News for June 23, 1999

Verbruggen agrees to mediate

Hein Verbruggen has agreed with the request of a delegation of riders and team managers to mediate with Tour de France organiser Jean Marie Leblance over several issues. On Dutch radio on Tuesday night, Verbruggen said Jean Marie Leblanc had agreed with his role as a mediator. He will seek to talk to Leblanc on Wednesday.

Earlier, the International Association of Professional Cycling Teams (AIGCP), with President Manolo Saiz, met in Geneva yesterday and decided to send letters to the Tour de France organisation and the UCI. The letters to the Tour organisation expressed the disapproval of the veto that has been placed on certain riders, officials and teams. They asked the Tour organisation to respect the agreements that the Tour has with the AIGCP and the UCI. They demanded that Leblanc seek to negotiate a solution which is to everyone's satisfaction prior to the commencement of the Tour. The teams did not outline any specific actions that they would take if Leblanc failed to act. There was no unanimity over a strike. The teams are under intense pressure from their sponsors to attend the Tour under the conditions that Leblanc has imposed.

In the letter to the UCI, the AIGCP requested that they meet with Leblanc and force the Tour organisation to abide by rules and signed agreements between the UCI and the Tour. They also invited the UCI to act as a mediator to resolve the conflict. They argued that the Tour organisation has taken rights to make unilateral selection decisions which they do not possess. The teams said that they never agreed to any changes in the selection rules for participation in the Tour and that the UCI has to enforce those understandings.

Creatine found in Festina team car

French custom agents discovered some quantities of Creatine in a Festina team car which they searched at the French-Belgian border town of Saint-Aybert, close to Valenciennes. The custom officers found creatine and other products which they said were harmless. The road is the major route from Paris to Brussels. Creatine is not amongst the list of banned substances of the International Cycling Union (UCI) or the International Olympic Committee (COI).

The lastest news flash (late Tuesday European time) is that Festina have fired the masseur who replace Willy Voet - Rick Keyaerts because under team rules only the doctor can carry performance enhancing products.

Earlier reports from Reuters that there were steroids found in the car appear to be untrue.

31 persons charged in doping investigation

A major investigation being conducted into a drug supply network around Poitiers in France has seen 31 persons charged with various offences. The alleged offenders include former professionals, amateur riders and team officials. The case is being called the "Belgian pot case" referring to the allegations that local riders had been using a cocktail which mixed caffeine, amphetamines. For the technically minded, another mixture called "Polish Pot" adds heroin and cocaineto Belgian Pot. The mind boggles.

The former professionals who are facing 10 years jail if convicted include Patrick Gillereau, Alain Meslet, Jean-Claude Genty, Eugene Letendre, and Jean-Christophe Currit. Alain Bizet, who is a soigneur with La Française des Jeux has also been charged.

Danish research indicates 10% of riders are drugged

A major research project conducted by the Danish National Cycling Union involving around 1000 amateur and professional riders has concluded that 10 per cent of Danish riders are using banned substances.

Peder Pedersen, the president of the DCU said: "Its significantly worse than we thought."

Danish minister for Culture, Elsebeth Gerner Nielsen said: "I am shocked."

As a reaction, the DCU will double its testing from 70 in 1998 to 140 this year.

Virenque allowed to ride French road championships

Richard Virenque who is unable to ride in the Tour de France has been allowed entry to the French cycling championships which will be held on June 27. The French Cycling Federation (FFC) said that they had given Virenque and teammate Stephane Goubert some leeway after both had indicated their nominations had been lost in the post.

However, Lotto riders Jacky Durand and Thierry Laurent have both said they will not ride even though they were given a chance by the FFC to put in a late nomination.

Danish rider killed

Danish pro cyclist Ronny Lerche (30) from Team Chicky World was accidently killed on Saturday just after a race in Jutland (Denmark). He was hit head on by a truck in the Danish town of Brande. The doctors said that he died instantly and didn't suffer. He leaves a wife and two kids. Ronny was known for a happy-go-lucky person who was very enthusiastic about cycling. He had his best days as a track rider.

Martin Bjerg, Steen Zeeberg Dyrmose and Peter Rasmussen, all from Denmark.

Recognition for Manolo Sanroma

Thousands of Spaniards in Almagro cried "Champion! Champion! Champion!" as they said goodbye to Manolo Sanroma who died last weekend after crashing into a barrier during the Tour of Catalonia. All of the town of Almagro seemed to be in the streets to pay their respects to the cyclist. Most of the business houses and shops were closed during the funeral. The funeral procession went from the Mother of God church to the cemetery and the coffin was carried by Sanroma's brother Jerónimo and teammates from his team Fuenlabrada team. Other friends also helped. The rider was posthumously awarded the National Silver Medal of Sport Merit and the Gold Medal of the Community of Castilla-La Mancha and the Spanish Cycling Federation (FEC). Other people present at the burial were Enrique Franco, José Miguel Echávarri, Pedro Delgado, Pablo Antón, Miguel Moreno, Gregorio Moreno, Eduardo Chozas, Víctor Cordero. Kelme-Costa Blanca rider Oscar Sevilla, who was like a brother to Sanroma was there. All his teammates at Fuenlabrada attended as did the mayor of Fuenlabrada, José Quintana Viar.

Results from Luxembourg

GP Alex Hoffmann Differdange 102 kms, Elite 2, June 20:

 1. Klaus Mutschler (Ger)             2.26.31
 2. Vaclav Jelinek (RTC)
 3. Vincenzo Centrone (Lux)
 4. Nicolas Salmon (Bel)
 5. Steve Fogen (Lux)                 2.26.52
 6. Enzo Mezzapesa (Lux)
 7. Fabio Emili (Ita)                 2.26.56
 8. Claude Degano (Lux)
 9. Boris Odendahl (Ger)
10. Tom Flammang (Lux)                2.27.09

Started: 94

GP de la Ligue du Bassin Minier 141.9 kms, Elite 2, June 21:

 1. Enzo Mezzapesa (Lux)              3.39.24
 2. Klaus Mutschler (Ger)             3.39.44
 3. Tom Flammang (Lux)
 4. Vaclav Jelinek (RTC)
 5. Kim Kirchen (Lux)
 6. Vincenzo Centrone (Lux)
 7. Frank Schleck (Lux)               3.42.38
 8. Claude Degano (Lux)               3.44.00
 9. Marc Schiltz (Lux)
10. Christian Weyland (Lux)

Started: 82

Gérard Schiltz, Luxembourg

Australia, 31st Nyngan to Dubbo Cycle Classic, June 19, 160 kms:

Penrith Panthers cyclist Peter Milostic became the first rider to win this race twice when he took out the 31st staging of the Nyngan to Dubbo Cycle Classic. Milostic recorded the smart time of 3.36.18 for the 160 kms course. Milostic also won in 1997. This year was the first staging of a 60 kms recovery race for those riders strong enough to line up the following day, thus providing a full weekend of racing.

Nyngan to Dubbo, 160 kms:


 1. Peter Milostic (Penrith Panthers)
 2. Trent Wilson (Parramatta)
 3. Eddie Salas (Penrith Panthers)
 4. Stephen Wooldridge (St. George)
 5. Cameron Hughes (Queensland)
 6. Darren Benson (Lidcombe)
 7. Glen Stojanow (Hunter District)
 8. Ian Garrity (Turramurra)
 9. Danny Hennessy (ACT)
10. Michael Payne (Nowra)
11. Joel Xuereb (Caravello)
12. Timothy Chalmers (Sutherland)
13. Jim Burke (Bathurst)
14. Darrell Wheeler (Dubbo)
15. Paul Eberle (Penrith Panthers)

Fastest Time:

 1. Peter Milostic (Penrith Panthers)    3.36.18
 2. Trent Wilson (Parramatta)            3.36.32
 3. Eddie Salas (Penrith Panthers)       3.38.17
 4. Cameron Hughes (Queensland)
 5. Glen Stojanow (Hunter District)      3.39.06

Women:

 1. Charlotte White (Sydney)
 2. Stephanie Friend (Dubbo)
 3. Nicole Malloy (Coffs Harbour)

Town Sprints:

Nevertire

 1. Adam Stait (Bathurst)
 2. Charles Topfer (Parramatta)

Trangie

 1. Michael Frost (Central Coast)
 2. Charles Topfer (Parramatta)

Narromine

 1. Eddie Salas (Penrith Panthers)
 2. Trent Wilson (Parramatta)

Recovery Race, 60 kms:

 1. Brent Dawson (Dubbo)                 1.20.51
 2. Stephen Wooldridge (St. George)
 3. Trent Wilson (Parramatta)
 4. Danny Hennessy (ACT)
 5. Michael Payne (Nowra)
 6. Ben Johnson (Dubbo)
 7. Chris Baudry (ACT)                      s.t.

First Women:

Natalie Grives (Bathurst)