World Championships news for September 29, 2000

Alvaro González de Galdeano to miss World's

The Spanish team for the World Championships will be without breakaway specialist, Alvaro González de Galdeano, after he withdrew due to injury this week. A stage winner in the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España this year, González de Galdeano fell during the last stage of the Vuelta and did not complete the race. He injured his hip and back as a result and has not been able to recover in time.

Several riders may replace him in the 13 man squad, including Santi Blanco (Vitalicio), Rafael Diaz Justo (ONCE), José Antonio Flecha (Relax Fuenlabrada), Eladio Jiménez (Banesto), Roberto Laiseka (Euskaltel) or Aitor Osa (Banesto).

The remainder of the team is as follows:

Manuel Beltran (Mapei)
Oscar Freire (Mapei)
Angel Luis Casero (Festina)
Juan Carlos Domínguez (Vitalicio)
Miguel Angel Martín Perdiguero (Vitalicio)
José Enrique Gutierrez (Kelme)
Oscar Sevilla (Kelme)
José Luis Rubiera (Kelme)
Jon Odriozola (Banesto)
Abraham Olano (ONCE)
Carlos Sastre (ONCE)
Haimar Zubeldia (Euskaltel)

Michaelsen's Plouay ride in jeopardy

Lars Michaelsen (FDJ) fears that his start in the World's might have to be cancelled after his fall in the Olympic Road Race. In addition to the ordinary bruises, he sustained a fairly deep cut in his leg. The next few days will determine whether he will be OK for the race in Plouay.

The fall occurred on the second of the 14 laps while he was trying to catch the field behind a neutral service bike after he had broken his chain. The bike did not have pedals fitting Michaelsen's shoes and on a sharp bend on the descent into Bronte, he was unable to control the bike properly.