25 per cent less Pros in the NetherlandsThe number of elite professional riders with contract has fallen in the Netherlands. This year there are 25 per cent less than last year. This is now evident from the number of professional licence that have now been given. In total 44, that is 15 less than last year.Seven of them - the identical number as last season - are only completely or partially in the service of one extra sporting sponsor or organisation, 37 have complete work agreements with a professional team. Thirteen are with Raobank, 9 with TVM, 12 with Foreldorado/Golff, Gerrit de Vries starts under contract with the Italian team Polti, Marco Engels and Vital Timmermans are with the Belgian team RDM. 15 riders have retired because there were no new labour agreements. Only two riders have made the step from neo-amateurs to the elite: Michel Cerneus en Jan Hordijk. Louis de Koning will make his comeback in the amateurs after two years. The most famous names who are not riding this year in the pro peleton are: Jelle Nijdam (retired), Wiebren Veenstra (retired), Tom Cordes (no contract) and Rob Mulders (retired). Dutch Team robbedThe Foreldorado/Golff teams lost all their money in El Arenal. After the finish of the fourth stage the riders discovered that all their cash was stolen from their hotel rooms. Team leader Peter Verbeek doesn't yet know exactly how much money disappeared."I am making an inventory. We know that I lost 1000 guilders and two of the mechanics lost 2000 guilders between them. On Thursday, it is our first opportunity to go to the police." Rominger's Hour Record plansAfter Paris-Nice, where he will be Cofidis team leader, Swiss rider Tony Rominger will undertake tests on the Bordeaux track on April 1 and 2 with a view to an attempt on Chris Boardman's hour record at the end of the season. After Bordeaux, Rominger will travel to Manchester for two days of tests at the velodrome there."As a first step," said Rominger, "I will try to adapt myself to the new UCI ruling effective from the end of January that forbids the use of the superman position. I also want to assess the Manchester track and perhaps later, if I'm not convinced [that Manchester is the best place] I'll check out Moscow, which is reputed to be a very fast track. But I must also say that if I feel that I am unable to beat Boardman's record [56.376km] with the UCI-approved equipment I'll attack the record anyway using the forbidden style of handlebars -- just to prove that I have the hour record in my legs. |