They have changed sections at the end including the deletion of the hill at Preseau (Valenciennes) and some variation in the route at Cysoing, close to the end.
Jean-François Pescheux, the representative of the Société du Tour de France said: "Now there will be a small climb as the riders come into the forest and that will make is slower and safer. In previous years, the riders were coming into the pave too quickly because the entrance to the forest from that direction is downhill. It will now be easier for us to avoid accidents on the cobbles."
Paris-Roubaix has never used this approach through the forest.
The fall of former winner Johan Museeuw, who spent many months recovering, led to the change. But Jean-Marie Leblanc, head of the Société du Tour de France, said he was certain tha the passage through Arenberg would remain. The cobbles are the symbol of the Hell of the North and will not be bypassed. Paris-Roubaix is the third round of the 1999 World Cup after Milan-San Remo and the Ronde van Vlaanderen.
After the last Vuelta a España, where Jiménez finished third in the overall and won four stages, team Banesto felt that it was necessary for for the climber from El Barraco to improve his time trial performance. That way he could aspire to higher goals. The sports director of Banesto, Eusebio Unzué said: "We need Jimenez to improve in the time trial. If we can help him improve two to three seconds per kilometer after the wind tunnel testing, it will be worth the effort."
The objective of the testing is to improve Jimenez's air penetration coefficient (CX). The tunnel will offer exact data which will help determine the most aerodynamic position for the cyclist. Once determined the rider then is assigned a training program to adapt to the changed position. Eusebio Unzué said: "After this test Jiménez will have to forget his natural position on the bike. Just the same, if it turns out that he has problems in adapting to the ideal position, then we will have to get to a middle point. We will see that later, but the important part is to improve without losing any of his previous effectiveness."
Jiménez was accompanied by his teammates Chente García, Banesto's best rolleur and Francisco Mancebo, one of the biggest hopes for 1999. The three Banesto cyclists were tested on Tuesday in the INTA wind tunnel in Madrid under the guidance of Dr Jesús Hoyos and a mechanic Enrique Sanz. José María Jiménez, Francisco Mancebo and Chente García were dressed in their uniforms and time trial helmets tried three different positions at 40, 45, 50 and 60 kilometers an hour, while a computer registered the data in real time. As explained by the chief of the aerodynamics laboratory, José Ramón Quintana, one of the first conslusions drawn from the simulation was the importance of the position of the protective helmet. For example in the case of José María Jiménez, who kept it down for most of the time, an aerodynamic loss of 10 per cent was recorded. "Every time he lifts his head it generates 10 per cent more resistance", because the pointy end of the helmet gets lifted and clashes with the wind and thus reduces the speed.
In the testing chambers the wind can oscillate from zero to seventy metres per second (some 250 kilometres per hour). The testing measures the aerodynamic data and can visualise the distribution of the air flow.
The objective of the test was to make the rider conscious that pedalling one way or another influences their "coefficient of penetration". Unzue concluded: "We especially want to convince them that a small improvement can be important, even though most riders have their natural posture and some riders even have a perfect aerodynamic position."
The results
José María Jiménez can improve against the clock according to the data that emerged from his test. Although the reports are yet to be studied it was fairly clear from the preliminary results that there are some simple changes which will improve his performance. For example, as noted above, if he keeps aerodynamic helmet in a horizontal line with his back, a 10 per cent improvement is likely.
Jiménez, like many cyclists, tends to lower his head too much when riding which causes the aerodynamic helmet not to be aligned with the back and it slows im down. Eusebio Unzué said: "In addition, since he is a nervous rider, he moves his head excessively."
Team doctor Jesús Hoyos joked: "We have discovered that Chaba doesn't go well in the time trial because he doesn't stop looking at the girls along the road."
Jokes aside, the wind tunnel chief, José Ramón Sánchez Quintana, who yesterday tested a cyclist for the first time was "surprised about how very small details can affect a rider, like moving or not moving the head, or riding with a helmet or not".
So what does Jiménez have to say? "Lets see. Anything that helps in improving is welcomed. If they show me that by doing a certain thing I will ride better, I will do it, even if it takes a lot of work. But lets not forget that in addition to specific training, the most important thing to perform at a time trial is the strength and motivation."
Others who have improved their ITT times
Jiménez is not the first climber that has to overcome the handicap of mediocre time trial performance. Federico Martín Bahamontes, Pedro Delgado and Marco Pantani are other examples. These riders had the same problem as el Chaba - they were the best in the high mountains and would build big time advantages, but then would lose the advantages and more in the time trials.
But the three were able to overcome the problem. Bahamontes was able to win the Tour in 1959, which had been considered a race that would be won by Anquetil or Rivière, two time trial specialists. Delgado lost the Tour in the final time trial to the Irish rider Stephen Roche in 1987, but learned his lesson and won in 1988. The last example is Marco Pantani, who won the Giro and Tour last year, defending himself against the clock with tooth and nail.
Jiménez will learn from the wind tunnel to improve his position on the bike and will be able to improve his performance with specific training, but above all he will have to bear the suffering. The muscular pain that comes from that individual fight when the muscles burns glucose in the search for oxygen.
Federico Martín Bahamontes, possibly the best climber of all times had the bad luck of riding in the same era as some of the best time triallers: Louison Bobet, Roger Rivière and Jacques Anquetil. The three riders were French and had the advantage that the organizers would create good time trials to make their way easier. The first experience of the Águila de Toledo (Eagle of Toledo) at the Tour de France was hopeless, losing 21 minutes in 72 kilometers. But Bahamontes was a rider of great character and enormous willpower. In front of those riders, this was a matter of survival to improve in the time trials if he wanted to continue in cycling.
Bahamontes was never able to find a clear method to take care of his problem, but was able to adjust pretty well when the occasion required. Maybe that's why his performance at the last time trial of the Tour that he won (1959) was a bit deceiving. When he got to the time trial he had more than 11 minutes over Rivière and almost 10 minutes over Anquetil and he allowed himself the luxury of riding pretty relaxed - losing only 6 minutes.
Perico Delgado was not a poor performer against the clock, but his ability in the mountains was far greater. Perico took care of this problem with intelligence and motivation. The Segovian rider would force himself to go at a constant rhythm in the time trials and to maintain it at any cost. He reached his peak against the clock in his Tour win in 1988. Perico only lost 11 seconds over 46 kms to the winner of the stage, Spaniard Juan Martínez Oliver.
From all the cases, without a doubt, Italian Marco Pantani is the best example of constant progression in his time trial performances. Maybe because the Pirate has benefitted from new training methods and even testing in a wind tunnel. Last year, Pantani underwent the same type of wind tunnel testing that José María Jiménez has had done this week. Time trials have always been a problem for Pantani. At his first Tour Pantani lost almost 11 minutes to Miguel Indurain.
But his negative figures have continued to decrease year after year until reaching a point where he can make up for his time trial losses in the mountains. Thanks to that he was able to win the Giro and Tour last year. Motivation is the best weapon for Marco. At the last Giro d'Italia, Pantani had lost 2 minutes and 4 seconds to Russian Tonkov in the first 40 km time trial and only had an advantage of 1 minute and 28 seconds facing the last and decisive 34 km time trial. Not only did Pantani keep the pink jersey, but he was 5 seconds faster than Tonkov.
Guillaume Auger (23 years)
Ludovic Auger (28)
Stéphane Bergès (24)
Philippe Bordenave (25)
Thierry Bourguignon (37)
Christophe Capelle (32)
Carlos Da Cruz (25)
Laurent Genty (28)
Thierry Gouvenou (30)
Oleg Joukov (23) (Rus) (new pro)
Loïc Lamouller (21) (new pro)
Lylian Lebreton (27)
Denis Leproux (35)
Pascal Lino (33)
Dominique Rault (28) (from Mutuelle Seine et Marne)
Alexei Sivakov (27) (Rus)
Jay Sweet (24) (Aus)
Director: Stéphane Javalet
Assistant Directors: Pascal Dubois and Jean-Jacques Henry
The team has been training in Australia in January and that squad will have their first significant race at the Tour Méditerranéen (February 10-14). The rest of the team which is currently not training in Australia will start their season in earnest at the GP d'Ouverture and the Etoile of Bessèges (February 2-7)
. Pascal Lino will lead the team for the stages races. Lino will also be aiming to defend his French Cup trophy. It will be very interesting to see the results of the two new pros: Lamouller (a good climber) and especially Joukov who a very good time trialler. The team expects to receive a wild-card for the Tour in July. Stéphane Javalet,the team director is expecting improved results from the riders this season, especially from the young riders like Da Cruz, G. Auger, Bergès and the Australian Jay Sweet. They will all be part of the team for Paris-Nice in March (March 7-14). There will be another rider signed in the next few days to complete the team and take it to 18 riders.
The race was scheduled for April 30 a day before the German Classic the Rund um den Henniger Turm in Frankfurt.
At the end of April last year, Huub Canisius, a prime mover in getting the race going presented a budget of 500,000 guilders. There have been rumours that the money was not guaranteed to emerge. Luc Habets said: "The payment of the half million was essential to get the race in the highest UCI category. But most races have to begin in the lowest category. That would require 150,000 guilders. We can achieve that budget next year."
According to the organiser Gerrie van Gerwen, he had signed 25 teams for the Limburg event. He was completely surprised by the announcement from the organisers. "This is very annoying. The committee has had advice to wait for another year. I don't know what the issues are. The licence was not going to be a problem."
Instead of the Rondom Heerlen the cycling fans in Limburg will still be able to enjoy the start of the Triptique Ardennais in Maastricht. The race will start in the sports park Dousberg in Maastricht (to the west of the city on the Belgian border).
Sterling Magnell - Santa Rosa, CA; Sterling won the 1998 U.S. National Road race. He was also a top finisher in the Lance Armstrong National series. He will race in the 15-16 year category.
Dustin Rademacher - Monson, MA; Dustin won 3 medals out of 3 events including the gold medal in the Criterium. He was 2nd in the Lance Armstrong National series and is a top all around rider. He will race in the 17-18 year category.
Devon Hoff-Weekes - Long Beach, CA; Devon won the 17-18 Lance Armstrong National series in 1998. He has been a top performer in the junior racing scene for the past couple of years. He is the oldest member of the team.