News for November 15, 2000

UCI proposal: Keep urine samples

The international governing body for cycling (UCI) will propose to keep the 91 urine samples taken during the Tour de France, according to French Sports Minister, Marie-George Buffet. Speaking from Oslo today, Mrs Buffet said that the UCI will carry out a "proposal aimed at not destroying the collected urine samples."

Hein Verbruggen met with Mrs Buffet on Tuesday afternoon whilst attending a World Anti-Doping Agency conference. It was originally proposed to destroy the samples on November 15, however the UCI was then criticised by the media, the French Sports Minister, and the Société du Tour de France. One reason that the UCI wished to destroy them was that the season officially finishes on November 15, on which date the UCI release their final classifications for the year. Alterations in the standings of the Tour de France would change this.

There is a problem of ownership of the samples as well: do the UCI, the tested riders, or the laboratories legally own them? The lawyers will determine this but Mrs Buffet was confident that they could be retained for further analysis. The UCI are the only ones who possess the knowledge of whom the samples were taken from.

Should the samples be kept, the next question is what to do with them. The laboratory of Châtenay-Malabry is unlikely to have its EPO urine test validated within the next 6 months by the IOC. This means that any analysis they carry out could only be used to map EPO use in the Tour, and not to penalise or sanction riders.

Zabel looks back

One of the most consistent riders of the 2000 season is German Erik Zabel, winner 18 races this year including two World Cups (and the overall) and a stage and a record five green jerseys in the Tour de France. Despite suffering some end of season illness, he returned to racing in the six dayers, winning the Dortmund Six (with Rolf Aldag) and being in equal first place in the Munich Six with one night to go.

In an interview with a southern German newspaper, he stated that his Tour de France stage win was the highlight of his season, as it had taken him four years to break through. However, "It is another thing to be perfect. A medal in the Olympics would have been super," he said.

Zabel has already ridden 41,000 kilometres this year, but will finally rest after the Munich Six. "I will remain at home because my son must go to school," he said of the near future. "I will have a some time off and in December will begin to train again slowly. In the next few days I will not get on the bike at all."

Zabel will commence his training in South Africa again this year, followed by a trip to Mallorca. However he will not be riding in the Tour Down Under: "The climatic change, the long flight and the heat are not necessary," he said.

Next year, his big aim is Paris-Roubaix, where he finished third this year. "That would be delightful," he said. "However, for Paris-Roubaix you need more. Firstly, luck with mechanical troubles of course. In addition, you must be clear minded and 100 percent convinced that you want to win the race. And you must enjoy this race, otherwise you can't win."

The future of the Bank Race

Over the past 19 years the Commonwealth Bank Cycle Classic has been one of the premier events on the Australian cycling calendar. Now that it has finished in its current state, what can we expect in future from Phill Bates? Will there be another event like it? For a full wrap up of this year's race, please visit the special section within the Commonwealth Bank Cycle Classic site.

Australian marriages

It is no great coincidence that in the past few weeks, several high profile Australian cyclists have celebrated their marriages. The end of the season is a perfect time to do so in order to enjoy some time together and plan the rest of their lives.

Olympic gold medallist Scott McGrory married his fiancee Donna Casey; Matthew White was wedded to Australian Olympic walker, Jane Saville; and this past weekend, National champion Jamie Drew married Annabelle Vowels, while Brad McGee wedded his fiancee Sharni.

Congratulations to all from us at cyclingnews!

Racing in East Timor

Former cyclingnews correspondent, Martin Hardie has been living in East Timor over the past year, helping the East Timorese reconstruct their country that was demolished by the Indonesian militia. He is also attempting to set up a cycling scene in the world's newest nation, and asks readers for help.

Martin writes: We had our first bike race (10kms) here in East Timor last month. It was a part of a "Mini Olympics" organized by the United Nations Administration (UNTAET). After trying to keep a semblance of a grupo moving together for a while, myself and my friend Joao Pinto decided we should attack the Philipino CIVPOL (Civilian Police). Joao ended up second, I finished a little way ahead of him. It was fun and created some interest in bikes here in Dili.

I have with me a group of people who raced for Indonesia in the dark old days of military occupation. I have been helping them form the Federasuan Biskleta Timor (Bicycle Federation of Timor). We have drafted a constitution and will seek to join the UCI in the new year, District Associations and clubs are planned throughout the country, but sadly, given the destruction that was carried out during September 1999 we have a definite lack of bikes.

We are starting weekly training rides and "criteriums" over the next month. Our plans are to let anybody race at this stage on any bike they have. The combinations of bikes are pretty spectacular, my favourites being the mountain bikes with a 16 inch wheel on the back! I know that there are a core of 5-10 riders who were of national standard in Indonesia. It is with these riders we hope to train and develop into a squad to race in Australia and S-E Asia next year.

But with an economy that cannot even support the most basic things at the moment, average wage of $5 per day and 90% plus unemployment we cannot raise funds to get together the gear we need to properly train and race. What we ideally need as soon as possible are:

• 10 road bikes
• 10-20 sets of clothing (jerseys, nicks and gloves)
• 10 pairs of shoes
• 10 helmets
• pumps, tubes and spare tyres

Freire to get treatment

1999 World Champion Oscar Freire will travel to Germany this week to seek treatment on his chronic back injury, that has plagued him throughout much of this season. He will go to a clinic in Munich where German doctor Hans Wolfang Muller will attempt to cure him using his somewhat unconventional methods. Exercise, strict diet and shark fin medicine are high on the agenda.

Muller has successfully treated other top sportsmen in the past, including golfer Txema Olazábal, and members of the Bayern-München soccer team.

Pantani: appeal rejected

The Court of Appeal in Bologna has rejected a request by Marco Pantani's lawyers to change the judge in his sporting fraud case in Forli. The Court received the request on November 6 from Gaetano Insolera and Bruno Guazzaloca against Judge Luisa del Bianco who is presiding over the case in Forli.

They claimed that on October 20, the judge had emitted a statement that constituted "an anticipation of judgment" and this should not be permitted. However, the Court of Appeal in Bologna said that their request was inadmissible because it should have been made the same day i.e. October 20.

It is possible now that Pantani's lawyers could take this to the Supreme Court.

Padilla returns

Former Banesto team doctor, Sabino Padilla, will return to cycling next season to work with the Italian Mapei squad. Currently with the Bilbao Athletic Club, Padilla will combine both cycling and athletics next season. He will not have to travel with Mapei to the races, hence his dual role.

Beloki says no to Festina

Joseba Beloki is unsure of which team he will be riding for next year, but he says it won't be Festina. This year's 3rd place getter in the Tour de France told Spanish daily Marca: "I am still under contract but I don't know if I can interrupt it. All that I know is that I don't want to renew with Festina."

Beloki had previously negotiated a five year plan with Festina, but the deal fell though. It was subsequently reduced to one year, however Beloki is still clearly unhappy. Top Spanish team Banesto have expressed interest in signing him.

Garrido to Jazztel

Spanish rider Jose Antonio Garrido, winner of a stage in this year's Volta a Portugal, is close to an agreement with Jazztel-Costa of Almeria for next season. For the past two years, he has ridden for the Portuguese Benfica team, however he does not wish to continue with them as they are in financial difficulty. He is still owed his salary from July - October as is another member of the team, Óscar Lopez Uriarte

Euskaltel does well

The top division II team for 2000, Euskaltel-Euskadi, emulated another successful Spanish team in terms of their success compared with budget for 2000. In the manner of Kelme, the Euskaltel team spent 350 million pesetas ($US 1.8 million) this year, and were rewarded with substantial coverage in the news. The telephone company that sponsors the team have in turn grown significantly during the year 2000.

Next season, their budget will be of the order of 600 million pesetas ($US 3 million) and they will rise to the first division. They have signed David Etxebarria for two years, and extended Haimar Zubeldia's contract until 2003.

TREK women's road team increases

The TREK sponsored women's road cycling team has increased the size of its team and will expand its racing schedule for 2001. The team, in its third year has added three new senior women who will provide additional strength and experience for the team's expanded National and International racing schedule.

Emily Thorne (from proteus.com), Katrina Davis (Independent Fabrications-Wheelworks) and Laura Shuford (autotrader.com) are the three new recruits. They will join juniors Sarah Uhl and Odessa Ossorio, both USA Junior World's representatives; and U-23 riders Janine Verstraeten, top U-23 at the 2000 US Pro Road Championships, Alicia Genest, current Junior National Cyclo-Cross Champion and senior Kate Farrell Gray.

The core of the team has been together for six years, starting out as a junior developmental team. It has won over 20 Junior National road, track and cyclo-cross championships, making it the top junior women's team in the US.

"Our team's mission is to provide a nurturing environment for female cyclists to help them become strong team riders. With the talent of our juniors and U-23 women and the strength and experience of the new members, we now have the best of both worlds," said Frans Verstraeten, Team TREK Manager.

Sydor joins TREK-VW

Alison Sydor has ended her seven year relationship with Volvo-Cannondale and signed with TREK-VW for 2001-2002. She will be riding with fellow Canadian Roland Green along with four other riders, saying that she was looking for a new challenge, and "looking forward to next season with a lot of motivation and anticipation."