GP Wingene, NE

Belgium, September 9, 1998


1997 Results

Brief:

Tom Desmet took his first win for the season after a successful late attack. "I had some luck today." The rider from Waragem put all his cards on the table with 2 kms to go. The son of famous rider, Manten Desmet, chalked up a double: his first victory of the season and the West Flemish Championship.

The start was electric as Koen Deschuytter and Rino Deraedt tried an adventurous attack. Their maximum gap on the peloton was 5.30. By the half-way mark the two riders were overtaken by the strong riding of Johan Verstrepen, Wim Feys, Tom Desmet, ex-prof Rudi Vingerhoets and the Dutchman Jan Hordijk. The 5 riders built up a large gap (nearly 4 minutes). Verstrepen played his hand and only the strong legs of Hordijk reacted. His attack was shortlived however. With two kms to go, Desmet dropped the other two and went on to win. He told the press: "I am now in peak condition for the autumn. I will now be hoping for good results in Paris-Brussels and the GP Fourmies."

Wingene, 160 kms:

 1. Tom Desmet (Bel) Collstrop  		     4.15.00 (37.647) 
 2. Johan Verstrepen (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002		0.08
 3. Wim Feys (Bel) Lotto
 4. Jan Hordijk (Ned) Tonissteiner			0.47
 5. Rudi Vingerhoets (Bel) Elite
 6. Bart Heirewegh (Bel) Ipso				2.03
 7. Michel Vanhaecke (Bel) Ipso
 8. Fabien De Waele (Bel) Lotto
 9. Erwin Thijs (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002
10. Karel Vereecke (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002
11. Bart Everaert (Bel) Collstrop stagiare
12. Eddy Torrekens (Bel) Tonissteiner
13. Hans De Meester (Bel) Tonissteiner			2.30
14. Brian Dalgaard (Den) Spar
15. Jarno Vanfrachem (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002
16. Franky De Buyst (Bel) Tonissteiner
17. Steven De Neef (Bel) Collstrop			3.47
18. Michel Cornelisse (Ned) Spar
19. Franky Van Haesebroucke (Bel) Ipso
20. Oleg Pankov (Ukr) Ipso
21. Johan Capiot (Bel) TVM
22. Tim Lenaers (Bel) Collstrop
23. Dimitri Fofonov (Kaz) Collstrop stagiare
24. Marc Streel (Bel) Casino
25. Geert Omloop (Bel) Spar
26. Rik Van Slycke (Bel) Spar
27. James Cambridge (GB) Elite				s.t.

Started: 58