News for June 13, 1997

Moncassin Update

Frederic Moncassin, from Team Gan, was ejected from the Dauphine Libere yesterday by Catalan judge Josep Damin Bochaca, president of the International Jury at this race. The third stage finished in a sprint which was won by Abdujaparov. After crossing the line Moncassin started to insult Rolf Aldag, a German cyclist from Team Telekom, one of Riis' domestiques. He accused him of closing on him, he lost his mind and after falling he try to hurt Aldag. Pruden Indurain tried to hold him, with no success, while Olano screamed at his if he was crazy. The fight was spectacular. Aldag got very upset while Moncassin held him by the jersey and hit him with a head-butt which made him bleed by the nose. The testimony of Pruden Indurain, Pascal Chanteur and two Spanish reporters help to get Moncassin ejected.

After the race, Germany's Rolf Aldag of the Telekom team said he would be making an official complaint against Frenchman Frederic Moncassin, whom he accused of headbutting him at the end of the stage. Several witnessess said Moncassin had angrily clashed with Aldag after they locked horns in the sprint, hitting the German and injuring his nose. Aldag said: "Moncassin wanted to nip in between some of us. There was a bit of a set-to ..."

French cyclist Frederic Moncassin was thrown out of the Criterium du Dauphine here on Wednesday after he headbutted Rolf Aldag of Germany. The 28-year-old Moncassin, winner of two stages in the 1996 Tour de France, headbutted Aldag after crossed the line following the sprint for the third stage. Moncassin, who has failed to win anything this year, was irritated after clashing with Aldag, also 28, during the sprint. Aldag, who received superficial cuts to his nose, said he would be lodging a complaint with local police. Aldag said: "Moncassin wanted to nip in between some of us. There was a bit of a set-to ..." Uzbekistan's Djamolidine Abdujaparov won the stage -- his second win of the event. Russia's Viacheslav Ekimov retained the leader's yellow jersey following the 208km stage from Le Puy-en-Velay to Beaumes-de-Venise in which Abdujaparov just held off Italy's Giovanni Lombardi and Frenchman Damien Nazon at the line.

Zulle

World time-trial champion Alex Zulle, one of the favourites for next month's Tour de France and who fell badly near the end of the second stage, said he had had to force himself through the day's proceedings. "I couldn't sleep last night because of my injuries," said the Swiss star. "I really suffered, but I badly wanted to finish." Britain's Chris Boardman said meanwhile he believed his chances of winning the race had virtually gone, although he hoped to close the gap in Thursday's time trial.

Olano

Abraham Olano will be full of illusion today thinking about the Tour. He is in France, sleeping very close to mythical Mont Ventoux and the day comes as a test for him. The ex-world champion confronts today an important time trial test, which will help him to evaluate his form. There are only 24 days to go before the start of the Tour-97 in Rouen and until now the leader of Banesto, hasn't had to race a long time trial. As it is traditional, the Dauphine Libere, covers in a period of one week a sample of the stages that the cyclists will encounter later in the Tour. The days profile shows a 45km time trial over a leg- breaker route, because of the change in rhythm and the wind, around Mont Ventoux, in the roads of Vaucluse.

Olano started to get in form at the end of May, after training in the Pirenees. Since then he has only ridden two time trials, which he has won, first at Vuelta a Asturias and then at la Bicicleta Vasca. But they were short routes (5 & 14 km). In April, he rode a 26km time trial at la Vuelta a Aragon, but he wasn't in form. "I'm going to start very strongly and with illusion to win. I think that over 45km it will be enough for me to draw conclusions", declared yesterday Olano. His intention is to maintain a rhythm close to 48 km/h. Zulle, injured after his crash on Tuesday and Boardman are his main rivals. ONCE's leader, rode yesterday with a bandage on his right arm and may abandon today if he feels bad during the time trial.

Olano had at his disposition a time trial bike similar to the famous "Espada" of Indurain, but has decided not to use it. It seems that he's upset that people keep on comparing him with Indurain and wants to break that image by demonstrating that he has his own personality. "La Espada" is a bicycle that is joined to a leyend and that's why Olano has decided to park it at this time. "I have only done three time trial behind Olano. I think that he compensates for some of the strength that Indurain had, with a better aerodynamic position", said Eusebio Unzue, technician from Banesto yesterday. It is impossible to stop talking about Indurain, because even though he already retired, there are things for example at the Dauphine Libere, they have retained the starting times at the ITT at three minute intervals. Before Indurain the times between cyclists were two minutes, but Indurain use to catch up the majority of the riders ahead of him, so it was increased to three. And they haven't changed it.