News for March 28, 2001

Leblanc confident about Le Tour

"The Tour de France is not experiencing any financial problems" Jean-Marie Leblanc, the 'patron' of the Tour told a press lunch in Paris on Tuesday. Speaking at the season-opening gathering in a large Parisian restaurant, Leblanc said he was confident about the race, and all current sponsors had renewed their contracts for 2003.

Leblanc said that the doping problems that had shaken the foundations of cycling in 1998 seemed to be in retreat, particularly because of advances in controlling the use of EPO, which he called "a fuel too frightening to be simply brushed aside."

USPS Enquiry: Judge too slow

Turning to more recent investigations, Leblanc said he wanted to see the suspicions arising from last year's Tour cleared up as soon as possible, particularly those levelled at the US Postal team of double Tour winner Lance Armstrong. "We were told that results would be delivered at the end of January. We're waiting for these results and would like to be kept informed. In sport, we're accustomed to getting the results of urine analysis in much less time," said Leblanc.

"I had Lance on the phone two weeks ago and he was very annoyed at the way the investigation was proceeding," Leblanc said. "The team has never been contacted and doesn't know what is going on - it's a very difficult situation for them."

The inquiry started in November after a French television program showed what it said were bags containing swabs, compresses and pill packets being taken away from hotels used by the USPS team during last year's Tour de France and dumped on the side of the road.

However, Sophie-Helene Chateau, the Parisian judge heading the investigation, couldn't say when the inquiry would be concluded. "We are trying to do everything as quickly as we can but we will not be rushed," Chateau said to Darren Tulett of Bloomberg News. "There's no need for any quarrels or for people to get overexcited. Everything must be done in its proper time."

Chateau's team has yet to announce results of the blood and urine sample analyses. "We wonder what is going on when they say the urine tests, for example, were complicated," Leblanc said. "We know urine tests are quite straightforward. Now they have the blood samples, too, but there's still no news."

Armstrong has always denied taking any banned products, as has his team. The 29 year old Texan is seeking this year to emulate fellow American Greg LeMond's three Tour de France victories. Only four men have won the three-week race in three successive years since its inauguration in 1903.

Armstrong drew criticism from French media earlier this year when he revealed a racing schedule for 2001 that didn't included an appearance on French soil before the July 7-29 Tour de France. The USPS team altered those plans two weeks ago, adding the April 10-13 Circuit de la Sarthe to its itinerary. "My advice to Lance was to come to race in France, to show himself and speak out," Leblanc said. "I'm very glad that he will be here in April."

TVM trial scheduled for May

TVM team officials Cees Priem (directeur sportif), soigneur Jan Moors and doctor Andrei Mikhailov will go on trial in May charged with illegal use of toxic substances, according to Reims prosecutor Serge Dintroz. The trial is expected to run from May 28 to June 1.

Customs officials found 104 doses of EPO in a fridge in a TVM team car on 9 March 1998, and Reims judiciary and police launched an investigation into TVM on 20 July, days after the first arrests of Festina team members. On July 23, police arrested Priem and Mikhailov in Pamiers. Five days later in Albertville, they questioned and tested the team's riders. The tests revealed use of what French law considers to be 'toxic substances', or doping agents.

According to Dintroz, the TVM case should be less complicated than the Festina trial. "There is not much to say about the facts. Those charged have admitted (their guilt) but they are protesting because the judicial systems in France and Holland are different," he said. "In the Netherlands they risked nothing for their deeds but on French soil they are under French law."

Of course, this all assumes the French authorities can actually find Cees Priem. Priem was in the dock earlier this month, charged with causing involuntary injury through negligent driving and hit and run after hitting Scott Sunderland in 1998. In that case, Priem's defence claimed the case had taken a long time to come to trial. Public prosecutor Rosette Vandenborne pointed out that the charges pressed could not have been made any earlier. "We have been occupied tracking down your client for several months. We looked for him all over France, all over Holland. I wonder if this person has a residential address at all!"

Pantani preparing for Giro, wants Tour

Marco Pantani says he is ready for the Giro and wants to take part in the Tour. Speaking at the Catalana Semana, where he is currently 28th. Pantani says he has found his ambition again, but won't be attacking during the Catalana he's there to train, and to put in the kilometers.

"I haven't attacked. I am going sweetly, slowly but well."

Pantani is focusing on the Giro. His Mercatone-Uno team has not yet been selected for the Tour de France, but Pantani said "After the Giro I believe that nobody will doubt our ability to take part in the Tour."

"Indeed, I believe I am capable of winning it."

Traksel recovering

Bobbie Traksel, the 19-year-old Rabobank rider who sustained 10 broken ribs in the GP de Fayt-le-Franc March 7, has left the Eemland Hospital in Amersfoort and is at home in Tiel.

He hopes to start training this week again. "I hope to start in the pro race in Made on April 29. Only of course if my team manager allows it. And the Olympia Tour starts on May 16. A heavy race, but I hope to be there. When the rest [of the peloton] is tired, I will still be fit because I have rested for a few weeks."

Konychev out for a month

Fassa Bortolo plagued by early-season injuries

Dimitri Konychev, a victim of the last kilometer crash in Milan-San Remo, had an X-ray of his left wrist on Sunday and was found to have a fractured radius. He will be out of competition for at least a month.

Also sidelined for the next 15 days is Serguei Ivanov, who fell in Tirreno-Adriatico. Finally, Ivan Basso will not be at the GP Harelbeke next Saturday or at the Flèche Brabançonne on Sunday. He may return for the Three Days of De Panne stage race from April 3 to 5.

Mercury-Viatel for Criterium International

The Mercury-Viatel team for the Criterium International on Saturday and Sunday in the French Ardennes will consist of Pavel Tonkov, Niklas Axelsson, Chris Wherry, Floyd Landis, Chann McRae, Andrei Teteriuk and Henk Vogels.

Meanwhile, Peter van Petegem, Geert van Bondt, Leon van Bon, Fabrizio Guidi, Wim Vansevenant, Jans Koerts, Plamen Stoianov and Derek Bouchard-Hall will take part in the GP E3 in Harelbeke on Saturday and in the Fleche Brabançonne on Sunday.