Deinze Kermesse, NE

Belgium, July 29, 1998


Brief:

Ludo Dierckxsens was very happy after his victory at Deinze. He said: "I had a double break in my wrist after a fall in April in Veenendaal-Veenendaal and had to take 6 weeks off the bike. 10 days before the Belgian Championships, I returned to competition. It is my character to battle things out. With three riders up for the sprint as we approached the end I know I would have to attack. That opportunity came with 4 kms to go before the finish.

My fellow breakaways Wim Omloop and Koen Beeckman had ridden very hard. And with the wind from behind I planned to attack off the front. I gave it everything. Neither of the other two reacted. I felt as if I was in control. Now I can feel confident about starting in the Ronde van het Waalse Gewest this Saturday."

With 50 kms to go, there were 12 riders away. The gap had grown to 5 minutes. But then Dierckxsens siezed the right moment for his devastating attack and won alone.

Deinze, 160 kms:

 1. Ludo Dierckxsens (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar 	     3.48.00
 2. Wim Omloop (Bel) Spar-RDM				0.12
 3. Koen Beeckman (Bel) Ipso 
 4. Roger Hammond (GB) Palmans-Ideal			0.47
 5. Eric De Clercq (Bel) Collstrop 
 6. Fabien De Waele (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar 
 7. Franky De Buyst (Bel) Tonissteiner
 8. Marc Streel (Bel) Casino 				0.58
 9. Michael Steen Nielsen (Den) Team Home-Jack & Jones 	1.10
10. Wim Feys (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar
11. Gregory Schoelens (Bel) Home Market-Charleroi
12. Danny Nelissen (Ned) Team Home-Jack & Jones 	2.35
13. Bart Heirewegh (Bel) Ipso 				4.50
14. Hans De Meester (Bel) Tonissteiner
15. Johan De Geyter (Bel) Palmans-Ideal
16. Mario De Clercq (Bel) Palmans-Ideal
17. Arvis Piziks (Lat) Team Home-Jack & Jones
18. Marc Strange Jacobsen (Den) Team Home-Jack & Jones
19. Christophe Detilloux (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar
20. Tim Lenaers (Bel) Collstrop
21. Hans De Clercq (Bel) Palmans-Ideal
22. Francky Van Haesebroucke (Bel) Ipso
23. Peter Verbeken (Bel) Ipso
24. Jean-Pierre Heynderickx
25. Oleg Pankov (Ukr) Ipso
26. Jimmy Casper (Fra)
27. Kurt De Roose (Bel)
28. Nico Renders (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002
29. Tom Stremersch (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002
30. Johan Verhaegen (Bel)

Started: 113