BiciRace.com :: News :: April 2005

News :: April 2005

1 April 2005

Armstrong in Italy to meet with Judge

Lance Armstrong travelled to Italy on Wednesday to meet with the judge, Giuseppe Quattrocchi, who opened the case of Filippo Simeoni and Armstrong. Quattrocchi said that the surprise meeting with Armstrong lasted for one hour (with translation). According to BiciRace.com, one hour for any meeting in Italy is quick. "[Armstrong] said that he did not talk long with the Italian [Simeoni] because he does not talk in his language," Quattrocchi told La Gazzetta dello Sport, referring to the Tour de France stage of 2004. Quattrocchi has asked for an extension on the case and it should be resolved in the coming months.

Armstrong arrived Wednesday in Pisa from France, after competing in the Paris-Camembert, via a private airplane. Then he was accompanied by his lawyer, Enrico Nan, to Lucca to meet with Quattrocchi. "I believe that the judge appreciated the goodwill of Lance" said Nan.

The history: 2004 Tour de France Stage 18, Armstrong chased after Simeoni when Simeoni was bridging up to a breakaway group. Armstrong and Simeoni made contact with the breakaway, but the presence of Armstrong ended everyone else's possibility of a stage win, so Simeoni reluctantly agreed to return to the peloton with Armstrong. Now, prosecutors, in Italy, are investigating claims of "private violence" (verbal assault) and slander against Armstrong.

Tomorrow Armstrong heads for Belgium and then on Sunday he will assist his teammates in the Tour of Flanders. Then it is off to the Tour of Georgia, where Armstrong will have an important announcement before the start.

Bettini, Not in Flanders

Paolo Bettini announced yesterday that he would not take part in the northern classic, Tour of Flanders. This is a race that Bettini views as one of his future victories, but unfortunately not this year. Bettini believed, up to yesterday morning, that he would be going to the Tour of Flanders to help out his team, specifically Tom Boonen. After Bettini returned from a training ride on Wednesday he had decided that he was in no shape to assist his teammates this Sunday. "I am still very weak for a strong race like Flanders" Bettini explained. Bettini now aims at returning to the GP dell'Escaut (Scheldeprijs Vlaanderen, 13 April) or the Amstel Gold (17 April). These could be the lead up races to a Bettini return in the Liège-Bastogne-Liège (24 April). BiciRace.com extends happy birthday wishes to Bettini who turns 31 today.

Update: 3 Days of De Panne Full Coverage

BiciRace.com gives you photos and news from 3 Days of De Panne. Stijn Devolder won the overall of this four stage race in Belgium. Read how Devolder won and look at the cool photos, straight from Belgium.

31 March News ...