Tour de France News for June 4, 2003
Edited by John Stevenson & Jeff Jones
Leblanc explains
Following an announcement by the Amaury Sport Organisation, organisers
of the Tour de France, that Mario Cipollini's Domina Vacanze team would
be definitely excluded from this year's Tour, Jean Marie Leblanc explained
the reasons behind the decision. The issue at hand was not so much selection
of Domina Vacanze, as the final four wild card selections were announced
on May 19. Given the enormous backlash from the cycling community regarding
Cipo's non-selection, Leblanc offered to further consider the possibility
of adding a 23rd team to the Tour as a special dispensation.
As Leblanc explained to l'Equipe, three factors prompted the decision
to consider a 23rd team for the Tour after the May 19 selection announcement.
First, Cipollini was forced to abandon the Giro d'Italia following his
stage 11 crash. Following the news of the Domina Vacanze team's exclusion
from the Tour, Cipollini wrote Leblanc a heart-felt letter which Leblanc
explained, "could not be thrown in the trash without consideration." Finally,
the possible vacancy left by the crumbling Team Coast was filled once
more by Team Bianchi following the UCI's full approval of the new team
into the Division I ranks.
"So we decided to reflect a bit more, to examine whether or not a possible
solution existed," Leblanc explained. "Our hearts told us to add the 23rd
team. Reason told us not to do it. Reason won out."
Leblanc takes the safety and security of the race seriously, and continues
to insist that adding a 23rd team poses a real risk. "A twenty-third team
represents more riders, more vehicles, and logistical challenges on top
of that," he said. "These are risks we did not want to take. I can't help
but think that if there should be an accident, there would be no end to
the criticism that it was because the Tour was simply too big."
The Tour director, himself a former professional cyclist and journalist,
took issue with implications that he did not respect the importance of
the world champion's jersey. At the same time, he evoked a recurring sentiment
that Cipollini's failure to finish the Tour de France was a strike against
him. "As if I, with thirty years of cycling behind me, didn't know the
importance of the rainbow jersey! The fact is, we're organisers of a stage
race, and our race lasts 23 days."
In the face of repeated criticism of the Tour's selections, notably the
preference given to French teams, Leblanc admits that the choice is not
always obvious. "Once you make a selection, you're not always sure to
have made a perfect choice," he confided. "It was very close. Now, I'm
more at ease. Since May 19, the Jean Delatour team was won more races."
Preatoni disappointed
While Cipollini has remained quiet on the subject of Domina Vacanze's
exclusion from the Tour, the firm's president Ernesto Preatoni issued
a statement of his own following ASO's announcement June 2. "We are deeply
disappointed by the exclusion of the world champion from the Grande Boucle,"
Preatoni said. "We believe that Mario Cipollini's presence would have
added great value and interest to the race."
"We all worked very hard [for the team's selection] once the decision
to exclude the world champion came under review, but unfortunately it
was not possible," Preatoni continued."We must, however, recognise all
those who helped us and who showed their support for us, beginning with
the tifosi. We also thank the organisations such as the Italian cycling
federation and CONI (Italian Olympic Committee) for supporting us."
Now that the issue is closed, Domina Vacanze and Cipollini will have
to redefine their goals for the remainder of the season.
Pantani still searching for Tour options
Together again?
Photo: © Sirotti
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With the possibility of riding the Tour de France on loan to Jan Ullrich's
Team Bianchi gone, Marco Pantani has continued to seek any possible option
for a trip to France in July. With the full support of his Mercatone Uno
team management, Pantani is now hoping for a transfer to former teammate
Stefano Garzelli's Vini Caldirola-Sidermec squad. The transfer could see
Pantani finish the season with Vini Caldirola, not simply ride the Tour.
"I'll do everything in my power to see that Pantani rides the centenary
Tour," said Mercatone Uno president Romano Cenni.
After his solid 14th place in the Giro d'Italia, which saw the Pirate
back to his attacking ways in the mountains, Pantani is eager to test
his comeback form against reigning Tour champion Lance Armstrong. "I worked
very hard this winter in order to come back to the top. I want to reap
the benefits, and that's why I'm inviting myself. It wouldn't be for nothing,
I assure you!"
From the UCI's perspective, a transfer is feasible, even if the Vini
Caldirola team has had considerably less to say on the subject than Pantani.
"As long as the two teams can reach an agreement, Pantani's transfer to
Vini Caldirola is perfectly acceptable and in conformance with our regulations,"
the UCI's Alain Rumpf explained to l'Equipe.
No Dekker in Tour
Erik Dekker will not be part of the Rabobank team for the Tour de France,
as he doesn't consider himself fit enough to race it due to ongoing injury
problems. Dekker wrote on his website erikdekker.nl today that "I have
decided with the team doctor, team leaders and management to now forfeit
the start for the Tour de France this year... the knee and the region
around it is still playing up. Through that I don't have enough kilometres
in my legs to make it to the start on July 5 in reasonable condition."
Rabobank's pre-selection for the Tour is as follows: Michael Boogerd,
Bram de Groot, Steven de Jongh, Addy Engels, Marc Lotz, Marc Wauters,
Oscar Freire, Levi Leipheimer, Beat Zberg, Grischa Niermann and Robert
Hunter.
(All rights reserved/Copyright Knapp Communications Pty Limited 2003)
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