News for February 16
De Las Who?
Armand De Las Cuevas looks unlikely to join the peloton -- at least in 1996. The
Collstrop quest for him has definitely been abandoned and contacts De Las Cuevas
reportedly had with Banesto to be taken back on that team came to nothing. Other
rumours linked De Las Cuevas with Aki-Gipiemme but have been denied by the team.
Emonds Banned in Belgium
Nico Emonds (Bel, Espace-Card) has been banned from racing in Belgium
for six months by the Belgian sports ministry for failing to turn up
for a drugs control after finishing 8th in a kermesse at Heusden near
Gent on August 14. Thirty-six-year-old Emonds, who became the fifth
fastest over the hour on Dec 6 in Bordeaux with 52.466km and hopes to make a new
record attempt in May, is not prevented from racing abroad. But that's
not much consolation for a member of a small Belgian team whose bread
and butter comes from domestic kermesses.
Rominger Up, Pantani On The Up, Cassani Down
Tony Rominger, who fractured a rib last week felt no pain (at least not
in his chest!) after a six-hour training session near his Monaco home.
He will start the Ruta del Sol stage race in Spain on Monday.
Marco Pantani is likely to resume road training between March 5 and 10
says his Carera directeur-sportif Sandro Quintarelli. Pantani, who
suffered a double leg fracture in Milan--Turin in October, is doubtful
for the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France but hopes to be fully fit for
the Vuelta a Espana in September.
Davide Cassani (Saeco) fractured his left humerus while training for
the Tour Mediterraneen Wednesday (Feb 4). He will be out of action for
two months.