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1997 Results
Past Winners
Prologue Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4 Stage 5 Stage 6 Stage 7 Stage 8 Stage 9 Stage 10 PreviewThe first stage of the "Tour of Morocco's Imperial Cities" left Marrakesh (south) yesterday (Wednesday April 15) , The tour covers a distance of 1262 km, passing Beni-Mellal, Khenifra, Ifrane, Al Hajeb, Fes, Meknes, Rabat, Casablanca, Settat, before returning to Marrakesh.The first stage is the prologue on a closed circuit of 8 km. There are 10 stages in total, 110 riders representing 15 countries: China, Bahrain, USA, Italy, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Canada, South Africa, Algeria, Malasia, United Arab Emirates, Germany, Great Britain, Austria and Morocco. Prologue, 8 kms:South African cyclist Nicolas White won the prologue of the 1 stage of the Tour of Morocco's Imperial Cities. Nicolas White completed the the 8 kms in 10 mn, 56 secs and earned the yellow jersey.Tomorrow's stage links up Marrakech (south) and Mellal Beni (182km). Germany's Christian Sum has the green jersey and finished in 11.08.12, while the Algerian Andjichairi Karim occupies third place a further 8 seconds adrift. The first Moroccan, Eddaif Tayeb is 11th at 1.02 Results: 1. Nicolas White (SAf) 10.56 2. Christian Sum (Ger) 0.12 3. Andjichairi Karim (Alg) 0.20 .. 11. Eddaif Tayeb (Mor) 1.02 Stage 1, Marrakech to Mellal Beni, 182 kms:1. Matt Minard (USA) 2. Michel Massa (Ita) 3. Gilberto Zattoni (Ita) Stage 2, Mellal Beni - Khenifra, 127 kms:1. Gilberto Zattoni (Ita) 2.52.37 2. Alessio Geltti (Ita) 0.18 3. Julian Winn (GB) 0.21 Stage 3, Khenifra - Ifrane, 100 kms:1. Michele Ferti (Ita) 2.31.05 2. Allessio Galette (Ita) s.t. 3. Gilberto Zattoni (Ita) 0.02 Stage 4, Hajeb - Ifrane, ITT 31 kms:1. Nicholas White (SaF) 45.41 (40.71 km/h) 2. Allesion Galette (Ita) 1.27 3. Michele Ferti (Ita) 2.21 ... 5. Daiif Taieb (Mor) National Wac/Equipe 3.14 Stage 5, Ifrane - Fes, 110 kms:1. Dirk Urbatzka (Ger) 2. Guiseppe Baldoni (Ita) 3. Algomesh Mohammed (SaA) GC after Stage 5
1. Nicolas White (SAf) 12.45.06 2. Alessio Galetti (Ita) 0.42 3. Gilberto Zattoni (Ita) 4.18 4. Michele Ferti (Ita) 5.48 5. Julian Winn (GB) 5.57 Other Classifications after Stage 5
Points: 1. Alessio Galetti (Ita) 62 2. Nicolas White (SAf) 59 3. Gilberto Zattoni (Ita) 55 4. Julian Winn (GB) 54 5. Michele Ferti (Ita) 40 Teams: 1. Italy 37.51.27 2. South Africa 2.16 3. USA 18.27 4. Great Britain 21.35 5. Canada 22.34 6. Germany 25.42 7. Austria 29.23 8. Marocco A 31.32 9. China 34.15 10. Algeria 36.19 Stage 6, Fes - Meknes, 108 kms:1. Michele Massa (Ita) 2.54.13 2. Douglas Ryder (SaF) s.t. 3. Taieb Ed-Daief (Mar) s.t. GC after Stage 6
1. Nicolas White (SAf) 15.40.35 2. Alessio Galetti (Ita) 0.42 3. Gilberto Zattoni (Ita) 3.57 4. Michele Ferti (Ita) 5.03 5. Noureddine Haouchine (Alg) 6.13 6. Julien Winn (GB) 6.41 7. Tayeb Ad-Daif (Mor) 7.47 Other Classifications after Stage 6
Points: 1. Alessio Galetti (Ita) 67 Points 2. Gilberto Zattoni (Ita) 64 3. Nicolas White (SAf) 59 4. Winn Julian (GB) 54 5. Michele Ferti (Ita) 41 Teams 1. Italy 46.35.48 2. South Africa 6.01 3. USA 21.41 4. Canada 30.47 5. Germany 32.02 6. Great Britain 32.19 7. Austria 35.31 8. Marooco A 36.12 9. Algeria 43.04 10. Tunisia 50.21 Brief Report The 6th stage was one of the more difficult of the tour, with 3 Category 3 climbs, which split the peleton. After 11 kilometres out of Fes, a breakaway consisting of two South African's, a Canadian, Austrian, an Algerian and Taieb Ed-Daief (Mor). The break did not stay away and was rejoined by the peleton at 19 km. The Italians controlled the race and allowed no-one to get further than 20 seconds up the road. After 40 km, the Italian Michel Massa jumped away with Otto Rafael (Ger), Robert Hotter (Aus), Douglas Ryder (SAf), Patt Minard (USA) and Taieb Ed-Daief (Mor). The group built up a lead of 5min 11sec at Nzalate Beni Ammar. With 20 kilometres to the finish, Massa, Ryder and Ed-Daief dropped Hotter. The finish was a spectacular sprint, won by the Italian. There was no change to the overall GC and South African Nicholas White still has the yellow jersey and the Italian Allissio Galleti the green jersey (points) with 3 stages to go. Leading the KOM competition is the Italian Gilberto Zattoni. Thursday's (23/04) stage will take the competitors through Tiflet and Bahraoui Sidi Allal over 143 kilometres. Stage 7, Meknes - Rabat, 143 kms:1. Russel Downing (GB) 3.08.20 2. Baldoni Guiseppe (Ita) s.t. 3. Julian Winn (GB) s.t. Stage 8, Rabat - Casablanca, 97 kms:1. Mustapha el Amal (Mor) Maroc A 1.54.57 2. Jacque Fullard (SAf) s.t. 3. Rodney Henderson (Can) s.t. GC after Stage 8
1. Nicolas White (SAf) 12.45.06 2. Alessio Galetti (Ita) 0.42 3. Gilberto Zattoni (Ita) 4.18 4. Michele Ferti (Ita) 5.48 5. Julian Winn (GB) 5.57 Other Classifications after Stage 8
Points: 1. Alessio Galetti (Ita) 62 2. Nicolas White (SaF) 59 3. Gilberto Zattoni (Ita) 55 4. Julian Winn (GB) 54 5. Michele Ferti (Ita) 40 Teams: 1. Italy 37.51.27 2. South Africa 2.16 3. USA 18.27 4. Great Britain 21.35 5. Canada 22.34 6. Germany 25.42 7. Austria 29.23 8. Marocco A 31.32 9. China 34.15 10. Algeria 36.19 Stage 9, Casablanca, 84 kms:British cyclist Russell Downing won Saturday's penultimate 9th stage of the Morocco Tour of Imperial Cities, in Casablanca over 84 km. Downing, winner of the 7th stage, won ahead of the South African van Jac-Louis van Wyk and Canadian rider Hadfield. Hamid Berhili of the National Olympic Team was the first Moroccan has to cross the finish line in 10th place.The heat was extreme on this stage and the peloton remained together and no attempt was made to breakaway. With 5 km to go, a breakaway formed of 18 cyclists including Berhili, Minard and Lechuga (USA), Christian (Ger), Ferti (Iat) and the Hadfield (Can). The group crossed the finish line 1 min 30 ahead of the chasing bunch. With 2 km to go Hadfield launched a solo attack but was caught by Downing who took the final sprint. American Matt Minard retains the green jersey and Italian Allissio Galleti second on points. South African Nicholas White has the yellow jersey with only 172 kilometres left of the tour. The climbers classification is lead by the Italian Gilberto Zattoni. The last stage on Sunday is between Marrakech over a distance of 172 km
1. Russel Downing (GB) 1.57.16 2. Hadfield (Can) s.t. 3. JL van Wyk (SAf) s.t. Stage 10, Casablanca, 84 kms:White, 23 years, distinguished himself by wearing the yellow jersey for ten stages, with the exception of the Khenifra-Ifrane, when he conceeded it to Italian Allissio Galleti, only to regain it in the following stage, during the time trial from Hajeb-Ifrane, over 31 km. White covered the 1162km in a total time of 26h 47min 4sec, 42 seconds ahead of the Galleti. Third and fourth place were occupied by the Gilberto Zattoni (Ita) and Michele Ferti (Ita).The top placed Moroccan in the final stage was Taib Ed-Daif, in 7th place. Overall Ed-daif finished as the top Morroccan on general classement with a 9th place and in the points classification finished 16th. The team competition was won by the Italians, with South Africa second and USA third. The National Morroccan team finished in 7th and the Moroccan "Olympic selection team" placed 11th. The results of the national teams (Morocco) are encouraging, especially considering this was a "fire bapteme" for several of them. The climber jersey was won by the Italian Gilberto Zattoni, followed British rider Julian Winn. The Tour of Morocco's Imperial Cities was organised from the 15th to the 26th April, by the societe "Y.B Programs" under the guidance of the Management Commission of the Royal Federation of Moroccan Cyclists. Final GC:
1. Nicholas White (SAf) 26.47.04 2. Alessio Galleti (Ita) 0.42 3. Gilberto Zattoni (Ita) 3.53 4. Michele Ferti (Ita) 5.09 .. 9. Taib Ed-Daif Team Classification 1. Italy 2. South Africa 3. USA .. 7. Morrocco .. 11. Morrocco B KOM 1. Gilberto Zattoni (Ita) 28 2. Julian Winn (GB) 20Thanks to David Cowie for some of the detail |