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Photo highlights from Europe by Mario Stiehl - Part II
Photographer Mario Stiehl from World of Cycling.com has kindly provided Cyclingnews with photos from various races across Europe during the 2002 road season. Part I includes images from the Rund um den Henninger Turm, Rund um den Flughafen Köln-Bonn, Rund in Köln, Tour de Suisse and Rund um die Nürnberger Altstadt.
Part I of Mario Stiehl's photo highlights
41st Rund um den Henninger Turm, Germany, May 1, 2002
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Zabel has another Turm
In cool, overcast conditions, the peloton set out from Frankfurt for a hilly 206 kilometre ride, incorporating three 33 km laps after an initial 76 km tour. The first breakaway to stick came from Polish strong man Piotr Przydzial (CCC-Polsat), Slovenian Gorazd Stangelj (Fassa Bortolo) and Belgian Dave Bruylandts (Domo). With Telekom and Gerolsteiner keeping a tight rein on the bunch, the trio were not allowed to get much more than 2 minutes in front.
A mass sprint was inevitable, with Zabel, Freire, Petacchi, Ivanov, Planckaert all in with a chance. The Telekom train had disintegrated by this stage, with Mapei and Fassa taking over the leadout. But Zabel was well placed, and started the sprint in second wheel. He had no problems coming around Ivanov to take the win, with Jo Planckaert sneaking up for second place.
- Oscar Freire Gomez (Mapei-Quick Step) positions himself comfortably within the peloton
- Jens Heppner (Team Telekom) drives the Telekom train to set up the sprint finish for Zabel
- As the gap came down to under one minute on the second lap, last year's runner up Davide Rebellin (Gerolsteiner) jumped clear on the Mammolshainer to bridge to the three leaders
14th Rund um den Flughafen Köln-Bonn, Germany, May 5, 2002
- Uwe Peschel (Gerolsteiner), a veteran of the German cycling scene
- Michael Rich (Gerolsteiner) doesn't have time to enjoy the lush surrounds
Rund in Köln, Rodenkirchen, Germany, May 19, 2002
- Kai Hundertmarck (Telekom) pushes a big gear over the cobbles
- Erik Zabel (Telekom) goes on the attack to the delight of his home fans
66th Tour de Suisse, Switzerland, June 18-27, 2002
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Cool swiss Zuelle turns up the heat
Rivaling the Dauphiné Libéré and Volta a Catalunya for attention in June is the Tour de Suisse, Switzerland's biggest cycling race considered by many to be the most important stage race next to the Tour, Giro and Vuelta.
Most of the pictures are from stage 3 from Domat Ems to Samnaun, where the riders headed into the mountains for the first time, having to tackle the 2383m Flüalapass halfway through the stage, before the uphill finish to Samnaun (1828m). Alexander Vinokourov (Team Telekom) won the stage from a group of seven riders that included eventual race winner Alex Zuelle (Coast).
- Francesco Casagrande (Fassa Bortolo) certainly had good legs on stage 5, attacking three times on the Sustenpass but unable to get clear of the rapidly shrinking leading group
- Francesco Casagrande (Fassa Bortolo) was one of the riders in the final seven man break on stage 3, but was dropped towards the end
- Laurent Dufaux (Alessio) sits on the wheel of race leader Alex Zuelle (Coast)
- Bobby Julich (Team Telekom) sets his own tempo after being dropped on stage 3
- Kevin Livingston (Team Telekom) rides behind the wheel of Thorwald Veneberg (Rabobank) on stage 3
- Sven Teutenberg (Phonak Hearing Systems) isn't enjoying himself in the high mountains
- Pavel Tonkov (Lampre-Daikin) still going strong after more than a decade as a professional
- Alex Zülle (Team Coast) adds another yellow jersey to his palmares
Rund um die Nürnberger Altstadt, Germany, September 1, 2002
- Rolf Aldag (Telekom) is either grimacing with pain or smiling with delight as the race nears its end
- Rafael Nuritdinov (Team Colpack-Astro) launches himself out of the saddle
- Some boys in blue set the tempo at the head of the field
