News for July 8, 1997

Rolf's Diary Update

Rouen (France), 3 July 97

The stress of the Tour has already begun again. In the morning the trip here, afterwards two hours of light training, in between finally shaving my legs, and then to the medical control of the Tour de France. Every rider has to go there, the sick and weak may not start, but like always everyone is well and strong. Thankfully, we have the control today, and then we have some free time until the team presentations tomorrow.

Rouen, 4 July 97

It was a little like Christmas today. We received a pile of neu stuff, racing shorts, jerseys, white socks, so that we'll leave a good impression. Also, we got some visiting cards from the team and next Monday my carbon-fibre [colnago] racing bike will arrive especially for the Tour. We received still further four books from the organisation: one with the courses and the finishes, one with all hotels, transfer plans, etc., then one will the regulations and the prize lists, and one where all the results from all the tours are written. In the latter, I'm unfortunately only listed under one stage win.

Rouen, 5 July

Prologue, TdF

This time trial should have been done better. I never found my rhythm, had cramps, and felt totally blown in the last 2 kilometres. But still, it can get better. But when I see the other riders on the TV, who are still in the midst of the prologue, I'm content with my time, it's been a good day for me, I could have only gone 10 seconds faster without these problems

Forge-les-Eaux, 6 July 97

1st stage, TdF 209km

I already lost 5 minutes. But whether it's 30 seconds or a few minutes, it doesn't mean much, in Paris it'll be hours! I'm happy that I didn't crash. After the mass pile-up of 30 riders 11km from the finish, I took it a little easier. In the first half today I attacked two or three times, the feeling wasn't too bad, but I didn't get away. Unfortunately, I can't write what I have planned in the next few days, the enemy is reading too!

Translated by David Wear

Ten Colombians caught for drugs

Ten Colombian riders have been caught in drug controls during the two most important races in their country, the Clasico RCN and the Tour of Colombia. The tests were performed in the laboratories in Madrid.

The news over the ten riders came yesterday from the president of the Colombian Cycling Federation, Jorge Tenjo. The riders are Israel Ochoa, Raul Montana, Jose Luis Vanegas, Eduardo Guerrero, who were caught in the Clasico RCN. Elkin Barrera, Jose Rodriguez, Gregorio Ladino, Julio Bernal, Libardo Nino and Julio Cesar Rangel caught in the Tour of Colombia.

The situation is worst for Montana. He won the Clasico RCN and will now have the result taken from him.

Track World Cup, Quartu Sant'Elena,Italy, 27 - 29 June

Men

"1 km" Time Trial

1 Gregorsz Krejner (Polska)
2 Craig McLean (Great Britain)
3 Damien Gerard (France)
4 Ainars Kiksis (Latvia)
5 Gianluca Capitano (Italia)

Points Race

1 Guido Fulst (Deutschland)
2 Silvio Martinello (Italia)
3 Bruno Risi (Suisse)
4 Iakovlev (Ukraina)

Team Pursuit

1 Ukraine (Bondarev, Simonenko, Matveev, Fedenko)
2 Italy (Benetton, Capelli, Canevarolo, Collinelli)
3 Germany
4 Great Britain

Madison

1 Kurt Betschart - Bruno Risi (Switzerland)
2 Silvio Martinello - Marco Villa (Italy)
3 (Netherlands)
4 (Germany)

Olympic Sprint

1 Poland (Krejner, Mientki, Trebski)
2 Netherlands
3 Russia
4 Denmark
...
7 Italy (Capelli, Capitano, Gentile)

Keirin

1 Marty Nothstein (USA)
2 Kirichenko (Russia)
3 Panasenko (Ukraine)
4 Dandanell (Denmark)
5 Gianluca Capitano (Italy)

Pursuit

1 Bradley McGee (Australia)
2 Heiko Szonn (Germany)
3 Simonenko (Ukraine)
4 Illingworth (Great Britain)
...
6 Michele Canevarolo (Italia)

Sprint

1 Viesturs Berzins (Latvia)
2 Ainars Kiksis (Latvia)
3 Marty Nothstein (USA)
4 Florian Rousseau (France)
...
6 Gianluca Capitano (Italy)

Woman

500 m.

1 Olga Grichina (Russia)
2 Larreal (Venezuela)
3 Bellutti (Italy)

Pursuit

1 Bellutti (Italy)
2 Chalijn (Moldovia)
3 McGregor (Great Britain)

Points Race

1 Karimova (Russia)
2 Bellutti (Italy)
3 Chalijn (Moldovia)

Sprint

1 Olga Grichina (Russia)
2 Freilag (Germany)
3 Ok. Grichina (Russia)

Some Earlier Italian Races

Trofeo Citta` di Castelfidardo, April 31, 172 Kms (Cat. 1.5)

1 Daniele Trento (Italy)       3.44.00
2 Roman Vainsteins (Latvia)
3 Saccomanni (Italy)

Gran Premio Santa Rita, June 1, 185 Kms (Cat. 1.5)

1 Alessandro Guerra (Italia)    4.21.00
2 Castaldo (Italia)
3 Magnani (Italia)

Giro del Piave, June 8, 191 Kms (Cat. 1.5)

1 Filippo Baldo (Italy)        4.32.00
2 E. Mazzer (Italy)
3 Daniele Trento (Italia)

Giro d'Italia for Elite without contract, June 18-29 (Cat. 1.6)

GC

1 Oscar Mason (Italy)       44.13.18
2 Filippo Baldo (Italy)        	2.03
3 Sergeij Ivanov (Moldovia)  	2.10
4 Codol (Italy)                	2.38
5 Magnani (Italy)              	3.09

Stages won by:

Cannone (Italy) 2
Mason (Italy)
Figueras (Italy)
Guerra (Italy)
Mancini (Italy)
Mason (Italy, ITT)
Negrini (Italy)
Codol (Italy)
Frutti (Italy)
Ivanov (Moldovia)
Chesini (Italy)

Thanks to ANDREA MANDIROLI

Zulle hangs in there

Swiss Alex Zuelle (ONCE) will be able to start the second stage of the Tour de France tomorrow, after passing a medical examination, due to a fall that he suffered during stage one. According to Manolo Sainz, director of Team ONCE the Swiss rider didn 't suffer any damage in the fall and it didn't affect the fracture of the clavicle, for which he was operated recently.

Crashes take their toll

Frenchman Gilles Talmant, from team Big Mat, took the worst part in the numerous falls that were registered during stage one of the Tour'97, when he fractured his left forearm causing him to retire from the race. Also affected were Frenchman Damien Nazon, from team Francaise des Jeux, who finished the stage, but had to be transfered to a hospital in Rouen due to a slight craneal traumatism. Other cyclists who were attended by doctors were Italians, Peron with multiples abrations in his leg and elbow and Cipollini with an injury of the hand; Frenchmen Leblanc, with an injury of the back, Roux on his thigh and Pillon with burns and deep injuries which required stitches.

Banesto and Telekom bike problems update

The technical commisaires of the Tour'97 didn't authorize Spanish Team Banesto (Olano) and German Team Telekom (Riis & Ullrich) to use the bicycles that they had planned to use at the Prologue time trial starting at Ruen. Swiss, Louis Wermelinger, president of the judges, commentred that the so called 'goats' built by Pinarello, didn't qualify to be used for now at time trials applying article 1.3.011 of the UCI rules for 1997. Other teams having problems were ONCE, with their saddle and Mapei with other components, although they were allowed to use the bikes once the components were changed.

Cipollini fined

Italian Mario Cipollini, from Team Saeco, winner of the first stage and current leader of the Tour'97, was fined by the race commisaires for not wearing the team pants of his team uniform. The joke will cost Mario Cipollini, for wearing the flag of the United States, two hundred Swiss Francs, while his director Antonio Salutini will have to pay another 100 for allowing it.