53rd Course de la Paix/Friedensfahrt/Peace Race - 2.4

Czech Republic, May 5-13, 2000

Stage 1 - May 5: Hanover - Hannover, 177 km

Wesemann wins stage one in a tight finish

Stage one of the 53rd Peace Race ended in victory - just - for the race's 4-time winner, Steffen Wesemann of Telekom. It came down to a bunch sprint, and team Telekom did their job to lead out Wesemann for the win. In second place was Uwe Ampler's Bunte Berte Leipzig teammate, Andre Schulze who couldn't quite manage to get by Wesemann as the stage came down to a photo finish. In third was Alessio's Massimo Strazzer.

Earlier in the day, a three man breakaway had made an attempt to steal the thunder of Wesemann and his purple, white and black clad guard. Jans Koerts (Farm Frites), Rik Reinerink (Bankgiroloterij) and Marcin Lewandowski (Legia Bazyliszek) escaped at the 30 kilometre point (the first mountain prime) and quickly managed a gap of a minute, which grew to eight minutes at the 125 kilometre point.

With 50 kilometres to go, Telekom predictably began the chase and the three were caught at kilometre 160 (17 to go). After this, no further attacks were allowed and the race finished in Hannover in a bunch sprint, won by Wesemann.

Tomorrow's stage is 167 kilometres from Wolfsburg to Wernigerode.

Results

1. Steffen Wesemann (Ger) Deutsche Telekom	4.02.09 (43.86 km/h)
2. Andre Schulze (Ger) Bunte Berte
3. Massimo Strazzer (Ita) Alessio
4. Sören Petersen (Den) Team Cologne
5. Andreas Beikirch (Ger) Agro Adler Brandenburg
6. Simone Zucci (Ita) Atlas Lukulus Ambra
7. Milan Erzen (Slo) KRKA Telekom
8. Petr Herman (Cze) PSK Unit Expert
9. Piotr Wadecki (Pol) Mróz-Supradyn Witamin
10. Gerben Löwik (Ned) Farm Frites
11. Gunnadi Mikhailov (Ned) Farm Frites      
...
15. Lubos Kejval (Cze) PSK Unit Expert
17. Lubor Tesar (Cze) PSK Unit Expert
23. Ondrej Fadrny (Cze) Czech U23
26. David Kupka (Cze) Czech U23
27. Petr Bencik (Cze) Wustenrot-ZVVZ
28. Steven Kleynen (Bel) Farm Frites      
30. Bram Schmitz (Ned) Farm Frites
33. Richard Faltus (Cze) Wustenrot-ZVVZ
40. Uwe Ampler (Ger) Bunte Berte Leipzig
105. Dirk Ronellenfitsch (Ger) Farm Frites
126. Jans Koerts (Ned) Farm Frites 

General classification after stage 1:

1. Steffen Wesemann (Ger) Telekom
2. Maciej Lewandowski (Pol) Legia Warsawa-Siemens
3. Andre Schulze (Ger) Bunte Berte Leipzig
4. Massimo Strazzer (Ita) Alessio
5. Sören Petersen (Den) Cologne

Points classification:

1. Maciej Lewandowski (Pol) Legia Warsawa-Siemens

Mountains classification:

1. Jans Koerts (Ned) Farm Frites