33rd Tirreno Adriatico, Hors Category

Italy, March 11-18, 1998


Stage 7, Civitanova Marche - Civitanova Marche, 164 kms:

  1. Erik Zabel (Ger) Telekom-ADR		     4.16.02
  2. Mario Manzoni (Ita) Mobilvetta-Northwave
  3. Rolf Sörensen (Den) Rabobank
  4. Alessandro Bertolini (Ita) Cofidis
  5. Steven de Jongh (Ned) TVM
  6. Romans Vainsteins (Lat) Kross
  7. Zbigniew Spruch (Pol) Mapei
  8. Davide Casarotto (Ita) Scrigno-Gaerne
  9. Gabriele Balducci (Ita) Scrigno-Gaerne
 10. Nicola Loda (Ita) Ballan
 11. Dario Pieri (Ita) Scrigno-Gaerne
 12. Mirco Crepaldi (Ita) Polti
 13. Marco Vergnani (Ita) Kross
 14. Marco Milesi (Ita) Brescialat-Liquigas
 15. Roberto Pistore (Ita) Riso Scotti-MG
 16. Andrei Zintsjenko (Rus) 
 17. Rolf Jaermann (Swi) Casino
 18. Gianluca Bortolami (Ita) Festina 
 19. Servais Knaven (Ned) TVM 
 20. Claudio Chiappucci (Ita) Ros Mary - Amica Chips 
 21. Germano Pierdomenico (Ita) Cantina Tollo
 22. Ermanno Brignoli (Ita) Riso Scotti-MG
 23. Franco Ballerini (Ita) Mapei
 24. Gianluca Pianegonda (Ita) Mapei
 25. Flavio Vanzella (Ita) La Francaise des Jeux  
 ...
 27. Laurent Roux (Fra) TVM-Farm Frites
 29. Giovanni Lombardi (Ita) Telekom-ADR
 31. Jens Heppner (Ger) Telekom-ADR			0.12
 32. Pascal Richard (Swi) Casino          
 37. Gabriele Colombo (Ita) Ballan 			0.51
 41. Mauro Gianetti (Swi) La Francaise des Jeux         2.35
 43. Marc Streel (Bel) Casino 				5.06

GC after Stage 7

  1. Rolf Jaermann (Swi) Casino			     33.40.17
  2. Franco Ballerini (Ita) Mapei			 0.04
  3. Jens Heppner (Ger) Telekom-ADR			 1.03
  4. Rolf Sorensen (Den) Rabobank		       	13.15
  5. Zbigniew Spruch (Pol) Mapei			13.20
  6. Germano Pierdomenico (Ita) Cantina Tollo	       	13.22
  7. Nicola Loda (Ita) Ballan                           13.25
  8. Claudio Chiappucci (Ita) Ros Mary                  13.25
  9. Roberto Pistore (Ita) Riso Scotti-MG 		13.27
 10. Servais Knaven (Ned) TVM                           13.27
 11. Davide Casarotto (Ita)  Scrigno-Gaerne             13.28
 12. Romans Vainsteins (Lat) Kross			13.30
 13. Stefano Faustini (Ita) Vini Caldirola		13.30
 14. Mario Manzoni (Ita) Mobilvetta-Northwave 		13.43
 15. Ermanno Brignoli (Ita) Riso Scotti-MG 		13.48
 16. Emanuele Lupi (Ita) Amore e Vita 			13.57
 17. Andrei Zintchenko (Rus) Vitalicio Seguros 		14.18
 18. Jan Schaffrath (Ger) Telekom-ADR			14.34
 19. Erik Zabel (Ger) Telekom-ADR			19.16
 20. Gabriele Balducci (Ita) Scrigno-Gaerne 		24.13
 21. Giovanni Lombardi (Ita) Telekom-ADR           	24.37
 22. Dario Pieri (Ita) Scrigno-Gaerne 			24.49
 23. Laurent Desbiens (Fra) Cofidis            		27.41
 24. Fabian Jeker (Swi) Festina 			28.57
 25. Steven de Jongh (Ned) TVM				31.23  
 ... 
 30. Laurent Roux (Fra) TVM-Farm Frites 		37.20
 32. Pascal Richard (Swi) Casino 			39.56
 34. Gianluca Pianegonda (Ita) Mapei 			41.37
 36. Gianluca Bortolami (Ita) Festina 			42.48
 38. Gabriele Colombo (Ita) Ballan  			50.59
 46. Mauro Gianetti (Swi) La Francaise des Jeux	      1.12.46 
 47. Marc Streel (Bel) Casino 			      1.12.52

Brief Report

Erik Zabel took his second victory in Tirreno-Adriatico when he easily won the mass sprint in Stage 7. Swiss rider Rolf Jaermann maintained his position on GC and now has to defend it for one more day. The fairly flat 164 km stage which wound around the Adriatic town of Civitanova Marche was marked by constant attacks from the remaining 50 odd riders in the race. 2/3rds of the field however were together with 3 kms to ride. Zabel used his vast experience to triumph from Mario Manzoni and Rolf Sorensen.

Rolf Jaermann said: "Still one stage to go before it's over. If it like Tuesday I can make it. Ballerini was not in good condition after Monday and he didn't try to do anything with the 4 seconds. I hope he will do the same tomorrow. I'm lucky my team is still so strong - they worked superbly for me. But first we have to see the final finish line.