Tour de France News for May 24, 2003 Edited by Chris Henry and Tim Maloney Ullrich to the Tour Almost immediately following the UCI's announcement, the Société du Tour de France confirmed that Team Bianchi would receive the final invitation, that originally reserved for Team Coast, to the Tour. The Société had left the option open to replace Team Coast with another team if the suspension weren't lifted, or if this new trade team did not develop in sufficient time. However now that Team Bianchi has been granted official status by the UCI, the Tour would have no grounds to exclude the team, meaning Jan Ullrich should race the Tour, and Mario Cipollini has seen his last chance for an invitation disappear. "This decision puts an end to the questions we had to ask," Daniel Baal told l'Equipe. "From the moment Bianchi becomes a Top Club team, the team has a place guaranteed according to the regulations." Team leader Jan Ullrich will now have an uninterrupted build up to the Tour, where he will surely be a star attraction, even if he and director sportif Rudy Pevenage insist that this year's ambitions will remain modest. Ullrich last raced May 1 in Frankfurt, and his preparation before the Tour is scheduled to include a return racing May 31 at the Rund um die Hainleite in Erfurt, Germany, followed by the Tour of Germany (June 3-9) and the Tour of Switzerland (June 16-25). "Finally we're there," Pevenage commented, relieved with the news of Bianchi's acceptance. "We're going to work overtime to make sure Jan can race for the first time in the Team Bianchi jersey on May 31." Leblanc: No discussions with DVE The rumoured meeting between Domina Vacanze boss Rumoured Preatoni and Tour de France director Jean-Marie Leblanc will not take place. In fact, it was never scheduled. Anxious thinkers in Italy had presumed that Leblanc's visit to Italy this week would bring some good news- or at least negotiations- concerning the exclusion of Mario Cipollini and Domina Vacanze from the Tour. "I am not going to have a meeting with him," Leblanc told l'Equipe. "I'm here in Italy for a long-scheduled social engagement at Elite [ed: Tour de France water bottle sponsor]. At this point I'm waiting to see what happens regarding the status of Bianchi before we make any decisions. We would like to take our time with this situation. I'm not a dictator as they're saying in Italy. But we need to look at the overall status before we make any decision about inviting Domina Vacanze." All this was said, however, prior to the UCI's announcement of Team Bianchi's acceptance in the Top Club, which according to normal procedures would automatically qualify the team for the Tour. Given the quick response Friday evening from ASO's director of cycling Daniel Baal, all appeared to have been finalised concerning Tour invitations, with Jan Ullrich and Team Bianchi getting the nod at the expense of Cipollini and Domina Vacanze. Still hope for Cipo? Just when the issue of Tour selection began to look settled, Jean-Marie Leblanc managed to leave the door open ever so slightly for Domina Vacanze. At an impromptu press conference Friday night at Elite headquarters in Italy, Leblanc said there is still 'a ten percent chance' that Domina Vacanze could be invited to the Tour de France. "There are a lot of problems still with the logistics, but we are continuing to study the situation," Leblanc explained. This statement shows that all is not settled within ASO, given Daniel Baal's rejection this week of any discussion of a 23rd team. Despite his being labeled as a dictator by some, Leblanc understands the importance of having the world champion on the start line in Paris. As director of the Tour, Leblanc's affection for this year's centenary celebration of the race, and his understanding of the enormous scope of the event, arguably cannot be matched. Nonetheless, even with the best of intentions to make room for Cipollini and his team, the logistical hurdles of adding a 23rd team to the Tour are substantial. For the Tour organisation to make the necessary arrangements for an additional team, particularly at this late stage, would be no small feat. Adding a team to the world's biggest bicycle race- entering what should be its biggest year ever- means more than finding hotel rooms for nine riders. Team staff, sponsors, and invited guests make up a considerable entourage, in addition to the extra vehicles and equipment necessary for another team. For these reasons, Leblanc insists that the situation must be reviewed carefully, because of the size of the undertaking. (All rights reserved/Copyright Knapp Communications Pty Limited 2003)

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