News for April 25, 1997

Today is ANZAC day in OZ

ANZAC = Australian New Zealand Army Corp. It is when we remember the soldiers who went to war in 1919 and 1939 to defend our freedom.

I wasn't even nearly born. But as children we are told to say "Lest we Forget".

Rolf's Diary Update

Valencienne (France) 23 April 1997

Once again I'm in northern France, between all the pave of Roubaix. Very bleak for training, but luckily we have race again tomorrow. So I had time to devote myself to the computer. As a result I came to the idea to carry together all my diary entries, which were growing admittedly very quickly. I still have only those which I could download from the internet. In case someone were so crazy to save some of my older entries from 23 March 97, I would be happy, if I could get them. Thanks. By the way, I've finally received my autograph cards, so as soon as I find time at home, I'll take care of the wishes that I've received.

Denain (France) 24 April 1997

If someone had said to me before the start that I would take fifth again today, I would have been happy, finally I got a number better than two days ago. But if I get last in a five man group in the sprint, I'm not at all pleased. But with my bad legs today to arrive at the finish in front is a wonder (or for my part class?).

Translated by David Wear

Interview with Eusebio Unzue, Banesto's Director

EUSEBIO Unzue and the people around Banesto don't seem to be worried about the first part of the season that the team has done, a lot more discrete than their eternal rivals, ONCE, which have achieved 20 wins. Banesto has had to be satisfied with four stage wins, three from Hunt (Portugal, La Sarthe and Aragon) and one from Orlando Rodrigues (Portugal), plus a collection of honorable placings in different overalls: Mallorca (3, Osa), Valencia (2, De las Cuevas), Paris-Nice (3, Santi Blanco), G.P. Portugal (3, Hunt) and Vuelta a Aragon (3, Olano). The rider that was supposed to have strong start, De las Cuevas, has not been able to deliver and his many injuries have been felt.

After three months of competition, are there any signs of restlessness from the team?

None. We are tranquil. The most important thing is to recuperate the riders that have been injured and for everyone to be in good condition.

And Abraham Olano's condition?

As it was planned. In Aragon he ran a good test. He wasn't supposed to participate in the race, although at Cerler he felt good and he was encouraged. The indications from Cerler and the ITT are that everything is going like Olano and we think it should be. Right now Olano is at 70 percent of his maximum.

How many days left of competition before the Tour?

Nineteen days. He will ride as planned: Asturias, Bicicleta Vasca, Classique de Alpes and Dauphine Libere. A great part of the preparation is already done, almost more than half.

Will he go to win to any of these races?

Not necessarily, but it is normal that he may dispute some of them, like la Bicicleta Vasca. At the Dauphine? There is along time left until then, but that French race is good to test oneself.

Have you found on these three months any similarities between Indurain and Olano?

The least thing that Olano needs is for anyone to compare him with, much less me. They have things in common like many cyclists have had, some of them are interesting, but they are not interesting for Abraham those comparisons.

But will he recognize that on certain occasions, the comparisons will be inevitable?

Yes, but I won't be the one to do it. Olano is a cyclist who doesn't only know how to pedal. He's an analyst, he looks at everything that surrounds him, his rivals. He is very good on a bike and sees everything clearly, which is important with the Tour so close.

But has anything gotten your attention in the time that you have been known each other?

Many things, but the first details I saw at the Olympic Games in Atlanta. Sporting-wise he's very aggressive, maybe less of a conformist than Miguel, although I'm not saying that Miguel was one. He may be lacking the experience that Indurain had, but that is normal.

Is Olano going to have a strong team at the Tour? The impression is that the team is not doing well.

Banesto will have a competitive team at the Tour, specially if we stop having bad luck. Olano will count on a good team.

What has happened to Santi Blanco?

Nothing that I'm aware of, what has happened? He's fine, he's riding well, but the tendinitis that he was harmed his progression. Blanco will be stage race rider, who will always have problems with winning five day races. If there are races with mountain finishes, he will be in front. His profile is very defined as a climber. In the other things he's a good rider, but not a specialist.

And Jose Maria Jimenez?

He starting to go well. After la Vuelta a Asturias, he will stop, to reach the Tour as good as possible. He will race the Classique des Alpes and the Dauphine. He should have a good Tour.

Tour de l'Oise cancelled

The Tour de l'Oise has been cancelled on May 17 and 18 because of financial problems. The representers of the region Oise couldn't guarantee the financial part.

Andre Tchmil

Andrej Tchmil is contracted by organisers for the Amsterdam Dernyrace/GP Doeland on May 18. The organisors are still negotiating with Olano and Chris Boardman.

Max van Heeswijk

Max van Heeswijk fell Wednesday and is out of the peloton for one to two months. He broke his right hand. His Rabobank-mate Aart Vierhouten will start in the Amstel Gold Race in his place. He was planning to start in the Tour of Bern.

The Rabobank team for the Amstel Gold Race on Saturday: Erik Breukink, Rolf Svrensen, Leon van Bon, Michael Boogerd, Erik Dekker, Michael Blaudzun, Patrick Jonker and Aart Vierhouten.

The Rabobank team for the Tour of Bern on Sunday: Peter Luttenberger, Arvis Piziks, Johan Bruyneel, Robbie McEwen, Koos Moerenhout, Marcel Luppes and Jans Koerts

Danny Nelissen

Danny Nelissen is coming back in the peloton on May 6 in the 4 Days of Dunkerk. Since the Tour of Mallorca in February, he has had a mysterious virus. All kind of investigations have been done and doctors have not been able to find anything definitive.

After his last visit to the Maastricht hospital on April 3 he started training again. And on Wednesday he rode the route of the Amstel Gold Race with Erik Breukink, Patrick Jonker, Michael Boogerd and Michael Blaudzun. The former 1995 amateur world champion is training around 800-900 kilometers a week.

Denmark

Denmark could count on a professional cycling team starting on 1998, which would be captained by Brian Holm and the ex-world champion Alex Pedersen in the technical team, says today the Copenhague newspaper "Berlingske Tidende". The main sponsor of the long awaited team would be the "Bestseller" clothing company with main offices in Herning, hometown of Bjarne Riis, the last Tour de France winner. But it isn't probable that the 32 year old Dane, who lives in Luxembourgh, will wear the jersey of the Danish team, although he has helped the preparation of the team. "It is not our intention to create a team made out of retirees", assured Finn Poulsen, director of "Bestseller". According to plans, the team will carry the name "Team Jack & Jones", their trademark for youth clothing and would count on at least 10 riders". "We will look to have a strong team, with some talent from Herning, but we will also look for talent in the country and if we can also one or two foreign", added Poulsen. The ambitious team would try to ride Classic races like the Tour of Flanders. The promoters have good contacts with the management of the Tour de France, which organizes the majority of these races and their intentions would be to participate as a "wild card" (by invitation), informed the newspaper.