News for October 20
Miguel wins successive criteriums
Spanish cyclist Miguel Indurain, the five time
winner of the Tour de France, will line-up in the
Criterium L'Hospitalet de Llobregat here on Sunday.
It was thought that Indurain's season was over when
he retired from the Tour of Spain last month but after
recovering from the bronchitis that had forced him out
he decided to race again.
Indurain, 32, had also declined to go to this
weekend's World cycling championships in Lugano,
Switzerland, where he was to defend his time-trial
title.
Despite his appearance on Sunday there are doubts
whether the Spaniard will race again next year.
He has had a disappointing season, despite winning
the Olympic time-trial, and his failure to capture a
unique sixth successive Tour de France had
prompted talk of his retirement.
Indurain's Banesto team are believed to have
approached compatriot Abraham Olano, the reigning
World road race champion, to lead the team in the
event of Indurain retiring.
Wilfried Nelissen OK
Belgian sprinter Wilfried Nelissen who suffered a grave leg injury in
this year's Gent-Wevelgem has been passed fit by his doctors to begin
competitive cycling and it is reckoned he has a 90% chance of
regaining full fitness. Nelissen has been signed by the
small Belgian Palmans team for 1997.
Fondriest for Cofidis?
Maurizio Fondriest is in discussions with Cofidis directeur sportif
Cyrille Guimard about the possibility of Fondriest joining the
French team. Fondriest is still under contract for another year with
Roslotto but it is possible he could transfer to Cofidis and would
like Cofidis to ride on Fondriest bikes as does Roslotto at the
moment. An incentive for Fondriest to move is the fact that Roslotto
directeur sportif Moreno Argentin has offered him a 1997 salary almost
half lower than his current one. With Guimard bereft of a team
leader until Lance Armstrong recovers his health, Fondriest would be a
useful temporary leader for the new French team.