News for January 20, 2000

No Mallorca for Pantani

The much anticipated return of Marco Pantani will be delayed until late February. The Pirate had intended on returning to race in the Challenge Mallorca, starting on February 6, but is instead going to wait until the 22nd for the Tour of Valencia.

Apparently Pantani does not find "the tranquillity suitable" to reappear in Mallorca, and had considered the Tour of Andalusia on February 13 before deciding on the Valencian race. He will have to return to Lusanne, Switzerland prior to this in order to undergo a mandatory health test to recover his license.

In some good news for the priate, the gastrointestinal problem that had affected him recently has almost gone. Two days of absolute rest have been necessary. Yesterday Pantani returned to the saddle for a small ride of less than 40 km, but he is also having problems with prying tourists. He prefers to come down from his hotel room "because in the room I become nervous."

Boogerd for Sydney

Rabobank number two ranked rider in the world, Michael Boogerd, is aiming for the Olympic Road Race, according to coach, Gerrie Knetemann. "It is after the critical World Cup races, and I should be in good form then," said Boogerd on Wednesday at the official Rabobank team presentation in Utrecht.

Boogerd missed both previous Olympic games - Barcelona '92 because of an achilles injury, and Atlanta '96 because he wasn't selected. "I hope to be among the top five riders in the Netherlands at the time of the Olympics," he said. He thinks that a good Olympic combination will be similar to a good World Cup team.

Hundertmarck clashes with the press

Telekom rider Kai Hundertmarck collided with a press photographer during the second stage of the Tour Down Under. The German, who will now display a black eye for the rest of the race, remounted his bike and did not have to chase hard, since most of the peloton seemed to be out on a training ride between North Adelaide and Goolwa. He was soon back in the field again.

Saturn in the rain

Courtesy of Jeremy Dixon

Although California is renowned for it's summer climate, it has been raining a lot lately, putting a dampener on the Saturn training camp (sorry). However, they are reported to be very motivated for the upcoming season and are training accordingly. They want to live up to their number 1 ranking, especially the women.

Many of the team left for Malaysia on January 18, while the rest will be heading home for a few days. Some of them are aiming for the Tour de Snowy in March in Australia, and possibly the Tour of Cuba and/or the Tour of Argentina prior to that in February.

Top four French teams

AG2R Prevoyance, Cofidis, Festina andla Française des Jeux are the top four division I teams in France. AG2R Prevoyance, has taken the place of Casino, but the budget has been reduced. They have lost Vinokourov to Telekom but their nucleus is still Baltic: the Estonian Kirsipuu (18 vitories last year, 3 more than Cipo), his compatriot Lauri Aus, the Lithunaian Kasputis, Kivilev the Khazak, and Botcharov the Russian.

On the other hand there is Cofidis, with their large 30 rider squad, including track stars like Laurent Gané and Arnaud Tournant. Not forgetting the volatile Belgian, Frank Vandenbroucke.

Their team is complete in every area: from the climber Rinero, winner of the KOM in the Tour in 1998, sprinters like Jo Planckaert, and all rounders like Roland Meier, David Millar and Peter Farazijn.

Festina is a French team with a strong Spanish influence, and is being reconstructed after "1998" by director Juan Fernandez. They have the likes of Marcel Wüst and Laurent Madouas to lead some of the younger riders into the team's rebirth.

The final team is La Française Des Jeux, whose director has reaffirmed his intention to continue in a set program. Along with Heulot, Michaelsen, and McGee they have new signing Gwiazdowski, the Polish surprise winner of the Championship of Zurich, and Fabrizio Guidi, who will add to their sprinting capabilities.

Risi with Collinelli in Stuttgart

Courtesy of Veloinfo/Ernst Bretscher

Six Day specialist Bruno Risi, left on his own after partner Kurt Betschart's knee injury in Bremen, will ride the Stuttgart Six Days, starting Friday, with Italian Andrea Collinelli. The Stuttgart race is the last in the winter calendar.

Jiménez out for a week

Banesto rider, Jose Maria "Chaba" Jiménez, will have to take a week off the bike due to a fall he had whilst out training. He injured his thumb and had it x-rayed at the hospital in Malaga and will have to have it immobilized for 6-7 days.

No Jazztel for Costa Almeria

The Spanish telecommunications company Jazztel might not sponsor Miguel Moreno's Costa Almeria team after all, according to Ciclismo en España. It is also rumored that David García Markina of Vitalicio and elite rider Diego Luis Prior might join the team.

Amateur racing across the Pyrenées

The Courses au soleil, spring races in the Pyrynéean area, are popular start ups for several of the major amateur squads in Europe. Here is the calendar from Ciclismo en España:

5 February, Ronde des Pyrénées in Canet del Rosselló, 107 kms

6 February, La Pyrénee in Perpignan, 117 kms

12 February: Boucles Catalanes, from Blanes to Amélie les Bains, 152 kms

13 February: Circuit Mediterranéen, from Amélie les Bains to Blanes, 145 kms

19 February: La Tramontane, from Prades de Conflent to Ripoll, 159 kms

20 February: Ronde du Canigou, from Ripoll to Prades de Conflent, 160 kms

26 February: Les Vallées Catalanes, in Aude, 77 kms

27 February: Route de Dalí, from Ille sur Têt-Perpignan to Figueres, 88 kms