News for August 7, 1997

Tour de France VVT

Stage 5 ITT:

1. Martinez (Fra) 17,5 km in 32.31, 2. Kristensen (Den) 0.47, 3. Evans
(Aus) 0.51, 4. Dupouey (Fra) 0.53, 5. Herisset (Fra) 1.04, 6. Savignoni
(Fra) 1.18, 7. Pallhuber (Ita) 1.20, 8. Van den Abeele (Bel) 1.36, 9. Wabel
(Swi) 1.39, 10. Lezaun (Spa) 1.45.

GC:

1. Kristensen 8.44.58, 2. Evans 3.14, 3. Savignoni 4.40, 4. Lezaun 14.56,
5. Dupouey 16.44, 6. Brentjens (Ned) 19.54, 7. Tsjerkassov (Rus) 21.57, 8.
Martinez 26.05, 9. Manin (Fra) 26.19, 10. Hoydahl (Nor) 29.16

Stage 6 - Saint-Anthème:

 1. Tsjerkassov (Rus) 45,5 km in 1.31.33
 2. Bonnand (Fra)
 3. Dupouey (Fra) 0.43
 4. Nijboer (Ned) 1.11
 5. Orcel (Fra)
 6. Gerritsen (Ned)
 7. Kristensen (Den)
 8. Savignoni (Fra)
 9. Cadel Evans (Australia)
10. Randolph (USA) 1.35

GC after Stage 6:

 1. Kristensen (Den) 	     10.17.42
 2. Cadel Evans (Australia)	 3.14
 3. Savignoni 			 4.40
 4. Dupouey 			16.16
 5. Lezaun (Spa) 		16.41
 6. Tsjerkassov 		20.46
 7. Brentjens (Ned) 		21.04
 8. Martinez (Fra) 		26.32
 9. Manin (Fra) 		29.51
10. Pallhuber (Ira) 		33.44

Wilfried Nelissen Wins -- But Not In Sprint

Wiflried Nelissen (Bel, Palmans) passed another milestone on the road to recovery after his accident in the 1996 Gent--Wevelgem when he won a race at Buggenhout in Belgium this week. Whether he has regained his sprinter's legs and courage is as yet uncertain -- his first win since the crash 16 months ago came after a lone breakaway.

Cedric Vasseur Gets Open-Top-Red-Cadillac Welcome Home

Saturday (August 9) was a fete day in the small town of Steenvorde in French Flanders, a few kilometres from the Belgian frontier, when local hero Cedric Vasseur came home. A crowd of 4,000 turned out in the main square of the town... which has 4,000 inhabitants ... to greet the GAN rider. Vasseur, who had kept a grip on the maillot jaune of the Tour de France for five stages, rode in a resplendent red open-top Cadillac followed by a procession of local school children all dressed in yellow jerseys.

Virenque Gives Mums Gentle Brush-Off

Virenquemania continues to sweep France as the popular Tour mountains jersey winner proceeds around the criterium circuit. "It's his way of life," says Festina team-mate Pascal Herve, who has forgone the hurly-burly. "As for me, since the Tour I've stayed at home. It's all the noise that scares me." Richard Virenque is made of sterner stuff but he stays a gentleman as he fends off the crowds. Surrounded by crowds of simple, good-natured women who not only want his autograph but also to embrace him, he has been heard on several occasions to politely excuse himself, saying: "No, I'm all sweaty."

Virenque's criterium commitments have meant that his first visit home since the Tour finished was only last Thursday (July 31), first to Versoix, near Geneva, and then immediately on to his second house in Carqueiranne in the Var where he met the crowds, distributing red-spotted race hats and telling the people that he hoped to return next year with the yellow jersey.

On Sunday he rode 5km -- to work. His workplace -- the track at Hyeres-Costebelle where he was to ride in a track criterium. With 10 minutes to go his track bike hadn't yet arrived. A word on the mobile phone to his father-in-law sorted that out.

Transfer news

Maarten den Bakker (TVM) will sign for Rabobank next year. It's the first time in one-and-a-half year that there will be a transfer between the two Dutch teams. There was a gentlemen's agreement between both not to offer contracts to the other team's riders. Insiders said that the relationship between Rabobank and TVM deteriorated during the last Tour de France.

There are also rumours that Danny Nelissen will not ride for Rabobank next year. He said: "They haven't offered me a contract yet".

Danish rider Bo Nicolay Larsen (25, Amore & Vita and winner of stage 17 in the Giro in 1996) signed for one year with TVM.

Hyeres, France, Criterium

 1. Virenque (Festina)
 2. Moncassin (Gan)
 3. Baffi (USP)

Monein, France, Criterium

 1. Olano (Ban)
 2. N Jalabert (Cof)
 3. Moncassin (Gan)
 4. Hervé (Fes)
 5. Gaumont (Cof)

Chateau-Chinon, France, Criterium

 1. Brochard (Fes)
 2. Vasseur (Gan)
 3. Virenque (Fes)

Tour of the Cotswolds, UK, last weekend

 1. Tony Bracke (Bel) (Ipso)
 2. John Tanner (GB) (elite with contract)
 3. Robert Hayles(GB) (elite with contract)

Graz, Austria, last weekend

 1 Zabel (Tel)
 2 Tafi (Map)