Patrice Halgand breaks collarbone

French Credit Agricole rider Patrice Halgand broke his right collarbone once again while training for a cross race in the French vendée region. The 32 year old rider had a pretty unlucky season since he broke the same collarbone in January while training for the Australian Tour Down Under. It's not know yet if Halgand will have to undergo surgery again.

Sports director Gerry Takens died

Sports director Gerry Takens commited suicide in his home in the Dutch city of Nietap. Takens just formed a new cycling team: Team Robinson Techniek and started a business in sporting goods. After his career as a rider Takens was sports director of Moser-AH and Skil.

Sram will sponsor Saunier Duval next year

US company Sram will sponsor Saunier Duval in the 2007 season. At the moment Sram sponsors the ladies cross teams DSB and Focus team.

DNA contoversy continues

After world champion Paolo Bettini protested against providing DNA, more riders have objected the idea. Filippo Pozzeto told tuttibiciweb a few days ago that Bettini spoke for most riders and in sportwereld.be Alejandro Valverde commented: "I won't do that. it's a breach of my privacy. The sport of cycling is going too far." This years  Pro-Tour overall winner concluded with: " soon we will have to let our pants under at a start of a race."

But even under team managers there is controversy about DNA testing. After Davitamon-Lotto questioned the new rules (Cyclingheroes reported), Johan Bruyneel told cyclingnews.com:"I wasn't present at the meeting, but I can say that I don't believe that it's up to the teams to come up with new rules. The intentions are good, but I'm a team manager, not an attorney, and when certain decisions are taken, sometimes the further consequences have to be considered. The teams really don't have a specific competence in this area; it's really the place of the governing body of cycling."

The UCI announced today that on November 10 there will be a meeting with AIGCP (Association of Trade Teams) representatives and the CPA (Professional Riders’ Association) in Geneva (Switzerland).

The UCI stated: "the UCI ‘s initiative will enable the parties concerned to have a joint discussion on the latest developments of Operation Puerto and on the various problems with the possible introduction of a DNA test for riders.

The UCI sincerely hopes that this meeting will make a concrete contribution to establish the basis of a vital consensus in order to progress with discussions regarding the next measures that will be taken to fight against doping."