Eurode Omploop, Cat 1.5

The Netherlands, August 18, 1997


Report

On one day he came too late, while the other day hecame to early. The result! Neither times did Marc Lotz win. Marc Lotz and Raymond Meijs both lost. It was a nuisance for the Valkenburgers, who were doing everything to get a professional contract renewal. A win in the Eurode Omloop would have been a very welcome boost, but was in the end won by a German "stranger" (Dutch - onbekende)

After winning the Drielandenomloop last week, Raymond Meijs was watched by the peloton. Each time the rider from Foreldorado jumped out of his saddle, he had half the peloton on his wheel. "Not really nice racing", said Meijs, who missed the final attack. "In the finale, I had a 1 minute gap on the top group, but that was too much."

While Meijs sat for long periods in the peloton, his fellow Valkenburg mate Marc Lotz lang in het peloton bleef zitten, vond plaatsgenoot Marc Lotz had more than 30 kms out the front. It was the same with the ten other attackers with him - he went to early. It finally cost him the victory. "I perhaps did too much work on the front" said Lotz. "I felt so good. With 11 men you can begin to make a better tempo over the small route than you can in the whole peloton. Last week in Bocholtz I was too late, and now too early.

For Marc Lotz (23) it was his last race in Limburg as an amateur. In September he will probably take a professional contract with Rabobank. A win in the Eurode Omloop would have given him 15 points on the UCI World Ranking list. Not that this was his prime concern. "They must not just see whether I can beat the professionals. I also ride for my team. And that is a good thing to do, and I will be doing that next year as a professional.

Raymond Meijs also had his own life on the scaffold. He is also looking for a professional contract next season given that Foreldorado will not be continuing. The 28 year old from Valkenburg knew a win in the Eurode Omploop would have been a good persuasion for the National Coach Gerrie Knetemann. The World Championships in San Sebastian are near and Meijs is keen to be selected for the Dutch team.

German Patrick Köhler did not have the problematic race of two Limburgers. With Godert de Leeuw and the Dane Michael Kyneb, he attacked on the last lap. "De Leeuw quickly realised that he was not going to win. "On the last climb, I was the last of the three of us. I really could not win as I had cramp. I just wasn't able to sprint to victory."

Race distance - 180 kms:

 1. Patrick Köhler (Ger) Nürnberger	     4.11.16 (42,982 km/h)
  2. Godert De Leeuw (Ned) Foreldorado
  3. Mikael-Holst Kyneb (Den) PSV Köln        	0.02
  4. Franky De Buyst (Bel) Tönissteiner
  5. Rik Van Slycke (Bel) RDM                	0.30
  6. Raymond Meijs (Ned) Foreldorado-Golff   	0.41
  7. Paul Van Schalen (Ned)
  8. Dennis Heij (Ned)
  9. Martin Van Steen (Ned)
 10. Andy De Smet (Bel) Ipso