News for August 7


Bjarne Riis's End of Season

Tour de France winner Bjarne Riis plans to ride only one more stage race this season -- the Tour of Denmark, starting tomorrow (August 7) and finishing August 11. He is though scheduled to ride a number of one-day events -- the Leeds International Classic (August 18), the GP Eddy Merckx time trial (September 1), the two-up GP Telekom time trial with team-mate Jan Ullrich (September 15), the three-race Italian Premondiale series and then the Worlds road race in Lugano on October 13.

Rominger Rides Again

Tony Rominger flew to Austria from Atlanta to ride two criteriums organized there by German former pro Rolf Golz. Later, Rominger will ride the Tour of Burgos (August 19-23), the GP des Nations time trial (September 21). He will be at the World Championships in Lugano in October but is undecided whether he will ride the road race or the time trial and will then take part in the Giro di Lombardia.

Chris Boardman's Record Ambitions

As previously reported Chris Boardman undertook speed tests at the end of June with a view to a later attempt to recapture the world hour record. "I rode at 55kph for 20 minutes," said Boardman, "but it was only an indication."

Boardman is now proceeding to the next steps in his quest. "I was frankly astonished that I felt as good as I did in the Olympic time trial after a disappointing Tour de France. I'm now going to proceed with new tests on my return to Manchester [tomorrow, August 7] and I must get to know within the next two weeks if I can try for the record." If he feels up to it, the record attempt will take place within the next two months at sea level in a welodrome that hasn't yet been decided on.