62nd Gent-Wevelgem - Cat. 1.HCBelgium, April 5, 20001999 results Past Winners Start list Route Results PreviewThe 214 kilometre Gent-Wevelgem comes in the midst of the northern spring classics, traditionally being a midweek race between the Ronde van Vlaanderen and Paris-Roubaix. It is rated as one below a classic (HC), however it follows many of the roads that the "Ronde" uses, but is shorter by 53 kilometres. The parcourse is considerably flatter than the Ronde, containing only 4 climbs - the Monteberg and Kemmelberg, each being done twice. They come in the last 75 kilometres, and are not usually enough to enforce a selection. Thus the race is more likely to end in a bunch sprint, as a glance through the past winners list will show. Favourites for the event are likely to be the fast men: Tom Steels (Mapei) won last year, although he has not quite been in top form of late. Erik Zabel (Telekom) is probably a better bet, as he finished fourth in the Ronde on Sunday, won by Andrei Tchmil. If Tchmil manages to slip the bunch as he did last weekend, he will be very hard to catch again. Other sprinters in form include Latvian Romans Vainsteins (Vini Caldirola), Tristan Hoffman (MC J&J), Jeroen Blijlevens (Polti) and even Zbigniew Spruch (Lampre). Don't rule out Saeco's Dario Pieri either - he finished second last Sunday in a big surprise to everyone. If it doesn't come to a sprint, then maybe Johan Museeuw can take some revenge for Sunday, but he is likely to save it for Roubaix. Peter van Petegem on the other hand may be looking for a little more, and he will be strongly supported by his Farm Frites teammates Andreas Klier and Serguei Ivanov. Those favourites who aren't participating include Rolf Sorensen (Rabobank), Mario Cipollini (Saeco) and Nico Mattan (Cofidis) - the latter crashed in the Ronde and will not be able to race for at least a month. The odds: Tom Steels (Bel) 6 to 1, Zbigniew Spruch (Pol), Romans Vainsteins (Lat), and Erik Zabel (Ger) at 12 to 1, Fabio Baldato (Ita), Jeroen Blijlevens (Ned), Jaan Kirsipuu (Est), Andrei Tchmil (Bel), and Markus Zberg (Swi) at 15 to 1, Johan Museeuw (Bel) and Peter van Petegem (Bel) at 20 to 1. Teams25 teams will contest the race: Mapei (Bartoli, Museeuw, Steels, Tafi, Van Heeswijk)
RouteLocality Kms from Schedule
start (42 km/h)
GENT Citadelpark parade 11.30
Drongen Official Start 0 11.40
Merendree 6 11.48
Zomergem 11 11.55
Ursel 16 12.02
Knesselare 22 12.11
Oeselem 28 12.20
Assebroek 36 12.31
Brugge 39 12.35
Meetkerke 47 12.47
Houthave 50 12.51
Vlissegem 54 12.57
Klemskerke
Bredene 62 13.09
Oostende 65 13.13
Middelkerke 74 13.26
Westende 77 13.30
Lombardsijde 79 13.33
Nieuwpoort 80 13.35
Oostduinkerke
Wulpen
Veurne 90 13.50
Bulskamp 96 13.09
Wulveringem 100 14.04
Izenberge 103 14.09
Beveren
Stavale 110 14.19
Krombeke 113 14.23
Proven 118 14.30
Poperinge 124 14.38
Westouter 131 14.48
Loker 138 14.58
Dranouter 138 14.58
Monteberg 1st Climb
Kemmel Top 141 15.02
Kemmelberg 2nd Climb 144 15.06
De Klyte 148 15.11
Reningelst 151 15.15
Westouter 154 15.35
Loker 158 15.25
Dranouter 160 15.28
Monteberg 3rd Climb
Kemmel Top 164 15.33
Kemmelberg 4th Climb 167 15.36
Nieuwkerke 171 15.41
Wulvergem 174 15.45
Mesen 179 15.52
Wijtschate
Houtem 183 15.58
Hollebeke 185 16.02
Zandvoorde 190 16.07
Geluveld 194 16.12
Geluwe 198 16.26
Menen 203 16.26
Wevelgem 208 16.33
Finish: Vanackerstraat 214 16.42
Past Winners1934 Gustave Van Belle (Bel) 1935 Albert Debreitere (Bel) 1936 Robert Van Eenaeme (Bel) 1937 Robert Van Eenaeme (Bel) 1938 Hubert Godart (Bel) 1939 André Declerck (Bel) 1945 Robert Van Eenaeme (Bel) 1946 Ernest Sterckx (Bel) 1947 Maurice Desempelaere (Bel) 1948 Valeré Ollivier (Bel) 1949 Marcel Kint (Bel) 1950 Alberic Schotte (Bel) 1951 André Rossel (Bel) 1952 Raymond Impanis (Bel) 1953 Raymond Impanis (Bel) 1954 Rolf Graf (Swi) 1955 Alberic Schotte (Bel) 1956 Rik Van Looy (Bel) 1957 Rik Van Looy (Bel) 1958 Noél Fore (Bel) 1959 Leon Van Daele (Bel) 1960 Frans Aerenhouts (Bel) 1961 Frans Aerenhouts (Bel) 1962 Rik Van Looy (Bel) 1963 Benoni Beheyt (Bel) 1964 Jacques Anquetil (Fra) 1965 Noél De Pauw (Bel) 1966 Herman Vanspringel (Bel) 1967 Eddy Merckx (Bel) 1968 Walter Godefroot (Bel) 1969 Willy Vekenmans (Bel) 1970 Eddy Merckx (Bel) 1971 Georges Pintens (Bel) 1972 Roger Swerts (Bel) 1973 Eddy Merckx (Bel) 1974 Barry Hoban (GB) 1975 Freddy Maertens (Bel) 1976 Freddy Maertens (Bel) 1977 Bernard Hinault (Fra) 1978 Ferdinand Van den Haute (Bel) 1979 Francesco Moser (Ita) 1980 Henk Lubberding (Ned) 1981 Jan Raas (Ned) 1982 Frank Hoste (Bel) 1983 Teun Van Vliet (Ned) 1984 Guido Bontempi (Ita) 1985 Eric Vanderaerden (Bel) 1986 Guido Bontempi (Ita) 1987 Teun Van Vliet (Ned) 1988 Sean Kelly (Ire) 1989 Gerrit Solleveld (Ned) 1990 Herman Frison (Bel) 1991 Djamolidine Abduschaparov (Usb) 1992 Mario Cipollini (Ita) 1993 Mario Cipollini (Ita) 1994 Wilfried Peeters (Bel) 1995 Lars Michaelsen (Den) 1996 Tom Steels (Bel) 1997 Philippe Gaumont (Fra) 1998 Frank Vandenbroucke (Bel) Mapei-Bricobi 208 kms in 5.21.21 1999 Tom Steels (Bel) Mapei-Quick Step 208 kms in 5.15.53 Past winners kept up to date by Mario Stiehl, Berlin |