News and Race Reports for August 19 1995
1. Tour of Galicia
Tour of Galicia (4), 175 kms, 17 Aug 95:
1. Max Van Heeswijk (Netherlands-Motorola) 04:21:55
2. Laurent Jalabert (France-ONCE)
3. Giovanni Fidanza (Italy-Polti)
4. Gian Fagnini (Italy-Mercatone)
5. Peter Van Petegem (Belgium-TVM)
6. Jose Santamaria (Spain-Artiach)
7. Paolo Fornaciari (Italy-Mercatone)
8. Adriano Baffi (Italy-Mapei)
9. Simone Biasci (Italy-Mercatone)
10. Manuel Fernandez (Spain-Mapei) all same time
G.C.(4):
1. Miguel Indurain (Spain-Banesto) 16:15:54
2. Maarten Den Bakker (Netherlands-TVM) +02 secs.
3. Eleuterio Anguita (Spain-Castellblanch) 4:20
4. Fernandez 4:21
5. Melcior Mauri (Spain-ONCE) 4:26
6. Van Heeswijk 5:23
7. Jalabert 5:24
8. Dario Bottaro (Italy-Gewiss) 5:40
9. Fagnini 5:43
10. Rodriguez Gil (Spain-Santa Clara) 5:46
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
2. Pro Peleton Rumours
The rumour mill is at full capacity in the professional peloton currently
so here is a summary of the current rumours.
Gianni Bugno, who is in excellent form at the moment, is expected to leave
MG-Technogym at the end of the season. Giancarlo Ferreti, MG team boss, is
no longer talking to his enigmatic star. Bugno is understood to be having
discussions with Novell assistant boss Hilare Vanderschueren who is in the
process of setting up a new team. Meanwhile Fabio Baldato, who was expected
to leave MG-Technogym, has re-signed for the next two seasons.
Edwig Van Hooyodonck could be on his way to Motorola. The Belgian rider,
twice a winner of the Tour of Flanders, is set to leave Jan Raas' team
for the first time in his career. Motorola have already renewed the
contract of Axel Merckx who has had a steady but promising year.
Luc Leblanc, who has had a dire season, is being sought by at least two
teams. Marc Madiot's new French team, La Francaise des Jeux, are keen to
sign the troubled Frenchman but Polti team boss, Gianluigi Stagna, is a
long-time admirer of Leblanc and will try hard to sign him.
Piotr Ugromov and Bjarne Riis both seem set to leave the Gewiss-Ballan
team mainly because of their continuing problems with Evgeni Berzin.
Banesto manager Jose-Miguel Echavarri is reportedly interested in signing
either Ugromov or Riis to replace some of the riders he is set to lose.
Banesto are set to lose Vincente Aparicio, Carmelo Miranda, Jesus Montoya
and Mikel Zarrabeitia, all of whom seem set to follow Banesto assistant
boss Javier Minguez to Kelme. Another blow for Banesto will be the loss of
last year's Tour de l'Avenir winner Angel-Luis Casero to ONCE.
Claudio Chiappucci has been in discussion with Brescialat but they are not
keen to pay the $500,000 he is reportedly asking. I'd say this was value
for money because you know Chiappucci will be there or thereabouts in all
the major races throughout the season. If the two parties can reach some
kind of agreement Il Diablo will apparently stay at Carrera - the only
team he has ever ridden for.
It is unlikely that Stefano Della Santa and Johan Museeuw will stay on the
same team next season following Museeuw's comments after the Classica San
Sebastian. He, Museeuw, was infuriated that Della Santa chose to attack
with 4kms to go and took Lance Armstrong with him as it was obvious that
Armstrong would win in a 2-up sprint. Museeuw felt that Della Santa should
have worked for him to ensure that he, Museeuw, won.
3. Coppa Agostoni Dedicated
After winning the '95 Coppa Agostoni, Gianni Bugno dedicated his victory to
Fabio Carsartelli.
Coppa Agostoni, 206 kms (Italy--16 August 95):
1. Gianni Bugno (It, MG-Technogym) 5.03.33
2. Della Santa (It, Mapei-GB)
3. Casagrande (It, Mercatone Uno)
4. Lanfranchi (It, Brescialat)
5. Pellicioli (It, Polti)
6. Gotti (It, Gewiss-Ballan)
7. Piepoli (It, Refin) all s.t.
8. Elli (It, MG-Technogym) +03 secs
9. Cassani (It, MG-Technogym) +7
10. Lecchi (It, Brescialat) +4.28
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Tour of Galicia
Stage 3 Notes
Nothing much happened before 40km from the finish, but in the last hour the
race became animated with ONCE playing a major part. First Laurent
Jalabert, accompanied by Festinas Richard Virenque, attempted to throw off
the control of the Banesto team. They only managed a lead of some 300m on
the peloton at the most, though, and were brought back at the foot of the
2nd-cat col of San Cospe.As the two were caught, Pascal Herve set off
building a maximum lead of 57 secs before an effort was made to catch him,
notably by Bruyneel, Hamburger, Furlan and Escartin, later reinforced by
Jalabert and Zulle.
Then Indurain put his foot down, stretching out the peloton without asking
for any assistance and reducing the escape to nothing. Banesto controlled
the race into the finish at Vigo where in the sprint Jalabert outjumped Van
Heeswijk, who had beaten him the day before.
And the alternation continues......
Tour of Galicia, Stage 4, Vigo--Orense, 175km (17 Aug 95)
1. Max Van Heeswijk (Netherlands-Motorola) 4.21.55
2. Laurent Jalabert (France-ONCE)
3. Giovanni Fidanza (Italy-Polti) s.t.
Overall standings:
1. Miguel Indurain (Spain-Banesto) 16.15.54
2. Maarten Den Bakker (Netherlands-TVM) +2 secs
3. Eleuterio Anguita (Spain-Castellblanch) +4.20
The race finishes Aug 18.
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Tour du Limousin, Stage 2, 190km (16 August 95):
1. Heppner (Ger, Telekom) 4.42.42
2. Robin (Fr, Festina) s.t.
3. N. Jalabert (Fr, M.de Seine-et-Marne) +1.18
4. Delion (Fr, Chazal) same time
5. Capelle (Fr, GAN) +4.10
6. Marie (Fr, Castorama)
7. Van Hooydonck (Bel, Novell)
8. Hietanen (Fin, Cedico)
9. Jeker (Swi, Festina)
10. Bolts (Ger, Telekom) all s.t.
11. Pontier (Fr, Aubervilliers 93-Peugeot) +4.15
Overall:
1. Andrei Tchmil (Rus, Lotto)
2. Ulrich (Ger, Telekom)
3. Rous (Fr, GAN)
4. Vogels (Austr, Novell) all same time
5. Kasputis (Li, Chazal) +3 secs
6. Desbiens (Fr, Castorama) +10
7. Madouas (Fr, Castorama) +21
8. Thibout (Fr, Castorama) +51
9. Pontier (Fr, Aubervilliers 93) +1.14
10. Helgand (Fr, Festina) +1.34
11. Pillon (Fr, Mutuelle de Deine-et-Marne)
12. Lance (Fr, GAN) both s.t.
Laurent Madouas hade been docked 20 seconds on stage 1 for taking on
food within the last 20 km of the race (in fact 7km from the line) and
Castorama protested at the beginning of the race that he should rather have
been fined and threatened to pull out of the race in the evening if the
time penalty wasn't dropped. The jury would not go back on their verdict. I
don't know yet if Castorama acted on their threat.
Stage 2 began with an attack from Castorama's Bruno Thibout but he was
brought back within 2km. Laurent Brochard attempted a counter-attack but
the race only came alive at 86km when 11 riders broke clear including
Heppner (last year's overall winner), Jean-Cyril Robin, Gilles Delion,
Thierry Marie, Nicolas Jalabert and Frederic Pontier. Pontier became leader
overall on the road since he was the only one who had been in the break of
23 on stage 1.
At km126 Heppner and Robin broke clear followed by a counter-attack
from Delion and N. Jalabert. Since Marie had effectviely been dropped from
the break Castorama began to pull the pursuing peloton along with a view to
a sprint at the finish. Pontier managed to hold off the peloton for an 11th
place. Heppner took Robin in the sprint for first place. "In the last
climb," said Robin, "Heppner never went to the front. I was the instigator
[of the attack] today; I made the going for victory, but unfortunately I
couldn't concretise it. I'm very disappointed."
Coppa Bernocchi, 209km (Italy--17 August 95):
1. Stefano Zanini (It, Gewiss-Ballan) 4.58.10
2. Di Basco (It, Amore e Vita)
3. Missalia (It, Brescialat)
4. Vanzella (It, MG-Technogym)
5. Pistore (It, Polti)
6. Casagrande (It, Mercatone Uno) all s.t.
7. Coppollillo (It, Navigare-Blue Storm) +3 secs
8. Puttini (Swi, Refin) +5
9. Gotti (It, Gewiss) s.t.
10. Donati (It, Mercatone) +6
11. Bramati (It, Lampre) +1.19
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Tour of Galicia, Stage 5 (final), Orense--Lugo, 176km:
1. Giorgio Furlan (Italy-Gewiss) 4.24.20
2. Abraham Olano (Spain-Mapei) +2 secs
3. Manuel Fernandez (Spain-Mapei)
4. Fernando Escartin (Spain-Mapei)
5. Richard Virenque (France-Lotus)
6. Dario Bottaro (Italy-Gewiss)
7. Laurent Jalabert (France-ONCE)
8. Max Van Heeswijk (Netherlands-Motorola)
9. Adriano Baffi (Italy-Mapei)
10. Rodriguez Gil (Spain-Santa Clara) all s.t.
Final General Classification:
1. Miguel Indurain (Spain-Banesto) 20.40.16
2. Maarten Den Bakker (Netherlands-TVM) + 2 secs
3. Fernandez 4:17
4. Eleuterio Anguita (Spain-Castellblanch) 4:20
5. Melcior Mauri (Spain-ONCE) 4:25
6. Van Heeswijk 5:23
7. Jalabert 5:24
8. Furlan 5:37
9. Bottaro 5:40
10. Olano 5:43
After winning the Tour of Galicia, Miguel Indurain announced that he would
not be riding the Vuelta a Espana next month, "I don't have the will or the
enthusiasm," Indurain said. "I don't see the possibility of being able to
compete this year."
Indurain would not specify if he will ride the World Championships or
reattempt the Hour record. Rumor has it he wants to take back the world
hour record currently held by Toni "The Hour" Rominger.
_________________________________________________________________
Tour du Limousin, Stage 3, 159km (17 August 95):
1. Rolf Aldag (Ger, Telekom) 4.31.07
2. Ledanois (Fr, GAN) +4 secs
3. Hundertmark (Ger, Telekom) s.t.
4. Thibout (Fr, Castorama) +6
5. Gouvenou (Fr, GAN) +8
6. Ozols (Latvia, Novell) +10
7. Pillon (Fr, M.de Seine-et-Marne) +12
8. Henn (Ger, Telekom) +20
9. Tchmil (Rus, Lotto) +27
10. Rous (Fr, GAN) s.t.
Overall:
1. Tchmil 13.28.39
2. Ullrich (Ger, Telekom)
3. Rous both s.t.
4. Vogels (Austr, Novell) +2 secs
5. Kasputis (Lith, Chazal) +5
6. Desbiens (Fr, Castorama) +12
7. Thibout +30
8. Pontier (Fr, Aubervilliers) +1.16
9. Pillon +1.19
10. Halgand (Fr, Festina) +1.36
11. Lance (Fr, GAN) s.t.
Stage 3 notes
Tchmil held on to his slender overall lead but found that his Lotto
team-mates were often unable to support him when the route went uphill.
"I'm not angry with them," he said. "If they are dropped it's not because
they don't want to hang on, but because they can't. It's sad, but that's
life."
So Tchmil's destiny is iin his own hands but he remains optimistic. "Life's
a bit complicated because everybody's trying to drop me, but I'm keeping my
feet on the ground and waiting for the last day [today, August 18]. I feel
really good. It's always important for me to win races and when the
opportunity presents itself, I must never let it pass."
Things are less straightforward for the French riders. Today, after Didier
Rous the first day and Jean-Cyril Robin yesterday, Yvon Ledanois took his
chance, but with no more success than his predecessors. He had to content
himself with second, dominated by Rolf Aldag.
Telekom's control of the stage was impressive. Gerd Audehm opened the
offensive, then Christian Henn broke away alone in mid-race before being
joined by Aldag who happily finished the job.
"Ever since the Tour de France organizers indicated to us that we were a
team unfitted to such a race, we have wanted to win taking place in France
["sur ce sol" -- on this soil]," said Aldag. "Our team has got class, we're
determined to show it and we are counting on Ullrich to take this Tour du
Limousin in the final stage".
Laurent Madouas, meanwhile, still miffed at the 20 second penalty imposed
on him in stage 1, abandoned during the stage.
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Signings
Viatcheslav Ekimov whose Novell team is to fold at the end of the season,
is signing for Walter Godefroot's Telekom.
Vladimir Pulnikov, whose performance has disappointed the Telekom team
officials is to join TVM next season.
Andrei Tchmil and six other riders -- Nelissen, Sergeant, Farazijn,
Francois, Mattan and Van Hyfte -- have signed new contracts with Lotto.
Lotto has also signed the Belgian amateur Rik Verbrugghe, winner of this
year's Circuit de Hainault.
The Italian rider Di Grande, winner of this year's amateur Giro d'Italia,
has signed for Mapei and will ride some races at the end of this season for
the team.
Belgian rider Steve Seigneur has signed as a stagiare with effect from 1
September 95 for the Belgium-based British pro team Maestro.