News for December 29, 2000
Virenque decision tomorrowThe Swiss Cycling Federation will make its decision tomorrow on the future of Richard Virenque, the Swiss based French cyclist who recently confessed to EPO use during the Festina trial. Although he wasn't sentenced in the context of that trial, Virenque is still likely to be sanctioned for confessing to drug use. The FSC may suspend him for 6 to 12 months and/or fine him between FS 2000-4000 ($US 1200-2500). The FSC have appointed a legal commission consisting of three independent experts, two lawyers and a doctor who will meet on Friday morning in Bern to decide Virenque's fate. It is unlikely that Virenque will be present however. Although content with the decision passed down in Lille on Friday, Richard Virenque said that he "feared another lawsuit" depending on the decision of the Swiss Federation. A potential suspension would commence on February 1, 2000, meaning that he would miss most of the season even with a minimum 6 month sanction. Cecconi gets readyMarco Pantani's new lawyer, Federico Cecconi, is currently preparing himself for the task to appeal Pantani's sentence for sporting fraud (falsifying results through recourse to doping). Cecconi was appointed last week after Pantani's former defence team stood down by mutual agreement. Previously, Cecconi managed to reduce Fabiana Luperini's sentence after she tested positive to Nandrolone last year. Cecconi will concentrate his defence on two principal aspects of the sentence, the first being the applicability of the "sporting fraud" charge to Pantani in the first place seeing as it was not definitively shown that he took exogeneous EPO. Cecconi is annoyed about the apparent one-sided treatment of the scientific experts. The prosecution's evidence was considered to be "scientifically rigorous, while the reasons put forward by the defence were not taken seriously," said Cecconi. "They were given under oath and represent a series of hypotheses that contradict the scientific reconstruction of the prosecution." "We will probably ask for a renewal of the debate, with the details of the scientific evidence appraised by an independent university expert. During the trial, the scientific advisers on the side of the prosecution were also part of CONI's anti-drug commission, and I question whether they should have been allowed to take a side in this case," he added. "There are also a lot of scientific guidelines on the oscillations of hematocrit. The advisers for the prosecution considered an oscillation beyond 2-3 percent anomalous. In another court case dealing with doping (Bologna), the scientific advisers made reference to scientific studies conducted in the USA in which oscillations of up to 70 percent were explained. There are many controversial aspects and a highly qualified expert could clear them up," he finished.
Minguez reflectsIt will not be a happy new year for Vitalicio Seguros' former director, Javier Mínguez, who is now forced to face the end of his team. By the halfway point of the season, he knew that Vitalicio was not going to continue its sponsorship of the squad, and Minguez spent a desperate couple of months looking for another. Although he had the support of his riders, who put off negotiations with other teams on the off chance that a sponsor would be found, Minguez was eventually forced to let everything go in September. He gave an interview with Spanish newspaper, As, where he reflected on his time with Vitalicio. He said that he has decided not to be sad about losing his team: "I prefer to think positively about all the great things that cycling has given me during these years. Now is the moment for enjoying what I have had. I have been a privileged person, because I am vocationally a sporting director and have obtained more than I had hoped." His best moments included when Andrei Zintchenko won three stages of the Vuelta '98, Oscar Freire won the World Championships in '99, the three Spanish National Championships won by the team, its performance in the Giro 2000, and Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano's ride in the Vuelta '99. The main disappointments were the team's high ambitions in the Vuelta 2000 that failed to produce anything, and the two positive Nandrolone tests (Hruska, Alvaro Gonzalez de Galdeano) near the end of the year. "That was also sad, but nobody should hang their head because it was an accident," he commented. He has not ruled out coming back to direct a team, but it appears unlikely in the near future, especially after all his efforts to convince potential sponsors failed. But, if someone calls him with an offer, then "I will go, but I am not going to be the one looking for it." Minguez said that there was difficulty in getting Spanish companies to sponsor cycling because "those that we can explain the project to are not the final decision makers. If we could speak with the top people in charge, I am sure that we could convince them because there is no doubt that advertising through cycling is profitable."
BDR president to stand for Olympic CommitteeSylvia Schenk, who is Manfred Böhmer's replacement as the head of the German cycling federation (BDR), will also stand as a candidate for Vice President of the German Olympic Committee (NOK) in 2002. A former 800 m runner, Schenk has not had a great deal of cycling experience. However, she was selected on the UCI's management committee earlier this year, and then was appointed to be Böhmer's successor in 2001.
Renäng athlete of the yearSwedish third division Team Crescent rider, Petter Renäng has been awarded the AN medal as athlete of the year in the western part of province Värmland by the local newspaper Arvika Nyheter. Renäng won a silver medal at the Swedish ITT Championships this summer and represented Sweden in the Espoirs' European and World Championships. He is the fifth cyclist to get the award, the others being:
1943: Erik Johansson Courtesy of Tomas Nilsson Global Racing Team addsThe new Downhill/Dual MTB "Global Racing Team" has confirmed Japanese riders, Naoki Idegawa (20) and Daisaku Kaneko (24) to its roster next season. The two will therefore become the first Japanese riders to ride for a UCI registered mountain bike trade team. In addition the team has announced that its communications sponsor will be Arai Resort Inc., who pledged a long term commitment to the team today. The company will host the team's official web site to be launched on March 1, 2001 (ARAIglobal.com). Arai Resort Inc. owns the Arai Mountain & Snow Park, which has hosted two World Cup downhill events in the past three years and will continue to host a World Cup round until 2003.
Vuelta a Granada offThe organisers, Grupo Deportivo Tech Luz, of the Elite/U23 Vuelta a Granada in Spain, have decided to suspend the race until they can find better support for it. The one week long stage race was due to take place from April 18-24, 2001, but the organisers did not want to compromise its quality with a reduced budget. ANDYCA to meet RFECA delegation of the Spanish National Association of Directores Amateurs (ANDYCA) will meet the Spanish Cycling Federation (RFEC) next Thursday to discuss matters relating to Elite/U23 racing in Spain. Amongst the topics that will be examined include the number of races in the Copa de España next season, selection races, the national calendar, and the payment of 25,000 Spanish pesetas ($US 140) by each team to the RFEC. Cyclingnews.com poll - less than three days to goIt seems that cyclingnews readers don't need a lot of encouraging when it comes to voting, as entries continue to flood in for the Vote for your best ride of 2000 competition. It's easy to do - just fill in the voting form with the relevant details, select your favourite performance of 2000 from the list, and answer the question on the form if you would like to go into the draw to win the Blackburn Motivator DVD training system. Remember, the entries close at midnight GMT on December 31, 2000. The poll results will be announced the following day, with the competition winners shortly afterwards.
|