Udo Bolts first EPO user or victim?Is udo bolts (telekom) the first victim of EPO? Three weeks ago, Udo had a rating of 50.2 in his blood after a test at the University Clinic in Freiburg who test the Telekom riders every month.The doctors have asked the UCI for a special permission to start in races for Bolts because this hematocrite-level is his normal level. The UCI has not given a decision yet. Coppa AlassioTomorrow the Coppa Alassio will be raced, taking the place of Montecarlo-Alassio. The route will be 172.6 kilometers on a circuit around Alassio. Fourteen teams to participate, the best riders being: Francesco Casagrande, Ivan Gotti, Fabrizio Guidi, Enrico Zaina and Russian Eugenio Berzin.The Zanini caseThe 'Zanini case', will be solved. It seems that good sense has triumphed. Yesterday, Giuseppe Saronni, team manager for Mapei-GB, has met with Emanuele Bombini, responsible for Batik-Del Monte. As you may remember, Stefano Zanini had signed a contract with Mapei-GB and had also committed to Batik-Del Monte. Saronni and Bombini have reached an initial agreement, today they'll meet to check the provisions. Zanini could debut at la Vuelta Valenciana in the jersey of the Mapei-GB.Italians arrive for Tour of MalaysiaAfter 36 hours of travel, the Italian riders will be disputing the Tour of Malaysia. Tomorrow the stage race will begin with an individual time trial of 19 kilometers and will finish on March 2nd: 12 days of racing to complete 1,619 kilometers. Gianni Bugno and Andrea Tafi in Malaysia will be joined by Fabiano Fontanelli, whose suspension for a high testosterone count will conclude.World's OrganisationA commision of the International Cycling Union (UCI) headed by Vice President Omini and eleven other people, have been since yesterday in San Sebastian to attend meetings with the organizing commitee of the next World Championships, which will be celebrated at the Guipozcoan capital and which will be organized by the Sport Organization EL DIARIO VASCO. They will also take advantage of this visit to definitely measure and decide on the direction of the World's circuit. That's why tonight traffic will be stopped, from one in the morning and until the end of the measuring. The meetings will conclude tomorrow.Olaf Ludwig says farewellIn a farewell gala, Olaf Ludwig ended his career last Saturday at Stuttgart. He came second in an omnium for an audience of 3700 spectators in Stuttgart.The race was won by Australian Danny Clark with Etienne de Wilde third. Michael Hubner (the 7 times world champion sprinter) also ended his career at the meeting. Ludwig retired from road racing at the end of last season. He had 56 victories as a professional. He won 3 stages in the Tour de France and in 1992 he won the Amstel Gold Race, becoming the first German to win a World Cup race. In 1993, he left the Panasonic team of Peter Post and went to Telekom which he stayed with for 3 years. |