Contracts and Transfers- Massimo Apollonio, 27 year, will leave the team of Scrigno-Gaerne and will ride in 1998 for Vini Caldirola-Aki.Olano InterviewAbraham Olano is spending his sixth winter as a professional cyclist differently to the previous 5 winters. He is on the way to seven years at the highest level in World Cycling and has decided to take things a little easier. Has looked for tranquility, even to disconnect himself a bit from cycling, from that passion that didn't allow him to leave his work machine (bicycle) for more than a few days. He continues to think about the Tour de France, although he says that he hasn't seen the route of the race.Q. Have you spent a lot of days on vacation? A. More or less, some forty days. I had never spent so much time on vacation since I've been a cyclist. Q. It has been awhile since you last competed. Do you miss the competition? A. I kept training until a little bit before the World Champioships in October and I won't race again until Mallorca, although my season will probably start in March. I'm going to take things with tranquility. I'm riding three hours on the bike, no more and for now that's sufficient. Q. Have you seen the route of the Tour de France that you will have to face for '98? A. I think about the Tour, but I'm not centered on the Tour. It is in my mind. I haven't seen the route profile, even if people can't believe that. I know that there isn't a mountain time trial, but I think that there are a lot of mountains, even more than this year, but since there are only two mountain top finishes, it lokks like less. Q. And the videos of the World Championships in San Sebastián? A. I haven't seen them either. What for? Q. How does the season that you finished this year balance out? A. For the press and people in general, my season may have been a dissapointment, more than anything for all that was said about me aspiring to win the Tour. For me it has been good, seeing how I have ridden. It could have been better, but it is clear that I didn't perform like I should have. Q. What has been your worst moment of the season? A. Retiring from la Vuelta a España. It was really bad. It has been the worst moment of all my sporting career. The hole at la Vuelta has been the worst. Q. Worst even that your first season as a Pro, than other crashes and other bad happenings? A. A lot worst. TO not know what's happening to you is terrible. I was very low psychologically. I couldn't find an explanation and nobody could give me one. Q. Could you say that you were depressed? A. A depression? Yes, in a certain way. I was doubting because I couldn't find the motive for what was happeining to me. Q. Could the breakup with you trainer Michele Ferrari have something to do with that low? A. No, it didn't have anything to do. The thing with Ferrari was a logical distancing, as a trainer who takes care of many riders and with whom one can't have a frienship. For me friendship is more important. He's a great trainer, but don't expect his friendship. He can't be partial. Malcolm Elliot retiresI received this tribute to Malcolm Elliot, courtesy of one of his Directeur Sportifs, Dave Lettieri from Team Chevrolet LA Sheriffs:Malcolm had a great career and a great extension of that career in America. He won over 100 professional races and represented the UK 2 times as an Olympian. Unfortunately, over the years, he often was not treated fairly by teams. I guess it is ironic that, that is how it all ended. Not getting paid by Comptel. He currently is in a lawsuit with them. Here are some of his achievements:
2 times First Union GP Champion. 2 times Redland Classic Champion. USPRO points winner. DuPont stage winner (2 times) and yellow jersey holder during early stages of that race. Killington Stage Race winner. Criterium at Tour Le Fleur (3 times). Criterium at Manhattan Beach GP (2 times). Criterium at Pocono (2 times). Criterium at Santa Rosa (2 times). UK Pro road Champion 1994. |