News for April 3, 1997

A very kind person has offered to translate Rolf Jaermann's Diary for me from German. I can speak French and Dutch but not German. So this is excellent for us all. He has cleared it with Rolf to allow me to publish this material and so here is the first edition. My thanks go to both David and Rolf. They are both very kind.

Rolf Jaermann's Diary

1st Stage De Panne

Now they are totally hammering. Today 50 riders arrived at the finish with 12 minutes lead. (I was behind), but now the UCI introduced effective immediately a new regulation. If we average less than 38 km/h, there's no prize money and no FICP-Points! I think I'll hang up my wheels if this happens.

Deinze 31 March 97

After the Easter egg hunt I find myself again in Belgium. And I can hardly believe it, jet blue skies, no clouds. This year I've already ridden in over 20 races, and up til now I haven't yet seen a cloud, let alone a few rain drops! I was certain that this race in Belgium would be met with rain and wind. But it appears it won't be.

I had to search for the Easter eggs from bed since I had a fever and a headache. Perhaps this explains my poor performance at the time trial (in the Setimana Catalana on 28 March 97/dew). Although I felt so lousy, something good came from it since I didn't eat any Easter bunnies. Now I'll approach the "Three Days of De Panne" in a somewhat quieter fashion in order to be at full power again by next Sunday at the Ronde van Vlaanderen.

His diary (in German) is at: http://emb.net/velopages/jarmann/rolf.html

Thanks to David Wear

Kelly comments on Ireland's Tour start

``It is a marvellous achievement by the people who have been trying to bring the Tour de France here for so long. As sporting events go, it is huge. It really has to be seen to be believed,'' said Kelly, the 1988 Tour of Spain winner.

``It will be a huge task for Ireland to stage it,'' he added.

The Tour will start on the July 11-12 weekend to avoid clashing with the soccer World Cup finals in France from June 10 to July 12.

Even though the Tour has started outside France 13 times in the past, it will be the first time it is launched outside the European mainland.