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Tour de France News for June 27, 2003

Edited by Chris Henry & Jeff Jones

CSC finalises line up

Tyler Hamilton
Photo: © Jeff Tse

The CSC team has named its nine riders for the Tour, with new signing Bekim Christensen getting the final spot. The team will be led by Tyler Hamilton and Carlos Sastre for the GC, with one day specialist Jakob Piil a good chance of a stage victory. However the main job of the team is to protect Hamilton and Sastre as much as possible, thus there was no sprinter chosen. The remaining members are Nicki Soerensen, Michael Blaudzun, Bekim Christensen, Nicolas Jalabert, Andrea Peron, and Peter Luttenberger.

"This year, our strategy for the Tour will be for Tyler Hamilton and Carlos Sastre to finish as far up in the general classification as possible and the selection reflects that goal," team director Bjarne Riis said. "We must do a good team time trial and make sure that Tyler and Carlos are protected in the mountains for as long as possible. I believe that our team is complete both when it comes to the general classification and when it comes to stage victories - should the opportunity arise. I predict that we can be one of the most important teams in this year's Tour."

On Christensen's addition, Riis commented that "Bekim's performance in the Tour de Suisse has impressed us so much that he deserves the final place. He has lived up to our expectations in every way. I believe that he can become an important helper in the mountains and when we have to set a high pace on the flat stages. As for the other eight riders, I have had confidence in their abilities for a long time."

Bianchi's nine

Jan Ullrich will go to the Tour with a solid team, after Bianchi announced its final line up. In addition to Ullrich, the team contains three Germans: Tobias Steinhauser, Daniel Becke and Thomas Leise. Four Spanish riders will bolster the team in the mountains: Angel Casero, Aitor Garmendia, David Plaza and Felix Garcia Casas. The final spot is for Italian sprinter/breakaway specialist Fabrizio Guidi.

More Tour teams.

Vierhouten has to stay home

Dutchman Aart Vierhouten will not be going to the Tour with Lotto-Domo, after learning the news from the team management this week. "Unbelievable," he was quoted by ANP as saying. "I didn't consider this. In Switzerland it was always going better. I thought that I was clear for the Tour."

Vierhouten's abandonment at the halfway point of the Giro didn't help his chances however. "There I wasn't riding wel, but that wasn't a condition problem. A week previously a friend of mine died in a traffic accident. I had not got over that and was still down about it."

Lotto's director Marc Sergeant said that Vierhouten's colleagues are "better at the moment". The full team is as follows: Rik Verbrugghe, Axel Merckx, Serge Baguet, Christophe Brandt, Hans de Clercq, Leon van Bon, Koos Moerenhout, Rob McEwen and Nick Gates.

Skier to kick off Tour de France

Austrian skier Hermann Maier, a former Olympic and World Champion, will open the centenary Tour de France when it sets off from the Eiffel Tower on July 5. Maier, who nearly lost his right leg in a motorcycle accident in 2001, will start the 6.5 kilometre prologue three minutes before the first rider goes off, calling it a dream come true in his highly successful sporting career.

"I ride thousands of miles in training on Austrian and Italian roads and I spend many afternoons in the summer watching the Tour," Maier was quoted by Reuters. "I've achieved superb goals in my career but to open the 2003 Tour will be another climax for me. I'm proud to take part this way in the big anniversary of the Tour."

Beloki heads ONCE Tour assault

Joseba Beloki has declared himself ready to lead the ONCE assault against Lance Armstrong and US Postal during the centenary Tour de France. Beloki has finished on the podium in the last three Tours, third behind Armstrong and Jan Ullrich in 2000 and 2001, and second behind the American in 2002. In an interview with Spanish paper AS, Beloki underlined his desire to shine in the Tour, and his hopes that one day Armstrong will one day become vulnerable.

"I'm in better shape than in years past," Beloki commented. "I'm going to the Tour to win. I think the time has come."

Beloki added that he thinks Armstrong's US Postal Service team is weaker than in previous years, and he and ONCE will be ready to pounce. ONCE will be without Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano, who wore the yellow jersey in 2002 for several stages, but Beloki himself is counting on a big performance. "I'll continue to concentrate on the Tour de France," he added, highlighting his desire to succeed in the world's biggest race.

Armstrong still tips Ullrich

Reiterating sentiments he expressed on the eve of the Dauphiné Libéré, defending Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong spoke of the deep field of would-be challengers for his Tour crown with just over a week until the opening prologue in Paris.

"The competition is very strong this year," Armstrong told Eurosport television. "Jan Ullrich is a big favourite, Beloki is riding well, and the Telekom team is coming up. There are also several outsiders, including Tyler Hamilton. The time gaps will be small."

Armstrong expects a fight from Ullrich, despite the German's claims that he is not yet ready to challenge for the Tour title. "Ullrich lives for the race, and he knows what it takes. I expect a lot from him; he has a big engine, and as a former winner he knows exactly what's needed. His situation hasn't been simple, but he's going well and will be a threat."

Armstrong has always tipped Ullrich as the biggest threat to his Tour successes, and in years past had praised the German as the biggest talent in cycling. Ullrich has said that he would be very satisfied with a stage win this year, thinking ahead to resuming the duel with Armstrong in 2004. Armstrong, however, seems unwilling to write off the 1997 Tour winner, regardless of the complications Ullrich has faced in the past two years.

Courtesy: Radsport-News

Ferretti's Fassa Bortolo outlook

Fassa Bortolo team manager Giancarlo Ferretti is ready for his team to tackle the Tour, headed by the top sprinter of the Giro, Alessandro Petacchi, 2002 Vuelta a España winner Aitor Gonzalez, and last year's best young rider of the Tour, Ivan Basso. Ferretti spoke plainly about his expectations for the Tour in an interview with Datasport,

"We're counting on Gonzalez," Ferretti said of his team leader. "He won the Vuelta last year and he's ready for the Tour."

Ferretti admits there are no other favourites besides Lance Armstrong, but he nonetheless has hopes for his young charge Ivan Basso, who claimed the white jersey in 2002. "It's not going to be a picnic," he said of the experience for his riders. "In France it's hard, even for riders who are more mature. In the Tour, [Basso] will be going for the general classification."

Fassa Bortolo's full roster for the Tour includes: Ivan Basso, Marzio Bruseghin, Dario Cioni, Aitor Gonzalez, Volodimir Gustov, Sven Montgomery, Nicola Loda, Alessandro Petacchi, and Marco Velo.

Lefevere takes note

Quick.Step-Davitamon manager Patrick Lefevere has expressed his discontent with Richard Virenque, who has had an exceedingly quiet season in the first half of 2003. According to a VRT report, Lefevere expects a big performance from Virenque in the Tour de France for the Frenchman to earn a contract for 2004. Other riders, including David Canada, Kurt Van De Wouwer, and Piotr Wadecki, have failed to impress the Quick.Step boss.

Lefevere does intend to encourage rising star Michael Rogers to stay within the fold for 2004, after the Australian's string of successes including overall wins in the Tour of Belgium, Tour of Germany, and Route du Sud. Patrik Sinkewitz and Jurgen Van Goolen, who raced aggressively throughout the Tour de Suisse, appear likely to receive contract offers for the coming season.

A Giant prize for the Cyclingnews 2003 Tour de France Fantasy Game

Joseba Beloki
Photo: © Lavuelta.com

Cyclingnews.com and Giant have combined to offer a Grand Prize for the 2003 Tour de France Fantasy Game that will have all those directors sportif out there sharpening their pencils in anticipation of the final teams for the Grand Boucle being announced this weekend.

The Major Prize is a limited-edition, TCR 100 composite beauty with full Campagnolo Record groupset, 2003 Campagnolo Bora wheels, Nokon cables and a host of lighweight goodies that will result in a machine coming in well under the 7kg in weight and worth 10,000 euros.

Mmm...
Photo: © Giant

In addition, there's an autographed ONCE jersey from the TdF team, as well as a Giro helmet.

We're also offering great supplementary prizes, such as a full Veloce groupset from Campagnolo, team issue helmets from Giro and Bell, as well as the latest Arione saddle from fi'zi:k, with more to come.

For your chance to win and for full details on all the prizes on offer in the 2003 Tour de France Fantasy Game, please visit the Fantasy Game section and register to enter your dream team.

All teams already entered into the 2003 TdF Fantasy Game are automatically eligible for the prizes.

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