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By Tomas Nilsson, Cyclingnews correspondent
Bo Hamburger was acquitted on Thursday, August 9, by the Danish Sports Federation doping committee from have taking EPO since the analysis of his B-sample hadn't been done properly. It took the committee four and a half hours to reach the verdict. Hamburger is now taken back on his team CSC-Tiscali, according to team manager Bjarne Riis.
It is understood that the first B test was negative, so the testing lab - on its own initiative - did a second B test, which showed a positive result. The lab then communicated the result of the second B test as the final result of the B test, despite the technicality that this extra B test is neither mandated or submittable under UCI's own test regulations.
It is in doubt, however, if he is fit to ride any more races this season. Hamburger himself said afterwards that he is prepared to look for another employer after this season. The A sample, which reportedly detected EPO, was taken April 19, the day after Fleche Wallonne in an out of competition test. It was the first positive test with the new analysis method.
The B sample was officially also said to have shown the same result. However, Hamburger's representatives at the test said the sample had shown values that were under the limit. Hamburger's team mate Rolf Sørensen said that he understands that Hamburger is happy but he did not wish to comment on the decision as such.
"First I must have some rest but then I'll go out to ride again. I've been in the middle of a matter that I never have understood, but I have had the best support possible with me", Hamburger said to news paper EkstraBladet's web edition in a first comment. Hamburger will most likely refer to his legal counsel since the apparent support from the team has been minimal, with team manager Bjarne Riis saying that he was more or less convinced on Hamburger's guilt. Riis said in a comment to TV2 that he cannot fire Hamburger and that he is formally back on the team.
More stories on the EPO trials:
May
10, 2001 - Hamburger first to fail EPO test
May
11, 2001 - More on Hamburger positive
June
12, 2001 - Hamburgers B sample positive
August
4, 2001 - Hamburger wants to continue
March
31, 2001 - Just a wee chance of catching EPO users
CSC-Tiscali's Nicki Sørensen crashed in a criterium in Nyborg yesterday and was taken to Svendborg hospital. Sørensen had pains in the chest, as well as the usual scratches and bruises. A spectator had managed to push a barrier into the street right in front of Sørensen.
The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) announced on Thursday that Jose Guzman of New York, tested positive at the 2001 Vuleta a Dominica (Tour of the Dominican Republic) in La Romana, Dominican Republic on February 21, 2001 for ephedrine, a prohibited substance under the Union Cycliste International (UCI) rules.
Ephedrine is in a special category of prohibited substances in that it is commonly found in over-the-counter supplements. Guzman, 34, was suspended for three months from competition, beginning on the day of the announced sanction. Guzman will be disqualified from his finish at the 2001 Vuleta a Dominica and in addition, the UCI fined Guzman 2,000 Swiss Francs for the doping offense.
The case was forwarded to USADA on June 6, 2001 from the UCI for the adjudication process. This is the eighth announcement issued by USADA in 2001, which became the independent anti-doping agency for US athletes in October last year.
The Mapei-Quick Step team will be introducing three young riders - one Australian and two Belgians - who are on trial with them and will be taking part in September and October in various races of the UCI professional calendar.
The riders are: Allan Davis, 21 year-old of the Australian National Team. Davis was already World Team's Pursuit Junior Champion in 1997 and this year he won the Special Classification at the Mountain Grand Prix-Tour of Japan Open. To complete his palmares are the following: 7th place at the World In Line Under 23 Championships of 2000 and two 2nd places in two stages at the Under 23 Tour of Italy in 2001.
The two Belgian riders are Stijn Devolder and Frederick Willems, who both come from the Eddy Merckx Boys-Mapei of Valerio Piva. Both of the boys were born in 1979. In 2001, Devolder, an emerging Classics specialist, won the Vlaamse Pijl, the Grand Prix Waregem and the Grand Prix Harelbeke under 23 races.
Willems won the Seraing-Aix-Seraing and the Triptyque des Mont et Chateaux. The races that these young cyclists will be taking part in at the end of the season will give them the chance to have a glance at the professional cycling world ready for any eventual stepping-up to the Professional level in the year 2002 as part of the Mapei-Quick Step Team.
Richard Virenque will definitely make his return to racing at the Tour of Burgos, on August 20, according to a statement from his new team, Domo-Farm Frites. Speculation has been rife for the last few days that Virenque would be granted dispensation by the UCI to end his suspension one day early and so ride the Tour of Denmark on August 14, but with no indication from the UCI as to whether this was even being considered, Domo has decided to avoid "creating a controversy" and put back Virenque's return until after the official end of his suspension for doping.
Cannondale veteran Tinker Juarez has had a pretty remarkable week. On Sunday he pulled on his fourth NORBA national champion's jersey after winning the first ever US national 24 hour MTB championship, clocking up 216 miles and over 25,000 feet of climbing in the process.
Then, on Wednesday, the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame in Crested Butte Colorado announced that the 40 year old is to be inducted into the hall of fame's roster of mountain biking's great and good. Tinker will be formally inducted at the Interbike trade show in September.
"It's been an amazing few days, that's for sure," acknowledged Tinker. "Winning my fourth national title was absolutely fantastic, but getting into the Mountain Bike Hall Of Fame is really special. It's great to know that people would respect what I've done as a racer. I've got the best job in the world, and to receive recognition for doing it is more than I could hope for. I'm very, very grateful for the honor."
2001 NORBA National Champion, 24-Hour Solo Category
2000 U.S. Olympic Team Member
1998 NCS National Cross-Country Champion
1996 U.S. Olympic Team Member
1995 NCS National Cross-Country Champion
1995 Pan American Games - Gold Medal
1994 NCS National Cross-Country Champion
1994 World Cross-Country Championships - Silver Medal
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In other Cannondale-related news, the company's downhill racers, Anne-Caroline Chausson and Cedric Gracia, will be racing at Kaprun this weekend in 'skinless' skinsuits similar to the one worn by Saeco sprint star Mario Cipollini in this year's Giro.
The suits, printed with anatomically-accurate representations of human musculature, will be available as part of Cannondale's 2002 clothing line. Exhibitionists not sponsored by the company can expect to pay about US$200 for the suit.
British Cycling Performance Director Peter Keen, famed as the coach of world hour record holder Chris Boardman, has received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from the University of Brighton. Peter was a senior lecturer in Sports Science at the university's Chelsea School for five years. Speaking after receiving the degree, Peter said, "I am extremely honoured and very proud to receive this award. There is something special about recognition of this level from your peers. I still feel part of the university's Sports Science community and very much a member of the University of Brighton Alumni."
Talking about his current role as Performance Director, Peter said: "The most memorable reward remains the simple enjoyment of the success of the British Olympic team in Sydney by so many people here in the UK. I was amazed by the enthusiastic reaction of my non-sporting neighbours on my return home, particularly the elderly widow who said we had made her walk a foot taller, such was her pride in our nation's achievement."
One of Australia's premier one-day races, the 230km Grafton - Inverell classic, held in northern News South Wales, is well on course for this year, with organisers announcing new divisions to accommodate veteran men and women.
Peter Sunderland, publicity officer for the Grafton (and brother of Belgium-based professional Scott Sunderland) said that rumours circulating that "the Grafton is not being held this year ... could not be further from the truth. Preparations for the event are well under way and the September 15 race looks set to be yet another success," he told Cyclingnews.
"We have AUS$10,000 prize money on offer and have added to new categories to the A,B & C grades of past years. These are a division for 45 years and over and a women's division," Sunderland said. Among its many climbs and 'pick-a-plank' timber bridges, where there are gaps wider than a bicycle tyre for the length of the bridge, the race features a 17 kilometre climb of the Gibraltar Range as it heads inland from the east coast of Australia before finishing on the main street of the country town of Inverell, also the home town of the Sunderland family.
Major Races and Events
September 7-29, 2002: Vuelta
a España (GT) - Preview, stage list
May 11-June 2, 2002: Giro
d'Italia (GT) - Preview, stage list, photos
July 6-28, 2002: Tour
de France (GT) - Full preview & official route details
December 8: Superprestige
Rd 5 (Cat. 1) - Erwin Vervecken
November 29-December 4: Six
Days of Noumea (6D) - Sassone/Neuville victorious
November 26-December 1: Six
Days of Zurich (6D) - Day
6 - McGrory/Gilmore/Schnider win
December 1: Melbourne
Cup on Wheels (IM) - Scott Moller, Keirin,
Sprint, Support
races
December 2: Cyclo-cross
World Cup #2 (CDM) - Sven Nijs again
November 24-December 3: Juegos
Deportivos Centroamericanos (JR) - Final results
December 8-9: Frankfurter
Rad-Cross (Cat. 2) - Alex Mudroch, UK
National Trophy Series #4 (Cat. 3) - Roger Hammond, Grote
Prijs Industrie Bosduin - Kalmthout (Cat. 1) - Bart Wellens, Int.
Radquer Obergösgen (Cat. 2) - Björn Rondelez, Trofeo
Mamma e Papa Guerciotti (Cat. 3) - Enrico Franzoi, Premio
Egondo (Cat 3) - David Seco, Irish
cyclo-cross championships - Robin Seymour
Results: local racing
Australia - CycleWest
Promotions Omnium Series #2, Eastern
Suburbs Summer Criterium Series, Carnegie
Caulfield Tuesday criterium, Southern
Cross Junior Track Open & Madison Cup, Manly
Warringah CC, George
Town Track Carnival, Carnegie
Caulfield CC, Randwick
Botany CC, Gold
Coast CATS CC, Caesar's
Illawarra CC, Caesar's
Illawarra (track)
Denmark - Danish
cyclo-cross Post Cup #3
Italy - Gran
Premio Città di Bassano
Luxembourg - GP
De Kopstal
New Zealand - Cyco
Criterium series
Spain - Elorrio
cyclo-cross
USA - Georgia
Cross Series Championship, Chimborazo
Grand Prix cyclo-cross, Boulder
Cross Rd 6, New
Mexico State Cyclo-x Champs, Sorrento
Cyclo-x & California State Champ's, Boulder
Cross Rd 5, Verge
New England series, Northampton
CC Cyclo-cross Championships, Chris
Cross International CycloCross
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