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Friday's EuroFile: Tour rosters shaping up
Petacchi in; Kessler, Mazzoleni out
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In an apparent vote of confidence, the Milram team has named Alessandro Petacchi to its Tour de France team despite suspending the sprinter for a suspicious doping test at the Giro d'Italia.
The 33-year-old Petacchi won five stages at this year's Giro, however last week it was revealed he tested positive for elevated levels of Salbutamol, a substance primarily used to treat asthma.Salbutamol is a banned substance but riders suffering from asthma are allowed restricted use of the drug if they can provide a medical certificate. The World Anti-Doping Agency’s prohibited list notes, however, that riders whose urine samples show a concentration of Salbutamol greater than 1000 nanograms per milliliter must prove that the elevated level is a result of normal therapeutic use. If a rider with a Therapeutic Use Exemption produces a level lower than 1000 ng/mL the burden of proof falls to anti-doping authorities, if they wish to show a doping violation.Petacchi, who holds the proper TUE, produced a level higher than the upper limit and must now show that he did not take the drug orally or inject it and that his use of the inhaler was in keeping with its normal therapeutic use.
| 2007 Tour de France |
| Erik Zabel (G)Ralf Grabsch (G)Marcel Sieberg (G)Christian Knees (G)Enrico Poitschke (G)Alessandro Petacchi (I)Alberto Ongarato (I)Alessandro Cortinovis (I)Brett Lancaster (Aus) |
Studies have shown that in addition to aiding in the treatment of asthma, Salbutamol can be used to increase an athlete’s anaerobic power. According to study results, peak power appeared significantly earlier and was noticeably increased after Salbutamol use.Petacchi is scheduled to make his case in front of the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) on Monday.Milram had temporarily suspended Petacchi in anticipation of Monday’s hearing, but on Friday also named him to its Tour de France squad, an indication of the team’s confidence in his ability to present his case."We will take them Alessandro's medical records, old tests and the authorization (to take Salbutamol) to show that there was no criminal intent," Milram team manager Gianluigi Stanga was quoted as saying in Gazzetta dello Sport on Thursday.If CONI decides otherwise, a hearing is likely to be set for the cyclist with the Italian cycling federation (FIGC), but that could be after the July 7 Tour start in London.Zabriskie and Vande Velde named to CSC’s Tour team
The Danish-based CSC team announced its Tour de France roster on Friday, naming a strong team to be led by Carlos Sastre.The team also features world time trial champion and 2006 Paris Roubaix winner Fabian Cancellara, 2007 Paris-Roubaix winner Stuart O’Grady, Fränk Schleck, who won last year’s Tour stage up l’Alpe d’Huez and U.S. time trial champion Dave Zabriskie, the only American to have won stages in all three grand tours.The team will be directed by Kim Andersen, who replaces team owner Bjarne Riis, who would normally be in charge at the Tour. Riis was officially asked not to attend the race after the 1996 Tour winner admitted his victory was achieved by using EPO.
| 2007 Tour de France |
| Carlos Sastre (Sp)Fränk Schleck (Lux)Jens Voigt (G)Stuart O'Grady (Aus)Fabian Cancellara (Swi)Inigo Cuesta (Sp)Kurt-Asle Arvesen (N)Christian Vande Velde (USA)David Zabriskie (USA) |
Riis, however, has instituted a model anti-doping program at his team, which prompted title sponsor, the U.S.-based Computer Services Corporation, to reaffirm its commitment to its sponsorship.Andersen said Friday that the nine selected riders make up one of the most competitive teams CSC has ever sent to the Tour.”As always, it's been a very difficult decision. It may sound like a cliché, but again this year we have had the luxury in the fact that we have so many strong riders, who would be able to do well in Tour de France,” he said. “We have tried to select a broad group of riders in order to make our mark throughout the entire race. In this way we will be able to make a difference in the general classification and at the same time we also have riders, who will be able to go for stage wins in all kinds of terrain. In Sastre and Schleck we have two great contenders for the general classification and of course we will be putting up a fight for the first yellow leader's jersey in London.”Vino' leads Astana
The Astana has dropped Italian rider Eddy Mazzoleni from its nine-man Tour de France team due to doping allegations.
The team led by Tour hopefuls Alexandre Vinokourov of Kazakhstan and German Andreas Klöden also said Friday that all its riders had signed, or were in the process of signing, the UCI’s commitment to clean cycling, which includes the request for a DNA sample.
Vinokourov and Klöden have both previously finished on the podium at the sport's most prestigious race. The Kazakh finished third in 2003 and has won three stages while Klöden was second in 2004.
Mazzoleni, a strong climber, has been dropped because of his implication in a doping affair dating back to 2004.
The decision comes on the heels of a similar exclusion of German Matthias Kessler, who was suspended from the team after an April 24th out-of-competition test showed he had an elevated testosterone level. Kessler and the team await the results of a B sample test, but no matter the outcome, he will not be named to the Astana Tour squad.
While not a pure climber who could help pace 'Vino' in the high mountains, the psychological damage of Kessler's positive could unhinge Astana's bid to get its campaign off on a positive note. Discovery Channel team manager Johan Bruyneel oversaw all seven of Lance Armstrong's Tour victories, and this year is hoping American Levi Leipheimer can defy 'Vino' to claim "a podium place or better."
| 2007 Tour de France |
| Antonio Colom (Sp)Maxim Iglinskiy (Kz)Serguei Ivanov (Rus)Andrey Kashechkin (Kz)Andreas Klöden (G)Daniel Navarro (Sp)Gregory Rast (Swi)Paolo Savoldelli (I)Alexandre Vinokourov (Kz) ReservesGennady Mikhailov (Rus)Jose Antonio Redondo (Sp) |
Bruyneel admits Kessler's likely absence would not have the same impact of losing either Kazakh Andrey Kashechkin, Italian Paolo Savoldelli or German Andreas Klöden - all of whom will be crucial for Vinokourov in the six mountain stages.
"(Kessler) was definitely one of Astana's key players, although he's not a Kashechkin, Klöden or Savoldelli,” Bruyneel said. “But I think they will definitely be affected mentally by that a week before the start of the Tour."
Triumph in this year's 94th edition will come at the end of a what should be one of the most open races since 1998, the year before Lance Armstrong began his seven-year reign.
Defending champion Floyd Landis will be among the notable absentees due the uncertainty surrounding his positive test for testosterone last year.
Italy's Ivan Basso was primed to take over Armstrong's throne in 2006 but will be missing for the second year running having been handed a two-year ban after finally admitting his involvement in the ongoing Spanish doping affair Operación Puerto.
With Armstrong retired, Landis in limbo and Basso banished to the sidelines, the road to is wide open for Vinokourov to improve on his best finish of third place in 2003 when he rode with T-Mobile.
However Leipheimer - who has been promoted to team leader and is champing at the bit - Alejandro Valverde, Cadel Evans and a few others will stand in the Kazakh's way.
The 33-year-old Leipheimer has scored three top 10 places on the Tour, but has never had a 'Tour' team dedicated to his yellow jersey cause.
Basso's departure has come as a blessing for the Californian, and he intends to take the opportunity with both hands.
"For me to be back in the team as the leader for the general classification is like a dream come true," said the Californian, who has taken a more relaxed attitude to racing pre-Tour in a bid to peak in time for the high mountains.
"My form's still improving, so in four weeks time when we get to the mountains I'll be in better form than I was in the last two years."
Leipheimer told AFP he had not yet been in close contact with the retired champion Armstrong, but whether the Texan's nuggets of wisdom from the sidelines would do any good is debatable.
One bad day, or one wrong decision during the race can change plans and dreams dramatically. And Leipheimer believes that key absences will not necessarily make his job any easier.
"The Tour is an extremely arduous race. You've got the 200 best riders in the world, all in the best condition. It's certainly not going to be any easier because one or two guys won't be there."
The first of three days in the Alps begins on stage seven, and while Leipheimer feels that stage eight - from Le Grand Bornand to Tignes - will stage a first showdown between the yellow jersey contenders, he admits the Pyrenees will host a more epic battle.
"I've had the privilege to train on all the most important stages, but the Pyrenees will be harder because of the amount of climbs in the last week," he added.
It will be in the mountains bordering France and Spain that Alejandro Valverde will be hoping to cement his cause - if he gets that far, having failed to finish his past two Tours due to injury.
But the Caisse d'Epargne team leader is likely to have Leipheimer, Vinokourov, Carlos Sastre and Australian Cadel Evans for close company.
Sastre finished fourth last year, while Evans - who has been priming his bid with training rides on the key stages, and a second place finish at the Tour of Switzerland - finished fifth.
Kessler's likely absence meanwhile could be brushed aside by Vinokourov.
Instead, thoughts of revenge will likely be the 33-year-old's motor, following his team's ejection last year because five of them - though not Vinokourov - were implicated in Operación Puerto.
If he wins, Vinokourov - the reigning Vuelta a España champion - has hinted he may hang up his cleats for good.
"It's this year or never," he said. "I have a genuine chance of becoming the first Kazakh to ride up the Champs Elysees in yellow."
Illness leaves Marchante off of Tour team
Spaniard Jose Angel Gomez Marchante is off of Saunier Duval's Tour de France roster because of an inflamed colon, the team said Friday.
| 2007 Tour de France |
| David Canada (Sp)Fran Ventoso (Sp)Iban Mayo (Sp)David de la Fuente (Sp)Juan Jose Cobo (Sp)Iker Camano (Sp)Ruben Lobato (Sp)Christophe Rinero (F)David Millar (GB) ReservesAngel Litu Gomez (Sp) Jesus del Nero (Sp) |
Britain's David Millar and Spaniard Iban Mayo will spearhead the team’s bid for glory at the sport's premier event, which begins with a 7.9km prologue in London on July 7.
Scottish time trial specialist Millar returned to cycling from a doping ban in time to race the Tour last year, and this year is among the favourites to pull on the first yellow jersey of the race after the opening day prologue.
Mayo, who won the stage to Alpe d'Huez in 2003 while racing with Euskaltel, will be looking to finish the race - preferably in the top 20 - having abandoned on stage 11 last year and finishing 60th in 2005.
Rogers to lead T-Mobile
Three-time world time-trial champion Michael Rogers of Australia will lead T-Mobile at this year's Tour, the team announced Friday.
| 2007 Tour de France |
| Michael Rogers (Aus)Mark Cavendish (GB)Marcus Burghardt (G)Linus Gerdemann (G)Kim Kirchen (Lux)Bernhard Eisel (A)Axel Merckx (B)Giuseppe Guerini (I)Patrick Sinkewitz (G) |
It's an inexperienced squad for the once-dominant German team, which used to count Jan Ullrich, Bjarne Riis and Erik Zabel among its riders. This time around the team is using a mix of riders, including Briton Mark Cavendish, 22, and Germans Marcus Burghardt, 23, and Linus Gerdemann, 24, who are each taking part for the first time.
T-Mobile general manager Bob Stapleton is hoping that his young outfit will have the hunger to breathe fire into the Tour.
"With (Patrick) Sinkewitz, Gerdemann and (Axel) Merckx, Rogers has some good cyclists next to him," he said.
Stapleton added that he hopes Rogers can repeat his top 10 finish from last year and also win a stage, probably one of the time trials.
Rogers for his part is aiming for a top five finish having pulled out of last week's Tour of Switzerland.
Canadian Michael Barry, who withdrew from this year's Giro d'Italia because of illness, did not make the squad. Barry withdrew from this year's Giro d'Italia while suffering from pneumonia.
