Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne, Cat 1.2

Belgium, February 28, 1999

1998 Results     Past Winners     Route     Complete Starting List    

Report

Johan Museeuw, who ended up in intensive care after a serious crash on the cobbles in the Arenberg Forest during Paris-Roubaix last year, has made a great comeback to professional racing. He went well in Omloop Het Volk and was beaten into second place in Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne by fellow Belgian Jo Planckaert on Sunday. Museeuw's career appeared to be over when he suffered a fractured patella and then kidney infection and the early stages of gangrene after post-operative complications set in. But the Mapei-Quick Step team captain refused to believe his days in the saddle were over and came close to a gutsy win on Sunday.

Planckaert and his Lotto team mate Andrei Tchmil combined to ensure that Museeuw took a minor place only. Tchmil looked to be running down Planckaert and Museeuw in the finale of the event. The two leaders had escaped some 7 kms from the end and Tchmil launched a huge chase - and alone - came within 40 metres of them. Museeuw, aware of Tchmil's presence then sprinted early. Too early - he was overtaken by Planckaert some 50 metres before the line. Tchmil never made contact. Planckaert said afterwards that: "It was the ideal situation for me. We saw that Andrei was coming back and Johan became nervous and launched the sprint while I just could sit back and wait for the right moment."

Report from the sidelines

Tuur Verdonck, a regular correspondent from the Netherlands sent this report from the opening Belgian weekend.

The tradition has it that the next day, Sunday, is to be a day of revenge. The second Belgian race, Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne, which is in a lower UCI-category than 'Het Volk', provides the the defeated a chance to regain some glory. One of the losers of 'Het Volk', Jo Planckaert, won in a thrilling finale to the semi-classic. In a sprint, he defeated the winner of the 1998 Tour of Flanders, the 33-year old Belgian Johan Museeuw.

Sunday's race was even more thrilling than Saturday's race. Now, a larger group entered the finale, after a breakaway containing Dutch veteran John Talen had been caught. It was Peter van Petegem, the winner of the 1997 and 1998 'Omloop Het Volk', who hardened the race, which resulted in a breakaway of approximately twenty riders, including almost all the favourites, except Vandenbroucke and Tom Steels.

Just like yesterday, the finale was subject to several serious breakaways, but all of them were brought back, until Museeuw and Planckaert left the group. These two Flemish heroes of the spring races never made any great impression though. First, the distance between the two and the second group was only fifty meters. Later on, it became a hundred meters. But the gap which Vandenbroucke made the day before, had been greater and more secure than this one. With fewer and fewer kilometers before the finish, it was unclear whether the two leaders could stay away.

Just before entering the last kilometer, Andrej Tchmil broke away from the chasing group. Suddenly he was onto the backs of Museeuw and Planckaert. Tchmil, who was naturalised as a Belgian in the 1998 winter, approached the two Belgians very fast. This was a worry to Tchmil's team colleague Planckaert. But the attempts by Tchmil were in vain. Planckaert, who really felt Tchmil's threat, was not happy at all, after having crossed the finish line. Betrayal in the Lotto team: to be continued. In the sprint, Museeuw was defeated easily, Tchmil was third, and the sprint for the fourth place was won by French rider Cristophe Mengin.

Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne, 188 kms:

 1. Jo Planckaert (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar			     4.38.45 (40.04 km/h)
 2. Johan Museeuw (Bel) Mapei-Quick Step
 3. Andrei Tchmil (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar				0.05
 4. Christophe Mengin (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux		0.38
 5. Tristan Hoffman (Ned) TVM-Farm Frites			0.38
 6. Peter Van Petegem (Bel) TVM-Farm Frites			0.38
 7. Rolf Sörensen (Den) Rabobank				0.38
 8. Arvis Piziks (Lat) Team Home-Jack & Jones			0.38
 9. Chris Peers (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar				0.38
10. Tom Desmet (Bel) Collstrop					0.38
11. Koen Beeckman (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar				0.58
12. Marc Wauters (Bel) Rabobank					1.03
13. Peter Farazijn (Bel) Cofidis				1.10
14. Philip Vereecke (Bel) Ipso-Euroclean			1.15
15. Geert Van Bondt (Bel) TVM-Farm Frites			1.15
16. Robbie McEwen (Aus) Rabobank				1.15
17. Cedric Vasseur (Fra) Crédit Agricole			1.15
18. Michel Vanhaecke (Bel) Tönissteiner-Colnago			1.15
19. Axel Merckx (Bel) Mapei-Quick Step				1.28
20. Lars Michaelsen (Den) La Francaise des Jeux			7.28
21. Olivier Pereaudeau (Fra) Crédit Agricole 			7.28
22. Denis Zanette (Ita) Polti    				7.28
23. Eddy Torrekens (Bel) Tönissteiner-Colnago			7.28
24. Matthé Pronk (Ned) Rabobank					7.28
25. Johan Capiot (Bel) TVM-Farm Frites				7.28
26. Franky De Buyst (Bel) Tönissteiner-Colnago			7.28
27. Jean-Patrick Nazon (Fra) La Française des Jeux		7.28
28. Roger Hammond (GB) Palmans-Ideal				7.28
29. Steve De Wolf (Bel) Cofidis					7.28
30. Jurgen Guns (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002 				7.28
31. Marco Milesi (Ita) Liquigas-Brescialat  			7.28
32. Max Van Heeswijk (Ned) Mapei-Quick Step 			7.28
33. John Talen (Ned) Batavus 					7.28
34. Patrice Halgand (Fra) Festina 				7.28
35. Erik Dekker (Ned) Rabobank 					7.28
36. Steven De Jongh (Ned) TVM-Farm Frites 			7.28
37. Wim Feys (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar 				7.28
38. Giovanni Lombardi (Ita) Telekom   				7.28
39. Davide Bramati (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step 			7.28
40. Frédéric Moncassin (Fra) Crédit Agricole 			7.28
41. Zbigniew Spruch (Pol) Lampre-Daikin 			7.28
42. Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Palmans-Ideal 			7.28
43. Ludo Dierckxsens (Bel) Lampre-Daikin 			7.28
44. Wilfried Peeters (Bel) Mapei-Quick Step 			7.28
45. Wim Omloop (Bel) Spar-RDM 					7.28
46. Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Crédit Agricole 			7.28
47. Tom Steels (Bel) Mapei-Quick Step 				7.28
48. Mario Aerts (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar 				7.28
49. Servais Knaven (Ned) TVM-Farm Frites 			7.28
50. Andreas Klier (Ger) TVM-Farm Frites 			7.28
51. Hans De Clercq (Bel) Palmans-Ideal 				7.28
52. Romans Vainsteins (Lat) Vini Caldirola 			7.28

Complete Starting List

Mapei-Quick Step			TVM-Farm Frites

1. Tom Steels (Bel)			11. Peter Van Petegem (Bel)
2. Johan Museeuw (Bel)			12. Johan Capiot (Bel)
3. Axel Merckx (Bel)			13. Geert Van Bondt (Bel)
4. Max Van Heeswijk (Ned)		14. Servais Knaven (Ned)
5. Leif Hoste (Bel)			15. Tristan Hoffman (Ned)
6. Bart Leysen (Bel)			16. Andreas Klier (Ger)
7. Daniele Nardello (Ita)		17. Hendrik Van Dyck (Bel)
8. Wilfried Peeters (Bel)		18. Steven De Jongh (Ned)

Deutsche Telekom			Team Polti

21. Giovanni Lombardi (Ita)		31. Leonardo Guidi (Ita)
22. Rolf Aldag (Ger)			32. Enrico Cassani (Ita)
23. Alberto Elli (Ita)			33. Denis Lunghi (Ita)
24. Dirk Baldinger (Ger)		34. Mauro Zinetti (Ita)
25. Steffen Wesemann (Ger)		35. Cristiano Colleoni (Ita)
26. Andreas Klöden (Ger)		36. Cristian Salvato (Ita)
27. Danilo Hondo (Ger)			37. Fabio Sacchi (Ita)
28. Jan Schaffrath (Ger)		38. Denis Zanette (Ita)

Rabobank				Lampre-Daikin

41. Rolf Sörensen (Den)			51. Franco Ballerini (Ita)
42. Leon Van Bon (Ned)			52. Zbigniew Spruch (Pol)
43. Maarten Den Bakker (Ned)		53. Ludo Dierckxsens (Bel)
44. Robbie McEwen (Aus)			54. Marco Serpellini (Ita)
45. Marc Wauters (Bel)			55. Robert Hunter (RSA)
46. Aart Vierhouten (Ned)		56. Matteo Frutti (Ita)
47. Bert Hiemstra (Ned)			57. Gabriele Missaglia (Ita)
48. Erik Dekker (Ned)			58. Johan Verstrepen (Bel)

Liquigas-Brescialat			Lotto-Mobistar

61. Marco Milesi (Ita)			71. Andreï Tchmil (Bel)
62. Daniele Contrini (Ita)		72. Jo Planckaert (Bel)
63. Rodolfo Ongarato (Ita)		73. Wim Feys (Bel)
64. Enrio Leoni (Ita)			74. Paul Van Hyfte (Bel)
65. Biagio Conte (Ita)			75. Chris Peers (Bel)
66. Rouslam Ivanov (Rus)		76. Thierry Marichal (Bel)
67. Raimondo Giancarlo (Ita)		77. Christophe Detilloux (Bel)
68. Cristian Moreni (Ita)		78. Mario Aerts (Bel)

Cofidis					Crédit Agricole

81. Frank Vandenbroucke (Bel)		91. Frédéric Moncassin (Fra)
82. Francis Moreau (Fra)		92. Cédric Vasseur (Fra)
83. Peter Farazijn (Bel)		93. Stuart O'Grady (Aus)
84. Steve De Wolf (Bel)			94. Henk Vogels (Aus)
85. Claude Lamour (Fra)			95. Eros Poli (Ita)
86. Philippe Gaumont (Fra)		96. Christopher Jenner (NZ)
87. Arnaud Pretot (Fra)			97. Magnus Bäckstedt (Swe)
88.Anthony Rioka (Fra)			98. Sébastien Hinault (Fra)

Festina-Lotus				Casino

101. Florent Brard (Fra)		111. Jann Kirsipuu (Est)
102. Patrice Halgand (Fra)		112. Stéphane Barthe (Fra)
103. Laurent Madouas (Fra)		113. Lauri Aus (Est)
104. Laurent Lefevre (Fra)		114. Christophe Agnolutto (Fra)
105. Jaime Hernandez (Spa)		115. Andy Flickinger (Fra)
106. Franz Hotz (Swi)			116. David Lefevre (Fra)
107. André Korff (Ger)			117. Frédéric Bessy (Fra)
108. Andreï Kivilev (Kaz)		118. N/A

La Francaise des Jeux			Vlaanderen 2002

121. Lars Michaelsen (Den)		131. Ansy Vidts (Bel)
122. Frédéric Guesdon (Fra)		132. N/A
123. Patrick D'Hont	 (Fra)		133. Jurgen Guns (Bel)
124. Bradley McGee (Aus)		134. Karel Vereecke (Bel)
125. Jimmy Casper (Fra)			135. Stijn De Schoenmaecker (Bel)
126. Emmanuel Magnien (Fra)		136. Wesley Huvaere (Bel)
127. Christophe Mengin (Fra)		137. Kurt Van Lancker (Bel)
128. Christophe Bassons (Fra)		138. Jurgen Van Roosbroecke (Bel)

Palmans-Ideal				Home Market-Ville Charleroi

141. Nico Eeckhout (Bel)		151. Ronny Assez (Bel)
142. Roger Hammond (GB)			152. Stéphane Cueff (Fra)
143. Gert Vanderaerden (Bel)		153. Ludovic Cappelle (Bel)
144. Jurgen Vermeesch (Bel)		154. Jurgen De Buysschere (Bel)
145. Brett Aitken (Aus)			155. Stéphane Hennebert (Bel)
146. Hans De Clercq (Bel)		156. Laurent Pillon (Fra)
147. Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel)		157. Roméo Hernandez (Bel)
148. Dave Bruylandts (Bel)		158. Filip Meirhaeghe (Bel)

Team Home-Jack & Jones			Ipso-Euroclean

161. Marc Streel (Bel)			171. Jan Poppe (Bel)
162. Jesper Skibby (Den)		172. David Verreth (Bel)
163. Arvis Piziks (Lat)			173. Tim Lenaers (Bel)
164. René Jorgensen (Den)		174. Steven De Neef (Bel)
165. Michael Sandstod (Den)		175. Bart Heirwegh (Bel)
166. Christian Andersen (Den)		176. Philip Vereecke (Bel)
167. Michael Rosborg (Den)		177. Andy De Smet (Bel)
168. Michael-Steen Nielsen (Den)	178. José-Manuel Garcia (Mex)

Big Mat-Auber 93			Vini Caldirola-Sidermec

181. Carlos Da Cruz (Fra)		191. Massimo Apollonio (Ita)
182. Thierry Gouvenou (Fra)		192. Gianluca Bortolami (Ita)
183. Alexei Sivakov (Rus)		193. Andrej Hauptmann (Slo)
184. Guillaume Auger (Fra)		194. Zoran Klemenic (Slo)
185. Ludovic Auger (Fra)		195. Gianluca Sironi (Ita)
186. Stéphane Berges (Fra)		196. Mauro Radaeli (Ita)
187. Christophe Capelle (Fra)		197. Romans Vainsteins (Lat)
188. Laurent Genty (Fra)		198. Matthew White (Aus)

Nurnberger				Tonissteiner-Colnago

201. Alex Kastenhuber (Ger)		211. Kees Hopmans (Ned)
202. Bert Dietz (Ger)			212. Franky De Buyst (Bel)
203. Jan Hordijk (Ned)			213. Davy Delmé (Bel)
204. Klaus Diewald (Ger)		214. Michel Vanhaecke (Bel)
205. Raphael Schweda (Ger)		215. Bert Roesems (Bel)
206. Jens Zemke (Ger)			216. Johan De Geyter (Bel)
207. Roberto Lochowski (Ger)		217. Nicolas Coudray (Swi)
208. Frank Reuss (Ger)			218. Eddy Torrekens (Bel)

Batavus-Bankgiro-Loterij		Collstrop

221. Johan Bruinsma (Ned)		231. Erwin Bollen (Bel)
222. Cees Jeurissen (Ned)		232. Tony Bracke (Bel)
223. Rudi Kenma (Ned)			233. Eric De Clercq (Bel)
224. Rik Reinerik (Ned)			234. Danny Daelman (Bel)
225. Paul Van Schalen (Ned)		235. Koen Deschuyter (Bel)
226. John Talen (Ned)			236. Tom Desmet (Bel)
227. Jan Van Velzen (Ned)		237. Laurenzo Lapage (Bel)
228. N/A				238. Hans Redant (Bel)

Spar-RDM

241. Michel Cornelisse (Ned)
242. Gianni Rivera (Bel)
243. Wim Omloop (Bel)
244. Geert Omloop (Bel)
245. Frank Corvers (Bel)
246. Peter Peys (Bel)
247. Barry Hoedemakers (Bel)
248. Etienne De Wilde (Bel)
Thanks to Herman Harens

Route

Place                                    Km      Km      Time
                                         FROM    TO

Kuurne                                                    12.05
Kuurne - Kuurnse Renbaan - start
Harelbeke                                 1       187     12.07
Deerlijk - Belgiek                        4       184     12.11
Vichte                                    8       180     12.14
Ingooigem                                11       177     12.21
Tiegem                                   14       174     12.22
Kaster                                   17       171     12.30
Kerkhove                                 18       170     12.31
Berchem-Oud                              19       169     12.33
Melden                                   23       165     12.41
Leupegem                                 27       161     12.46
Edelare (climb 1)                        28       160     12.47
Volkegem                                 30       158     12.50
Mater                                    32       156     12.55
Sint-Maria-Horebeke                      34       154     12.58
Zegelsem                                 36       152     13.00
Brakel                                   39       149     13.04
Sint-Maria-Oudenhove                     43       145     13.10
Sint-Maria-Lierde                        45       143     13.12
Ophasselt                                48       140     13.16
Steenhuize-Wijnhuize                     50       138     13.20
Voorde                                   53       135     13.24
Appelterre-Eichem                        56       132     13.27
Outer                                    57       131     13.28
Ninove                                   59       129     13.30
Meerbeke                                 61       127     13.32
Denderwindeke                            62       126     13.34
Vollezele                                66       122     13.42
Tollembeek                               69       119     13.47
Galmaarden                               73       115     13.52
Moerbeke                                 77       111     13.59
Onkerzele                                80       108     14.05
Geraardsbergen                           82       106     14.09
Zarlardinge                              86       102     14.12
Parike                                   89       99      14.17
Brakel                                   92       96      14.20
provisioning                             92       96      14.20
Opbrakel                                 93       95      14.21
Flobecq                                  97       91      14.31
Ellezelles                               99       89      14.33
Ronse                                    100      88      14.35
Kluisbergen                              107      81      14.46
Oude Kwaremont (climb 2)                 116      72      14.58
Ronse                                    120      68      15.05
Russeignies                              122      66      15.09
Amougies                                 124      64      15.12
Orroir                                   126      62      15.15
Kluisberg (climb 3)                      127      61      15.17
Kluisbergen                              130      58      15.21
Avelgem                                  132      56      15.25
Waarmaarde                               135      53      15.29
Kerkhove                                 137      51      15.31
Kaster                                   139      49      15.33
Tiegem                                   141      47      15.35
Vossenhol (climb 4)                      142      46      15.36
Anzegem                                  145      43      15.40
Wortegem-Petegem                         146      42      15.43
Anzegem                                  150      38      15.50
Vichte                                   154      34      15.58
Deerlijk                                 157      31      16.02
Harelbeke                                160      28      16.06
Bavikhove                                163      25      16.08
Hulste                                   165      23      16.11
Kuurne - across finish 
2 finishing laps                         168      20      16.17
Harelbeke                                172      16      16.22
Bavikhove                                175      13      16.24
Hulste                                   177      11      16.27
Kuurne - End of lap 1                    179       9      16.33
Kuurne - End of lap 2 and finish         188       0      16.49
Finish - Kerkstraat
Thanks to Stefaan Degryse

Past Winner's List

1946  Henri Delmuyle (Bel)
1947  André Pieters (Bel)
1948  Achiel Buysse (Bel)
1949  Albert Decin (Bel)
1950  Valére Ollivier (Bel)
1951  André Declerck (Bel)
1952  André Maelbrancke (Bel)
1953  Leopold De Graeveleyn (Bel)
1954  Leon Van Daele (Bel)
1955  Joseph Planckaert (Bel)
1956  Henri Denijs (Bel)
1957  Joseph Verhelts (Bel)
1958  Gilbert Desmet (Bel)
1959  Gentiel Saelens (Bel)
1960  Joseph Planckaert (Bel)
1961  Alfred De Bruyne (Bel) - Leon Van Daele (Bel)
1962  Piet Rentmeester (Ned)
1963  Noél Fore (Bel)
1964  Arthur De Cabooter (Bel)
1965  Guido Reybrouck (Bel)
1966  Gustave Desmet (Bel)
1967  Daniel Van Rijckeghem (Bel)
1968  Eric Leman (Bel)
1969  Freddy Decloedt (Bel)
1970  Roger De Vlaeminck (Bel)
1971  Roger De Vlaeminck (Bel)
1972  Gustaaf Van Roosbroeck (Bel)
1973  Walter Planckaert (Bel)
1974  Wilfried Wesemael (Bel)
1975  Frans Verhaegen (Bel)
1976  Frans Verhaegen (Bel)
1977  Patrick Sercu (Bel)
1978  Patrick Lefevere (Bel)
1979  Walter Planckaert (Bel)
1980  Jan Raas (Ned)
1981  Joseph Jacobs (Bel)
1982  Gregor Braun (Ger)
1983  Jan Raas (Ned)
1984  Joseph Lammertink (Ned)
1985  William Tackaert (Bel)
1987  Ludo Peeters (Bel)
1988  Hendrik Redant (Bel)
1989  Edwig Van Hooydonck (Bel)
1990  Hendrik Redant (Bel)
1991  Johnny Dauwe (Bel)
1992  Olaf Ludwig (Ger)
1994  Johan Museeuw (Bel)
1995  Frédéric Moncassin (FRA)
1996  Rolf Sörensen (Den)
1997  Johan Musseuw (Bel)
1998  Andrei Tchmil (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar 197 kms in 4.56.00
Thanks to Mario, Berlin