60th Paris-Nice - 2.HC

France, March 10-17, 2002

Prologue - March 10: Issy-les-Moulineaux ITT, 5.2 km

Bodrogi just ahead of Rous

Laszlo Bodrogi
Photo ©: AFP

Hungarian Laszlo Bodrogi (Mapei-Quick Step) has won the prologue of Paris-Nice by just 0.28 seconds from Frenchman Didier Rous (Bonjour). In front of a huge crowd in Issy-les-Moulineaux, Bodrogi clocked 6'56 for the technical 5.2 kilometre parcours, which at the time was 11 seconds better than the previous best of 7'07 by Nicolas Jalabert. Didier Rous could not quite surpass this mark and took second place, while Javier Pascual Rodriguez (iBanesto) finished in 7'00 for third.

25 year old Bodrogi is a noted time trialist and said that the win came as "no surprise" to him. He finished second in the GP des Nations last year and third in the 2000 World Championships and has won a number of time trial stages in smaller races.

I was very confident before the start," said the lanky 25 year old Hungarian. "I've been in form for a month, but I waited for the right moment. Last year, I was too fit too early and it hurt me later. I'm really happy to win this prologue."

"It is good to win this prologue, but a big victory would be to arrive in Nice with this jersey. In the team, there are other riders who can do well. Tom Steels for the sprints, even Cadel Evans for the general classification."

Laurent Jalabert
Photo ©: AFP

French champ Didier Rous (Bonjour) said "it was a good course for me; lots of turns and accelerations, a steep hill and a crazy descent. I'm satisfied with this 2nd place, since I don't think I gave it my all. In the Tour du Haut-Var, I felt a bit "diesel" but two weeks later, I'm going a lot better."

Laurent Jalabert was kind of bitter after the Paris-Nice prologue; "I am pretty disappointed that I didn't win...I figure I lost it on the false-flat after the climb where I didn't accelerate well...but I only lost a few seconds so there is really nothing to worry about."

Notable performances came from Dario Frigo (Tacconi Sport) who finished 8th in his "comeback" race: "I'm happy to finish in the top 10, but I still have no idea of where I am at.".

On the other end of the scale there was the Norwegian Thor Hushovd (Credit Agricole), who was 163rd after a fall on the final corner made him lose a considerable amount of time. His team director believed he had an excellent chance of winning today, as he was 2 seconds up on Bodrogi at that point.

Tomorrow's first stage is fairly flat, and should see the likes of Kirsipuu, McEwen and Petacchi come to the fore.

Photography

Pictures by Fotoreporter Sirotti

Laszlo Bodrogi (Mapei) smiles from the podium some more after winning the first leader's jersey in the 60th Paris-Nice
Laszlo Bodrogi (Mapei) on his way to winning the prologue
Fernando Escartin (Team Coast) rides in the prologue
Dario Frigo (Tacconi Sport) concentrates on a corner
Serguei Gontchar (Fassa Bortolo) working hard in the prologue
Laurent Jalabert (CSC-Tiscali) wonders why time trials are held at five o'clock
Andreas Klöden (Telekom) sports the latest aerodynamic headwear
Nico Mattan (Cofidis) was one of a group of riders to lose just four seconds
Axel Merckx (Domo) in the prologue. Note golf-ball-dimples on TT helmet
Ivan Basso (Fassa Bortolo) finished 'mid pack'
Didier Rous (Bonjour) - another look at the French champ's colours
Richard Virenque (Domo) takes a corner in the prologue
Alex Zülle (Coast) grits his teeth

Pictures by AFP

Laszlo Bodrogi (Mapei) - in full time trial mode during the prologue of Paris-Nice
French champion Dider Rous (Bonjour) - came close to winning the prologue
Dario Frigo (Tacconi Sport) - in his "comeback ride"
Laurent Jalabert (CSC) - negotiates a corner
Former P-N winner Andreas Kloeden (Telekom) - rides during the prologue
Eventual fourth place getter - Nico Mattan (Cofidis) in the prologue
Nicolas Jalabert (CSC) - does his best to avoid the photographer as he flies around a corner
Richard Virenque (Domo) - rides during the prologue
Alex Zuelle (Team Coast) - navigates the prologue course
Laszlo Bodrogi (Mapei) - smiles from the podium

Results

1 Laszlo Bodrogi (Hun) Mapei-Quick Step                     6.56 (45.0 km/h)
2 Didier Rous (Fra) Bonjour
3 Javier Pascual (Spa) iBanesto.com                         0.04
4 Nico Mattan (Bel) Cofidis
5 Juan Carlos Dominguez (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems
6 Andreas Kloeden (Ger) Team Telekom
7 Alberto Martinez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
8 Dario Frigo (Ita) Tacconi Sport                           0.05
9 Nicolas Jalabert (Fra) Team CSC Tiscali
10 Alex Zuelle (Swi) Team Coast
11 Mikel Pradera (Spa) ONCE-Eroski
12 Inigo Cuesta (Spa) Cofidis                               0.06
13 Laurent Jalabert (Fra) Team CSC Tiscali
14 Max Van Heeswijk (Ned) Domo-Farm Frites
15 Robbie McEwen (Aus) Lotto-Adecco                         0.07
16 Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Fassa Bortolo                  0.08
17 Angel Vicioso (Spa) Kelme                                0.09
18 Laurent Brochard (Fra) Jean Delatour                     0.10
19 Peter Luttenberger (Aut) Tacconi Sport
20 Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) Team Telekom
21 Jens Voigt (Ger) Credit Agricole                         0.11
22 Peter Van Petegem (Bel) Lotto-Adecco
23 Bobby Julich (USA) Team Telekom
24 David Moncoutie (Fra) Cofidis
25 Dario Cioni (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step
26 Patrice Halgand (Fra) Jean Delatour                      0.12
27 Servais Knaven (Ned) Domo-Farm Frites
28 Laurent Dufaux (Swi) Alessio
29 Andrey Kashechkin (Kaz) Domo-Farm Frites
30 Mario Aerts (Bel) Lotto-Adecco                           0.13
31 Anthony Morin (Fra) Credit Agricole                      0.14
32 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Bonjour
33 Andrea Ferrigato (Ita) Alessio                           0.15
34 Baden Cooke (Aus) La Francaise Des Jeux
35 Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Credit Agricole
36 Franck Renier (Fra) Bonjour
37 Martin Hvastija (Slo) Alessio
38 Cyril Dessel (Fra) Jean Delatour                         0.16
38 Christopher Jenner (NZl) Credit Agricole
40 Stéphane Heulot (Fra) Bigmat.Auber 93
41 Serguei Gontchar (Ukr) Fassa Bortolo
42 Alexandre Botcharov (Rus) Ag2R Prevoyance
43 Sandy Casar (Fra) La Francaise Des Jeux                  0.17
44 Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) Ag2R Prevoyance
45 Kim Kirchen (Lux) Fassa Bortolo
46 Axel Merckx (Bel) Domo-Farm Frites
47 Luis Perez (Spa) Team Coast
48 Frédéric Bessy (Fra) Credit Agricole                     0.18
49 Robert Hunter (RSA) Mapei-Quick Step
50 Alvaro Gonzalez Galdeano (Spa) ONCE-Eroski               0.19
51 Aleksandr Sheffr (Kaz) Alessio
52 Serge Baguet (Bel) Lotto-Adecco
53 José Azevedo (Por) ONCE-Eroski
54 Benoit Poilvet (Fra) Credit Agricole
55 Dave Bruylandts (Bel) Domo-Farm Frites                   0.20
56 Laurent Lefevre (Fra) Jean Delatour
57 Ivan Basso (Ita) Fassa Bortolo
58 Samuel Sanchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
59 Christophe Capelle (Fra) Bigmat.Auber 93
60 Walter Beneteau (Fra) Bonjour                            0.21
61 Gorka Arrizabalaga (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
62 Unai Etxebarria (Ven) Euskaltel-Euskadi
63 Félix Garcia Casas (Spa) Bigmat.Auber 93                 0.22
64 Paolo Bossoni (Ita) Tacconi Sport
65 Aitor Osa (Spa) iBanesto.com
66 César Solaun (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
67 Danilo Hondo (Ger) Team Telekom
68 Glenn D'hollander (Bel) Lotto-Adecco
69 Franck Bouyer (Fra) Bonjour
70 Thierry Loder (Fra) Ag2R Prevoyance
71 Chris Peers (Bel) Cofidis
72 José Luis Arrieta (Spa) iBanesto.com                     0.23
73 Stephane Goubert (Fra) Jean Delatour
74 David Navas (Spa) iBanesto.com
75 Inigo Chaurreau (Spa) Ag2R Prevoyance
76 Richard Virenque (Fra) Domo-Farm Frites
77 François Simon (Fra) Bonjour                             0.24
78 Fernando Escartin (Spa) Team Coast
79 Gilles Bouvard (Fra) Jean Delatour
80 Aitor Garmendia (Spa) Team Coast
81 Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) iBanesto.com
82 Frédéric Finot (Fra) Jean Delatour
83 Alexis Rodriguez (Spa) Kelme
84 Vladimir Miholjevic (Cro) Alessio
85 Angel Castresana (Spa) ONCE-Eroski
86 Christophe Agnolutto (Fra) Ag2R Prevoyance
87 Cédric Vasseur (Fra) Cofidis                             0.25
88 Martin Rittsel (Swe) Team CSC Tiscali
89 Cadel Evans (Aus) Mapei-Quick Step
90 Mikel Astarloza (Spa) Ag2R Prevoyance
91 Koldo Gil Perez (Spa) iBanesto.com                       0.26
92 Frédéric Guesdon (Fra) La Francaise Des Jeux
93 Geert Van Bondt (Bel) Team CSC Tiscali
94 Marcos Serrano (Spa) ONCE-Eroski
95 Cédric Fragniere (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems            0.27
96 Nicola Loda (Ita) Fassa Bortolo
97 Matthew Wilson (Aus) La Francaise Des Jeux
98 Isidro Nozal (Spa) ONCE-Eroski
99 Andy Flickinger (Fra) Ag2R Prevoyance
100 Christophe Mengin (Fra) La Francaise Des Jeux
101 Christophe Oriol (Fra) Ag2R Prevoyance                  0.28
102 Mickael Pichon (Fra) Bonjour
103 Nicki Sorensen (Den) Team CSC Tiscali
104 Paul Van Hyfte (Bel) Team CSC Tiscali
105 Christian Charriere (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems
106 Fabrice Salanson (Fra) Bonjour
107 Steve Zampieri (Swi) Tacconi Sport
108 Martin Elmiger (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems
109 Jean-Cyril Robin (Fra) La Francaise Des Jeux
110 Xavier Jan (Fra) Bigmat.Auber 93                        0.29
111 Koos Moerenhout (Ned) Domo-Farm Frites
112 Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa) ONCE-Eroski
113 Matthias Buxhofer (Aut) Phonak Hearing Systems
114 Sébastien Talabardon (Fra) Bigmat.Auber 93
115 Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Fassa Bortolo                      0.30
115 Andrei Kivilev (Kaz) Cofidis
117 Iker Flores (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
118 Fabrizio Guidi (Ita) Team Coast
119 Udo Bolts (Ger) Team Telekom
120 Serguei Yakovlev (Kaz) Team Telekom
121 Ignacio Gutierrez (Spa) Kelme                           0.31
122 Mauro Gianetti (Swi) Team Coast
123 Bingen Fernandez (Spa) Cofidis
124 Javier Vila (Spa) iBanesto.com
125 Aitor Silloniz (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                  0.32
126 Stephan Schreck (Ger) Team Telekom
127 Ludovic Auger (Fra) Bigmat.Auber 93
128 Andrea Tafi (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step
129 Steve Vermaut (Bel) Lotto-Adecco                        0.33
130 Aitor Kintana (Spa) Bigmat.Auber 93                     0.34
131 Fabrice Gougot (Fra) Phonak Hearing Systems
132 Ralf Grabsch (Ger) Team Telekom
133 Volodomir Gustov (Ukr) Fassa Bortolo                    0.35
134 Jo Planckaert (Bel) Cofidis
135 Aart Vierhouten (Ned) Lotto-Adecco
136 Régis Lhuillier (Fra) La Francaise Des Jeux
137 Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Mapei-Quick Step                   0.36
138 Ruggero Borghi (Ita) Tacconi Sport
139 Angelo Furlan (Ita) Alessio
140 Tom Steels (Bel) Mapei-Quick Step
141 Kurt Van De Wouwer (Bel) Lotto-Adecco
142 Denis Menchov (Rus) iBanesto.com
143 Danny Jonasson (Den) Team CSC Tiscali                   0.37
144 Sébastien Hinault (Fra) Credit Agricole                 0.38
145 Manuel Beltran (Spa) Team Coast
146 Gabriele Balducci (Ita) Tacconi Sport                   0.39
147 Gianluca Sironi (Ita) Tacconi Sport
148 Francisco Leon (Spa) Kelme
149 Benoit Salmon (Fra) Phonak Hearing Systems              0.40
150 Niki Aebersold (Swi) Team Coast
151 Julian Usano (Spa) Kelme
152 Mauro Gerosa (Ita) Tacconi Sport
153 Igor Flores (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
154 Lylian Lebreton (Fra) Bigmat.Auber 93                   0.41
155 Daniele De Paoli (Ita) Alessio
156 Steve De Wolf (Bel) Domo-Farm Frites
157 Denis Zanette (Ita) Fassa Bortolo
158 Stéphane Auge (Fra) Jean Delatour                       0.42
159 Leandro Navarette (Spa) Kelme
160 Nicolas Fritsch (Fra) La Francaise Des Jeux
161 Francisco Cerezo (Spa) Team CSC Tiscali                 0.43
162 Fabien De Waele (Bel) Mapei-Quick Step                  0.47
163 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Credit Agricole                      0.48
164 Cristian Moreni (Ita) Alessio
165 Michael Reihs (Den) Phonak Hearing Systems              0.50
166 Miguel Otero (Spa) Kelme                                0.52
167 Roberto Lozano (Spa) Kelme                              0.58

Best young rider

1 Angel Vicioso (Spa) Kelme                                 7.05
2 Andrey Kashechkin (Kaz) Domo-Farm Frites                  0.03
3 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Bonjour                            0.05
4 Baden Cooke (Aus) La Francaise Des Jeux                   0.06
5 Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Credit Agricole
6 Sandy Casar (Fra) La Francaise Des Jeux                   0.08
7 Kim Kirchen (Lux) Fassa Bortolo
8 Robert Hunter (RSA) Mapei-Quick Step                      0.09
9 Ivan Basso (Ita) Fassa Bortolo                            0.11
10 Samuel Sanchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
11 Gorka Arrizabalaga (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi               0.12
12 Frédéric Finot (Fra) Jean Delatour                       0.15
13 Alexis Rodriguez (Spa) Kelme
14 Cadel Evans (Aus) Mapei-Quick Step                       0.16
15 Mikel Astarloza (Spa) Ag2R Prevoyance                    0.16
16 Koldo Gil Perez (Spa) iBanesto.com                       0.17
17 Matthew Wilson (Aus) La Francaise Des Jeux               0.18
18 Isidro Nozal (Spa) ONCE-Eroski
19 Andy Flickinger (Fra) Ag2R Prevoyance
20 Fabrice Salanson (Fra) Bonjour                           0.19
21 Steve Zampieri (Swi) Tacconi Sport
22 Martin Elmiger (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems
23 Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa) ONCE-Eroski                      0.20
24 Sébastien Talabardon (Fra) Bigmat.Auber 93
25 Ignacio Gutierrez (Spa) Kelme                            0.22
26 Aitor Silloniz (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                   0.23
27 Stephan Schreck (Ger) Team Telekom                       0.23
28 Volodomir Gustov (Ukr) Fassa Bortolo                     0.26
29 Régis Lhuillier (Fra) La Francaise Des Jeux
30 Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Mapei-Quick Step                    0.27
31 Angelo Furlan (Ita) Alessio
32 Denis Menchov (Rus) iBanesto.com
33 Leandro Navarette (Spa) Kelme                            0.33
34 Nicolas Fritsch (Fra) La Francaise Des Jeux
35 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Credit Agricole                       0.39
36 Michael Reihs (Den) Phonak Hearing Systems               0.41
37 Roberto Lozano (Spa) Kelme                               0.49