I can’t stand it. The suspense is killing me.

No, I’m not talking about the recent verdict on Monex team rider-director Roberto Gaggioli’s appeal hearing with USA Cycling, held Friday, May 28. (More on that below, but for those with short attention spans, Gaggioli was suspended through the end of the 2004 season for assaulting Jittery Joe’s rider Jonny Sundt with a 2x4.)

And no, I’m not referring to the recently released list of American men invited to the Team USA selection road race, held June 19 in Redlands, California. (Again, keep reading.)

What I am referring to is the upcoming episode of “The Lance Chronicles,” premiering Thursday night on OLN.

I’m looking forward to the show’s continuation of behind-the-scenes footage from the Dodge Tour de Georgia (although I’ve still yet to see a shot of even the back of my head from scenes from any of the press conferences I attended.) But what’s really caught my attention is the “See what happens when one crazed fan crosses the line” storyline that’s been hyped repeatedly on the network’s commercials.

Perhaps you’ve seen the ad. If not, here it is in a nutshell: A young woman is shown in Georgia, lingering outside the U.S. Postal Service team bus, clutching some sort of Armstrong paraphernalia and on the verge of hysterics, shouting something along the lines of “Lance! I love you, Lance!”

Where and when this “crazed fan crosses the line”…well…you’ll just have to watch now, won’t you?

Can’t wait, huh?

Having been at the Tour de Georgia, I can attest to the throngs of fans waiting outside Postal’s team bus for an autograph, a photo, or just a glimpse of the world’s most famous cancer survivor. Lance’s amazing story is larger than life, the closest thing we can compare to a superhero. As Rick Reilly wrote in Sports Illustrated, everyone seemingly just wants to touch him, if only for an instant.

Armstrong has definitely reached, if not exceeded, “rock star” status. During and after college I worked as a music journalist, and I can hardly recall seeing that kind of attention outside any band’s tour bus. And in this modern age, I can understand his need for extra security; you never know who you're coming into contact with.

But for the producers of “The Lance Chronicles” to splash the image of a young woman — in tears, desperately wishing to meet Lance — across network television with the voiced-over label of “one crazed fan crosses the line,” seems, well a little over-the-top to me. Emotional? Sure. Hysterical? Looks like it. Crazed? I guess we’ll see. But does anyone really want to?

•••

On the topic of “crossing the line”, a three-person USA Cycling panel has indeed denied Italian sprinter Roberto Gaggioli’s appeal and suspended him through the end of the year for an http://www.velonews.com/news/fea/6123.0.html " target="new">incident that took place May 1 at the Cheaha Challenge criterium in Anniston, Alabama.

USA Cycling’s chief of staff Sean Petty explained that although the hearing panel — which consisted of UCI International Commissaires Andy McCord and Noreen Landis-Tyson as well as USA Cycling certified coach Dirk Friel — recommended Gaggioli receive what amounts to a seven-month suspension from racing or directing his Monex team, (through December 31, 2004), chief executive officer Gerard Bisceglia must still approve the panel’s decision.

With the case settled, USA Cycling’s technical director Shawn Farrell was finally able to tell me a little about the proceedings. The hearing panel was done by conference call, with the three panel members, the chief referee from the Cheaha Challenge, Gaggioli, Gaggioli’s attorney Bob Mionkse, and Jonny Sundt.

“It’s not a court of law,” Farrell said, “It’s a formal administrative procedure. Everybody gets an opportunity to say what they wish. The purpose was for Roberto to defend himself. The hearing panel listened to Roberto’s testimony and that of the chief referee, and an investigator that recommended the suspension. After the panel thought about it for a period of time, they agreed with the suspension. USA Cycling’s decision was to go with the recommendation of the hearing panel.”

[Unlike previously reported, Gaggioli is not free to race within the American Cycling Association (ACA). As corrected by Stephen Haydel, a promoter of ACA permitted events, if a rider is suspended by the USCF, ORBA, ABR or UCI, he or she is not free to race in ACA races until the suspension is lifted, per rule 16.6, which states that the ACA will honor suspensions from other federations.]

“The decision of the panel was that Roberto had violated the rules,” Farrell said. “Their recommendation was to suspend Roberto through the end of the 2004 season. At the moment, the panel has the absolute authority to invoke a suspension for 30 days for a single incident. Beyond that, USA cycling’s chief executive officer is in the position to make the final decision.”

Gaggioli’s attorney Bob Mionske said that while Gaggioli is disappointed to miss out on racing, it’s the loss of his ability to lead the Monex team that will hurt the most.

“I think for Roberto, if he can’t race it’s not such a big deal,” Mionske said. “But he’s upset about not being allowed to direct the team, His manager's license is the big deal. It’s his job. That’s how he’s making his living.”

Unfortunately, Petty added, this is not the only out-of-competition incident that has occurred this season. On Tuesday, June 1, USA Cycling announced the suspension of three other riders, stemming from various altercations over the past few months.

Radisa Cubric and Kurt Massey from North Carolina were suspended for getting into a fistfight after the Rock Hill Criterium on April 3rd. According to USA Cycling’s press release, “The incident was witnessed and reported by several people including riders and officials. A USA Cycling-appointed investigator researched the incident and made a recommendation for suspension.”

Cubric requested a hearing, and the hearing panel met on May 21st. After listening to testimony by both parties to the fight and reviewing written testimony of several witnesses, the panel decided that the complaint against Cubric was valid. They recommended a 3-month suspension for violation of USCF rules 1O2(a), grossly unsportsmanlike conduct, and 1O5(a-c), being disrespectful, using foul behavior, and assault. The suspension began on May 29th and ends August 29th, 2004.

In a third incident, Keith Horowitz of California has been suspended for a period of one year, The suspension began on May 29th and ends on May 28, 2005. Horowitz was found to have also violated rule 105(c), physical abuse to another person, at the Solvang criterium on May 8, 2004. Horowitz waived his right to a hearing in front of a USA Cycling hearing panel.“Besides being physically dangerous,” Petty said, “It’s a negative for people that see the sport and pay for the events. No one wants to be involved with that. This is not the World Wrestling Federation. That’s not what you’d expect at a bicycle race. Being physically attacked is way over the line, and there’s no room for it, especially when we’re trying to grow our sport.”•••In other news from USA Cycling, according to the selection procedures posted on the federation’s Web site, the riders listed below have earned a provisional invitation to the Team USA Selection Road Race on June 19 in Redlands, CA, based on their UCI or NRC Rankings. The winner of the race will earn a nomination to represent the U.S. at the Athens Olympic Games.