An Interview with Jan UllrichIn an interview with the german press agency dpa, Jan Ullrich of Telekom, second in the Tour de France 1996, stated that he is frightened by the EPO discussion. Asked what his first contact with Erythopoeitine was, Ullrich said: I didnt hear of EPO before. Now you can read about it everywhere.But at the Tour de France last year we proved that - with a good preparation - its possible to ride fast without EPO. Ullrich said he supports blood tests when our sport becomes cleaner with that. All in our Team agree with the tests. Ullrich thinks that he will need another three or four years until he is ripe for a leading role in the team. Asked for his preparation for the 1997 season, he said: So far, I have 3500 km in my legs. I want to have my first top form beginning May, maybe for the Henninger Turm Classic in Frankfurt . After that race, I'll do a short break - then comes the Tour de France. Depending how I'll perform there and how I feel afterwards, I'll decide whether or not I'll ride the Vuelta and the World championship in San Sebastian. But I think you wont see much of me in the beginning spring. Questioned whether his rosen popularity annoys him sometimes, the 23-year-old German answered: "Sometimes it does, for example in our training camp in Mallorca, where camera teams followed me the whole day. But there are other times when its fun to be well known. Beside, Im earning my money with that". World Cyclo Cross Championships, MunichUnder 23 Men Circuit was very icy 1 Sven Nijs (B) 2 Bart Wellens (B) 0.22 3 Christophe Morel (F) 0.38 4 Miguel Martinez (F) 0.58 5 G Gommers (Ned) 6 Elvis Zucchi (I) 7 G. Benoist (F) 8 G de Knegt (Ned) 9 Mylnar Zdenek 10 David Willemsens (B) Calendar Worldcup-season 1997/1998 and UCI rule changes:26 Oct Eschenbach Switzerland 9 Nov unknown yet 7 Dec Heerlen Netherlands or somewhere in France 21 Dec Koksijde Belgium 18 Jan Heerlen Netherlands or somewhere in France UCI decided to forbid the longer handle-bars in races (the so-called Superman-posture). No change anymore for Chris Boardman for a new hour-record?? The length of the handlebars has to became shorter. Another decision of the UCI in Munich: from the year 2000 the bike needs two same-sides wheels in timeraces. 1999 WC Cyclo Cross to SlovakiaThe cyclocross committee of the international cycling federation (UCI has given the 1999 WC cyclo cross even to the Slovakian city of Poprad. Poprad was the only candidate bidding for the event.Poprad lies in the Tatra mountains and has around 30,000 residents. The city is also a candidate for the Winter Olympic Games in 2006. The 1998 WC will be in Denmark in the city of Aarhus. The Netherlands wants to organise the 2000 World Championships. Problems for Armenian Cyclo cross riderAn Armenian cycle cross rider landed in Schiphol (Amsterdam) Airport on Friday afternoon. Mher Gewrokjan wants to start in the world championship for juniors in Munich on Sunday; but he mistakenly landed in Holland. In cooperation between Schiphol Airport and the organization in Munich they have attempted to get Gewrokjan to Munich at time. Because of his language difficulties he couldn't say where he lost his teammates. The four other riders from Armenia have also not arrived in Munich yet as of Friday afternoon.Anyone seen a few Armenians? Who will lead the Dutch team on SundayThere will be No real leader. Coach Martin van Dijk said: 'In the beginning they will not ride for each other and in the final stages of the race they will ride against each other. We decided on this strategy during a meeting with the riders within two minutes'.Adri van der Poel is back on the fields in Munich after a gap of 12 years. In 1985 he made his debut in WC with a second place behind Thaler. 'Then there was snow, not now', he said. |