News for October 29, 1999

New aid for Marcel

By Tomas Nilsson, cyclingnews.com correspondent

Festina will get another German next year with 26 year old Sascha Henrix, who will move up from second division team Gerolsteiner.

His past season has not been too happy with injuries and sickness, but it is obvious that Festina belives in his potential. He started the season with higher ambitions than ever, having given up racing on the six day circuit in order to be well prepared for the road season. But before the season had begun he was stricken by the flu as a result of a vaccination that went wrong, and he also injured his hip that was hard to get a correct diagnosis on.

"I've had two Superyears, so then you can handle one of bad luck," Henrix told German website Radsport. "During the Vuelta Marcel (Wüst) called me and said that Festina was interested. Then it all went fast. They sent a fax, I signed and faxed it back. That was it"

Henrix was on his way to Mapei already a year ago but when the team got Michele Bartoli the Italian wanted his mate Tobias Steinhauser along so there was suddenly no place for Sascha.

His role at Festina will be to aid Marcel Wüst in the sprints, but will of course get his chances when his compatriot is absent just like the other German André Korff. The first team assembly will be in Calp, Spain, in December. Henrix will prepare by wedding his long-time girlfriend and move in to a new house in Düren. Next season will start in the Tour of Mallorca in February.

Sascha Henrix - a small portrait:

Born March 22, 1973
Professional since 1996 at Team Continentale, 1997 at Team Cologne and 1998-99 at Team Gerolsteiner.
Victories: Stages in Rheinland Pfalz Rundfahrt in 1997 and 1998 and in Hessen Rundfahrt in 1998. On the German team for the World's in 1997 and 1998.
Currently ranked 479

Teams and Contracts

The Spanish team Costa Almeria, that joined forces this season with Amica Chips might looking for another partner. Amica Chips is one of the candidates but Ballan Alessio and even first division Lampre are among the possibilities. But team manager Miguel Moreno would like to have a Spanish co-sponsor for the next season if possible. The alternative is one of the Italians with a sort of split organization racing under different names in Spain and Italy. Italians Roscioli, Caucchioli and Galli, as well as Spaniards Golbano and Colom have signed with him.

Spanish amateur Juanma Gárate has signed for Lampre for two years. He has a reputation as a good climber and a decent rouleur and sprinter.

Portuguese Team Maia-CIN will become Maia-vizMSS next year.