60th Paris-Camembert, Cat 1.2

1998 Results     Past Winners     Report Today the peloton headed for the "cheese country" - for the semi-classic Paris-Camembert. The race is part of the la Coupe de France. Pascal Lino won last year but will not be able to defend his title having run foul of his team over doping allegations. But 20 teams entered the race which starts at Magnanville, near to Mantes (Yvelines). At the head of the list of riders is German Jens Voigt (Crédit Agricole), recent winner of the Critérium international, his teammate Chris Boardman, and the American rider Bobby Julich (Cofidis), 3rd in last year's Tour de France. The 208 kms journey follows the west plain along the roads of the Yvelines, the l'Eure-et-Loir and the l'Orne, which will benefit the strong riders who are in form at present. Before the riders reach the final circuit they have to climbs several côtes at Roiville, Canapville, Moulin-Neuf and finally the mur des Champeaux situated less than 10 kms before the finish at Vimoutiers. La Française des Jeux (with Stéphane Heulot) and Casino (with Pascal Chanteur) are two very ambitious teams and hope to dominate the 60th edition of this race. They have a number of aspiring young riders. But it was Fabio Fontanelli (Mercatone Uno), 34-years on April 24 and vastly experienced, who won the race. He won alone with Dutchman Max Van Heeswijk winning the peloton sprint from 23-year old David Moncoutié, 17 seconds behind the overall winner. The action really began on the last difficulty of the race, the Mur des Champeaux, which came less than 10 kms before the finish. After the first attack came from Stéphane Heulot, David Moncoutié showed he has arrived at the top of French cycling with a strong reaction to Heulot. But it was Fontanelli who was the real finisher attacking 7 kms out after the first moves on the Mountain had split the field. He was never caught. The sprint for second at Vimoutiers was contested on a long straight and Moncoutié was just pipped for 2nd by Max van Heeswijk, the recent winner of the GP de Rennes. But it was David Moncoutié who impressed and he consolidated his good placings in earlier races - climbing well on Mont Faron during the Tour méditerranéen (3rd for the stage) and coming 2nd in the Critérium international. He said afterwards: "I was impatient today." Still with a little patience and more top places at the front of the peloton will see Moncoutié finish his apprenticeship as a top rider. At 34 years, Fontanelli profitted from his experience. The race was animated earlier by his teammate Italian Sergio Barbero, who was only caught with 20 kms to go. Fontanelli won his 32nd race for his career which began in 1989. But he will always be remembered as being one of the victims in the spectacular crash at Armentières during the 1994 Tour de France. Paris-Vimoutiers, 208 kms: 1. Fabiano Fontanelli (Ita) Mercatone Uno-Bianchi 5.30.14 (37.791 km/h) 2. Max van Heeswijk (Ned) Mapei-Quick Step 0.17 3. David Moncoutié (Fra) Cofidis 0.17 4. Laurent Roux (Fra) Casino 0.17 5. Raimondas Rumsas (Lit) Mroz 0.17 6. Christopher Jenner (Nzl) Crédit Agricole 0.17 7. Flavio Zandarin (Ita) Riso Scotti-Vinavil 0.17 8. Biagio Conte (Ita) Liquigas-Brescialat 0.17 9. Daniele Contrini (Ita) Liquigas-Brescialat 0.17 10. Andrej Hauptman (Slo) Vini Caldirola 0.17 11. Serguei Ivanov (Rus) TVM-Farm Frites 0.17 12. Anthony Morin (Fra) La Française des Jeux 0.17 13. Bobby Julich (USA) Cofidis 0.17 14. Igor Flores Galarza (Spa) Euskatel-Euskadi 0.17 15. François Simon (Fra) Crédit Agricole 0.17 ... 42. Christophe Rinero (Fra) Cofidis 0.17 56. Stéphane Heulot (Fra) La Française des Jeux 0.26 Started: 143 Finished: 95 Past Winners and History Paris-Vimoutiers, 1906-1942 1906 Mary (Fra) 1934 Louis Thietard (Fra) 1935 Marcel Bat (Fra) 1936 Yvon Marie (Fra) 1937 André Auville (Fra) 1938 Jean-Marie Goasmat (Fra) 1939 Pierre Cloarec (Fra) 1942 Joseph Goutourbe (Fra) Paris-Camembert (Trophée Lepetit) 1943 Victor Cosson (Fra) 1944 Maurice De Muer (Fra) 1946 Paul Neri (Ita) 1947 Robert Dorgebray (Fra) 1948 Raoul Remy (Fra) 1949 Jean Rey (Fra) 1950 Ange Le Strat (Fra) 1951 Jean Baldassari (Fra) 1952 Robert Varnajo (Fra) 1953 Jean Gueguen (Fra) 1954 Gilbert Bauvin (Fra) 1955 Jean-Marie Cieleska (Fra) 1956 René Fournier (Fra) 1957 Joseph Groussard (Fra) 1958 Nicolas Barone (Fra) 1959 Nicolas Barone (Fra) 1960 Joseph Groussard (Fra) 1961 Jean-Claude Annaert (Fra) 1962 Piet Rentmeester (Ned) 1963 Jacques Simon (Fra) 1964 Arie Den Hertog (Ned) 1965 Pierre Everaert (Fra) 1966 Desire Letort (Fra) 1967 Georges Chappe (Fra) 1968 Harry Stevens (Ned) 1969 Raymond Riotte (Fra) 1970 Georges Chappe (Fra) 1971 Gerard Moneyron (Fra) 1972 José Catieau (Fra) 1973 Regis Delephin (Fra) 1974 Alain Santy (Fra) 1975 Raymond Martin (Fra) 1976 Bernard Hinault (Fra) 1977 Hubert Linard (Fra) 1978 Joop Zoetemelk (Ned) 1979 Raymond Martin (Fra) 1980 Pierre-Raymond Villemiane (Fra) 1981 Guy Gallopin (Fra) 1982 Christian Jourdan (Fra) 1983 Christian Jourdan (Fra) 1984 Hubert Linard (Fra) 1985 Martial Gayant (Fra) 1986 Kim Andersen (Den) 1987 Mathieu Hermans (Ned) 1988 Laurent Fignon (Fra) 1989 Andreas Kappes (Ger) 1990 Thierry Marie (Fra) 1991 Brian Holm (Den) 1992 Patrice Esnault (Fra) 1993 Oleg Kozlitine (Kaz) 1994 Armand De las Cuevas (Fra) 1995 Andrej Tchmil (Mol) 1996 Adriano Baffi (Ita) 1997 Mauro Gianetti (Swi) 1998 Pascal Lino (Fra) Past winners from Mario Stiehl in Berlin