick Keil in Lille over the way the Festina doping scandal is being dealt with. He wrote an open letter to the French press stating that he wanted the meeting to inform Keil of the anti-doping measures that the UCI has been implementing and to tell him that the use of drugs is not confined to France.

The cobblestones of the Ronde van Vlaanderen

When the race began, of the 270 kms, 90 kms were cobblestone tracks.
In 1977 there was still 34.5 kms of pave but by 1999 it had fallen to around 15 kms.
The organiser wants to bring the pave sections back up to around 20 kms.
As compensation for loosing the cobblestone tracks, the organisers increased the amount of climbing. In 1949 there were only 3 climbs, in 1976 9, and now 16 climbs.
In the fifties the Muur van Geraardsbergen was complete with cobblestones, but in 1970 a part of the parcours changed in asphalt.
At the start of the nineties the Flemish government acted to stop the destruction of the pave sections and they declared them "landscape monuments". They are protected now by law.
The original cobbles came from Wallonia (stone mines at Quenast and Lesson). It's called 'porfier' and is as 'hard as glass'. The real cobbles aren't produced anymore and now the porfier of Lessen is made into "road metal" instead of the capping road-stones or cobbles.
There is a "softer: cobble too called 'greskasseien' from the Ardennes. Granite cobbles are made in Sweden (and imported to Belgium). In the neighbourhood of the Muur van Geraardsbergen you can find the Swedish stones. At the start of the climb you find the porfier pave and on the Muur the "grés-cobbles".

Australia, World Mountain Bike World Cup Round 2, April 11

Men: 

 1. Gregory Vollet (Fra) 		2.23.56
 2. Cadel Evans (Aus) 			2.24.04
 3. Jerome Chiotti (Fra) 		2.24.04
 4. Christophe Sauser (Swi) 		2.24.06
 5. Christophe Dupouey (Fra) 		2.24.15
 6. Miguel Martinez (Fra) 		2.24.23
 7. Ludovic Dubau (Fra) 		2.25.03
 8. Thomas Frischknecht (Swi) 		2.25.16
 9. Filip Meirhaeghe (Bel) 		2.25.39
10. Wolfram Kurschat (Ger) 		2.27.00
11. Bart Brentjens (Ned) 		2.27.53
12. Dominique Arnould (Fra) 		2.28.18
13. Seamus McGrath (Can) 		2.29.01
14. Tinker Juarez (USA) 		2.29.02
15. Jose Hermida (Spa)			2.29.14
16. Travis Brown (USA) 			2.29.39
17. Roel Paulissen (Bel) 		2.29.40
18. Craig Gordon (Aus) 			2.30.01
19. Paul Rowney (Aus)			2.30.29
20. Andreas Hestler (Can) 		2.30.47

Other Australians:

25. Matt Wallace (Aus) 			2.31.45
26. Rob Woods (Aus) 			2.31.51
43. Garth Hennessey (Aus) 		2.37.39
44. Luke Stockwell (Aus) 		2.38.01
49. Tim Bennett (Aus) 			2.39.18
53. Matt De Belin (Aus) 		2.41.10
60. Paul Redenbach (Aus) 		2.44.35

Ranking after 2 Rounds:

 1. Gregory Vollet (Fra)                    420points
 2. Cadel Evans (Aus)                       400
 3. Miguel Martinez (Fra)                   345
 4. Jerome Chiotti (Fra)                    300
..
13. Bart Brentjens                          125

Women:

 1. Alison Sydor (Can)		        1.40.25
 2. Mary  Grigson (Aus)			   0.57
 3. Gunn-Rita Dahle (Nor)		   1.20
 4. Laurence Leboucher (Fra)		   1.32
 5. Christina Redden (Can)		   1.56
 6. Alla Epifanova (Rus) 		   3.45
 7. Jimena Florit Juarez (Arg)		   4.21
 8. Alison Dunlap (USA)			   5.55
 9. Annabella Stropparo (Ita)		   6.51
10. Barbara Blatter (Swi)		   7.22

Ranking after 2 Rounds:

 1. Alison Sydor (Can)                     4200 points
 2. Gunn-Rita Dahle (Nor)		   370
 3. Alison Dunlap (USA)			   335
 4. Christina Redden (Can)		   280
 5. Mary  Grigson (Aus)			   260
 6. Laurence Leboucher (Fra)		   240
 7. Annabella Stropparo (Ita)		   210
 8. Alla Epifanova (Rus)		   190
 9. Barbara Blatter (Swi)		   155
10. Jimena Florit Juarez (Arg)		   151

Netherlands, Ronde Van Het Ronostrand, Women, April 11

 1. Leontien van Moorsel (Rotterdam)		     2.46.27
 2. Chantal Beltman (Slagharen)
 3. Tanja Schmidt Hennes (Attendorn, BRD)
 4. Mirjan Melchers (Gendt)
 5. Janneke Vos
 6. Anouska van der Zee (Rotterdam)
 7. Sandra Rombouts (Rijsbergen)			s.t.
 8. M Kle (Steenbergen)				     	0.07
 9. E. van der Helm (Moordrecht)			0.17
10. Angela Hillenga (Finsterwolde)
11. Debbie Mansveld (Gasselternijveen)			0.20
12. Marye Gemser (Groningen)				0.28
13. B Spijkerman (St. Nicolaasga)			1.15
14. Fonny Wekema (Roden)
15. Hester Marieke (Kroes Langeraar			1.21
16. I. Brunen (Swifterbant)				1.39
17. Sissy van Alebeek (Rotterdam)
18. Christina Becker (Waltrop, BRD)
19. Christine Mos (Groningen)
20. Sonja van Kuik
21. Jose Laan (Middelie)
22. Saskia Elemans (Wageningen)				2.44
23. R Hassink (Zieuwent)
24. M van Scheppingen (Uithoorn)			3.19
25. Inge Veldhuis (Wageningen)
26. Afke Sijm
27. S. van Essen (Veenendaal)
28. Patricia Hermes (Liempde)
29. C Haastert (Waddinxveen)
30. S. van Duuren (Hardenberg)
31. Astrid van Tol (Nieuwveen)
32. M Zuilen (Zijderveld)
33. Noortje de Groot ('s Gravenhage)
34. Joyce van der Nulft (Spijkenisse)
35. M. Haverdings (Zuidlaren)
36. Annemiek van Loon (Groenewoud Nijmegen)
37. Lenie Dijkstra (Joure)
38. Godeliene Janssen (Gierle)
39. Miriam de Moed (Waalwijk)
40. S. Basten (Hapert)					3.28
41. Mieke van der Brug (Pijnacker)
42. Andrea Bosman (Farm Frites-Hartol)
43. Kristy Miggels (Belfeld)
44. Ina Yoko Teutenberg (Mettmann, BRD)			3.57
45. Natascha Klewitz (Hagen, BRD)			3.57

Weekend Roundup from Europe
Netherlands, Philippine, Omloop van de Braakman, Club Competition:

1. Van Pelt (Ned) 148 km in 3.39.40, 2. Dat (Ned), 3. Van den Berg
(Ned), 4. Van Vlimmeren (Ned), 5. Van Heeswijk (Ned)

Belgium, Niel, Elites without contracts and Under-23:

1. Zwinkels (Ned) 120 km in 2.50.00, 2. Indekeu (Bel), 3. De Peuter (Bel),
4. Sentjens (Ned)

Belgium, Wasmuel. Elites without contracts:

1. Gardeyn (Bel) 141 km in 3.29.00, 2. De Vyler (Bel), 3. Malawka (Pol), 6.
Nederlof (Ned)


Australia, Canberra - Goulburn, Women, April 11, 126 kms:
 1. Kathy Watt (Vic)              3.31.11
 2. Natalie Bates (NSW)              3.28
 3. Haley Rutherford
 4. Naomi Williams
 5. Avril Swahn
 6. Emma James                        s.t.