News for May 31

US National Time Trial Championship

  1. Steve Hegg         Chev-LA Sheriff 18.4 miles in 35:34:31 **
  2. Greg Randolph      Motorola             		+ 0.37
  3. Frankie Andreau    Motorola             		+ 0.43
  4. Tyler Hamilton     USPS               		+ 1:17
  5. Kent Bostick       Shaklee            		+ 1:22
  6. Clark Sheehan      USPS               		+ 1:25
  7. Nate Reiss         USPS               		+ 1:28
  8. Chris Horner       Nutra Fig          		+ 1:36
  9. Scott Mercer       Shaklee            		+ 1:45
 10. Scott Mercier      Saturn             		+ 1:52

** = Avg. speed = 31.03 mph

Skibby Abandons

Jesper Skibby, 32, abandoned the Giro yesterday (Wednesday). It had been 11 days since his return following a severe epilepsy seizure. The seizures began after scarring of his brain in a crash three years ago. He takes medication to control the epilepsy.

Intending to use the 3,995 kms Giro for training, he said: "I have so much to catch up, and it is very difficult to do in this race."

Commenting on the rest of the season and participating in the Tour and Olympic RR, he said: "All the time I have doubts. If I am not in top condition then I will not go."

Boardman & Obree

Chris Boardman and Graeme Obree have both been given automatic places in the World Track Championships at Manchester Velodrome this year. The event runs from August 28 to September 1. With World Champion Obree filling the automatic slot for the 4,000 meters pursuit, it was thought that Boardman, the 1992 Olympic pursuit champion and world No. 1 in 1994, would have to qualify. However, it has been decided that Obree will qualify for the event as the defending champion. Boardman was selected as the automatic selection for the pursuit.

"It's a relief," said national coach Doug Dailey. "Otherwise it would have meant Chris riding the World Cup meeting at Cottbus, Germany on 21 June and needing first or second place in the pursuit to have sufficient points for qualifying."

The Cottbus event comes only short eight days before the start of the 1996 Tour de France.