It is highly likely, according to several sources, that Mario Cipollini will ride with Cantina Tollo for the next two seasons. The current Saeco super-sprinter is finally leaving that team after eight years of service (including the time with Mercatone Uno-Saeco), although he is showing no signs of slowing down yet. Cantina Tollo may be losing Danilo di Luca to Liquigas, hence the high powered replacement.
In the Saeco ranks, it's possible that Ivan Quaranta (Alexia) will replace Cipollini. The 26 year old is one of the fastest men in the world, and can pull off big stage wins provided he can make it to the finish.
Cipollini's transfer is not yet official, but it seems likely in the next few days. His future teammate, Miguel Martin Puerdiguero told the Spanish press that Mario will be joining Cantina Tollo next season, and La Gazzetta dello Sport also reported this. Cipollini may also be taking Mario Scirea with him, and the name of Telekom sprinter Lombardi has been mentioned as another aid.
In addition, the future of Marco Pantani has yet to be decided. There are rumours in Italy that say that Pantani will leave Mercatone Uno with an "80 percent probability".
Christophe Sercu's Lotto-Adecco team is looking for new riders for next season, possibly from outside of Belgium. Two riders that he is interested in are Fassa Bortolo's Raimondas Rumsas, and Ag2r's Benoît Salmon. Both riders are good climbers and would substantially bolster Lotto's stage race chances.
Steven de Jongh has prolonged his contract with the Rabobank team until the end of 2003. A good friend of Michael Boogerd's, De Jongh today abandoned the Tour de France after the seventh stage. A fall a couple of days ago on the fifth stage team time trial saw him lose five minutes, which may have contributed to his abandonment.
As part of their initiatives to beef up the USPS squad, team director Johan Bruyneel has approached Cofidis rider Chris Peers, a solid classics man. But Peers is under contract to Cofidis until 2002. However, Cédric Vasseur (USPS) finishes his contract with USPS at the end of the year, and after his non-selection at the TdF that started in his native region of northern France, Vasseur is not a happy camper chez Postal.
Perhaps Mark Gorski, USPS general manager and Alan Bondue, former Motorola PR man and current general manager of Cofidis can swap riders at the end of the season?
The women's Giro d'Italia has become the subject of a judicial investigation by Italian anti-drug authorities, after the police raid carried out after stage 9. According to Italian newsagency ANSA, 42 people have been placed under investigation, suspected of being in possession of unauthorised medical substances.
Riders and personnel from every team except for Chirio Forno d'Asolo will be questioned by Italian authorities. Amongst them are included the presidents, directeurs sportifs, and soigneurs from a variety of nationalities, including Australian, Belgian, Brazilian French, Russian, Polish, Lithuanian, Norwegian, Dutch, German, Swedish persons.
Yesterday, 34 year old Italian cyclists, Rosalisa Lapomarda (Rosa dei Venti) was prevented from riding after returning too high a hematocrit in a pre-race blood test. She was lying third on GC before this happened.
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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Tales from the Peloton
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Tales from the Peloton
- Tony Cruz - back to his roots (December 7)
Marco Polo
Diary - Tour du Faso - Part II - Nathan Dahlberg's report (December 3)
Tech
maintenance - Wheels - how to keep them true and tight
Tech letters
- Headsets, Pegoretti, Carbon cage, gloves & tubes (December 10)
Tech news - Navigators
power-tap, Headsets, Carbon cages (December 7)
Tech- Recycling
- How to protect your chainstay for free
Tech Reviews:
Egg Beater pedals; Park
Tool belt; Shimano shoes;
Speedplay
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the Chain - Dope planning and testing - From Willy Voet's book
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