Rolf's Diary UpdateZihlschlacht, 12 August 97Yesterday 125km, today 151. But in this weather it's a pleasure to train. Still two days of doing a lot and then training is finished again for two weeks and I can race. Zihlschlacht, 15 August 97 I just came home from the doctor's. One week of no training! I sprained my foot and got a cut on my big toe. Why does something like that happen when I have some morale? But I definitely be at the start next Wednesday in Italy, but for this Sunday I'll have to unfortunately pass. Zihlschlacht, 17 August 97 It annoys me still that I can't start today. Especially when I think that my foot is not so badly swollen. To start would have been possible. Actually I wasn't supposed to train at all, but two hours won't hurt anything...? Arona (Italy), 19 August 97 Finally I can train without any big problems and tomorrow I can finally race again. How will it come out? I'm very motivated but four days without the bike, how do I put that behind me? Arona (Italy), 20 August 97 I've been brought back to reality again. I started with morale, in the first escape group and then dropped from the field on the flat. But my foot doesn't hurt any more, but now my back, the collar-bone, and of course my legs. Most likely I'm cramping because of my foot problems. And it'll get better every day. Next in queue is the Coppa Bernocci, if only I'll be able to finish! Translated by David Wear dwear@hotmail.com Ullrich fined during Tour of NetherlandsJan Ullrich was fined 250 Guilders because he didn't appear at the Ceremony for the presentation of the white (under 23s). He also has to give back the day-premium awarded to the holder of the Maillot blanc. The cash is no real problem for Ullrich. He just tripled his salary with Telekom from 700,000 to 2 million guilders.Transfers and Contracts- The Rabobank team has made a new contract with Michael Boogerd (16th in the last Tour de France) till the end of 2000. The team also continued to contract Leon van Bon, Erik Dekker, Aart Vierhouten and the Australian sprinter Rob McEwen (all for two seasons); Koos Moerenhout for one season.- Foreldorado/Golff the Dutch team centred in Gulpen, Limburg will definitely stop sponsoring the third main Dutch pro team in 1998. With only 1,500,000 Dutch guilders it hasn't been possible for the team to be fully competitive compared to the top teams on much bigger budgets. Both sponsors could not find any co-sponsors to continue. Riders such as Eddy Bouwmans, John van den Akker and Raymond Meys have to look for another team now. Golff, however, will remain the mnain sponsor of the amateur team. - Michele Bartoli will change from MG to Asics next season. His contract will allow him to bring Finco, Scinto and Coppolillo with him. - Peter van Petegem and Bart Voskamp have both signed with TVM for another two years. Maarten den Bakker is currently negotiating with the Rabobank-team, while Bo Hamburger will make his decision after the Vuelta. The team management has announced that there is no place next year for Niels van der Steen, Louis de Koning and Steffen Kjaergaard. Michael Lafis (Sweden) currently riding for the Telekom has signed with TVM for 2 years. Lafis is 30 years old. Belgian team from WorldsThe Belgian Coach Marc Sergeant announced the first group riders for the World Championship on the road in San Sebastian on October 12: Johan Museeuw, Frank Vandenbroucke, Tom Steels, Wilfried Peeters and Nico Mattan (all Mapei), Jo Planckaert (Lotto), Mario Aerts (Vlaanderen 2002), Peter Van Petegem (TVM) and Axel Merckx (Polti)The last four will be announced in September. Surprises are the non-selection of Peter Farazijn and Hendrik Van Dijck. "Farazijn had a heavy programm this year", Sergeant said. "Jean-Luc Vandenbroucke asked me to wait for his selection. And Van Dijck was very honest to me: he said that after a selection his first priority was to help his TVM-mates and not the Mapei-GB-riders. I hope he will change his mind. Nico Mattan is avaiable for the Time Trial too. Other candidates for the Belgian team are Glenn D'Hollander or Johan Bruyneel. New World Record Attempt abandonedFred Rompelberg (51 years) has postponed his new attempt for the 'world speed record behind motor'. His health will not allow the attempt at this stage. In spring, he trained at Mallorca (Spain) and had trouble with kidney-stones. After a stay in hospital in Palma de Mallorca he came back to Maastricht in the Netherlands where he lives.The new attempt was listed for the end of September or the beginning of October on the saltlake in Bonneville Speedway (Utah). The record is already held by Rompelberg: 268,8 kilometer per hour! His next attempt will be in September 1998. He has agreed with his sponsors about this (start money 1 million US dollars; new world record another 1 million US dollars). Rompelberg: "It's a pity. It's about a lot of money; while i am not becoming any younger." Lots of Criterium ResultsCRITERIUM VAYRAL (Nat.) France 1. Richard Virenque (Fra) Festina 95 km. in 2.05.19 (45,485 km/h) 2. Laurent Roux (Fra) TVM 3. Christophe Agnolutto (Fra) Casino 4. Laurent Jalabert (Fra) ONCE 5. Jacky Durand (Fra) Casino 6. Kvetoslav Pavlov (Cze) elite 7. David Moncoutie (Fra) Cofidis 8. David Delrieu (Fra) Mutuelle 9. Eros Poli (Ita) Gan 10. Jann Kirsipuu (Est) Casino CRITERIUM SCHWERIN (Nat.) Germany, 16 August 1. Jan Ullrich (Ger) Telekom 81 km. 2. Jens Heppner (Ger) Telekom 3. Tobias Lampe (Ger) elite CRITERIUM CHATEAUROUX (Nat.) France, 23 August 1. Stephane Barthe (Fra) Casino 2. Serguei Utchakov (Ukr) Team Polti 3. Nicolas Vogondy (Fra) Francaise CIRCUIT DE L'AULNE (Nat.) Chateaulin, France 25 August 1. Laurent Jalabert (Fra) ONCE 137 km. in 2.59.07 (45,892 km/h) 2. Richard Virenque (Fra) Festina 3. Ronan Pensec (Fra) Gan + 0.17 4. Stephane Heulot (Fra) Francaise 5. Pascal Chanteur (Fra) Casino 6. Cedric Vasseur (Fra) Gan + 1.03 |