News for August 2, 1997

Rolf's Diary Update

10th stage TdF 275km

I finished better today than yesterday in the last big "Grupetto", 43 minutes behind Jan Ullrich. But there were over 80 riders! And I'm nonetheless blown, but perhaps I'll attack tomorrow on the first climb, since the others are finally tired too.

St. Etienne, 16 July

11 stage TdF 195km

I wanted to, I could have finally reported something postive from the Tour! But again only bad luck, on the first pass I had a chat with Virenque, until I showed him the running cameras. Then I was unsuccessful in two smaller escape groups, and as Finco countered off my attack 12km from the finish, everyone just watched, and the three arrived at the finish without any problems. And Järmann was again not with them. At the finish there were only six showers for 180 riders and after the flight it was late getting to the hotel. However my morale is still good and I'm not finished. Now I have to wait until after the Alps before I can undertake something again.

Rest day

A rest day is a rest day and so I enjoyed it. 30km light training, cleaned my shoes and cleaned up my suit case. Then of course a massage and by then the day was almost gone. But I finally found the time to read a newspaper. Now I'm caught up again with what's going on in the world, even though the paper is already two weeks old.

St. Etienne, 18 July

12th stage TdF Time trial 57km

I almost lost 9 minutes and I'm nevertheless content. And this super performance that Jan Ullrich presented, I respect him from the bottom of my heart without begrudging him. I hope he'll keep Virenque, as before, in a little suspense, in order to present him again with another hefty time gain. The French are nearly in mourning because their Richard won't win the Tour again. In case someone is trying extra to see me on the TV, they can confidently turn it off in the next three days, I won't be seen. Perhaps afterwards, after Fribourg (Switzerland)!

l'Alpe d'Huez, 19 July

13th stage TdF 215km

The mythos of l'Alpe d'Huez! It's unbelievable, how many people celebrated and cheered us on. Riding is nice when it's like that. Naturally, I looked around since I was alone in front of the grupetto. I could really enjoy all the people. Actually I didn't ride slowly, always in the 41x19 or 17 and I was classified at 9 minutes back in 13km! Unbelievable how Ullrich and Pantani sprinted up the mountain!

Morzine, 21 July

15th stage TdF 215km

Hello, I'm back again! Since yesterday's stage cost me at least five years of my life, I was too blown to even think about the computer and my diary. Even so, today I left another six years behind, totally alone in front of the broomwagen I was tormented by the mountains, every sprinter left me behind. And then the advertising caravan in front of me 100km long, every 200m: "and voilà, the last brave rider Rolf Järmann". That was not so beneficial for my morale. But even so, I arrived within the time limit and only that counts. And tomorrow we're going to Switzerland. I have to catch fire there, only how?

At home

This bloody Tour. I still started very motivated, finally it was over in Switzerland. During the first attack I was still at the front, 10km later dropped. Then I sweated alone for another 120km and 40km before the finish I put my foot down on the ground unnerved. Of course there were immediately cameras to record my abandonment. It's all the same to me, if I don't see any more bikes! Now my morale is somewhat better and I haven't regretted for a second my abandonment. A few days recovery and I'll be back with the next races. First I'll do some cyclocross in Lausanne and the Tour of Wartenburg, and in the autumm perhaps the Vuelta. For the moment I'm simply only at home.

Translated by David Wear

Results Junior World Track Titles, Cape Town, South Africa

July 31, 1997
   
Women's Sprint

 1. Katrin Meinke, Germany
 2. Yumari Gonzalez, Cuba
 3. Rosealee Hubbard, Australia
 4. Natalia Hubbard, Russia
 5. Tanya Lindenmuth, USA
 6. Tamara Versolatto, Italy
 7. Betty Monastra, Italy
 8. Jana Hartelt, Germany

3000m Individual Pursuit

 Marco Hesselschwerdt, Germany 3.27,262
 Michael Rogers, Australia
 Christian Bach, Germany
 Brett Lancaster, Australia
 Manuel Quinziato, Italy
 Vladimir Sidorenkov, Russia
 Sylvain Chavanel, France
 Benoit Genauzeau, France

Olympic Sprint Qualifying

 Germany 	48,400
 Belgium 	50,673
 Australia 	47,853 (Jeff Hopkins, Tim Kersten, Kane Selin)
 Japan		50,011 
 France  	47,950
 Poland 	50,292
 Italy  	48,175
 Greece 	50,175

Olympic Sprint Finals Start List

For 3rd & 4th place - Italy v Germany
For 1st & 2nd place - Australia v France

Criterium in Hadsten (Denmark) 31/8/1997

Bjarne Riis won the Criterium for the third time.

Riis escaped halfway in the race, when the race was hit by heavy rain. Jesper Skibby was about 1 minut behind on second place. Number three Bo Hamburger was laped by Bjarne Riis.

There was about 10.000 spectators.

Canadian National Road Championships

 1. Czeslaw Lukasewizch Equipe du Quebec		     3.35.00 
 2. Eric Wholberg, (Ontario) Team Shaklee		   
 3. Mat Anand (Alberta), Espoirs de Laval                              
 4. Brian Walton (B-C) Team Saturn 
 5. Steve Rover (Quebec) La Mutuelle de Seine et Marne
 6. Jacques Landry (Quebec) Everfresh/Radio-energie          all s.t.
 7. Yannick Cojan (Quebec) Espoirs de Laval            		1.40
 8. Sylvain Beauchamps (Quebec) Everfresh/radio-energie
 9. John Powell Team Ontario
10. Dominique Perras (Quebec) Excellence-sports/Harvey's     all s.t.

Criterium Wateringen, Netherlands

Race distance - 100 km
 
 1. Jeroen Blijlevens
 2. Johan Museeuw (Bel)
 3. Michael Boogerd

Audience: 40,000