29th Etoile de Bessèges, Cat 2.4

France, February 3-7, 1999

Stage 5, Molières-sur-Cèze - Bessèges, 141 kms:

The Casino team dominated the 29th Etoile de Bessèges with Estonian Jann Kirsipuu winning his second stage for the week and David Lefèvre retaining the leader's jersey from start to finish.

Kirsipuu, already the winner on Stage 4, won the 141.2 kms stage between Molières-sur-Cèze and Bessèges in a mass sprint, after his Casino teammates controlled the race from the gun. In the first stage race of the season in Europe it was David Lefèvre who confirmed his promise having taking the "coral shirt" of the leader by winning the first stage at Gardanne.

The performance of Lefèvre is significant when you consider that the challengers at the top of the GC all week were German Jens Voigt with his strong Crédit Agricole team, Belgiam Andrei Tchmil also with a strong Lotto-Mobistar squad and Spaniard Gines Salmeron from Vitalicio Seguros.

The last stage contested was around Bessèges on a course which could have allowed breakaways. But the Casino riders guarded the Lefèvre well. There was a breakaway by Thierry Gouvenou, Thierry Loder, Franck Pencole and the Italian Mauro Zinetti and they were caught around 12 kms before the finish at the beginning of the third of four laps on the finishing circuit of 7 kms. The race was always going to come down to a mass sprint after that. The sprinters lined up for the long gently uphill finishing straight and all hell broke loose. Kirsipuu confirmed his status as a top finisher.

Kirsipuu, who had 6 victories last year, will now take his great finishing form into the Tour Mediterrane which begins on Wednesday. 

 1. Jann Kirsipuu (Est) Casino                             3.24.33 (41.413 km/h)
 2. Jean Patrick Nazon (Fra) La Française des Jeux
 3. Saulius Ruskis (Lit) Saint-Quentin Oktos MBK
 4. Robert Hunter (RSA) Lampre-Daikin
 5. David Millar (GB) Cofidis
 6. Jo Planckaert (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar
 7. Tom Desmet (Bel) Collstrop
 8. Uros Murn (Slo) KRKA-Telekom Slovenije
 9. Leonardo Guidi (Ita) Team Polti
10. Enrico Cassani (Ita) Team Polti
11. Ludovic Auger (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93
12. Karel Vereecke (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002
13. Claude Lamour (Fra) Cofidis
14. Wilfried Cretskens (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002
15. Oleg Kozlitine (Kaz) Saint-Quentin Oktos MBK
16. Jens Voigt (Ger) Crédit Agricole
17. Johan Verstrepen (Bel) Lampre-Daikin
18. Andrea Nencini (Ita) Team Polti
19. Andrei Tchmil (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar
20. Wesley Huvaere (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002
21. Alexei Sivakov (Rus) Big Mat-Auber 93
22. Wim Vansevenant (Bel) Collstrop
23. Fréderic Finot (Fra) Crédit Agricole
24. Lars Michaelsen (Den) La Française des Jeux
25. Zbigniew Spruch (Pol) Lampre-Daikin
26. Stijn De Schoenmaker (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002
27. Samuel Plouhinec (Fra) Cofidis
28. Nicolay Bo Larsen (Den) Team Home Jack & Jones
29. Marc Streel Jacobsen (Den) Team Home-Jack & Jones
30. Michael Steen Nielsen (Den) Team Home Jack & Jones
31. Jérôme Neuville (Fra) Crédit Agricole
32. Giacomo Battistel (Ita) KRKA-Telekom Slovenije
33. Bart Brentjens (Ned) Home Market-Ville Charleroi
34. David Lefevre (Fra) Casino
35. Cédric Vasseur (Fra) Crédit Agricole
36. Mauro Zinetti (Ita) Team Polti
37. Mario Aerts (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar
38. Laurent Genty (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93
39. Ruben Galvan (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca
40. Stéphane Berges (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93
41. Franck Penvole (Fra) Crédit Agricole
42. Bart Everaert (Bel) Collstrop
43. Raivis Belohvosciks (Lat) Lampre-Daikin
44. Nicolas Vogondy (Fra) La Française des Jeux
45. Fabian De Waele (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar
46. Gines Salmeron (Spa) Vitalicio Seguros
47. Wim Feys (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar
48. Frédéric Delalande (Fra) Crédit Agricole
49. Denis Zanette (Ita) Team Polti
50. Gilles Maignan (Fra) Casino
51. Jean Michel Thilloy (Fra) Saint-Quentin Oktos MBK
52. Eric De Clercq (Bel) Collstrop
53. Andy Flickinger (Fra) Casino
54. Chris Peers (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar
55. Stéphane Barthe (Fra) Casino
56. Michael Rosborg (Den) Team Home Jack & Jones
57. Benoit Salmon (Fra) Casino
58. Francisco Garcia Rodriguez (Spa) Vitalicio Seguros
59. Massimiliano Lelli (Ita) Cofidis
60. Mikael Holst Kyneb (Den) Team Home Jack & Jones
61. Laurent Roux (Fra) Casino
62. Miika Hietanen (Fin) Saint-Quentin Oktos MBK
63. Christophe Oriol (Fra) Casino
64. Gonzales de Galdeano (Spa) Vitalicio Seguros
65. Gonzales De Heredia (Spa) Vitalicio Seguros
66. Christophe Rinero (Fra) Cofidis
67. Nicolas Fritsch (Fra) Saint-Quentin Oktos MBK
68. Benoit Luminet (Fra) Besson Chauss. Nippon-Hodo
69. Dominique Rault (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93
70. Lylian Lebreton (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93
71. Daniel Clavero (Spa) Vitalicio Seguros
72. Jean-Cyril Robin (Fra) La Française des Jeux
73. Thierry Gouvenou (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93
74. Francisco Cerezo (Spa) Vitalico-Seguros
75. Ernesto Manchon (Spa) Vitalicio Seguros
76. Sébastian Laroche (Fra) Besson Chauss. Nippon-Hodo
77. Eros Poli (Ita) Crédit Agricole                           0.17
78. Mirco Crepaldi (Ita) Team Polti                           0.17
79. Damien Nazon (Fra) La Francaise Des Jeux                  0.43
80. Franck Bouyer (Fra) La Française des Jeux                 0.57
81. Jean Michel Tessier (Fra) La Française des Jeux           0.57
82. Christopher Horner (USA) La Française des Jeux            0.57
83. Jérôme Bernard (Fra) Home Market-Ville Charleroi          1.48
84. Angel Edo Alsina (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca                 2.28
85. Aitor Gonzalez (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca                   2.28
86. Arvis Piziks (Lat) Team Home Jack & Jones                 4.55
87. Dany Baeyens (Bel) Collstrop                             10.02
88. Christophe Gauthier (Fra) Besson Chauss. Nippon-Hod      10.02
89. Filip Meirhaeghe (Bel) Home Market-Ville Charleroi       10.02
90. Tony Bracke (Bel) Collstrop                              10.02

Abandoned:

Paul Van Hyfte (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar
Denis Lunghi (Ita) Team Polti
Thierry Loder (Fra) Cofidis
Eligio Requejo (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca
Christopher Boardman (GB) Crédit Agricole
Prudencio Indurain (Spa) Vitalicio Seguros
Bostjan Mervar (Slo) KRKA-Telekom Slovenije
Sandi Papez (Slo) KRKA-Telekom Slovenije
Juris Silvos (Lat) Team Home Jack & Jones
Nico Renders (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002
Andy Vidts (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002
Danny Daelman (Bel) Collstrop
Erwin Bollen (Bel) Collstrop
Jan Svorada (Cze) Lampre-Daikin
Pavel Padrnos (Cze) Lampre-Daikin
Ludovic Capelle (Bel) Home Market-Ville Charleroi
Grégory Barbier (Fra) Saint-Quentin Oktos MBK
Franck Trotel (Fra) Saint-Quentin Oktos MBK
Stéphane Auroux (Fra) Besson Chauss. Nippon-Hodo
Philippe Mauduit (Fra) Besson Chauss. Nippon-Hodo
Sergey Yakovlev (Kaz) Besson Chauss. Nippon-Hodo

Final GC: 

 1. David Lefevre (Fra) Casino                            16.05.26 (42.092 km/h)
 2. Jens Voigt (Ger) Crédit Agricole                          0.04
 3. Andrei Tchmil (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                        0.09
 4. David Millar (GB) Cofidis                                 0.10
 5. Nicolay Bo Larsen (Den) Team Home Jack & Jones            0.11
 6. Gines Salmeron (Spa) Vitalicio Seguros                    0.13
 7. Jo Planckaert (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                        0.43
 8. Andy Flickinger (Fra) Casino                              0.55
 9. Fabian De Waele (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                      0.55
10. Saulius Ruskis (Lit) Saint-Quentin Oktos MBK              0.58
11. Stéphane Barthe (Fra) Casino                              1.00
12. Gilles Maignan (Fra) Casino                               1.00
13. Chris Peers (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                          1.01
14. Fréderic Finot (Fra) Crédit Agricole                      1.01
15. Tom Desmet (Bel) Collstrop                                1.03
16. Claude Lamour (Fra) Cofidis                               1.03
17. Stijn De Schoenmaker (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002                1.03
18. Michael Steen Nielsen (Den) Team Home Jack & Jones        1.03
19. Cédric Vasseur (Fra) Crédit Agricole                      1.03
20. Nicolas Vogondy (Fra) La Française des Jeux               1.03
21. Wim Feys (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                             1.03
22. Laurent Genty (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93                      1.03
23. Mario Aerts (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                          1.03
24. Massimiliano Lelli (Ita) Cofidis                          1.03
25. Oleg Kozlitine (Kaz) Saint-Quentin Oktos MBK              1.29
26. Gonzales De Heredia (Spa) Vitalicio Seguros               1.42
27. Laurent Roux (Fra) Casino                                 1.44
28. Enrico Cassani (Ita) Team Polti                           2.34
29. Jann Kirsipuu (Est) Casino                                5.09
30. Lars Michaelsen (Den) La Française des Jeux               5.33
31. Raivis Belohvosciks (Lat) Lampre-Daikin                   5.35
32. Ludovic Auger (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93                      5.38
33. Robert Hunter (RSA) Lampre-Daikin                         5.38
34. Zbigniew Spruch (Pol) Lampre-Daikin                       5.38
35. Johan Verstrepen (Bel) Lampre-Daikin                      5.45
36. Giacomo Battistel (Ita) KRKA-Telekom Slovenije            6.04
37. Karel Vereecke (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002                      6.04
38. Stéphane Berges (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93                    6.04
39. Jean Michel Thilloy (Fra) Saint-Quentin Oktos MBK         6.17
40. Samuel Plouhinec (Fra) Cofidis                            6.17
41. Jean Patrick Nazon (Fra) La Française des Jeux            6.57
42. Benoit Salmon (Fra) Casino                                7.17
43. Dominique Rault (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93                    7.43
44. Michael Rosborg (Den) Team Home Jack & Jones              8.07
45. Christophe Rinero (Fra) Cofidis                           8.07
46. Gonzales de Galdeano (Spa) Vitalicio Seguros              8.23
47. Thierry Gouvenou (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93                   8.31
48. Francisco Garcia Rodriguez (Spa) Vitalicio Seguros        8.33
49. Jean-Cyril Robin (Fra) La Française des Jeux              8.33
50. Mikael Holst Kyneb (Den) Team Home Jack & Jones           8.53
51. Denis Zanette (Ita) Team Polti                            9.05
52. Jérôme Neuville (Fra) Crédit Agricole                     9.05
53. Franck Penvole (Fra) Crédit Agricole                      9.05
54. Marc Streel Jacobsen (Den) Team Home-Jack & Jones         9.31
55. Lylian Lebreton (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93                    9.37
56. Eric De Clercq (Bel) Collstrop                            9.44
57. Wim Vansevenant (Bel) Collstrop                           9.44
58. Eros Poli (Ita) Crédit Agricole                           9.46
59. Frédéric Delalande (Fra) Crédit Agricole                 10.11
60. Wilfried Cretskens (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002                 10.21
61. Ruben Galvan (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca                    11.00
62. Nicolas Fritsch (Fra) Saint-Quentin Oktos MBK            11.47
63. Christopher Horner (USA) La Française des Jeux           12.38
64. Francisco Cerezo (Spa) Vitalico-Seguros                  12.42
65. Uros Murn (Slo) KRKA-Telekom Slovenije                   13.21
66. Miika Hietanen (Fin) Saint-Quentin Oktos MBK             13.21
67. Mirco Crepaldi (Ita) Team Polti                          13.21
68. Franck Bouyer (Fra) La Française des Jeux                13.39
69. Daniel Clavero (Spa) Vitalicio Seguros                   14.13
70. Leonardo Guidi (Ita) Team Polti                          14.14
71. Bart Everaert (Bel) Collstrop                            15.19
72. Wesley Huvaere (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002                     16.35
73. Alexei Sivakov (Rus) Big Mat-Auber 93                    16.45
74. Bart Brentjens (Ned) Home Market-Ville Charleroi         16.51
75. Arvis Piziks (Lat) Team Home Jack & Jones                17.37
76. Damien Nazon (Fra) La Francaise Des Jeux                 18.27
77. Christophe Oriol (Fra) Casino                            19.39
78. Mauro Zinetti (Ita) Team Polti                           19.51
79. Andrea Nencini (Ita) Team Polti                          21.01
80. Angel Edo Alsina (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca                21.33
81. Dany Baeyens (Bel) Collstrop                             22.03
82. Benoit Luminet (Fra) Besson Chauss. Nippon-Hodo          28.36
83. Tony Bracke (Bel) Collstrop                              29.32
84. Jean Michel Tessier (Fra) La Française des Jeux          33.24
85. Ernesto Manchon (Spa) Vitalicio Seguros                  33.39
86. Christophe Gauthier (Fra) Besson Chauss. Nippon-Hod      38.05
87. Jérôme Bernard (Fra) Home Market-Ville Charleroi         40.22
88. Aitor Gonzalez (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca                  40.50
89. Sébastian Laroche (Fra) Besson Chauss. Nippon-Hodo       42.02
90. Filip Meirhaeghe (Bel) Home Market-Ville Charleroi       47.45

Classified: 90
Thanks to Roland Fangille, Union Cycliste Bessegeoise for results