After the start, the route does not follow last year's path via Damme but instead travels from Brugge directly to Wenduine. The peloton goes through Oostende to the environs of Middelkerke then onto Mariakerke. The path then passes through the hometown of Johan Museeuw (Gistel) out of respect to him and onto to Wijnendaele. After they pass Torhout and Tielt they will find a statute of Belgian cycling legend Briek Schotte near Kanegem. They are then nearing the "Flemish Ardennes". The race turns north to Oudenaarde and the loop they do this year is 10 kms shorter compared to this section of the race last year - via Paddestraat in Velzeke. This loop involves a new hill - the Wolvenberg in Volkegem.
As they go through Oudenaarde the race heads to the the finale - 77 kms with 12 hills. The Kluisberg and the Knokteberg are the warm-up hills for the Oude Karemont, which comes at 63 kms before the finish and will still play a crucial role in the race. As was last year, the riders circle Geraardsbergen on the west side and come to the foot of the Muur, a tough test. Once over it is down hill to the Bosberg, and up and over to the finish in Meerbeke.
Another Saeco squad will be heading to Tuscany for the GP Costa degli Etruschi. This team will be under the direction of Guido Bontempi and will comprise Paul Savoldelli supported by Alessandro Guerra, Vitali Kokorine, Harald Morscher, Igor Pugaci and Francesco Secchiari.
The contacts for the team in both destinations are:
Challenge Mallorca (February 5-11), AH Viva Garden Hotel, Palmanova. Telephone: 0034/971.68.12.51
GP Costa degli Etruschi (February 6-7), Hotel Marinetta Marina di Bibbona, Livorno. Telephone: 0034/971.68.12.51
Mattan had transferred at the start of this season to his new team Cofidis after being one of the Belgian contingent at Mapei. He has never raced with his new team. The official response from Cofidis said that Mattan was suffering from "an irregularity in his heart beat which could lead to death in case of an intense effort."
He is the second rider this year to retire due to heart troubles. Dutch rider Danny Nelissen retired in January after falling ill during training.
Mattan's condition was detected as a result of tests forced on him by the new code of medicine introduced by the French Cycling Federation (FFC). All riders in French registered teams have to undergo the tests before they are allowed to race. The FFC have said that another unnamed rider has been found to have serious health problems.
Rodolfo Massi's case will be heard on February 17 when his French lawyer Eric Dupond-Moretti will seek to annul the procedure against his client.
Meanwhile, ONCE did not attend the citation that was issued to them by Judge Keil. The judge sent a letter to the main ONCE office in Madrid requesting the attendance of the cyclists. There was no answer and no appearance. The Spanish team is not bound to answer the citation because they are not on French territory. However, the decision is being interpreted as a statement of guilt by the ONCE members and they will be re-issued with a demand to appear. The ONCE team is safe as long as they remain out of France. Their riders can now be arrested if they enter France. The team has withdrawn from the Tour du Haut-Var and the Clasico Haribo (February 20-21) and may withdraw from Paris-Nice (March 7-14).
They struck problems when the UCI President Hein Verbruggen and his counterpart in FIFA (Sepp Blatter) refused to be party to the uniform bans. The UCI boss admitted that it was the problems in cycling that had brought the drugs issue to the fore and stimulated the summit. But he said that bans were not the solution to the drugs problems. He told the press that: Longer sanctions will cause a rush from athletes to the civil courts and action for compensation that we can't afford. What do sanctions do against undetectable drugs? They are 90 percent of estimated doping cases."
While there is some truth in the efficasy claim in the face of ever-evolving undetectable drugs, the legal justification is spurious. Civil law courts cannot overturn legitimite contracts between agents and the UCI should bring in rider contracts to prevent this recourse to law. We all sign a quasi-contract when we get our racing licences each year but these could be strengthened.
The reaction from other sports was as expected. They called for cycling and soccer to be expelled from the Olympics. Of-course the money and gifts hungry IOC wouldn't dare expell soccer because of its attraction to sponsors and advertisers. The lack of leadership and principle from the IOC is deplorable. The President Juan Antonio Samaranch, who seems to be avoiding taking responsibility as President, for the failings of his organisation was similarly weak on this issue. So much so that the previous plan to install him as head of the new anti-drugs agency were faltering as leading government ministers in Europe were calling for independent management.
Anyway, the message seems clear if you are a young cyclist. Take drugs to ride faster and then get yourself a good lawyer. The officials of our sport seem to be intimidated by that. The CEO of Cycling Australia was reported as supporting the UCI position on the uniform bans. He said that this didn't mean that cycling was avoiding the issue and not doing other things to wipe out the problem.
The possibilities in Italy will also be greater for Pantani, but "el Chaba" is not intimidated. "If I was afraid of him, I wouldnt go. It is clear that he is the best climber in the world, but nobody is unbeatable".
Jiménez already rode the Giro once in 1995. "Rominger's Giro. The fastest in history. The Italians have a peculiar way of racing. They organize really well and we will have to be attentive to their tactics". In any case, Jiménez has very clear goals: "My main objective is la Vuelta. It is my favorite race and in the month of September I usually have my best form".
Banesto begins their tenth season and their President Luis Abril said: "There are many active contracts, a lot of will and many sucesses that back up this project. Banesto is here to stay". A great situation, for this team which faces a year of change. Without Indurain or Olano, the team's attitude will have to be more aggressive.
Dr. Jesús Hoyos, team doctor, is not very satisfied with the results that he received from INTA after Jiménez, Chente García and Mancebo underwent wind tunnel testing. According to Hoyos, it is very cold data and cannot be applied very easily to what they were looking to do. Maybe, because it is the first time that people have been tested in the machine. Hoyos will meet with INTA technicians to draw conclusions.
Banesto has also set out the indicative leaders for the three major stage races this year. For the Giro D'Italia: Leonardo Piepoli and Jiménez; Tour De France: Alex Zulle and Piepoli; and the Vuelta a España: Jiménez and Zulle.
Meanwhile, Jose Maria Jiménez's paternal grandfather, passed away last night at the Insalud "Nuestra Señora de Sonsoles" Hospital, at the age of 89. Severiano Jiménez Calvo, was died as a result of bronchial problems. Mr. Jiménez Calvo was present at the homage of his grandson at their hometown of El Barraco, after el Chaba won four stages and finished thrid overall at La Vuelta. Jiménez, who was training with the team in Mallorca will travel to Avila for the burial on Saturday.
"This is a great move for our team and Wil. Frischkorn will have the opportunity to finish off a great Junior career and be able to start his senior career with Mercury. Wil has great potential and he can help our pro team in the near future. With the other riders that are already on the team, this makes quite a formidable lineup""
Will Frischkorn - June 10, 1981, from Charlottesville. Junior National Road Champion, Junior National Team Pursuit Champion, Tour de l'Abatibi GC winner; 2nd- Junior National Cyclocross Championships; Junior Road Worlds - 27th; Track Worlds - 13th pursuit, 11th, team. Cross Worlds - 5th; Junior World Cup, 14th.