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Monday's EuroFile: Museeuw charged; McQuaid calls for independent Armstrong probe
Former world champion Johan Museeuw Belgium was charged Monday with possession of banned doping substances, Belgian prosecutors said.
The 1996 world road race champion was accused of possessing 2000 units of the banned blood booster EPO (erythropoietin) and two other banned performance enhancers.
Museeuw was suspected of being at the head of a ring of drug traffickers including a veterinary surgeon and three-time world cyclo-cross champion Mario De Clerq and eight other riders and go-betweens.
They are suspected of supplying human growth hormones, stimulants, steroids and testosterone to riders.
Last year Museeuw was given a two-year ban by the Belgian cycling federation for being implicated in the doping affair even though the 38-year-old, who won the World Cup in 1995 and 1996, had already retired from the sport.
Agence France Presse
McQuaid calls for Armstrong probe
Pat McQuaid, the newly elected president of the UCI, said he’s in favor of an independent probe into allegations that seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong used the banned blood-booster erythropoietin.
McQuaid told the London daily The Guardian he would support an investigation limited to how the test results were leaked to the French sports daily L’Equipe in August.
“We have no problem with a independent investigation. That would be our view as well: someone outside the UCI,” McQuaid told the paper, adding the inquiry should be “as soon as possible.”
McQuaid said any probe should be limited to how the tests were conducted and how the results were leaked to the public, but not include wider questions of the allegations of the use of EPO.
“If we expect athletes to follow ethical lines we all have to do the same,” he said. “In this case the protocols were not followed so we cannot look at sanctions.”
UCI officials conducted an internal investigation following the initial reports, but said no sanctions could be issued since there was no second “control” sample to confirm or deny the results of the initial test.
McQuaid, who succeed Hein Verbruggen as UCI president in a controversial election on Sept. 23, publicly backed a call for an independent probe that’s also gained support from IOC president Jacque Rogge and World Anti-Doping Agency president Dick Pound.
French sports daily set off a controversy when it reported that 12 urine B-samples taken during the 1999 Tour had been found to contain traces of EPO, six of which reportedly came from Armstrong.
The Texan has vehemently denied the allegations, calling them a witch-hunt and unfair. Armstrong has also strenuously denied he’s used performance-enhancing products during his career.
McQuaid also said the UCI does not have a conflict of interest despite the public acknowledgement by both the UCI and Armstrong that the Texan gave the cycling governing body money to help in the fight against doping.
“I don't think there is any connection with it [the investigation]. If someone has provided assistance in the fight against doping, that doesn't prejudice the independence of the UCI in the anti-doping fight,” McQuaid told The Guardian. “Certain people might perceive it as [a conflict of interest], but intelligent people wouldn’t.”
Di Luca seals ProTour deal
Danilo Di Luca locked up the inaugural ProTour series after finishing fifth in Sunday’s Championship of Zurich. With only two one-day races on tap, the Italian has the overall title sewn up.
“It’s great to win the ProTour because it was my big goal of the 2005 season and it’s extra special because it’s the first edition of the competition,” Di Luca said. “I raced to win but I was also thinking about the ProTour standings. There was nothing I could to stop Bettini because he was very strong but I made my move on the final lap.”
Di Luca started strong, with wins at the Vuelta al Pais Vasco, Fleche Wallone and Amstel Gold Race. From there he rode to a surprising fourth-place overall in the Giro d’Italia and had only to ride defensively in the second half of the season to protect his lead.
Four Americans – Lance Armstrong, Levi Leipheimer, Bobby Julich and George Hincapie – stand in the top 10.
ProTour standings after Championship of Zurich
1. Danilo Di Luca (Italy / Liquigas) 229
2. Tom Boonen (Belgium / Quick-Step) 171
3. Jan Ullrich (Germany / T-Mobile) 140
4. Lance Armstrong (United States / Discovery Channel) 139
5. Alexandre Vinokourov (Kazakhstan / T-Mobile) 136
6. Levi Leipheimer (United States / Gerolsteiner) 131
7. Bobby Julich (United States / Team CSC) 130
8. George Hincapie (United States / Discovery Channel) 129
9. Alessandro Petacchi (Italy / Fassa Bortolo) 128
10. Davide Rebellin (Italy / Gerolsteiner) 126
11. Denis Menchov (Russia / Rabobank) 109
12. Francisco Mancebo (Spain / Illes Balears) 107
13. Michael Boogerd (Netherlands / Rabobank) 100
14. Cadel Evans (Australia / Davitamon - Lotto) 99
15. Roberto Heras (Spain / Liberty Seguros) 96
16. Santiago Botero (Colombia / Phonak) 95
17. Oscar Freire (Spain / Rabobank) 94
18. Paolo Savoldelli (Italy / Discovery Channel) 92
19. Alejandro Valverde (Spain / Illes Balears) 87
20. Ivan Basso (Italy / Team CSC) 86
Bittersweet day for CSC
Team CSC should have been celebrating Sunday night after Frank Schleck finished second to Paolo Bettini in the 92nd Championship of Zurich. The podium helped solidify the team’s lead in the ProTour team standings with just two races to go.
While it was a good day for the team, Jakob Piil saw his injury-plagued 2005 season come to an abrupt end when he was he was hit by one of the service cars during the race and abandoned with a broken hip.
“Jacob crashing today is really tragic. He was in the shape of his life and now has to see the whole thing go down the drain, because one of the drivers didn't adhere to the regulations,” said Team CSC manager Bjarne Riis. “He has every reason to be absolutely furious, especially after all he's been through to get back on this level.”
In other news, Team CSC confirmed the contract extension of Christian Vande Velde, Brian Vandborg and Peter Luttenberger.
“We’re very close to having all contracts finalized, and it’s a pleasure to be so far ahead in the planning at this point already,” said team manager Bjarne Riis on team-csc.com. “It gives us space and opportunity to get started early on planning the details of our program for next year. Of course we want a diverse group like now, with both experienced riders and new talents, and the three riders mentioned before have already shown they deserve a spot on our team for next year.”
CSC’s 26 riders under contract are: Kurt-Asle Arvesen, Lars Bak, Ivan Basso, Michael Blaudzun, Matti Breschel, Fabian Cancellara, Linus Gerdemann, Allan Johansen, Bobby Julich, Karsten Kroon, Marcus Ljungqvist, Giovanni Lombardi, Peter Luttenberger, Christian Müller, Martin Pedersen, Andrea Peron, Jakob Piil, Luke Roberts, Carlos Sastre, Andy Schleck, Fränk Schleck, Nicki Sørensen, Brian Vandborg, Christian Vande Velde, Jens Voigt and David Zabriskie.
