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Tuesday's EuroFile: Ryder finds a ride; Basso on the market; Heras pays his respects

Published: Oct. 24, 2006
Hesjedal at this year's Volta a Cataluyna - before Phonak unraveled
Hesjedal at this year's Volta a Cataluyna - before Phonak unraveled
Photo: Andrew Hood

In what Health Net is describing as a “rebirth,” the team announced the addition of ProTour riders Ryder Hesjedal and Rory Sutherland for 2007 following the departures of Gord Fraser, Mike Sayers and Scott Moninger.

The moves are part of sweeping changes for the team that includes seven new riders coming onboard for next year.

“Both guys have started and finished grand tours, and they have a lot of experience racing at the top level in Europe,” said Jeff Corbett, sport director for Health Net presented by Maxxis. “(Ryder’s) a good time trialist and a strong climber. He and Nathan (O’Neill) will provide a good two-pronged GC attack.”

Hesjedal enjoyed a solid season in Europe racing with Phonak, finishing fourth in the Volta a Cataluyna and 17th at the Dauphiné Libéré. Following the collapse of the team in the wake of the Floyd Landis doping scandal, the Canadian was left without a contract for 2007.

According to Corbett, Sutherland, an Australian who rode with Rabobank, “can do a bit of everything. He TTs well and is good at hard, selective one-day and stages,” Corbett said. Health Net Presented by Maxxis for 2007New for 2007Matt Crane, USA, U.S. U23 National TeamRussell Downing, GBr, DFL-Cyclingnews.comRyder Hesjedal, CAN, PhonakShawn Milne, USA, Navigators InsuranceJohn Murphy, USA, U.S. U23 National TeamFrank Pipp, USA, Target TrainingRory Sutherland, AUS, RabobankReturning for 2007Kyle Gritters, USATim Johnson, USARoman Kilun, USAJeff Louder, USAKarl Menzies, TASKirk O'Bee, USADoug Ollerenshaw, USANathan O'Neill, AUSBasso promises new team soon
Embattled Giro d’Italia champion Ivan Basso promised he will announce a new team by early November following his split with Team CSC last week.

Basso’s departure from Team CSC has fueled speculation he’s poised to join Discovery Channel for the upcoming season, a move that the American team has denied. Basso said he’s considering several teams that have shown interest in the Italian despite allegations he was linked to the “Operación Puerto” doping investigation. Barloworld has confirmed it has an offer ready for Basso.

“Discovery is not the only team,” Basso told journalists Monday. “There are other teams we are looking at. I expect to be able to announce something in early November for which team I will ride with next season.”

Basso’s future was thrown into uncertainty after he was among nine riders from four teams kicked out of the 2006 Tour de France when his name was linked to the alleged blood doping ring uncovered by Spanish police in May.

Despite circumstantial evidence linking Basso to Fuentes uncovered in police raids and phone taps, earlier this month, officials from the Italian Olympic federation recommended that a disciplinary process against Basso not be opened for lack of concrete evidence.

The Italian authorities, however, said the case could move forward if new evidence is uncovered. UCI officials have also said they will make appeals to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to try to enforce sanctions against riders allegedly linked to the blood doping ring if respective governing bodies don’t hand down bans.

That hasn’t stopped Basso from making plans to make a vengeful return in 2007, vowing to defend his Giro title and make a run at the Tour de France. “(The Tour expulsion) really hurt me, but I will have vengeance next year when I ride both the Giro and the Tour,” he said during a ceremony Monday in Rome toasting his Giro victory. Heras will attend memorial race
Banned Spanish rider Roberto Heras is expected to attend a memorial race Sunday in Spain in what would be his first public appearance in months.

Heras is currently serving a two-year ban after testing positive for EPO en route to winning the 2005 Vuelta a España. Heras is challenging the ban in Spanish civil court, but he’s since been stripped of his title and has rarely appeared in public.

Heras will be joined by some of Spain’s biggest stars in the 50km memorial race organized for the brother of pro Luis León Sánchez, who was killed last year in a quad accident.

Others expected to compete are ProTour champion Alejandro Valverde, Cayetano Juliá, Fran Pérez, José Joaquín Rojas, Alberto Contador, Óscar Sevilla and Sergio Paulinho. Agritubel signs on eight
French continental team Agritubel has signed eight new riders for the 2007 season, including Nicolas Jalabert who joins following the collapse of the Phonak team.

Agritubel lost in its bid to gain ProTour status for the coming season, but the French team will be hoping to earn another return trip to the Tour de France following its success last year capped by a stage victory by Spanish rider Juan Miguel Mercado.

The team will include 21 riders for next season, with 12 French riders, six Spanish, two Lithuanian and one New Zealand rider. Among the other notable riders is Romain Feillu, winning of the U23 silver medal at the recent Salzburg road world championships. New ridersEmilien-Benoit Berges (ex-Auber 93) Freddy Bichot (ex-FDJeux) Romain Feillu (ex-Nogent-sur-Oise) Mikel Gaztanaga (ex-Atom) Cedric Herve (ex-Bretagne Jean Floc'h) Nicolas Jalabert (ex-Phonak) Freddy Ravaleu (ex-Bigot 79) Anthony Ravard (ex-Bouygues Telecom)Riders leavingChristophe Agnolutto (FRA) Stephane Berges (FRA) Mickael Buffaz (FRA) Gilles Canouet (FRA) Nicolas Crosbie (FRA) Benjamin Johnson (AUS) Christophe Laurent (FRA) Lenaic Olivier (FRA) Saulius Ruskys (LIT)

Pantani museum to open
A museum dedicated to the late Marco Pantani, the former Italian cycling champion who died of a drug overdose two years ago, will be opened to the public at the end of this month, AFP reported.

The museum, which will be run by Pantani's cousin Thomas Casali, is situated next to the railway station in the late cyclist’s hometown of Cesenatico on the Adriatic coast.

It was constructed in May but will be officially open to the public on October 28.

Nicknamed 'The Pirate' for the earrings and colorful headbands he wore, Pantani was one of the best ever climbers in road cycling. His finest year was 1998 when he won both the Tour de France and Giro d'Italia.

Following a failed blood test at the 1999 Giro, Pantani's career was dogged by allegations of drug abuse. He admitted himself into a clinic in 2003 for treatment of severe depression and appeared hopeful upon his subsequent release.

His improvement was only temporary, though, and Pantani was found dead in a hotel room in Rimini not far from his home town on February 14, 2004. A coroner's inquest revealed his death had been brought on by acute cocaine poisoning.
Agence France Presse