World Championships news for October 8, 2000
ItalyAlessandro Gretter reports on the Italian selection for the World's. As expected after the Giro di Provincia della Lucca, Sergio Barbero (Lampre), Alessandro Petacchi (Fassa), Gianni Faresin and Luca Scinto (Mapei) and Gilberto Simoni (Lampre) did enough to warrant Antonio Fusi's approval. They join Olympians Bartoli, Bettini, Di Luca and Casagrande in addition to Denis Zanette and David Rebellin (Liquigas) and Mirko Celestino (Polti). However, Mapei's Daniele Nardello (who is considered one of the best in Italy now) was left behind because didn't present himself at the last test in Tuscany. In the women's team, GAS have five out of the seven riders in the road and time trial squads. However former World Champion Alessandra Cappellotto is still suffering from a knee injury sustained in the Olympic Road Race. She hasn't ridden at all for the last week and it's unlikely that she'll race in Plouay. Her substitute will be Sara Felloni (Alfa Lum). Elite Men Road Race: Sergio Barbero (Lampre
Daikin) Time Trial: Marco Pinotti (Lampre)
Elite Women Road Race Alessandra Cappellotto
(GAS)? Time Trial Gabriella Pregnolato
(GAS) Reserve: Sara Felloni (Alfa Lum) U 23 Men Road Race Lorenzo Bernucci
(Vellutex) Time Trial: Cristian Caldarelli
Junior Men Road Race: Antonio Bucciero
(Feralpi) Time Trial: Daniele Colli Junior Women Road Race: Valentina Alessio Time Trial: Lisa Gatto Olano is the one, Somarriba is notSpanish selector, Francisco Antequera has narrowed down the three potential time trialists for the World Championships in Plouay to just one, after he announced that Abraham Olano will be the sole Spanish rider in that event. It was thought that Festina's Angel Casero would be given a chance along with Olano, however the Spanish selector made his decision after the Subida Naranco, where Casero failed to finish. The final selection for the road squad has yet to be made. "I prefer to take a single rider who is in good form than to take a second who is only at 20 percent," he said, although he had yet to question Casero as to why he abandoned. Although Spain will have a decent chance with Olano, their main hope in the women's event, Joane Somarriba, will not be competing. Somarriba won the two biggest stage races of the year: the Giro d'Italia Femminile and La Grande Boucle Feminine, and placed 5th in the Olympic time trial in Sydney. She has withdrawn due to "physical problems" and her place has been taken by Ruth Martinez.
Alvaro González de Galdeano positiveIt has now become clear why Alvaro González de Galdeano was not selected for the Spanish World's team after it was revealed that he tested positive for Nandrolone. The steroid was the same substance that his Vitalicio Seguros Czech teammate, Jan Hruska, tested positive for and both face a minimum 6 month ban. The case rests in the hands of their lawyers, and the Vitalicio team is arguing that the substance appeared because of contamination of a nutritional supplement that they were taking. The test was taken in the GP Llodio (August 20) and both "A" and "B" samples were positive. The initial reason given for Gonzalez de Galdeano's non-participation was that he was still suffering from injuries sustained in a fall on the last stage of the Vuelta. However, as with Oscar Sevilla ("physical problems") this was not the case. Both Hruska and Galdeano have signed contracts with ONCE next season, however this could jeopardize them.
PolandDaniel Marszalek (Poland) reports that the Polish men's team for Plouay has been finalised. Wojciech Pawlak and not Robert Radosz has been selected for the road race, and there will be no Dariusz Baranowski or Tomasz Brozyna - both riders have finished for the season. In addition, Grzegorz Gwiazdowski (4th in the Grand Prix Ouest France, Plouay in 1998) will also finish his season a little early due to knee injury sustained during the Tour of Poland. The remainder of the Polish selection will be finalised early next week. Elite Men Road Race: Piotr Wadecki (Mroz-Supradyn
Witaminy) Time Trial: Piotr Wadecki (Mroz-Supradyn
Witaminy) Joaquin Andrade sole representative for PortugalFuture Benfica rider, Joaquin Andrade, will be the only Portuguese rider to participate in the World Championships for elite men. The rider had asked to be considered for the World's because the national selector deemed that there was no point in fielding a team after the poor performances in the Olympics. However, he reconsidered this after Andrade pointed out that he had already raced three times in the World's.
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