Second Edition News for December 10


SILVELLE DI TREBASELEGHE (Padova, Italy, 12/8/95)

Superprestige Cyclocross Round 4:

1. Daniele Pontoni (Ita, Guerciotti) 59'36" 2. Bramati (Ita, Selle Italia-Colnago) a 31" 3. Herijgers (Bel) a 43" 4. Van Santvliet (Bel) a 1'33" 5. Simunek (Cze) a 1'46" 6. De Vos (Hol) a 2'15"

Superprestige Overall:

1. Wim DE VOS (Hol) 54 p. 2. Bramati (Ita) 48 3. Groenendaal (Hol) 40 4. Janssens (Bel) 39 5. Van Santvliet (Bel) 35. Next Superprestige: 16 December Trofeo Guerciotti in Milan.

ForceSud Short of the The Readies

In a gloom-laden article yesterday (8 December) L'Equipe reported that one of the prospective new French teams, ForceSud (as it is still provisionally named) is still to put together a packet of sponsors sufficient to guarantee it can function. So far a syndicate of companies in the South of France has pledged to provide about 16% of the necessary budget, which totals some 18 million French francs (approx US$3.6 million).

Not surprisingly, the 12 riders who have signed contracts with the team (and are therefore legally bound to stay with it) are uneasy. They are Arnould, Bourguignon, Bozzi, Lance, Capelle, Henry, Pagnin, Zanoli and the neo pros Jan, Rinero, Morin and Bassons. The Mexican rider Arroyo had also been expected to sign for the team. Gilles Gallais, the promoter of the team, remains optimistic.

"We are going to find the money," he says. "We'll report on it in eight or ten days. There are several enterprises lined up as sponsors and things look good." The team does seem to have found the money to get some bikes -- Dominique Arnould, for example, has his -- a Fondriest....