News Briefs: August 3

World Champ Strikes Out

Meirhaeghe retires after testing positive for EPO
Reigning cross-country world champion Filip Meirhaeghe was almost a sure bet to win the Olympic mountain bike race in Athens. Hopefully nobody did bet on the Specialized rider, because he won't be racing. When results from a drug test taken before the World Cup in Mont-Ste-Anne, Quebec came back positive last week, he immediately retired. The 33-year-old Belgian reportedly took the potent red blood cell-boosting drug EPO for the first time in his successful career only seven weeks ago.

Since Meirhaeghe's second place in the 2000 Olympics, the pressure to gold medal has been on. In a press conference in Belgium last Thursday, Meirhaeghe stated "I absolutely did not want to fail at the Olympics…I made some wrong decisions on the way."

You Gotta Fight for Your Right to Race

Haywood now filing appeal
Sue Haywood is appealing the independent arbitrator's ruling that will keep her off the US Mountain Bike Olympic Team. After a series of clerical errors by USA Cycling and UCI, the arbitrators awarded Haywood's spot to runner up Mary McConneloug on July 20, 2004. Haywood is now training for the Olympics in hopes the ruling will be overturned.

The Bourne Tour Winner

Damon to play Armstrong in upcoming movie
Matt Damon is currently in negotiations to play Lance Armstrong in a movie profiling the six-time Tour de France winner. According to Sky News, the film will be released in 2006 and will be produced by Bourne Supremacy honcho Frank Marshall. Damon is reportedly trying to lose 25 pounds for the role.

Hitting the Dirt at the Texas Ranch

George W crashes again
For the second time this summer, President George W. Bush crashed while riding on his Texas ranch. Thankfully, both times he was protected by a helmet and a mouth guard. A Secret Service bodyguard also crashed this summer while following the President—he broke three ribs.

Tour de France Drama

Armstrong facing fraud and violence allegations
To anyone watching Stage 18 of this year's Tour de France, it was hard to miss. When lowly, team Domina Vacanze domestique, Flippo Simeoni jumped from the pack to close a two-minute gap up to an impressive breakaway, he was followed by the most unlikely of candidates, Lance Armstrong. Since he already had the overall win wrapped-up and no one in the six-man break was a threat, Armstrong's move was uncalled for and very strange. Upon bridging up, the group politely asked Armstrong to leave (his addition meant the break was doomed), but Armstrong said he wasn't going anywhere without Simeoni.

Simeoni and Armstrong both dropped back to the main field, a rider from that successful breakaway ended up taking the day's stage, and viewers were left scratching their heads. A little bit of research on the matter reveals a lot of conflict between the two racers. Last year, Simeoni told investigators Dr. Michele Ferrari showed him how to use the blood-boosting banned substance EPO. Armstrong has had ties with the Italian doctor in the past and took offense, calling Simeoni a liar. In return Simeoni sued for libel. The Stage 18 incident was merely Armstrong's revenge. Since there's a possibility Simeoni could've taken the stage had Armstrong not strong-armed him out of the breakaway, he's considering suing again. This time Italian investigators could charge Armstrong with fraud, violence and intimidating a witness.

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