News for September 3, 1999

Crédit Suisse and Winterthur Insurance withdraw from cycling

Swiss banking group Crédit Suisse announced that they will no longer sponsor any cycling events because they believe the doping scandals and apparent widespread use of drugs in the sport is not consistent with its desired image. Crédit Suisse was the major sponsor of the Tour de Suisse and the Tour of Romandie, the two major Swiss stage races.

Another Swiss corporate group, Winterthur (an insurance conglomerate) has also withdrawn all financial involvement in cycling.

Davide Rebellin Interview

Davide Rebellin has just spent two days with his partner Selina at their house in Galliera Veneta. The house looks rather bizarre with pink paint. No matter how he feels he gets on his bike each morning. He said: " I’m feeling good on the bike and I don’t get bored even with a long 7 hours on my own ... I have my thoughts fixed firmly on the Worlds in Verona ... But that race is an objective, not an obsession."

Would Rebellin choose a guaranteed GC victory at the Vuelta or the assurance that he will be in great condition for the decisive break at the Worlds without a guarantee of winning? Rebellin considered the counterfactual and replied: "It’s difficult to say no to a sure win. I would choose la Vuelta. But in reality I’m not going to La Vuelta thinking about the overall. The only stage race that I have participated in and that I specifically prepared for was the 1996 Giro when I wore the Pink Jersey and the 1997 Tour when I didn’t go so well. My certainty is now in the one day races. The rest, we will see. In the coming years I will dedicate myself to a major stage race."

Selina Rebellin, is a quiet person like her husband. She says: "I am pleased with Davide’s work and I am very excited when he wins. But if he does not win another race this year I don't see that there is a problem. He will have plenty of chances to try again."

Rebellin says he is going to use the Vuelta as a final qualitative tune up for the worlds. "My preparation this year wasn’t revolutionary with some slight variations in timing and I also used electro-stimulation during the winter. In the summer we reintroduced more base work with the view to performing well in October. The aim was to improve performance over long distances. As a result I should be able to handle the change of rhythm after 180 kms of racing and I should be able to bring it up to 250 kms."

He also talked about his role as leader of the Italian team and sharing this role with the in-form Francesco Casagrande: "We’ve known each other for a long time and get along well."

And next year: "I have had contact with Liquigas, bit it hasn’t come to anything, so I will probably remain with Stanga at Polti."

Luxembourg, GP Bech-Kleinmacher, 117.6 kms, August 28

Gérard Schiltz, cyclingnews.com's Luxembourg reporter writes that the Elite race at Bech-Kleinmacher was won by Danish rider Jörgen-Bo Pedersen, who is also a mountain bike professional riding for the Team Coratec.

 1. Jörgen Bo Pedersen (Den) Team Coratek       2.44.03
 2. Klaus Mutschler (Ger)                          1.37
 3. Enzo Mezzapesa (Lux)                           1.46
 4. Goran Jensen (Den)                             1.56
 5. Markus Zingen (Ger)                            2.00
 6. Markus Kersten (Ger)                           2.00
 7. Pascal Quièvreux (Fra)                         2.00
 8. Steve Fogen (Lux)                              2.00
 9. Tom Linten (Bel)                               2.00
10. Karim Mehdi (Fra)                              2.30

Started: 65

Australian MTB'ers in form in Canada, August 30

Australia dominated the 8th edition of the gruelling Raid Pierre Harvey over the weekend near Québec City, Canada. The event is the only UCI D2/3 day stage race in Canada and covers 300 kilometers over rugged terrain and long climbs (10 to 1,025 meters above sea level) through the Reserve faunique des Laurentides, a provincial park located in the province of Québec in eastern Canada. Riders were racing for up to 70 important World Cup points.

Australian Paul Rowney (11.42.58) won the race, while his three other Australian teammates Josh Fleming (11.47.46 ), Rob Woods (11.50.59) and Matt Wallace (11.51.51) placed 4th, 5th and 6th. 2nd and 3rd place went to Canadians George Visser (winner in 1998) and Bill Hurley (winner in 1997).

Rowney took the first leg just 2 seconds in front of Visser. He also took the 2nd leg increasing his lead to 32 seconds over Visser. In the final stage, Rowney simply rode behind Visser content to protect his lead. Visser won the last leg but could do no better than substracting 1 second off Rowney's lead.

In all 589 racers (412 last year) in different categories from Canada, the US and Australia took on the 300 kilometer challenge.