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June 17, 1999 Missaglia powers way to fourth stage win
CHIASSO, Switzerland, June 18 - Gabriele Missaglia of Italy overpowered Spaniard Mikael Zarrabeita in the stretch on Friday to win the fourth stage of the Tour of Switzerland.
Missaglia covered the undulating 167-km course from Bellinzone to Chiasso in four hours eight minutes 32 seconds, coasting home, hand raised in victory, a comfortable three seconds clear of the fading Zarrabeita.
Italy's Amilcare Tronca crossed third, eight seconds adrift followed by Swiss Armin Meier, a further 11 seconds back.
Missaglia, Zarrabeita, Tronca and Meier comprised a four-man breakaway that held a 46-second lead on the peleton with about 10km to run.
With five kms to the finish, Missaglia and Zarrabeita broke away with the Italian easily outsprinting the Spaniard to the line.
World number one Frenchman Laurent Jalabert finished ninth, 25 seconds adrift of the winner, but was able to maintain his position atop the overall standings.
"This was not a good day for me," said Jalabert. "But I didn't give up the yellow jersey and that's what is most important."
Jalabert, the winner of three Tours already this season, will take an 18-second advantage over Missaglia into Saturday's critical fifth stage.
The 171-km mountain stage from Bellinzone to Grindelwald is regarded as one of the toughest tests in cycling with three major climbs over the Gothard, Sustan and Grand Scheidigg.
Tour of Switzerland fourth stage placings
CHIASSO, Switzerland, June 18 - Leading placings in the 167-km fourth stage of the Tour of Switzerland from Bellinzone to Chiasso on Friday:
1. Gabriele Missaglia (Italy) 4 hours 8 minutes 32 seconds
2. Mikel Zarrabeita (Spain) 3 seconds behind
3. Amilcare Tronca (Italy)
8
4. Armin Meier (Switzerland) 19
5. Gilberto Simoni (Italy) 23
6. Laurent Dufaux (Switzerland)
7. Oscar Camendind (Switzerland)
8. Francesco Casagrande (Italy) all same time
9. Laurent Jalabert (France) 25
10. Mirko Celestino (Italy)
31
Overall classification
1. Jalabert 14 hours 46 minutes 6 seconds
2. Missaglia 18 seconds behind
3. Meier 20
4. Camenzind 22
5. Zarrabeita same time
6. Dufaux 23
7. Roberto Petito 26
8. Simoni 28
9. Pascal Richard (Switzerland) 31
10. Casagrande 32
June 16, 1999 Richard takes Swiss stage, Ullrich out
LAUSANNE, Switzerland, June 16 - Swiss Olympic champion Pascal Richard sprinted to victory in the second stage of the Tour of Switzerland on Wednesday, but Germany's Jan Ullrich was forced out with a sore knee.
Ullrich, the winner of the Tour de France in 1997 and runner-up to Italy's Marco Pantani last year, dropped out 72 kms into the 200 kms opening stage from Soleure to Lausanne when he began to experience pain in his right knee.
The Deutsch Telekom rider was taken to a hotel in Lausanne where he was examined by team doctor Lothar Heinrich.
"I'm very disappointed, I felt pain every time I touched the pedals," said Ullrich, who first injured the knee in a fall during the recent Tour of Germany. "It's a pity, I felt really fit, we'll just have to see how it goes from here."
The injury throws Ullrich's participation in the upcoming Tour de France in doubt.
The German had been considered one of the favourites after Pantani decided not to compete in this year's event.
"It doesn't look too good for the Tour of France," admitted Telekom team director Walter Godefroot.
The injury was just the latest problem to hit Ullrich during his build-up to the big Tour.
Earlier this week, Ullrich's team denied allegations that they had routinely used banned substances to boost performance. Telekom are conducting a legal review of the allegations in Der Spiegel magazine and a lawsuit has not been ruled out.
On Wednesday, urged on by the Swiss crowd lining the route into the home of the International Olympic Committee, Richard made a powerful, decisive move near the end of a sharp climb to the finish.
Wearing the ringed jersey of an Olympic champion, Richard blasted to the front, crossing one second clear of Italy's Francesco Casagrande and Frenchman Laurent Jalabert to claim his 64th career win.
The winner of the prologue time-trial on Tuesday and three Tours already this season, Jalabert continues to top the overall classification sitting 18 seconds clear of his nearest challenger Italian Roberto Petito.
The world number one has been in particularly devastating form on Swiss soil this year, having captured the Tour of Romandie last month.
Tour of Switzerland results/standings
LAUSANNE, Switzerland, June 16 - Leading placings in the 200-km second stage of Tour of Switzerland cycling race from Soleure to Lausanne on Wednesday.
1. Pascal Richard (Switzerland) 4 hours 46 minutes 4 seconds
2. Francesco Casagrande (Italy) 1 second behind
3. Laurent Jalabert (France)
4. Laurent Dufaux (Switzerland) both same time
5. Gilberto Simoni (Italy) 2
6. Oscar Camenzind (Switzerland) same time
7. Roberto Petito (Italy) 3
8. Daniele De Paoli (Italy) same time
9. Markus Zberg (Switzerland) 4
10. Armin Meier (Switzerland) same time
Overall classification
1. Jalabert
4:53.13
2. Petito
18 seconds behind
3. Richard
19
4. Dufaux
23
5. Camenzind
same time
6. Beat Zberg (Switzerland)
24
7. Matthew White (Australia)
27
8. Meier
same time
9. Daniel Schnider (Switzerland)
28
10. Simoni
29
June 15, 1999 Jalabert stays atop in Switzerland
SOLEURE,
Switzerland, June 15 - Laurent Jalabert's brilliant road racing
season continued on Tuesday with victory in the Tour of Switzerland prologue.
The Frenchman, winner of three Tours already this year, sped through the six kilometre time trial in seven minutes 12.5 seconds, a commanding nine seconds clear of nearest challenger Viacheslav Ekimov of Russia.
Swiss Daniel Schnider and Italian Roberto Petito were joint third, another two seconds behind the world number one.
Jalabert, who battled Marco Pantani for the lead through much of the Giro d'Italia before finishing a solid fourth, has been in devastating form on Swiss soil.
He captured the Tour of Romandie last month, including both time trials.
The Tour of Switzerland is traditionally used as final preparation for next month's Tour de France but Jalabert has refused to compete in his home event in protest at the handling of the drug scandal surrounding last year's race.
Germany's Jan Ullrich finished 21 seconds adrift the day after his Telekom team denied drug allegations made by a German magazine.
Jalabert will wear the leader's yellow jersey on Wednesday's 200 km first stage riders from Soleure to Lausanne, home of the International Cycling Union.
Tour of Switzerland prologue results
SOLEURE, Switzerland, June 15 (Reuters) - Leading placings in Tuesday's
6-km prologue time trial of the Tour of Switzerland cycling race:
1. Laurent Jalabert (France) 7 minutes 12.50 seconds
2. Viacheslav Ekimov (Russia) 9 seconds behind
3. Daniel Schnider (Switzerland) 11
4. Roberto Petito (Italy) same time
5. Eric Dekker (Netherlands) 13
6. Marc Wauters (Belgium)
7. Steffen Wesemann (Germany) both same time
8. Beat Zberg (Switzerland) 14
9. Martin Hvastija (Slovenia)
10. Mikel Zarrabeita Uranga (Spain) both same time
June 13, 1999 Vinokurov wins Dauphine Libere race
AIX-LES-BAINS, France, June 13 - Kazakhstan's Alexander Vinokurov won the Dauphine Libere cycling race, which ended on Sunday, and could be a leading outsider in next month's Tour de France.
Sunday's seventh and last stage over 153 kilometres from Challes-les-Eaux was won by France's Christophe Bassons at the end of a long breakaway but Vinokurov, who finished in the main bunch, was never in danger.
Vinokurov, confirming the brilliant talent he had demonstrated in the amateur ranks, showed all-round qualities in the one-week race.
He won a flat stage before taking second place in an uphill time-trial and then keeping in the leading group in the mountains.
Spotted by the Casino team in last year's Tour of Malaysia, Vinokurov has been posting wins all season, including two stages of the recent Midi Libre.
At 26, he now has strong ambitions for the Tour de France.
"I was in a way fortunate to be injured early this season for it forced me to rest and I am full of energy now that the big races are approaching," he said.
Rocked by a major doping scandal last season, the Tour has no real favourite this year, last year's winner Marco Pantani of Italy and other leading riders having decided to shun the race.
Dauphine Libere final placings
AIX-LES-BAINS, France, June 13 - Leading placings in the 153-km seventh
and final stage of the Dauphine Libere cycling race on Sunday:
Stage placings:
1. Christophe Bassons (France) Francaise des Jeux three hours 58 minutes
18 seconds
2. Lance Armstrong (U.S.) U.S. Postal 1:19 behind
3. Geert Verheyen (Belgium) Lotto
4. Stephane Heulot (France) Francaise des Jeux
5. Wladimir Belli (Italy) Festina
6. Fran�ois Simon (France) Credit Agricole
7. Christophe Moreau (France) Festina
8. Cedric Vasseur (France) Credit Agricole
9. Unai Osa (Spain) Banesto
10. Jens Voigt (Germany) Credit Agricole all same time
Final overall standings:
1. Alexander Vinokurov (Kazakhstan) Casino 30:25:19
2. Jonathan Vaughters (U.S.) U.S. Postal 1:14 behind
3. Wladimir Belli (Italy) Festina 3:48
4. Joseba Beloki (Spain) Euskatel 3:57
5. Stephane Heulot (France) Francaise des Jeux 4:35
6. Kevin Livingston (U.S.) U.S. Postal 4:47
7. Unai Osa (Spain) Banesto 4:48
8. Lance Armstrong (U.S.) U.S. Postal 5:27
9. Francois Simon (France) Credit Agricole 6:37
10. Gilles Bouvard (France) Home Market 6:41
June 12, 1999 Dauphine Libere placings/overall standings
PASSY-PLAINE-JOUX, France, June
12 - Leading placings in the 177-kms sixth stage of the Dauphine
Libere cycle race from Challes-les-Eaux on Saturday:
1. David Moncoutie (France) Cofidis Five hours, three minutes and 30 seconds
(average speed: 34.992 kph)
2. Kevin Livingston (U.S.) U.S. Postal
same time
3. Joseba Beloki (Spain) Euskatel
same time
4. Wladimir Belli (Italy) Festina
4 secs
5. Unai Osa (Spain) Banesto
8 secs
6. Gilles Bouvard (France) Home Market
15 secs
7. Alexander Vinokurov (Kazakhstan) Casino
same time
8. Cedric Vasseur (France) Credit Agricole
38
9. Kurt Van de Wouwer (Belgium) Lotto
1:02
10. Roberto Laiseka (Spain) Euskatel
same time
Overall standings:
1. Alexander Vinokurov (Kazakhstan) Casino Twenty six hours 25 minutes
and 43 seconds
2. Jonathan Vaughters (U.S.) U.S. Postal
1:14
3. Wladimir Belli (Italy) Festina
3:48
4. Joseba Beloki (Spain) Euskatel
3:57
5. Stephane Heulot (France)
Fran�aise des Jeux 4:35
6. Kevin Livingston (U.S.) US Postal
4:47
7. Unai Osa (Spain) Banesto
4:48
8. Lance Armstrong (U.S.) US Postal
5:27
9. Francois Simon (France) Cr�dit Agricole
6:37
10. Gilles Bouvard (France) Home Market
6:41
June 11, 1999 Madouas races to first career victory - Dauphine Libere
GRENOBLE, France, June 11 - French veteran Laurent Madouas raced to his first career victory in the fifth stage of the Dauphine Libere on Friday.
American Jonathan Vaughters of the U.S. Postal team retained the leader's yellow jersey he has worn since he won the tough Mont-Ventoux third-stage time-trial on Wednesday.
But it was a close-run thing as Madouas and Lilian Lebreton, who broke away only five kms into the 213-km stage, held a lead of more than 15 minutes for 70 kms and were ahead of the American on overall time.
Madouas, a 32-year-old veteran who rides for the Festina team, beat compatriot Lebreton of Big Mat in a sprint finish as the breakway pair came in seven minutes and three seconds ahead of the peloton.
Frenchman Stephane Barthe of Casino was third at the front of the peloton.
Festina's sporting director Michel Gros said: "I've discovered lads who want to do well, that's what we were lacking. Yesterday we were involved in all the breakaways.
"Today, Madouas wanted to do well from the start. It's a good sign as we get nearer the Tour de France which we'll go into looking to take one or two stages."
Dauphine Libere fifth stage placings/overall standings
GRENOBLE, France, June 11 - Leading placings in the fifth
stage of the Dauphine Libere over 213 kms from Digne-les-Bains to Grenoble
on Friday:
1. Laurent Madouas (France) Festina five hours 45 minutes 46 seconds
2. Lilian Lebreton (France) Big Mat
same time
3. Stephane Barthe (France) Casino
7:03 behind
4. Christophe Capelle (France) Big Mat
5. Damien Nazon (France) Francaise des Jeux
6. Frederic Moncassin (France) Credit Agricole
7. Sebastien Hinault (France) Credit Agricole)
8. Wladimir Belli (Italy) Festina)
9. Christophe Moreau (France) Festina)
10. Geert Verheyen (Belgium) Lotto
all same time
Overall standings:
1. Jonathan Vaughters (U.S.) US Postal 21 hours 21 minutes 51 seconds
2. Alexander Vinokurov (Kazakhstan) Casino)
0:07 behind
3. Stephane Heulot (France) Francaise des Jeux
3:32
4. Belli
4:06
5. Lance Armstrong (U.S.) US Postal
4:13
6. Joseba Beloki (Spain) Euskatel
4:19
7. Unai Osa (Spain) Banesto
5:03
8. Kevin Livingston (U.S.) US Postal)
5:09
9. Francois Simon (France) Credit Agricole
5:25
10. Tyler Hamilton (U.S.) US Postal
5:39
June 10, 1999 DIGNE, France, June 10 - Leading placings in the fourth stage of the Dauphine Libere over 203 kms from Baumes de Venise to Digne-les-Bains on Thursday:
1. Laurent Desbiens (France) Cofidis 5 hours 4 minutes 46 seconds
2. Peter Wuyts (Belgium) Lotto 1 minute 9 seconds behind
3. Damien Nazon (France) Francaise des Jeux 3:03
4. Unai Osa (Spain) Banesto 3:40
5. Stephane Heulot (France) Francaise des Jeux same time
6. Geert Verheyen (Belgium) Lotto 4:19
7. Laurent Brochard (France) Festina
8. Alexandre Vinokurov(Kazakhstan) Casino
9. Pascal Chanteur (France) Casino
10. Francois Simon (France) Credit Agricole all same time
Overall standings:
1. Jonathan Vaughters (U.S.) US Postal 15 hours 29 minutes 4 seconds
2. Vinokurov 7 seconds behind
3. Heulot 3:32
4. Wladimir Belli (Italy) Festina 4:06
5. Lance Armstrong (U.S.) US Postal 4:13
6. Joseba Beloki (Spain) Euskatel 4:19
7. Osa 5:03
8. Kevin Livingston (U.S.) US Postal 5:09
9. Simon 5:25
10. Tyler Hamilton (U.S.) US Postal 5:39
June 8, 1999 MONT-VENTOUX, France, June 9 - Leading placings in the third stage of the Dauphine Libere, a 21.6-km individual time-trial from Bedoin to Mont-Ventoux, on Wednesday:
1. Jonathan Vaughters (U.S.) US Postal 56 minutes 50 seconds
2. Alexander Vinokourov (Kazakhstan) Casino 43 seconds behind
3. Wladimir Belli (Italy) Festina 44
4. Joseba Beloki (Spain) Euskatel 52
5. Lance Armstrong (U.S.) US Postal 1:02
6. Kevin Livingston (U.S.) US Postal 1:28
7. David Moncoutie (France) Cofidis 1:41
8. Unai Osa (Spain) Banesto 2:02
9. Tyler Hamilton (U.S.) US Postal 2:19
10. Roberto Laiseka (Spain) Euskatel same time
Overall standings:
1. Vaughters 10 hours 19 minutes 59 seconds
2. Vinokourov 7 seconds behind
3. Belli 4:06
4. Stephane Heulot (France) FDJ 4:11
5. Armstrong 4:13
6. Beloki 4:19
7. Livingston 5:09
8. Francois Simon (France) Credit agricole 5:25
9. Hamilton 5:39
10. Osa 5:42
Vinokourov wins second stage for overall lead
PRIVAS, France, June 8 - Kazakhstan's Alexander Vinokourov claimed
the overall leader's jersey from American Lance Armstrong when he won
the second stage of the Dauphine Libere cycle race on Tuesday.
The Casino rider, who earned his team their 29th success of the season,
came in five seconds ahead of Frenchman Francois Simon. Another Frenchman,
Stephane Heulot, placed third after the 164-kilometre ride from La Tour
de Salvigny.
Armstrong, winner of Sunday's prologue, finished in the chasing pack three
minutes and 38 seconds behind Vinokourov.
The Kazakh, who finished second behind team mate Benoit Salmon of France
in last month's Midi Libre, broke away shortly after the start along with
10 others.
"We have a very efficient team with a heart and a soul. We want to
ride and to work together," said team manager Vincent Lavenu.
"Vinokourov can do everything...he can ride, sprint or climb.
We discovered him in an amateur's race in Malaysia in 1997 and he turned
professional last year," Lavenu said.
Vinokorouv, who fractured his collarbone in the Paris-Nice race in March,
spent most of the spring resting.
"The break forced me to stay quiet and now I am feeling full of energy
and physically fit," Vinokourov said.
Wednesday's third stage of the Dauphine Libere features a 21.6-kilometre
individual time-trial ending at the top of Mont-Ventoux.
Leading placings in the second stage of the Dauphine Libere cycle race over 164 kms from La Tour de Salvagny on Tuesday:
1. Alexander Vinokourov (Kazakhstan) Casino 3 hours 38 minutes
24 seconds.
2. Francois Simon (France) Credit Agricole 5 seconds behind
3. Stephane Heulot (France) Francaise des Jeux 9
4. Jan Vaughters (U.S.) US Postal same time
5. Francisco Mancebo (Spain) Banesto 11
6. Antony Langella (France) Credit Agricole 18
7. Thierry Bourguignon (France) Big Mat
8. Fabrice Gougot (France) Casino both same time
9. Carlos Dacruz (France) Big Mat 27
10. Philippe Bordenave (France) Big Mat 34
Overall standings:
1. Vinokourov 9 hours 22 minutes 33 seconds
2. Heulot 17 seconds behind
3. Simon 30
4. Vaughters 36
5. Mancebo 52
6. Bourguignon 1:07
7. Gougot
8. Langella both same time
9. Dacruz 1:33
10. Bordenave 1:49
June 7, 1999 Oriol maintains Casino team's
winning ways
LA TOUR DE SALVIGNY, France, June 7 - Christophe Oriol of France
won the opening stage of the Dauphine Libere on Monday to give his Casino
team their 28th success of the season.
It was also the 26-year-old Frenchman's first professional victory when
he came in seven seconds ahead of compatriot Christophe Capelle.
Spain's Francisco Mancebo finished a close third, while Lance Armstrong
of United States, winner of the prologue on Sunday, retained the overall
leader's jersey.
The Casino team proved their strength in depth when Benoit Salmon, winner
of the Midi Libre last month, broke into the lead 30 kilometres from home.
Although Salmon stretched his advantage to 38 seconds with 16 kilometres
to go, the Frenchman was caught by the chasing pack before Oriol produced
his winning effort.
"I live in the suburb of Lyon and the roads we rode on today are
the ones I use for my training. I knew the stage would end in a little
climb which is not ideal for the sprinters," Oriol said.
"My strategy was to try to break away to clinch the victory. I had
nothing to lose...I took my chance and it worked.
"When I was an amateur I dreamed of competing in the Dauphine Libere
and the Tour de France. So I was really happy when (team manager) Vincent
Lavenu called me up. I never dreamed of winning a stage."
Dauphine Libere first stage placings/overall standings
| LA TOUR DE SALVIGNY, France, June
7 - Leading placings in the 208-km first stage of the Dauphine Libere
from Autun on Monday:
1. Christophe Oriol (France) Casino 5 hours 35 minutes 01
seconds 6. Sebastien Hinault (France) Credit Agricole |
Overall standings: 1. Lance Armstrong (U.S.) US Postal 5 hours 44 minutes 17 seconds 2. Laurent Brochard (Fra) Festina 3 seconds behind 3. Vinokourov 8 4. Stephane Heulot (France) Francaise des Jeux same time 5. Tyler Hamilton (U.S.) US Postal 9 6. Oriol |
First Union USPRO championships
| 1. Jacob Piil (Den) Acceptcard 6.04.44 (41.301
km/h) 2. Brian Walton (Can) Saturn 3. Harm Jansen (Ned) Composite 4. Morten Sonne (Den) Acceptcard 5. Marty Jemison (USA) US Postal 0.03 6. Fred Rodriguez (USA) Mapei-Quick Step 0.54 7. Anton Villatoro (USA) Composite 1.20 8. Bart Bowen (USA) Saturn 1.20 9. George Hincapie (USA) US Postal 1.20 10. Eddy Gragus (USA) Ikon-Lexus 1.20 11. Davide Bramati (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step 1.20 12. Vros Murn (Slo) Krka Telekom 1.20 13. Salvatore Commesso (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale 1.20 14. David Mckenzie (Aus) Linda McCartney 1.20 15. David Clinger (USA) Mercury 1.20 16. Fabian Jeker (Sui) Festina-Lotus 1.20 17. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Saturn 1.20 18. Mike Sayers (USA) Mercury 1.24 19. Andre Korff (Ger) Festina-Lotus 2.38 20. Pasquale Santoro (Ita) Krka Telekom 2.38 |
21. Adriano Baffi (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step 2.38 22. Chris Wherry (USA) Saturn 2.38 23. Graeme Miller (NZ) Shaklee 2.38 24. Frankie Andreu (USA) US Postal 2.42 25. Vassili Davidenko (Rus) Navigators 3.34 26. Julian Dean (NZ) US Postal 3.35 27. Christian Vandevelde (USA) US Postal 4.37 28. Massimiliano Mori (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale 4.37 29. Scott Guyton (NZ) Linda McCartney 4.44 30. John Lieswyn (USA) Shaklee 4.44 31. Jimmi Madsen (Den) Acceptcard 4.44 32. Steve Tilford (USA) Composite 6.50 33. Sandi Papez (Slo) Krka Telekom 6.50 34. Chad Gerlach (USA) Composite 6.50 35. Thurlow Rogers (USA) Mercury 6.51 36. Floyd Landis (USA) Mercury 6.51 37. Brendon Vesty (NZ) Navigators 6.51 38. Sylvain Beauchamp (Can) Shaklee 9.33 39. Pelle Kil (Ned) Composite 9.46 40. Chris Lillywhite (GB) Linda McCartney 9.46 |
First Union Liberty Classic
| Philadelphia, Round 6, June 6, 1999,
115.87 kms 1. Petra Rossner (Ger) German National Team 3.01.23 (38.330 km/h) 2. Karen Dunne (USA) Celestial Seasonings 3. Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) The Greenery Hawk 4. Anna Wilson (Aus) Saturn 5. Viola Muller-Paulitz (Ger) Nurnburger-Emmi 6. Mirjam Melchers (Ned) Dutch National Team 7. Sara Feloni (Ita) Acca Due O-Dream Team 8. Laura Van Gilder (USA) Potomac Racing 9. Sarah Ulmer (NZ) Team Elita 10. Chantal Beltman (Ned) Dutch National Team 11. Greata Zocca (Ita) Edilsavino 12. Heidi Van de Vijver (Bel) Belgian National Team 13. Silvia Zoller (Swi) Nurnburger-Emmi 14. Marie Holjer (Swe) Viner-Lotus 15. Nicole Reinhart (USA) Saturn |
16. Pia Sundstedt (Fin) Edilsavino |
First Union Classic
| Trenton, 146.45 kms 1. George Hincapie (USA) US Postal 3.07.07 (46.961 km/h) 2. Eddy Gragus (USA) Ikon-Lexus 3. Julian Dean (NZ) US Postal 4. Mario Traversoni (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale 5. Andre Korff (Ger) Festina-Lotus 6. Tayeb Braikia (Den) Acceptcard Cycling Team 7. Gordon Fraser (Can) Mercury 8. Todd Littlehales (USA) Navigators 9. Vros Murn (Slo) Krka Telekom 10. Harm Jansen (Ned) Composite Team 11. Ashley Powell (USA) Composite Team 12. Martin Kryger (Den) Acceptcard Cycling Team 13. Fred Rodriguez (USA) Mapei-Quick Step 14. Derek Bouchard-Hall (USA) Mercury 15. Robbie Ventura (USA) Saturn |
16. John Peters (USA) Mercury |
Armstrong ends Boardman's Dauphine winning run
AUTUN, France, June 6 - American Lance Armstrong stopped Briton
Chris Boardman from winning his sixth prologue in succession in the Dauphine
Libere cycle race, clocking the fastest time in the 6.8 kms time trial
on Sunday.
The 1993 road world champion clocked nine minutes and 10 seconds on the
short but varied course in the streets of Autun, beating another former
world champion, France's Laurent Brochard, by two seconds.
Kazakh Alexander Vinokourov was third, six seconds behind the U.S. Postal
rider.
Boardman, who won the prologue every year from 1994 to 1998, had to be
content with finishing 17th, 20 seconds behind the Texan.
"I came here to prepare for the Tour," said Armstrong, who returned
to competitive cycling last season after suffering testicular cancer three
years ago.
"It is too early for me to eye overall victory here as there are
quite a few climbs before the finish," he added. The Dauphine Libere,
mostly held in the Alps, ends next Sunday.
June 5, 1999 Spaniard Osa wins first
race as a professional - Alps Classic
CHAMBERY, France, June 5 - Spaniard Unai Osa won his first major
professional title when he took the Alps Classic cycle race on Saturday.
Frenchman Benoit Salmon, winner of the Midi Libre six-day race last month,
was second.
"I've been feeling very strong since (finishing third in) the Biscicletta
Basqua (race in the Basque region)," said young Banesto rider Osa,
fifth in the recent Tour of Mallorca.
Osa and Salmon, third last year, made a break 40 kms from the finish at
Cucheron on the sixth of seven climbs in the day.
The pair, both timed at five hours one minute 36 seconds, came in 37 seconds
ahead of third-placed Spaniard David Etxebarria and six other riders.
"The Casino team were in the forefront throughout the day. I missed
out by very little," Salmon said. "I'll console myself by winning
a stage of the Dauphine (Libere)." The eight-day Dauphine Libere
race starts at Autun on Sunday.
Leading results in Alps Classic
CHAMBERY, France, June 5 - Leading results in the Alps Classic
cycling race over 178-km from Aix-les-Bains to Chambery on Saturday:
1. Unai Osa (Spain) Banesto 5 hours 1 minute 36 seconds
2. Benoit Salmon (France) Casino same time
3. David Etxebarria (Spain) Once 37 seconds behind
4. Jens Heppner (Germany) Telekom
5. Roland Meier (Switzerland) Cofidis
6. Fernando Escartin (Spain) Kelme
7. Angel Casero (Spain) Vitalicio
8. Tzema del Olmo (Spain) Euskaltel
9. Kurt Van de Wouwer (Belgium) Lotto all same time
10. Alexander Vinokurov (Kazakhstan) Caqsino 2:27 behind
June 3, 1999 Veteran Heppner wins Tour of Germany
BONN, June 3 (Reuters) - Veteran Jens Heppner won the Tour of Germany by finishing safely among the pack at the end of Thursday's eighth and final stage.
The last stage, 144 km along the Rhine from Wiesbaden, went to France's Jimmy Casper - the sprinter's fourth stage win since the race started in Berlin last Friday.
The 34-year-old Heppner, who took the leader's white jersey after Tuesday's fifth stage of the new seven-day event, beat fellow Germans Andreas Kappes and Christian Wegmann into second and third places respectively in the final overall standings.
The last stage was cut down by eight kilometres after a bomb threat to a Bonn hotel caused organisers to scrap the final circuit through the streets of Bonn for security reasons.
"To win here in Germany before German fans is really great," said Heppner. "I hope more teams will enter this race in the future to prepare for the Tour de France."
Many top riders did not come to Germany as the Giro d'Italia is being raced at the same time.
It was the 10th victory in the career of Heppner, who won a Tour de France stage in Lorient last year.
Local favourite Erik Zabel, who had to be content with one stage win on Wednesday, was beaten into second place on Thursday by the 21-year-old Casper for the fourth time in the race.
"He's really fast," Zabel said of the rising French sprinter.
"I'm a bit disappointed," added Zabel, who will be one of the favourites to win the green jersey for the sprint champion on the Tour de France next month. "One stage win is not what I had come here for. Hopefully, the Tour will be better."
Pre-race favourite Jan Ullrich crashed out of the race when he fell in Sunday's third stage. The 1997 Tour de France winner, a team mate of Heppner and Zabel in the Deutsche Telekom stable, needed stitches in his head but has since resumed training.
"It's nothing, just a few stitches," he said. "I'm in better shape than I was at this time of the season last year and I'm confident for the Tour de France."
Deutsche Telekom sporting director Walter Godefroot said Ullrich would miss Saturday's Classique des Alpes but would enter the Tour of Switzerland starting on June 15.
Tour of Germany final stage placings/overall standings
BONN, June 3 (Reuters) - Leading placings in the eighth and final stage of the Tour of Germany cycle race over 144 kms from Wiesbaden on Thursday:
1. Jimmy Casper (France) 3 hours 15 minutes 59 seconds
2. Erik Zabel (Germany)
3. Andreas Beikirch (Germany)
4. Lars Teutenberg (Germany)
5. Bart Voskamp (Netherlands)
6. Raphael Schweda (Germany)
7. Olaf Pollack (Germany)
8. Silvio Martinello (Italy)
9. Aart Vierhouten (Netherlands)
10. Peter Wrolich (Austria) all same time as the winner
Final overall standings:
1. Jens Heppner (Germany) 30 hours 22 minutes 29 seconds
2. Andreas Kappes (Germany) 1:36 behind
3. Christian Wegmann (Germany) 1:44
4. Grischa Niermann (Germany) 1:48
5. Michael Blaudzun (Denmark) 1:51
6. Bart Voskamp (Netherlands) 1:52
7. Rolf Huser (Switzerland)
8. Geert Van Bondt (Belgium)
9. Bert Grabsch (Germany)
10. Steve Vermaut (Belgium) all same time as Voskamp
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