Friday’s EuroFile: Freire fastest at Catalunya; More dope testing at Tour; Fignon working Tour for Eurosport

By VeloNews wire services

Rabobank’s Oscar Freire outkicked the bunch to win the fifth stage of the Tour of Catalunya Friday.

Freire finished the 166.3km stage from Llivia to Manresa in 3:46:37, ahead of Angel Vicioso (ONCE-Eroski) and Rene Haselbacher (Gerolsteiner).

Results:
1. Oscar Freire (Sp), Rabobank, 3:46:37
2. Angel Vicioso (Sp), ONCE-Eroski, same time
3. Rene Haselbacher (Aut), Gerolsteiner, s.t.
4. Roberto Lozano (Sp), Kelme, s.t.
5. Inaki Isasi (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, s.t.
6. Carlos Torrent (Sp), Paternina-Costa Almeria, s.t.
7. Filippo Pozzato (I), Fassa Bortolo, s.t.
8. George Hincapie (USA), U.S. Postal. s.t.
9. Alberto Herrero (Sp), Labarca 2-Café Baque, s.t.
10. Andrej Hauptman (Slo), Vini Caldirola, s.t.

Overall:
1. Roberto Heras (Sp), U.S. Postal, 18:45:15
2. Jose A. Pecharroman (Sp), Paternina-Costa Almeria, at 0:09
3. Santiago Blanco (Sp), Colchon Relax-Fuenlabrada, at 1:58
4. Koldo Gil (Sp), ONCE-Eroski, at 2:10
5. Benjamin Noval (Sp,) Colchon Relax-Fuenlabrada, at 2:27
6. Ivan Basso (I), Fassa Bortolo, at 2:44
7. Guido Trentin (I), Cofidis, at 2:54
8. Rafael Casero (Sp), Paternina-Costa Almeria, at 2:55
9. Juan Antonio Flecha (Sp), iBanesto.com, at 3:15
10. Daniel Atienza (Sp), Cofidis, at 3:34

More drug testing planned in ’03 Tour
Dope tests will be more frequent on the Tour de France next month, the French government said on Friday.

“A significant increase in anti-doping controls is planned,” a sports-ministry statement said. “This means 148 tests (between six and eight per day) will be carried out, 80 or 90 aimed at detecting erythropoietin (EPO).”

The sports ministry, UCI, Tour organizers ASO and the French federation (FFC) have agreed on a number of measures to help the fight against doping, including the provision of information on drugs and medical tests.

Observers from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) will be present on the Tour, the statement added.

The Professor to pontificate at Tour
Double Tour de France winner Laurent Fignon, dubbed “The Professor” during his successful time in the saddle, will return as a commentator for this year’s centenary edition of the race for Eurosport, the cable channel announced Friday.

Fignon, whose blond hair and round spectacles prompted his nickname, worked for Eurosport after his retirement in 1993 and will commentate on each stage of the July 5-27 race.

The 42-year-old Frenchman won the Tour in 1983 and 1984 and is the last Parisian to have won the race. The last Frenchman to win was Bernard Hinault in 1985.

After his retirement Fignon organized a number of races, such as Paris-Nice and Paris-Correze, before financial difficulties forced him to hand over responsibility for Paris-Nice to the same company that organizes the Tour last year.

FILED UNDER: Road