Bessette takes another Stage race; Both Barrys a close second!

Overall
1. Thurlow Rogers Mercury
2. Michael Barry Saturn
3. Levi Leipheimer Saturn

Overall
1. Lynn Bessette Saturn
2. Dede Demet Saturn @28sec
3. Kim Bruckner Cox @36sec
4. Pam Schuster Timex
8. Linda Jackson Timex
10. Anke Erlank Timex

The win takes Vandenbroucke to 198 points in the World Cup after four races, ahead of compatriot Andrei Tchmil, of the Lotto team, who has 161 points.

"For me this is a dream," said Vandenbroucke, the first Belgian to win the race since Dirk De Wolf in 1992.

It's an unforgettable feeling. On the same day, my first World Cup victory and the (leader's) jersey."

Vandenbroucke, who heads up the French Cofidis team, broke away in the final stage of the race and rode home 30 seconds ahead of Dutchman Michael Boogerd of the Rabobank outfit.

Maarten Den Bakker, also of Rabobank, came in third.

Vandenbroucke, 24, averaged a record 41.1 kilometres an hour over the 264 kilometre course.

He left the pack behind six kilometres from the finish, on the same climb where Italian Michele Bartoli launched his assault in last year's race to claim his second victory on the course.

Bartoli had been the pre-race favourite after taking first place in Wednesday's Fleche-Wallone race. But he failed to reproduce the form and, despite a late challenge, eventually finished in fourth place, 44 seconds behind Vandenbroucke.

Frenchman Laurent Jalabert, who has finished second in the race for the last two years, made an early break and built up a commanding lead of more than a minute and a half, but was later overtaken.

1. Frank Vandenbroucke (Belgium) Cofidis 6 hours 25 minutes 36 seconds (average speed 41.079 kph)
2. Michael Boogerd (Netherlands) Rabobank 30 seconds behind.
3. Maarten Den Bakker (Netherlands) Rabobank 41
4. Michele Bartoli (Italy) Mapei 44
5. Paolo Bettini (Italy) Mapei 54

6. Niki Aebersold (Switzerland) Rabobank 55
7. Markus Zberg (Switzerland) Rabobank 55
8. Oskar Camenzind (Switzerland) Lampre 56
9. Udo Boelts (Germany) Deutsche Telecom 56
10. Laurent Roux (France) Casino 56

11. Mario Aerts (Belgium) Lotto 56
12. Zbigniew Spruch (Poland) Lampre 56
13. Marco Velo (Italy) Mercatone Uno 58
14. Davide Rebellin (Italy) Polti 59
15. Giuliano Figueras (Italy) Mapei 1:06

16. Peter Farazijn (Belgium) Cofidis 3:07
17. Andrei Tchmil (Belgium) Lotto 8:00
18. Marty Jemison (U.S.) U.S. Postal 8:00
19. Cedric Vasseur (France) Credit Agricole 8:00
20. Stefano Garzelli (Italy) 8:00

Final Overall:

1. Steffen Kjaergaard (Nor) Chicky World 17.11.06
2. Gilles Maignan (Fra) Casino + 0.09
3. Jens Voigt (Ger) Credit Agricole + 0.11
4. Christian Vandevelde (Usa) US Postal + 0.16
5. Tyler Hamilton (Usa) US Postal + 0.27
6. Marc Streel (Bel) Jack & Jones + 0.28
7. Cedric Vasseur (Fra) Credit Agricole + 0.29
8. Chris Boardman (Gbr) Credit Agricole + 0.29
9. Martin Rittsel (Swe) Chicky World + 0.34
10. Serguei Ivanov (Rus) TVM + 0.35

The men’s race saw an intensely competitive battle with a group of seven riders leading most of the race. By the end of the event only nine seconds separated the top four riders. Gregory Vollet (Fra—Bianchi Martini) attacked with two laps two go and held off the chase group form the remainder of the race. Volvo/Cannondale’s Cadel Evans (AUS) came in second, just seven seconds back, in a sprint finish over former World Champ Jerome Chiotti (FRA-GT). Volvo/Cannondale’s Christoph Sauser (SUI) finished fourth another second back. Vollet took control of the overall standings with, 420 points,  twenty points over Evans. Miguel Martinez holds third place with 345 pints. Sauser sits in fifth overall with 235 points. Volvo/Cannondale’s Tinker Juarez finished fourteenth in Sydney and moved up to fifteenth overall with 114 points.

PARIS, April 11 - Italian champion Andrea Tafi fulfilled a lifetime's dream on Sunday when he won the "Hell of the North" Paris-Roubaix cycling classic after twice finishing on the podium in previous years.

Tafi, who was second last year behind teammate Franco Ballerini and third in 1996 behind another teammate, Belgian Johan Museeuw, this time took his own chance by breaking away 40 kms from the finish.

His victory in the 273-kms World Cup race, run in windy but dry conditions, was the fourth by a Mapei team rider in five years.

It was also the third time Mapei riders had swept the podium places --Tafi's Belgian teammates Tom Steels and Wilfried Peeters were second and third.

Italian cyclist Andrea Tafi (C) raises his fist on the podium after winning the 97th edition of Paris-Roubaix cycling race, April 11. Tafi is surrounded by second placed Wilfried Peeters (L) and third Tom Steels (R) of Belgium. pw/Photo Pascal Rossignol REUTERS

The victory was all the sweeter for the 33-year-old from Florence as he had twice in the past been forced to sacrifice his chances to another rider.

In 1996, he crossed the line in tears after Mapei chief Patrick Lefevere decided he should let Museeuw win. Last year, he worked hard to help Ballerini win his second victory and finished second ahead of Peeters.

This year, circumstances were on his side. Ballerini left to join Lampre at the end of last season and he was too isolated on Sunday to stand a chance.

Museeuw had a terrible crash in the gruelling Wallers-Armeberg "trench" last year and he decided not to take any risks this season and work for Tafi.

"This morning Lefevere told me it was my turn and the team did a great job for me," the Italian said. "Once again, Mapei showed we were a great team".

It was at the end of the infamous trench -- a long cobbled climb lined by deep ruts in the middle of a forest -- that Tafi made his move.

He first led the chase behind a group of early breakaways led by Steels, the winner of Ghent-Wevelgem last week, and despite a puncture with 50 kms left, shook off his rivals one by one.

Milan-San Remo winner Andrei Tchmil, the 1994 winner here, was among the first favourites to lose ground. Ballerini quickly followed.

With 40 kms left in the race, two of the most promising riders in the bunch, Belgium's Franck Vandenbroucke and American champion George Hincapie, were still in contention in a small group led by Tafi.

Steels, Peeters, and two Paris-Roubaix specialists, Dutch Leo Van Bon and Belgian Jo Planckaert were also in the group.

But when Tafi struck the final blow at another classic spot of the race, le Carrefour de l'Arbre (the Crossroads of the Tree) -- where a pub only opens once a year on the race day --, none of his rivals could reply.

Tafi, a former Tour of Lombardy winner who also won the Rochester classic World Cup race two years ago, remained on his own for the last hour and was never in any danger.

The win had another special significance for Tafi as he emulated his teenage idol, Francesco Moser, who won his third Paris-Roubaix crown in 1980 while wearing the Italian champion jersey.

"When I was about the same age as Tommaso (his son) in 1980, I saw Moser win with the Italian colours on his back and I really wanted to do the same this year", said Tafi.

Paris - Roubaix [from the official site]   or    Full Results and Overall World Cup Standings

Steels, of the Mapei-Quick Step team, pulled ahead in the closing 100 metres of the 210-km race to finish several bike lengths clear of Poland's Zbigniew Spruch of the Lampr  outfit.

TVM rider Tristan Hoffman of the Netherlands was third.

"Spruch didn't go all out so I had to get past...I saw an opening on the right between him and the safety barriers and squeezed through," said Steels, winner of the event in 1996.   He paid tribute to Mapei team mates Johan Museeuw and Wilfried Peeters for preventing any breakawayattempts by maintaining a fierce pace in the final kilometres.

The win was a timely boost for the Mapei team who suffered the indignity of being taken out of the De Panne three-day race last week and questioned by police over the discovery of amphetamines in a package sent from their hotel.

The team were later cleared of doping allegations.

It was Fabio Fontanelli (Mercatone Uno), 34-years on April 24 and vastly experienced, who won the race. He won alone with Dutchman Max Van Heeswijk winning the peloton sprint from 23-year old David Moncouti�, 17 seconds behind the overall winner.

Tour of Flanders

Peter Van Petegem leads the race as he climbs the Wall of Geraardsbergen during the "Tour of Flanders" cycling race in Geraardsbergen, northern Belgium April 4. Van Petegem won the 270-km race ahead of compatriots Frank Vandenbroucke second and Johan Museeuw (R) who took the third place.

Stage 5b, ITT Montjuich - Montjuich 12 km:

1. Laurent Jalabert (Fra) ONCE 15.58
2. Michael Boogerd (Hol) Rabobank + 0.22
3. Wladimir Belli (Ita) Festina + 0.25
4. Tyler Hamilton (Usa) US Postal + 0.33
5. Juan-Carlos Dominguez (Spa) Vitalicio + 0.35
6. Peter Luttenberger (Aut) ONCE + 0.41
7. Santiago Botero (Col) Kelme + 0.41
8. Inigo Cuesta (Spa) ONCE + 0.45
9. Daniel Clavero (Spa) Vitalicio + 0.49
10. Andrei Teteriuk (Kaz) Liquigas + 0.50

Placings in the 90th Milan to San Remo classic race over 294 kms on Saturday:

March 2 -Mar 7, 1999 Redlands Bicycle Classic