No Henninger Turm for Erik Zabel

Publiceret af: danny 2008-04-29

The sick and injured list at the German ProTour Team MILRAM just gets longer and longer, only days before the important German race Rund um den Henninger Turm on May Day.  After the team management had hoped until the last minute that Erik Zabel would be able to start,  the three-time winner said on Tuesday afternoon that he would not be able to participate.
„After a knee specialist examined him, he tried for a few days to train,“ said MILRAM Directeur Sportif Raoul Liebregts.  „But there is still fluid in his right knee and it causes him pain on climbs.  We hope that Erik will be able to race again within a few days.“
The 37-year old star sprinter injured his right knee in a crash last week in the Belgian Ardennes Classic Fleche Wallonne, and was also unable to start in Liege-Bastogne-Liege on Sunday.
Over the weekend, MILRAM sprinter Alessandro Petacchi had already announced that he would be unable to ride in the traditional Frankfurt race because of a severe bronchitis.  Also not at the start in Frankfurt will be  Ralf Grabsch (knee injury), Elia Rigotto (light cold) and Martin Velits (wrist injury).
Erik Zabel's place will be taken by MILRAM youngster Artur Gajek.  Petacchi will be represented by his Italian helper Marco Velo.
The MILRAM line-up for Henninger Turm: Christian Knees (GER / Euskirchen), Markus Eichler (GER / Mönchengladbach), Dominik Roels (GER / Köln), Artur Gajek (GER / Bergisch Gladbach), Marco Velo (ITA / Brescia), Alberto Ongarato ( ITA / Padua), Martin Müller (GER / Forst), Dennis Haueisen (GER / Gera)