News for October 9, 1997
World Cup and Major Event Schedule 1998
March 21: Milan-San Remo (World Cup)
April 5: Tour of Flanders (World Cup)
April 12: Paris-Roubaix (World Cup)
April 19: Liege-Bastogne-Liege (World Cup)
April 25: Amstel Gold Race (World Cup)
May 16: Tour of Italy (ends June 7)
July 5: National championships
July 11-Aug. 2: Tour de France
August 8: San Sebastian Classic (World Cup)
August 16: HEW-Cyclassics-Cup in Hamburg (World Cup)
August 23: Swiss Grand Prix (World Cup)
September 5-27: Tour of Spain
October 4: Paris-Tours (World Cup)
October 8: World time-trial championship (Valkenburg, Netherlands)
October 11: World road race championship (Valkenburg, Netherlands)
October 17: Tour of Lombardy (World Cup)
Richard sought by the UCI
The UCI want to talk with Pascal Richard about his interview with the Swiss
magazine Blick in which it is claimed he said that Jan Ullrich and Bjarne
Riss used drugs. Richard said the journalist wrote misrepresented but
nevertheless he has to appear before the Disciplinary Committee of
the UCI.
Knaven
Servais Knaven will start in the time trial too. He is the replacement for the
injured Erik Dekker.
World Cup for Women in 1998
The UCI will try to organize a World Cup for women-riders next
year. The UCI is planning six races: in Australia, the United States,
Canada, France, The Netherlands and Switzerland. There is a big chance the
Dutch race will be the Ladies Tour Beneden-Maas on September 13, 1998.
The World Cup will start in Sydney on March 29, 1998; the last race will be in
Switzerland with the GP Tell on September 27, 1998.
Drug Test Data
The UCI made 750 blood tests this season. Ten riders tested positive (>50 %
levels). In a conference in San Sebastian, the UCI announced more information about
the doping tests. In 1995 there were 4423 tests with 31 positive results.
In 1996, 4600 tests with 28 positive results.
Hein Verbruggen remains as President of the UCI
Hein Verbruggen is again chosen as president of the UCI for a period of 4
years.
Ferretti stood down
Giancarlo Ferretti, one of the directors of the MG-Technogym team, has
been stood down for one month. During the Giro, some forbidden medicines
in the team hotel of MG were found. Another team official, Luigi Sarti was
stood down for 9 months.
Tchmil retains his Paris-Tours record
The real distance of Paris-Tours last Sunday was 256,5 km instead of 264 km
as announced on Sunday afternoon. The real km/ph now is 47,539 km which is
still a record for Andrej Tchmil.
Berzin to try the Hour Record
Evgueni Berzin will try to break the World Hour Record on the track in
Bordeaux on October 19. Berzin will use a special bike with a
titanium-frame. The worldrecord is now with Chris Boardman.
Hiccup at Junior ITT
German Torsten Hieckmann's moment of
cycling glory was upset by a notorious tune from the past on Tuesday -- the
former East Germany's national anthem.
Hieckmann's junior men's time trial gold for Germany at the world road
championships signalled another triumph for theBerlin sports school which
produced Tour de France winner Jan Ullrich.
But the 17-year-old's golden moment was tarnished somewhat for the Germans
when the GDR's anthem was played at the medal ceremony.
German spectators whistled derisively at the sound of the anthem which
vanished with German unification in 1990.