A communique from the participating teams said: "The organisation, the riders, the managers and the commissaires express their deepest regret about the way the investigation has damaged this race."
The facts are becoming clearer. It appears that an Italian team assistant in the Mapei team sent the package to Italy. It was addressed to someone who has been active with the Mapei team in former years. It is being claimed that the Mapei team and riders have nothing to do with the package. The assistant was working on his own without the knowledge of the Mapei team.
Deneckere is now being criticised for overreacting. The Judicial Minster Tony van Parijs said he thinks that the prosecutor made inaccurate statements to the press. Was it necessary to pick up the riders during the race?
Meanwhile in France...
The president of the French Cycling Federation Daniel Baal was formally charged by investigating judge Patrick Keil with "complicity in helping others to obtain and use illegal performance enhancing substances." His charge follows the recent charging by Keil of the vice president of the French Cycling Federation and team boss Roger Legeay and former Festina rider Richard. They were charged earlier in the week as the investigation, thought to be nearly complete, escalated.
The head of the Tour de France Jean-Marie Leblanc was also summonsed by Keil yesterday but despite earlier reports has not been formally charged yet and left the court in Lille at 18.15 last evening. Leblanc said that: "The court was satisfied with my answers."
But Baal is now in deep trouble. He said he had done everything he could to combat doping. "This charge is unjust and absolutely unfounded. I will fight with all my strength to get the charges dismissed as quickly as possible to be cleansed of this affront I don't deserve. I have provided information that shows the accusations against me are absolutely unfounded. They are lies."
It seems that the rats are all dobbing each other in. Baal claimed that riders and others who had been charged had tried to implicate others to reduce their own guilt. Virenque had made statements following the Tour de France that the cycling authorities knew that doping was rife in the peloton.
Hein Verbruggen was interviewed on Dutch radio (Thursday night) and was asked about Mapei. He said: "It was a strange and bad day for cycling. First the news about Mapei and later the case in France with Leblanc and Baal. First of all, the prosecutor in France says Baal didn't undertake enough action against the use of doping in France. That is a ridiculous statement. I know that the cycling is doing more to combat illegal drug use than any other sport. Tell me one sport which is doing more than we are doing? Of course I was seized with fear this morning when I heard about the Mapei events. But in the meantime we know that it was one Italian soigneur and it has nothing to do with the Mapei riders or management. I have known for years now about the efforts that Mapei are taking to combat doping. And I'm angry about the actions of the prosecutor. Why didn't they came in and make their arrests the night before? I believe he wanted to be seen in front of the TV cameras. We are doing our utmost to combat doping. Which sport is doing better. Tell me, so we can learn from their actions. But everytime I ask this question I never get an answer. Therefore I hope that we can start to repair some of this damage.
Verbruggen - its a scandal
UCI president Hein Verbruggen has reacted to yesterday's events in Kortijk and the behaviour of the prosecutor Deneckere. He said of Deneckere: "He was seeking his own glory, scandalous." Verbruggen was commenting on the news that the complete Mapei team had been taken into custody by the police and prevented from racing in the Driedaagse van de Panne.
It was reported that five ampules of amphetamines had been found at Zaventem airport during a routine control in the DHL courier depot by security officials. The news was that the packet came from the Hotel Kennedy in Kortrijk where the Mapei team had been staying. It was destined for Italy. Verbruggen said: "Nonsense. Which rider would still be taking amphetamines? Who would risk such an easy detection."
Verbruggen is a worried man. The sport of cycling was plunged into crisis in July 1998 when the Tour de France was scandalised by the Festina events. The investigation of that sequence of events is now escalating in France under the guidance of judge Patrick Keil in Lille. As of yesterday, the president of the French Cycling Federation has been placed under formal investigation which in France is one step before formal charges. The recent escalation which has also seen Richard Virenque and Roger Legeay placed under formal investigation is the result of new evidence - allegedly a number of riders (not former Festina riders) have given new evidence against these people.
Verbruggen said: "Cycling has become a target for the judicial apparatus. Deneckere is following in Keil's wake. This man has shot into the public eye. He has clearly been on the TV in Belgium all day. He was on a high. He has made it impossible for the riders to do their work for his own glory. I find it absolutely scandalous."
Verbruggen has gone to Belgium. He said: "I heard that Deneckere has made excuses for taken abrupt action. He said the the raids had to happen before the race started because the news of the amphetamines was leaked. I find that hypocritical."
Reactions from Belgium
Hilaire Van der Schueren from the Collstrop team said that amphetamines have not been used in the peloton for 20 years. "We are upset about the manner in which this has been done. We have work to do. But the riders are being badly handled. We are very upset. But out of sympathy for the organisers, the public and the sponsors we decided to ride the time trial. But we want to know some details. Who mailed the package? What evidence is their that the riders are doing wrong? Who was the package being mailed to? It was reported that there were 5 ampules of amphetamines. It hasn't been used in the peloton for 20 years. I cannot understand this. Cycling is being serious shaken today."
"Claude Van Coillie from Vlaanderen 2002 said that: "Cycling is being damaged. It is such a popular sport and the way things are going it is being seriously damaged. It is very painful to see Mapei out of the Driedaagse - especially the way the police did it. How will the sponsors here react to this? The solidarity among the riders was understandable. The riders and officials are not animals."
Roland Coolsaet of the Koninklijke Veloclub Panne Sportief the organiser of the Driedaagse said: "This has caused us great trouble. We are the greatest losers and we feel a great loss. Luckily we can count on Walter Godefroot of Telekom and Gianluigi Stanga from Polti. They have been talking to their fellow team managers and convinced them to all take part in the time trial. The damage done to this race is not good. It is making our life as organisers very difficult. The whole Driedaagse cost use around 6 million Belgium France. We have been running this race for 23 years. This year we are facing a loss. This is naturally very disappointing. We do not deserve this. We are naturally very disillusioned. Our race is totally ruined."
Telekom team manager Walter Godefroot said that the way the police performed was sensational. "I have naturally nothing against the police doing their work and conducting searches. They must do that. But there are ways to handle things. The behaviour today was not correct. It was in my view seeking to sensationalise their work. The police did not have to intervene at the start."
And now back to France...
In Abbeville the police have just busted a large doping network which has been dealing in stolen pharmaceuticals and banned substance and the ringleaders appear to be associated with cycling.
The police raided a depot in the French town and found a large quantity of stolen products. They found amphetamines, anabolic steroids, corticoids and other drugs. All were stolen from elsewhere. The chief figure implicated is the driver-storeman of a leading pharmaceutical firm who is an amateur cyclist in France. The semi-professional Frederic Klaes (27) was also accused.
Top rider Michael Boogerd has said he preferred to start in the Tour de Basque. He will be joined by Patrick Jonker, Koos Moerenhout, Grischa Niermann, Beat Zberg, Mark Lotz, Nicky Aebersold and Maarten den Bakker.
Mario Traversoni, Gian Matteo Fagnini, Valentine China and Alexander Guerra, and Mario Scirea will add their experience to the team in the Belgian classics.
Meanwhile, Roberto Petito will return to competition on Saturday April 3 in the Trofeo Comunidad Foral de Navarra. The Saeco-Cannondale Team rider is recovering from his fall in the early stages of Milan-San Remo. He will be accompanied by Paolo Savoldelli and both will go on to race the Vuelta Pais Vascos from April 5-9. The rest of the team will be Frigo, Kokorine, Morscher, Pugaci and Secchiari.
Time Points
1. Miguel Martinez (Fra) 2.27.44 250
2. Cadel Evans (Aus) 0.59 200
3. Gregory Vollet (Fra) 2.00 170
4. Rune Heydahl (Nor) 2.19 150
5. Jerome Chiotti (Fra) 2.46 130
6. Bas Vanooren (Ned) 3.17 95
7. Jose Antonio Hermida (Spa) 4.42 90
8. Christoph Sauser (Swi) 5.14 85
9. Lennie Kristensen (Den) 5.40 80
10. Dominique Arnould (Fra) 6.24 75
11. Filip Meirhaeghe (Bel) 7.02 71
12. Dario Cioni (Ita) 7.23 67
13. Ludovic Dubau (Fra) 7.43 63
14. Seamus Mcgrath (Can) 7.59 62
15. Thomas Hochstrasser (Swi) 8.37 61
16. Wolfram Kurschat (Ger) 8.57 60
17. Nick Craig (Gbr) 9.14 59
18. Hakon Austad (Nor) 9.37 58
19. Christophe Dupouey (Fra) 9.41 57
20. Marco Bui (Ita) 9.48 56
21. Chris Sheppard (Can) 10.15 55
22. Bart Brentjens (Ned) 10.19 54
23. Matt Wallace (Aus) 10.23 53
24. David Juarez (USA) 10.37 52
25. Beat Wabel (Swi) 11.33 51
26. Travis Brown (USA) 11.45 50
27. Roel Paulissen (Bel) 11.45 49
28. Jesper Agergaard (Den) 11.45 48
29. Oliver Beckingsale (Gbr) 12.08 47
30. David Orcel (Fra) 12.19 46
31. Roberto Lezaun (Esp) 12.51 45
32. Pavel Tcherkassov (Rus) 12.58 44
33. Andreas Hestler (Can) 13.03 43
34. Andy Bishop (Usa) 13.10 42
35. Ralph Berner (Ger) 13.43 41
36. Roland Green (Can) 13.45 40
37. Radim Korinek (Cze) 13.54 39
38. Juan Carlos Garro (Esp) 13.56 38
39. Lukas Stockli (Sui) 14.00 37
40. Lado Fumic (Ger) 14.10 36
41. Luis Garcia (Esp) 14.28 35
42. Steve Larsen (Usa) 14.31 34
43. Mauro Bettin (Ita) 14.32 33
44. Yohann Vachette (Fra) 14.34 32
45. Martino Fruet (Ita) 15.04 31
46. Peter Van Den Abeele (Bel) 15.10 30
47. Alessandro Fontana (Ita) 15.29 29
48. Paul Rowney (Aus) 15.36 28
49. Greg Randolph (Usa) 15.48 27
50. Erik Jungcker (Swe) 16.00 26
51. Paul Lasenby (Gbr) 16.12 25
52. Ian Cuthbertson (Gbr) 16.19 24
53. Ziranda Madrigal (Mex) 16.39 23
54. Carl Swenson (Usa) 17.00 22
55. Jan Erik Ostergaard (Den) 17.07 21
56. Neil Grover (Can) 17.15 20
57. Claude Ceard (Fra) 18.11 19
58. Eric Tourville (Can) 18.15 18
59. Barrie Clarke (Gbr) 18.32 17
60. Geoff Kabush (Can) 18.43 16
61. Christophe Herisset (Fra) 18.53 15
62. Robin Seymour (Irl) 19.38 14
63. Vaclav Jezek (Cze) 19.46 13
64. Milan Barenyi (Svk) 19.51 12
65. Jimi Killen (Usa) 19.53 11
66. Raphael Martinez (Fra) 20.12 10
67. David Galle (Bel) 20.18 9
68. Marc Gullickson (Usa) 20.25 8
69. Jay Henry (Usa) 20.31 7
70. Christophe Manin (Fra) 21.03 6
71. Johan Malmsten (Swe) 21.10 5
72. Steven Pomfret (Gbr) 21.22 4
73. Dario Acquaroli (Ita) 21.44 3
74. Patrick Trevisan (Bel) 22.15 2
75. Pavel Sticha (Cze) 22.19 1
76. Henrik Djernis (Den) 22.24
77. Jean-Christoph Savignoni (Fra) 23.04
78. Franck Bailly (Fra) 23.14
79. Kashi Leuchs (Nzl) 23.21
80. Fredrik Stormo (Nor) 23.25
81. Ian Wilkinson (Gbr) 23.42
82. Primoz Strancar (Slo) 23.56
83. Carl Decker (Usa) 24.26
84. Peter Wedge (Can) 24.49
85. Hallvar Barlaup (Nor) 26.28
86. Adam Walker (Can) 27.26
87. David Wiens (Usa) 28.01
88. Federico Ramirez (Crc) 28.40
89. Holger Gotze (Ger) at 1 lap
90. Matt Decore (Can)
91. Ruedi Schnyder (Can)
92. Pat Bower (Usa)
93. Salvador Barriga (Mex)
94. Kim Eriksson (Swe)
95. Jason Moeschler (Usa)
96. Ryder Hesjedal (Can)
97. Josh Fleming (Aus)
98. George Visser (Can)
99. Jaromir Friede (Cze)
100. Emmanuel Charreyre (Fra)
101. Gabriel Blanco (Arg)
102. Schunsuke Totsui (Jpn) at 2 laps
103. Takuma Dan (Jpn)
104. Nigel Parkinson (Gbr)
105. Jose Marquez (Esp)
106. Philip Mcnamara (Irl)
107. Shajjan Rajbunshi (Nep)
Thanks to Rich Wanninger from the USCF