97th Paris-Roubaix, World Cup Round 3

France, April 11, 1999

As it unfolded

12.50: After 108 kms and 3 sections of pave, there is a group of 13 who have 1.40 on the peloton. It includes Tom Steels, Laurent Desbiens, Arturo Kasputis, Rolf Aldag, Sergei Ivanov, Servais Knaven, Steven De Jongh.

13.08: Querenaing (km 138.1), a leading group of 10 are now approaching the pave at Maing 2.5 kms

13.16: The 10 are Tom Steels (Bel-Mapei), Gianluca Pianegonda (Ita-Lampre), Jan Boven (Ned-Rabobank), Steven De Jongh (Ned-TVM), Andy Flickinger (Fra-Casino), Arturus Kasputis (Lit-Casino), Franck Pencolé (Fra-CA), Laurent Desbiens (Fra-Cofidis), Rolf Aldag (Ger-Telekom) and Servais Knaven (Ned-TVM) are on Zone 19 and have 2.35 to a small group. The peloton is at 2.51.

13.37: The 10 are still together and are 15 kms from the Arenberg Forest. They have a lead of 2.52 over Chris Peers (Bel-Lotto) and Christophe Bassons (Fra-FDJ). The peloton are at 3.02. There is 110 kms left to ride.

13.46: The 10 are nearly to the forest and have a lead of 2.35 on the peloton. Peers and Bassons have been absorbed back in the peloton. A minute or so ago, Massimiliano Mori (Ita-Saeco) fell heavily and doesn't look like he will continue. The commentators are talking about the Arenberg forest. The route takes a sharp and very narrow left turn into the forest this year (from the opposite direction). They are predicting mayhem given that the peloton is nearly complete still.

13.52: There are now only 9 in front. Andy Flickinger (Fra-Casino) had mechanical troubles and he required a new back wheel. The peloton, however, is closing the race down fast with the Lotto-Mobistar team on the front of the chase. They are at 1.51. The leaders have 6.5 kms to go before Wallers-Arenberg.

14.09: They are through the Arenberg forest without any real dramas. For the first time ever the riders could not ride behind the crowd. The route is fenced off and the riders were forced to ride the cobbles. There are now 4 riders in front (Steels, Boven, Knaven and De Jongh) and behind them are 5 riders in small groups (the vestiges of the lead bunch). At 1.40 is a peloton of 80 riders with Andrea Tafi (Ita-Mapei), Andrei Tchmil (Bel-Lotto), Franck Vandenbroucke (Bel-Cofidis), and George Hincapie (USA-US Postal) driving the group. They have 10 kms of pave in the next 20 kms.

14.16: The four leaders now have 56 seconds on a chasing group of 14 riders. The group is Gianluca Pianegonda (Ita-Lampre), Wilfried Peeters (Bel-Lotto), Leon Van Bon (Ned-Rabobank), Andrea Tafi (Ita-Mapei), Jo Planckaert (Bel-Lotto), Tristan Hoffman (Ned-TVM), Hendrik Van Dyck (Bel-TVM), Arturus Kasputis (Lit-Casino), Franck Pencolé (Fra-CA), Franck Vandenbroucke (Bel-Cofidis), Laurent Desbiens (Fra-Cofidis), Erik Zabel (Ger-Telekom), Rolf Aldag (Ger-Telekom), and George Hincapie (USA-US Postal).

14.30: The four leaders have a break of 1.11 on the 14 chasers. The peloton which includes Tchmil, Van Petegem and Museeuw is at 1.50. They are on Zone 14 and have 88 kms to go.

At the 190 kms mark the gap was down to 0.55 and Boven was dropped from the leading group.

Zone 13: The leaders were Steels, De Jongh, Knaven, followed by a group of 10 at 0.51 (with Tafi, Van Bon, Vandenbroucke). Still 75 kms to go before the finish.

Van Petegem punctured. The peloton now had 38 riders (with Museeuw and Tchmil). Tafi's group is 1.02 and peloton was at 2.11. There was still 70 kms to ride. The chasing bunch comprised Tafi, Peeters, Van Bon, Planckaert, Hoffman, Van Dyck, Kasputis, Vandenbroucke, Zabel, and Hincapie

Zone 12: The peloton was at 1.40 with Ballerini leading (Museeuw, Spruch are also prominent). By the end of Zone 12 the chasing bunch with Tafi were at 0.30, and the peloton by now down to 8 riders (Museeuw, Ballerini, Spruch, Tchmill, Sorensen, Van Petegem, Silovs and Farazijn) were down to 1.10. Another group of 6 riders at 200 metres. The Tafi group soon after was only 150 metres behind the three leaders and th Museeuw/Ballerini group was at 0.45.

Zone 11 (Auchy): The Museeuw/Ballerini group now comprising 14 riders was at 0.25. Tafi and co were at 12 seconds and the Museeuw/Ballerini group had slipped to 0.28.

By km 211, the chasing bunch had absorbed the three out front and a new leading bunch was formed with Andrea Tafi, Hendrik Van Dijck, George Hincapie, Tom Steels, Jo Planckaert, Franck Vandenbroucke and Leon Van Bon. Leon Van Bon and George Hincapie attacked. Failed. Tafi-Van Dyck attacked and failed. There were 13 riders leading the race with 59 kms still left to ride. Kasputis, the first to attack after only 6 kms this morning, is unable to maintain contact with the leaders.

There were now 9 leaders and they were joined by Erik Zabel, Jo Planckaert and Franck Vandenbroucke. But the sands were shifting and a new leading group formed with Tafi, Hoffman, Van Dyck (again 2 TVM), Steels, and Leon Van Bon.

Zone 10: Planckaert and Hincapie were out in front of the leading peloton of 15 riders.

Zone 9 (3000 m Mons-en-Pevele): Tristan Hoffman punctured. At km 223, Tafi attacked and only Leon Van Bon was able to follow but the move was premature and the attack failed as Peeters, De Jongh, Knaven and Vandenbroucke bridged the gap. Van Dyck fell at this stage and the leading group comprised 18 riders.

Zone 8: There were still 44 kms to the finish. The leaders were Tafi, Steels, Planckaert, Van Bon, Hincapie. Tafi punctured at km 229 and there was pandemonium in the Mapei ranks. Peeters waited for him and they were back in the top group by km 233. Immediately on regaining contact with the leading riders, Tafi attacked. Failed. There were 4 leaders - Tafi was in a leading group with Peeters, De Jongh, Knaven and Vandenbroucke (including 3 TVM's). There was still 45 kms to go.

After Zone 8: There were 4 leaders, followed by a group of 6 at 0.20 and the peloton was at 2.09.

Zone 7: Only 39.5 kms to go and Tafi and Peters attacked followed by Franck Vandenbroucke.

Zone 6: There were 7 leaders - Tafi, Peeters, Vandenbroucke, Van Bon, Steels, Planckaert, and Hincapie. Tafi attacks (for the sixth time today!). Tom Steels and Wilfried Peeters blocked the move in the peloton and allowed Tafi to escape. Perfect team riding. Three Mapei riders again dominating this race but in a slightly different way to 1997. There was still 29 kms to go and Tafi built a lead of 0.22, followed by Steels, Van Bon, Planckaert, Vandenbroucke, Hincapie and Peeters

Zone 5: Still 25 kms to go. Tafi was leading alone with the Steels group at 0.36 and the peloton at 2.50.

Zone 4: Tafi led by 1.15. With 8.6 kms to the finish Tafi led by 1.40.

Zone 2: Still 5 kms to go and Tafi led by 2.02. Museeuw and Tchmil attacked in the peloton

Zone 1: At km 273, Tafi won the race alone by more than two minutes gap. Again Mapei take 1-2-3. Where was TVM?

Report

It was Andrea Tafi's "lifetime dream" to win Paris-Roubaix. He had come close before but had become obsessed with the top place onthe podium. His victory this year followed a 2nd last year and 3rd in the "fixed" finish in 1997. It confirmed the domination that his Mapei team has had on the race - 4 wins in 5 years. The 1-2-3 for Mapei was the third time also.

33-year old Tafi, who hails from Firenze, had previously sacrificed his own chances for the team. However he told the press conference after his victory this year that: This morning Lefevere told me it was my turn and the team did a great job for me. Once again, Mapei showed we were a great team."

Tafi also repeated his idol Francesco Moser who won Paris-Roubaix (for the 3rd time) while wearing the Italian Champion's Jersey (in 1980). Tafi noted the fact later: "When I was about the same age as Tommaso (his son) in 1980, I saw Moser win with the Italian colours on his back and I really wanted to do the same this year."

Andrea Tafi's Record

1989: 2 wins: Stage in Murcia en stage Luxemburg. 1990: 3 wins: 2 stages in Flordia, stage in Great Britain. 1991: 1 win: Ronde van Lazio. 1992: No wins 1993: No wins 1994: 2 wins: Grand Prix Fourmies and Citta di Rio Saliceto. 1995: No wins 1996: 5 wins: including Paris-Brussel and Tourof Lombardy, 3rd in Paris-Roubaix. 1997: 5 wins: including the Rochester Classic (World Cup) and 2nd Amstel Gold Race. 1998: 6 wins: including Italian Championship, 2nd Paris-Roubaix. 1999: 1 win: Paris-Roubaix.

Compiegne - Roubaix Velodrome, 273 kms:

 1. Andrea Tafi (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step                    6.44.15
 2. Wilfried Peeters (Bel) Mapei-Quick Step                  2.14
 3. Tom  Steels (Bel) Mapei-Quick Step                       2.26
 4. George Hincapie (USA) US Postal Service                  2.26
 5. Jo Planckaert (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                       2.26
 6. Leon Van Bon (Ned) Rabobank                              2.26
 7. Frank Vandenbroucke (Bel) Cofidis                        2.26
 8. Andrei Tchmil (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                       2.40
 9. Johan Museeuw (Bel) Mapei-Quick Step                     2.40
10. Lars Michaelsen (Den) La Française des Jeux              2.53
11. Franco Ballerini (Ita) Lampre-Daikin                     2.53
12. Denis Zanette (Ita) Team Polti                           2.55
13. Stefano Zanini (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step                    3.46
14. Zbigniew Spruch (Pol) Lampre-Daikin                      3.46
15. Rolf Sorensen (Den) Rabobank                             3.46
16. Chris Peers (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                         3.46
17. Tristan Hoffman (Ned) TVM-Farm Frites                    3.46
18. Maximilian Sciandri (GB) La Française des Jeux           3.46
19. Gianluca Bortolami (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Sidermec         3.46
20. Juris Silovs (Lat) Team Home-Jack & Jones                3.46
21. Frankie Andreu (USA) US Postal Service                   3.46
22. Daniele Nardello (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step                  3.46
23. Peter Farazijn (Bel) Cofidis                             3.46
24. Wim  Feys (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                           3.46
25. Peter Van Petegem (Bel) TVM-Farm Frites                  3.46
26. Emmanuel Magnien (Fra) La Française des Jeux             4.37
27. Arvis Piziks (Lat) Team Home-Jack & Jones                5.00
28. Enrico Cassani (Ita) Team Polti                          5.00
29. Erik Zabel (Ger) Telekom                                 5.00
30. Servais Knaven (Ned) TVM-Farm Frites                     5.00
31. Thierry Gouvenou (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93                  5.00
32. Marc Wauters (Bel) Rabobank                              5.00
33. Bart Leysen (Bel) Mapei-Quick Step                       5.00
34. Nicolay Bo Larsen (Den) Team Home-Jack & Jones           5.00
35. Arturas Kasputis (Lit) Casino                            5.00
36. Ludo Dierckxsens (Bel) Lampre-Daikin                     6.27
37. Steven De Jongh (Ned) TVM-Farm Frites                    6.27
38. Christian Henn (Ger) Telekom                             9.39
39. Johan Capiot (Bel) TVM-Farm Frites                       9.39
40. Hendrick Van Dyck (Bel) TVM-Farm Frites                  9.39
41. Andrej Hauptman (Slo) Vini Caldirola-Sidermec           10.49
42. Paul Van Hyfte (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                     11.51
43. Henk Vogels (Aus) Crédit Agricole                       11.51
44. Anthony Rokia (Fra) Cofidis                             13.39
45. Bert Hiemstra (Ned) Rabobank                            13.39
46. Florent Brard (Fra) Festina Lotus                       13.39
47. Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Ballan-Alessio                     13.39
48. Nicola Loda (Ita) Ballan-Alessio                        13.39
49. Eros Poli (Ita) Crédit Agricole                         13.39
50. Alexei Sivakov (Rus) Big Mat-Auber 93                   13.39
51. Karsteen Kroon (Ned) Rabobank                           13.39
52. Rossano Brasi (Ita) Team Polti                          13.39
53. Ruben Galvan (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca                   13.39
54. Christophe Detilloux (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar               13.39
55. Lauri Aus (Est) Casino                                  13.39
56. Christophe Mengin (Fra) La Française des Jeux           13.39
57. Christophe Bassons (Fra) La Française des Jeux          13.39
58. Koen Beeckman (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                      13.39
59. Johan Verstrepen (Bel) Lampre-Daikin                    13.39
60. Jan Boven (Ned) Rabobank                                13.39
61. Stéphane Barthe (Fra) Casino                            13.39
62. Rolf Aldag (Ger) Telekom                                13.39
63. Marco Milesi (Ita) Liquigas                             13.39
64. Andreas Klier (Ger) TVM-Farm Frites                     13.39
65. Geert Van Bondt (Bel) TVM-Farm Frites                   13.39
66. Michael Rich (Ger) Team Gerolsteiner                    16.39

World Cup Standings after Round 3

						        MSR     RVV     P-R    Total

 1. Andrei Tchmil (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                  100      28      24     152
 2. Peter Van Petegem (Bel) TVM-Farm Frites              28     100       1     129
 3. Andrea Tafi (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step                    0       0     100     100
 4. Frank Vandenbroucke (Bel) Cofidis                     0      70      28      98
 5. Zbignew Spruch (Pol) Lampre-Daikin                   50      36      12      98
 6. Wilfried Peeters (Bel) Mapei-Quick Step               0      12      70      82
 7. Erik Zabel (Ger) Team Deutsche-Telekom               70       4       0      74
 8. Johan Museeuw (Bel) Mapei-Quick Step                  0      50      20      70
 9. Leon Van Bon (Ned) Rabobank                          32       3      32      67
10. George Hincapie (Usa) US Postal Service              20       5      40      65
11. Jo Planckaert (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                   24       0      36      60
12. Tom  Steels (Bel) Mapei-Quick Step                    0       0      50      50
13. Markus Zberg (Swi) Rabobank                          13      32       0      45
14. Michele Bartoli (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step                0      40       0      40
15. Stefano Garzelli (Ita) Mercatone Uno Bianchi         40       0       0      40
16. Lauri Aus (Est) Casino                               36       0       0      36
17. Denis Zanette (Ita) Team Polti                        0      20      14      34
18. Tristan Hoffman (Ned) TVM-Farm Frites                 0      24       9      33
19. Lars Michaelsen (Den) La Française des Jeux           0      16      16      32
20. Franco Ballerini (Ita) Lampre-Daikin                  0      15      15      30
21. Maximiliam Sciandri (GB) La Française des Jeux        5      14       8      27
22. Rolf Sorensen (Den) Rabobank                          1      10      11      22
23. Daniele Nardello (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step               0      13       4      17
24. Chris Peers (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                      0       6      10      16
25. Gabriele Balducci (Ita) Navigare-Gaerne              16       0       0      16
26. Alexandre Gontchenkov (Rus) Ballan-Alessio           15       0       0      15
27. Andrea Ferrigato (Ita) Ballan-Alessio                14       0       0      14
28. Stefano Zanini (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step                 0       0      13      13
29. Peter Farazijn (Bel) Cofidis                          0       9       3      12
30. Davide Rebellin (Ita) Team Polti                     12       0       0      12
31. Gabriele Colombo (Ita) Cantina Tollo-Alexia           0      11       0      11
32. Nicola Loda (Ita) Ballan-Alessio                     11       0       0      11
33. Andrei Kivilev (Kaz) Festina Lotus                   10       0       0      10
34. Bo Hamburger (Dan) Cantina Tollo-Alexia               9       0       0       9
35. Maarten Den Bakker (Ned) Rabobank                     0       8       0       8
36. Mario Aerts (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                      8       0       0       8
37. Gianluca Bortolami (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Sidermec      0       0       7       7
38. Marc Wauters (Bel) Rabobank                           0       7       0       7
39. Luca Mazzanti (Ita) Cantina Tollo-Alexia              7       0       0       7
40. Juris Silovs (Lat) Team Home-Jack & Jones             0       0       6       6
41. Angel Edo (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca                    6       0       0       6
42. Frankie Andreu (Usa) US Postal Service                0       0       5       5
43. François Simon (Fra) Crédit Agricole                  4       0       0       4
44. Dario Pieri (Ita) Navigare-Gaerne                     3       0       0       3
45. Wim  Feys (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                        0       0       2       2
46. Gian Matteo Fagnini (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale            0       2       0       2
47. Fabiano Fontanelli (Ita) Mercatone Uno Bianchi        2       0       0       2
48. Romans Vainsteins (Lat) Vini Caldirola Sidermec       0       1       0       1