News for April 17, 2001

Paris-Roubaix: classic material?

By Jeff Jones

War torn Hell
Photo: © Sirrotti

After the muddiest edition since 1994, many fans came away from the 99th Paris-Roubaix feeling as though they witnessed yet another epic running of the Hell of the North. The conditions add so much to this race, so that despite the reduced distance, there was enough mud on the first sector of pavé at Troisvilles to liberally cover the peloton.

In contrast to previous years, the race almost decided at this early stage, as the bunch split into several groups. There was no subsequent regrouping as can often happen - it could more accurately be described as a gradual shredding as one by one, the leaders succumbed to falls, punctures, mud, and the strength of Domo-Farm Frites.

For some fans and critics, the latter actually detracted from the race because of their "Domo-nation". With four riders in the leading bunch, there was almost no possibility of defeat unless the pavé claimed them all. In the final 20 kilometres, the situation became impossible for Ludo Dierckxsens and George Hincapie, who weren't exactly working together but it wouldn't have mattered if they did.

So it became a question of which Domo rider would win, and how much of the podium they could fill. In the end, they succeeded in virtually covering it with Domo carpet, giving former Mapei chief Patrick Lefevere's fourth clean sweep in this race.

Paris-Roubaix results

Some comments from Museeuw

The Lion of Flanders
Photo: © Sirrotti

Johan Museeuw finished second behind his Domo teammate Servais Knaven in Paris-Roubaix, after attacking in the final 2 kilometres. He dominated the breakaway bunch in second wheel, daring one of the others to attack. He looked a little disappointed not to win, but that was the way it was played out.

"After all the criticism that has been poured over us in the previous races, we have proven that we have the last word. If people don't want to believe that we had a strong team, that's their choice, but today we proved the opposite."

"Did you see how fantastic Wilfried Peeters has ridden? Did you see how strong I myself was? Without five punctures [so much for the 'cross tires...], I would have had my third win today in the Roubaix velodrome. Bad luck decided otherwise.

Luckily, the team did win with Servais Knaven. If not, we would have been criticised again. The last few days, it was written that this was our last chance in "The Hell", but we grabbed that with both hands."

He was full of praise for bike sponsor Eddy Merckx, but not for his former sponsor Colnago: "He [Merckx] has given us a bike that's a lot better than the one that Colango has given us for the last few years."

Source: Gazet van Antwerpen

Paris-Camembert: Armstrong continues in France

Tomorrow's 62nd edition of the Paris-Camembert (208 km) will see Lance Armstrong continue his racing campaign in France. Armstrong finished second in this race last year behind Didier Rous, and has spent the last week racing on French soil in the Circuit Cycliste de la Sarthe, where he finished 25th.

The parcours of this semi-classic is largely situated in Nomandy, and passes close to Camembert before finishing in Vimoutiers. The main difficulties are the Cote de Canapville (9%, crossed 3 times), Cote de Roiville (10%, twice), the Cote de Moulin (16%, once) and the 17% Mur des Champeaux, 16 kilometres from the end. The latter is expected to provide the final selection.

The start is in Magnanville at 11:00, and the riders are expected to finish in Vimoutiers around 16:00

The teams are as follows: Cofidis (Moncoutié, Millar), Fakta (Sunderland), Festina, Française des Jeux, AG2R, Crédit Agricole (Julich), Bonjour (Rous, Robin, Simon), Jean Delatour (Brochard, Halgand), BigMat (Heulot), Saint-Quentin, US Postal (Armstrong), Mercury, Lotto, Collstrop, Post Swiss, Flanders.

65th/4th Flèche Wallonne/Waalse Pijl

Round four of the Women's World Cup will coincide on Wednesday, April 18, with the 65th running of the men's Flèche Wallonne (Waalse Pijl). The men will race 198 kilometres, including three times up the Mur de Huy, while the women will do 93.5 kilometres, also finishing on the famous wall in Huy. The schedule is timed so that the women finish just before the men, with the aim of raising the prestige and popularity of women's cycling.

There have only been three fast editions of the women's event, won by Fabiana Luperini, Hanka Kupfernagel and Geneviève Jeanson. The parcours is probably the hilliest of the World Cups, and last year Geneviève Jeanson rode impressively to beat Pia Sundstedt and Fany Lecourtois on the final climb.

Jeanson will not be present this year, although Kupfernagel and Luperini will both be trying for a second win. So too will World Cup leader Anna Millward (Saturn) and her main challenger so far, Mirjam Melchers (Acca Due O). The finish doesn't exactly suit Millward, but she will be there aiming for at least some World Cup points after missing the last round in Italy.

The men's race is considered important for tuning the form for Liege-Bastogne-Liege on the following Sunday, as well as being a prestigious race in its own right. The weather is fairly unpreditcable at this time of year - sometimes it can be warm, but more often than not it is cold and occasionally snows.

Laurent Jalabert (CSC-World Online) will make his much awaited return to competition in La Fleche Wallonne, as well as the "reborn" Frank Vandenbroucke (Lampre-Daikin). Saeco Macchine per Caffe were hopinh to have Mirko Celestino ready for the event, but he is currently suffering from 'flu, and will not ride. He hopes to ride Liege-Bastogne-Liege on Sunday.

Saeco will race with Laurent Dufaux, Paolo Savoldelli, Fabio Sacchi, Oscar Cavagnis, Igor Pugaci, Pavel Padrnos and Saulius Sabaliauskas.

Freire treated back home

The season of 1999 World Champion Oscar Freire has still not started, despite spending two months in Italy in an attempt to fix his back problem. He has returned home to Sevilla with no solution to the problem that prevents him from training for more than two hours due to the pain.

He is now undergoing two rehab sessions per day, mixed in between his limited training. The first session is aimed at relaxing him enough to get on the bike, while the second is a recovery session. So far, so good as after each day's training he has almost completely recovered, and was able to ride three hours yesterday.