11.   Stephens was one of the riders who constantly denied wrongdoing although his Swiss teammates, Alex Zuelle, Laurent Dufaux and Armin Meier admitted using banned drugs.

12.   Top-ranked Martina Hingis, the Australian Open champion, plays Schnyder, her Swiss teammate, in the other semifinal.

13.   Jalabert, who lies second overall behind Swiss teammate Alex Zulle, complained that the race, which he won last year, had become too difficult.

14.   Sforza joins his fellow Swiss international teammate Alain Sutter.