Latest News for March 18, 2003

Edited by Chris Henry

Mori has support from team

Although the Formaggi Pinzolo Fiave team took the measure of suspending Massimiliano Mori following the irregular events surrounding his UCI doping control in Tirreno-Adriatico, the team has expressed its support for the rider and directeur sportif Gabriele Di Francesco.

Problems arose when the UCI visited Mori's hotel room for a urine test. The test was solicited following Mori's blood test the previous morning, the results of which were in the normal ranges, although certain values sparked concern among UCI officials. When the UCI visited Mori in the hotel, he was unable to provide a urine sample immediately, as has been a constant problem for the rider. Mori's team and colleagues know that he has long had difficulty urinating in presence of others, and thus he spent considerable time in the hotel bathroom before producing a sample.

It was during this time that the UCI's inspector, Giovanni Meraviglia, found the bidon of urine which has aroused suspicion. "I did not know anything about that bottle, and when Meraviglia found it I was really surprised," Mori told La Gazzetta dello Sport. "I've never had any doping problems, and I know the rules. People in the peloton know that I have trouble urinating in a race or in a doping control."

Mori is hopeful that the situation will be cleared up. "I am confident nothing will be found in my urine, just like the blood test. I believe I was thrown out of the race unfairly. In fact, Di Francesco has had a urinary tract infection and is going to have an operation [Tuesday]. Doctors require him to have a 24 hour sample of urine prior to the operation."

Team manager Stefano Giuliani offered his team's position on the actions taken thus far. "We suspended the rider and directeur sportif immediately," he said. "If the urine control comes out positive, they'll be fired." The control is expected to be undertaken at the IOC's laboratory in Lausanne, Switzerland, within a week. "For now, I believe them, and I believe everything will be resolved."

"The actions of the UCI may have indicated other intentions," Giuliani continued. "I'm sure that neither Di Francesco nor Mori wanted to violate any regulations. Should the tests come back negative, we will sue the UCI for damage to the reputations of the rider and the team."

Giuliani's Formaggi Pinzolo Fiave team is working hard to earn an invitation to this year's Giro d'Italia, and this uncertainty does not help the team's cause.

Free to race, Pantani trains hard

Marco Pantani, now cleared to restart his racing program following a six month suspension, put in another six hour training session yesterday in Gandia, Spain, covering 190km with his Mercatone Uno-Scanavino teammates Fontanelli, Conti, Gasperoni, and Clavero. Pantani is still hoping for a last minute invite to Milan-San Remo in the event that Team Coast loses its Division I status. The UCI is expected to announce a decision on Team Coast's future today.

If unable to race La Primavera, Pantani will likely test his legs in competition at the Settimana Ciclistica Internazionale, which runs from March 26-30 in Italy.

Casagrande coming back

Francesco Casagrande (Lampre), who fractured his right radius during the Volta ao Algarve in February, is also expected to return for the Settimana Ciclistica Internazionale. Casagrande has been training for a week on the road, following two weeks indoors on the rollers.

Steels opts out of Milan-San Remo

Tom Steels (Landbouwkrediet-Colnago) has confirmed that he will not race Milan-San Remo on Saturday. After discussions with his team manager Gerard Bulens, Steels decided to instead contest Nokere-Koerse on Wednesday and the GP Rudy Dhaenens on Sunday.

"If I had a better weekend, I might have said yes to the Primavera," Steels told La Dernière Heure. "But I had diarrhoea Saturday and I abandoned the GP Erik Breukink. I think I'm not at the right level for the rhythm of the first round of the World Cup. I'd rather stay in Belgium, that way I can train and take better care of myself. I hope I can [play a significant role] at Nokere-Koerse or Poesele."

Team CSC for Milan-San Remo

Team CSC has announced its roster for the opening round of the World Cup. Andrea Tafi and Jakob Piil, each winners of World Cup races, will head the line up, along with Michael Blaudzun, Julian Dean, Paul van Hyfte, Nicolas Jalabert, and Lennie Kristensen. Thomas Bruun Eriksen is the team's reserve.

Tour ambitions for Lastras

Spaniard Pablo Lastras (iBanesto.com) has big ambitions for the 2003 season. Winner of two stages in the 2002 Vuelta a España, Lastras has pointed to two objectives for this year, including the Spanish national championships, and a stage win in the Tour de France. Prior to the national championships, Lastras will ride the GP Primavera, Vuelta a Aragon, Vuelta a Castilla y Leon, Tour de Luxembourg, Classique des Alpes, and the Dauphiné Libéré.

In an interview with Todociclismo, Lastras explained how much the national champion's jersey would mean to him. "It's a race that I really like," he said of the championships. "Since I was a cadet I have raced [the nationals] in every category and always with the greatest ambition. I believe that it is a race that can suit me well. For me it would be a tremendous honour to go to the Tour with jersey of champion of Spain."

New president for Swedish federation

Per-Eric Skotthag has been elected chairman of the Swedish Cycling Federation. Skotthag has been CEO of Postgirot, the federation's main sponsor that is ending its sponsorship Swedish cycling. The federation board has been trimmed to six members: Åke Hansson, Lars Henriksson, Johnny Pettersson, Anders Karlsson, Iréne Ohlsson, and Stig Thybelius.

Richard Sachs Women 2003

Richard Sachs, the Connecticut based custom frame builder, will sponsor a women’s Elite road team for the 2003 season. In 2003 Richard will expand his sponsorship, which has since 1997 focused on cyclo-cross, to include an Elite women's road team. The team will race the full New England road circuit along with appearances at the major Northeastern USA stage races and criteriums.

Team roster

Giant donates to Trips For Kids

Giant Bicycles' USA division made its largest ever donation to the Trips For Kids organisation, providing over $100,000 in equipment on March 3. Giant has been involved with Trips For Kids for six years. Trips For Kids sponsors, promotes, and organizes rides for inner city youth and youth at risk. The program began in the Marin County area near San Francisco, and in 1999 expanded nationally. Trips For Kids now has 27 chapters in the United States. Giant's equipment donation is used for maintaining Trips for Kids' existing fleets of bicycles, as well as for build-ups that are sold through the program's "bicycle thrift store", the Re-Cyclery, with proceeds from sales going towards Trips For Kids Marin (California) and Trips For Kids National.

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