53rd Grand Prix du Midi-Libre - 2.1France, May 22-27, 20012000 results Stage list Preview Start list Past winners Stages
PreviewNamed after the newspaper of the same name, the Grand Prix du Midi-Libre will see top French riders Didier Rous (Bonjour) and Laurent Jalabert (CSC) take part. Starting in Gruissan on Tuesday, May 22, with a 181.5 km stage to Saint-Cyprien, the six day stage race will cover just under 1000 kilometres. Stage 3's 19 kilometre time trial in Montpellier is followed by a tough climbing stage on Friday from Pont-du-Gard to Laissac (209 km). There is also the Col de la Croix-Neuve in Saturday's stage 5 to Mende. Both Rous and Jalabert are former winners of the event, and Rous is currently enjoying some excellent form after winning the Four Days of Dunkirk recently (Jalabert was second). Rous' directeur sportif, Jean-Rene Bernaudeau, won the Midi Libre four times in a row (1980-1984), and will provide some useful information as to the nature of the race. David Moncoutie (Cofidis), Erik Dekker (Rabobank - back after a rest), Laurent Brochard and Patrice Halgand (Jean Delatour) are also riders to watch in this hilly race, which is often run in quite warm weather. Some riders will be using it to find form for the Tour, including Festina's Christophe Moreau, Lampre's Frank Vandenbroucke and Telekom's Alexandre Vinokourov. Start ListAG2R BigMat-Auber Bonjour Cofidis Crédit Agricole Festina Jean Delatour Française des Jeux iBanesto.com Euskaltel Collstrop CSC-WorldOnline Fassa Bortolo Lampre-Daikin Mercury Rabobank Telekom Past Winners2000 Didier Rous (Fra) Bonjour 1999 Benoît Salmon (Fra) Casino 1998 Laurent Dufaux (Swi) Festina 1997 Alberto Elli (Ita) 1996 Laurent Jalabert (Fra) 1995 Miguel Indurain (Spa) 1994 Jan Svorada (Svk) 1993 Maurizio Fondriest (Ita) 1992 Luc Leblanc (Fra) 1991 Gilbert Duclos Lassalle (Fra) 1990 Gerard Rué (Fra) 1989 Jérome Simon (Fra) 1988 Claude Criquielion (Bel) 1987 Patrice Esnault (Fra) 1986 Claude Criquielion (Bel) 1985 Silvano Contini (Ita) 1984 Domenique Garde (Fra) 1983 Jean René Bernaudeau (Fra) 1982 Jean René Bernaudeau (Fra) 1981 Jean René Bernaudeau (Fra) 1980 Jean René Bernaudeau (Fra) 1979 Giuseppe Saronni (Ita) 1978 Claudio Bortolotto (Ita) 1977 Wladimiro Panizza (Ita) 1976 Alain Meslet (Fra) 1975 Francesco Moser (Ita) 1974 Jean Pierre Danguilaume (Fra) 1973 Raymond Poulidor (Fra) 1972 Cyrille Guimard (Fra) 1971 Eddy Merckx (Bel) 1970 Walter Ricci (Fra) 1969 Luis Ocana (Spa) 1968 1967 Michel Grain (Fra) 1966 Jean Claude Theilliere (Fra) 1965 André Foucher (Fra) 1964 André Foucher (Fra) 1963 Fernando Manzaneque (Spa) 1962 Mies Stolker (Ned) 1961 Joseph Groussard (Fra) 1960 Valentin Hout (Fra) 1959 Jean Brankaert (Fra) 1958 Francis Pipelin (Fra) 1957 Jean Pierre Schmitz (Lux) 1956 Antonin Rolland (Fra) 1955 Miguel Poblet (Spa) 1954 Jesus Martinez (Spa) 1953 Pierre Nardi (Fra) 1952 Siro Bianchi (Ita) 1951 Raphael Geminiani (Fra) 1950 Antonin Rolland (Fra) 1949 Henri Massal (Fra) Past Winners by Mario Stiehl, Berlin |