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Thursday's Eurofile: Ballerini gets the boot: Peace Race comeback?

Published: Sep. 29, 2005
Ballerini at 2002 world's
Ballerini at 2002 world's
Photo: Agence France Presse-file photo

Italian national team coach Franco Ballerini got the boot Wednesday after the fall-out following the Madrid world championships. Paolo Bettini’s 13th was the second-worst world’s result since Giuseppe Saronni was 17th in 1983.

Ballerini joined the national team in 2001 and earned two gold medals, with Mario Cipollini taking the world title in 2002 and Paolo Bettini the Olympic title in 2004. The Italians also scored a silver with Bettini in 2001 and bronze with Luca Paolini last year.

That wasn’t good enough for the demanding Italians and the national cycling federation didn’t renew his contract. No substitute has been appointed, but several names are being floated, including Saronni, former world champ Moreno Argentin and ex-pro and TV broadcaster David Casani.

Return of the Peace Race
It appears the once-hallowed Peace Race will be back on the international racing calendar in 2006 after a one-year hiatus when it wasn’t included in the ProTour calendar.

Often called the “Tour de France of the Eastern Bloc,” the once-mighty Peace Race found itself marginalized after the fall of the Iron Curtain and was subsequently left out of the ProTour calendar in 2005 in favor of the lesser-known Tour of Poland.

Race organizers have penned a new title sponsor with Czech car-maker Skoda and secured a spot on the 2006 UCI continental racing calendar, May 13-21, with hopes of reviving the race.

With the Tour of Poland a fixture of the ProTour, the 2006 race route with eight stages likely will include traditional stops in Germany and the Czech Republic but detour into Austria and conclude in Salzburg, site of the 2006 world championships.

The race began in the ashes of World War II in 1948, eventually connecting Prague, Warsaw and Berlin among the Eastern Bloc. The race was the battleground among some of the top amateur riders who never had a chance to compete in the races in Western Europe during the worst days of the Cold War. East German Täve Schur won two editions in the 1950s, but it was the mighty Soviet team that ruled in the late 1950s into the early 1970s. 1980 Olympic champion Sergei Suchorucenkov from the Soviet Union and Olaf Ludwig also competed, but the race hit hard times in the late 1980s. With state sponsorship gone, the race struggled in the early 1990s to find sponsorship dollars, even being relegated to lowly amateur status on the UCI calendar in 1995. The top European teams started to trickle back, highlighted by Steffen Wesemann and the mightly Telekom team, to lift the race into late 1990s. Boonen OK after stitch-up
Recently crowned world champion Tom Boonen successfully underwent intestine surgery on Tuesday in a follow-up procedure to an operation the 24-year-old Belgian last October to correct a congenital disorder of his intestine.

The surgery, conducted by Dr. Ceulemans at the Mol Hospital in Belgium, began at 7 a.m. Wednesday and lasted about a half hour without complications.

Boonen was expected to remain in the hospital overnight and will be discharged Thursday afternoon. “The operation went well,” Boonen said. “Doctor Ceulemans told me that I will have to rest for the next two weeks and that I must be careful not to gain weight. That said, he mentioned that I will be allowed to do some fitness in order to keep myself in shape. I’ll be making the most of this forced rest period to recover energy after a very long and intense season.”

With the surgery, Boonen will not race again in the 2005 season that also included the Flanders-Roubaix double and two stage victories in the Tour de France. Belgian Giro ready for public viewing
The route of the 2006 Giro d’Italia will be presented Nov. 12 in the Mazda Palace in Milan. The 89th edition of the corsa rosa will start in Belgium on May 6 with an individual time trial in Seraing.

Two more stages will take in the Wallonie region of Belgium, with a stage from Mons to Charleroi and another from Perwez to Namur. Per tradition, the Giro will end May 28 in Milan. The rest of the route will remain under wraps until the official presentation, though leaks and speculation are inevitable. CSC, Sastre at odds over money
Carlos Sastre, fresh off his third place podium finish at the Vuelta a España, is still in negotiations with Team CSC. The 31-year-old Spanish rider is asking for more money than Team CSC boss Bjarne Riis is willing to shell out for the Tour stage-winner.

“We want him to stay and he wants to stay with us, but from my point of view, he’s asking for too much money,” Riis told Danish television stage TV2. “The important thing is that he wants to race on my team, later we’ll see if we can resolve all this.”

Sastre, set to race in this weekend’s Zuri Metzgete in Switzerland, is finishing up his fourth season with the Danish outfit. He postponed contract talks until after the Vuelta so he could focus entirely on finishing on the final podium.

His strong Vuelta ride has garnered attention from Rabobank and Quick Step.

Kemps out, youngster in for LS
Liberty Seguros rider Aaron Kemps will likely miss the fall classicsafter fracturing his clavicle while training last weekend. Making his debutas a neo-pro for Liberty will be young riders Jose Joaquín Rojas,who moves up from the Würth-Liberty Seguros under-23 squad for Paris-Tours.Here are the lineups for the final three ProTour races:Zurich: Carlos Barredo, Giampaolo Caruso, Allan Davis, DavidEtxebarria, Jan Hruska, Isidro Nozal, Michele Scarponi and ÁngelVicioso.Paris - Tours: Carlos Barredo, Allan Davis, David Etxebarria,Jan Hruska, Isidro Nozal, Jose Joaquín Rojas, Michele Scarponi andÁngel Vicioso.Lombardia: Carlos Barredo, Giampaolo Caruso, Allan Davis, DavidEtxebarria, Isidro Nozal, Michele Scarponi, Marcos Serrano and ÁngelVicioso.On the march
French sports daily L’Equipe published this list of the moversand shakers as cycling heads into the silly season:BOUYGUES TELECOM
Departing: Charteau(Crédit Agricole), Pichon (arrêt),Naulleau.
New riders: Clement (Rabobank), Flickinger (AG2R), Florencio (Relax),Le Boulanger (RAGT), Labbé (Auber 93), Jérôme, Belgy,Pichot.COFIDIS
Departing: Fofonov, Édaleine (Crédit Agricole),Engoulvent (Crédit Agricole), O'Grady (Sony-Ericsson), White (Sony-Ericsson),Atienza, Koerts, Tombak, Farazijn, Trentin.
New riders: Elijzen (Rabobank), Heijboer (Rabobank), Farrar(Health Net), Lequatre (Crédit Agricole), Minard (RAGT), Monfort(Landbouwkrediet), Parra (Colombia-Selle Italia), Valentin (Auber), Verbrugghe(Quick Step), Wiggins (Crédit Agricole), Duque (Jartazi).CRÉDIT AGRICOLE
Departing: Joly (Française des Jeux), Kashechkin (LibertySeguros), Wiggins, Lequatre (Cofidis), Moreau (AG2R), Hervé (Bretagne-JeanFloc'h), Leblacher, Muravyev, D. Nazon.
New riders: Charteau (Bouygues Telecom), Fofonov, Édaleine (Cofidis),Engoulvent (Cofidis), Bonnet (Auber), Renshaw (Française des Jeux),Hivert, Marino, Pauriol.CSC
Departing: Hoffman (retired), Calvente (Agritubel), Goussev(DiscoveryChannel), Bruun Eriksen (retired), Luttenberger, Michaelsen, Vandborg,Vandevelde.
New riders: Cancellara (Fassa Bortolo), Kroon (Rabobank), Ljungqvist(Liquigas), Pedersen (Team GLS).DAVITAMON LOTTO
Departing: Merckx (Phonak), Moerenhout (Phonak), Baguet (QuickStep), Amorison (Landbouwkrediet), Vierhouten.
New riders: Mertens (Chocolat Jacques), Horner (Saunier Duval),Kaisen (RAGT), Ingels (Bodysol), Sanderson.DISCOVERY CHANNEL
Departing: Armstrong (retired), Hesjedal (Phonak), McCarty (Phonak).
New riders: Goussev (CSC), E. Martinez (Euskaltel), Van Goolen (QuickStep), Lowe (Jittery Joe's).EUSKALTEL
Departing: E. Martinez (Discovery Channel), A. Silloniz (retired),J. Silloniz, Lopez de Munain, Artxete.
New riders: Pérez (Orbea), Aranaga (Kaiku), Hernandez(Team LPR).FRANÇAISE DES JEUX
Departing: Cooke (Unibet.com), Renshaw (Crédit Agricole).
New riders: Joly (Crédit Agricole), Ladagnous.GEROLSTEINER
Departing: Ziegler (T-Mobile).
New riders: T. Fothen (Team Sparkasse), Kopp (Wiesenhof).ILES BALÉARES - CAISSE D'ÉPARGNE
Departing: Arrieta (AG2R), Mancebo (AG2R), Navas (AG2R), A.Osa (Liberty Seguros), U. Osa (Liberty Seguros), J. Rodriguez (SaunierDuval), Tauler, Colom, J. Gonzalez.
New riders: Brard (Agritubel), A. Pérez (Spiuk), F. Pérez(Milaneza), Fertonani (Domina Vacanze), Pereiro (Phonak), Zaballa (SaunierDuval), J. Rodriguez (Saunier Duval), Portal (AG2R), Berthou (RAGT), Perget.LAMPRE CAFFITA
Departing: Pieri (Team LPR), S. Marzoli (Team LPR), Mazzoleni(T-Mobile), Simoni (Sony-Ericsson), Commesso (Sony-Ericsson), Tonti (Sony-Ericsson),Bortolami (Unibet.com), Glomser (arrêt ?).
New riders: Bruseghin (Fassa Bortolo), Napolitano (Team LPR),Santambrogio (Team LPR), Tiralongo (Panaria), Valjavec (Phonak).LIBERTY SEGUROS
Departing: Gil Pérez (Saunier Duval), I. Gonzalez deGaleano (arrêt), Ribeiro (L.A. Aluminios), Andrle, Hruska, D. Etxebarria,Hernandez, Baranowski.
New riders: Vinokourov (T-Mobile), Yakovlev (T-Mobile), Kashechkin(Crédit
Agricole), A. Osa (Iles Baléares), U. Osa (Iles Baléares),Rojas, Sanchez, Redondo, Schär.LIQUIGAS BIANCHI
Departing: Ljungqvist (CSC), Pagliarini (Saunier Duval), Zanotti,Milesi, Glomser.
New riders: Paolini (Quick Step), Quinziato (Saunier Duval),Corioni (Fassa Bortolo), Capecchi, Curtolo, Kreuziger, Da Malto.MILRAM (ex-Domina Vacanze)
Departing: Fertonani (Iles Baléares), Honchar (T-Mobile),Ludewig (T-Mobile), Valoti (Sony-Ericsson), Belli, Quaranta, Solari, R.Ivanov.
New riders: Petacchi (Fassa Bortolo), Ongarato (Fassa Bortolo),Sacchi (Fassa Bortolo), Velo (Fassa Bortolo), Den Bakker (Rabobank), Zabel(T-Mobile), Schaffrath (T-Mobile), Musiol (Wiesenhof), Siedler (Wiesenhof),Poitschke (Wiesenhof).PHONAK
Departing: Pereiro (Iles Baléares), Aebersold (arrêt),Valjavec (Lampre), Guidi, Schnider, S. Gonzalez, Nose.
New riders: Merckx (Davitamon), Moerenhout (Davitamon), Stalder(Ed'System), Hesjedal (Discovery Channel), McCarty (Discovery Channel),Fernandez.QUICK STEP INNERGETIC
Departing: Sinkewitz (T-Mobile), Rogers (T-Mobile), De Fauw(Chocolat
Jacques),Mercado (Agritubel), Paolini (Liquigas), Van Goolen (DiscoveryChannel), Verbrugghe (Cofidis), Pecharroman (Communauté de Valence),Moreni (Sony-Ericsson), Bramati, Zanini (ITA).
New riders: De Jongh (Rabobank), Baguet (Davitamon-Lotto), Garate(Saunier Duval), Tosatto (Fassa Bortolo), Van Impe (Chocolat Jacques),Van de Walle (Landbouwkrediet), Verheyen (Landbouwkrediet), Rujano (ColombiaSelle Italia), Vigano, Santaomita.RABOBANK
Departing: De Jongh (Quick Step), Kroon (CSC), Den Bakker (Milram),Mutsaars, Wielinga.
New riders: Flecha (Fassa Bortolo), DeMaaretReus (Rabobank),Brown (Panaria).SAUNIER DUVAL
Departing: Garate (Quick Step), Horner (Davitamon), Quinziato(Liquigas), Zaballa (Iles Baléares), J. Rodriguez (Iles Baléares),Edo (Andalucia), J.C. Dominguez, Jeker (Unibet.com ?).
New riders: Benitez (Spiuk), Gil Pérez (Liberty Seguros),Mazur (Skil-Moser), Dionne (Webcor), Olson (Colavita), Jufre (Relax), Pagliarini(Liquigas), J. Rodriguez (Iles Baléares), Rinero (RAGT), Mejias,A. Fernandez, Millar (GBR, ex-Cofidis).SONY ERICSSON (ex-Fassa Bortolo)
Departing: Bernucci (T-Mobile), Kirchen (T-Mobile), Petacchi(Milram), Ongarato (Milram), Sacchi (Milram), Velo (Milram), Cancellara(CSC), Corioni (Liquigas), Flecha (Rabobank), Sanchez (Communautéde Valence), Tosatto (Quick Step), Baldato, Chicchi, Codol.
New riders: Simoni (Lampre), Commesso (Lampre), Tonti (Lampre),C. Garcia Quesada (Communauté de Valence), A. Garcia Quesada (Communautéde Valence), Moreni (Quick Step), Valoti (Domina Vacanze), Matveyev (Panaria),O'Grady (Cofidis), White (Cofidis), Celli (Barloworld).T-MOBILE
Departing: Vinokourov (Liberty Seguros), Yakovlev (Liberty Seguros),Zabel (Milram), Schaffrath (Milram), Aldag (arrêt), Steinhauser (arrêt),Hiekmann, Werner, Konecny.
New riders: Bernucci (Fassa Bortolo), Kirchen (Fassa Bortolo),Ludewig (Domina Vacanze), Honchar (Domina Vacanze), Rogers (Quick Step),Sinkewitz (Quick Step), Ziegler (Gerolsteiner), S. Davis (Tenax), Mazzoleni(Lampre), Greipel (Wiesenhof).French continential teams:
AG2R PRÉVOYANCE
Departing: Flickinger (Bouygues Telecom), Portal (Iles Baléares),Oriol (arrêt).
New riders: Mancebo (Iles Baléares), Navas (Iles Baléares),Arrieta (Iles Baléares-Caisse d'Épargne), Gadret (Jartazi),Moreau (Crédit Agricole), Naibo (Jean Floc'h).AGRITUBEL
Departing: Brard (Iles Baléares), Girout, Staelen.
New riders: Mercado (Quick Step), Calvente (CSC), Duenas (Relax),Dekkers (Rabobank), Plouhinec (Jean Floc'h), Baranauskas, Gonzalo, Sinner.