Peder Pedersen, chairman for Danmarks Cykle Union (DCU), the national governing body for cycling in Denmark, has made clear that he does not believe doping to be practiced in Danish cycling, "and that is not because we have our eyes closed!" Nonetheless, Pedersen has announced that DCU wishes to proactively engage in the debate concerning doping, and the organization has decided to invest 10% of its budget for 1999 in the commissioning of an independent consultant agency to conduct an investigation concerning the possible use of doping by Danish cyclists. "We do not have knowledge of a doping problem in Denmark, but we must investigate whether such a problem exists. Our most important task is to break with the past and change attitudes to doping," says Pedersen.
The investigation is to consist of anonymous questionnaires sent to 2000 Danish riders, as well as interviews with a smaller number of riders. Pedersen is confident that the anonymous nature of the investigation will enable them to get an accurate picture of the problem. If there is a problem.
DCU also promises increased doping controls at all UCI-races held in Denmark in 1999.
Bo Hamburger Takes a Stand
Danish cycling leaders have been indicating that they feel the UCI ought to accept the "Olympic standard" 2-year suspension for athletes convicted of doping. In an interview in the Danish daily Politiken Bo Hamburger, who has switched from Casino and will be riding for Cantina Tollo in 1999 says, "I don’t think that the sport of cycling can afford to refuse the 2-year suspension with the reputation it has at the present time. UCI must accept the same rules as other sports organizations. Though other athletes ought then also to be subject to the same tests that we are." Hamburger also expresses understanding for the argument to shorten races, "Cyclists have a long calendar, which is perhaps one of the reasons that some cyclists have resorted to doping. In recent years the Tour has become increasingly difficult in order to provide it with greater status and more points. However, the question is whether we get better bike races by making them as hard as possible."
Italians Watching Danish Program
It has also been reported on Danish television that Italian police have requested a tape of "The Price of Silence," the 2-part broadcast concerning doping in cycle sport which was shown earlier in the week.
Danes a long way from home
Team home Jack and Jones has sent 8 riders to race in Australia in January: Marc Streel (Casino), Michael Sandstød (Team Chicky World), Rene Jørgensen, Nicolai Bo Larsen (TVM), Christian Andersen, Arvis Piziks, Michael Blaudzun (Telekom) and Jesper Skibby.
Acceptcard Pro Cycling has selected 6 riders for The Tour of Langkawi: Søren Petersen, Stig Guldbæk, Morten Sonne, Michael Andersson (TVM), Danny Jonasson (Rabobank), Björnar Vestöl
He will join the team on Saturday for an undisclosed contract fee. But it has already been leaked that his pay will be $US1.2 million over the two years.
He will join the other high-profile rider Ivan Gotti, who Polti signed from Saeco.
Besson chaussures-Nippon Hodo
The team has a a budget of 2.6 Million of French francs and is still searching another sponsor to complete the budget. The principal sponsor is "Besson Chaussures", a shoe shop chain who have sponsored the Elite team since 1997. The second principal sponsor is a Japanese industrial group, Modo. Accordingly, the team will include some Japanese races on its program - like the Tour of Japan, the Tour d'Hokaïdo, and/or the Japan Cup.
The confirmed riders in the team are: Christophe Gauthier (Fra), Tony Jousset (Fra), Sébastien Laroche (Fra), Philippe Mauduit (Fra), Takehiro Mizutani (Jap), Masamich Yamamoto (Jap), Eric Potiron (Fra), Stéphane Auroux (Fra), Riccardo Ferrari (Ita), Benoit Luminet (Fra), Masimo Nabuhiko (Jap), Miazawa Takashi (Jap), Serguei Yakovlev (Kaz).
Team Directors: Patrice Esnault, Jean Philippe Duraka and Hiroshi Dainon.
The Italian rider Riccardo Ferrari from Riso Scotti has signed for the team. It will be interesting to look at the performances of the young Benoit Luminet, a good climber in Elite 2, and the very good trio of Christophe Gauthier (26 years), Sébastien Laroche (24 years) and the Kazakh Serguei Yakovlev (23 years).
Saint-Quentin-Oktos-MBK
The team has a budget of 4 Million French francs. The director of the Team, the ex-professional Martial Gayant wants to surprise with his team, which is a mix of young talented riders and already experienced racers.
The official team is: Eddy Seigneur (Fra), Gregory Barbier (Fra), Jean-Michel Thilloy (Fra), Mika Hietanen (Fin), Oleg Kozlitine (Kaz), Saulius Ruskis (Lit), Nicolas L'Hôte (Fra), Nicolas Fritsch (Fra). Frank Trotel (Fra).
Team director: Martial Gayant
Another rider will be recruted in the next days. Riders to watch in 1999 include: Nicolas Fritsch (20 years) and Nicolas L'Hôte (22 years), both from the Elite 2 team VC Roubaix, Frank Trotel (24 years) and Saulius Ruskis from Lithuania, a very complete racer, who will bring certainly victories to the team.
Leon talks to Neil Stephens
LB : Well Neil, how are the Once team enjoying Adelaide?
NS: They're having a great time the problem I'm having at the moment is trying to calm them down. We went out for a ride yesterday we were only going to go out for an hour and a half and we ended up doing eighty kilometres which is aboiut three hours. Today I told them to go for a light two, two and a half hour ride and they went out and did 180 kilometres so if anything I'm having trouble keeping the reins on them.
LB: It's fantastic to have Jalabert in Australia isn't it?
NS: It's great I think this is a unique opportunity ... a few years ago Tony Rominger came out to Australia but having Laurant Jalabert along with the rest of the guys is a great thrill for us within the cycling world so I'd imagine the people of Adelaide have got to be rapt getting such a class field out to race in such a great race.
LB: well the people of Adelaide really took formula one grand prix racing to heart. I guess the hope is they'll really fall in love with cycling as well.
NS: I think the Grand Prix really put Adelaide , made Adelaide famous throughout the world I think this race will be well on the way to doing something like that. The race is going to be covered in Europe as well as in Australia and I know the eyes of the European cycling world out here and I think what we're going to have to do is promote this race as much as we can and make sure the Melbournites don't steal it off as well.
LB: Does it almost make you feel like getting back in the saddle again?
NS: Oh yes. It's a funny thing, this is the first major event that I've seen since I stopped cycling and it seems really nice and it would seem like a really attractive offer if I went back and raced in the race but you have to really think I'm 35 years old and there were a couple of signs to indicate I'd lost a bit of the zip that I used to have so it's better to walk away a touch too early than a touch too late so I'm going to enjoy the time on the other side of the barriers I think.
LB: The people of South Australia and the Government that has invested so much money into this are going to want it back again next year and get a few more teams down here training a bit earlier. What do you think the chances are given the reaction of the riders you've spoken to this week.
NS: If you look at the Giant-Once team leader Laurant Jalabert I've just finished talking to him in his room and he's saying the training's been great here over the past couple of days the people on the road have been great, very supportive and they've been giving him a bit of a cheer and the Adelaide people on a whole aren't really cycling fans so after the race there should be even more support. He's already asked me if I can change his flight home so he can spend a few extra days here so he can have a bit of a sight-seeing trip around Adelaide and to take advantage of the great weather and keep away from the snow-filled Europe.
LB: Most of the teams usually go down to Majorca, what are the conditions like there?
NS At last report, last night, it was snowing in the north of Spain down the south of Spain there was rain and sleet and really cold so I think that's why Laurant Jalabert is so keen to spend extra time in Adelaide.
Leon talks with Erik Zabel
LB: Well Erik, welcome to South Australia. Unfortunately you've arrived during the hottest start to a year in South Australia since 1906. How have you found the heat?
EZ: The whole team was very surprised by the heat and we had to change our training system completely. We begin in the morning at 6am and we ride until the body was completely destroyed (laughter).
LB: So has it been exhausting for you? The temperature has been up to 42 degrees. Has your body had to deal with those sort of conditions before.
EZ: No, never we never was in conditions like this before but we must now make the basement for the season now. The only important thing in January is to make a basement for the body so long rides every day, maybe 3-4000 kilometres in January is important. Because after January the race season begins in Europe with small stage races and then it's important to come in with good condition in the legs with good legs so then you can start to push hard in the race for the classics. And the big classics go for upto 300 kilometres so its important to have the strength in the legs.
LB: In previous years where have you done your pre-season training? In Spain?
EZ: Yeah we go with the team to Spain especially to Island Majorca there are perfect conditions for road training. There are mountains and flatlands and we can every day chose what we want. But the conditions here in Adelaide are a little bit different. We have Hills here and also flat and we can train good. The only problem here is the heat.
LB Has it been hot enough to put you off coming to Adelaide again because the South Australian Government would like to get teams to some here and use Adelaide as a training venue each pre-season but do you think that it's too hot to come back.
EZ: After the first two days I wanted to go directly back home, 36-hours in the plane, but now the conditions are a little bit changed. Temperatures have gone a little bit under and we train earlier in the morning. The question is in this moment when the training here works good and we have success at the end of the season then maybe it's a good point to come back in the next years when we have very big problems at the end of the season it's not so good to come back (laughter) so we see at the end of the year.
LB: So if you have good results throughout the season do you think we could see a bigger Telekom team , including perhaps Bjarne Riis and Jan Ullrich. Come to Adelaide next year?
EZ: The problem is for these two guys is they are also team leaders and the important part for these two guys is the Tour de France which is in July. So at this time of year these guys do a little less training than the team that is here because this is the team for the Classics which begin in March so three months, four months earlier than the big tours so we have to train harder now and maybe it's too hard for Jan and Bjarne at this stage.
LB: How close did you go to actually packing your bags and returning to Germany in those first few days of heat?
EZ: Yeah normally I was on the plane but the race organiser asked me to wait two more days for the change and also my sporting director said wait two more days and when the temperatures are 40 degrees again then you can come back home and train in Spain. The first day was no change it was 41 and the next day from the waiting time it was raining and 23-24 degrees and then I say here comes the change maybe I stay here and since this time we have trained well and I think it was a good idea to stay.
LB: The Green Jersey winner for the past two years in the TDF and the 13th ranked cyclist in the world. What are your goals for 1999?
EZ: My goals for this season are the classics, especially Milan-San Remo I win this race the last two times and I like this race. I think when I have good legs also in the spring time I'll be one of the favourites there and then normally after that I ride all of the classics and I see what's going on there and later also the Tour de France is another goal.
LB: Have you seen much of the layout for the Tour Down Under course?
EZ Yeah we train some parts from the race especially in the Adelaide Hills and I think for the first time race I think it is maybe a perfect race. Riders are very motivated in this time they have a chance to make a hard race, a long chase, whatever. And the riders want to have a perfect training here down under and stay close to the field and stay close to the winners so it should be good.
LB: Stuart O'Grady came second to you in the battle for the green jersey in the TDF. How do you rate Stuart's performance and that of the rest of the Australians. Are they well liked over there and admired?
EZ: For me the Australian riders are favourites for this race because it is a national race and they are very motivated and most European cyclists are coming from the cold weather and we have problems to change from very cold to very hot and most riders want to prepare here perfectly for the season. So I think the Australians are favourites.
LB: But what about, in Europe, how are Stuart and the other Australians like Henk Vogels and Patrick Jonker viewed by the other pros?
EZ: Most European bike pros have very much respect for the Australians because it is a change of life for these guys. They come over to Europe and everything is different. When riders like O'Grady. Jonker, Vogels have success in Europe they have had to do a lot of extra hard work to get there.
LB: After the drug scandals of last year's TDF do the riders want to put that behind them this year and restore the reputation of cycling?
EZ: We have to work on this, that is clear, I think last year was a crazy year for all and I think we have to analyse the faults. Maybe from the Government, maybe from the riders and then we have to make the right decisions.
LB: How have you found the organisation of the Tour Down Under?
EZ: I have come here early and I have found it very professional. I think we have a very good race here and we have perfect conditions and I think when it is so good for the first time then maybe this race will have a very big history.
LB: So you think there could be a big future for the TDU and it may well be supported by the European pro teams?
EZ: Yeah, when the heat cools down, there are perfect conditions to prepare the bodies for the season and then I think it is a good reason to come here.
Leon and other talk with Laurent Jalabert
Interview with Laurent Jalabert conducted Thursday January 14, 1999 with ABC and Channel 10 at Adelaide Airport. The quotes are from a translator who put the questions to Jalabert for us.
ABC: Well Laurent another year. Do you hope to regain your number one position again this year?
LJ: It is just the beginning of the season and he is very motivated and hopes to be number one again
CH10: Do you know much about Australia and this race? What are you hoping to do here?
LJ: He had a look at all the stages of the race and it's a very good race for the opening of the season and Australia is known for its good climate so it is very good for him to train in these conditions.
CH10: You're one of the favourites going into theis event. What about the Australians then?
LJ He doesn't know all the Australian racers. He knows some of them who are racing in France but he thinks they are going to be highly motivated because it's their home country and they'll be out to do the best they can.
CH10: Do you think the locals will fair better here in the heat and knowing the roads better than the foreign riders?
LJ: It is always an advantage to know the local countryside but still the physical conditions are number one. So for the racers who have the opportunity to race in this heat will do the best in this race.
CH10 Is he worried there's not enough time to acclimatise?
LJ: Two days ago he was training on the snow so it will be very hard to race in these conditions.
CH10: Is it nice to come to Australia and be almost unrecognised and be able to walk down the street without being mobbed by people?
LJ: He was not expecting such a warm welcome. It is the first big trip for him because Australia is so far away and it is always good to have some people expecting us and to be recognised internationally.
ABC: Danish Television has just done a special on the drugs in sport. A big expose. They're claiming that, in 1995, at the start of the sixth stage that they went into the ONCE doctor's room and found used syringes and EPO. What do you make of that?
LJ: It was the wrong information at the time. Laurent never had any problem with this kind of thing.
ABC: So, you've never used it or no one in your team has ever used EPO as far as you know?
LJ: No no. You are completely in the dark and completely wrong.
ABC: What about this year. How important is it after the discgrace of last year's Tour de France? Is it a rebuilding year to get cycling's reputation back in order?
LJ: Well it's true that with the Tour de France last year there was a big hiccup in this race but now the medical controls are even stronger and no more room for the cheaters on any race and Laurent is quite happy with that.
Ch10: How important is this, the first race of the season, are cyclists treating it as an important race.
LJ: He didn't race since last September so he was looking for the Sun. Really he needed the Sun because two days ago it was raining and snowing and he thinks he will take a few days to get used to the climate.