News for April 10, 2001Recent results and new features Armstrong announces team is clear
Judge Sophie-Helene Chateau, who is heading the investigation, later confirmed to Reuters that the urine tests were all negative. Armstrong said French officials would continue testing the urine samples but had not yet started tests on blood samples taken from the team during the 2000 Tour. "I welcome the continued testing so that there will be no doubt that either I or any member of my team did anything illegal," Armstrong said. The US Postal team were placed under investigation late last year, after TV footage and reports were released showing allegedly suspicious behaviour during the 2000 Tour. The team was suspected of trying to dump drugs by the side of the road, although analysis of the team's garbage showed that none of the substances were in fact illegal. Armstrong was disappointed and angry at again being accused of doping. "Many of you rushed to judgment. You defamed me. My results come from hard work, determination and persistence. I challenge you to reconsider your position," he said to Darren Tulett at Bloomberg News. "It's been a trying winter but we knew the tests would be negative, we know what we put in our bodies," he added. "The only thing we've taken is a bunch of hard work." Further tests are expected to be carried out on the blood samples taken during last year's Tour, but Armstrong doesn't believe that will change anything. "I've always said, I didn't use any performance-enhancing drug. We will be proven innocent." Regarding the enquiry, Armstrong commented that "I think my form this year shows that, yes, it's been a distraction, but not necessarily on my bike, or on my focus." "I'm well ahead of where I was last year and even further ahead than in '99. Overall, I feel very good and I'm still very excited about the sport."
UCI rankings: Dekker moves into top 10After the Ronde van Vlaanderen, the second round of the World Cup on Sunday, the latest UCI rankings have seen a few individuals sneak up the ladder. Dutchman Erik Dekker, with his mis-timed sprint for second place on Sunday, has moved into 8th position (from 11th), at the expense of Michele Bartoli, Paolo Bettini and Andrei Tchmil. The other big movers were RVV winner Gianluca Bortolami (313th - 129th), Denis Zanette (3rd in RVV - 170th to 87th) and Michael Boogerd (19th - 12th). Boogerd and Dekker combined to keep Rabobank number one in the division I team rankings, leading Lotto-Adecco and Mapei. Alessio is still clearly on top of division II, helped by Davide Casaratto's recent strong performances. UCI rankings at April 8
Individuals 1 Francesco Casagrande (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 2,483.00 pts 2 Erik Zabel (Ger) Team Deutsche Telekom 2,048.00 3 Davide Rebellin (Ita) Liquigas-Pata 1,960.00 4 Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal Service 1,934.00 5 Roberto Heras Hernandez (Spa) US Postal Service 1,782.00 6 Romans Vainsteins (Lat) Domo-Farm Frites 1,768.00 7 Jan Ullrich (Ger) Team Deutsche Telekom 1,676.75 8 Erik Dekker (Ned) Rabobank 1,583.00 9 Paolo Bettini (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step 1,468.00 10 Michele Bartoli (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step 1,445.35 11 Andrei Tchmil (Bel) Lotto-Adecco 1,327.00 12 Michael Boogerd (Ned) Rabobank 1,296.25 13 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Lampre-Daikin 1,266.00 14 Dario Frigo (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 1,139.00 15 Raimondas Rumsas (Ltu) Fassa Bortolo 1,130.00 16 Stefano Garzelli (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step 1,116.00 17 Wladimir Belli (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 1,064.00 18 Peter Van Petegem (Bel) Mercury-Viatel 1,025.00 19 Daniele Nardello (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step 1,004.35 20 Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) Team Deutsche Telekom 949.75 Teams Division I 1 Rabobank 2,317.00 pts 2 Lotto-Adecco 1,996.00 3 Mapei-Quick Step 1,684.00 4 Fassa Bortolo 1,438.00 5 Cofidis, Le Credit Par Telephone 1,420.00 6 Team Deutsche Telekom 1,359.00 7 Domo-Farm Frites 1,210.00 8 Saeco Macchine Per Caffe' 1,073.00 9 Liquigas-Pata 1,028.00 10 Mercury-Viatel 1,014.00 Division II 1 Alessio 968.00 pts 2 Cantina Tollo Acqua & Sapone 784.00 3 Jean Delatour 593.00 4 Milaneza-MSS 417.00 5 Bankgiroloterij-Batavus 392.00 Nations 1 Italy 13,794.70 pts 2 Spain 8,837.00 3 Belgium 7,821.25 4 Germany 7,553.00 5 Netherlands 6,506.10 6 France 6,428.50 7 U.S.A. 5,326.75 8 Switzerland 5,082.75 9 Russia 3,702.00 10 Denmark 3,576.85 Ullrich considers the end of his careerGermany's top tour rider, Jan Ullrich, has been contemplating his future and retirement, and he sees himself as in the "second half of his career." In an interview with the "Welt on Sonntag" newspaper, Ullrich spoke about life after 30, and how he is going to win at least one more Tour de France. "Many professionals are best between 28 and 30. I think that I already managed some huge achievements from my body at 22-23," he said. Ullrich is not on the shelf yet, and intends to depose Lance Armstrong and everyone else in the Tour de France this year. He will for the first time ride in the Giro d'Italia (May 19-June 10) as preparation for the Tour. "You can't create 200 tough kilometres every day in training," he said, adding that he wants to be "in form during the first week of the Tour." He will decide by the end of April whether he will ride the Giro after consulting with team leader Rudy Pevenage and doctor Lothar Heinrich. "At the moment, I am hot for the Tour de France. It is the race that fascinates and provokes me the most. The Olympic win and the World TT Championship are beautiful, but not the same." He blamed lack of eating for his 1998 Tour loss to Marco Pantani, and the fact that he was not in "one thousand percent form" for his loss to Armstrong last year. But he was optimistic for this year: "I think this time it will be a completely open race," he said.
Cipollini looking for third Gent-WevelgemDespite a quiet return to Belgian racing in the Ronde van Vlaanderen on Sunday, Saeco's Mario Cipollini says that he can win the mid-week classic, Gent-Wevelgem for a third time on Wednesday, April 11. 34 year old Cipollini won the race in 1992 and 1993, and the parcours is far more suited to him than the hillier RVV. The main difficulty is the Kemmelberg, which is normally climbed twice, but it occurs with 35 kilometres to go before the finish, allowing any dropped sprinters the possibility of catching back on. The Saeco team for Gent-Wevelgem: Mario Cipollini, Dario Pieri, Biagio Conte, Fabio Sacchi, Oscar Cavagnis, Alessio Galletti, Torsten Nitsche and Marius Sabaliauskas. The team will also race the Pino Cerami in Belgium on Friday, April 13 with a similar team: Dario Pieri, Joerg Ludewig, Oscar Cavagnis, Massimiliano Mori, Torsten Nitsche, Marius Sabaliauskas and Nicola Gavazzi. Meanwhile, Laurent Dufaux, Paolo Savoldelli, Francesco Secchiari and Igor Pugaci are reconnoitering some of the most important stages of the Giro d'Italia. The four will ride stage 8 Montecatini-Reggio Emilia (on Tuesday April 10), stage 17 San Remo-San Remo (on Wednesday April 11), stage 18 Imperia-S.Anna di Vinadio (on Thursday April 12) and stage 20 Busto Arsizio-Arona (on Friday April 13).
Wade Exum: USA sent drugged athletes to GamesSunday's edition of CBS News featured a report quoting Wade Exum, formerly one of the USA's top doping control officers. According to Exum, the United States had often sent drug taking (nandrolone, stimulants, pain killers) athletes to the Olympic Games, including last year in Sydney. "I believe that we sent athletes to every games that have been using performance enhancing drugs," he said. The CBS report also featured two former riders, Greg Strock and Erich Kaiter, who have claimed that their coaches gave them illegal drugs when they were racing as juniors in the early 1990's. Both cyclists are claiming that they suffered damage to their immune systems, caused by the use of cortisone in the injections. Both the US Olympic Committee and USA Cycling have denied the charges. Rheinland-Pfalz-Rundfahrt in troubleGermany's Rheinland-Pfalz-Rundfahrt (September 19-23, Category 2.4) is in danger of cancellation due to lack of sponsorship, after Pirmasenser Brauerei Park-Bellheimer AG recently pulled its funding out. The prestigious and long running tour "is missing a six-digit figure in the budget" according to German website Radsport-news.com, but it is still being planned as if it will go ahead. "To stop now would mean the death of the tour," said race organiser Joerg Billmeier, who was shocked when the Pirmanenser brewery pulled out. The 36th edition of the race will have a hard time finding a new sponsor in time for September, as most companies have already committed their sponsorship funds for the year. Billmeier hopes to ask the politicians in the area for some money, as the region stands to gain tourism dollars via the race. "We will continue to plan as though the race will be held. In the worst case, we will call it off two to three before the start. If we really had to cancel it, then that would be the end because then the UCI would down-grade us again, and we would have to practically start from zero. I personally would stop."
NORBA MTB Nationals with OLN and GaleForceThe USA's National-Off Road Bicycle Association (NORBA) has signed a deal with Outdoor Life Network (OLN) and GaleForce Sports Marketing to take the NORBA National Championship Series to a new level. The alliance means that OLN is increasing its coverage from last year to 10 hours in 2001. GaleForce, which also organises the Mercury Sea Otter Classic and the MTB World Cup in Napa Valley, is coming on board to promote the series more heavily. NORBA OLN broadcast schedule June 14: Snow Summit, Calif., DH & DS, 8 p.m. ET/PT
Lincoln GP on trackAccording to Lincoln GP race organiser, Ian Emmerson, the 46th edition of the event will go ahead as planned on Sunday, May 13. Discussions have been held between the MAFF and local farmers and as an 'on road' event, no problems with Foot and Mouth outbreaks are foreseen. Five foreign teams are expected from Ireland, Holland and Belgium together with the Great Britain Development team and most of the British elite riders.
First NPS Downhill moves to ScotlandThe first round of the BCF's National Points Series (NPs) is being moved from Pateley Bridge to Fort William in Scotland and to the "Offbeat Downhill" course at Nevis Range. The dates for the event weekend will stay the same: 12th and 13th May 2001. The BCF is still planning to run a four round Downhill series, with the final three events as advertised (Innerleithen 2nd and 3rd June, Combe Sydenham 25th and 26th August and Ae Forest 29th and 30th September). Riders' best three results from four will decide the series, though riders must start the final round to be considered for series prizes.
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