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Italian rider Filippo Simeoni has accused controversial sports doctor Michele Ferrari of urging him to use EPO while Simeoni was under Ferrari's care in 1997.
In testimony to the judge overseeing the investigation into Ferrari's alleged involvement in the systematic doping of Italian riders in the 90's, Simeoni said that Ferrari "explained to me that if I wanted to ride a good Tour I had to take EPO and Andiol (testosterone) to improve my ability to recover.
Simeoni admitted he had used drugs while an amateur in 1993 and "I was with the doctor from 1996 to 1997, the year in which I decided to follow his advice because he did not treat me pharmacologically like the others."
Simeoni explained that "Ferrari gave me amino acid and protein nutritional supplements. I obtained other medications in Switzerland." Simeoni said that each one of these trips involved spending 400 to 500 Euro (US$350-440) on "medication".
Simeoni defended his actions saying, "in professional cycling it is always implied that everyone or almost everyone is using dope - the high haematocrit values of healthy athletes are only explained by doping."
Lance Armstrong has announced he will not ride this year's world championships in Lisbon, Portugal in October. As well as a verdict of "no, not this year" on the world's, Armstrong said it was "50-50" whether he would ride September's Vuelta a Espana (Tour of Spain).
Marco Pantani will return to racing next weekend when he starts the five stage Vuelta a Castilla e Leon. After a miserable Giro and missing the Tour Pantani will be a rider with much to prove
Stage 1a: August 5 - Segovia-El Espinar, 73.3 km
Stage 1b: August 5 - El Espinar-El Espinar ITT, 9.3 km
Stage 2: August 6 - Avila-Avila, 182 km (con la Sierra de Gredos)
Stage 3: August 7 - Avila-Venta de Banos, 178.8 km
Stage 4: August 8 - Venta de Banos-Zamora, 152 km
Stage 5: August 9 - Benavente-Alto del Redondal, 142 km
Australian rider Brad McGee (and Cyclingnews diarist) is reported to have been offered places on ten different teams for 2002 after the gutsy riding that saw the Tour neophyte finish on the podium in two stages. Talking to Australia's SBS television yesterday, McGee said he knew what he had to do to become a better rider: "Work hard in the mountains". To that end he was planning to move to Nice. It doesn't hurt, he added, that his wife likes it there.
With Australian eyes focused on Brad McGee's and Stuart O'Grady's performances in the Tour, increased interest in road cycling in Australia leads to the obvious question "Who's next?" Asked on SBS TV who were the leading Australian cyclists of the moment, former Tour rider Stephen Hodge mentioned Scott Sunderland - currently the highest-placed Aussie on UCI rankings at #64 - as well as Robbie McEwen, and others. But Hodgie's top tip for Next Big Thing was mountain bike rider Cadel Evans, a rider whose recent win of the Tour of Austria saw him creep into the UCI ranks at #200.
Hodge said much the same thing when asked about up-and-coming riders in 1998, and another Australian former Tourist, Niel Stephens, has commented that he has never seen an Australian climb like Evans. As if to confirm this analysis, Evans yesterday won the three-day Brixia Tour in Italy. The only remaining question is how much longer he will continue to mix road and mountain bike racing.
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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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
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Tech news - Navigators
power-tap, Headsets, Carbon cages (December 7)
Tech- Recycling
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Tech Reviews:
Egg Beater pedals; Park
Tool belt; Shimano shoes;
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