News for June 10, 2000

Hamilton takes charge

Hamilton leads
Photo: © AFP

After coming close to taking the yellow leader's jersey in yesterday's Mont Ventoux stage, US Postal's Tyler Hamilton made sure of it today as he captured the leg from Beaumes-de-Venise to Digne-les-Bains. It was a 1-2 finish for the Posties, as Lance Armstrong came in second after working with Hamilton over the final kilometres to establish their lead.

Today's stage was not as challenging as yesterday, or tomorrow for that matter, so the plan was to sit in and see what happened. The Euskaltel team were forced into making the pace, chasing an 11 man break that had gone clear early on that contained Kevin Livingston for US Postal. According to director Johan Bruyneel, Lance Armstrong felt good, and wanted to test himself on the stage to ensure that yesterday was not a sign of bad condition. He experienced hunger flat on the final kilometres of Mont Ventoux, which as every cyclist knows is worse than a) a false flat and b) a tyre flat.

Hamilton also wished to see how things panned out: "Before the start, we said we'd take it easy and that we'd be saving ourselves for the big mountain stage on Saturday," he said. "We are very familiar with the climb up the Corobin pass, and when we got to it, we saw there was an opportunity. So we decided that we wouldn't put off until tomorrow what we could do today. A few seconds, a few minutes to gain, that's always there for the taking."

"At one point, Lance talked to me on the radio and said, 'that's where you can attack.' I did it and it worked," added Hamilton, who attacked on a steep part when he saw Zubeldia was in trouble. He was then joined by Armstrong, who used his knowledge of the descent to guide Hamilton.

"I came back and Lance was behind me. I thought this stage would be easier but I had to ask Lance to slow down the pace. On the descent, he wasn't braking much and I benefited from his trajectory. I know that he's done a lot for me - in my career and again today. He told me as we were riding toward the finish, 'Go win, I've already won enough.'" Hamilton did just that and now has the lead with two stages to go.

Tomorrow's 218 kilometre stage from Dignes-les-Bains to Brianįon will see the Posties in the box seat, with Hamilton leading Zubeldia by 44 seconds, and Armstrong 3rd, a further four seconds behind. "We did this exact stage two weeks ago in training so that's to our advantage," said Bruyneel. "The riders know the climbs. They know how much effort it will take. We can feel confident because both Tyler and Lance have shown they are two of the strongest guys in the race. I think the team is very motivated and confident."

Vitalicio quits after three years

The Spanish insurance company Vitalicio Seguros will not continue as a top sponsor in cycling after this season. The company has sponsored the team for three years says that its goals have been achieved. Last year the team had World Champion Oscar Freire in their ranks but lost him to Mapei, they also lost Spanish Champion Angel Casero to Festina, top climber Hernan Buenahora to Selle Italia and two good Russian riders, Smetanine and. Zintchenko to Portuguese teams.

Nevertheless Vitalicio has improved its position this year by clean sweeping the three ITT stages in the Giro recently through Hruska and Peņa, and also winning a fourth stage with Alvaro Gonzales de Galdeano. The latter's brother, Igor, was second in the Vuelta last year.

Victor Hugo Peņa may have found himself a new team already though. The Colombian said that ONCE and Fassa Bortolo are interested in him, and he could well be a drawcard given his time trialling talents as well as his climbing skills. The cyclist is turning 27 in July and he managed 15th in the Giro.

The Vitalicio team is also qualified for the Vuelta a Espaņa and is currently ranked eighth in the world. Team director Javier Minguez is optimistic about the future: "But it's not going to be easy. It's not like football where if you win the league seven teams are calling you," he said to Reuters.

First test clean at World's

The UCI have carried out their first hematocrit test at the World Mountain Bike Championships in Sierra Nevada. No rider had too high a hematocrit level. The World's in Sierra Nevada are the first championship races to be held at altitude (above 2000 meters), and there were calls from the doctor of the German team to change the allowable hematocrit limit to 52.

Pierre Blanchard, who does the blood tests on behalf of the UCI said that "We contacted Lon Schattenberg, chairman of the medical committee of the UCI. He talked to specialists and we decided to keep the level on 50. There is a chance that riders, who stay above 2000 meters for a longer time period, will get a higher level than normal. But it isn't responsible for riders to start with a level above 50. That's too dangerous for the riders."

Tour 2003 to Zeeland?

There is a chance the Tour de France will visit the province of Zeeland in the Netherlands in 2003. The organisers in Zeeland are candidates for a stage in 2004, but they've had a request from the Tour director, Jean Marie Leblanc for organising a stage in 2003.

"They asked about the possibilities for the prologue or for a part of stage one," said Henk van Stee of the organisation body in Zeeland. "We will send a positive reaction to France this week." This will be in place of the stage in 2004.

The year 2003 is the 100 year celebration of the Tour. The original plans are to start and finish in Paris, but it seems that the French capital will not allow the two-time closure of the city to traffic. In that case, the organiser of the Tour needs an alternative route.

The organization committee has to overcome a few problems though. The Tour has to go through a tunnel (Westerscheldetunnel) that will be built in the spring of 2003, but they may be delayed. Another problem is a financial one. A tour start costs 6x more. It's a question if enough sponsors can be found.

Courtesy of Reiner Meijer, PZC, BNstem, Omroep Zeeland

Aussie men to Italian ITT

Potential members of the Australian men's Olympic team will contest the Coppa dello Nazione time trial in northern Italy today. Nathan O'Neill, Tom Leaper (Panaria Gaerne) and Matt White (Vini Caldirola) will test their legs during this race, which is an Italian National Time Trial event. Another Australian, Jonathan Hall (Festina) had to pull out yesterday due to a knee injury.

The race will be used by Australian selectors as a guide to see who are potentials for the TT spots in September. However, only a time within two percent of the winner will merit significant attention. This particular event was chosen due to its similarity to the Sydney course.

Matt Stephens recovering

Linda McCartney's Matt Stephens is still recovering from the Giro d'Italia, after a knee injury forced him to abandon. Although he was initially quite upset, it may have worked out better for him in the long term according to his specialist. "I have created a bit of tissue damage by riding while it was injured: you use muscles you don't usually use, and it's pulled the joint slightly out of alignment. Apparently I am very lucky I didn't attempt the Alps, as they could have screwed up the whole season."

He was initially hoping to ride the Giro dell Appenino with his teammates in Genova this Sunday, but after discussions with Sean Yates, the pair agreed that a comeback at such a demanding race might be a bit premature. "Instead I'm going to do the National Criterium Championships in Birmingham the following weekend, and go to the National Road Race with Max the Sunday after that."

Also on the agenda is a meeting with his fellow British Olympic hopefuls and their coaches and selectors. "Unfortunately that falls on the same day as the Manx International which I would have liked to have done, but there was no other available date to get everyone together."

Matt, Max Sciandri, Chris Boardman, Jeremy Hunt, David Millar, Jamie Burrow, Charley Wegelius, Roger Hammond and John Tanner are the main candidates for the Sydney Olympic road race, and National road race will be an important selection race.

Jeanson gets a new sponsor

LGS Group, an international consulting firm in information and management technology, will sponsor Quebec cyclist, Genevičve Jeanson for the next two years. LGS group LGS Group will provide the young Jeanson with financial assistance for two years as well as the opportunity to pursue studies, including Italian, a very useful language for cyclists.

At the official reception of the sponsorship in the new ISCI Scientific Immersion Center in Montreal, Jeanson said that the support will help her devote time to training and competing, while still studying. "LGS's offer is all the more appealing in that the people there understand my needs," she said.

According to LGS vice president, Alain Dumouchel, Jeanson represents their company's ideals "We are known in our field for our uncompromising search for the very best people. We look for leaders, determined people with vision who are willing to commit themselves when necessary."

First woman to UCI

For the first time in the 100 years history of the UCI a woman has been chosen on the board. Sylvia Schenk, a former athlete from Frankfurt, Germany is the new member, and will be the second German on the 12 person board.

Dope among amateurs in northern France

After a year of police work, a dope trafficking ring has been unmasked in the amateur cycling scene in the Champagne-Ardenne region in northern France. A year ago a, 37 year old rider was taken to hospital after an overdose of amphetamines at a regional race. Now six riders, aged 20 to 50, have been interrogated, according to police sources. The most recognised of the riders is an ex-regional elite champion of the Champagne region, according to French news agency AFP. The source of the drugs is said to be amateur riders in the Benelux (Belgium-Netherlands-Luxembourg) region.

The six interrogated, and a seventh who is being hospitalised for the time being, are accused of use or dealing with doping products as amphetamines, corticoids, cocaine and heroine. No club leaders or doctors have been questioned yet.

The French Cycling Federation president, Daniel Baal, said to French radio that the federation is working fast but also on a long term to stop doping in the amateur ranks and indicated that controls will be mote effective on that level.

This latest affair comes on top of the investigation in Perpignan, Southern France, where a similar ring of drug trafficking was found. It is not known yet whether the two affairs are related.