|
|
|
By Tim Maloney, cyclingnews.com correspondent
Bruno Roussel, former manager of Festina has just published his new book "Tour de Vices" and already his tell-all is dredging up ugly memories of the "affaire Festina" and the tumult of the '98 Tour De France. Not only has Roussel gone into detail about how Dr. Erik Rijkaert, the Dutch doctor of Team Festina managed the systematic doping of the team, but his 222 page tome also exposes the practice of "selling" races.
Excerpted in Le Monde on June 19, Roussel relates how Richard Virenque "bought" his stage win at Courchevel in '97 from then Maillot Jaune for FF100,000 ($17,000)... according to Roussel, Virenque said to Ullrich "Tu me laisses gagner, OK?" (You'll let me win, OK) and then decided on a price.
However, Virenque, interviewed in Le Monde, denied any awareness of Roussel's allegations.
"En tout cas, se souvient-il, si, ce jour-là, on doit arriver au sprint, il n'y a pas photo entre Ullrich et moi. J'étais meilleur que lui." ("In any case," (Virenque) remembered, "we were going to finish in a sprint between Ullrich and me. I was better than him."
According to another part of Roussel's exposé, Virenque might have been able to win the '97 Tour De France during the stage in the Vosges Mountains when Ullrich was having a bad day. Virenque was ahead of the struggling Ullrich with some big names like Olano and Pantani. The then Festina man tried to buy the collaboration of the break to get rid of Ullrich, but the cash Virenque offered, FF10,000 (US$1,700) was evidently too little to tempt the big names help the unpopular Virenque gain control of the Tour De France.
Roussel related that these big names up front with Virenque asked to split a lot more money to ride (500,000FF/$85,000) than Virenque offered. And Roussel also relates how Laurent Dufaux "bought" a stage from then Maillot Jaune Bjarne Riis in the 1996 Tour.
Despite the lack of credibility of Roussel and the sensational nature of this tell-all tattler, his accusations can only further damage the already cracked image of professional cycling.
As Tour de Suisse prologue winner Lance Armstrong headed to the Press Room aboard his bike at the Europa Park in Rust, Germany, his broad smile and those of the Tour de Suisse press staffers who were accompanying the USPS rider to the post race press conference quickly turned to frowns as they approached the press room.
A Europa Park security guard stopped Armstrong and his Tour de Suisse press entourage, saying brusquely "You can't go in (to the press center) with your bicycle."
A puzzled Armstrong replied "I'm Lance Armstrong!" but that didn't impress the staunch security guard. "It doesn't matter...you can't go in," the guard insisted.
Although the Tour de Suisse press staff explained clearly, Herr Guard had to keep Europa Park safe from the invasion of Armstrong and maintained his vigilant post at the entrance to the press area. Lance eventually got fed up and turned around and rode his bike back to the hotel, while Europa Park's security staff quickly relaxed their Defcon 3 posture and the Tour de Suisse press staff attempted to wipe the egg off their face.
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
Recently on Cyclingnews
Latest Photos - Olympic
Armstrong, Boulder & California 'cross, More Pan-Am, Canberra, Boston & REI
'cross (December 13)
Cyclingnews survey -
Reader Poll 2001 - Vote for your favourite riders
Letters
- VDB, Lance, Boring Tour, Coastal Post, Respect (December 13)
Cyclingnews Interview
- Ryan Bayley - the KFC-fuelled world champ (December 13)
Cyclingnews Interview
- David McKenzie - Macca's back (December 12)
Cyclingnews Interview
- Laurent Jalabert - Jalabert looks ahead (December 11)
Cyclingnews Interview
- Charly Wegelius - A coffee stop with Charly (December 8)
Cyclingnews
Interview - Sven Montgomery - Moving up in the world (December 6)
Cyclingnews Interview
- Rochelle Gilmore - Road scholar (December 6)
Tales from the Peloton
- 12 Hours of Oleta - MTB endurance race in Miami (December 6)
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
Breaking
the Chain - Dope planning and testing - From Willy Voet's book
| Home Search Survey Contact us |