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Past Winners
Belgian Road ChampionshipsOn Sunday, the impossible may become the possible: a National Championship that is won by a rider who doesn't speak the majority language in Belgium (Flemish). He does speak fluent French. Think that is absurd? But it is possible because of Andrei Tcmil - the world citizen and newly nationalised as a Belgian.Andreï Tchmil: born in Russia but has been a citizen of the Ukraine and then Moldavia, who has lived in the Italian town of Gardameer and also in Waregem. On Sunday, in Knokke-Heist he is the favourite for the Belgian title. Although there are some other strong contenders, Tchmil is the best chance to take his second national title. In 1991 he was the last champion of the USSR, winning the race in Moscow. Tcmil: "On Sunday it will be very flat with lots of win. There are many riders who can win. I can obviously do well at Knokke. I will be riding the first 200 kms and watching. Lotto will be the strongest team on Sunday. And I am one of the top riders of that team. It is thus not unexpected that I would be one of the favourites. But in an open championship anything can happen. It is a matter of who is best on that day. Look back to last Wednesday in Aartselaar. I rode well, as did Jo Planckeart. 199.7 kms we were the strongest riders. Then in the last 300 metres we lost the race because we were not as strong in the end as Svorada. Therefore: no predictions. We will see on Sunday afternoon what happens." Tcmil is not really focusing on the Tour: "I have not really prepared for the Tour. The Championship is important and later will come the Autumn classics and the World Championships. The Tour is not a priority of mine. But is it for Lotto. From Dublin to Pau, I am giving myself ten days to win a stage. I know I cannot win a single classification and it is no sin that I do not really have the power to ride in the Pyrenees or the Alps. It is much more important for the team and I that I am functioning in September and October." Outgoing champion Tom Steels will know whether he retains his championship jersey in 24 hours. He has not been sleeping well. "I am in good condition, but I am not sleeping well. Two hours of tossing and turning is not unusual." Tom Steels drives a red Alfa Romeo. A distinctive car, which turns heads and has very fast acceleration. Steels also has quality and it is this difference which will count in the Belgian Road Championships. Steels: "A mass sprint is the most probable outcome. My condition is about the same as it was then but I have lost one of my mainstay teammates in Museeuw. I have had two bad falls this year. For all of that I have been otherwise content. I rode a good Paris-Nice, but I had to ride more for Frank Vandenbroucke than for myself. I had good form in Paris-Roubaix. I have held 7 National Championships and I want another." Steels has a long history of winning Belgian titles. He won jerseys on the track, 5 national BMX championship, and has won junior and professional road championships. Steels is hoping he races hard but retains some reserves for the Tour which starts next weekend. He has been careful. He realised that he had to rest a little after a very bad experience on the steep cols of the Tour of Switzerland. Last year he won the race from the front. There is a very small chance only that the peloton will split on Sunday. Steels: "I will be ready for the final attacks. I will sit with two or three Lotto riders and won't hesitate when the chance comes." Vlaanderen 2002 will also make the race tough for the Lotto's and for Steels. Lotto has three top riders who will be hard to beat. Tchmil, is the best of them and in form. Jo Planckaert will be there at the end as will Kurt Van De Wouwer. For Johan Capiot the Belgian Championships has not yielded to many flowers. This is his 13th National Road Championship race. "My legs are not as good as they could be. In terms of fitness I am not 100 per cent. The parcours in Knokke is so flat." He will be with three teammates from TVM - Van Petegem, Van Bondt and Van Dijck. "I will ride with the number 13 on my back. Each race is a lottery. The tactics can only play a part. There will be a lot of blocking from Lotto and Vlaanderen. The riders from Vlaanderen will not win but they will try to stop Lotto. For us, it is good." Knokke-Heist, 241 kms:1. Tom Steels (Mapei-Bricobi) 5.39.00 (42.655) 2. Carlo Bomans (Palmans-Ideal) 3. Peter Van Peteghem (TVM-Farm Frites) 4. Wim Omloop (Spar) 5. Danny Daelman (Colstrop) 6. Hans De Meester (Tonnisteiner-Colnago) 7. Hendrik Van Dijck (TVM-Farm Frites) 8. Stephane Hennebert (Ipso) 9. Andrej Tsjmill (Lotto-Mobistar) 10. Jo Planckaert (Lotto-Mobistar) 11. Koen Beeckman (Ipso) 12. Hans De Clercq 13. Peter Wuyts 14. Christophe Detilloux 15. Marc Steek 16. Chris Peers 17. Nico Nattan 18. Eric De Clercq 19. Ludovic Capelle 20. Marc Wauters 0.22 21. Geert Van Bondt 0.28 22. Wim Feys 0.34 23. Leif Hoste 24. Franck Vandenbroucke 0.40 25. Axel Merckx 0.43 26. Ludo Dierckxsens 0.52 27. Eddy Torrekens 28. Kurt Van Lancker 29. Matthew Gilmore 30. Paul Van Hyfte 2.40 31. Thierry Marichal 32. Steven De Neef 33. Win Vansevenant 34. Kurt Van De Wouwer 35. Bart Leysen 2.40Results from Kris Verreth, Belgium Live from Roger HughesRoger provided a Live Coverage of the Belgian and French races (mostly Belgian) and even crossed to tell us of England's woes in the latest Test Match against South Africa (which I deleted, although an aussie always like to hear that the pommies are struggling!). Here is it. Thanks Roger.14:33:29: Right, here we go ... The Belgian championships are being held on the coast at Knokke; the course will necessarily be pretty flat; the weather is not particularly warm but dry and rather windy. 14:37:48: About 100 starters; wind is force 5 to 6. There's currently a leading group of 38 riders with all the favourites. 14:38:16: 68km to go. 14:42:27: Leading group splitting in two with crosswind; Lottos in second group doing most of the work. 14:43:40: Back together again. 14:52:54: Coming up to the end of the 13th lap (of 17). Attack by Hans de Meester; bunch not very interested. 14:53:35: Nope, it was his team-mate Eddy Torrekens. 14:55:23: Back together again; brief counter attack by Geert van Bondt on the only "hill" on the circuit (about 100m of 11%). 14:57:33: About 20000 spectators out, apparently. 15:00:37: Six away: Bomans, Daelman, Planckaert, Omloop, Hoste and another. D'Hollander and Trouve are chasing to get onto the back of the bunch. 15:02:56: 52km to go. Front group reforming, but there are gaps all over the place. 15:04:29: Attack by Wuyts(Vlaanderen), joined by Marechal (Lotto) 15:07:34: 45km to go. Leysen and Mattan (Mapei-Bricobi) leading the chase; break has not yet got a convincing lead. 15:11:50: Break caught. 3 laps - 44km to go. 15:13:36: Last lap 47.7km/h 15:17:30: Main group down to 36 riders; not sure who they've lost. 15:19:17: Attack by Marc Streel (Casino) - doesn't get anywhere. The course is largely built up, many corners, some cobbles (nothing very serious though). 15:20:34: Johan Museeuw is being interviewed in the Mapei team car. 15:22:41: Steels punctures on a 50km/h section. 15:24:27: Streel and Marichal away; Leysen was leading the chase until someone told him. Steels moving up through the team cars alone. 15:25:55: Steels back after frantically hopping from car to car on a winding stretch. 15:26:37: Streel/Marichal have 16" 15:28:33: Chase not well organised, since Lotto (who have at least 10 riders) are doing much to break it up. 15:28:42: 31km to go. 15:29:58: First glimpse of a much hillier course in France: serious three man break: Virenque, Jalabert, and Leblanc (I think). 15:31:34: Stéphane Heulot is with the break as well. Four riders, all different teams. 15:32:07: Virenque has apparently been having difficulties staying with the break. 15:36:41: Streel and Marichal seem to have been caught while I was channel-hopping; Wuyts attacks on the pavé. 15:38:15: Break on the main climb of the circuit. They're on the tenth lap. 15:39:59: Feys, Hans de Clercq, Wuyts and Gilmore away, with 15" 15:41:45: Break up to 25 seconds 15:42:51: There are "very few" other riders still riding in the French race, and they're a long way down. The race has something over 5000m of climbing, including some pretty steep gradients, which are now approaching. 15:45:32: Break down to 20", with less than 19km to go. Chasing group down to a dozen or so riders. 15:46:49: Chasing groups combine; Mattan and Leysen doing most of the chasing, Steels on their wheel. 15:48:30: Jalabert and Leblanc lose contact on the biggest climb; they are now at 18". 15:49:44: Four man break down to 7 seconds on the most open section of the circuit; 15km to go. 15:51:36: De Clercq and Feys taks the bell, a few yards clear of the bunch. 14.7km to go. 15:52:56: Jalabert and Leblanc now half a minute down. 15:54:26: And they didn't stay out long. New attack by Merckx on the pavé section. 15:55:47: Merckx has five seconds; the chasers are spending a lot of time looking at each other ... 15:56:27: Van Hyfte and Van Bondt trying to bridge the gap. 15:56:46: Bomans joins them. 15:58:53: 9 km to go; 12 seconds for Merckx. 16:00:46: Chasers mopped up; there's now a group of 20 100m or so behind Merckx. 16:01:58: Vandenbroucke and Van Petegem leading the chasers. 16:02:23: Merckx 10"; Leysen and Van Hyfte dropped. 5.4km to go. 16:04:13: Jalabert and Leblanc are back within striking distance; they're on the last lap as well. 16:04:57: Merckx holding a lead of 12 - 14 seconds. 3.5 km to go. 16:06:20: Merckx cracking, 7 seconds. 16:07:48: Merckx caught under the flamme rouge. 16:09:07: Bunch gallop ... 16:10:02: ... and Tom Steels takes it for the second year in a row ahead of Carlo Bomans. 16:10:21: Leading foursome back together in France. 16:12:47: Jalabert attacks on the climb. 16:14:37: 7km to go. Leblanc and Virenque catch up; Heulot sits up looking really grim. Thierry Bourguignon has just taken the bell, about 15km down in 14th place. 16:15:30: Jalabert attacks again on the steepest section; Virenque dropped (Heulot was just about to get back with them but ...). 16:17:49: Leblanc attacks; Jalabert holds him comfortably. 16:20:08: Riders still crossing the line with a 20km lap to go. Probably about 20 finishers. 16:26:37: Jalabert looking comfortable, letting Leblanc take the lead up the climb. 16:26:51: 1km to go. 16:28:07: Leblanc leads out, but Jalabert is too strong and comes past him comfortably, out of the saddle and looking back. 16:28:30: Virenque 3rd at 45". 16:29:27: Heulot 4th at 1.44. 16:31:01: Third in Knokke was Peter van Petegem, for the record. 16:36:23: News from Germany: Erik Zabel beat his team-mate Jan Ullrich in a two-man sprint for the German title at Unna. Past Winners1894 Leon Houa Schmidt 1895 Henri Luyten Nullens & Wairant 1896 Henri Luyten G. Van Oolen Marnette 1897 Bertrand Virlee Berckmans 1898 Bertrand Virlee G. Luyten 1899 De Geeter Seys Arthur Vanderstuyft 1900 Quoidbach Meura Williot 1901 P. Burger Van Horenbeek Arthur Vanderstuyft 1902 Defrance 1903 A. Vanderstuyft 1904 Jules Sales Arthur Vanderstuyft Theodore Sales 1905 Dieudonné Jamar 1907 Fr. Verstraeten Camille Haeck Robert Wancour 1908 Fr. Verstraeten Cyr. Van Hauwaert Eugène Platteau 1909 C. Van Hauwaert Dieudonné Jamar Alfons Spiessens 1910 Henri Hanlet Michel Debaets Marcel Buysse 1911 Odile Defraye Jules Masselis Cyrille Van Hauwaert 1912 Om. Verschoore Felicien Salmon Henri Devroye 1913 Joseph Van Daele 11 riders only 1919 Jean Rossius Joseph Van Daele Louis Mottia 1920 Jules Van Hevel Louis Mottiat René Vermandel 1921 Jules Van Hevel René Vermandel Louis Mottiat 1922 René Vermandel Philippe Thys Félix Sellier 1923 Félix Sellier Maurice De Waele René Vermandel 1924 René Vermandel Félix Sellier Denis Verschueren 1925 Gerard Debaets August Verdyck Denis Verscheuren 1926 Félix Sellier Julien Delbecque Maurice Depauw 1927 A. Mortelmans Julien Delbecque Jules Matton 1928 Joseph Dervaes Félix Sellier Raymond Decorte 1929 Joseph Wauters Georges Ronsse Alfred Hamerlinck 1930 Joseph Wauters Joseph Dervaes Alfred Hamerlinck 1931 Alfons Schepens Emile Joly G. Van Slembroeck 1932 Georges Lemaire Van Slembrouck M. Van Vlockhoven 1933 Louis Duerloo F. Vander Haegen Constant Huys 1934 Louis Roels Emile Bruneau F. Vander Haegen 1935 Gustave Danneels Joseph Demuysere Félicien Vervaecke 1936 Jean Aerts Louis Hardiquest Michel D'Hooghe 1937 Karel Kaers Maurice Raes Adelin Van Simaeys 1938 P. Van Teemsche Hubert Deltour Marcel Kint 1939 Marcel Kint Albert Disseaux R. Vanden Driessche 1940 Van de Meerschaut André Maelbrancke Gust. Van Overloop 1941 André Defoordt Gust. Van Overloop Achiel De Backer 1942 A. Maelbrancke Albert Sercu Lucien Vlaemynck 1943 Van Steenbergen Georges Claes Robert Van Eenaeme 1945 Van Steenbergen Vanden Meerschaut Jan Bogaerts 1946 Emile Masson jr. Alberic Schotte Maurice Van Herzele 1947 Emile Masson jr. Jacques Gous Maurice Meersman 1948 Achille Buysse Alberic Schotte Ernest Sterckx 1949 Valère Ollivier Raymond Impanis Pros Depredomme 1950 Albert Ramon Alberic Schotte Valère Ollivier 1951 Louis Anthonis Edward Peeters Emmanuel Thoma 1952 Jos Schils Robert Vanderstockt Marcel De Mulder 1953 Van Steenkiste Florent Rondelé Stan Ockers 1954 Van Steenbergen Roger Decock René Desmet 1955 Emile Van Cauter Germain Derijcke J. Storms 1956 André Vlayen Frans Schoubben Karel Clerckx 1957 André Vlayen Roger Verplaetse Karel Clerckx 1958 Rik Van Looy Jos Planckaert Frans Aerenhouts 1959 Petr. Oelibrandt Jan Adriaensens Daniel Denys 1960 Frans De Mulder Willy Vannitsen Arthur De Cabooter 1961 Michel Van Aerde Arnould Flécy Jos Hoevenaars 1962 Jos Planckaert Guil. Van Tongerloo Emiel Daems 1963 Rik Van Looy Louis Proost Frans Aerenhouts 1964 Edward Sels Willy Bocklant Frans Melckenbeeck 1965 Walter Godefroot Eddy Merckx Arthur De Cabooter 1966 Guido Reybrouck Robert Lelangue Jos Huysmans 1967 Jos Boons Willy In 't Ven Emile Bodart 1968 Julien Stevens Ferdinand Bracke Guido Reybroeck 1969 Roger De Vlaeminck Walter Godefroot Alfons Debal 1970 Eddy Merckx Herman Vanspringel Jean-Pierre Monseré 1971 H. Vanspringel Joseph Spruyt Willy Vanneste 1972 Walter Godefroot Eddy Merckx Alb. Van Vlierberghe 1973 Frans Verbeeck Eddy Merckx Willy Planckaert 1974 Roger Swerts Ludo Van Staeyen Johan De Muynck 1975 Willy Teirlinck Walter Planckaert Eddy Merckx 1976 Freddy Maertens J.L. Vandenbroucke Marc Renier 1977 Michel Pollentier Joseph Bruyère Paul Wellens 1978 Michel Pollentier Willy Teirlinck Marcel Laurens 1979 Gery Verlinden Eddy Schepers Marc Renier 1980 Jos Jacobs Dirk Heirweg Eddy Schepers 1981 Roger De Vlaeminck Gery Verlinden Benny Vermeulen 1982 Frank Hoste Eddy Vanhaerens Fons De Wolf 1983 Lucien Van Impe Marc Sergeant Michel Dernies 1984 Eric Vanderaerden Eddy Planckaert Frank Hoste 1985 Paul Haghedooren Claude Criquielion Rudy Dhaenens 1986 Marc Sergeant Hendrik Devos Etienne De Wilde 1987 Ferdi V.D. Haute J.P. Heynderickx Herman Frison 1988 Etienne De Wilde Herman Frison Flup Vandenbrande 1989 Carlo Bomans Eddy Planckaert Fons Dewolf 1990 Claude Criquielion Edwig Van Hooydonck Frank van de Abeele 1991 B. Van Itterbeek Jim Van de Laer Wilfried Peeters 1992 Johan Museeuw Johan Capiot Johan Devos 1993 Alain V. d. Bossche Guy Nulens Carlo Bomans 1994 Wilfried Nelissen Michel Vanhaecke Peter Verbeken 1995 Wilfried Nelissen Tom Steels Johan Museeuw 1996 Johan Museeuw Geert Van Bondt Johan Bruyneel 1997 Tom Steels Ludo Dierckxsens Kurt van de Wouwer |