News for December 24, 1997

Gotti and Manager are fighting

Gotti has an agreement with Saeco untl the end of 1998, but with his success at the Giro d'Italia he expected that his contract would be altered - for the company to extend and increase his contract until the end of the year 2000. Gotti is reported as saying: "I spoke to Corti about specific figures, but in the end I wasn't succesful. I prefer to be clear, to behave fairly. In any case this is not a money problem. There is a contract that I respect with all possible professionalism, but Corti is closed up. I'm not going to deal with him anymore, he has treated me like a nobody".

"I have no voice or say. I have asked the organization to allow a rider that I trust in the team and they have denied me that. To compensate Corti has told me about the signing of certain riders. The organization has treated me like an employee that has failed in his responsibilities".

Gotti, meanwhile, has not involved his teammates in his battle with Corti. "I get along with my teammates and sport directors. In the meeting at the end of November I spoke to Zappella, our president and sponsor and he has been very amenable. I have had the problem only with Corti and I don't understand why. I respect my contract, but I want to have the least amount of contact possible with Corti".

An how does Claudio Corti answer? "I believe in Gotti and I want him to stay with the team in the future, but this year the budget has ben reduced by close to a billion (lira). I'm getting close with a second sponsor to support Saeco that will alow me to renew Ivan's contract and make him happy. Concerning the nine riders that we have signed I think that Savoldelli and Piepoli will be optimal elements that will help the team a lot at the Giro d'Italia".

About his training Gotti says: "I'm following the same preparation as last season. My calendar will also close to the last season. I aim for the Giro, but I hope to be able to race a good Tour". Gotti has an envious physical condition. "I haven't gained a gram, but I don't eat so much.

Should Ullrich have gained 9 kilos? "I can't believe it, it seems something absurd". Gotti is very confident about his defense of the Pink Race. "I think that I have reached my maturity as an athlete. My dream as a child has come true when I won the Giro and now I know that I can win it. The attendance, with Zülle, Tonkov & Pantani, will be at a high level. My team will be even stronger because in the mountains I will count with Salvodelli, Piepoli & Frigo".

In January Gotti will be at a wind tunnel to test his new position - In view of the season coming up, Ivan Gotti is working on equipement and his riding position. Cannondale has given him a new frame and Gotti is studying his position to profit from it with the help of Alessandro Mariano, an expert in biomechanics. "With Mariano I have already taken care of an old problem with the right leg. Since it is a little bit shorter it always bothered me. By changing my position in the saddle I have resolved this problem. In addition, after the last test, I've decided to slightly move my saddle back to diminish a dead spot in my pedalling. Even though they are small changes, when going at 50 km/hr, they have greatly increased my performance". At the end of January, Cannondale wants to take Ivan Gotti to Cambiano (Torino) to the wind tunnel at Pininfarina to evaluate his position and different frames, specially the time trial one.

Groenendaal dominating the Cross Season

Groenendaal, who was sick on Saturday, was a winner on Sunday. And Adri van der Poel, despite having a sore throat on Saturday, was also strong enough for second place on Sunday. The two of them are running hot - Superprestige, Gazette van Antwerpen Trophy, or Wprld Cup - the two riders from North Brabant (NL) are remaining as the dominant forces in the season. Sick or not, the "orange riders" (Dutch National colours) remain above all others. With Groenendaal now always looking as sharp as a razor: "I know that today was not by best day for the winter." said Groenendaal at the finish line. "Today, I was very strong. Last Sunday, in Overijse, I felt, for example, that my form was a lot better. I didn't know that I was getting sick though."

After a superb start to the season, it is clear that Groenendaal is on the way to breaking some records. He does not know what lies ahead for the rest of the season but he wants to win the World Championship. "10 years ago the cross riders rode many more races. The number of wins that Liboton had in one winter will not be easily broken, But in percentage terms, I think I am within striking distance. I have from 19 races this season to date: 13 x 1st, 5 x 2nd and 1x 3rd."

Adri Van der Poel sat nearby and listened. It was clear that he felt uncomfortable. He had won at Koksijde last year.

"From Tuesday, I was convinced I could come back here and win. It was going to be a test of condition. I am stronger than I was last year. Then I won everything. But now things are not going so well. On Thursday, I started to get a sore throat and by Saturday I was all blocked up. Last year, Richard had all the misery. Now it is me who is sitting here unhappy. But the season is not yet over.

Current World Champion, Daniele Pontoni also didn't win on Sunday afternoon at Koksijde. He is not well suited to the sand dune courses, but he still came in fourth.

However strong Groenendaal is now, he is saving his best and hoping not to be sick on February 1 in Middelfart when he hopes to win the World Championship.

Sciandri

On November 30th, Max Sciandri collided with a car that was headed in the opposite direction during a training ride. His head hit the car's windshield, but he was lucky that the car did not hit his bike - a mere 5 centimeters was the difference. He then fell heavily onto the ground. Conclusion: displacement of the sixth vertebrae, fractured of the lower part of the seventh, a broken tooth and various abrasions. As a consequence he has to wear a rigid brace to stabilise his spine. And naturally he's had to leave the bicycle aside.

"I'm not able to do anything," explains the Anglo- Tuscan. "Not even rollers. To maintain muscle tone I use an electro-stimulator. I'm starting to move a lot better, but I get tired easily: an athlete who stays at home grows foolish. Professor Castellacci has said that during the first month I could damage the sixth: after the first week of January I will start on rollers and after that I expect to return to pedaling on the road".

Obviously Sciandri will have to change his program. "At the end of December of 1996, I had ridden a total of 3000 kms, so it is clear that I will start this season with less training. The objective will be to return to condition in April. I hoped for a good Sanremo, since this year the team will ride Tirreno-Adriatico. At this point I predict that I'll be competitve by Flanders or Roubaix and that I will give my best at the Ardenne. About the rest of the year this year I was fifth at Liege-Bastogne-Liege... A year has passed, now I'm 31, I have to work harder than before: but I do have the experience".

While Davide Rebellin has returned to Team Polti, Sciandri will continue to ride for la Francaise des Jeux. "It has gone very well, as a matter of fact I have renewed my contract for another two years. After the incident the manager has called me to encourage me. This year, for the first time in my career, I didn't have any wins, one thinks so many things: maybe I missed something in my preparation, I have been short of good luck?: this lesson will help me for the future. On January 15th I will be in Paris for the team presentation: but I won't be able to follow my teammates to their retreat, I will have to continue rehabilitation".

Max Sciandri will defend the colors of La Francaise des Jeux also for 1998 and 1999, directed by Marc Madiot. This year, Sciandri didn't have any wins: he placed 2nd at Paris-Tours which was won by Andrei Tchmil and 7th in the World Cup classification won by Michele Bartoli. The Tuscan rider carries a British license and from 1989 to 1996 he has collected 29 wins as a Pro.

Ullrich returns from Canary Islands

Jan Ullrich, winner of the Tour de France this year has established his training camp at the Canary Island of Fuerteventura looking for two things: the good weather and tranquility, which he can't get in Germany, where he has become an idol, which doesn't allow him to move about without his fans hassling him. He has already lost 2 of the 10 kilos that he gained in the off season.

He went to Turkey on vacation and finally decided to use Fuerteventura to train. He barely rode since after the end of the Tour, except for some criteriums, in which he gained thousands of dollars. He did make time to renew hus contract with Telekom until the year 2001. We have to remember that the German telecommunications firm had planned to leave cycling this season, before Ullrich won the Tour, but with his win, their image has been reinforced and have stayed in the team.

Ullrich's manager, Wolfgang Strohband has been rubbing his hands with the numerous offers they are receiving. For now they have to choose the brand of sunglasses, dress clothes, sport clothes, TV adds and food products. To speak to Ullrich is complicated since he has more requests for interviews, than the year has days. Germany is a market which has 75 million people and that influences a lot. The new world cycling sensation seems to be handling for now everything that has come to him: money, fame and interviews. he will spend Christmas at Merdingen, together with his girlfriend Gaby, but will return to the Canary Islands to resume training.

He continues with his lifetime trainer, Peter Becker, who has said that "Ullrich is in better from than a year ago at around the same date. He has a lot more muscle mass and that makes training easier even though he is 8 kilos overweight". In addition to the habitual gym work, he is already riding 5 hours on the bicycle, together with sessions of sauna, massage, beach volleyball matches, with a complete physical workout.

At the Canary Islands, in addition to his trainer, Ullrich is in the company of Bernd Dietz and Dirk Baldinger, this last one from the same town of Merdingen; also the recent signee from Estepona, Uwe Peschel and André Korff, recent signing from Festina, a good friend of Jan Ullrich, together with amateur Michael Giebelmann. After the Christmas vacation Ullrich could return to the Canary Islands to continue training, depending on the time he could stay in Germany before going to Mallorca at the end of January. He will spend a great part of his early calendar racing in Spain.

The season is not far away...

Also confirming their attendance will be the six Spanish teams Banesto, Estepona-Toscaf, Euskadi, Kelme, ONCE & Vitalicio; Italian teams Mapei & Polti; French team Le Francaise des Jeux; the Dutch TVM and Rabobank teams; Palmans and Lotto from Belgium, Telekom from Germany; and the American U.S. Postal Service team.

Possible Tour Start for Denmark

According to Jean Marie Leblanc, Denmark has a good chance of getting the Tour start due to the Danish riders excellent performances in the Tour during the last couple of years.