News for September 18


Sorenson out with ankle operation

Rolf Sorensen rest is out for the rest of this season. The top Danish rider in the Rabobank team will have a left ankle operation in Italy on Tuesday.

He struggled in the Paris-Brussel on Saturday with the ankle.

He will need 3 to 6 weeks recovery after the operation.

Sorensen wom last month in the Tour of the Netherlands and in the Olympic Road Race he took silver after Swiss rider Pascal Richard.

Jonker will not ride the road race at the Worlds

I got this news today but need to confirm some parts of the story. According to Dutch reports he is not riding for Australia but for the Netherlands. He has Dutch parents who came to Australia years ago. He was born and grew up in South Australia.

If true, how would he explain the thousands of dollars that the Australian taxpayer invested in his career when he was in the Australian Institute of Sport. Nurtured and developed by the Australian taxpayer.

Armstrong - 2 years with Cofidis

The transfer of Lance Armstrong to the new French racing team Cofidis is now definite. On Monday, the American signed a two year contract with Cyril Guimard. Besides the 25 year-old Texan, other riders include Francis Moreau, Christophe Capelle, Laurent Desbies, Philippe Gaumont, Cyril Saugrain and Nicolas Jalabert, the brother of Laurent Jalabert.

Russian Ivanov talking with TVM

Cees Priem has in principl agreement with the Russian rider Sergei Ivanov. At the weekend, the team leader of TVM was in France for the Tour de l'Avenir and talked about a potential contract for two years with the 21 year-old East European.

Ivanov currently rides with the Russian team Lada, and has a further year to run of a commitment. Priem is now talking to the Russian over the contract.

Sergei Ivanov finished the Tour de l'Avenir in second place behind the Spanish rider David Etxebarria. He won two stage and the mountains and points jerseys. This year he has had 8 stage wins. The TVM PR-manager Arjan Bos said he is an all-rounder.

"He can climb, time trial and sprint."