He said when questioned about the events of last summer: "In 1999, a radical reassessment is needed for the sport of cycling if it is to regain any sense of credibility and for people to have any confidence in it. But there is no question that you just give up when things are going badly. On the contrary it is time to take up the challenge."
Each of the riders who were presented to the press signed a charter covering the team's anti-drug stance and Bertrand de Gallé underlined, if he need toe, that: "priority will be given to the behavior of the riders and we will not only focus on the results"
The team has appointed Dr. Gerard Guillaume, who previously has been associated with the sprint track team in France. He will handle all the medical details of the team. The company running the team has said it will outlay some 11 million FF over the next 4 years to implement its anti-drug policy.
They are aiming for the highest image. Marc Madiot, who has managed the sporting side of the team since its creation (entering its third year), said that the team did not have a precise objective. "It will be necessary for the team to be the most competitive that it can but also to give the best possible image. The team also aims to involve young aspiring riders."
In fact, half of the team (11 riders) are under 25 years of age and with the departure of Russian Evgueni Berzin (one of the failures of 1998), any one of them has a chance to lead the way. The top riders will be Emmanuel Magnien, Stéphane Heulot, Frederic Guesdon and Christophe Mengi. The leading classics rider will probably be the Italian-British Maximilian Sciandri.
Marc Madiot, has gathered two new and experienced riders for the team: Jean-Cyril Robin (US Postal) and Danish rider Lars Michaelsen (TVM), and is very optimistic for 1999. He has also recruited the brilliant Under-23 rider, Christophe Bassons, who was the only rider to come out of the Festina team without being tarnished, and the young New Calendonian rider Jean-Michel Tessier, who was discovered by the former professional Daniel Gisiger.
New riders in 1999: Christophe Bassons (Fra/Festina), Jean-Cyril Robin (Fra/US Postal), Cyril Saugrain (Fra/Cofidis), Jean-Michel Tessier (Fra/néo pro), and Lars Michaelsen (Dan/TVM)
1998 riders remaining: Franck Bouyer, Jimmy Casper, Frédéric Guesdon, Stéphane Heulot, Xavier Jan, Yvon Ledanois, Emmanuel Magnien, Christophe Mengin, Anthony Morin, Damien and Jean-Patrick Nazon, Franck Perque and Nicolas Vogondy (all French), Patrick D'Hont (Bel), Chris Horner (USA), Brad McGee (Aus), and Maximilian Sciandri (GBR)
Directeur sportif: Marc Madiot, assisted by Alain Gallopin and Yvon Madiot (all French).
1998 riders leaving: Evgueni Berzin (Rus), Mauro Gianetti (Swi), Franck Morelle (Fra), Andrea Peron and Flavio Vanzella (both Ita)
Along with the Swiss and Czech rider, the Belgians were tested before breakfast. Janssens was too high and he left for home around midday before the start of the race.
A distressed Janssens said aferwards: "I cannot understand it. As soon as I heard I wanted to quit racing. My assistants talked me out of it on the way back to Belgium. It is as if you are immediately guilty. Each cyclocross rider knows that there is a chance of a test and it is high at a World Cup event. The only thing I can think of at the moment is that the medication that I have been taken this last week has caused this. I felt like I had influenza on Tuesday and I started taking extra iron and vitamin B12 and that might have done it.
I scarcely did any training last week. I did not want to jeopardise my health before the world championships in two weeks. It is possible that with all the iron I have been taking, my red blood count has gone too high, above 50 per cent. I know that people will not believe me but I have done nothing wrong."
Janssens will not say how high his red blood cell count was. There were rumours that is was as high as 52.5 per cent. "It was above 50 per cent that is all that matters. The problem is that I am naturally very high in red blood cells. The week before the Belgian Championship my reading was 48.
Janssens now must not race for 14 days. It is possible that he will try to race in the World Championships. "I will contact the UCI on Monday and ask them if Poprad is going to be okay for me. The 14 day penalty starts precisely when they tell you. So the 14 days are up on the morning of January 31. Then it is up to the Belgian Cycling Federation to name me in the team.
Charles Palmans steps into the breach for Marc Janssens
The boss of the cyclocross champion yesterday gave Janssens his support. "I think there is nothing in it. Yeh, I am the angry, very angry. Not with Marc, because I am convinced he has done nothing wrong. I am angry because I feel that we are being given a bad time. That is perhaps fanciful, but you must know there is a lot of jealousy because we are so successful. The World Champion, last Sunday one and two in the National Championship, De Clercq winning the World Cup on Sunday - the little Palmans team with its three cyclocrossers has gained the most publicity of anyone this season and not everyone likes that. I stand by my rider because I am convinced that he is clean. Marc has a high hematocrit level by nature - that is recognished - but there has been no account taken of that. If Janssens does not go to the World Championships it is bad and we will no longer sponsor cyclocross. No, that will hurt the riders not me. De Clercq, Berden and Janssens are so good that they undoubtedly overshadow the other great riders."
The 37-year old American, a part-time skier, was not keen to take a test run down the slope that was to be used for the racing. However, he did talk expansively about the problems facing cycling. He told the assembled press: "For years now doping has been a problem in sport. But in the 1980s when I raced there was a lot of suspicion cast on individuals thought to be cheating, but not on entire teams organising doping systematically. It's such a shame, a terrible thing for the Tour de France and sports in general. But it's a good thing it came out into the open."
He went on to say that comprehensive testing was now required. "You can control doping up to a certain point. But you can't detect everything. The IOC needs to put pressure on the pharmaceutical industry. There are three or four sports who don't do any tests, who don't control at all. In American football, for instance, you can't put on 60kg without some kind of substance."
He said the problem was heightened due to the financial scale of the sport in this modern era. "It's because of the high expectations. It's also because it's part of human nature to always try to reach further, to go faster and higher. And not just in cycling but everywhere. Even among the officials and not the just athletes there is a tendency to reach for more. You give too much power to a few people and corruption is almost a normal outcome."
The slow steps of the trainer and the three riders for team Aguardiente Néctar-Gobernación of Cundinamarca made the floor creak, on the fourth floor of a centrally located hotel, in the hot city of Barquisimeto. José Alfonso 'El Pollo' López, the director, didn't make any attempt to hide his tired eyes. The many sleepless nights that he has had to bear for weeks before - and which have become the habit before going to each competition - couldn't just pass without leaving their mark. He doesn't like to forget the most minimal detail and from what was heard, we could tell that he worked at a pace way beyond the 24 hours of the day. Behind him and like if they had stones on their tennis shoes came in cyclists Israel Ochoa, Elkin Barrera and Libardo Niño. This last one wouldn't stop making jokes to his teammates after racing the first stage of the Venezuelan race. The other five Colombians of team Aguardiente Nectar stayed behind waiting for the elevator. The door to the room was closed and they slumped onto the carpet.
Meanwhile, 'El Pollo' (the chicken) was encouraged to talk when the subject of his participation on the Venezuelan race was brought up. "In 1977 or 1978 I competed in a five day race here in Venezuela. But it wasn't in Táchira. I think it was the San Sebastián. My trainer was Jorge Tenjo (the current president of the Colombian Cycling Federation). If I'm not mistaken, two of my teammates were Ómar Hernández and the now deceased Nestor Mora.
What is it like racing in Venezuela?
It has changed a lot. It is a crazy race. From the starting flag, most riders ride all out until the finish. As long as there isn't a team controlling the race, it turns crazy.
And the action, is it good or bad for the Colombian riders?
It is good and bad. If the race has so much action, the idea is for a Colombian to be in every breakaway. But this also means a lot of wear. I repeat: if there is a team that controls the race, there is a lot of control. The other benefit is to be able to ride in the group, more at ease. The team leaders can save their energy for later stages that may turn out to be key.
Is there any other difference between the races in Venezuela and Colombia?
If you talk about the international 'friction', it is very appealing to race here. This race is more attractive because there are Italians, Russians, Austrians competing... This gives it more emotion and makes the race more demanding.
What does your team aspire to do in Táchira?
My objective is to always win. We never travel to be tourists or have the luxury to lose a race without fighting it. We have the will to win and to do the best possible. That's the most important part...
Who in you teams have the option to win?
At this time I have two or three riders that stand out and are in good form. They are Israel Ochoa, Libardo Niño and Juan Carlos Fonseca. But that doesn't mean that only the three of them are going to dispute the race. Do not leave out any of the others, who might get in a good breakaway, we have the option to work for him. If this happens, we will help him, whoever it is, to win.
And from those three names, who is starting the year in the best form?
From what I've seen, Juan Carlos Fonseca (who just won the clásica de la Feria de Manizales) is doing well. He started to work with me last year. He was able to wear the leader's jersey at la Vuelta a México, but he lost it due to lack of confidence and experience. He has matured and has learned to be brave and give his all. He has evolved a lot.
How do you see Raúl Montaña?
He's going well. But he is not in the same condition as when he won the last Clásico RCN. He still needs many kilometers to get in form. After that win, he rested for too long. He's not at 100%.
So what do you want for him?
The idea is for him to do kilometers and get a good racing rhythm to fight at the next Vuelta a México which starts on February 23.
What would happen if none of your boys wins or at least is in the fight for the final podium?
To say that we won't be players is difficult. To win? I never like to say that we are going to win. You can have the best team in the world, but many adverse or unexpected things can happen. Many times you see that the best doesn't always win. We are here with a lot of hope.
Even though he stopped talking, his body didn't stop. José Alfonso López walked from one side to the other, because he had to prepare everything for the next stage.