ReportSpanish rider Abraham Olano confirmed his return to form after Tour de France disappointment on Sunday by winning the Eddy Merckx Grand Prix sprint (ITT) cycling title.The Olympic silver medallist, runner-up to compatriot Miguel Indurain in last year's Atlanta Games time trial, completed the 61-km course in one hour, nine minutes and three seconds. Britain's Chris Boardman, who started his professional career four years ago and won this event last year, trailed by one minute 20 seconds in second place. World champion Johan Museeuw of Belgium, who won in 1995, was ninth, four minutes and 43 seconds behind Olano. Merckx's son Axel was 15th, five minutes and 48 seconds behind. Olano has struggled to meet high Spanish expectations following the retirement of five-times Tour de France winner Indurain. He won the penultimate stage time trial of this year's Tour but finished fourth overall. Race distance - 61 kms:1. Abraham Olano (Spa) Banesto 1:09:02,854 2. Chris Boardman (GB) Gan 1:19,199 3. Sergej Gontschar (Ukr) AKI-SAFI 2:04,947 4. Marc Streel (Bel) Casino 2:51,231 5. Eddy Seigneur (Fra) Francaise des Jeux 3:53,651 6. Rolf Aldag (Ger) Telekom 4:13,879 7. Christophe Moreau (Fra) Festina 4:37 8. Peter Meinert-Nielsen (Den) US Postal 4:41 9. Johan Museeuw (Bel) Mapei-GB 4:43,246 10. Bert Roesems (Bel) Vlaanderen-2000 5:16 11. Nico Mattan (Bel) Mapei-GB 5:19 12. Thierry Marichal (Bel) Cedico 5:33 13. Christophe Bassons (Fra) Festina 5:42 14. Philippe Gaumont (Fra) Cofidis 5:42 15. Axel Merckx (Bel) Polti 5:48 16. Peter Van Petergem (Bel) TVM 6:42 17. Oskar Camenzind (Swi) Mapei-GB 7:39 18. Franky De Buyst (Bel) Tonisteiner 7:43 19. Paul Van Hyfte (Bel) Lotto 8:11 |