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News :: June 2005

7 June 2005

8 June News ...

Stage 1: Hushovd Over Hunter

Hushovd In Sprint, photo: CSC

Norwegian, Thor Hushovd won the field sprint to take the first stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré. His Crédit Agricole boys did the dirty work and brought back the six-man breakaway with only 2km to the line. The CA rider stomped heavy-hitter Robert Hunter (Phonak) on the line in Givors. Hushovd took a nice win for his green-team and Disco George Hincapie, winner of the prologue, maintained his top GC spot.

The Norwegian champion had praise for his teammate Julian Dean, "injured and still the best sprint lead-out in the world." Hushovd has great form recently, adding this win to his Volta Ciclista a Catalunya stage win. With this win he looks to the Tour de France, "I will aim for a stage victory and especially the green jersey. ... In mountains, I will be able to take points [on my competitors]."

Attention ... Stage 3 TT

Armstrong Drives In Prologue, photo: T-Mobile

Attention now turns to Stage 3, Roanne to Roanne, is a true TT test at 46.5K (Stage Profile). Look for the Tour favorites to lay down their cards and put their legs to a full TT run. It is not a flat run, it looks very similar to the most recent Firenze TT in the Giro d'Italia. The rider donning the yellow leader's jersey at the end of this stage has a good chance at final overall honors.

Some names to watch will be former World Champion, Santiago Botero, 6X Tour champion, Lance Armstrong and the double-L, Levi Leipheimer. Some other interesting names to watch will be Christophe Moreau, Uwe Peschel, Floyd Landis, Roberto Heras, Rik Verbrugghe and Sylvain Chavanel. Stay tuned on Wednesday for stage 3 reporting.

Isidro Nozal Latest Doping Casualty

Prior to the start of the Dauphiné Libéré, Liberty Seguros-Würth rider, Isidro Nozal, turned in a 52.1% hematocrit reading. What this means is that, first and foremost, Nozal will not be riding in the Dauphiné. More importantly, it means that Nozal will not ride in the Liberty Seguros colors until he is cleared and may not ever ride again.

Both Saíz and Nozal were quoted as being "perplexed" by the outcome. Saíz went on to explain that Nozal and the other riders for the Dauphiné all passed their own internal health controls prior to traveling to France. "Nozal was analyzed at a hospital in Oviedo [Spain] on the first of June and we will make the results of that test public so that there are no doubts. The results were of a 46% hematocrit ... Today when we woke up at 8 AM we went to the dope control with total normality because we didn't expect this." Saíz admitted that "it is logical that the people think the worst, but we are perplexed, we don't understand."

Distraught and crying, Nozal explained that "I am very surprised and it seems incredible what is happening to me because I was very relaxed. I have nothing to reproach myself and I feel completely powerless because I can't do anything."

The next step is for the rider to travel from Geneva to Valencia where he will undergo a series of UCI performed tests to clarify the situation and hopefully clear his name. In the meantime, Saíz has no choice but to dismiss the rider under the same protocol that was applied to the doping case of teammate, Nuno Ribeiro, at this year's Giro d'Italia.
- Paco

ProTour 2006, Fassa Bortolo In

Fassa Bortolo have ask for a ProTour license. The UCI have now confirmed the ProTour license renewal request. Fassa Bortolo had been marked to leave the sport next season, now this action confirms that the squad will continue. It is most likely that a new sponsor will help Fassa Bortolo, or take over completely. The UCI has received up to five ProTour requests for next year: the Italian teams: Acqua&Sapone-Adria, Naturino-Sapore di Mare and Colombia-Selle Italia. Also French Ag2r-Prévoyance and Spanish Comunidad Valenciana.

6 June News ...