News for October 11, 1999

Bo Hamburger on his way - home?

By Tomas Nilsson, cyclingnews.com correspondent

The money problems at Cantina Tollo are not solved, according to Danish rider Bo Hamburger who hasn't been paid for several months. There will be a meeting October 21 where he probably will be offered a compromise whereby he won't get any of the salary, but on the other hand will be free to go to any other team.

"And even if it's unfair, and I would probably win in court, I'll accept such a solution", the Dane writes in his web diary at www.idol.dk. "There are two reasons to accept. First, there's no reason for animosity with the team and slamming doors. And secondly, you never know how long a low process will last. It's also important for me to state that I have not decided which team I will ride for even if there's been quite a few rumors in the media," writes the Dane, who will spend a lot of time this winter trying to mend his aching back.

Most of these rumors have placed Hamburger in Jack & Jones, but there will not be any contracts written until the team has got a new main sponsor. This might not take too long since managing director John Trolle at Memory Technology Card confirms that negotiations are going on about his company's sponsorship: "But no papers are signed" said Trolle, obviously disturbed by leaks to the press. Meanwhile the team has signed Johnny Weltz of US Postal as sports director.

VDB broke (a wrist)

According to Belgian Teletext, the Verona hospital has determined that Frank Vandenbroucke rode 150 km of the World's road race yesterday with a broken bone in his Wrist/underarm. No more details yet, but his season will be over.

This will make fellow Belgian Andrei Tchmil's job of winning the world cup next weekend a little easier. Now he only has Dutchman Michael Boogerd, who finished 14th in yesterdays race, to contend with. Boogerd was nearly there at the death, but cramped when the final attack came and finished a minute down as part of a 5-man chasing group.

Final medals table

The host country of this years World road championships has finished on top of the medals table, with 2 golds and a silver in the junior and U-23 men's road races, and a bronze in the junior women's road race. Canada and Spain finished equal second, with 2 gold medals apiece - Canada's came through their young female star, Genevieve Jeanson, and Spain's were from Oscar Friere Gomez (men's road race), and José Gutiérrez (U-23 TT).

Australia came home with a bag of silver, courtesy of Anna Wilson (in both events), and Mick Rogers (in the U-23 TT).

             Gold         Silver      Bronze
 Italy         2            1           1
 Canada        2            .           .
 Spain         2            .           .
 Germany       1            1           3
 Lithuania     1            .           2
 Netherlands   1            .           .
 Switzerland   1            1           .
 Australia     .            3           .
 Russia        .            2           1
 France        .            1           2
 Sweden        .            1           .
 Great Britain .            .           1