Transfers and Contracts- No license for Gerard Rue's Team: The French Cycling Union (FFC) has refused to issue a licence to the new professional team of Gerard Rue. The request came too late and the financial information wasn't complete. After bad experiences with teams like Agrigel, Le Groupement and Force Sud the FFC are being cautious before they allow new teams. This means that the new team cannot be licenced by the UCI.- The German GS-II-team 'Team Gerolsstreiner' (former PSV Koln) has given a contract to the Dutchman and former Junior World Champion Raymond Meijs. Andreas Kappes remains team captain for 1998. Pontoni wants to win at Diegem - he is no "geldwolf"31-year old World Cross Champion, Italian Daniele Pontoni has won the cyclo cross race at Diegem, Belgium three times already. On Sunday he will try to win it a fourth time. "Because of my current condition is excellent and because the circuit is to my liking. But I am not coming to Belgium to just pick up the start money (a "geldwolf" in Dutch). I want to win at Diegem on Sunday. I know that some people think I just want the money. But that is not really so. I also know that I find it difficult winning in Belgium and I have to choose the right course. I am no good in sand, and I hate it. But in a fast race with technical elements I feel I can do well. In Diegem, there is all of that."61st Grand Prix Christmas/Grosser Weihnachtspreis, Dortmund, Elite1. Carsten Podlech (Ger) with gangmaker Dieter Rust 2. Jens Veggerby (Den) with gangmaker Bruno Walrave at 9 metres 3. H. Brand (Swi) 103 4. S. Schmitz (Ger) 353 5. S. Cannone (Ita) 1208 Dagmersellen, Switzerland, International Cyclo Cross, December 26, 1997This race was a UCI Cat 2, and was conducted over 10 laps for a total distance of 24.5 kms. Thanks to Markus Kammermann for the results (20th place!).
1. Dieter Runkel (Swi) 59.08 2. Van Santvliet Peter (Bel) 0.31 3. Bramati Luca (Ita) 1.18 4. Frischknecht Thomas (Swi) 1.18 5. Steiger Thomas (Swi) 1.18 6. Schätti Roland (Swi) 1.57 7. Blum Patrick (Swi) 2.04 8. Blum Beat (Swi) 2.33 9. Wabel Beat (Swi) 3.19 10. Herijgers Paul (Bel) 3.30 11. Stari Dietmar (Swi) 3.30 12. Büsser Andy (Swi) 3.51 13. Müller Pascal (Swi) 4.00 14. Chassot David (Swi) 4.13 15. Camrda Pavel (Cze) 4.18 16. Morf Beat (Swi) 4.28 17. Bünter Stefan (Swi) 5.03 18. Ramsauer Jan (Swi) 5.47 19. Kern Matthias (Swi) 5.50 20. Markus Kammermann (Swi) 6.16 42 starters, 24 finishers Differdange, Luxemburg, Cycle cross December 26, 19971. Peter Willemsens (Bel) 2. A. Moonen (Bel) 0.28 3. Ben Berden (Bel) 4. Dominique Arnould (Fra) 5. Pascal Van Riet (Bel) 6. Erik Boezewinkel (Ned 7. Nico Hendrickx (Bel) 8. R. Glajza (Slo) 9. J. Arenze (Ger) 10. P. Triebel (Lux) Coincidences surrounding Paola Pezzo's Positive TestPhilippe Pluyaud writes.I find this very interesting that in October there was a big doping affair in France with Nandrolone. Three professional soccer players (including internaional Vincent Guerin), one handball player and one judoka (Djamel Bouras, Olympic champion and big star in France) were caught with nandrolone. Everybody was surprised as those sports were apparently not concerned by doping except with hashish. Of course they all claimed their innonence, and a lot of questions arose about the lab which did the tests and this coincidence of several positive tests with the same product was very strange. It was said that the lab had new machines able to detect very small amount of nandrolone and people wondered if such small amounts were proofs of doping. The FIFA has to allow the laboratory (the only one in France sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee) to be used for the next Soccer World Cup. On December 18th, Djamel Bouras was given another 4 months to prove his innocence. It seems that we are far from learning the truth about this story. So, I would like if the positive test of Paola Pezzo was conducted by the same lab in Paris. If yes It would be such another coincidence as the date of the test is very closed to the other positive tests. Lazlo Bodrogi - HungaryThis will seem like we are becoming a Lazlo Bodrogi Fan Club Site. I received several bits of information.From Herman Harens, Wielerrevue: I spoke a few words with Laszlo Bodrogi (in French!) after he won the silver medal in San Sebastian. Age: 21, Born 11 decembre 1976 in Hungary. He has lived in France (Besancon) since 1989, where his father is a doctor (radiology). He started cycling in the French categorie 'minimes' for AC Bisontine. His father was one of the doctors for the Hungarian team in San Sebastian. In 1997, Laszlo was the TT-champion of Hungary and won the bronze medal in the road race. Since September, he has been a 'stagiaire' in the Festina-team. In 1999, he will be a professional for the Festina-team. 'I am more Frenchman than Hungarian', he said after his silver-race in the TT in San Sebastian. 'After seven years living in the beautiful departement of the Doubs. In 1998, I will be a member of the French first division amateur team VC Lyon-Vaulx-en-Velin.'' The last point was confirmed by Kriss Verreth in Belgium: I seem to recall to have read he got a contract with Festina for the '99 season & will ride with a French amateurteam in '98,I'm not a 100 % sure about this though. And then another mate, Wim van Rossum did some digging and found all this. Age 21 (11-12-1976) UCI points as at December 31, 1997:
Some results with the ESPOIRS. World Championships Time-trial, 2nd place behind winner Fabio Malberti (Ita) European Champ. Time Trial (Villach), 4th place behind winner Guillaume Auger (Fra) Paris - St Quentin - Roubaix, 2nd place behind winner Marc Chanoine (Bel) GP des Nations - Lac de Madine, 2nd place behind winner uillaume Auger (Fra) Chrono des Herbiers, 2nd place behind winner Guillaume Auger (Fra) With the Elite in Duo Normand 4th place with with F. Paumier (Fra) He was stagiere with Festina-Lotus and has a tentative contract for the year 1999 with Festina-Lotus In 1996 he earned 60 UCI-points with the Elite and was Road champion of Hungary, and with the espoirs. 11th in the World Championships Time Trial and 2nd in the Chrono des Herbiers for Espoirs. Sources: VELO 97; VELO Magazine; Wielerjaarboek. And then, if that isn't enough, Stefaan Degryse a friend and producer of the best team's listing on the WWW at http://cyclist.simplenet.com wrote: "Hello Bill, I hope you're not melting over there is Australia ;-) [Bill notes: He is referring to our moderate summer temperatures of between 28-40 degrees Celsius. Like when I go to Europe in our winter to race the temperature convergence is very easy to acclimatise to!!] Well here are some small remarks on the News of 26 and 27 December. About Laszlo Bodrogi this i what i wrote on my transfer pages on 15 October Laszlo Bodrogi (last week second in World Champion ITT Under-23) signed with Festina. The 21-year old Hungarian will first go to VC Lyon Vaulx-en-Velin, the Festina's amateur team and in 1999 to Festina. I can take one guessing where i got it from ;-) Yes i was something you published on your site. Which of course i credited you for. The very least I can do." Which means that if I had have taken the time to do a grep search over the files on my server I would have saved all this internet traffic. But each one wished me a happy new year and so it can't be all bad! |