News for September 1

Its Spring in OZ!

Olano to defend world title

Spanish world cycling champion Abraham Olano will defend his title on October 13 in Lugano, Switzerland, his Mapei team announced here on Saturday.

Three days beforehand, on October 10, the Spaniard will contest a time-trial event on the same circuit.

"I thought about it a lot, but I was finally convinced by team boss Giorgio Squizi to take part in the world championships," Olano said.

"A reigning champion cannot abandon a chance to defend his title. I am going to do everything possible to be in top form. In particular, I am interested in the world solo crown," he added.

More World Records go in Manchester

For the Women:

The world record in 3.000 m pursuit for women (3.31,924, Bellutti, Cali, April 6, 1996) was beaten three times in the qualification round. First by Lucy Tyler-Sharman, then by Marion Clignet and finally by Antonella Bellutti. 

Qualification, 3.000 m pursuit, women:

 1. Antonella Bellutti (Ita)    3.31,526 (World record)
 2. Marion Clignet (Fra)        3.31,674
 3. Lucy Tyler-Sharman (Aus)    3.31,830

And the Men: 

Men, Team pursuit, 4 000 m, 1/2-final:

France (Cyril Bos, Philippe Ermenault, Jean-Michel Monin, Francis Moreau)
4.05,104  
beat
Germany (Guido Fulst, Danilo Hondo, Torsten Rund, Heiko Szonn) 
4.05,463

Italy (Adler Capelli, Cristiano Citton, Andrea Collinelli, Mauro Trentini)
4.00,977 (New world record) 
beat
Russia (Anton Chantyr, Eduard Gritsun, Nikolai Kusnezow, Alexej Markow) 
4.06,510

For Complete coverage

Other News Briefs

Mapei-GB rider FRANCO BALLERINI, winner of the 1995 Paris-Roubaix, tested positive for ephedrine at the GP de Wallonie on May 16, which he won. Ballerini was prevented from starting Wednesday's stage of the Tour of the Netherlands but the Italian federation has set his ban at only 10 days. Ballerini claims that he was unaware that ephedrine was part of a herbal product he took.

French ride PASCAL LANCE, who rode for the ForceSud team this season until its collapse, has signed for the end of this season and 1997 with Aubervilliers-Big Mat-93 (formerly Aubervilliers 93-Peugeot).

Laurent Jalabert's ONCE Australian team-mate PATRICK JONKER, who was 12th in this year's Tour de France, has signed a one-year contract with Dutch team Rabobank. Jonker, who has dual Dutch-Australian nationality will take out a Dutch licence in 1997.

Dutch veteran ADRI VAN DER POEL (37) has signed a new one-year contract with Rabobank for 1997. The 1996 cyclo-cross world champion is to concentrate on cyclo-cross in 1997.

German sprinter ERIK ZABEL has renewed his contract with Telekom for two years.

Current French national time trial champion EDDY SEIGNEUR (27), who won the final stage of the 1994 Tour de France and was French road champion in 1995, is to leave GAN, having signed a contract for 1997 with Marc Madiot's new Francaise des Jeux team.

Dutch sprinter JEROEN BLIJLEVENS (24) has signed a new two-year contract with TVM.

ANDRE TROCHUT, a French pro from the 1950s whose 200 amateur and pro victories included a stage win in the 1957 Tour de France, died aged 65 after being knocked over by a car while on a bike ride.

Eric Vanderaerden Retires

Belgian classics star ERIC VANDERAERDEN has retired at the age of 34. Vanderaerden began his 1996 season with the Italian San Marco Group team and when this collapsed joined his younger brother Gert at the Belgian team Palmans. Vandaerden' s glorious palmares includes the following: 
1993: Team: Wordperfect
Wins: 3 Days of De Panne

1992:  Team: Buckler
Wins: Wieler Revue GP
      Stage win in Vuelta a Espana
      Stage win in Tour of Ireland

1991:  Team: Buckler
Wins: A Travers la Belgique
      Stage win in Tour of Luxembourg
      Stage win in Tour of Ireland

1990:  Team: Buckler
Wins: Stage win in Tirreno-Adriatico
       
1989:  Team: Panasonic
Wins: Stage win, Ruta del Sol
      Stage win, Sicilian Week
      3 Days of De Panne (includes 2 stage wins)
      4 Stage wins in Trump Tour
      Stage win in Tour of Luxembourg
      Stage win in Tour of Switzerland
      2 Stage wins in Tour of Burgos
      Stage win, Tour of the Netherlands
      GP Impanis
      Tour of Ireland  (Includes 4 stage wins)

1988:  Team: Panasonic
Wins: 3 Days of De Panne

1987:  Team: Panasonic
Wins: Paris-Roubaix
      3 Days of De Panne
      G.P. Eddy Merckx

1986:  Team: Panasonic
Wins: Tour de France Green Jersey (but no stage wins)
      3 Days of De Panne

1985:  Panasonic
Wins: Tour of Flanders
      Ghent-Wevelgem
      Tour of Holland
      2 Stage wins, Tour de France
      GP Eddy Merckx

1984:  
Wins: Belgian National Champion
      Paris-Brussels