World Championships news for October 13, 2000

Jalabert's misfortune

Laurent Jalabert was one of the clear favourites for the elite men's time trial from Rostrenen to Plouay today, performing in front of a home crowd and eager to repeat his World Championship Title of 1997. Unfortunately for the French veteran, a bout of gastroenteritis last night before the event cost him his start, and the potential for a gold medal.

He was fifth in Sydney, but with the absence of Armstrong, Ekimov and Ullrich, and an Olano at the end of a tough season, Jalabert had good reason for optimism. "I could only improve from Sydney," he said yesterday. "Whereas the others were fresher in September. I have not raced much since the Tour de France."

The decision to forfeit his start was taken moments before the departure of the first rider, Robert Nagy (Svk). He was vomiting all night and couldn't eat, but French coach Patrick Cluzaud believed that he could have ridden. However, in order not to jeopardize Jalabert's chances on Sunday, they decided not to.

It was a hard blow however, as according to Cluzaud, "he wanted to gain this title so much, that his morale is destroyed."

His compatriot, Christophe Moreau didn't have a good ride, finishing 17th - four places worse than in Sydney. He has been one of the many that have been 'under the weather' and has been taking antibiotics for a cold.

Zabel pulls out

German cyclist, Erik Zabel will not participate in the World Road Race Championships on Sunday as he is suffering a cold. The German team have now lost Jan Ullrich and Andreas Klöden also looks unlikely. He too is suffering a cold and the decision to start will be made tomorrow.

Zabel said that he desperately wanted to start, but came down with a cold after Sunday's wet and chilly Paris-Tours World Cup race, where he finished 12th. Team doctor, Lothar Heinrich said that it would have made no sense for Zabel to race in the World's Road Race.

Hanka goes home

After her sixth place in the women's time trial yesterday, German Hanka Kupfernagel left the team hotel to return home early. Along with her husband, Torsten Wittig, she did not want a start in Saturday's road race, and will take two weeks off the bike before training for the cyclocross season this winter. Wittig claimed in Sydney that she was "flat, but no-one would believe me there. We wanted to do one more test."

She even raced on an older bike, one that she won the bronze medal in Valkenburg in 1998 on. However, that did not help her on Wednesday - although she was up in third on the final time check, a mechanical cost her precious time and she finished 6th.

With the introduction of women's events, the cyclocross season is far more lucrative for Kupfernagel - race organisers pay up to $US 500 start money, and this will certainly help her in her largely solo racing career next season.