News for October 31, 1999

Roux leaves for Italian team

By Tomas Nilsson, cyclingnews.com correspondent

Twenty six-year old Laurent Roux has signed on for Italian second division team Mobilvetta, according to French news agency AFP.

Roux tested positive after Flèche Wallonne and was suspenden by his team Casino after only a couple of months on the team and then also by his federation for six months. Before his contract with Casino he rode for TVM for three yars and had the pink leader's jesey in the Giro last year when he also won a stage.

He won the Trophée des Grimpeurs in 1998 and was fifth in the Amstel Gold Race and 10th in Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Mobilvetta looses Swiss Olympic Champion Pascal Richard but still has young sprinter Ivan Quaranta, with two Giro stage wins this year, in its ranks.