Interview with Evgeny Berzin- Good morning Evgeny, how are you doing?"Fairly well, after Liegi-Bastogne-Liegi. I'm satisfied with how I have raced there, last year I placed worse and this time I was much more in front", says the Russian from Batik-Del Monte, who finished eleventh at La Doyenne. - How are you doing on the climbs? "Based on what I saw in Belgium, I would say well. I must certainly improve: but I have a month before the start of the Giro d'Italia and I'm going to Portugal (departed yesterday morning in order to dispute the Tour of Alentejo which starts today and after that the GP Jornal Noticias) with an objective. There I will stay for about 20 days: I trust that there will be beautiful weather and that I will be able to prepare in peace". Also going with him will be: Gabriele Colombo and Nicola Minali. - What does the scale say? "I Am in line with my in-form weight: currently I am at 64 kilos and my ideal weight to arrive at the Giro is 62". - This year the 'Pink Race' is a major goal. "Yes, I would say that and seeing how I behaved at Liege, I am rather confident. Certainly, on paper the route is not too favorable for my characteristics, but I don't despair, I don't be beaten before I line up for the start". - But there will be so many mountain climbs at the Giro and last year you had trouble with the climbs. "Last year I was missing the base more than the legs for climbing. It is difficult to say what I missed in my preparation, there are so many small things coming together. But this year I'm on the right track". - But the Berzin of '94, winner of the Liege-Bastogne-Liege and of the Giro, who beat Pantani and Indurain, will we meet him again? "I hope so! I repeat, I think that I'm on the right track, specially after Liege. Sunday I have done, what I wanted to do. I have stayed with the first". - Also among the first there was Marco Pantani. "He is going strongly. He will need to see if he can take a three week effort. Certainly, if he goes strongly for three weeks, the Giro will be his". - Who will be the othe Giro men? "Tonkov certainly will be first in line: it is true that he has had a beginning of the season marked by accidents, however he has time to settle and his condition is not too bad. Then there is Gotti, who has been hiding a little bit, while Zaina is going well" - Also Bartoli seems to have intentions to make a try at the Giro: could he have ambitions at the classification? "In theory he could go for the classification, but it would be the first time for him. Right now he's at peak form and morale, but it is difficult to hold it for a long period of time, above all from the point of view of the concentration. For him it would mean to hold it until June 8 and the road is long. - You have quite a lot fans, specially after your victory at the Giro in '94 many Italians have adopted you. At this point of the season, is there a message that you would like to send your fans with the Pink Race in sight? "To believe in me, to trust me. Like I do myself". Ronde van Nederland/Tour of the NetherlandsThe Tour which was won by Rolf Sorenson in 1996 has been upgraded to a Cat. 2.1 event for 1997.Route
Start August 26 1997: Tilburg (Willem II Stadium) - Alkmaar 198 km Stage 2 August 27: Alkmaar - Haarlem 162 km Stage 3a August 28: Hoogeveen - Denekamp 92 km Stage 3b August 28: ITT, Nordhorn (Ger) - Denekamp 23 km Stage 4 August 29 Almelo - Venray 178 km Stage 5 August 30 Venray - Landgraaf 240 km |