Bike World News

In today’s cycling news, the Italian taxman is coming after Paolo Bettini, Lampre rushes to meet UCI Pro Tour requirements, CONI wants 2 years for Biondo and more…

• World and Olympic champion Paolo Bettini is in hot water with the Italian Guardia di Finanza for illegally diverting as much as 11 million Euros of income to a false residence in Monaco while continuing to live in Italy.  Investigators believe Bettini fictitiously transferred his residence to Monte Carlo to avoid taxes.
• Quick Step’s Patrick Lefevre is expecting that Iljo Keisse will respond to a contract proposal to join the team no later than Tuesday. Lefevre offered the six day specialist a one year contract, but Keisse was also talking to Silence-Lotto, Vacansoleil, Landbouwkrediet and some other Professional Continental teams.
• In all of the fuss around Astana last week, we missed the news that Lampre’s Pro Tour license has not been approved. The team is working to pull together all of the necessary paperwork and financial guarantees and has until December 20th to appeal the decision.
• The professional riders union ACCPI has reiterated their opposition to the UCI’s proposal to ban race radioes. They last issued a statment on the decision during the Tour de France and want to remind commissioners that the riders are nearly unanimously in favor of keeping radios in use.
• USA Cycling announced today the departure of long-time U23 Development Program Director Noel Dejonckheere. The native Belgian and long-time USA Cycling employee has accepted a position as the BMC Cycling Team’s European Operations Manager and Assistant Directeur Sportif.
• Nutrixxion’s Werner Salmen will join the Vorarlberg-Corratec team as Sports Director for 2010. He has already had his first meeting with his new team.
• France’s Mickael Delage will lead the Omega-Pharma Lotto team for the Tour Down Under. The entire squad is: Delage, Olivier Kaisen (BEL), Jonas Ljungblad (SWE), Matthew Lloyd (AUS), Gerben Lowik (NED), Jurgen Roelandts (BEL) and Jurgen Van Goolen (BEL). Delage made his Giro D’Italia debut in 2006 and won the first stage of the Tour de l’Avenir the same year, while this year he finished third overall in the San Sebastian Classic.
• 26 or 27 teams are vying for what is now, only 22 available slots in the 2010 Tour de France. Race director Christian Prudhomme says that there are no plans to add more team slots at this time.
• Prudhomme was in Rotterdam on Friday to unveil a plaque honoring the port city for their hosting the start of the 2010 Tour. The event was attended by Rotterdam Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb and former cyclists Jan Janssen, Joop Zoetemelk and Leontien Zijlaard-Van Moorsel.
• Spaniard Rodrigo Garcia, who in 2010 will compete in the Xacobeo-Galicia team, has filed a formal complaint with the rider’s union against former employer Miche-Silver Cross. Garcia alleges that the team only paid him for 3 out of 12 months this year.
• Spaniard Josep Jufré is the latest addition to the Astana team. A professional since 1996, he rode most recently for Fuji-Servetto. Astana will hold their first team meeting from December 9th to 16th in Pisa, Italy.
• The Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) has requested a two year suspension for cyclist Maurizio Biondo. Biondo was found to have tested positive for recombinant erythropoietin in an August 12th out of competition test.
• The U.S. magistrate overseeing the lawsuit between Trek Bikes and Greg Lemond has ordered a settlement hearing for January 28th at a courthouse in St. Paul, Minnesota. He is encouraging the legal teams for both parties to meet on or before Jan. 18 to try and come to an out-of-court agreement.

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