Second edition news for April 11, 2000UCI rankings: Zabel moves upThe latest rankings have been released by the UCI after last weekend's Paris-Roubaix. Although ONCE's Laurent Jalabert (Fra) has an unassailable lead (for the time being) of nearly 800 points, Telekom's Erik Zabel (Ger) has benefited from his World Cup campaign moving into second place on 1695 points. He displaces Abraham Olano (ONCE) who is on 1666 but may well gain more if he places highly in the Cat 2.2 Tour of Aragon starting Wednesday. Dutchman Michael Boogerd (Rabobank) continues his gentle slide down the rankings to 4th, but he has made it clear that he wants wins in certain races, not ranking this year. Tied on fifth are American Lance Armstrong (US Postal) and Italian Francesco Casagrande (Vini Caldirola), both on 1497 points. In the teams, division one are still led by Mapei-Quick Step (2,548 pts) but Erik Zabel, with Andreas Klöden and Steffen Wesemann have pushed the Telekom team up to within striking distance, at 2,518 points. In third is ONCE-Deutsche Bank who would dearly love to take that number one spot from Mapei, and will keep winning the Spanish tours until they do. Embattled French team Cofidis, is hanging in there in sixth (1,293 points), although they will presumably lose a few in the coming months until their riders return to competition. In the second division rankings, French Credit Agricole continues to lead, although they probably still consider themselves as first division. Italian Cantina Tollo are a couple of hundred points behind, with Euskadi-Euskaltel in third. Behind Laurent Brochard's Jean Delatour team (4th, 674 points) is US team Mercury, who have been gathering points on the continent with several wins and top finishes. It's the tours that count for a lot though, and having a good GC rider is essential for any second division team looking to finish at the top of the rankings by the end of the season. Top 100 rankings as of April 9, 2000 1 Laurent Jalabert (Fra) O.N.C.E. - Deutsche Bank 2,494.75 pts 2 Erik Zabel (Ger) Team Deutsche Telekom 1,695.00 3 Abraham Olano Manzano (Spa) O.N.C.E. - Deutsche Bank 1,666.75 4 Michael Boogerd (Ned) Rabobank 1,540.00 5 Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal Service 1,497.00 5 Francesco Casagrande (Ita) Vini Caldirola - Sidermec 1,497.00 7 Romans Vainsteins (Lat) Vini Caldirola - Sidermec 1,464.00 8 Jan Ullrich (Ger) Team Deutsche Telekom 1,408.00 9 Andrei Tchmil (Bel) Lotto - Adecco 1,393.00 10 Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) Ag2R Prevoyance 1,370.00 11 Marcus Zberg (Swi) Rabobank 1,356.00 12 Roberto Heras Hernandez (Spa) Kelme - Costa Blanca 1,319.00 13 Paolo Bettini (Ita) Mapei - Quick Step 1,240.00 14 Davide Rebellin (Ita) Liquigas - Pata 1,179.00 15 Johan Museeuw (Bel) Mapei - Quick Step 1,105.50 16 Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) Team Deutsche Telekom 1,105.00 17 Oscar Camenzind (Swi) Lampre - Daikin 1,103.00 18 Frank Vandenbroucke (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit Par Telephone 1,101.50 19 Mirko Celestino (Ita) Team Polti 1,040.00 20 Alex Zuelle (Swi) Banesto 1,011.00 21 Marco Serpellini (Ita) Lampre - Daikin 1,006.00 22 Jeroen Blijlevens (Ned) Team Polti 1,000.00 23 Marc Wauters (Bel) Rabobank 982.00 24 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Lampre - Daikin 972.00 25 Mario Cipollini (Ita) Saeco - Valli & Valli 941.00 26 José Maria Jimenez Sastre (Spa) Banesto 929.00 27 Laurent Brochard (Fra) Jean Delatour 909.00 28 Sergio Barbero (Ita) Lampre - Daikin 899.00 29 Daniele Nardello (Ita) Mapei - Quick Step 897.00 30 Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) Saeco - Valli & Valli 889.00 31 Dmitri Konyshev (Rus) Fassa Bortolo 881.00 32 Peter Van Petegem (Bel) Farm Frites 873.50 33 Angel Luis Casero Moreno (Spa) Festina 865.00 34 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Cantina Tollo 859.00 35 Igor Gonzalez Galdeano Aranzabal (Spa) Vitalicio Seguros - Grupo Generali 854.00 36 Serhiy Honchar (Ukr) Liquigas - Pata 843.00 37 Fernando Escartin Coti (Spa) Kelme - Costa Blanca 841.00 38 Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa) Mapei - Quick Step 839.00 39 Serguei Ivanov (Rus) Farm Frites 826.00 40 Laurent Dufaux (Swi) Saeco - Valli & Valli 811.00 41 Jens Voigt (Ger) Credit Agricole 801.50 42 Tristan Hoffman (Ned) Memorycard - Jack & Jones 799.00 43 Manuel Beltran Martinez (Spa) Mapei - Quick Step 784.00 44 Juan Carlos Dominguez Dominguez (Spa) Vitalicio Seguros - Grupo Generali 776.00 45 Ivan Gotti (Ita) Team Polti 754.00 46 Beat Zberg (Swi) Rabobank 750.00 47 Erik Dekker (Ned) Rabobank 747.00 48 Pavel Tonkov (Rus) Mapei - Quick Step 737.00 49 François Simon (Fra) Bonjour 730.00 50 Andreas Klöden (Ger) Team Deutsche Telekom 726.00 50 Leonardo Piepoli (Ita) Banesto 726.00 52 Maarten Den Bakker (Ned) Rabobank 722.00 53 Jean-Cyril Robin (Fra) Bonjour 690.00 54 David Etxebarria Alkorta (Spa) O.N.C.E. - Deutsche Bank 689.00 55 Wladimir Belli (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 688.00 56 George Hincapie (USA) US Postal Service 683.00 57 Marco Pantani (Ita) Mercatone Uno - Albacom 682.00 58 Alberto Elli (Ita) Team Deutsche Telekom 667.00 59 Marco Velo (Ita) Mercatone Uno - Albacom 665.00 60 Christophe Moreau (Fra) Festina 658.00 61 Raimondas Rumsas (Lit) Fassa Bortolo 651.00 62 Giuliano Figueras (Ita) Mapei - Quick Step 644.00 63 Gabriele Missaglia (Ita) Lampre - Daikin 636.00 64 Roberto Sgambelluri (Ita) Cantina Tollo 625.00 65 Jonathan Vaughters (USA) Credit Agricole 620.00 66 Lars Michaelsen (Den) La Francaise Des Jeux 613.00 67 Stéphane Heulot (Fra) La Francaise Des Jeux 593.00 68 José Alberto Martinez Trinidad (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 587.00 69 Massimo Donati (Ita) Vini Caldirola - Sidermec 586.00 70 Dario Frigo (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 582.00 71 Marcel Wust (Ger) Festina 566.00 72 Tom Steels (Bel) Mapei - Quick Step 556.50 73 Leon Van Bon (Ned) Rabobank 552.00 74 Gianni Faresin (Ita) Mapei - Quick Step 549.00 75 Robbie McEwen (Aus) Farm Frites 541.00 76 Aitor Osa Eizaguirre (Spa) Banesto 524.00 77 Fabrizio Guidi (Ita) La Francaise Des Jeux 518.00 78 Richard Virenque (Fra) Team Polti 514.00 79 Vjatceslav Ekimov (Rus) US Postal Service 509.00 79 Steffen Wesemann (Ger) Team Deutsche Telekom 509.00 81 Unai Osa Eizaguirre (Spa) Banesto 502.00 82 Geert Van Bondt (Bel) Farm Frites 499.00 83 Marc Streel (Bel) Ville De Charleroi - New Systems 494.00 84 Salvatore Commesso (Ita) Saeco - Valli & Valli 487.00 84 Roberto Laiseka Jaio (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 487.00 86 Fabio Baldato (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 486.00 87 Mikel Zarrabeitia Uranga (Spa) O.N.C.E. - Deutsche Bank 485.00 88 Servais Knaven (Ned) Farm Frites 472.50 89 Michael Blaudzun (Den) Memorycard - Jack & Jones 464.00 90 Jan Hruska (Cze) Vitalicio Seguros - Grupo Generali 463.00 91 Francisco Mancebo Perez (Spa) Banesto 462.00 92 Andrea Tafi (Ita) Mapei - Quick Step 456.00 93 Gilles Maignan (Fra) Ag2R Prevoyance 454.50 94 Niklas Axelsson (Swe) Ceramica Panaria - Gaerne 452.00 95 Joseba Beloki Dorronsoro (Spa) Festina 448.00 96 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Credit Agricole 445.00 97 Christopher Boardman (GBr) Credit Agricole 443.50 98 Rolf Sorensen (Den) Rabobank 442.00 99 Nicolay Bo Larsen (Den) Memorycard - Jack & Jones 438.00 100 Martin Rittsel (Swe) Memorycard - Jack & Jones 431.00 Teams, GS I 1 Mapei - Quick Step 2,548.00 pts 2 Team Deutsche Telekom 2,518.00 3 O.N.C.E. - Deutsche Bank 2,122.75 4 Farm Frites 1,901.00 5 Rabobank 1,675.00 6 Cofidis, Le Credit Par Telephone 1,293.00 7 Vitalicio Seguros - Grupo Generali 1,229.00 8 Kelme - Costa Blanca 1,158.00 9 Banesto 1,099.00 10 Fassa Bortolo 1,063.00 Teams, GS II 1 Credit Agricole 1,146.00 pts 2 Cantina Tollo 929.00 3 Euskaltel - Euskadi 756.00 4 Jean Delatour 674.00 5 Mercury Cycling Team 639.00 6 Palmans - Ideal 408.00 7 Bonjour 348.00 8 Uniao Ciclista Da Maia/MSS 297.00 9 Team Gerolsteiner 263.00 10 Alessio SGM 241.00 Teams, GS III 1 De Nardi - Pasta Montegrappa 461.00 pts 2 Bosch Hausgeräte - Sport Kärnten 403.00 3 Team Shaklee 298.00 4 Team Hohenfelder - Concorde 241.00 5 Stabil Steiermark 204.00 6 Axa Professional Cycling Team 121.00 7 Kia - Villiger Suisse 112.00 8 Jelly Belly Cycling Team 111.00 9 7Up - Colorado Cyclist 107.00 10 Barbot - Torrie 77.00 Nations 1 Italy 10,560.00 pts 2 Spain 9,562.75 3 Belgium 7,856.00 4 France 7,792.25 5 Germany 7,106.50 6 Netherlands 6,752.50 7 Switzerland 6,657.00 8 U.S.A. 4,612.00 9 Russia 4,112.00 10 Denmark 3,827.00 Peers and Dominguez out, Ullrich OKCofidis' Chris Peers has become the next member of the team to temporarily depart the racing scene, after he crashed in Sunday's Paris-Roubaix. Peers suffered a fractured wrist and will have to have it in plaster for three to four weeks, meaning that he will be unlikely to race again before late May, although he will be able to train on a stationary bike. The Cofidis team has had a dreadful start to the year, losing Christophe Rinero (knee operation), Frank Vandenbroucke (various), Jo Planckaert (injured but recovered now although not in form), Nico Mattan (crashed in the Tour of Flanders, out for at least six weeks). Maybe they are planning another all out assault on the Tour? Juan Carlos Domínguez (Vitalicio Seguros) will unable to defend his title in the Tour of Aragón, starting Wednesday. He suffered a fall in Sunday's GP Primavera in Amorebieta, fracturing the fourth finger of his right hand. He will have it in plaster for several days. He told Spanish newsagency EFE that he is under doctors orders not to use it for a month, which may prevent his contesting the Giro d'Italia, one of his main objectives for the year. Although he might manage to recover in time, he will not be in good form and may miss the race as he will do so with the Tour of Aragón. On the other hand, Jan Ullrich (Telekom) has been given the go ahead by his team doctor, Andreas Schmidt, to train again. He was suffering from a virus for the past week and had to put off his scheduled start in the Tour of Aragón. "He is clinically healthy and he can start training again, but he can't give 100 percent over more than 150 kilometres for the moment. When he is in form again, he will return to race. In May and June, there are sufficient races before the Tour de France," said director Walter Godefroot. Dr Schmidt believes that Ullrich can reach top form, provided that nothing further goes wrong before the Tour. The German has not raced since the middle of March.
Beat Zberg will ride againSwiss Rabobank rider, Beat Zberg who was badly injured on the weekend in the Tour of the Basque Country, may be able to race within three months or less, according to the latest hospital report. Zberg crashed on a descent during stage 5a and broke several vertebrae in his back, as well as sustaining internal bleeding in the kidneys. It was thought at first that he would be unable to ride for a year - possibly meaning the end of the career for this 29 year old rider ranked in the top 50. He has been under observation and treatment in a hospital in San Sebastian, Spain for the past few days. By the end of the week, he will transfer to a specialised hospital closer to home in Zürich, where he will stay for at least another two weeks. Doctors say that he may be able to ride quite soon, and race again within 8-12 weeks. French doping: Baal still afraidThe president of the French Cycling Federation, Daniel Baal, has been none too impressed with the latest doping scandal to hit France. This time it is in the elite 2 (amateur) ranks, although one of the main suspects is an ex-professional, Thierry Laurent. The French have taken great pains to try and clean up the sport in the wake of the 1998 scandal, and have certainly been amongst the leaders in drug reform and more rigorous testing. Hence Baal's displeasure. He said in a recent AFP interview that the first blanket health control this year to be carried out on the Elite 2 riders will take place before the end of this month. "Until now, it was only necessary to have a physiological examination to obtain a licence. It was necessary to wait until April to launch the biological followup for a purely administrative reason - to inform the ministry of Youth and Sport of the laboratories that were able to do the testing," he explained. Although there has only been one such blood test carried out on the Elite 2 riders to date, Baal is quite concerned about the number of riders between the 45 and 50 percent hematocrit range. "One cannot draw conclusions from this, but I ask myself questions," he said. "I think that the use of EPO is just better controlled now. There are sometimes suspicions about certain riders, and the business of Narbonne - Lyon shows that when one has doubts, sometimes they are founded." He doesn't believe that there is widespread use of EPO, but is more worried about corticoids. He has made it clear that he wants these substances tested for in anti-doping controls. Baal also thinks that doping in the amateur ranks is in the minority and the whole scene is not "gangrenous", but is not sure whether attitudes are changing. On the elite level, he is optimistic because they are professionals and have responsibilities and - hopefully - more common sense. The stricter controls help as well. He rejected out of hand the suggestion of controlled, legalised doping. "Undoubtedly that does not satisfy me, as you well know. I cannot say today that it will always be the case. It is however, a feeling that one can maintain." He intends to continue France's effort to minimize drug use in cycling, but believes it can only be done by finding the culprits and their sources. However, for this a lot of work and resources have to be put into policing and justice. Rider education, he says is not working that well: "I point out to you the study made in the Loire region on the use of teaching aids placed at the disposal of clubs. Less than ten percent of them were used," he concluded. Kupfernagel's new teamAlthough she is starting a little late this season, last year's world number one, Hanka Kupfernagel (Germany), has finally got her own team together. It is called, strangely enough "Radteam Kupfernagel", directed by Torsten Wittig-Kupfernagel. Its eight riders include Dutch cyclocross champion, Daphny van den Brand and, of course, World cyclocross champion and current number two Hanka Kupfernagel. The team will not be competing in round three of the World Cup, La Flèche Wallone, but will start full time competition soon. Team roster: Team Manager: Torsten Wittig-Kupfernagel Riders & UCI rank: Meike De Bruijn (Ned) 75th
Harald Morscher signs with NürnbergerCourtesy of Theo Muller Austrian pro, Harald Morscher who rode last year with Saeco, has signed a contract this year with German team Nürnberger. The 27 year-old has won the Austrian Rundfarht in 1994 and Steiermark Rundfahrt in1996. In his first two seasons as a pro in 1998 and 1999, he was a domestique just winning one stage of the Tour of South Africa. |