65th Paris-Nice, Hors Category

France, March 8-15, 1998


Stage 7, Sisteron - Cannes, 223 kms

  1. Andrei Tchmil (Belgium) Lotto-Mobistar	     	  5.24.02 (41.292) 
  2. Stephane Barthe (Fra) Casino
  3. Laurent Jalabert (Fra) ONCE
  4. Fabrizio Guidi (Ita) Polti
  5. Emmanuel Magnien (Fra) Francaise des Jeux
  6. Francisco Mancebo (Spa) Banesto
  7. Jose Luis Arrieta (Spa) Banesto
  8. Christophe Mengin (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux
  9. Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale
 10. Christophe Moreau (Fra) Festina
 11. Christophe Bassons (Fra) Festina
 12. Dirk Baldinger (Ger) Telekom-ADR
 13. Frank Vandenbroucke (Bel) Mapei
 14. Mario Aerts (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar
 15. Bobby Julich (US) Cofidis
 16. Peter Luttenberger (Aut) Rabobank 
 17. Aitor Osa Eizaguirre (Spa) Banesto
 18. Frankie Andreu (US) US Postal 
 19. Pascal Lino (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93
 20. Patrick Jonker (Aus) Rabobank
 21. Francisco Cabello Luque (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 
 22. Peter Farazijn (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar
 23. Viatcheslav Ekimov (Rus) US Postal 
 24. Thierry Bourguignon (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93 
 25. Laurent Dufaux (Swi) Festina 
 26. Pascal Hervé (Fra) Festina
 27. Richard Virenque (Fra) Festina 
 28. Luc Leblanc (Fra) Polti
 29. Axel Merckx (Bel) Polti
 30. Rodolfo Massi (Ita) Casino 
 31. Enrico Cassani (Ita) Polti
 32. Frederic Bessy (Fra) Casino
 33. Stephane Goubert (Fra) Cofidis
 34. Marcelino Garcia (Spa) ONCE
 35. Evgueni Berzin (Rus) La Francaise des Jeux
 36. Jean-Cyril Robin (Fra) US Postal Service
 37. Laurent Madouas (Fra) Lotto-Mobistar
 38. Mikel Zarrabeitia Uranga (Spa) ONCE
 39. Roberto Heras (Spa) Kelme
 40. Alex Zulle (Swi) Festina
 41. Gilles Bouvard (Fra) Casino
 42. Andrea Peron (Ita) La Francaise des Jeux
 43. Inigo Cuesta Lopez De (Spa) ONCE                           all s.t
 44. Francois Simon (Fra) GAN  					 2.38
 45. Jens Voigt (Ger) GAN
 46. Roberto Sierra Aguero (Spa) ONCE
 47. Miguel Angel Martin Perdiguero (Spa) Kelme
 48. Oscar Sevilla (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca
 49. George Hincapie (USA) US Postal Service
 50. Jean-Philippe Dojwa (Fra) Mutuelle de Seine-et-Marne
 51. Francis Moreau (Fra) Cofidis
 52. Christophe Rinero (Fra) Cofidis
 53. Lylian Lebreton (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93
 54. Christophe Capelle (Fra) Cofidis
 55. Frederic Moncassin (Fra) GAN
 56. Marty Jemison (USA) US Postal Service
 57. Gilles Maignan (Fra) Mutuelle de Seine-et-Marne
 58. Johan Museeuw (Bel) Mapei
 59. Wilfried Peeters (Bel) Mapei
 60. Rossano Brasi (Ita) Polti
 61. Bruno Cenghialta (Ita) Riso Scotti-MG
 62. Fabio Baldato (Ita) Riso Scotti-MG
 63. Udo Bölts (Ger) Telekom-ARD 
 64. Nicolas Vogondy (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux
 65. Henk Vogels (Aus) GAN
 66. Beat Zberg (Swi) Rabobank
 67. Benoit Salmon (Fra) Casino
 68. Chris Peers (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar
 69. Joona Laukka (Fin) Lotto-Mobistar 
 70. Gian Matteo Fagnini (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale
 71. Massimiliano Mori (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale
 72. David Etxebarria (Spa) ONCE
 73. Lauri Aus (Est) Casino
 74. Cedric Vasseur (Fra) GAN					 2.38
 75. Georg Totschnig (Aut) Telekom-ARD 		 		 6.59
 76. Christian Henn (Ger) Telekom-ARD
 77. Jon Odriozola Mugarza (Spa) Banesto
 78. Unai Osa Eizaguirre (Spa) Banesto
 79. Rolf Aldag (Ger) Telekom
 80. Viatcheslav Djavanian (Rus) Big Mat-Auber 93
 81. Ludo Dierckxsens (Bel) Lotot-Mobistar 
 82. Nico Mattan (Bel) Mapei
 83. Alexei Sivakov (Rus) Big Mat-Auber 93
 84. Jorg Jaksche (Ger) Polti
 85. Bruno Boscardin (Swi) Festina
 86. Eros Poli (Ita) GAN
 87. Frederic Guesdon (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux
 88. Bert Dietz (Ger) Telekom-ARD
 89. Arturas Kasputis (Lit) Casino
 90. Leon van Bon (Ned) Rabobank
 91. Vladislav Bobrik (Rus) Riso Scotti-MG
 92. Stefano Casagranda (Ita) Riso Scotti-MG
 93. Rafael Diaz-Justo (Spa) ONCE
 94. Anthony Rokia (Fra) Polti
 95. Tom Steels (Bel) Mapei					 6.59
 96. Andre Korff (Ger) Festina 					11.11
 97. Stuart O'Grady (Aus) GAN
 98. Ludovic Auger (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93
 99. Anthony Morin (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux			11.11
100. Jose Rodriguez Garcia (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 		15.16
101. Arsenio Gonzalez Gutierrez (Spa) Kelme
102. Riccardo Faverio (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale
103. David Latasa (Spa) Banesto
104. Riccardo Ferrari (Ita) Riso Scotti-MG
105. Michele Rezzani (Ita) Riso Scotti-MG
106. Paolo Fornaciari (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale
107. Jose Javier Gomez Gozalo (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca
108. Jose Luis Rubiera Vigil (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca
109. Luis Perez Rodriguez (Spa) ONCE
110. Magnus Backstedt (Swe) GAN
111. Gilles Talmant (Fra) Mutuelle de Seine-et-Marne
112. Thierry Gouvenou (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93
113. Bart Leysen (Bel) Mapei
114. Bert Hiemstra (Ned) Rabobank
115. Francisque Teyssier (Fra) Mutuelle de Seine-et-Marne
116. Davide Bramati (Ita) Mapei 
117. Robbie McEwen (Aus) Rabobank
118. Jay Sweet (Aus) Big Mat-Auber 93
119. Peter Meinert-nielsen (Den) US Postal Service
120. Ludwig Willems (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar
121. Stefano Zanini (Ita) Mapei					15.16
122. Jans Koerts (Ned) Rabobank 				31.06
123. Stephane Cueff (Fra) Mutuelle de Seine-et-Marne		31.06

Abandoned: Bradley McGee (Aus) La Francaise des Jeux

GC after Stage 7

  1. Franck Vandenbroucke (Bel) Mapei                        27.49.33
  2. Laurent Jalabert (Fra) ONCE                                 0.40
  3. Marcelino Garcia (Spa) ONCE                                 0.48
  4. Alex Zulle (Swi) Festina                                    0.59
  5. Rodolfo Massi (Ita) Casino                                  1.11
  6. Christophe Moreau (Fra) Festina                             1.14
  7. Mikel Zarrabeitia Uranga (Spa) ONCE                         1.25
  8. Peter Luttenberger (Aut) Rabobank                           1.29
  9. Laurent Dufaux (Swi) Festina                                1.30
 10. Roberto Heras (Spa) Kelme                                   1.45
 11. Patrick Jonker (Aus) Rabobank		     	         1.51
 12. Inigo Cuesta Lopez De (Spa) ONCE                            1.53
 13. Francisco Mancebo Perez (Spa) Banesto                       2.00
 14. Pascal Lino (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93                          2.03
 15. Emmanuel Magnien (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux                2.07
 16. Francisco Cabello Luque (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca            2.12
 17. Bobby Julich (US) Cofidis                                   2.15
 18. Richard Virenque (Fra) Festina                              2.15
 19. Viatcheslav Ekimov (Rus) US Postal                          2.30
 20. Thierry Bourguignon (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93                  2.35
 21. Jose Luis Arrieta Lujambio (Spa) Banesto                    3.00
 22. Mario Aerts (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar				 3.06
 23. Evgueni Berzin (Rus) La Francaise des Jeux        		 3.11
 24. Frankie Andreu (USA) US Postal Service  			 3.19
 25. Axel Merckx (Bel) Polti                           		 3.54
 26. Stephane Goubert (Fra) Cofidis                    		 3.55
 27. Dirk Baldinger (Ger) Telekom                       	 3.56
 28. David Etxebarria (Spa) ONCE                                 4.40
 29. Luc Leblanc (Fra) Polti 	 				 5.26
 30. Miguel Angel Martin Perdiguero (Spa) Kelme                  5.42
 31. Aitor Osa Eizaguirre (Spa) Banesto 			 5.49
 32. Roberto Sierra Aguero (Spa) ONCE                  		 6.24
 33. Beat Zberg (Swi) Rabobank                         		 7.04
 34. Peter Farazijn (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                	 7.20
 35. Andrei Tchmil (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                 	 8.02
 36. Enrico Cassani (Ita) Polti                         	 8.03
 37. Christophe Bassons (Fra) Festina 		   		 9.07
 38. Fabrizio Guidi (Ita) Polti 	     			 9.23
 39. Lauri Aus (Est) Casino                        		 9.35
 40. Frédéric Bessy (Fra) Casino		     		 9.45
 41. Jens Voigt (Ger) GAN                               	10.20
 42. Andrea Peron (Ita) La Francaise des Jeux 			10.37
 43. Cedric Vasseur (Fra) GAN 			     		11.20
 44. Stéphane Barthe (Fra) Casino		       		11.35
 45. Johan Museeuw (Bel) Mapei			    		11.50
 46. Joona Laukka (Fin) Lotto-Mobistar 				11.55
 47. Massimiliano Mori (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale 	    		12.18
 48. Oscar Sevilla (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca			12.28
 49. Christophe Mengin (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux     		12.54
 50. Bruno Cenghialta (Ita) Riso Scotti-MG 	                12.56
 51. George Hincapie (USA) US Postal Service	               	12.56
 52. Pascal Hervé (Fra) Festina			      		13.41
 53. Chris Peers (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar		                13.49
 54. Rossano Brasi (Ita) Polti 			                13.58
 55. Bruno Boscardin (Swi) Festina                      	14.07
 56. Nicolas Vogondy (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux       		14.12
 57. François Simon (Fra) GAN	  		       		14.14
 58. Lylian Lebreton (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93	       		15.14
 59. Gilles Bouvard (Fra) Casino	               		15.19
 60. Christophe Capelle (Fra) Cofidis				15.21
 61. Frédéric Moncassin (Fra) GAN		       		15.26
 62. Rafael Diaz-Justo (Spa) ONCE     				15.55
 63. Wilfried Peeters (Bel) Mapei		       		16.05
 64. Laurent Madouas (Fra) Lotto-Mobistar              		16.14
 65. Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale 	       		17.05
 66. Fabio Baldato (Ita) Riso Scotti-MG 	       		17.09
 67. Frédéric Guesdon (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux               17.45
 68. Henk Vogels (Aus) GAN			       		18.33
 69. Udo Bölts (Ger) Telekom-ARD	               		18.42
 70. Nico Mattan (Bel) Mapei  			       		18.53
 71. Gilles Maignan (Fra) Mutuelle de Seine-et-Marne   		19.14
 72. Jose Javier Gomez Gozalo (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca  	19.21
 73. Christophe Rinero (Fra) Cofidis		       		19.59
 74. Léon van Bon (Ned) Rabobank		       		20.31
 75. Stuart O'Grady (Aus) GAN			     		20.38
 76. Marty Jemison (USA) US Postal Service             		21.41
 77. Viatcheslav Djavanian (Rus) Big Mat-Auber 93		22.30
 78. Ludo Dierckxsens (Bel) Lotot-Mobistar             		23.48
 79. Bert Dietz (Ger) Telekom-ARD		       		23.53 
 80. Jean-Cyril Robin (Fra) US Postal Service                 	24.04
 81. Francis Moreau (Fra) Cofidis                      		24.07
 82. Jon Odriozola Mugarza (Spa) Banesto               		24.11
 83. Luis Perez Rodriguez (Spa) ONCE		                25.22
 84. Arturas Kasputis (Lit) Casino		       		25.24
 85. Alexei Sivakov (Rus) Big Mat-Auber 93             		25.34
 86. Gian Matteo Fagnini (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale           	25.42
 87. Francisque Teyssier (Fra) Mutuelle de Seine-et-Marne	26.41
 88. Jean-Philippe Dojwa (Fra) Mutuelle	                        27.30
 89. Anthony Morin (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux			28.14
 90. Jorg Jaksche (Ger) Polti                          		28.29
 91. Ludovic Auger (Fra)  Big Mat-Auber 93             		29.56
 92. Unai Osa Eizaguirre (Spa) Banesto 		              	31.02
 93. Christian Henn (Ger) Telekom-ARD 	                        31.11
 94. Benoit Salmon (Fra) Casino 	                        31.13
 95. Jose Luis Rubiera Vigil (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca  		31.13
 96. Stefano Casagranda (Ita) Riso Scotti-MG                    32.15
 97. Thierry Gouvenou (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93	       		32.23
 98. Tom Steels (Bel) Mapei 			                32.26
 99. Magnus Backstedt (Swe) GAN    		       		36.12
100. Vladislav Bobrik (Rus) Riso Scotti-MG 	                37.50
101. Eros Poli (Ita) GAN 	                                38.41
102. Paolo Fornaciari (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale                  	38.46
103. Stefano Zanini (Ita) Mapei 		                39.36
104. Andre Korff (Ger) Festina                                  40.44
105. Gilles Talmant (Fra) Mutuelle de Seine-et-Marne            40.45
106. Georg Totschnig (Aut) Telekom-ARD		                42.35
107. Ludwig Willems (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar	                42.38
108. Robbie McEwen (Aus) Rabobank      		                43.09
109. Rolf Aldag (Ger) Telekom	               	                44.01
110. Jose Rodriguez Garcia (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca		45.10
111. Arsenio Gonzalez Gutierrez (Spa) Kelme	                45.58
112. Bart Leysen (Bel) Mapei 			                46.34
113. Davide Bramati (Ita) Mapei 		                47.20
114. Bert Hiemstra (Ned) Rabobank	                        49.15
115. Anthony Rokia (Fra) Polti 	                       	     	50.18
116. Jay Sweet (Aus) Big Mat-Auber 93                           50.59
117. Peter Meinert-nielsen (Den) US Postal Service              51.14
118. David Latasa (Spa) Banesto                                 53.31
119. Michele Rezzani (Ita) Riso Scotti-MG 	                53.42
120. Riccardo Ferrari (Ita) Riso Scotti-MG 	       	 	55.49
121. Riccardo Faverio (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale 	       	     	59.46
122. Stephane Cueff (Fra) Mutuelle de Seine-et-Marne           1.02.47
123. Jans Koerts (Ned) Rabobank 	               	       1.11.03
Complete results from my friend Stephane David

Brief Report

It was a Belgian festival in Cannes on Saturday night after the 223 kms Stage 7 between Sisteron and Cannes. Andrei Tchmil wom his second stage in a row and the GC leader Frank Vandenbroucke maintained a secure hold on the race overall.

At the edge of la Croissette, near to Palm Beach, Tchmil won the sprint in front of the French road champion Stéphane Barthe - the 6th Belgian win out of the 7 for this race so far (VDB has won 2, Tchmil has won 2, Steels has won 2).

VDB was reported as saying: "Of-course, I love Paris-Nice."

The long stage was initially animated by Australian Stuart O'Grady (GAN) who took off at the 29 km mark and was joined by Pascal Hervé and the Italian Gianmatteo Fagnini. The trip gained a maximum gap on the peloton of 6 minutes by the time they reached the gorges of Verdon, with the Spaniard Roberto Heras the virtual leader on the road.

The peloton accelerated and Hervé, was the last of the attacking group to be caught at km 199. The peloton climbed the summit of the small Col de Testanier which was 311 metres high and 27 kms from the finish. VDB was safely esconsed in the bunch and his team worked hard to neutralise and attempts to attack.

"My team has worked hard for me since Paris. They have worked in the wind, the rain, the hills and the snow. It is normal that I would have to work hard over the last 25 kms each day. I expect to be attacked. But I believe that I have the form to respond." said VDB.

He needed the form because there were several attacks from the Frenchman Laurent Jalabert as the race wound along the front of the sea. But the Belgian did not concede. The other contenders Cassani, Peron, Ekimov, then Zulle) also tried to attack, but the teams of the sprinters were too interested in lining up the final sprint to allow any successful escapes.

As the sprint approached, Tchmil sat out of the wind coming off the sea alongside Stéphane Barthe and Laurent Jalabert.

"I am really happy with the 2 stages" he said with joy, pointing out that the form he has now will help him in his major goals of the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaiz in less than a month.

For VDB, he is now a comfortable 40 seconds ahead of Jalabert (who took a 3 second bonification) and he knows that the last stage is only 161.4 kms and around a circuit of 9.15 kms in Nice along the Promenade des Anglais. It should only be a formality for him to take the race.