News for January 24, 2000

McEwen in common assault

Yesterday's final stage winner of the Tour Down Under, Australian Robbie McEwen, has been charged with common assault with indecent behavior. following an incident on Saturday morning in an Adelaide hotel. The charges result from a complaint made by a maid at the Hilton Hotel where McEwen was staying along with the rest of the cyclists. Although the incident happened on Saturday, police waited until an hour after the finish yesterday before questioning him.

He was arrested, but later released on bail and is set to appear in Adelaide magistrates court today. The cyclist rides for the Dutch team Farm Frites, whose manager, Teun Van Vliet did not offer any comment about the incident. Similarly, the media spokesperson for the Tour Down Under, Jenny Daly, declined to comment, saying that it "was a matter between the team managers, the police and the cyclist himself." Race director, Mike Turtur echoed this, saying that "It was an act committed by an individual acting on his own, and we have no comment on it."

Tour Down Under wrapup

The 2nd edition of the Tour Down Under concluded yesterday with a street circuit race in Adelaide, the South Australian capital. With a crowd of some 50,000 watching, and similar crowds observed on the other days, the tour was branded as a great success. Race director Mike Turtur said that "the police were staggering in their support, and it was a really good buzz. There was a huge public acceptance of the event." The incident involving McEwen was unfortunate, although it was considered as separate from the race.

Readers of cyclingnews will undoubtedly remember the controversy surrounding the race last year, when Italian star, Mario Cipollini was scheduled to appear but did not show up (despite his name being on the contract). Such was not the case this year, when all of the riders on the start list were there. There was a similar rumour this year regarding Cipollini riding in the Melbourne to Sorrento, but this was even more unfounded as it turned out.

Ambitious plans for Mapei Quick-Step 2000

By Tim Maloney, cyclingnews.com correspondent

On Friday, 21 January at their Milano HQ, Mapei-Quick Step presented their new team and ambitious program for 2000. Mapei is a $500 million dollar multinational firm who specialise in adhesives and related products for installation on floor and wall coverings. Quick Step is a European leader in high end wood parquet flooring. The team is not only the #1 UCI ranked professional cycling team on Planet Earth, but with 39 riders, it is also the biggest squad in the sport. Although bigger may not necessarily be better, in this case, the big jump in riders came from the addition of 12 young riders that will act as a reservoir of talent to ensure the future development and improvement of the squad.

World Champ Freire (Spain), sprinters Nicola Chesini and Luca Paolini (Italy), climbers Laszlo Bodrogi (Hungary) and Charlie Wegelius (UK) and all-rounders Philppe Kohler (France) and Kevin Hulsmans (Belgium) are the most notable young additions.

Beside the youth movement at Mapei Quick Step for 2000, the team is counting on the imminent return of Michele Bartoli after his lost season of '99, a major Spring Classics effort from Andrea Tafi and Johan Museeuw and some solid results from new acquisition Oscar Freire, '99 World Pro Champ. Pavel Tonkov will look to return to the Maglia Rosa for the Giro, while the Tour De France may see emerging talent Daniele Nardello look a podium spot as his key goal

Dr. Giorgio Squinzi, the owner of Mapei spa and driving force behind the team said that "2000 is a year of change for our team and for the first time in the history of cycling, a team at the top of the sport has invested in in young riders. This should serve as good indication how we (Mapei) view cycling in the future." However, Dr. Squinzi had tough words for the UCI and their current approach to the doping problem.

"The current situation in cycling is very confusing; we are just now at this late date finding out the new regulations from the UCI on medical controls...and they are very disappointing. Of the four parameters, there is only one (haematocrit) that offers the possibility to suspend a rider. I'm in favor of more stringent medical controls; like those suggested by the Italian Olympic Committee that offer a continual check of the riders health throughout the year. We hope that in 2000 that we have more 'real' controls of riders and that all the teams can compete on an equal basis."

Squinzi continued his tough observations on cycling with the statement that "Our Mapei-Quick Step riders feel alone in the peloton and tell me that they may win fewer races since we are clean and ride as true sportsmen..." Squinzi went on to relate that "In my travels as head of Mapei spa, I meet thousands of people and I hear that cycling is getting a bad reputation from all the doping allegations...however, we are know as a clean team and people also appreciate this from a sporting point of view. That's one main reason that Mapei will stick with cycling."

In fact, despite the ongoing polemic on doping, Mapei has some lofty goals for 2000, as related by team manager Patrick Lefevre. "With our current win total of 465, we look to pass a total of 500 team wins in 2000...our program is to race 444 days this year in 20 countries on 3 continents. Of course, we want to win the Team and Individual World Cup as well. With such a powerful and professionally organized team, it's hard to imagine that Mapei Quick Step won't achieve their objectives."

Notable Quotes:

Michele Bartoli: "I've done a lot of work recently," Bartoli told cyclingnews. "I was in the Canary Islands and I'm pretty satisfied. I've been riding up to 5 hours but I still have some pain in my right knee. My first races in Majorca will be the first real test; whether I can keep up with the group...if not, I'll go back home and keep working for a complete recovery."

Davide Tani (Bartoli's training partner) : "I've done a lot of riding with Michele the last 5 years and he's getting better every day...he has a lot of character and determination and I'm sure he'll come back to be the #1 rider he was. "

Johan Museeuw: "I'm feeling like my old self these days. Last year, I was riding on one leg, but now I'm a lot better...I am even riding with two legs now! I may be older, but I'm getting better."

Bart Leysen (Museeuw's training partner): "You know, it's amazing...Johan is riding stronger than ever! At our training camps, he would stay on the front for a half-hour...watch out for him this spring."

Chann McRae: "I'm starting slow this year; my long term goals are the Tour De France, Vuelta and hopefully the Olympics," the 'other' Texan told cyclingnews. "I had two great months at home in Texas and now I'm back in Italy training with Fred (Rodriguez), Daniele Nardello and other Mapei guys."

The 28 year old from Austin is very happy at Mapei. "This is a great team!" McRae also reflected on his excellent 5th place in last years World Pro Road Championships in Verona. "You know, it was a great opportunity that was lost...it could have changed a lot of things for me. But I know that if I'm in that situation again, I'll play my cards differently."

Andrea Tafi: "The classics are my main objectives this year, " the long, tall Tuscan related to cyclingnews. "I'm also looking forward to returning to the USPRO Championships in Philadelphia...I love that race.!" Tafi is hoping for the double at Paris-Roubaix, and perhaps a win at the Tour of Flanders, another race he is very fond of.

Fred Rodriguez: "My first year at Mapei was great and this year, I hope to ride well enough to make the Giro squad," said Fast Freddy.

Rincon - a portrait

By Tomas Nilsson

The kidnapping last week of Colombian star Oliverio Rincon has shocked many in the cycling world and the cyclist is still being held by the ELN (Army el Liberación Nacional) who are seeking a ransom for his release. Here is a summary of his achievements in the cycling arena:

Oliverio Rincon started his career by winning the sixth and last stage of Vuelta a Burgos (Cat 2) in the spring of 1991, at age 23 and then had five years of excellent performances, 1993 being the best, ranked 43rd in the world. The two following years he was 64th and 55th on the UCI rankings.

In 1996 he prepared with a Colombian team until May when he came to Europe to ride the important races. He won a stage in the Vuelta but that was about all. A 305th place in the rankings at 105 points was not impressive and he signed for a Colombian team for the next season, a team that never started since it ran out of money.

Rincon retired only to come back on a two year contract with the then new team Vitalicio Seguros for 1998 and 1999, but the magic was gone. His Tour de France was significant: He finished outside of the time limit on the eighth stage before the race had even come to the Pyrenees, where he won his greatest victory in 1993, the fifteenth stage of the Tour at Andorra. The same year he also won a stage in the Vuelta and was fourth overall, and in 1995 he won the 14th stage in the Giro and was fifth overall. In the World Championships in his home town in Duitama, Colombia he came in as eighth.

Major victories:

1991
Vuelta a Burgos, stage 6
Escalade a Montjuic, both stages and overall
1993
Vuelta a Aragon, stage 4
Vuelta a Espana, stage 17, 4th overall
Critérium du Dauphiné-Libéré, stage 6, 2nd overall
Tour de France, stage 15, 16th overall
1994
Classique des Alpes
Vuelta a Cuenca/Memorial Luis Ocana, overall
1995
Giro d'Italia, stage 14, 5th overall
1996
Vuelta a Espana, stage 17, 49th overall

Italian doping continues

The Italian doping investigation is continuing on several fronts. First there is Gotti, Faresin and Bertolini appearing in Rome as part of the CONI investigation (prosecutor Aiello). Secondly there is Pierguido Soprani's case in Ferrara, into professor Francesco Conconi and colleagues.

Moreover, yesterday in Florence, the police officers of the Nas questioned (on behalf of Soprani), the director of Mapei-Quick Step, Giorgio Squinzi, who commented: "Conconi? He knew everyone and everything. My team went to his Ferrarese center in '94, when we were looked after by the doctors of Castellanza".

Ivan Gotti will be forced to return to the CONI investigation within the month, however Gianni Faresin, and Alexander Bertolini are not obliged to. The anti-drug prosecutor Giacomo Aiello explained: "In relation to the actions required from the power of attorney of Bologna, regarding the haematological condition of the athletes we estimate it will happen within two weeks. Clarifications will need to come from the official technical advisory of the University professors Cazzola, Ferrara and Pierpoli".

At the close of his interview yesterday, Gotti gave some well chosen words: " I cannot say anything," leaving it in the hands of his lawyer, Pierfilippo Capello.

Finally, the anti-drug prosecutor made official the decision on the appeal of Fabiana Luperini, who asked for an erasure of her disqualification for 8 months for nandrolone Aiello explains: "I would not have made it if the athlete did not want the full acquittal. I will explain that the Luperini decision only reflects on our power of attorney, and not to the entire doping case. In one sense, perhaps, we have established our first disciplinary verdict ".

Argentin puts in his view

Former star of the classics, Italian Moreno Argentin has put in words his thoughts on the Italian investigations. Argentin, who is now president of the Italian association of athletes wrote to Professor Bernasconi, an eminent haematologist and head of the scientific and anti-drug Commission of CONI

In his letter to the professor, Argentin states that "The sport societies and consequently the athletes are not clear enough on the absolute priority that, in this delicate matter, must be the health of the athlete."

He compares the UCI's "Swiss Medical plan 2000" and the new CONI campaign "I do not risk my health". He writes that there are many parallels between the two towards the the attainment of a truly reliable system. "If when we will finally have a single equal law for all, then all will have to respect it. We will have the uniformity that the Director of La Gazzetto dello Sport, Dr Candido Cannavò has said is a requirement."

"To the Associations the safeguard of the health of the athletes should constitute a priority for the reason inasmuch as it feeds the economic system from which they depend".

"I believe that all the riders and the sporting groups together wish serious controls and want laws that are fixed at the beginning of the season... Then it is up to the UCI to guarantee this state of things, or CONI or whatever other organisation. The important thing is that all is transparent and comprehensible, to attache to the jobs as well as to the athletes. And legal-legislative harmonization to a common European level would be favorable."

"Also, there should not be mud thrown on cycling in an indiscriminate way, rather we want to speak about the champions and their enterprises... I hope that the finish line is coming. When it arrives, I wish to say to everyone who has helped, thanks for how much it will favour the sport of the cycling, the riders and their health," he concludes.

Correction: Jean F'loch

It was reported in Friday's news that top French team, Jean-Floc'h-Mantes (which included Australian Tim Christopher in 1997 and 1998) was to stop this year due to sponsorship reasons. This was partially incorrect, as it was the women's team, CA Mantes-la-Ville Jean Floc'h, that was to stop. According to Jean Francios Quenet (journalist and editor of the Golden Book of Cycling), Mr Jean F'loch said that "he'll be dead before he'll quit cycling." Apologies for any confusion.