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30.09.2006/ Franco-Belge: second stage to Haussler, Liquigas & Lampre for GP Cimurri, Ivan Basso: a case
to be continued, Geert Omloop cleared by Belgian court, Münster: autographs from Ralf Grabsch and Christian Knees, Floyd Landis:
Hip surgery a succes, Astana 2007, Liquigas defends its decision not to suspend Luca Paolini: "No objective elements
to accuse the rider or to justify his suspension"
New: picture gallery World championships 2006
New: Operacion Puerto: evidence seems sparse and quite vage (part 2)
Franco-Belge: second stage to Haussler
Heinrich Haussler (Gerolsteiner) won the second stage of the last European
stage race of the season: Franco-Belge. The 22 year old German rider won the bunch sprint after 172,9 kilometer.
Liquigas for GP Cimurri
Enrico Gasparotto will captain the Liquigas team in the GP Cimurri tomorrow, Saturday 30 September. The champion
from Pordenone will be supported by a team, with three athletes who took part in the World Championships in Salzburg: Kjell
Carlstrom, Roman Kreuziger and Matej Mugerli. The squad is completed: Eros Capecchi, Francesco Failli, Marco Righetto and
Charles Wegelius.
Lampre for GP Cimurri
On Saturday the 30th of October Lampre-Fondital will take part in the GP
Cimurri. In the team, led by sport director Martinelli, will run Matteo Carrara, Jaime Alberto Castaneda, Claudio Corioni,
Paolo Fornaciari, Ruggero Marzoli, Marco Marzano, Danilo Napolitano )in photo his victory in Bernocchi) and Morris Possoni.“In
a final sprint, Napolitano and Corioni could have good chances to obtain an important result – explained Giuseppe Martinelli
– We have also cyclists that could enter in the breakaways and aim to the victory”.
Ivan Basso: a case to be continued
The second hearing of Ivan Basso in Rom on Friday ended without any decision. The Italian anti-doping authorities, CONI
wants to have more time to study additional documents after they already delayed a decision by moving the date of the second
hearing from September 12 to September 29 for the same reason.
CONI (Comitato Olympico Nazionale Italiano) did not give a statement when a decision is to be made but its expected that
it could take up to a week or even longer. According to Italian daily sports "Gazzetta Dello Sport" it could very
well be that Basso will be cleared as CONI seems not to have enough evidence to defer the case to the disciplinary commission
of the Italian cycling federation.
Ivan Basso told Danish TV 2: “I am fine. It was a hearing very similar to the last one. I was questioned regarding
some specific issues, and I gave an answer to each of the questions," Basso continued by saying : "I am in good spirits, and
I hope that this will be resolved within a few days.”
Despite rumours that Basso is not welcome at the CSC team anymore, Basso remains confident that he will stay at the
team of 1996 Tour de France winner Bjarne Riis: “I am a rider on a Danish team, and I will remain on a Danish
team. I have a contract with the team and Bjarne Riis, and our agreement is that we will make a decision regarding my future
after CONI has made its decision.”
Geert Omloop cleared by Belgian court
Belgian rider Geert Omloop (Unibet.com) was cleared by the court of Turnhout yesterday. Belgian police raided the house
of Omloop on March 23 and Omloop was suspended by his team, Unibet.com for several weeks. Because the team didn't hear anything
from the court they decided to let the rider start again and now that turned out to be a good decision as the court stated
that they didn't find any PEDs during the raid and decided to archive the case.
Münster: autographs from Ralf Grabsch and Christian Knees
At the Sparkassen Münsterland Giro next Tuesday (3 October), the Milram riders Ralf Grabsch and Christian Knees
will visit the Milram Truck and be available for autographs.
After the ceremony on the German national holiday, Tag
der Deutschen Einheit, the riders take their time for their fans to meet them on the Milram Truck, which will be standing
close to the finish in Münster’s Old Town.
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| Christian Knees during his succesful solo attack in the Cologne classics (picture: Cyclingheroes) |
Floyd Landis: Hip surgery a succes
Doctors of the Oasis/HealthSouth Surgery Center in San Diego announced that the hip surgery of Floyd Landis
was a succes. The two hour long operation was done on Wednesday and Landis returned home on Thursday morning.
According to Velonews.com Landis' medical team opted for a cutting-edge "hip resurfacing" technique that
shaved off the rotten tip of the hip and replaced it with a metal ball instead of a traditional hip replacement.
Landis will undergo a six weeks long rehabilitation programm and if all works well he will be able to return
to competition in 2007.
Landis biggest problem could be the doping allegations against after he was tested positive during this
years Tour de France. A hearing before the US anti-doping agency is expected to take place early 2007. Landis insisted
several times that he is innocent and will be able to proof his case.
Astana 2007
Astana will have 27 riders in the 2007 season. Most spectacular new signings are Paolo Savoldelli
(Discovery Channel), Andreas Klöden and Matthias Kessler (both T-Mobile). The UCI will decide wether Astana becomes a Pro-Tour
license for the 2007 season. The Astana team has a budget of 12 million Euro.
Riders: Igor Abakoumov (Ukr), Assan Bazayev (Kaz), Antonio Colom (Esp), Koen De Koert (Ned), Thomas Frei
(Sui), Maxim Gourov (Kaz), René Haselbacher (Aut), Maxim Iglinsky (Kaz), Sergey Ivanov (Rus), Benoit Joachim (Lux), Andrej
Kashechkin (Kaz), Aaron Kemps (Aus), Matthias Kessler (Ger), Andreas Kloeden (Ger), Alexey Kolessov (Kaz), Julien Mazet (Fra),
Eddy Mazzoleni (Ita), Gennady Mikhalov (Rus), Steve Morabito (Sui), Dimitry Murajev (Kaz), Gregory Rast (Sui), Jose Antonio
Redondo (Esp), Joaquim Rojas (Esp), Paolo Savoldelli (Ita), Michael Schaer (Sui), Alexander Vinokourov (Kaz), Sergey Yakovlev
(Kaz)
Team management: Marc Biver (Manager), Walter Godefroot (Technical Director); Sports directors: Alexandre
Shefer, Giovanni Fidanza and Adriano Baffi.
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| Astana rider Andrej Kashechin during the world championships in Salzburg (Picture: Cyclingheroes) |
Liquigas defends its decision not to suspend Luca Paolini: "No objective elements to accuse
the rider or to justify his suspension"
Liquigas Sport intervenes in the situation of its Italian rider Luca
Paolini. The rider has recently had his house searched without any success. Moreover, in the recent days Lquigas Sport
has heard the news that the athlete will be notified that there is no evidence against him.
According
to the contract of the rider, the internal regulation of the UCI Pro Teams and the so called Code of Conduct, signed by all
the Pro Tour teams, Liquigas Sport thinks there isn't any objective element to justify the suspension of its rider. This opinion
comes especially from what is in the Code of Conduct:
The UCI ProTeams undertake to:
[...]
Art.
IX - Without prejudice to the right to terminate the contract for serious misconduct, not to enter any licence-holder for
events who is subject to judicial proceedings or investigation for facts relating to sporting activity, or any act constituting
a breach of the UCI antidoping regulations, or any other intentional criminal act:
1. as from the opening of
the investigation or proceedings:
- if the facts are admitted by the party in question, or - if information
from an official source available to the UCI Pro Team shows that the facts in question cannot be seriously contested;
2. in other cases, as from the date of referral by the investigating body or, where no such procedure applies,
the date of the summons to the accused to appear before the trial judge for sentencing.
Moreover, Liquigas Sport
has accepted the recent agreement modifying the internal regulation of the UCI Pro Teams that provides for the auto-suspension
of the team in case of objective responsibility of the Management and of the Team in doping facts.
As the rider has
guaranteed to have nothing to do with this situation, and, up to now, Liquigas Sport hasn't received any official document,
as requested in the point 1 paragraph 2 art. IX of the Code of Conduct, that could motivate the suspension of the rider, Luca
Paolini remains - until evidence to the contrary - in the Liquigas Pro Team. Liquigas Sport will examine whatever deed by
the judge or Police based on what is stated in the Code of Conduct. The team is ready to take whatever decision would be necessary.
Liquigas Sport asserts its commitment to fight against doping again and confirms its full support to the internal
regulation of the UCI Pro Teams, with special reference to what is prescribed for riders' health care and the doping regulations
also through the Code of Conduct. So, Liquigas Sport dissociates from the Italian Cycling Federation that has recently declared
not to acknowledge or enforce the Code of Conduct.
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