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Oscar Sevilla (Kelme, 1st GC)
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"I knew I was suffering, I had a bad moment but I did not lose too much time. Until the finish, the only thing you want to do is to lose the minimum, I managed to do this although I was tired."
I said to him [José Javier Gómez] to work with Banesto, who were doing a lot. 'El Chaba' failed, I had hoped to be on his wheel when he attacked, but things changed."
"I have not lost much. The important thing is to recover tomorrow and to see if on the day of the Abantos stage I am better, but I still have hope."
Angel Casero (Festina, 2nd GC)
"The balance is phenomenal, it's an important time to be good. Sevilla was clear after the Pyrenees that his morale was good, and this was good for me as well. If I hadn't fallen in Leo the difference would be 3 seconds not 25."
"My morale has taken a giant step and it was most important to find myself in the mountains, that was my weak point."
"I noticed that Pipe Gómez was told by Oscar to relax, then I asked my teammate David Plaza to work. He was phenomenal, he set a strong tempo and only he was left for the finale."
"Since I came to the Vuelta I decided to attack. I had never attacked in the mountains, and this year in Ordino and Pas de la Casa I tried, and I hope that people realise that."
"I don't know Abantos well, if I am good I don't think anything will happen. I have reduced my fear and gained a lot of confidence...I see myself with a chance [at the final victory], but it is necessary to discard nobody. In cycling, nothing is sure until the line is crossed."
Stage 15 - Full results & report
Roberto Heras had one of his best days today in the Vuelta, moving up to within 18 seconds of Juan Miguel Mercado for third spot on GC. Although Heras probably won't win this year, he has an excellent chance of finishing on the podium, given that he time trials better than Mercado.
"Today I felt better than the other days," he said. "There are those who aren't going as well, but I am better. I would like to have won this stage, but it was very difficult and it didn't happen."
"I will see what happens in Abantos, if I am good enough and I can win the stage. The Vuelta is practically impossible to win but the important thing is that we are there every day."
Five riders abandoned today's 15th stage of the Vuelta: Oscar Freire (Mapei), suffering from his back problem; Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano (ONCE), who succumbed to the team virus that claimed Beloki; Martín Garrido (Relax-Fuenlabrada) who crashed and was taken to Villajoyosa hospital; Danilo Di Luca (Cantina Tollo) and Matt White (US Postal) who found the going too hard. There are now 148 riders left in the race.
The Vuelta takes its second break today (September 24) with a transfer to Alcoi, in preparation for the stage 16 from Alcoi to Murcia. This is not almost a sprinters' stage, although the category 2 climb near the finish may precipitate a breakaway. In fact, the race stays out of the high mountains until stage 20 (September 29), when there is the final uphill finish on the Alto de Abantos. The last stage in Madrid on September 30 is likely to prove decisive this year, as Angel Casero and Oscar Sevilla battle it out for the honours.
The Relax Fuenlabrada team director, José Maria Perez, has been suspended by his employer after making some controversial statements on radio Cadena SER last week. Perez said that the winner of the 1995 World Championships, Abraham Olano, had a hematocrit of 62, and that ONCE had a budget of 2.7 million Euro for pharmaceutical needs, compared to his team's 12,000 Euro. The comments caused an outrage in Spain and Perez has been threatened with legal action from ONCE, Abraham Olano and the Spanish Association of Professional Cyclists.
After a meeting last Friday between Fassa Bortolo team manager Giancarlo Ferretti, cyclist Paolo Tiralongo and his manager Alex Carera, Tiralongo has extended his contract with the team for 2002.
"I am very satisfied to have the confidence of Mr Ferretti, because that says that I can be part of an important team such as Fassa Bortolo, the number one team in the UCI classifications. Next year I want to improve as I have already partly done so this year."
Mapei's Antonio Rizzi has signed a contract with Mobilvetta for next season, saying that although "Mapei is the greatest team...I chose Mobilvetta because they have a program adapted to my characteristics."
Last year's bronze medallist, Madeleine Lindberg (Sweden) will not start in the World Championships in Lisbon. This season she has had two severe crashes, in the Giro in June and in the Holland Ladies Tour some weeks ago.
"I've lost motivation and concentration for the hard training that is necessary for one race only. I'll start the preparations for next season right away instead."
Lindberg is still negotiating with Farm Frites but has also had other offers. Nationally she will race for the same club as this year: Team Mälarenergi.
"It has really been good to have such a professional support also on home ground, in the National Championships and other races. It was also fun to race with the guys and get a bronze medal in the relay championships", said Lindberg.
Thanks to Patrick Serra, Team Mälarenergi
October 9 - 10:30: Junior Women - 11.8 km
October 9 - 12:30: Espoirs - 33.7 km
October 10 - 11:30: Juniors - 19.2 km
October 10 - 14:30: Elite Women - 19.2 km
October 11 - 12:45: Elite Men - 38.7 km
October 12 - 09:00: Junior Women - 72.6 km (6 laps)
October 12 - 12:00: Espoirs - 169.4 km (14 laps)
October 13 - 09:00: Juniors - 121 km (10 laps)
October 13 - 13:00: Elite Women - 121 km (10 laps)
October 14 - 09:30: Elite Men - 254.1 km (21 laps)
The Société de Tour de France will become co-organiser of the Tour of Burkina Faso (October 31-November 11), one of the most important sporting events in Africa Jean-Marie Leblanc announced that he signed an agreement with the Minister of Sport of Burkina Faso.
The Société de Tour de France will manage the financial and technical responsibilities for the tour, and has doubled the budget to 153,000 Euro. Leblanc has a target to get 16 teams of six riders at the start, eight from Africa and Middle-East and eight from Europe.
One of the last races for women before the World Championships is the Tour International Féminin de Bretagne in France, from September 24-30. Norwegian Wenche Stensvold, German Hanka Kupfernagel, Dutchwoman Chantal Beltman, and Frenchwomen Magali Le Floch, Sonia Huguet and Sophie Creux are some of the 66 riders (11 teams of six) who will take part.
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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