Results and Reports for Sept 19Grand Prix des NationsHonchar, Wilson claim titles; Streel fails testAt Forges-Les-Eaux for the Grand Prix des Nations, the Ukrainian Serguei Honchar won the mens individual time trial, while Australia's Anna Wilson claimed the womens event. The Ukrainian averaged over 48 kmh to complete the 71 kilometre course in 1.28.40, with Britain's Chris Boardman finishing in second only six seconds behind. Germany's Jen Voigt was third at 32 seconds. Anna Wilson finished the 35.5 km course in 48 minutes 41 seconds at an average speed of 43.752 km/h, beating France's Jeannie Longo by 29 seconds, while Elizabeth Emery of the US was third and Marion Clignet (France) finished fourth, in front of Germany's Hanka Kupfernagel. In fact, Australian women filled four of the top 10 positions, with Tracey Gaudry, Kathy Watt and Kristy Scrymgeour in in 6th, 7th and 8th, respectively. For Honchar, the vistory was something of revenge, as he was barred from entering the Tour of Switzerland in June because of a high hematocrit reading. Speaking of failing blood tests and tainted results, recently crowned Belgian individual time trial champion Marc Streel (from Danish team Home Jack and Jones) was prevented from starting and given a two-week holiday by the UCI after failing the hematocrit level blood test prior to the start of the Grand Prix des Nations. Streel had been in form recently, winning both the national ITT and the Cat 1.5, Zomergem-Adinkerke race in Belgium on September 10. In the Belgian race, Streel finished alone, one and a half minutes ahead of a chasing trio of St Quentin's Michel Thilloy, Finnish amateur Jukka Heinikainen and Bert Rosems, while Matt Gilmore came in fifth another 27 seconds later. Prior to the start of the GP des Nations, some 22 riders including four U21, four U18 and one woman were tested. Streel was the only rider disqualified. 1 Serguei Honchar (Ukr) Vini Caldirola 1.28.40 (48.045 km/h) 2 Chris Boardman (GBR) Crédit Agricole 0.06 3 Jens Voigt (Ger) Crédit Agricole 0.32 4 Beat Zberg (Sui) 1.38 5 Gilles Maignan (Fra) 1.43 6 Michael Rich (Ger) 2.23 7 Christophe Moreau (Fra) 3.06 8 Arturas Kasputis (Lit) 3.20 9 Alberto Martinez (Esp) 3.21 10 Brad McGee (Aus) 3.54 11 Frédéric Finot (Fra) 4.45 12 Bart Voskamp (Ned) 5.13 13 Laszlo Bodrogi (Hun) 5.35 14 Chris Newton (GBR) 5.42 15 Guillaume Auger (Fra) 6.04 16 Floyd Landis (USA) 6.16 17 Francisque Teyssier (Fra) 6.39 18 Laurent Genty (Fra) 7.09 19 Uwe Peschel (Ger) 7.20 20 Stéphane Delimauges (Fra) 7.54 Women (35.5km) 1 Anna Wilson (Aus) 48.41 (43.752 km/h) 2 Jeannie Longo (Fra) 0.29 3 Elizabeth Emery (USA) 0.40 4 Marion Clignet (Fra) 1.03 5 Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) 1.17 6 Tracey Gaudry (Aus) 1.34 7 Kathryn Watt (Aus) 1.57 8 Kristy Scrymgeour (Aus) 2.01 9 Géraldine Loewenguth (Fra) 2.51 10 Nicole Brandli (Sui) 3.15 Espoirs (35.5km) 1 Sandro Guttinger (Sui) 45.16 (47.054 km/h) 2 Christian Poos (Lux) 0.53 3 Marcel Duyn (PBS) 0.56 4 David Derepas (Fra) 1.08 5 Bradley Wiggins (GBR) 1.26 6 Fabrice Salanson (Fra) 1.36 7 Ivan Gutierrez (Esp) 1.48 8 Thue Houlberg (Dan) 2.00 9 Mathew Hayman (Aus) 2.08 10 Kris Ingeby (Swe) 2.15 Junior men (35.5km) 1 Bobby Traksel (Ned) 46.43 (45.594 km/h) 2 Fabian Cancallara (Sui) 0.03 3 Jean Zen (Fra) 1.19 4 Rémy Quignon (Fra) 2.01 5 Johan Vansummeren (Bel) 2.15 Barbero wins Giro Del LazioAt Italian Sergio Barbero won the 65th Giro del Lazio on Saturday in a solo attack. He finished four seconds ahead of fellow Italian Francesco Casagrande, with Russian Dmitri Konychev taking third. Ivan Gotti was forced to retire due to an accident. The former Giro d'Italia winner crashed at the 140km point at Rocca Priora along with Denis Lunghi. Although he was not serious injured, Gotti retired while Lunghi continued. Prior to the start, Italian riders Frigo and Cariulo were disqualified due to high hematocrit levels. Results from the 65th Giro di Lazio, September 18, 206 km 1. Sergio Barbero (Ita) Mercatone Uno 5.20:00 (38,625 km/h) 2. Francesco Casagrande (Ita) Vini Caldirola +0:04 3. Dimitri Konyshev (Rus) Mercatone Uno 4. Serguei Lelekin (Rus) 5. Mirko Celestino (Ita) 6. Dario Frigo (Ita) 7. Marco Serpellini (Ita) 8. Marcello Siboni (Ita) 9. Luca Mazzanti (Ita) 10. Mauro Zanetti (Ita)
Russian double win chaotic Trophee des Alpes Tomas Nillson reports that when the riders in this French-Italian race reached San Remo the skies opened and the rain washed, no drowned, the roads. Sight zero, water fountaining from the sewage system, clay on the roads made it difficult for cyclists and service cars to stay on the road. A group of 25 riders went clear at the day's hardest 15 km climb. Finally two Russians, Gainitdinov and Skeptan, got away and held off the Italian Dondoglio at 42 seconds. Trophee des Alpes, Cat 1.6, France/Italy, September 16 Nice-Cuneo, 200 kms 1. Dimitri Gainitdinov (Rus) Russia 5.21.11 2. Kostantin Skeptan (Rus) GS Brecialat 3. Maurizio Dondoglio (Ita) GS Brunero 0.42 Criterium d'Abruzzo Current Olympic champion Pascal Richard won the 33rd Criterium dâAbruzzo. For the 35 year old Swiss it was a double celebration, because he rides for Mobilvetta-Northwave which is based in Abruzzo. The demanding race has 121 starters and only 25 finishers. The first selection came at 90 km when eleven riders attacked (Ortenzi, Ragnetti, Pavi, Marzoli, Puglioli, Bracci, Siboni, Richard, Mazzanti, R. Ongarato & De Pasquale), and at 130 km Ortenzi & Mazzanti took off with Puglioli & Richard following after them and forming a quartet. On the last ascent into Chieti Richard & Ortenzi left the breakaway companions. Ortenzi tried to free himself from Richard, but the Swiss controlled him and easily beat him in a straight finish, with a slight slope. Richard was obviously happy: "It was a very long and tough race and this could cost me on the eve of the Lazio race. But since I'm in form I'm counting on having a good end of the season.". Twenty three year old Ortenzi, neo pro for Mercatone Uno-Bianchi, is still looking for his first win: "I already finished second at Cecchi Gori. Sooner or later I will make my mark. I tried leaving Richard, knowing that he was faster, but he responded big." Criterium d'Abruzzo 214 km, AVS 38.83 kmh 1. Pascal Richard (Swi) Mobilvetta-Nothwave 5.28.16 2. Ortenzi .01 3. Mazzanti .53 4. Puglioli 1.00 5. Caravaggio 3.00 6. Siboni 7. Patuelli 3.13 8. Calzolari 9. Sgambelluri 10. Frattini |