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Planckaert takes lead as team win
time trial
FUMADES, France, Feb 4 (Reuters) - Jo Planckaert,
winner in 1998, took the lead in the Etoile de Besseges race
after his
team Cofidis won the 28.3-km fourth-stage time trial on Friday.
The Belgian snatched the lead from Estonian
Jaan Kirsipuu, who had won the third stage earlier in the
day, his second stage
victory of the race.
Planckaert is now 18 seconds ahead of
second-placed team mate and compatriot Chris Peers.
Kirsipuu, whose AG2R Prevoyance team were
third behind Credit Agricole in the time trial, is third
overall 26 seconds behind.
The French Cofidis team have five riders,
all of them Belgian, in the top six going into Saturday's
fifth and penultimate stage
over 150 kms from Ales to Grande'Combe.
Earlier, Kirsipuu sprinted home ahead
of Planckaert and Frenchman Jean-Patrick Nazon of La Francaise
des Jeux in the 116-km third
stage from Nimes to Fumades.
Kirsipuu, who also won the first stage
on Wednesday, won two stages last year and one in 1998.
updated at Fri Feb 4 11:38:44 2000 PT
Magnien completes comeback from injury
with opening win
LA SEYNE SUR MER, France, Feb 1 (Reuters)
- Frenchman Emmanuel Magnien, badly injured in a crash last
year, showed he had completely
recovered by winning the Grand Prix La Marseillaise, the opening
race of the European road cycling season on Tuesday.
Magnien, who rides for La Francaise des
Jeux, outsprinted his three breakaway companions, Frenchman
Christophe Bassons, Estonian
Laurie Aus and Belgian Kurt Van Lancker, over the 135.5 kms
of the race.
The four had parted with the main bunch
80 kms from the finish line of this 135.5-km curtainraiser
for the Etoile de Bessegers
race which starts on Wednesday.
Magnien's season came to an abrupt end
last June in the Tour of Germany when he crashed into
a barrier and was run over by a motorbike.
He suffered multiple fractures, including
a broken knee cap, and was not able to ride again until September.
``This is good for my morale and, hopefully,
it is only the first step to bigger triumphs,'' he said.
updated at Tue Feb 1 16:31:47 2000 PT
Cycling-Grand Prix La Marseillaise
results
LA SEYNE SUR MER, France, Feb 1 (Reuters)
- Leading results in the 135.5-kms Grand Prix La Marseillaise
one-day cycling
race on Tuesday:
1. Emmanuel Magnien (France) Francaise
des Jeux three hours 24 minutes 33 seconds (39.746 kph)
2. Lauri Aus (Estonia) AG2R Prevoyance
3. Christophe Bassons (France) Jean Delatour both same time
4. Kurt Van Lancker (Belgium) Lotto three seconds behind
5. Fabrizio Guidi (Italy) Francaise des Jeux 56 seconds
6. Sebastien Hinault (France) Credit Agricole
7. Nico Mattan (Belgium) Cofidis
8. Lars Michaelsen (Denmark) Francaise des Jeux
9. Christophe Moreau (France) Festina
10. Dimitri Fofonov (Kazakhstan) Besson Chaussures all same
time
updated at Tue Feb 1 16:15:00 2000 PT
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