66th Paris-Nice, Hors Category

France, March 7-14, 1999

The Stages

  • Stage 1 - Boulogne-Billancourt - Paris, ITT 9 kms:
  • Stage 2 - Nangis - Sens, 184 kms:
  • Stage 3 - Sens - Nevers, 203 kms:
  • Stage 4 - Nevers - Vichy, 194.5 kms:
  • Stage 5 - Cusset - Firminy, 187 kms:
  • Stage 6 - Romans - Sisteron, 211 kms:
  • Stage 7 - Sisteron - Valberg, 198 kms:
  • Stage 8 - Nice - Nice, 157 kms:

Stage 2, Nangis - Sens, 184 kms:

The riders left Nangis with Boardman in the white leader's jersey after his fast ITT on Sunday in Paris. The temperature at the start was a cold 2 degrees with penetrating rain. An attack went away from the start with Guillaume Auger but order was soon restored. The peloton was not in the mood for action so early. At the 36 km mark the first sprint for time bonifications went to Jann Kirsipuu (3 seconds), then O'Grady (2), and Franck VDB (1). The first hour passed with the average speed of 37.1 kms. Easy pace.

Augur attacked again at the 45 kms mark. This was to be the start of a long solo escape and by the 47 kms mark he had 35 seconds on the peloton, 1.50 at km 54, 3.55 at km 68, and 5.10 at km 79. With two hours down, the average was 39.9 in the rain and cold. Hats off to the riders!

At Perceneige, Augur won the 3 second bonification in front of Kirsipuu then O'Grady. He had 7.25 on the peloton at the 106 kms mark. For the next hour, (33 kms ridden) the was no movement in the peloton. Only two riders, Andrej Hauptman and Dominique Rault tried to make any move on Augur and they started to close his gap (5.40 at km 98) with the peloton at 7.00. The two of them capitulated at the 122 kms mark and Augur had 5.18 lead at the 125 kms mark.

But the cold weather and rain started to take their toll. Augur maintained a respectable pace but was losing his advantage to a peloton that was finally reacting. He has 2.55 at km 133, 1.20 at km 138, 0.20 at km 152 and he was finally caught at the 154 kms mark after a heroic break of 109 kms.

At that instant, Rabobank made the coup de force of the stage. They attacked and had several riders in the breaking move including Boogerd, Dekker, Den Bakker, Sorensen, Van Bon, Wauters, Zberg, to be joined by Tchmil (Lotto-Mobistar), O'Grady (CA), Merckx (Mapei) and then soon after by three Cofidis riders Farazijn, VDB and Gaumont. Meanwhile, the peloton there was a major fall and the Crédit Agricole team were blocking things realising that Stuart O'Grady was well established in the break. The Rabobank riders continued to pile on the pressure at the front and broke VDB and the other Cofidis riders.

In the sprint at Sens it was Tchmil who took both the stage and the white leader's jersey (due to time bonuses). The big loser was VDB who is now 2.00 down on GC. Overnight leader Boardman is 1.55 down but played the team role today.

Stage Results 

   1. Andrei Tchmil (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                    4.42.24 (39.242 km/h)
   2. Markus Zberg (Swi) Rabobank
   3. Leon Van Bon (Ned) Rabobank
   4. Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Crédit Agricole
   5. Axel Merckx (Bel) Mapei-Quick Step
   6. Michael Boogerd (Ned) Rabobank
   7. Erik Dekker (Ned) Rabobank
   8. Rolf Sorensen (Den) Rabobank                             0.03
   9. Maarten Den Bakker (Ned) Rabobank                        0.03
  10. Marc Wauters (Bel) Rabobank                              0.03
  11. Bruno Boscardin (Swi) Post Swiss Team                    1.52
  12. Frédéric Moncassin (Fra) Crédit Agricole                 1.52
  13. Andrej Hauptmann (Slo) Vini Caldirola                    1.52
  14. Jo Planckaert (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                       1.52
  15. Salvatore Commesso (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale                1.52
  16. Stéphane Barthe (Fra) Casino                             1.52
  17. Mauro Zinetti (Ita) Polti                                1.52
  18. Fabien Dewaele (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                      1.52
  19. Olivier Pereaudeau (Fra) Crédit Agricole                 1.52
  20. Tom Steels (Bel) Mapei-Quick Step                        1.52
  21. Guido Trenti (USA) Cantina Tollo                         1.52
  22. Peter Van Hyfte (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                     1.52
  23. Mario Aerts (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                         1.52
  24. Gert Verheyen (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                       1.52
  25. Jean-Cyril Robin (Fra) La Française des Jeux             1.52
  26. Dario Frigo (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale                       1.52
  27. Massimo Apollonio (Ita) Vini Caldirola                   1.52
  28. Oscar Cavagnis (Ita) Cantina Tollo                       1.52
  29. Pascal Lino (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93                       1.52
  30. Thierry Marichal (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                    1.52
  31. Chann McRae (USA) Mapei-Quick Step                       1.52
  32. Massimiliano Mori (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale                 1.52
  33. Steve De Wolf (Bel) Cofidis                              1.52
  34. Chris Boardman (GB) Crédit Agricole                      1.52
  35. Tyler Hamilton (USA) US Postal Service                   1.52
  36. Philippe Gaumont (Fra) Cofidis                           1.52
  37. Franck Vandenbroucke (Bel) Cofidis                       1.52
  38. Yvon Ledanois (Fra) La Française des Jeux                1.52
  39. Stéphane Heulot (Fra) La Française des Jeux              1.52
  40. Jean-Patrick Nazon (Fra) La Française des Jeux           1.52
  41. Robbie McEwen (Aus) Rabobank                             1.52
  42. Rolf Huser (Swi) Festina                                 1.52
  43. Bart Leysen (Bel) Mapei-Quick Step                       1.52
  44. Emmanuel Magnien (Fra) La Française des Jeux             1.52
  45. Arnaud Pretot (Fra) Cofidis                              1.52
  46. Anthony Morin (Fra) La Française des Jeux                1.52
  47. Marty Jemison (USA) US Postal Service                    1.52
  48. Peter Farazijn (Bel) Cofidis                             1.52
  49. Pascal Chanteur (Fra) Casino                             1.52
  50. Santiago Botero Echeverry (Col) Kelme-Costa Blanca       1.52
  51. Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale                  1.52
  52. Laurent Lefevre (Fra) Festina                            1.52
  53. Pierre Bourquenoud (Swi) Post Swiss Team                 1.52
  54. Wladimir Belli (Ita) Festina                             1.52
  55. Andrei Kivilev (Kaz) Festina                             1.52
  56. Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal Service                  1.52
  57. Alexander Moos (Swi) Festina                             1.52
  58. José Luis Rubiera Vigil (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca         1.52
  59. Ludovic Auger (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93                     1.52
  60. Laurent Madouas (Fra) Festina                            1.52
  61. Jacky Durand (Fra) Lotto-Mobistar                        1.52
  62. Serguei Gontchar (Ukr) Vini Caldirola                    1.52
  63. Jens Voigt (Ger) Crédit Agricole                         1.52
  64. Richard Virenque (Fra) Polti                             2.50
  65. Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) Casino                        2.50
  66. Tobias Steinhauser (Ger) Mapei-Quick Step                2.50
  67. Claude Lamour (Fra) Cofidis                              2.50
  68. Max Van Heeswijk (Ned) Mapei-Quick Step                  2.50
  69. Benoît Salmon (Fra) Casino                               2.50
  70. Harald Morscher (Aut) Saeco-Cannondale                   2.50
  71. Christopher Horner (USA) La Française des Jeux           2.50
  72. Giuliano Figueras (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step                 2.50
  73. George Hincapie (USA) US Postal Service                  2.50
  74. Laurent Roux (Fra) Casino                                2.50
  75. Thierry Gouvenou (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93                  2.50
  76. Mario Traversoni (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale                  2.50
  77. Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) Casino                               3.00
  78. Francisco Andreu (USA) US Postal Service                 3.34
  79. Lauri Aus (Est) Casino                                   3.34
  80. Pascal Deramé (Fra) US Postal Service                    3.34
  81. Denis Lunghi (Ita) Polti                                11.03
  82. Guillaume Auger (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93                  11.06
  83. Daniel Atienza Urendeze (Spa) Polti                     11.06
  84. Frédéric Finot (Fra) Crédit Agricole                    11.06
  85. Christian Charriere (Swi) Post Swiss Team               11.06
  86. Marco Antonio Di Renzo (Ita) Cantina Tollo              11.06
  87. Glenn Magnusson (Swe) US Postal Service                 11.06
  88. Mirko Crepaldi (Ita) Polti                              11.06
  89. Ruggero Borghi (Ita) Vini Caldirola                     11.06
  90. Christophe Cappelle (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93              11.06
  91. Gianluca Sironi (Ita) Vini Caldirola                    11.06
  92. Guido Trentin (Ita) Vini Caldirola                      11.06
  93. Stéphane Goubert (Fra) Polti                            11.06
  94. Henk Vogels (Aus) Crédit Agricole                       11.06
  95. Christophe Agnolutto (Fra) Casino                       11.06
  96. Rossano Brasi (Ita) Polti                               11.06
  97. Eros Poli (Ita) Crédit Agricole                         17.35
  98. Kevin Livingston (USA) US Postal Service                17.35
  99. Marcus Ljungqvist (Swe) Cantina Tollo                   17.35
 100. Igor Pugaci (Mda) Saeco-Cannondale                      17.35
 101. Valentino China (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale                  17.35
 102. Matthew White (Aus) Vini Caldirola                      17.35
 103. Jay Sweet (Aus) Big Mat-Auber 93                        17.35
 104. Francisco Cabello Luque (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca        17.35
 105. Daniel Schnider (Swi) Post Swiss Team                   17.35
 106. Sven Montgomery (Swi) Post Swiss Team                   17.35
 107. Massimiliano Gentili (Ita) Cantina Tollo                17.35
 108. Cédric Fragnière (Swi) Post Swiss Team                  17.35
 109. Paolo Fornaciari (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step                 17.35
 110. Anthony Rokia (Fra) Cofidis                             17.35
 111. Andrea Brognara (Ita) Cantina Tollo                     17.35
 112. Christophe Rinero (Fra) Cofidis                         17.35
 113. Moreno Di Biase (Ita) Cantina Tollo                     17.35
 114. Mauro Zanetti (Ita) Vini Caldirola                      17.35
 115. Francisque Teyssier (Fra) Festina                       17.35
 116. Carlos Dacruz (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93                    17.35
 117. Dominique Rault (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93                  17.35
 118. José Javier Gomez (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca              17.35
 119. Massimo Giunti (Ita) Cantina Tollo                      17.35
 120. Frederic Vifian (Swi) Post Swiss Team                   17.35
 121. Javier Pascual Llorente (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca        17.35
 122. Yvan Haymoz (Swi) Post Swiss Team                       19.38
 123. Christophe Bassons (Fra) La Française des Jeux          24.58
 124. Francisco Leon Mane (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca            24.58
 125. Eduardo Hernandez Bailo (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca        24.58
 126. Aïtor Gonzalez (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca                 31.18

Abandoned:

Fabian Jeker (Swi) Festina
Mirko Celestino (Ita) Polti

Intermediate sprint 1, Valjoun, km 36:

   1. Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) Casino                                  3
   2. Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Crédit Agricole                        2
   3. Franck Vandenbroucke (Bel) Cofidis                          1

Intermediate sprint 2, Perceneige, km 90:

   1. Guillaume Auger (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93                      3
   2. Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) Casino                                  2
   3. Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Crédit Agricole                        1

Final Sprint, Sens, km 193.7:

   1. Andrei Tchmil (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                         10
   2. Markus Zberg (Swi) Rabobank                                 6
   3. Leon Van Bon (Ned) Rabobank                                 4
 
Total Sprint Bonifications (seconds):

   1. Andrei Tchmil (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                         10
   2. Markus Zberg (Swi) Rabobank                                 6
   3. Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) Casino                                  5
   4. Leon Van Bon (Ned) Rabobank                                 4
   5. Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Crédit Agricole                        3
   6. Guillaume Auger (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93                      3
   7. Franck Vandenbroucke (Bel) Cofidis                          1

GC after Stage 2 

   1. Andrei Tchmil (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                    4.52.41
   2. Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Crédit Agricole                     0.02
   3. Rolf Sorensen (Den) Rabobank                             0.17
   4. Marc Wauters (Bel) Rabobank                              0.24
   5. Axel Merckx (Bel) Mapei-Quick Step                       0.25
   6. Maarten Den Bakker (Ned) Rabobank                        0.28
   7. Erik Dekker (Ned) Rabobank                               0.29
   8. Michael Boogerd (Ned) Rabobank                           0.34
   9. Markus Zberg (Swi) Rabobank                              0.40
  10. Leon Van Bon (Ned) Rabobank                              0.45
  11. Chris Boardman (GB) Crédit Agricole                      1.55
  12. Franck Vandenbroucke (Bel) Cofidis                       2.00
  13. Philippe Gaumont (Fra) Cofidis                           2.05
  14. Frédéric Moncassin (Fra) Crédit Agricole                 2.06
  15. Serguei Gontchar (Ukr) Vini Caldirola                    2.10
  16. Stéphane Barthe (Fra) Casino                             2.13
  17. Santiago Botero Echeverry (Col) Kelme-Costa Blanca       2.14
  18. Wladimir Belli (Ita) Festina                             2.15
  19. Jacky Durand (Fra) Lotto-Mobistar                        2.16
  20. Dario Frigo (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale                       2.17
  21. Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal Service                  2.19
  22. Tyler Hamilton (USA) US Postal Service                   2.23
  23. Laurent Lefevre (Fra) Festina                            2.23
  24. Bruno Boscardin (Swi) Post Swiss Team                    2.24
  25. Thierry Marichal (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                    2.25
  26. Andrej Hauptmann (Slo) Vini Caldirola                    2.25
  27. Jens Voigt (Ger) Crédit Agricole                         2.27
  28. Emmanuel Magnien (Fra) La Française des Jeux             2.29
  29. Pascal Lino (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93                       2.29
  30. Salvatore Commesso (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale                2.31
  31. Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale                  2.32
  32. Laurent Madouas (Fra) Festina                            2.32
  33. Jo Planckaert (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                       2.33
  34. José Luis Rubiera Vigil (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca         2.33
  35. Tom Steels (Bel) Mapei-Quick Step                        2.34
  36. Peter Farazijn (Bel) Cofidis                             2.34
  37. Mario Aerts (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                         2.34
  38. Pascal Chanteur (Fra) Casino                             2.35
  39. Jean-Patrick Nazon (Fra) La Française des Jeux           2.35
  40. Peter Van Hyfte (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                     2.35
  41. Anthony Morin (Fra) La Française des Jeux                2.36
  42. Mauro Zinetti (Ita) Polti                                2.39
  43. Massimo Apollonio (Ita) Vini Caldirola                   2.39
  44. Marty Jemison (USA) US Postal Service                    2.39
  45. Gert Verheyen (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                       2.41
  46. Yvon Ledanois (Fra) La Française des Jeux                2.42
  47. Arnaud Pretot (Fra) Cofidis                              2.43
  48. Olivier Pereaudeau (Fra) Crédit Agricole                 2.43
  49. Stéphane Heulot (Fra) La Française des Jeux              2.47
  50. Jean-Cyril Robin (Fra) La Française des Jeux             2.50
  51. Ludovic Auger (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93                     2.51
  52. Andrei Kivilev (Kaz) Festina                             2.51
  53. Robbie McEwen (Aus) Rabobank                             2.52
  54. Rolf Huser (Swi) Festina                                 2.56
  55. Steve De Wolf (Bel) Cofidis                              2.57
  56. Massimiliano Mori (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale                 2.57
  57. Alexander Moos (Swi) Festina                             2.57
  58. Chann McRae (USA) Mapei-Quick Step                       2.58
  59. Oscar Cavagnis (Ita) Cantina Tollo                       3.04
  60. Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) Casino                               3.05
  61. Fabien Dewaele (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                      3.05
  62. George Hincapie (USA) US Postal Service                  3.07
  63. Bart Leysen (Bel) Mapei-Quick Step                       3.07
  64. Pierre Bourquenoud (Swi) Post Swiss Team                 3.08
  65. Guido Trenti (USA) Cantina Tollo                         3.13
  66. Christopher Horner (USA) La Française des Jeux           3.18
  67. Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) Casino                        3.19
  68. Max Van Heeswijk (Ned) Mapei-Quick Step                  3.21
  69. Richard Virenque (Fra) Polti                             3.22
  70. Giuliano Figueras (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step                 3.30
  71. Benoît Salmon (Fra) Casino                               3.31
  72. Tobias Steinhauser (Ger) Mapei-Quick Step                3.37
  73. Thierry Gouvenou (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93                  3.42
  74. Laurent Roux (Fra) Casino                                3.54
  75. Claude Lamour (Fra) Cofidis                              3.55
  76. Harald Morscher (Aut) Saeco-Cannondale                   3.56
  77. Lauri Aus (Est) Casino                                   4.00
  78. Francisco Andreu (USA) US Postal Service                 4.04
  79. Mario Traversoni (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale                  4.09
  80. Pascal Deramé (Fra) US Postal Service                    4.27
  81. Frédéric Finot (Fra) Crédit Agricole                    11.31
  82. Henk Vogels (Aus) Crédit Agricole                       11.31
  83. Rossano Brasi (Ita) Polti                               11.39
  84. Guillaume Auger (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93                  11.45
  85. Gianluca Sironi (Ita) Vini Caldirola                    11.58
  86. Denis Lunghi (Ita) Polti                                12.01
  87. Stéphane Goubert (Fra) Polti                            12.05
  88. Marco Antonio Di Renzo (Ita) Cantina Tollo              12.05
  89. Mirko Crepaldi (Ita) Polti                              12.05
  90. Glenn Magnusson (Swe) US Postal Service                 12.09
  91. Eros Poli (Ita) Crédit Agricole                         12.10
  92. Guido Trentin (Ita) Vini Caldirola                      12.14
  93. Christophe Cappelle (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93              12.15
  94. Christophe Agnolutto (Fra) Casino                       12.15
  95. Christian Charriere (Swi) Post Swiss Team               12.24
  96. Ruggero Borghi (Ita) Vini Caldirola                     12.25
  97. Daniel Atienza Urendeze (Spa) Polti                     12.45
  98. Francisque Teyssier (Fra) Festina                       17.52
  99. Francisco Cabello Luque (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca        18.04
 100. Javier Pascual Llorente (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca        18.12
 101. Daniel Schnider (Swi) Post Swiss Team                   18.28
 102. Sven Montgomery (Swi) Post Swiss Team                   18.29
 103. Matthew White (Aus) Vini Caldirola                      18.35
 104. Jay Sweet (Aus) Big Mat-Auber 93                        18.36
 105. Carlos Dacruz (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93                    18.37
 106. Kevin Livingston (USA) US Postal Service                18.39
 107. Christophe Rinero (Fra) Cofidis                         18.39
 108. Mauro Zanetti (Ita) Vini Caldirola                      18.42
 109. Valentino China (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale                  18.44
 110. Marcus Ljungqvist (Swe) Cantina Tollo                   18.44
 111. Paolo Fornaciari (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step                 18.44
 112. Dominique Rault (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93                  18.45
 113. José Javier Gomez (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca              18.49
 114. Igor Pugaci (Mda) Saeco-Cannondale                      18.52
 115. Frederic Vifian (Swi) Post Swiss Team                   18.53
 116. Anthony Rokia (Fra) Cofidis                             18.57
 117. Massimo Giunti (Ita) Cantina Tollo                      19.06
 118. Cédric Fragnière (Swi) Post Swiss Team                  19.08
 119. Massimiliano Gentili (Ita) Cantina Tollo                19.18
 120. Andrea Brognara (Ita) Cantina Tollo                     19.26
 121. Moreno Di Biase (Ita) Cantina Tollo                     19.42
 122. Yvan Haymoz (Swi) Post Swiss Team                       20.52
 123. Christophe Bassons (Fra) La Française des Jeux          25.33
 124. Francisco Leon Mane (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca            25.55
 125. Eduardo Hernandez Bailo (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca        25.58
 126. Aïtor Gonzalez (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca                 32.24

Teams:

   1. Rabobank                                             14.39.03
   2. Crédit Agricole                                      14.42.09
   3. Lotto-Mobistar                                       14.42.54
   4. Mapei-Quick Step                                     14.42.23
   5. Cofidis                                              14.44.43
   6. Festina Lotus                                        14.44.50
   7. US Postal Service                                    14.44.53
   8. Vini Caldirola                                       14.45.17
   9. La Française des Jeux                                14.45.19
  10. Saeco-Cannondale                                     14.45.23
  11. Casino                                               14.45.34
  12. Big Mat-Auber 93                                     14.46.48
  13. Post Swiss Team                                      14.55.12
  14. Team Polti                                           14.55.31
  15. Cantina Tollo-Alexia All                             14.56.13
  16. Kelme-Costa Blanca                                   15.00.50