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Officers of the Italian drug squad (NAS) last night searched the rooms of riders in the women's Giro d'Italia. The ninth stage of the women's Giro ended yesterday afternoon in Levico Terme, in the north of the country. At the instigation of the Bologna judiciary, acting on advice from the Florence magistrates who coordinated the raid last month of the men's Giro, 100 officers, including NAS operatives and local police, raided nine hotels at about 9pm.
In almost a carbon-copy of the raid on the men's race, members of Giro teams were turned out of their rooms and made to stand in the corridors while their rooms were searched; their mobile phones were confiscated so they could not communicate with each other and outsiders.
Police found a large quantity of drugs and permits in the rooms of the Italian Edilsavino team – one member of the team is reported as having prescriptions for more than ten products per day.
Police also raided the head office of Edilsavino and took away several vials of substances for analysis.
Police later reported that vials of EPO had been found in the room of a rider not connected with Edilsavino, who had been the main target of the raid. The decision to raid the race was triggered by an inspection of a team's vacated hotel room in Scansano where syringes were found.
Speaking to Italy's Gazzetto della Sport, one of the riders said, "We women do not have millions to spend on drugs. I am a mother, and there are many like me like me . We look after our health, and we're sure that everything they find will be perfectly lawful."
By Paul Goldsmith, Cyclingnews correspondent
Every major city has its popular road training circuit, normally in a quiter part of a busy metropolis. In New York City, it's Central Park, while in Sydney, it's Centennial Park, the site of many road cycling events, ranging from the Olympic Games road races and ITTs, through to the Commonwealth Bank Cycle Classic and national championships.
On every Tuesday and Thursday evening, a large and informal training group forms into a paceline and completes laps of the main 4km circuit. The participants range from beginners through to national champions and visiting professionals - with the main proviso being that any triathletes who wish to join ride with their hands on the brake hoods.
However, a new draft proposal by the Centennial Park Trust has the potential to destroy the Park's renown as a mecca for cyclists. The proposal will virtually eliminate Centennial Park as a training ground by combining cyclists and pedestrians into one lane, and making them ride in the opposite direction to oncoming cars.
The draft proposal, which can be downloaded in .pdf form from the NSW government web site from is sure to be contentious in a city that is rapidly growing, and in need of well managed parklands.
The proposal involves converting car parking spaces - under the trees on The Grand Drive - into a combined cycling, pedestrian area. Traffic will continue to flow in the present clockwise direction however this will be increased to two lanes.
The multi-user lane will border the roadway, and run counter-clockwise. Runners will be catered for with improvements to the running track located beside the horse carriageway. The proposed $5.04 million upgrade will be financed by imposing a parking levy on the parklands.
The recommendations are only at draft stage, however there is a limited time before the changes may be applied. The displays can be seen from 2 July 2001 (for 4 weeks only) at:
Visit the web page at www.cp.nsw.gov.au
Fax comments to 02 9360 5412
Send written submissions to the project team at:
Centennial Parklands, Draft Transport Access & Parking Plan, Locked Bag 15, PADDINGTON NSW 2021
It's the second week of July, Tour de France week and the now inextricably linked subjects of drugs and bikes are on the agenda again. But for two Sydney riders, completing the 1000km Bicycle Australia Challenge Melbourne to Sydney ride is the completion of a battle against drugs.
Eighteen year old Joshua Davidson and Darren Pratt, 32, will be completing the challenging ride having fought off major drug addictions. Before joining the Teen Challenge rehabilitation centre six months ago Joshua was using amphetamines and his weight had dropped to 65kgs. As the ride approaches he is up to a respectable 78kgs and is fit for the enduring ride. "The training is good because I like a bit of structure. I thrive on that. It keeps me busy and keeps my mind focused on something," he said. Having dealt with his demons, after the ride Joshua plans to move to the Central Coast and help other young people who have succumbed to drugs. "I want to be able to go back and I know on the coast there are a lot of lost young people," he said.
Darren and Joshua are both examples of how a drug problem often has a route cause. Both young men were sexually abused as children, and even though Darren had gained a trade and built a business up, he slipped into taking LSD at 21 and eventually lost everything he had worked for and ended up in jail. "Most of the other places want to look at curing the drug problem, without curing the person problem behind the drug problem," Darren said of the Teen Challenge organisation, which has helped he and Joshua combat their addictions.
The Teen Challenge organisation is a Christian organisation that uses helps to combat these personal and drug problems by understanding the personal problem.
The Bicycle Australia Challenge that Joshua and Darren will be riding is raising money for the Teen Challenge and features 100 riders and a further 2000 for the final day's riding in Sydney.
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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