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, 214 kms:
  • Stage 4 - Nevers - Vichy, 204.8 kms:
  • Stage 5 - Cusset - Firminy, 187 kms:
  • Stage 6 - Romans sur Isere - Sisteron, 211 kms:
  • Stage 7 - Sisteron - Valberg, 198 kms:
  • Stage 8 - Nice - Nice, 157 kms:

Stage 8, Nice - Nice, 157 kms:

After the great stage to Valberg yesterday, the last stage placed less demands on the 105 riders still in the race. The parcours took them across the rolling countryside around Nice with the major difficulty being the climb of the Col de Vence. The riders decided, it seemed, to take advantage of the weather and beautiful scenery. The first hour saw an average speed of only 26.2 km/h. At km 31, Virenque, still on a high after yesterday's second place, laid down a brutal attack and only Laurent Roux was able to go with him.

The peloton reacted quickly. Vandenbroucke, Boogerd first, then Zberg, Figueras and Botero took up the challenge. All with top positions on GC to protect. After an initial gap of 20 seconds was opened by the pair by km 33 it was down to 8 seconds and soon after the move was over. The peloton passed over the summit of the Col de Vence together (km 36). On the descent a major move was made. Eros Poli, Moos, Gouvenou and Gaumont took a 10 second gap quickly with some very daring descending. But by the 54 kms mark the peloton brought the race back together.

A series of attacks went after that but none seemed committed to see it through. Huser then Brognara then Lunghi all tried without success. The teams with the big sprinters were controlling the stage and were thinking now about the arrival on the Promenade des Anglais - for the final sprint.

As the peloton arrived back on the coast the riders faced 7 laps of a finishing circuit. A major attack went away with Sironi, Lefevre, and Dominique Rault taking a lead of 10 seconds (at km 108), then 20 seconds (km 110). At the sprint for time bonifications (km 117) VDB came from no-where to win in front of Gaumont, Lefevre and Rault. VDB took a 3 second bonus and secured 4th place on GC. Satisfied with that he dropped back to the peloton.

At 122 kms the 4 riders in front (Sironi, Lefevre, Gaumont, and Rault) had a lead of 58 seconds. But the Mapei team (of Steels) was restless and they started to work towards the end. The second time bonification sprint came with Sironi, then Gaumont then Lefevre taking the prizes. The leading group was caught with 10 kms to go. Gontchar tried his hand at the 8 kms to go mark but was quickly nullified. The Mapei-Quick Step team was now demonstrating awesome power on the front of the peloton which was moving quickly to the cheers of a huge crowd. Steels didn't let them down.

The Dutch rider Michael Boogerd confirmed his rise in the peloton by taking the overall in this very important race. Rabobank dominated the teams classification. The last Paris-Nice for the century was a victory for the youthful riders.

Stage Results

   1. Tom Steels (Bel) Mapei-Quick Step                     4.06.41 (38.187 km/h)
   2. Harald Morscher (Aut) Saeco-Cannondale
   3. Glenn Magnusson (Swe) US Postal Service
   4. Jo Planckaert (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar
   5. Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Crédit Agricole
   6. Olivier Pereaudeau (Fra) Crédit Agricole
   7. Henk Vogels (Aus) Crédit Agricole
   8. Rossano Brasi (Ita) Polti
   9. Massimiliano Mori (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale
  10. Guido Trenti (USA) Cantina Tollo
  11. Christophe Cappelle (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93
  12. Andrej Hauptmann (Slo) Vini Caldirola
  13. Emmanuel Magnien (Fra) La Française des Jeux
  14. Giuliano Figueras (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step
  15. Mauro Zinetti (Ita) Polti
  16. Fabien Dewaele (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar
  17. Lauri Aus (Est) Casino
  18. Salvatore Commesso (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale
  19. Rolf Huser (Swi) Festina
  20. Claude Lamour (Fra) Cofidis
  21. Andrei Kivilev (Kaz) Festina
  22. Ludovic Auger (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93
  23. Stéphane Barthe (Fra) Casino
  24. Mirko Crepaldi (Ita) Polti
  25. Moreno Di Biase (Ita) Cantina Tollo
  26. Alexander Moos (Swi) Festina
  27. Carlos Dacruz (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93
  28. Mario Aerts (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar
  29. Matthew White (Aus) Vini Caldirola
  30. Daniel Schnider (Swi) Post Swiss Team
  31. Markus Zberg (Swi) Rabobank
  32. Oscar Cavagnis (Ita) Cantina Tollo
  33. Thierry Gouvenou (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93
  34. Guillaume Auger (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93
  35. Gert Verheyen (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar
  36. Marco Antonio Di Renzo (Ita) Cantina Tollo
  37. Jay Sweet (Aus) Big Mat-Auber 93
  38. George Hincapie (USA) US Postal Service
  39. Andrei Tchmil (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar
  40. Pascal Lino (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93
  41. Paolo Fornaciari (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step
  42. Sven Montgomery (Swi) Post Swiss Team
  43. Stéphane Goubert (Fra) Polti
  44. Michael Boogerd (Ned) Rabobank
  45. Wladimir Belli (Ita) Festina
  46. Pierre Bourquenoud (Swi) Post Swiss Team
  47. Erik Dekker (Ned) Rabobank
  48. Frederic Vifian (Swi) Post Swiss Team
  49. Laurent Roux (Fra) Casino
  50. Ruggero Borghi (Ita) Vini Caldirola
  51. Dario Frigo (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale
  52. Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale
  53. Santiago Botero Echeverry (Col) Kelme-Costa Blanca
  54. Franck Vandenbroucke (Bel) Cofidis
  55. Richard Virenque (Fra) Polti
  56. Steve De Wolf (Bel) Cofidis
  57. Marc Wauters (Bel) Rabobank
  58. Tyler Hamilton (USA) US Postal Service
  59. Peter Van Hyfte (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar
  60. Stéphane Heulot (Fra) La Française des Jeux
  61. Jens Voigt (Ger) Crédit Agricole
  62. Chann McRae (USA) Mapei-Quick Step
  63. Daniel Atienza Urendeze (Spa) Polti
  64. Axel Merckx (Bel) Mapei-Quick Step
  65. Peter Farazijn (Bel) Cofidis
  66. Christophe Agnolutto (Fra) Casino
  67. Chris Boardman (GB) Crédit Agricole
  68. Christian Charriere (Swi) Post Swiss Team
  69. Rolf Sorensen (Den) Rabobank
  70. Anthony Morin (Fra) La Française des Jeux
  71. Arnaud Pretot (Fra) Cofidis
  72. Serguei Gontchar (Ukr) Vini Caldirola
  73. Javier Pascual Llorente (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca
  74. Cédric Fragnière (Swi) Post Swiss Team
  75. Thierry Marichal (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar
  76. Marcus Ljungqvist (Swe) Cantina Tollo
  77. Frédéric Finot (Fra) Crédit Agricole
  78. José Luis Rubiera Vigil (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca
  79. Francisco Leon Mane (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca
  80. Andrea Brognara (Ita) Cantina Tollo
  81. Kevin Livingston (USA) US Postal Service
  82. Philippe Gaumont (Fra) Cofidis
  83. Dominique Rault (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93
  84. Gianluca Sironi (Ita) Vini Caldirola
  85. Maarten Den Bakker (Ned) Rabobank
  86. Guido Trentin (Ita) Vini Caldirola
  87. Denis Lunghi (Ita) Polti
  88. Marty Jemison (USA) US Postal Service
  89. Bruno Boscardin (Swi) Post Swiss Team
  90. Benoît Salmon (Fra) Casino
  91. Laurent Lefevre (Fra) Festina
  92. Jean-Cyril Robin (Fra) La Française des Jeux
  93. Max Van Heeswijk (Ned) Mapei-Quick Step
  94. Laurent Madouas (Fra) Festina
  95. Leon Van Bon (Ned) Rabobank
  96. Tobias Steinhauser (Ger) Mapei-Quick Step
  97. Massimo Apollonio (Ita) Vini Caldirola
  98. Bart Leysen (Bel) Mapei-Quick Step                       0.16
  99. Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal Service                  0.20
 100. Eros Poli (Ita) Crédit Agricole                          0.24
 101. Igor Pugaci (Mda) Saeco-Cannondale                       0.34
 102. Christopher Horner (USA) La Française des Jeux           1.12
 103. Francisco Cabello Luque (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca         4.22
 
Abandoned:

José Javier Gomez (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca
Francisque Teyssier (Fra) Festina

Final GC after Stage 8

   1. Michael Boogerd (Ned) Rabobank                       36.04.13
   2. Markus Zberg (Swi) Rabobank                              0.57
   3. Santiago Botero Echeverry (Col) Kelme-Costa Blanca       1.38
   4. Franck Vandenbroucke (Bel) Cofidis                       2.10
   5. Marc Wauters (Bel) Rabobank                              2.13
   6. Maarten Den Bakker (Ned) Rabobank                        2.14
   7. Dario Frigo (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale                       2.30
   8. Wladimir Belli (Ita) Festina                             2.32
   9. Jens Voigt (Ger) Crédit Agricole                         2.37
  10. Gert Verheyen (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                       2.58
  11. Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale                  3.22
  12. Giuliano Figueras (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step                 3.32
  13. Axel Merckx (Bel) Mapei-Quick Step                       3.35
  14. Richard Virenque (Fra) Polti                             3.45
  15. Stéphane Heulot (Fra) La Française des Jeux              4.41
  16. Steve De Wolf (Bel) Cofidis                              4.42
  17. Andrei Kivilev (Kaz) Festina                             4.56
  18. Jean-Cyril Robin (Fra) La Française des Jeux             6.11
  19. Andrei Tchmil (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                       6.31
  20. Laurent Roux (Fra) Casino                                6.48
  21. Peter Farazijn (Bel) Cofidis                             7.23
  22. Anthony Morin (Fra) La Française des Jeux                7.59
  23. Mario Aerts (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                         8.58
  24. Benoît Salmon (Fra) Casino                               9.53
  25. Tobias Steinhauser (Ger) Mapei-Quick Step               10.08
  26. Thierry Marichal (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                   12.00
  27. Pascal Lino (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93                      12.04
  28. Marty Jemison (USA) US Postal Service                   12.14
  29. Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Crédit Agricole                    12.24
  30. Rolf Huser (Swi) Festina                                12.31
  31. Chann McRae (USA) Mapei-Quick Step                      12.33
  32. Oscar Cavagnis (Ita) Cantina Tollo                      12.39
  33. Pierre Bourquenoud (Swi) Post Swiss Team                12.43
  34. José Luis Rubiera Vigil (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca        17.36
  35. George Hincapie (USA) US Postal Service                 17.38
  36. Guido Trentin (Ita) Vini Caldirola                      18.45
  37. Peter Van Hyfte (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                    20.14
  38. Ruggero Borghi (Ita) Vini Caldirola                     21.59
  39. Fabien Dewaele (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                     23.46
  40. Olivier Pereaudeau (Fra) Crédit Agricole                24.33
  41. Lauri Aus (Est) Casino                                  24.37
  42. Dominique Rault (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93                  25.38
  43. Erik Dekker (Ned) Rabobank                              25.53
  44. Francisco Cabello Luque (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca        27.35
  45. Sven Montgomery (Swi) Post Swiss Team                   28.14
  46. Bruno Boscardin (Swi) Post Swiss Team                   28.46
  47. Stéphane Goubert (Fra) Polti                            29.46
  48. Philippe Gaumont (Fra) Cofidis                          30.01
  49. Daniel Atienza Urendeze (Spa) Polti                     30.26
  50. Salvatore Commesso (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale               30.34
  51. Stéphane Barthe (Fra) Casino                            33.32
  52. Emmanuel Magnien (Fra) La Française des Jeux            33.54
  53. Ludovic Auger (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93                    36.59
  54. Rolf Sorensen (Den) Rabobank                            38.16
  55. Claude Lamour (Fra) Cofidis                             40.04
  56. Alexander Moos (Swi) Festina                            45.36
  57. Laurent Madouas (Fra) Festina                           46.24
  58. Serguei Gontchar (Ukr) Vini Caldirola                   47.15
  59. Arnaud Pretot (Fra) Cofidis                             47.31
  60. Henk Vogels (Aus) Crédit Agricole                       47.54
  61. Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal Service                 48.09
  62. Christophe Cappelle (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93              48.20
  63. Denis Lunghi (Ita) Polti                                49.28
  64. Harald Morscher (Aut) Saeco-Cannondale                  51.05
  65. Christopher Horner (USA) La Française des Jeux          51.23
  66. Massimo Apollonio (Ita) Vini Caldirola                  52.42
  67. Cédric Fragnière (Swi) Post Swiss Team                  52.46
  68. Max Van Heeswijk (Ned) Mapei-Quick Step                 53.22
  69. Thierry Gouvenou (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93                 53.31
  70. Andrej Hauptmann (Slo) Vini Caldirola                   55.21
  71. Jo Planckaert (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                      55.53
  72. Mauro Zinetti (Ita) Polti                               56.02
  73. Massimiliano Mori (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale                56.20
  74. Tyler Hamilton (USA) US Postal Service                  56.53
  75. Guido Trenti (USA) Cantina Tollo                        57.26
  76. Tom Steels (Bel) Mapei-Quick Step                       57.36
  77. Javier Pascual Llorente (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca        57.43
  78. Daniel Schnider (Swi) Post Swiss Team                   57.45
  79. Leon Van Bon (Ned) Rabobank                             57.58
  80. Kevin Livingston (USA) US Postal Service                58.10
  81. Marco Antonio Di Renzo (Ita) Cantina Tollo              58.19
  82. Laurent Lefevre (Fra) Festina                           59.20
  83. Christian Charriere (Swi) Post Swiss Team             1.00.02
  84. Francisco Leon Mane (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca          1.02.04
  85. Chris Boardman (GB) Crédit Agricole                   1.02.42
  86. Gianluca Sironi (Ita) Vini Caldirola                  1.07.07
  87. Paolo Fornaciari (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step               1.08.08
  88. Bart Leysen (Bel) Mapei-Quick Step                    1.10.01
  89. Frédéric Finot (Fra) Crédit Agricole                  1.10.05
  90. Rossano Brasi (Ita) Polti                             1.10.13
  91. Mirko Crepaldi (Ita) Polti                            1.10.39
  92. Christophe Agnolutto (Fra) Casino                     1.10.49
  93. Jay Sweet (Aus) Big Mat-Auber 93                      1.11.02
  94. Frederic Vifian (Swi) Post Swiss Team                 1.11.05
  95. Matthew White (Aus) Vini Caldirola                    1.12.12
  96. Glenn Magnusson (Swe) US Postal Service               1.15.01
  97. Carlos Dacruz (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93                  1.17.07
  98. Guillaume Auger (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93                1.20.18
  99. Andrea Brognara (Ita) Cantina Tollo                   1.20.53
 100. Marcus Ljungqvist (Swe) Cantina Tollo                 1.23.27
 101. Eros Poli (Ita) Crédit Agricole                       1.25.26
 102. Igor Pugaci (Mda) Saeco-Cannondale                    1.26.04
 103. Oscar Cavagnis (Ita) Cantina Tollo                    1.26.20