The exclusions were announced on the radio a little after the start of the stage. Honchar (28), was winner of the last ITT during the Giro. He also has won world championship medals in the ITT and was 7th overall in the 1999 Giro. The others - Morscher (26), Jones (23) and Gimondi (28), the last being related to former champion rider Felice Gimondi - have very modest records.
The UCI started the huge testing operation at 6.40 when they went to the bedroom of Atlanta road champion Pascal Richard. The four riders with excessive readings are now banned from riding for 15 days and must undergo a new test before getting their licences back.
The teams of Honchar and Morscher were admitted to the next Tour de France. Amore e Vita was not invited to the Tour.
Only 5 teams in Tour are clean
Given that the Tour de France organisers have banned TVM for being not suitable to the image of the Tour, it is worthwhile asking how many of the other teams have a so-called clean sheet. Of the 20 teams admitted to ride in the Tour this year, 15 have been implicated one way or another in drug abuse. The clean teams prior to today were Rabobank, Lampre-Daikin, Vitalicio Seguros, Banesto, and US Postal.
So why has Tour director Jean-Marie Leblanc picked out TVM for scrutiny. In other cases, he has picked on individuals rather than their teams. Like Richard Virenque, Philippe Gaumont and Laurent Roux and team boss Manolo Saiz and doctor Nicolas Terrados.
He said the Tour was a private event and they could exclude who they wanted to. He also said the Tour would not put any resources into the new tests which are claimed to be foolproof tests of EPO. The UCI and the Government can pay according to Leblanc. So why should the public sector pay to maintain the reputation of a private profit-seeking organisation? It is hypocracy.
Dutch Cycling Federation ask for a delay on the TVM decision
Joop Atsma, chairman of the KNWU, has written a letter to Jean-Marie Leblanc asking him to postpone his decision about the expulsion of TVM in the coming Tour de France. Atsma, on behalf of the chairman of the Society of Professional Riders, Annet van der Hoek, has also asked Leblanc to more precisely outline the arguments against TVM. He accused Leblanc of making arbitrary decisions. He is hopeful that Leblanc will act swiftly to redress what the Dutch think is an unfair decision. Atsma said: "We have acted quickly so that it is still possible for TVM to ride. I think that Leblanc has a duty to give a reaction soon. There has to be clarity in this decision. TVM can start in races all over Europe even in other French tours. Why didn't Leblanc gave an earlier sign to TVM? In that case TVM had time to look for another programm. What happens now seems to be a reprisal action."
Roux tests positive
Casino rider Laurent Roux has tested positive for amphetamines after the Waalse Pijl on April 14. 26-year old Roux was one of the best riders in the first part of the season. He was 5th in the Amstel Gold race.
The test result was announced on Wednesday in Paris. He is also implicated in the Sainz-Lavelot doping enquiry and was banned from starting in the Tour de France. He is also being suspended by his team. He rode last year with TVM!
Spaniards upset again
French and Spanish cycling authorities are now at loggerheads again following the decision to exclude some persons from the Tour de France. The exclusion of the ONCE officials (Manager and Dr) has incensed the Spaniards. For his part Terrados told Spanish TV that there was nothing against him travelling with the team. He told the interviewer: "It's early to say, but I believe that if the team want me, then legally there is nothing to stop me going to France as a doctor."
ONCE issued a statement saying that the decision to excluse Sainz was unintelligible. There was no legal actions past or present against Saiz. They said: "The ONCE-Deutsche Bank cycling team wants to express its anger and its surprise at this decision by the Tour de France which comes after it has been shown that our sportsmen have nothing to do with the use or trade in banned substances."
Former rider, Marino Lejaretta, who is Saiz's deputy said: "This has not come as a great surprise to us. It could be they just wanted to keep Manolo Saiz quiet." This was in reference to Saiz's constant criticism of Tour officials and French cycling officials over their handling of the doping issue. Leblanc's only real statement about Saiz was that the latter had made "insulting comments" about the Tour de France. What a crime! Sticks and stones ... after all. It is pathetic.
The Spanish Cyclign Federation president Manuel Perez was harsh in his treatment of Leblanc and the decision. He said: " I feel bad for the ONCE team and also for the Saiz who is a representative of all the teams. This is very serious for cycling."
TVM manager Cees Priem said: "After a good pre-season and a fine Giro we had hoped for a good follow-up in the Tour de France. After a clarifying meeting with Jean-Marie Leblanc at the beginning of April, I had not expected that we would not be allowed on the tour."