News for September 30

Agrigel-La Creuse RIP

Launched only at the beginning of the 1996 season, the Agrigel-La Creuse team will not continue into 1997. Following the decision of the conseil generale of the French departement (region) of La Creuse that it will not continue its French francs 1 million [approx US$200,000) subvention to the team, the frozen food company Agrigel, which put in FF2.2 million in 1996, is also withdrawing. "The Agrigel company is not in the business of associating with projects that are not finalized or under control," a company communique said. "The enterprise can't, to his great regret, make up for the contribution of La Creuse and, in these circumstances, it can only withdraw at the end of the season, with, nevertheless the satisfaction of having helped a French team to develop in the difficult situation [French] cycling was in in 1996."

L'Equipe notes that there was always doubt in the La Cresuse conseil generale about the appropriateness of the subsidy and in 1997 money will rather be given to support a local top "amateur" team, the UC Felletin-en-Creuse. Departmental support for Agrigel was also adversely affected by the drugs infringements of Jacky Durand and Thierry Laurent and the inflation in salaries is also problematic with the arrival of well-funded new teams -- Cofidis and la Francaise des Jeux -- and a substantial increase in the budget of the Casino team for 1997. "It's impossible to continue on the present budget," said Agrigel directeur sportif Marc Durant a few days before the team collapsed on Agrigel's withdrawal. "A rider who I paid FF25,000 is asking for FF75,000 for 1997. Either we find a supplementary partner or we will lose our best riders and the group will explode."

Well it did,,, and leaves among others the following riders unemployed: Jacky Durand, Thierry Laurent, Denis Marie, Jean-Claude Colotti, Jean-Pierre Bourgeot, Jean-Luc Masdupuy and Stephane Conan. Jean-Francois Bernard had announced his retirement before the Tour and Herve Garel has also retired. It's likely that Franck Bouyer will be signed up by La Francaise des Jeux.

Does anyone know what Thierry Marie is doing?

Fondriest out of Worlds

Maurizio Fondriest of Italy, winner in 1988, has withdrawn from next month's world road race championship in Lugano, Switzerland.

``I'm not in shape to face a world championship where I would like to have done well,'' Fondriest was quoted as saying by Italian Sunday newspapers.

Longo fails in hour bid

France's Olympic and 10-times world champion Jeannie Longo failed on Friday to break the women's world one-hour cycling record held by Britain's Yvonne McGregor.

Longo, 38, covered 46.507 km around the 285-metre wooden track in Stuttgart's Hanns-Martin-Schleyer hall, 904 metres less than McGregor's record, set in June 1995.

Longo, who plans to retire after the world championships in Switzerland in two weeks' time, has broken the one-hour record five times in 12 career attempts.

But on Sunday, before a crowd of only 100 spectators, she constantly had to adjust her riding position and failed to threaten the record.

Longo finally achieved the long-awaited climax to her career this summer at the Atlanta Olympics when she won the women's road race and came second in the time trial.

Longo held the record 10 years ago and was attempting to break the old mark set by Briton Yvonne McGregor of 47.411, but she did not even make 47km.