ET has all the latest again today with news that Health Net have sacked their Aussie star, T-Mobile’s future in doubt, changes in bikes & staff at Barloworld, it’s a battle of the books in Europe and racing action from around the world in road, track and cross!
Health Net’s O'Neill Tests Positive
Professional Continental squad Health Net-Maxxis have announced the termination of their Aussie time trialling hero, Nathan O'Neill's contract as of October 29, following a non-negative drug test. The test performed at the Tour of Elk Grove revealed traces of the prescription appetite suppressant Phentermine, a drug which the WADA allows athletes to use out of competition, but no trace amounts are allowed in a rider's system during competition.
As soon as the Health Net squad was informed of the positive results of O’Neill’s B sample, the team had no option but to terminate his contract, as outlined in this brief press statement released by the team,
"The Team has a zero tolerance policy regarding the failure of any of its riders to pass a UCI/WADA-sanctioned medical examination, which is grounds for immediate termination in accordance with the Team's standard Rider Agreement, which all riders have signed. Nathan has been a valuable member of the team and has achieved many exceptional results. Nonetheless, it is the team's policy to treat all riders fairly and consistently, and by the terms of our Rider Agreement. We wish him and his family the very best in the future. At present, this is now a personal matter between Nathan and UCI/WADA, and the team will not comment on it any further."
Apparently O'Neill did have a prescription for Phentermine, which means his possession of it was legal, but as the test was an in-competition test, O’Neill now faces a lengthy suspension and/or long appeal process…
Barloworld Keeps It In The Family
Team Barloworld has filled its’ squad for the 2008 season by signing the experienced Austrian Christian Pfannberger along with neo-pro Marco Corti. Hhmm, the name Corti, couldn’t have anything to do with General Manager Claudio Corti could it? Well, yes is the answer – Claudio has signed his own son!
21 year old Marco Corti is a talented cyclist though having had quite a successful career as an amateur with numerous results throughout Italy over the last two years. Results, yes – nothing staggering mind you, but these results were good enough for him to be selected for the Italian Junior team at the 2004 World Championships in Verona and then this year he rode for Barloworld as a stagiaire. It was originally expected that fellow Barloworld stagiaire, British rider Ben Swift would get the place on the squad but he was deemed ‘too young’ by management – being just one year younger than Marco Corti….
Meanwhile Barloworld’s other signing Christian Pfannberger has no family relationship in the team – although his signing is at least just as controversial being that he was convicted for doping just three years ago. After serving his two year ban, Pfannberger made a highly successful comeback this year with Austrian team Elk Haus-Simplon by winning the Austrian National title and finishing 2nd in the Coppa Agostoni, 3rd in the Grand Prix Nobili Rubinetterie, 4th at the Tour of Austria and 15th in the Tour of Germany. It is expected that Pfannberger will be riding as a support rider for team climber Mauricio Soler in the stage races – including the Grand Tours.
Bike Change At Barloworld
Still on all things Barloworld now with the news that Cannondale has decided to stop its’ sponsorship with Claudio Corti’s squad. After starting with Corti’s teams way back in 1997 in the Saeco days and now with Barloworld for the last two seasons, the American bike company has decided that’s enough,
“We are very proud of the success of Team Barloworld during the last two years and we wish all the team the best for the coming season.”
At this stage it has not been announced as to which brand of bikes Barloworld will be riding on next year, although it has been confirmed by Cannondale that they will continue to sponsor their other team, Liquigas at least until the end of season 2008.
Michael Rasmussen In Hospital
Michael Rasmussen had to return to the hospital in Verona last week to have a plate removed in his leg following on from a fracture occurred during racing last year as he explained on his website,
“I went to the hospital last Thursday to have the metal plate removed, that was inserted last year after my crash at the Giro dell’Emilia. It took a bit longer to recover than expected. They had underestimated the size of the screws, so there were some internal bleedings. But they have now abated so much that I was able to return home on Monday. I am already walking without crutches and fell the leg becoming stronger each day.
I thought it was just an ordinary thing they used, but when the wound was to be cleaned for the first time it turned out that there were 20 pins in my leg. They will be removed on Friday. Then we will have to see, how everything looks, but I count on being able to start training afterwards. If I start my training in the beginning of November there is plenty of time, especially in the light of the fact that I don’t know yet when I am going to ride again.”
Speaking of riding again….yes, the ‘almost’ Tour de France champion still has no idea when he will be riding again, or who with – or even if he is banned or not as he is still awaiting a meeting with the UCI to clear up his situation. A meeting that apparently is quite difficult to organise for the Dane,
“Quite a few people have to be present if it should make any sense to go. My lawyer is a busy man, and he has to have the time. The lawyers of the UCI also work for the Arbitrary Court of Sport, CAS. They also have to have time for a meeting. There has been a summit in Paris, and there has been a meeting in Reykjavik, so there have been a lot of things to fit together. Actually, the meeting was set some time ago. I don’t think that it is lack of intention, it is simply a matter of everybody to have the time for it.”
World Cup Cancelled For Milan
In a sorry state of affairs for the UCI Cylocross World Cup, the Milano round of the series set for December 8 has been cancelled. The reason for the cancellation? Just not enough money unfortunately according to race organiser Paolo Guerciotti who will still hold the races for the elite women, junior men and under 23 men as scheduled, whilst the elite men will be having a holiday that weekend.
Meanwhile, all is a go for this weekend’s World Cup in the Netherlands with Sven Nys again going in as a heavy favourite after his recent dominate performances and subsequent lead in the World Cup Rider’s Classification.
Current World Cup Standings
1. Sven Nys 740points
2. Zdenek Stybar 604
3. Klaas Vantornout 502
4. Bart Wellens 465
5. Francis Mourley 450
6. Christian Heule 390
7. Sven Vanthourenhout 296
8. Erwin Vervecken 288
9. Lars Boom 277
10. Jonathon Page 237
Action Heats Up In China
The 2.1 Category Stage Race, the Tour of Hainan is being fought out in tough conditions in China and at this stage the race is still anyone’s affair. Currently it’s the bonus seconds on offer throughout the stages and for the final sprints that have been deciding the overall classification with a tough battle amongst two Russians for the yellow jersey - Jenis Galimzyanov of the Russian National Team and Sergey Kudentsov of the Discovery Channel Marco Polo Team. It’s currently Galimzyanov in the yellow jersey though, thanks to his stage finish sprinting skills he has managed to create a slender gap of 9 seconds over Kudentsov after 4 stages with 3 stages still remaining.
One rider to take note of is Pez favourite, Pascal Hungerbuehler, normally a Volksbank pro, but riding here for the Swiss National team, Pascal has been steadily moving up the classification each day to currently be in 4th, 23 seconds down. After just missing out on selection for the World Championship team, Pascal is leading the Swiss team in China this week and is desperately trying to move up the classification – not an easy feat with the finishline bonuses though when you are definitely a non sprinter! Pascal, has instead been doing it the hard way, through breakaways and trying to steal the bonus seconds en route…only three stages to go to try and unseat the Russians!
Current General classification after Stage 4:
1 Jenis Galimzyanov (Rus) Russian National Team 15.41.56
2 Sergey Kudentsov (Rus) Discovery Channel Marco Polo Team 0.09
3 Robert Radosz (Pol) Intel - Action 0.19
4 Pascal Hungerbuehler (Swi) Swiss National Team 0.23
5 Haijun Ma (Chn) China Skoda Team
6 Kazuya Okazaki (Jpn) Nippo Corporation - Meitan Honpo Co LTD - Asada 0.24
7 Rongxi Zou (Chn) China Skoda Team 0.27
8 Robert Lyte (Aus) FRF Couriers - NSWIS
9 Peter John Herzig (Aus) FRF Couriers - NSWIS 0.28
10 Shaun Davel (RSA) Amore & Vita-McDonald's 0.29
Dortmund Six Day Goes Down To The Wire!
In an extremely exciting finish, the Dortmund Six Day Track Race finished yesterday with the World Champion pairing of Bruno Risi & Franco Marvulli (Swi) winning by a mere point! Yes, after six days of competition across a wide variety of events, the race was decided by one solitary point…..and the 2nd place getter? None other than Mr 2nd place himself – Erik Zabel along with team mate Leif Lampater (Ger).
It was a late charge by the World Champions on the final night that clinched it for the pair after they hadn't led since the first night, with Zabel & Lampater being in control on most nights. It just wasn’t to be for the Germans though as both Zabel’s team and the pairing of inform Germans, Robert Bartko & Andreas Beikirch just came up short.
Final standings After Six Days
1 Bruno Risi / Franco Marvulli (Swi) 312 pts
2 Erik Zabel / Leif Lampater (Ger) 311
3 Robert Bartko / Andreas Beikirch (Ger) 300
4 Robert Slippens / Danny Stam (Ned) 156 pts (3 lpas behind)
5 Luke Roberts (Aus) / Christian Lademann (Ger) 327 pts (8 laps behind)
T-Mobile Responds
With rumours abounding about T-Mobile wanting to ‘renegotiate’ their sponsorship deal with the team following on from Patrik Sikewitz’s recent damning testimony, the team itself has come out in the press this week with the following statement,
06.11.2007 - “The interview and confessions of Patrik Sinkewitz in recent news articles confirm the necessity of the dramatic changes the sponsor and new management have made in the T-Mobile Team and the further changes needed in the sport”, says General Manager Bob Stapleton. “After we took over the team at the end of 2006 we have put in place new management, new riders, new procedures, new doctors, and a firm anti-doping policy and testing program. We continue to make more progressive changes in anticipation of the 2008 season.”
Although the current management of the T-Mobile Team has no responsibility for the team activities in 2006, the Team last week requested access to reports from BDR (Bund Deutscher Radfahrer) and the Public Prosecutors offices concerning the information provided by Patrik Sinkewitz. “We take a fact based approach. We will review the available information when provided and act fairly and responsible within our rights”, says Stapleton.
“Further, yesterday we formally requested that the UCI promptly review the Sinkewitz information regarding doping prior to our operation of the team, that has been provided directly to the UCI by the BDR or other authorities”, adds Stapleton.
The UCI have now responded to T-Mobile’s request for a formal review and have stated that they will conduct a ‘thorough investigation’ of the Sinkewitz affair after receiving all the documents from the German Cycling Federation (BDR) yesterday. As for the sponsor themselves, T-Mobile have not yet set out their needs for ‘renegotiating’ their contract with the magenta team, they did however have a board meeting on the subject yesterday, but are awaiting the documents from the BDR before coming to any conclusions.
SRAM Makes It Official – It’s Zipp Time!
Pez first brought you the news that SRAM wanted to acquire sweet wheel and component company, ZIPP, way back in September but it was just this week that the deal actually became official.
“SRAM Corporation is pleased to announce that effective today it has completed its acquisition of Zipp. This fast closing period of 45 days is the result of great teamwork between SRAM, Zipp and the bank community. It is especially fast given the choppy condition of the capital markets and speaks to the robust combination of the two companies.
Customers should continue to use the existing respective SRAM and Zipp channels for orders, customer service and information. There are no changes in how either company is operating its business.”
This acquisition should lead to a stronger market position for both companies in the increasingly competitive cycle components market. The good news for all current owners of Zipp products is that basically nothing has changed – with:
* The Zipp product warranties will be honored and continue to be serviced in the Indianapolis facility.
* The Zipp distribution network will be maintained.
• All Zipp contracts and business relationships will be honored.
Stan Day, CEO of SRAM noted on the acquisition,
"Zipp is a great company and respected brand, with a strong management team, advanced technology and superb manufacturing capability. We look forward to bringing both successful companies together and synergistically delivering a growing strategic range of products to our customers."
Battle Of The Books!
Ex pro, Dane, Bo Hamburger has confessed to having used EPO in the 1990s in a new book which was released this week, admitting to having used the drug only between 1995 to 1997. Quite a strange confession that one seeming that he was caught for EPO use in 2001 whilst riding for CSC!!
That was a charge that he eventually got off on though on a technicality and he continued to race until 2006. In his book, only available in Danish at this stage titled - Den storste pris – en cykelrytters bekendelser ('The Greatest Price – Confession of a Cyclist'), the 37 year-old Dane reveals how he doped, how he avoided controls (just until 2001 I guess..) and the culture that existed in the peloton at the time. At his press conference to promote his book Hamburger stated,
“Cycling was distinctively marked by doping in the 1990s. It was a little easier to look at oneself in the mirror when you knew others did the same - So I did it."
Hamburger started his professional career with the Dutch team TVM for which he rode from 1991 to 1997 before switching to Casino (1998), Cantina Tollo (1999), CSC (2000-2001), Index Alexia (2002), Fromaggi Pinzolo Fiavè (2003), Acqua & Sapone (2004-2005) and Miche (2006), before retiring. Amongst his palmares are a stage win in the 1994 Tour de France, wearing the yellow jersey for a day in the 1998 Tour and winning the Fleche Wallone in the same year.
Meanwhile in other doping confession book news, former soigneur and the man that started the whole T-Mobile doping confessions, Jeff D’Hont has announced that he is writing another book that will detail even further the doping practices that were used by Jan Ullrich and others. D’Hont’s first book, ‘Confessions of a Cycling Soigneur’ was revealing enough, leading to threats and legal injuctions by Jan Ullrich - what else could D’Hont have to say this time? And will he be allowed to say it as a court injunction gained by Jan Ullrich currently prevents D’Hont from saying anything about Jan Ullrich?
“Jan Ullrich doped with EPO in 1996. I am not afraid of the attorneys, because I am writing the truth.
Tour of California - Volunteers Call
Organizers for the 2008 Amgen Tour of California have this week called for any interested cycling fans and sport lovers out there to think about volunteering for next year’s race with 4000 volunteer places needing to be filled.
With the 2008 race expecting to draw more than 1 Million people to the Californian roadside, the logistics of the race are HUGE and help is needed across a wide range of areas, including, course marshals, security, media relations and medical control.
Volunteers must be over the age of 18 or accompanied by an adult. To find out more info on volunteering check out the race’s Official Website
Dates of the 2008 Amgen Tour of California:
* Prologue: Sunday, Feb. 17 - Palo Alto-Stanford University
* Stage 1: Monday, Feb. 18 - Sausalito to Santa Rosa
* Stage 2: Tuesday, Feb. 19 - Santa Rosa to Sacramento
* Stage 3: Wednesday, Feb. 20 - Modesto to San Jose
* Stage 4: Thursday, Feb. 21 - Seaside to San Luis Obispo
* Stage 5: Friday, Feb. 22 - Solvang individual time trial
* Stage 6: Saturday, Feb. 23 - Santa Barbara to Santa Clarita
* Stage 7: Sunday, Feb. 24 - Santa Clarita to Pasadena road race, concluding with a circuit race in Pasadena
Chris Selden lives down under in Palm Beach, Queensland, Australia - but spends his summers riding, racing and guiding cycling trips in Europe.
Race Report: You’ve got to hand it to the Vuelta organisers. Day three of racing and they’re already throwing some awkward slopes in front of ... More....
Roadside Pez St.1B: A late finish for everyone on Saturday’s team time trial made getting up early on Sunday a bit tricky for some; although ... More....
Race Report: The host town for stage two of this year’s Vuelta is Alcalá de Guadaíra and the temperature is already sloping up, up, up. It’s ... More....
Not much needed changing with Sidi's benchmark shoe. In fact if you asked me, they were dead right, as-is for 09'. But il professore dei piede ... More....
When you talk about Orbea bicycles and the Euskaltel team, it’s about more than light alloy and carbon; it’s about people, national identity, unity ... More....
Catlike's latest version Whisper Plus checks a lot of boxes on anyone's list of requirements for the current top of the top of the line helmets. More....
The new book, “As Good as Gold,” by Kathryn Bertine, is the entertaining tale of a dedicated athlete, who had a singularly peculiar opportunity to ... More....
Just a few short weeks from now, one of the largest organized group cycling events on the West Coast will take place between Vancouver and Whistler. ... More....
Recently, PEZ spent a little time in Steamboat Springs, Colorado with titanium frame builders, Moots. The down to earth company in one of the best ... More....
The Tour of Utah provided some of the most entertaining and difficult American racing of the year. PEZ was on the scene for the week along the ... More....
Emma Pooley stormed to a second consecutive solo win yesterday in the women’s version of the GP Plouay and Simon Gerrans faced the challenge of ... More....
Your teammates aren’t cooperating enough in races. A fellow rider is at risk – or is putting others at risk – but is unaware. The peloton needs ... More....
August has been sweltering for much of North America and Europe, and we know that hyperthermia can have a major negative impact on our performance ... More....
August is a dangerous month; a full season of racing has left many athletes tired and ready for the fall break. Often motivation to train hard wanes ... More....
As both a coach and fan of bike racing, I always watch the tour (or any bike race for that matter) with a “coaches eye”, always looking for things ... More....
Roadside Report: 'Did you think it was a good Tour?' asks Vik. I knew it was a leading question, but went along with it, 'yes, a good Tour.' ... More....
Roadside Report: On last Monday’s ‘repos’ in Morzine, Pez got a very special opportunity. As things were marginally more relaxed than normal, ... More....
Giro Roadside Wrap: The curtain fell on this Giro a few weeks ago, but as I’ve learned over the years, as the days tick by the memories of ... More....
Roadside PEZ: The team bus is the home away from home for the riders on Tour. Every night a new hotel room, every day a new start town and a ... More....
Dozens of SMS and emails flash up on my BlackBerry each day, most are chaff and get deleted after a quick glance – but when one comes in to tell me ... More....
The last time we spoke to Columbia-HTC's Matt Goss, he'd just won a race which one day may become a classic - Philly. On Sunday past he won a race ... More....
Here at PEZ, we’re dedicated students of cycling history. Plus, we love those old-school photos featuring riders in wool jerseys on skinny steel ... More....
On the premise that it's never too early to run a six day story... Black Dog's Ryan Sabga wanted to ride a European six day race. So, he did! Here's ... More....
Yesterday, PEZ spoke with young American talent, Lawson Craddock, today, we move up two steps to World Junior TT Champion, Bob Jungels. The 17 year ... More....
Gran Canaria, situated off of the west coast of Africa, is not one of the world’s best known riding destinations. When compared to the Alps, ... More....
He has a degree in 19th century French literature was a big Richard Virenque fan, and as the organiser of PEZ's superb hotels for the 2010 Tour de ... More....
Wow, did somebody say transfer season? It's certainly that crazy time of year where riders, managers and suppliers are fighting for the best deals ... Full Story....
Roadside St.5: A sprinter’s day and the best of them are here at the 75th Vuelta a España. Who will take the honours and the champagne? What ... More....
Race Report: After the arduous profiles of the last two days, the sprinters got their chance in Stage 5. Not to say that today was an easy ... More....
Two times Tour de France winner Laurent Fignon lost his battle with cancer on Tuesday, and at only 50 years of age, his time came much too soon. PEZ ... More....
Race Report: The longest day yet of the ’10 Vuelta saw the riders tackling 183 km from Málaga to Valdepeñas de Jaén. Philippe Gilbert started ... More....
Chris Selden lives down under in Palm Beach, Queensland, Australia - but spends his summers riding, racing and guiding cycling trips in Europe.
![](javascript:showpic("http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/photos/tech/sidi/10sidilarge.jpg",1900,1267);)
![](javascript:showpic("http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/photos/tech/moots/bike-bikebig.jpg",900,673);)
