News for December 1

The first day of summer

Some transfer news and rumours which will certainly need to be updated.

Andorre

LOTUS-FESTINA - Takes on Emmanuel Magnien (ex-Casto), Felix Garcia Casas (ex-Artiach) and Lylian Lebreton (ex-Aubervillers).

Belgium

LOTTO - Serge Baguet, Rudy Verdonck and brothers Mario & Peter De Clercq leaves and are replaced by four new pros Sebastian Demarkaix, Christophe Detilloux, Verbrugge and Bracke. Marc Wauters (ex-Novell) and Oleg Koziltin (ex-Le Groupement) also joins the team.

COLLSTROP - Jo Planckaert goes to Ceramiche Refin. Benoit Salmon (ex-Casto), Peter De Clerq (ex-Lotto) are new signing together with Daniel Sjoberg and Magnus Backstedt (neo-pros).

France

GAN - Gerard Rue and Stephane Heulot (ex-Banesto), Frederic Moncassin (ex-Novell), Ronan Pensec (ex-Le Groupment), Laurent Desbiens, Philippe Gaumont and Francois Simon (ex-Casto) are new riders for '96. Leaving are Pascal Lance, Thierry Gouvenou, Jean-Christophe Currit, Jean-Philippe Dojwa, Nicolas Aubier and Jean-Claude Colotti. Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle has taken late retirement.

AUBERVILLIERS - Thierry Gouvenou (ex-Gan), Francisque Teyssier (ex-Festina) reinforces the promotional team while Christophe Leroscouet and Emmanuel Mallet gets no new contract and Lylian Lebreton goes to Festina.

LA MUTUELLE DE SEINE-ET-MARNE - Laurent Davion (ex.Le Groupment) joins the team.

FORCESUD - A new team with Pascal Lance, Christophe Capelle (ex-Gan), Thierry Bourguignon, Dominique Arnould (ex-Le Grupement), Michel Zanoli (ex-Asfra) and Italian Roberto Pagnin (ex-Navigare).

Germany

TELEKOM - Bjarne Riis (ex-Gewiss), Michel Lafis (ex-Amore e Vita) and Michael Andersson (ex-Sicasal) are new signings for 1996.

Netherlands

RABOBANK - Previously known as Novell, with new signings Johan Bruyneel and Erik Breukink (ex-Once), Rolf Sorensen (ex-MG), Australian Robbie McEwen and 'cross stars as Adrie van der Poel (ex-Collstrop) and Richard Groenendaal. Frans Maassen retires but will be working with the team.

Italy

ROSLOTTO-ZG MOBILI - A major new team for 1996: Maurizio Fondriest (ex-Lampre), Piotr Ugrumov (ex-Gewiss), Stefano Cattai and Andrea Ferrigato (ex-ZG Mobili-Selle Italia), Manzoni, Andrea Chiurato (ex-Mapei), Savoldelli, Daniele Sgnaolin, Fincato,(neo-pros), Pascal Lino (ex-Le Groupement), Alexandre Gontchenkov (ex-Lampre), Vassilij Davidenko (ex-Navigare) and Russians Surkov and Djavanian and Moldavian Bonciukov.

GLACIAL-SELLE ITALIA - Nelson "Cacaito" Rodriguez, Walter Bonca, Roberto Caruso (ex-ZG Mobili Selle Italia), Nicola Miceli (ex-Carrera), Antonio Fanelli (ex-Amore e Vita), Angel-Yesid Camargo (ex-Kelme), Fulvio Frigo (neo-pro), Moretti, Profeti and Victor Bicerra (neo-pro).

SAECO - Takes over from Mercatone Uno as main sponsor for Cipollini's team. New signings Manuel Pascual and Antonio Sanchez (ex-Artiach), Davide Cassani (ex-MG), Giorgio Furlan (ex-Gewiss) and amateurs Ignacio Rodriguez and Gines Salmeron from Spain. Leaving is Rosario Fina to Gewiss.

MG-TECHNOGYM - Davide Rebellin, Max Sciandri, Flavio Vanzella, Davide Cassani and Rolf Sorensen wil leave. Michele Bartoli (ex-Mercatone Uno) will hopefully make all those losses up.

CERAMICHE REFIN - New signings Jo Planckaert (ex-Collstrop) and Stefano Colage (ex-ZG Mobili).

LAMPRE - Only confirmed signing is Swiss amateur Camenzind.

AKI - Erwan Menteheour (ex-Cedico), Armand de las Cuevas (ex-Casto) and amateur Stefano Faustini are rumoured to be the new riders.

GEWISS - Only new signing (at the moment) is Rosario Fina (ex-Mercatone) and the departure of Bjarne Riis and Piotr Ugumov will leave the field open as team leader to Jevgenij Berzin.

AMORE E VITA - Michel Lafis goes to Telekom and is replaced by Swedish champion Glenn Magnusson.

Spain

CASTELLBLANCH - New riders are Daniel Clavero, Ramon Garcia Espana, Jose Manuel Garcia and Jose Luis Santamaria (ex-Artiach) and Victor Gamito (ex-Sicasal).

EUSKADI - David Garcia (ex-Banesto), 7th in the Vuelta, will be a major reinforcement to the Basque team.

BANESTO - Orlando Rodrigues (ex-Artiach) and Damien Nazon (ex-Casto) will join while Andy Hampsten, Oscar Lopez Uriarte, David Garcia, Gerard Rue, Stephane Heulot, Mikel Zarrabetia and Jesus Montoya leaves.

ONCE - Aitor Garmendia (ex-Banesto) and new pros Richardo Ochoa, Davide Canada and Miguel Morras. Morras was the cause of a major row between Banesto and Once, with Banesto accusing Once of poaching on their territory. Miguel Morras was the best Spanish amateur 1995 and a member of Banesto's amateur team. Johan Bruyneel and Erik Breukink departs.

KELME - Fernando Escartin (ex-Mapei) will be the new team leader. Angel-Yesid Camargo goes to Glacial-Selle Italia while Martin Farfan retires.

USA

MOTOROLA - Alvaro Mejia is on his way out but Laurent Madouas and Bruno Thibout (ex-Casto), Max Sciandri and Flavio Canzella (ex-MG) will join the team. Ex-pro Johnny Weltz will be new assistant team manager. 

(Sources Cycle Sport Dec 1995, TVE-TXT, TV5-TXT, Gazetta dello Sport)

Please update this if you have new information to:
BERTIL

Emonds For Hour Again

Belgian rider Nico Emonds, who made an attempt on the world hour record on 13 November in Bordeaux, reaching 51.801km, is to make a new attempt on the record on the same track on 6 December at 16.00.

Marie Chooses La Creuse

Thierry Marie has signed a contract with the new German-French Agrigel-La Creuse team for 1996. "I was contacted by the Force-Sud team," said Marie, "but I preferred to join former Castorama riders Jacky Durand and Thierry Laurent." The other team members already signed are Jean-Luc Masdupuy (ex-Aki), Herve Garel (ex-Le Groupement), Jean-Pierre Bourgeot (ex-Chazal) and Stephane Conan (ex-amateur, Bernard Sports). A complement of ten riders is planned, so three more need to be signed. L'Equipe notes that little has been heard recently about the proposed Force-Sud team.

The Long Goodbye

Saying farewell yet again, Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle is to lead friends and supporters over a 20km stretch of Paris--Roubaix cobbles on 13 January. The event is organised by Duclos's last team, GAN, and the city of Roubaix.

Delion Still Unemployed

Gilles Delion, the 1990 Giro di Lombardia winner, has as yet no team for 1996. He had hoped to dign for Collstrop but this didn't come off. "I really wasn't asking for a high salary," he said, "but in the end I wasn't engaged."