News for June 27, 1999

Swiss Cycling Federation launches enquiry into Lampre:

The Swiss Cycling Federation (FCS) has opened an enquiry into the Italian-Belgian Lampre-Daikin team after a Swiss photographer witnessed the dumping of banned substances. The enquiry follows a photographer from the Sport Aktuell magazine saw a car in the Lampre colours through the bag into a rubbish bin. He investigated its contents and found syringes and products banned by the UCI. The FCS has also announced that it has suspended all the results and premie payments attributed to Lampre riders in the Tour de Suisse until the results of the enquiry are known.

The enquiry will begin on Tuesday in front of Judge Jean-Marc Schwenter, the judge responsible for any enquiries into the doping allegations against Swiss Olympic athletes.

Back in Italy, the manager of the team, Giuseppe Saronni, has refused to comment and is reserving his legal rights. He did say the accusations are pure speculation. The team contains world champion Swiss rider Oscar Camenzind who was 5th overall in the recently completed Tour de Suisse. He told reporters that he was tested 3 times during the race without a problem.

Festina denies doping problem

The management of the Festina team denied that the team was embroiled in another doping affair and insisted it was merely an "internal displinary problem". French customs found Neoton and Diprophos last Wednesday in a team car. The driver was a team soigneur Rick Keyaerts. The team say that Diprophos is a banned substance but that Keyaerts used the drug under medically prescribed conditions for an allergic condition. However, under team rules, he should not have been carrying it in the car.

USA, National Road Championship Rankings at June 27

1. Gord Fraser (Can) Mercury 			604
 2. Eddy Gragus (USA) Ikon-Lexus 		498
 3. Jacob Piil (Den) AcceptCard 		486
 4. Frank McCormack (USA) Saturn 		464
 5. David Clinger (USA) Mercury 		408
 6. Scott Moninger (USA) Mercury 		336
 7. Brian Walton (Can) Saturn 			334
 8. Harm Jansen (Ned) Smartalk 			304
 9. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Saturn 		292
10. George Hincapie (USA) US Postal Service 	276

Teams Overall

 1. Mercury 				      1,792
 2. Saturn 				      1,577
 3. Shaklee 					849
 4. AcceptCard 					795
 5. U.S. Postal Service 			784