More from Rolf's DiaryDeinze (Belgium) 14 April 97My morale is on the floor. I've had enough of training here on the eternal flats, plus the hotel is not the best. I'll be happy when I move tomorrow to the Liege area in the Belgian Ardennes with the climbs. Liege (Belgium) 15 April 97 If I lived in Belgium, I would never have become a cyclist! Poor roads, unreasonable drivers, lots of wind. Today I covered the 100km between Brussels and Liege on the bike, only rough cement roads and the drivers! They show absolutely no consideration, dangerous, dangerous. After this I'm quite content with the Swiss drivers, but the best are unequivocally the Americans. They can drive behind a rider for kilometres until they can finally pass with a large gap to the side. Without grumbling, without honking. By the way, I'm riding in the Fleche Wallone tomorrow with more morale, since we have a super hotel. Perhaps I can report back tomorrow with my one of my first results. Liege 16 April 97 - Fleche Wallone I could just pull my hair out! Now I've had enough - got into a group again only to be recaptured by the whole field. At Liege-Bastogne-Liege I'll stay in the field the whole time! But my morale was actually pretty good after we rode away the first time up the Mur de Huy. It went really well for me, even when I had to choke on this overhanging climb in a 39x23. And we were only reeled in 30km before the finish, slowely but surely I'm getting closer to the finish. Should I try once more at Liege, perhaps it'll work? translated by David Wear Lance UpdateAmerican Lance Armstrong, from French Team Cofidis, who's recuperating from cancer in a testicle, which was detected last year, will not dispute any races theis year, informed today L'Equipe. The medical team that follows him closely in Austin (Texas) feels that it is prudent to "give time to the healing process and not to hurry it, so they are against him competing this year"."I'm in good form and every day that passes, I feel more and more like getting on the bike", declares Armmstrong, whose hair and eyebrows have started to grow back after the chemotherapy treatment. The winner at Fleche Wallone in 1996, Armstrong will watch the race, just like he did for Flanders and Paris-Roubaix, in front of the TV at Eddy Merckx's home. The American champion, is training softly over flat terrain in a low gear and small chainring for about three hours a day and he just rented a Chalet at Saint-Jean-Capo-Ferrat (The French Costa Azul). PetitoRoberto Petito (Saeco), winner of Tirreno-Adriatico and Giro di Sardegna, will skip Fleche Wallone and Liege-Bastogne-Liege because of a right hip operation. Petito will probably re-enter competition at the AmstelCipolliniThe X-Rays taken after his fall at Ghent-Wevelgem, have revealed two bone fragments in Mario Cipollini's wrist. The Italian National Champion will start tomorrow at La Vuelta a Aragon thanks to a protective brace.GuidoFabrizio Guidi has left the hospital at Valenciennes after recovering from his fall at Roubaix and has returned home. Now he will have to decide if he will get operated to reduce the fracture of his right clavicle.Tour of PhillipinesGi Sung-Hwan won the 3.3km prologue of the Tour of the Philippines in this southern city Wednesday as the South Korean team seized the early initiative of the 17-stage cycling race.In all five Korean riders finished in the top 10 in the individual time trial stage, and Gi will get to wear the leader's yellow jersey in the 174.9km first lap from Cagayan de Oro to Iligan and back Thursday. Cyclists from Hong Kong, Indonesia, South Korea, Japan and Malaysia are among 84 entered in the 2,473.6km race, which this year became part of the Union Cycliste Internationale calendar The race ends in Manila on May 3. Prologue results: 1. Gi Sung-Hwan (Kor) 3.3km in 4.13.04 2. Chun Dae-Hong (Kor) 0.02 3. Wong Kam Po (Hkg) s.t. 4. Cho Ho-Sung (Kor) 0.04 5. Victor Spairitu (Phi) 0.08 |