News for June 10, 1997

Giro Roundup

Unheralded Ivan Gotti on Sunday became the first Italian in six years to win the Tour of Italy overall title as he led defending champion Pavel Tonkov of Russia by one minute, 27 seconds at the end of the 22-stage cycling marathon.

``SuperMario'' Cipollini, a teammate of Gotti with the Saeco commercial team, took Sunday's last stage in Milan beating Swede Glenn Magnusson in a crowded sprint of the group.

Italy's Luca Mazzanti and Nicola Loda placed third and fourth respectively, with Germany's Marcel Wust coming fifth.

It was the fifth stage victory in this year's Giro d'Italia for Cipollini, who started his winning series in the opening leg in Venice three weeks ago.

The traditionally ceremonial final leg, 165-kilometers (102 miles) from the spa resort of Boario Terme to Milan, was a triumphant parade for Gotti, a 28-year-old of San Pellegrino Terme, near Bergamo.

Gotti, wearing the pink jersey of race leader captured in the 14th stage, finished in the same time as Cipollini to precede Tonkov and fellow-Italian Giuseppe Guerini in the final overall standings. Guerini finished 7:40 minutes behind.

Cipollini improved his career record to more than 100 wins with a powerful sprint which curbed Magnusson's hopes of a second stage win after Cuneo, on May 30.

The stage winner completed the distance, including a circuit in downtown Milan, in four hours, 24 minutes, 41 seconds at an average speed of 37.403 kph (23.189 kph).

Gotti, not the most popular Italian cyclist at the start of the country's most prestigious race, built up an overall lead in his favorite climbing stages and withstood Tonkov's better ability in two individual against-the-clock tests.

The Italian cyclist snatched the pink jersey from Tonkov in the grueling Alpine stage which ended in Cervinia on May 31 and extended his lead in another climbing stage, the 19th.

Gotti, who had a single stage win in the 80th edition of the Tour of Italy while holding the pink jersey for nine days, was the first Italian to clinch the Giro title since Franco Chioccioli in 1991.

Chioccioli is one of Gotti's coaches at Saeco.

The Giro winner, who turned pro in 1991, had a thin record prior to this year's competition. Gotti placed fifth in the 1995 Tour of France, holding the yellow jersey of race leader in two stages. He scored his first career victory in a Giro stage last year, beating Tonkov in a two-way sprint.

The Russian, who was shooting for a rare consecutive triumph in the Giro d'Italia, acknowledged defeat after Saturday's longest and toughest Giro stage.

Tonkov captured his third leg victory at Edolo but failed to pull away from Gotti, who placed second just one second behind.

``Gotti deserved the title,'' Tonkov said after spraying the race winner with champagne at the awarding ceremony. ``I certainly made some mistakes, mostly in the stage of Cervinia when I started the pursuit of Gotti too late.''

The Russian cyclist ended the race with a bandaged arm and a bruised leg following a downhill spill last Thursday.

This year's Giro, deserted by the leading European cyclists who preferred to prepare for the forthcoming Tour of France, was marred by several spills which knocked out such pre-race favorites as Luc Leblanc of France, Alexandre Shefer of Kazakhstan and Italy's Marco Pantani.

Only 110 cyclists out of 180 starters completed the race.

Leblanc and Shefer, both injured while holding third and fourth place respectively in the overall standings, withdrew during the 19th stage.

Pantani, who was returning to the Giro as a potential protagonist after recovering from a bad leg fracture, fell during the 8th stage and did not start the next day.

Another original race favorite, 1994 Giro winner Yevgeni Berzin of Russia, finished nearly 50 minutes behind following a streak of poor performances in mountainous stages.

``It's a dream coming true ... I had been thinking of a Giro victory since I began pedalling as a junior,'' said Gotti, who will be competing in the French tour next month.

``I beat Tonkov, the race favorite. This victory does not really change my life. I'm not getting overly excited. But I'm looking forward to more wins,'' Gotti added.

The 1997 Giro was highlighted by the stage wins of Cipollini, Italy's king of sprints, and by the impressive uphill performances of 30-year-old Colombian Jose Jaime Gonzalez Pico.

Gonzalez Pico, who won the tough stage which ended on the Tonale peak last Friday, completed the race wearing the green jersey, symbol of the best Giro ''climber.''

Home cyclists scored 13 stage wins and held the pink jersey for 11 days out of 22.

Non-Italians took 9 stages. Tonkov, the captain of the Mapei team, was the race leader from the third through the 13th stage.

Next year's edition will start, for the first time in the Tour of Italy history, from Nice, France, on May 16.

The Giro Winner's List

	   1909: Luigi Ganna, Italy
	   1910: Carlo Galletti, Italy
	   1911: Carlo Galletti, Italy
	   1912: Atala-x
	   1913: Carlo Oriani, Italy
	   1914: Alfonso Calzolari, Italy
	   1915: WWI, no race
	   1916: WWI, no race
	   1917: WWI, no race
	   1918: WWI, no race
	   1919: Costante Girardengo, Italy
	   1920: Gaetano Belloni, Italy
	   1921: Giovanni Brunero, Italy
	   1922: Giovanni Brunero, Italy
	   1923: Costante Girardengo, Italy
	   1924: Giuseppe Enrici, Italy
	   1925: Alfredo Binda, Italy
	   1926: Giovanni Brunero, Italy
	   1927: Alfredo Binda, Italy
	   1928: Alfredo Binda, Italy
	   1929: Alfredo Binda, Italy
	   1930: Luigi Marchisio, Italy
	   1931: Francesco Camusso, Italy
	   1932: Antonio Pesenti, Italy
	   1933: Alfredo Binda, Italy
	   1934: Learco Guerra, Italy
	   1935: Vasco Bergamaschi, Italy
	   1936: Gino Bartali, Italy
	   1937: Gino Bartali, Italy
	   1938: Giovanni Valletti, Italy
	   1939: Giovanni Valletti, Italy
	   1940: Fausto Coppi, Italy
	   1941: WWII, no race
	   1942: WWII, no race
	   1943: WWII, no race
	   1944: WWII, no race
	   1945: WWII, no race
	   1946: Gino Bartali, Italy
	   1947: Fausto Coppi, Italy
	   1948: Fiorenzo Magni, Italy
	   1949: Fausto Coppi, Italy
	   1950: Hugo Koblet, Switzerland
	   1951: Fiorenzo Magni, Italy
	   1952: Fausto Coppi, Italy
	   1953: Fausto Coppi, Italy
	   1954: Carlo Clerici, Switzerland
	   1955: Fiorenzo Magni, Italy
	   1956: Charly Gaul, Luxembourg
	   1957: Gastone Nencini, Italy
	   1958: Ercole Baldini, Italy
	   1959: Charly Gaul, Luxembourg
	   1960: Jacques Anquetil, France
	   1961: Arnaldo Pambianco, Italy
	   1962: Franco Balmanion, Italy
	   1963: Franco Balmanion, Italy
	   1964: Jacques Anquetil, France
	   1965: Vittorio Adorni, Italy
	   1966: Gianni Motta, Italy
	   1967: Felice Gimondi, Italy
	   1968: Eddie Merckx, Belgium
	   1969: Felice Gimondi, Italy
	   1970: Eddie Merckx, Belgium
	   1971: Gosta Petterson, Sweden
	   1972: Eddie Merckx, Belgium
	   1973: Eddie Merckx, Belgium
	   1974: Eddie Merckx, Belgium
	   1975: Fausto Bertoglio, Italy
	   1976: Felice Gimondi, Italy
	   1977: Michel Pollentier, Belgium
	   1978: Johan De Muynck, Belgium
	   1979: Giuseppe Saronni, Italy
	   1980: Bernard Hinault, France
	   1981: Giovanni Battaglin, Italy
	   1982: Bernard Hinault, France
	   1983: Giuseppe Saronni, Italy
	   1984: Francesco Moser, Italy
	   1985: Bernard Hinault, France
	   1986: Roberto Visentini, Italy
	   1987: Stephen Roche, Ireland
	   1988: Andy Hampsten, United States
	   1989: Laurent Fignon, France
	   1990: Gianni Bugno, Italy
	   1991: Franco Chioccioli, Italy
	   1992: Miguel Indurain, Spain
	   1993: Miguel Indurain, Spain
	   1994: Yevgeni Berzin, Russia
	   1995: Tony Rominger, Switzerland
	   1996: Pavel Tonkov, Russia
	   1997: Ivan Gotti, Italy

Bjarne Riis didn't start Dauphine Libere

He changed is schedule for the next weeks. He planned to take rest in May in Denmark; but there were some kermesses (often with more than 50.000 audience). 'I raced more than planned', Bjarne said.

In the Midi Libre he worked harder because the unexpected combat with Abraham Olano ('I expect Olane is my biggest opponent in the Tour de France').

So he cancelled the Dauphine Libere and will start now in the easier Tour of Luxemburg (12-15 June). Before Luxemburg he test the time-trial parcours in Saint Etienne and some Alp-stages with Brian Holm.

Riis: 'I'm in the same condition in the same period of last year. I reach nearly my ideal weight of 69 kilos.'

After Luxemburg Riis will do the Tour of Switzerland (17-26 June): 'That isn't the ultimate Tour-test. I want to have the best shape on June 29 for defending my Danish title.'

Richard Virenque

He quit in the Midi Libre and the Classique des Alpes. He lost 28 seconds in the prologue of Dauphine Libere. The reason? He went to the dentist last week for his wisdom-tooth.

Harkstede, Netherlands, Open Gasbel Tour

 1. Miquel van Kessel, Giant-Lowik-P&O		     4.27.00
 2. Ruud van dorst, Piels
 3. Marcel Luppes, Rabobank
 4. Freddy van de Werff, Vredestein
 5. Niels Harms, Vredestein
 6. Mark Vlijm, Tegeltoko			   	4.30
 7. Henk Tissingh, Olympia Heerenveen
 8. Herman Fledderus, WSV Emmen
 9. Ernst Jan Oudenampsen, Vredestein
10. Sander Hup, Kamper Wieler Club
12. Baden Burke  (Australia) WSV de Peddelaars	s.t.

Berg en Terblijt, Netherlands - Open Mountain Criterium

1. Nelissen (Sweikhuizen) 100 km in 2.20.14
2. Van Heeswijk (Baexem) 0.10
3. Akkermans (Zevenbergen)

Veghe, Netherlands

1. De Vos (Oisterwijk) 90 km in 2.01.48
2. Graafmans (Oisterwijk)
3. Van Schalen (Bakel)

Women:

1. Vos (Kokkenge) 70 km in 1.43.02
2. Kramp (Klaaswaal)
3. Kelderhuis (Alpen a, d Rijn).

Haaften, Netherlands - Women

1. Mansveld (Gasselternijveen) 70 km in 1.41.14
2. Groen (Nieuw-Lekkerland)
3. Van Moorsel (Rotterdam).

Obree quits

Dundee - Graham Obree stop cycling. He can't find financial support for coming back in the top after his long illness. Obree planned to stop after games in Kuala Lumpur next year. Sunday was his last race in Dundee, Scotland.

Pijl van Limburg (Echt)

Stage 1

 1. Borggraaf (Bel)
 2. Kamerlingh
 3. Hermans

Stage 2

 1. Marcelis
 2. Ribbers
 3. Mertens (Bel)

Stage 3

 1. Govaers (Bel)
 2. Veris (Bel)
 3. Hermans

GC

 1. Govaers (Bel)
 2. Mertens (Bel)
 3. Marcelis

Omloop van het Gelders Eiland (Lobith)

 1. Van Bavel
 2. De Vries
 3. Van Trigt

Oude Tonge

 1. Van de Engel
 2. Van Dorp
 3. Olshoorn

Putten

 1. Gerritsen
 2. Van ommen
 3. Beuker

Haaften

 1. Veenendaal
 2. Bloks
 3. Bos

Goirle

 1. Haast
 2. Ten Boske
 3. Van Dam

Papendrecht

 1. Maas
 2. Vrolijk
 3. Kralt

Hengelo

 1. Frijters
 2. Peters
 3. Kok

Arnhem

 1. Smit
 2. Tiemens
 3. Jacobs

Nijland (Friesland)

 1. Sweering
 2. Postma
 3. Draayer

Ouderkerk aan de Amstel

 1. Pels
 2. Broeks
 3. Mey

Spaarndam

 1. Zomer
 2. Luiten
 3. Witkamp

Gouda

 1. Zaal
 2. Osse
 3. Smits

Haarlem

 1. Noordermeer
 2. Hage
 3. Smakman

Vroomshoop

 1. Fijters
 2. Soer
 3. Botter

Barendrecht

 1. Otter
 2. Pruisers
 3. Mulder

Rotterdam (Katendrecht)

 1. Dean Jones (Australia) Hunter Region
 2. Rozeveld
 3. Alleblas

Muntendam

 1. Veen
 2. Helmers
 3. Ekkelenkamp

Zwaag

 1. Pieters
 2. Preyer
 3. Vroom

Wijk bij Duurstede

 1. Roos
 2. Scott McGrath (Australia) Hunter Region
 3. Van Leyen

Standdaarbuiten

 1. Van der Ham
 2. Krijnen
 3. Van der Klundert

Arnehm (de Paasberg)

 1. Wolfkamp
 2. Vrogten
 3. Niekolaas

Oude Tonge - Women

 1. Bosman
 2. Bos
 3. Miggels

Veghel - Women

 1. Vos
 2. Kamp
 3. Kelderhuis

Oudekerk aan de Amstel - Women

 1. Van Oostrum
 2. Lieftink
 3. De Boer

Honselersdijk - Women

 1. Beekman
 2. Van der Helm
 3. Raaymakers

Nijland (Friesland) - Women

 1. Gemser
 2. Koontje
 3. Van de Meulen