International Hessen Rundfahrt, Cat 2.5

Germany, September 27 - Oct 3, 1999

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Stage 4 - Baunatal - Homberg (Efze) , 170.5 kms

Report:

Torsten Schmidt (Team Chicky World) won the fourth stage of the Hessen Rundfahrt while Allan Johansen, also from the Danish team, holds a one second lead in the general classification over the Russian, Eduard Gritsoun (Team Gerolsteiner).

Schmidt escaped from the bunch with the 22 year old Italian, Denis Lunghi and finished 1.41 in front of the chasing bunch, lead home by Georg Totschnig (Aut). Schmidt, who did not want to lead the break because he felt "tired", nevertheless had the legs to take sprint. After the stage the 27 year old said "I had a good season start and found a good season end. For the world championship I do not have the necessary motivation".

Friday's stage saw a massive split in the bunch, with a group of 29 riders forming the lead group after the first mountains. At the end of the stage, the peloton was some 40 minutes behind the scheduled finish time.

The race should be decided on Saturday's tough day of racing, with a 118.5 km road stage in the morning from Homberg (Efze) to Battenberg (Eder), and then a 32.5 km individual time trial in the afternoon. In fact, there are nine riders all within 33 seconds of the leader, leaving the race wide open and set for a very tense day of racing.

Results: 

Stage 4

Baunatal - Homberg (Efze), 176,50 km, AVS 40.24 kmh

1. Torsten Schmidt (Ger) Team Chicky World     04.23.11 
2. Dennis Lunghi (Ita) Team Polti  
3. Patrik Köhler Agro-Adler                       01.41
4. Rico Schmidt (Ger) Peugeot Berlin              01.41
5. Bert Scheirlinckx (Bel) TVM-Farm Frites        02.10
6. Eduard Gritsoun (Rus) Team Gerolsteiner        03.30

General classification after Stage 4

1.  Allan Johanssen (Den) Team Chicky World     17.19.10
2.  Eduard Gritsoun (Rus) Team Gerolsteiner          .01
3.  Georg Totschnig (Aut) Austria                    .21
4   Mauro Zinetti (Ita) Team Polti                   .22
5.  Ole Sigurd Simensen (Nor) Agro Adler Brandenburg .23
6.  Jens Zemke (Ger) Team Nürnberger                 .24
7.  Heinrich Trumheller (Ger) Die Continental        .24
8.  Florian Wiesinger (Aut) Austria                  .24
9.  Jörn Reuss (Ger) Team Nürnberger                 .33
10. Michael Schlickau (Ger) Germany                04.34
11. Kurt Schwarzlmüller (Aut) Austria              07.50
12. Dennis Lunghi (Ita) Team Polti                 16.21

Sprints, white jersey:
Olaf Pollack, Germany

Points:
Ole Sigurd Simensen, Agro Adler Brandenburg