News for September 11


Olano, Indurain...and ONCE

Abraham Olano, said to have been actively pursued by ONCE, is rumoured to have already signed a contract with Banesto. ONCE, for its part, is said to be keen to secure the services of....Miguel Indurain.

Olano's contract is said to be for three seasons on a monthly salary equivalent to 1.1 million French francs (approx US$22,000) compared with Miguel Indurain's estimated 1.5 million French francs.

Olano is said to be arriving at Banesto in company with Mapei team-mates Manuel Fernandez Gines, Miguel Angel Pena, Arsenio Gonzalez and Javier Mauleon.

Miguel Indurain is said to have expressed himself willing "to study all propositions that will be put to him at the end of the season if he decides to continue his career." ONCE Manolo Saiz, for his part, is convinced that his team "is the only one that offers Indurain the best team in the world to enable him to win a sixth Tour de France." (And probably one of the few that could meet Indurain's salary.)

Indurain: From The Horse's Mouth

Interviewed by L'Equipe on September 5 at the team hotel as the teams assembled for the start of the Vuelta today (September 7), Miguel Indurain said, among other things:

"Even I can't say today if I'm going to carry on riding or retire. At the end of the season, with a rested head, I'll make the decision. If I feel I have the strength to win another Tour I'll carry on. If I don't have the strength I'll cede my place.