More on the Blood TestsGianni Savio, technician for Team Kross Montanari, who had three of the four riders suspended today from the Giro when they didn't pass the bllod test, has assured that the measuring devices used by the UCI had to be defective and has said that he will seek sanctions. Frenchman Thierry Laurent (Festina), Ukranian Vladimir Pulnikov & Italians Marco Gili & Roberto Moretti (Kross) weren't able to start the 11th stage of the Giro'97 when their hematocrit level was higher than allowed. Gianni Savio said that he had tested all his riders the night before in a machine similar to the one used by the UCI and that the results were normal. Savio said that his rider's levels were between 46 & 47 percent, while the samples taken by the UCI showed that the 3 riders were between 53 & 55 percent, when the maximum allowed by the UCI is 50.In Laurent Thierry's case, the percentage was minimum, 50.1 percent. The vampires, as the special UCI unit is known by the riders, showed up at 7 AM at the hotels for teams Festina (FRA), Scrigno (ITA) & Kross Montanari (ITA-COL). A total of 19 riders were submitted to blood analysis, 5 from Festina, 9 from Scrigno which was the only team without any positives and 5 from Kross Montanari. The four riders will have to spend 15 days without racing and once the time is up, they will have to travel to Geneva to take the blood test again. Session 2, Day One at the Track World Cup in Trexlertown, Pa.For Immediate Release, May 29, 1997Contact: Frank Stanley, USCF Communications Manager, (610) 395-7911; Cheryl Kvasnicka, USA Cycling Director of Communications, (719) 578-4944 Russian Alexei Markov continued to impress in the mens individual pursuit as action continued Thursday at the second round of the UCI World Track Cup at Lehigh Valley Velodrome. Markov, who turned 18 on May 26, repeated his World Cup victory from a week ago in Cali, Colombia, defeating American Christian Vande Velde, Lemont, Ill., in the final for the second consecutive time. Both riders are all but assured of qualifying for the UCI World Championships in Australia in August. German Ina Teutenberg, one of the top road sprinters in womens cycling, proved her track ability as well, winning the womens points race in convincing fashion. Rita Razmaite (Lithuania) was second while American Erin Veenstra, Colorado Springs, Colo., competing for the first time since a nasty training wreck May 14 which knocked out several of her teeth, placed 12th. In the nights last final, Arnaud Tournant (France) won the mens kilometer time trial in one minute, 4.949 seconds. Tournant, 19, was second in the mens match sprint at the World Cup in Cali, but is not competing in that event at Trexlertown. Pole Grzegorz Krejner was second and Jose Escuredo Raimonez (Spain) third. Jason Garner, Newport Beach, Calif., was 12th. In other action, Australian Darryn Hill and American Marty Nothstein, Trexlertown, Pa., both easily advanced into the quarterfinals of the mens match sprint. Marcelo Arrue, Alburtis, Pa., also advanced. That event concludes Friday. Other finals scheduled Friday include the team pursuit and mens points race. Action will also begin in the womens match sprint, which include world champion Felicia Ballanger of France.
Mens 4km Individual Pursuit 1. ALEXEI MARKOV (RUSSIA), 4 minutes, 35.125 seconds; 2. Christian Vande Velde, Lemont, Ill., 4:42.849; 3. Juan Oliver Martinez (Spain), 4:38.458; 4. Robert Karsnicki (Poland), 4:43.670; 5. Brett Aitken (Australia), 4:44.764; 6. Lee Vertongen (New Zealand), 4:45.836; 7. Ivan Dominguez (Cuba), 4:47.809; 8. Carlos Suarez (Colombia), 4:50.019; 9. Philip Collins (Ireland), 4:51.876; 10. Michael Sandstod (Denmark), 4:52.496. Womens Points Race, 20km 1. INA TEUTENBERG (GERMANY), 20 pts (3 sprint wins); 2. Rita Razmaite (Lithuania), 15 (1); 3. Lioudmila Gorojanskaia (Belarus), 14 (1); 4. Antonella Bellutti (Italy), 13 (1); 5. Daniela Larreal (Venezuela), 11 (1); 6. Lucy Tyler-Sharman (Australia), 8 (1); 7. Maureen Kaila Vergara (El Salvador), 8 (1); 8. Yoanka Gonzalez Perez (Cuba), 6 (1); 9. Tania Duff-Miller (New Zealand), 6; 10. Mirella Van Melis (Netherlands), 5. American: 12. Erin Veenstra, Colorado Springs, Colo., 4. Mens Kilometer Time Trial 1. ARNAUD TOURNANT (FRANCE), 1 minute, 4.949 seconds; 2. Grzegorz Krejner (Poland), 1:05.471; 3. Jose Escuredo Raimondez (Spain), 1:06.340; 4. Dimitrios Georgalis (Greece), 1:07.202; 5. Craig McLean (Great Britain), 1:07.313; 6. Matthew Sinton (New Zealand), 1:07.315; 7. Danny Day (Australia), 1:07.558; 8. Robert Slippens (Netherlands), 1:07.568; 9. Miguel Angel Clavero (Argentina), 1:07.801; 10. Julio Cesar Herrera Cabrera (Cuba), 1:07.927. Americans: 12. Jason Garner, Newport Beach, Calif., 1:08.631. G.P. Locarno, Switzerland, May 25 19971. Roland Schatti (Swi) elite 152 km in 3.32.47 (42,860 km/h) 2. Niki Aebersold (Swi) Post Swiss 3. Roland Meier (Swi) Post Swiss + 0.04 4. Daniel Schnider (Swi) Post Swiss + 0.14 5. Haymoz (Swi) elite 36th Kustpijl - Heist aan Zee Belgie - 170 km:1. Robbie Vandaele 2. Michael Van der Wolf (Ned) 0.23 3. P. Verbeken 4. M. Vanhaecke 5. G. Omloop 6. L. Dierckxsens 91 riders at the start. Kornhorn (Groningen), District Time Trial Championships, Noord-NederlandMen: 1. Kunst (Leek) 18 km in 22.29 2. Kroon (Dalen) 0.14 3. Haak (Heerenveen) 0.19 Women: 1. Sweertman (Scheemda) 15 km in 25.50 2. Dillerop (Groningen) 1.00 3. Jansema (Wagenborgen) 1.40 |