This appeared on the VeloCity Web Site

For American rider Bobby Julich, there is something special about this spring; for once he is not sick or injured. As a result he has finished in or around the lead group in most races. And this weekend at the International Criterium, he got one stroke closer to his first win of 1998. After finishing in the top five in every stage of this two-day, three-stage race, Julich finished a strong second to Festina rider Christophe Moreau.

“I was close. And frankly I was surprised to be in a position to win a race like the Criterium,” Julich told VeloCity. “I’m not 100% yet and this was not a big race for me.” After finishing fifth on Saturday’s 190.5-kilometer road stage, and fifth again on Sunday morning’s 80-kilometer climbing stage, Julich was sitting in second overall before the final time trial. In the same overall time as the Cofidis rider were Italy’s Davide Rebellin, Denmark’s Bo Hamburger and France’s Moreau. They had eight kilometers to tough out the final victory.

“I new I could handle Rebellin and Hamburger in a time trial, but for me the real danger was Moreau.” Moreau’s analysis of the situation was much the same. “My real client here is Julich,” announced the Festina team rider and long-time French hope prior to the race of truth.

Fifteen seconds seperated the two at the finish, and they fell in the Frenchman’s favor. Nevertheless Julich insists, “I’m not disappointed. I think Moreau rode the time trial of his life, and when you’re beaten by 15 seconds there is just no question. And plus, I’m happy for Moreau. He has done so much team work for the Festina team. It’s great he finally got a victory himself.”

For the Festina rider, there was a sign of relief after Sunday’s victory. Those in the know have been waiting for Moreau’s breakthough for years. “Bruno Roussel(i.e. the Festina team director) hasn’t stopped telling me that it is time I learn how to win. Now, with two victories in the same day(the time trial and the overall), I just can’t believe it.”

Bobby was declared the winner after it was revealed that Moreu failed a doping control at the race.

Bobby’s comments to Steve Wood of VeloNews on the 1998 Milan-San Remo:

“On the Poggio, with about 700m left to the top, Jalabert attacked — and I just couldn’t go, said American Bobby Julich, who rode brilliantly, maintaining position with the leaders on the Cipressa and the Poggio. The 26-year-old from Glenwood Spring, Colorado, riding for the French Cofidis team, couldn’t respond at the critical moment, however, ultimately finishing 32nd in a 26-man group, at 17 seconds. “I gave it my all today. I wanted to get away on the Cipressa, and I kept trying and trying. Maybe I used too much energy there and didn’t have any left on the Poggio. For it being my first time here and never having seen the course, I’m happy.”

89TH MILAN-SAN REMO, Italy, March 21:

1. Erik Zabel (G), Telekom, 294km in 7:10:14 (41.001kph); 2. Emmanuel Magnien (F), La Francaise des Jeux; 3. Frederic Moncassin (F), GAN; 4. Stefano Zanini (I), Mapei-Bricobi; 5. Andrei Tchmil (B), Lotto; 6. Filippo Casagrande (I), Scrigno-Gaerne; 7. Peter Van Petegem (B), TVM-Farm Frites; 8. Michele Bartoli (I), Asics; 9. Roberto Petito (I), Saeco-Cannondale; 10. Alberto Elli (I), Casino, all s.t.

Others:
32. Bobby Julich (USA), Cofidis, at 0:17; 47. George Hincapie (USA), U.S. Postal Service, at 0:32; 59. Stuart O’Grady (Aus), GAN, at 2:07; 109. Kevin Livingston (USA), Cofidis, at 11:15; 126. Frankie Andreu (USA), U.S. Postal Service; 135. Tyler Hamilton (USA), U.S. Postal Service, both s.t.

200 starters; 179 finishers

By Rick Blanchard / Detroit News

Bobby Julich is banking on some first-time luck today. Julich, 26, America’s top rider in the 1997 Tour de France on the French team Cofidis, will get a chance to taste World Cup success today in the 89th running of the Milan-San Remo, cycling’s most prestigious one-day race.

“When you haven’t ridden the race before, you are just kind of winging it, and I’m hoping I’ll get lucky,” said Julich, of Glenwood Springs, Colo.

It will take more than luck, though, according to competitive cycling veteran Frankie Andreu, 31, of Dearborn, Mich., who is leading a seven-man U.S. Postal Service team for the 174-mile race.

“This race, you have to ride in the front,” he said Thursday from his European home in Nice, France. “It gets so fast in the last 31 miles that if you are not in the front by then you will never get up to the front.”

In last year’s event, Andreu was riding about fifth until he crashed near the top of the Cipressa, the first of two 3-mile climbs that mark the end of the race as it winds from Milan to San Remo on the Mediterranean in western Italy.

Both riders, Andreu and Julich, say they are riding in top form this spring.

Julich, who placed 17th overall in last year’s Tour de France, is just off another 17th overall placing in the eight-stage Paris-Nice race, March 8-15.

“I was seventh overall up until the fifth stage when I lost a minute and half in the snow to Frank Vandenbroucke (Mapei-Bricobi),” he said. “I finished strong, and that is what is most important at this time of year. My main objectives are later in the year, the Tour de France and Tour of Spain.”

Vandenbroucke went on to win Paris-Nice.

Milan-San Remo is the first race in the 10-race World Cup series, which concludes Oct. 17 in the Tour of Lombardy.

“For Milan-San Remo it is hard to say what will happen,” USPS team manager Dan Osipow said. “It is such a long race and the group is very nervous and there are many crashes.

“Last year, our first four riders were taken down in a crash. This year, George Hincapie is going very well and if it comes down to a small group away, he could sprint very well.”

Fellow Americans tackling Milan-San Remo with Andreu on USPS are Hincapie, 24, of Charlotte, N.C., and Tyler Hamilton, 27, of Brookline, Mass. Riding with Julich on Cofidis is Kevin Livingston, 24, of St. Louis.

Andreu said the top riders to watch in today’s event are Vandenbroucke, last year’s winner Erik Zabel (Telekom), and Laurent Jalabert (Once), the world’s top ranked cyclist.

Julich, who is known for his climbing skills, said he’s ready. “It will be a major learning experience, but I’m riding well and I really haven’t been tested yet this year.”

Copyright 1998, The Detroit News