FRANCE: CYCLING FANS SEE NEW TOUR DE FRANCE CYCLE TEAMS AFTER DISQUALIFICATION OF LAST YEARS WINNERS BECAUSE OF POSITIVE DRUG TESTING
Record ID:
646307
FRANCE: CYCLING FANS SEE NEW TOUR DE FRANCE CYCLE TEAMS AFTER DISQUALIFICATION OF LAST YEARS WINNERS BECAUSE OF POSITIVE DRUG TESTING
- Title: FRANCE: CYCLING FANS SEE NEW TOUR DE FRANCE CYCLE TEAMS AFTER DISQUALIFICATION OF LAST YEARS WINNERS BECAUSE OF POSITIVE DRUG TESTING
- Date: 3rd July 1999
- Summary: (LE PUY DU FOU, FRANCE, JULY 2, 1999) (RTN - ACCESS ALL) 1. WIDE OF SPECTATORS FOR OPENING CEREMONY 2. (SOUNDBITE) (FRENCH) TOUR DE FRANCE PRESIDENT JEAN-MARIE LE BLANC SAYING: "The things have changed since last year. Cycling has lost its points of reference. Tomorrow we won't have the big winners the races of the last three years -- the big champions aren't here. It will be a chance for the young riders to show their stuff, to surprise people. This is going to be an interesting and unpredictable Tour de France, we don't know which team will be able to control the race. Will it be the climbers or the sprinters? It's interesting and it largely makes up for the fact that a lot of the regulars aren't here this year. The Tour is at a turning point." 3. WIDE OF CROWD 4. CUTAWAY OF SPECTATOR 5. (SOUNDBITE) (FRANCE) YOUNGEST TOUR RIDER AND FESTINA TEAM MEMBER SAYS: "For a young professional, participating in the Tour de France is a dream come true. As we prepare for the start of the 1999 Tour, I speak for my colleagues in committing myself, the youngest rider, to a code of behaviour: play fair and obey the rules under all circumstances; Respect the moral and ethical principals of the race; Win back the public's respect and esteem by rejecting the old ways that dishonoured our profession." 6. PAN OF CROWD TO STAGE 7. PRESENTATION OF FESTINA TEAM 8. PRESENTATION OF SAECO TEAM 9. PRESENTATION OF BANESTO TEAM 10. ACTORS OF MEDIEVAL STAGE SHOW Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 18th July 1999 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: PUY DU FOU, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Reuters ID: LVA14PMTSO4EI9I9YWFHA65NTYIT
- Story Text: The public had their first chance to view the teams
competing in this year's Tour de France at an opening
ceremony for the event in the medieval theme park in Le Puy du
Fou in western France.
But Friday's (July 2) ceremony had some notable faces
missing.The winners of the last three races are all absent
from the Tour following last year's doping scandal which
brought the race to the brink of collapse.This year, several
riders have pulled out and several others were disqualified.
The Tour's president, Jean-Marie Le Blanc, told the
audience that this year's race would be an opportunity for
young riders to make a name for themselves.
He said: "Tomorrow we won't have the big winners the
races of the last three years -- the big champions aren't
here.It will be a chance for the young riders to show their
stuff, to surprise people.This is going to be an interesting
and unpredictable Tour de France, we don't know which team
will be able to control the race.Will it be the climbers or
the sprinters?"
The UCI (Union of International Cyclists) ordered Tour
organisers to readmit both Richard Virenque, who was four
times the Tour's King of the mountains, and the ONCE team's
Spanish director Manolo Saiz, both barred two weeks ago
because of their involvement in the doping scandal that marred
last year's race.
Virenque left the Festina team, which was kicked out
mid-race last year amid doping allegations, and will be riding
for the Polti team.Organisers said at the time the two men
plus ONCE team doctor Nicolas Terrados and the entire Dutch
TVM team were being excluded because their presence would
undermine efforts to clean up the Tour's image.
The Tour starts on Saturday with a 6.8 km prologue race and
ends in Paris on July 25.
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