News for August 8, 1997

Tour de France MTB Update

Bart Brentjens broke his tail-bone in the Tour de France MTB on Monday, as a result of sitting on his saddle over some very difficult and hard terrain. Initially, the organization wanted to bring Brentjens to the hospital on Thursday morning; but Bart refused and started Stage 6. After the race he went to hospital for x-rays. The doctors told Brentjens that the treatment really only involved medicinal intake. As a result Brentjens decided that he will start the Tour de France on Friday (today) as normal. If he has any serious troubles over the next 10 days he will go to a hospital in the Netherlands.

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:

 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

August 7, 1997, Nijmegen, NL, The Netherlands Stayer's Title

 1. Rol (Alkmaar)/gangmaker Mooy
 2. Koks (Heiloo)/gangmaker Walraven
 3. De Boer (Amsterdam)/gangmaker Jonker

August 7, 1997, Oostvoorne, NL, Professionals, 80 km

 1. Erik Breukink (Kalmthout)	     1.50.08
 2. John Talen (Spijkenisse) 		0.10
 3. Maarten Den Bakker (Hoogstraten)
 4. Erik Zabel (Ger)
 5. Johan Museeuw (Bel)

Riis absent from Vuelta

Danish cyclist Bjarne Riis, winner of the Tour de France 1996, will not participate at la Vuelta a Espana next September as he had originally stated, since he needs to rest after this year's tough Tour. "I'm tired and my legs hurt, I have noticed it agian today", said last night after finishing the first stage of the Tour of Denmark. Riis admits that he wanted to ride in Spain, but the effort would be too much right now, plus it is not his intention to go looking for revenge in the Spanish roads for what happened at the Tour where he finished seventh. "My sport director and I have decided that I need a break", added Riis. Telekom had already announced that Jan Ullrich, wouldn't ride La Vuelta.