Second Edition News for April 24, 1997

Rolf's Diary Update

Mers-les-Bains (France) 22 April 1997 - Cote Piccard

Finally I got the tiniest of results. In the sprint of a 30 man strong group I rode in behind the winner Abdujaparov to fifth place. I'm really quite pleased, if the course hadn't been so flat.... Of course, this Coupe de France race doesn't quite have the level of a great race, but for the morale it's still always good. In two days I'll ride in the Prix de Denain, it's again totally flat, but we'll see.

Translated by David Wear

Bartoli Interview

Michelino Bartoli has 'eaten' Jalabert and Z|lle, the two canaries from Team Once, first and second in the world classification, who tried to close him as in a sandwich. But Bartoli remained in the game and crushed their resistance. The Lion of Flanders '96 has learned how to change into the Wolf of the Ardenne. "I have thought about this day since the Winter -says Bartoli-. Having won at Flanders already, my thoughts were more with Liege and in the last few days, I felt the tension grow. I was nervous because I have never felt so strong, but for a thousand reasons, I was not able to hit the center and get the result. Since Sanremo, I have always attacked, I believe that I have raced well, but yet victory turned its back on me".

In the race, the twenty-six year old was in control and everything has gone as he had foreseen. Or at least almost. "I knew that I would have to race counting on Once, but I didn't think that things would become so complicated. I must thank my teammates, who were exceptional. Baldato, Coppolillo and Lecchi forced things on the Redoute before my attack with Z|lle and Jalabert. And at that time, I thought that Z|lle was stronger than Jaja".

Staying with the two ONCE champions, Bartoli generously collaborated. Giancarlo Ferretti, sport director for MG-Technogym, was amazed by Bartoli's conviction. Ferretti put him in guard of the dangers from his two breakaway companions. "Watch the last climb as one of the two will attack. Make sure to go away with him and spring up to him as they calm down. Then you do like you feel, but look at Jalabert as your adversary". Bartoli played ping pong with the two from Once, answering their attacks with certainty. "I have also thought of Lombardy two years ago, when I was in an escape with Faresin and Nardello and I was taken by surprise. This time it won't do for me to fit in".

By the end of the race, Michelino went from the defense to the attack. He dropped Z|lle and finished his work by leaving Jalabert on his pedals too. "I noticed that Z|lle was trying to save his strength and that also Jalabert was losing strength, because his moves were a little abrupt. I could have gambled away for the win on the sprint, but I was forced to attack because the chae group was gaining too much ground on us. All day long I felt super form. I want to dedicate my victory to my grandfather Ivo, he died the day before Sanremo. He was an assiduous fan. He would have enjoyed this victory".

Now Michele Bartoli becomes the new leader of the World Cup (same points as Sorensen) and moves up to number three in the World Rankings, behind Jalabert and Z|lle themselves.

Interview with Ferreti:

Giancarlo Ferretti raises the glass of champagne, gets a panoramic look to his company and he says pleased: "There have been so many years when I have come to this hotel and have celebrated a big victory". The Italian director can be proud of his 55 years, which he carries splendidly. In 24 years of career as sport director, Ferretti has won about 600 races and has left a deep mark in the Northern Classics. As for Liege-Bastogne-Liege, the director of MG-Technogym has won four times with four different riders: in '82 with Silvano Contini, in 1991 with Moreno Argentin, last year with Pascal Richard and Sunday with Michelino Bartoli.

"The victories at Liegi are all beautiful -says Ferretti-. I remember the emotion of the first one by Contini, but this last one, I have liked more, because I believed in the immense class of Bartoli always. When Argentin won, he added a pearl to a career already rich, while Michelino is a champion who's been born. I have never had doubts and believe that Sunday's success has shown has he has matured". Ferretti pursued Bartoli for years and has had him in the team since last year. "He's a very capable rider - the director explains-. In the coming five years, he will be one of the greats in the world of cycling.

The subject is open about his future performance as a stage racer, because he's a developing rider. I don't think he can already aim for success at the big Tours, but I wouldn't exclude him in the future. He should try sooner or later to rider for the general classification".

Everybody sees him as the heir to Argentin. "They resemble each other technically, because they both have the same explosive release and the same capacity for endurance. However they are different men, with different characters. Bartoli is changing, to the better. He complains less, he doesn't commit anymore of those errors of over exuberance and he is much more aware of his potential. The Italian cycling has found a champion, that is for sure".

Jalabert's Reaction

Laurent Jalabert, the loser of the day, confirmed great gentleman. "Bartoli deserves the victory. When one meets the one who is stronger, it is necessary to acknowledge it". "We applied our tactics to the letter right on schedule -explains ONCE's leader-. The team worked hard and Zulle attacked at the Redoute, with me supposed to answer any counter-attacks. Bartoli has been brave and honest since he took regular pulls the whole time. We tried to drop him alternatively, but Bartoli answered every attack with impressive ease".

Jalabert paid, once more for the distance. "After the Redoute I felt my legs very heavy and didn't succeed to ride as I would have wanted. I am disappointed by my result, but not for my race". The French lost Bartoli's wheel a little before the last kilometer. "At that point, I thought that we would decide the race in sprint. But I perceived a nervous Bartoli and I had pain in my legs, although I tried to do everything possible not to have him find out. When he took off, his take-off was too hard for me".

Alex Zulle was also desolate. "Everything was good up to 10 to 15 kilometers from the finish. There I ran out of gasoline and goodbye to dreams of victory. Compliments to Bartoli: He is a champion".

Michele Bartoli was born in Pisa on May 25, 1970 and lives in San Giovanni alla Vena. He has been a professional since August of '92, rode for Mercatone Uno until '95 and then transferred to MG-Technogym. He has a total of 22 victories, with four of them this season. Other than Liege-Bastogne-Liege, his other successes include the Tour of Flanders in 1996, the Fleche Brabanconne in '94, the Giro della Provincia di Reggio Calabria, Veneto and Emilia in '96 and the G.P. di Fourmies. This yeat he has won at Laigueglia, a stage at the Mediterranean and one at Tirreno-Adriatico. Thanks to his recent success, he has skipped from fifth to third place in the UCI classification. Bartoli will return to competition on Saturday at the Amstel, the fifth race of the World Cup leader, where he's the leader.

Melchor Mauri

Melchor Mauri, who suffered a fall last Thursday during his participation at la Vuelta a Aragon, went through an examination today at the Instituto Dexeus de Barcelona, when finished, Dr. Jose Maria Vilarrubias said that the rider didn't suffer any general injuries. Mauri, who fell off the bike at kilometer 58 of the second stage at Aragon, was assisted after the fall at the Hospital Miguel Servet, in Zaragoza, where he had some injuries stitched and his shoulder was immobilized and was then sent home. Dr. Vilarrubias states that Mauri's general state is 'correct' and that there are no general injuries. "The injuries and cuts to the lips, face and shoulder are progressing in a satisfactory manner". "The treatment for the shoulder will not include surgery since the fracture doesn't affect the movement of the shoulder".

Mauri will begin rehabilitation exercises of his injured shoulder with a few hours, so that he won't loose movement of his shoulder and to prevent atropny of the muscles. It will take about forty days for Mauri's injuries to get healed, durinh which Mauri will exercise in a stationary bike and exercises for the rest of his body, after that he will be able to resume training on the road.

TVM pulls out of the GIRO

The Ros Mary-Minotti Italia team will be part of the 18 teams that will be riding the Giro d'Italia (programmed from May 17 to June 8th) after Dutch team TVM renounced the race. Amongst others the team will take Russian Vladislav Bobrik, Maurizio Tomi and Stefano Finesso. The other teams will be Aki-Safi, Amore & Vita-ForzArcore, Asics, Batik-Del Monte, Brescialat-Oyster, Cantina Tollo-Carrier, Festina-Lotus, Kelme-Costa Blanca, Kross-Montanari, Mapei-GB, Mercatone Uno, MG-Technogym, Refin Ceramiche-Mobilvetta, Roslotto-ZG Mobili, Saeco-Estro, Scrigno-Gaerne and Team Polti.

Van Sevenant is back

Belgian Wim Van Sevenant (Vlaanderen 2002), has had his racing license reinstated after a new hematocrit control done to him at Lausanne.

From my Finish Correspondent

40th International TS-kortteliajot takes place in Turku, South Finland, on Sunday, April 27. It's the first international race and a real season opener in Finland.

Finnish Kari Myyrylainen of TuUL (Turun Urheiluliitto), former professional cyclist of Reynolds team in 1986 and a five time winner of TS-kortteliajot, is one of the favorites and will be trying to win the race for the sixth time. 33-year old finn will have good support from TuUL team, but the most of the strong riders of TuUL arrives at the race from Germany after the big hard race Tour Of Lower Saxony, and they will certainly be tired.

The riders of If Lanken are some of the others to look for. There will be also strong riders from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Denmark and Sweden.

The riders will ride a circuit in downtown of Turku for 60 times. The winner of the race is the first rider who crosses the finishing line. In the previous years the winner has been the rider who collected most of the points by winning separate laps.

Some of the finnish riders will participate in the 26th Mynamaen ajot on April 26 as a warm up race. The biggest concern will be the weather. The spring is very late in Finland and it won't be too warm. On Wednesday morning, April 23, it was snowing quite heavily again.