don't know how to define it...something horrible for us, for Paolo and for Marco. We spent four years that way. Now the Giro d'Italia comes along this year. Marco is always evident, even more than ever. But I don't have him anymore, he's not here anymore and he wasn't a drug addict. It's not just his mother talking. I knew his problems well. It's like everyone (at the Giro) killed Marco."

Over the border in
France, the five-day Tour du Languedoc
Roussillon, was won by local rider Christophe Moreau (Credit Agricole).  Success in the race came after narrowly piping US Postal rider Vyatcheslav Ekimov to the win on stage four.  Having won the first two stages, Moreau?s teammate Thor Hushovd led the race until relinquishing his lead to his team leader. As usual, this race was one of the final few dress rehearsals for the Posties before trying to defend Lance Armstrong?s crown at the Tour de France.  Never one to let a chance slip by, Director Sportif Johan

Bruyneel set his riders to work on stage three on the narrow, windy roads of the stage, stretching the field behind.  Yellow jersey Hushovd said, ?I asked myself what was going on.  Honestly, I was worried.  It was as if they wanted to test everybody before the Tour and frankly I think everybody was tested.  Even Armstrong took pulls on the front...Incredible.?   Texan, Armstrong, finally got his stage win on the final day.  He said, ?I came to win a stage, so I?m satisfied.  I was disappointed with my legs on Saturday but things went very well today. I?m also quite satisfied with my team, particularly my new team-mate Jose Azevedo.?   Armstrong finished the race in 6th place, 1minute 44 seconds behind Moreau.  One rider mysteriously missing from the race was German rider, and team leader, of the T-Mobile squad, Jan Ullrich.  No explanation was offered as to the rider?s no-show.

With speculation mounting about the future of the US Postal squad following the withdrawal of the title sponsor at the end of the year, Johan Bruyneel, stated during the early part of Languedoc-Roussillon, ?I can tell you that we have found a new sponsor for the team next season when
US Postal stop their involvement.?   However, given time to consider his comments, Bruyneel backtracked a little.  ?Regarding my comments yesterday, I stated that I?m confident that we?re going to have a team in the future and for the moment I?m not worried about going on with the same team.  Bill Stapleton and Bart Knaggs at Capital Sports and Entertainment are working hard to finalize everything for 2005.  But there is no sponsor in the bag yet.?

Anglo-Italian rider Max Sciandri of the CSC team has brought the curtain down on his professional career.  Sciandri said that, ?I?ve accepted another job offer.  It?s always hard to find the right time to end one?s career.  Now I can look back on 16 years, where I?ve experienced several wonderful moments, which I?ll never forget.?   Sciandri ended