Rolf's Diary UpdateVire 7 July2nd stage, TdF 265km Already blown for the first time. The riders weren't used to the heat. And the distance caused some problems as well. Yes, the tour has started. No time for recovery, always still an hour drive before the start and after the finish line, everyone wants an autograph, everyone wants to pat my shoulder. The people are getting to my nerves already, how will it be in ten days? And all the journalists, who want to know everything. Plumelec, 8 July 3rd stage, TdF 228km 10km before the finish I stood again in the middle of a pile - emphasis on standing. I don't know why I didn't crash, somehow I could make a complete stop just like a skier, as those to my front were somersaulting over their bikes. After that 3 other riders brushed me as they flew by. My guardian angel did well today. But because of all this I lost 4 minutes again. And the legs are still not so good, like those of Eric Zabel. On steps I notice every muscle fibre, and that's after only three stages. Puy de Fou, 9 July 4th stage, TdF 227km The course route under my left pocket, the ham sandwiches in my right jersey pocket, the small cakes in the left. And a small "beef olive" ["Roulade"] in the middle. The water bottle syrup in the front water bottle holder, the water in the rear. The computer on the handle bars, glasses and helmet on, finished, ready for the start. And that each morning, in front of hundreds of people, who look on interested. Sometimes, I feel like I'm in a zoo. Mais, c'est la tour! And it's going slowly better, I was in the first group. Translated by David Wear Zulle againSwiss Alex Z|lle, from Team ONCE, will not take the start at stage 5 of the Tour de France. Alex Z|lle had suffered a fall in the early part of the race and before the start of stage 5, he was in 72nd place at 4:17 from the overall leader, Mario Cipollini. Manolo Saiz, sport director deportivo for Team ONCE, explained that the reason for the retirement of the rider is above all psychological and that he wouldn't have abandoned if a monutain stage was going to be disputed today. "Last night we had already made the decision. There is no way of finding a place for hiom at the peloton because all the falls are affecting him. It doesn't matter if he's in the font or the back", said Saiz."The Tour doesn't need to be a psychological torture, which was what it became for him. I have told him to be calm, that the Tour isn't everything and that there is still la Vuelta and the World Championships", added the director. This afternoon Alex Z|lle will get a medical checkup in Barcelona to check his clavicle and then will go to Moraira to take a four day vacation. After that he will start training for la Vuelta a Espaqa. Fontinelli hurts spectatorThe female spectator who was hurt today in Saint-Brevin-les-Pins, (where the Tour de France went by on stage 4) who was run over by Italian cyclist Fabiano Fontanelli (MG) "suffers from a serious craneal traumatism", said the race organization. "Her life is not in danger", said the organization. The accident happened when a spectator was taking photographs on the edge of the road. The cycling fan was transported to a hospital in Saint Nazaire, while Fontanelli & Spaniard Vicente Garcia (Banesto), both of whom were involved in the accident had to abandon the race, due to the injuries received.Delgado"The Tour will change when it reaches the Pyrenees" - Pedro Delgado, Tour winner in 1988 and winner of two Vueltas, one of the best cyclists in Spain's history, still follows all the important races as a TV commentator. For him the Tour continues to be one of his favorite races. "Specially since I watch the bulls from behind the barriers -he explains-. When I see all this falls I think: "I'm lucky that I left it'. I assure you that it is very difficult to correctly transmit to the spectator what a cyclist might be feeling in one of those electrifying finishes. You are going at full speed, through narrow roads and full of curves, surrounded by other cyclists all over. Once hits you with his elbow, another one cuts in front of you, that other one touches your handlebar. You want to go up front, whatever it takes, but you unconsciously brake and go back. They used to tell me that I was always in the back and that is the truth".Perico doesn't think though, that the start of this Tour is much different from the rest. "The beginnings have always had tremendous tension and crashes have occurred. Maybe this year there are more than other years, because there have been three big crashes, when in previous Tours there have only been one". The fact that some riders have gotten caught behind crashes more than once (Zulle and Pantani are the best examples) can be attributed to bad lick. "When it is your turn, it is your turn. To go in the front or the back has little to do when involved in a crash. Precisely the one on stage 3 was almost in front and that causes a big traffic jam. The majority of the riders end up being involved, because there is no way of avoiding those in front of you. The other day Escartin was blaming the narrow roads, I don't agree. The first week of the Tour there have always been cuts like that and when they affect you , you feel involved". The Tour will not change for Perico Delgado, until they reach the Pyrenees. "There will be greater differences in the overall and not everyone will have aspirations to something, like it happens now. The responsibilities will be shares and the Tour won't go so crazy. The race changes a lot in the second half. It becomes more 'serious' and the decisive days are disputed. But watch out because some are going to pay for their wear during these days. In 94 and 95 Rominger fought to stay in front and then he sunk at the Pyrenees. I don't think that this will happen to Olano or Ullrich, but it could happen to others like Riis, Virenque, Dufaux or Leblanc''. Even though Delgado was one of the finest cyclist during his time, he was also famous for being distracted, which caused many Spaniard fans heart's to beat irregularly during their Siesta (Nap). Not only because of the Prologue at Luxembourg at the 1989 Tour, when he reached the start late. He also had the habit of riding in the back of the peloton and staying behind when there was a break. "Everything is a matter of weighing what is more convenient, to be scared when you get separated from the lead group or to confront the last part of the Tour already worn out from trying to stay in the front. The tough part is not getting there, anybody can do that. The complicated part is to be consistent". Tony RomingerTony Rominger was operated yesterday afternoon in Basilea, Switzerland of a complex fracture of the clavicle suffered 24 hours before at 9km from the finish line of the 3rd stage of the Tour. After being evacuated to the Vannes Hospital, where he stayed until 1AM, he was transferred by ambulance to Paris. The trip took 5 hours. At 7AM the rider flew to Switzerland. While he was in Vannes, Rominger declared: "I feel bad for the team and for me. I had prepared very well for the Tour and I was going to test myself at Plumelec, because the stage finish was good for me. I regret to abandon in this way my last Tour. I want to comeback on August 2nd at the Rominger Classic and I will participate at la Vuelta a Espaqa''.Orlando RodriguezOrlando Rodrigues was involved in a breakaway during the third stage. Once neutralized, the crash that eliminated Rominger happened. "The smell of burnt rubber was unbearable. When we went by there in the car on the way to the hotel, the asphalt was full of brake marks. You get nervous on the descents when you think that we are 200 going all out and tight, with no space to correct or maneuver, it is normal for crashes to occur".EscartinThe best Spaniard at the last Tour and Vuelta and recent winner at la Volta finishes his contract with Kelme this season. It seems that the team owner, Pepe Quiles, wants to renew the contract but at a lower salary. Escartin's salary is 60 million pesetas a year and only a big performance at the Tour or Vuelta will change Quiles' opinion. Anyway if Escartin continues to progress, he should not lack offers.The Italian ViewThe Tour de France has so far being an Italian Tour with Cipollini's two stages and wearing the Yellow Jersey for four days, along with Minali's stage win yesterday. Here is a look back at Italians at the Tour: In the amount of days with the Yellow Jersey, Cipollini has already caught up with Vito Favero and Francesco Moser with six. Today he could surpass them and catch up with Learco Guerra with 7 and with one more catch up with Chiappucci with 8. Then there is Ottavio Bottecchia who in one of the two Tours that he won (1924-25) held the Yellow Jersey from the first day to the last stage. |