Tour of Italy, May 13 at June 4

Tonkov-Mapei: the clash

After the setting except race of Pantani and the failure at the Tour of France 1999, Mapei returns on the Giro motived. Pavel, which carried out a very discrete beginning of season, will be able to fight with "equal weapons" with Francesco Casagrande and Paolo Savoldelli. "I am here to win".

Whereas Evgueni Berzin is put except race for a rate hematocrite much higher than 50 % and must conclude his career, Marco Pantani is quite present at the beginning in Rome. That does not disturb Pavel. That made two years that the two men do not speak each other any more. "I prefer to run the Giro in front of two million televiewers, knowing that half is against me, rather than in front of the nostalgic ones of Marco". Giro becomes animated starting from the ninth stage, which is concluded at the top of Abetone (1388 m). Mapei take the race in hand, then Casagrande attacks in San Pellegrino in Alpe. Pavel takes his wheel immediately, but must let he leaves. Pavel rolls at the head of the group and assumes his responsibilities for favourite. At the arrival, he is 7th at 1'47" of Casagrande, new pink jersey. Two days later place at the time-trial of Bibione, on 42 km. Pavel is classified sixth, to 46" of Gontchar. In two years, there remained very regular. At the general classification, he returns thus to 7" of Casagrande. "It is a good day, I hoped to take one minute with Casagrande and I takes 1'40" to him. My form improves of day in day". Three days later, Pavel faces his nightmare again: the stage of Selva Gardena by Marmolada and Passo Sella. It is certain that Casagrande will pass to the attack. And what was to arrive arrived: Casagrande attacks in Marmolada, Pavel takes his wheel immediately, but cracks a few meters further. The same error that in 1998 (!) Pavel returns on Casagrande in the descent, but still cracks in Passo Sella. At the arrival, he loses one minute on Casagrande. The following day, the race passes by Gavia (2621 m). Pavel wants to again follow the climbers, but still cracks. At the arrival, he still loses 1'30"on Casagrande. "I was not at the height". But Pavel is sick. He suffers from problems to the thyroid, he does not manage to perspire and lose weight. On his side, Giorgio Squinzi is furious: "The team works much so that Tonkov returns in the group and that there remains quiet, but he is obstinated to want to follow the pure climbers". In the Alps, Pavel lost the moral one. He cracks in the pass of Agnello, then in Izoard, but returns in the group thanks to Paolo Lanfranchi which wins then the stage. Pavel is then 4th of the general classification. The podium is still possible. There remains the very difficult time-trial in coast of Sestriere, with the pass of Montgenevre. But Pavel is never in the rhythm. He finishes very far and finished Giro the 5th. In a few days, Pavel lost the confidence of all Mapei staff...

Tour of Catalonia, 15 to June 22

June without victory...

After Giro, Pavel engages on the Tour of Appennino with the intention to win again. "I miss the victory much, that which with fine gives you the moral one". But on the race, it rains all the day and Pavel gives up. Then, the Mapei team takes part in the Tour of Catalonia, and carries out a beautiful race in the first days while placing four runners in the ten first. During the sixth stage, between Roses and Prades, Pavel successful to go into escaped with three other runners, Giovanni Lombardi, Sevilla Oscar and Luis Arrieta. At the arrival, he finishes fourth, but takes the jersey of leader with 21" in advance on his team-mate Axel Merckx. The following day takes place the great stage of mountain with five pass. But Mapei do not get along any more between them. Manuel Beltran and Axel Merckx make their race instead of helping Pavel. Tonkov is thus quickly in difficulty and loses 7' at the arrival on José-Maria Jimenez. He finishes this Volta 10th and leaves directly afterwards for Samara, where the championship of Russia proceeds. "These is a course which I like much. It is held at the edge of the Volga". But on his old roads of drive, Pavel is made beat by Sergueï Ivanov.

Tour of Spain, August 26 at September 17

Tonkov finds the podium!

Giorgio Squinzi is very hard with Pavel: "He does not have any more the will to suffer. One cannot count any more on him to win a big turn, it is clear". Pavel is thus released from his contract with Mapei and can find another team. At the beginning of September, he signs in the American team Mercury, which wishes to be reinforced to take part in next Tour of France. In same time, Pavel leaves Italy to settle in Spain. He thus cuts all his last bonds and wants to begin one second career.

"I smell better than the last year and I hope to make a good place at the general classification. But what I wish above all, it is to win a stage". As of the first stage of mountain, Pavel is found 7th at 1'40" of Zülle. In the Pyrenees, he follows Spanish climbers very well and passes 5th to the general after the abandonment of Ullrich. To Lagos de Covadonga, Roberto Heras passes to the attack and Pavel remain with the jersey de oro Angel Casero. Angliru is again at the program, but Pavel cannot try to win the stage because of a long morning escape. Heras attacks again, then Pavel leaves the group to 7 km of the top: "I saw that Casero was in difficulty. I wanted to take again time to him". At the top, Pavel is third of the general, at 4'50" of Heras and 1'09" of Casero. "I am satisfied because I think that I would be on the podium. I will try to take the second place at Casero, but what I want more, it is to win at the top of Abantos, because I live at side". But Roberto Heras has the same idea, and Pavel does not manage to release Casero. In Madrid, Pavel is found on the podium with his son Nikolas, who celebrates his three years. Pavel has just proven in Mapei which one could always count on him for the big tours...