Tour du Limousin, Cat 2.4

France, August 19-22, 1997

1996 Results 

Preview
Stage 1
Stage 2
Stage 3
Stage 4 and Final GC

Preview

The 30th Tour du Limousin begins on August 19 with a 164-km stage from Limoges to Gueret. Reckoned a top-quality race in terms of its welcoming atmosphere, quality of course and good organization (among others the race director is French star of the 1960s Raymond Poulidor), it was once considered useful preparation for the World Championships when these were held at the end of August. It consequently suffered when the Worlds moved to October and the organizers have attempted to boost its status by having it -- so far unsuccessfully -- promoted from a cat 2.4 race to a cat 2.3. The move of the Vuelta a Espana to September (the Spanish tour begins in L:isbon, Portugal, on 6 September) has, however, helped -- although Laurent Jalabert is preparing for this in the Tour of Burgos (which Richard Virenque is also riding), Limousin has attracted Vuelta contenders Tony Rominger (Cofidis) and Chris Boardman (GAN). Also riding is Rominger's distinguished team-mate Maurizio Fondriest, Tour of Switzerland winner Christophe Agnolutto, Tour de France yellow jersey Cedric Vasseur, Paris--Roubaix winner Frederic Guesdon and GAN sprinter Frederic Moncassin. Last year's winner, Laurent Brochard, is not riding.

The Stages:

August 19 Stage 1 Limoges--Gueret (164 km)
August 20 Stage 2 Le Moutier-d'Ahun--Tulle (178km)
August 21 Stage 3 Tulle--Saint-Junien (186.5km)
August 22 Stage 4 Saint-Junien--Limoges (169km)

Principal participants:

GAN: Boardman (GB), Moncassin, Poli (Ita), Rue, Simon, Sunderland (Aus), Teyssier, Vasseur

LA FRANCAISE DES JEUX: Bouyer, Davy, Guesdon, Horner (USA), Jan, Seigneur, Mentheour, D. Nazon

CASINO: Agnolutto, Aus (Est), Barthe, Bozzi, Chanteur, Durand, Kasputis (Lit), Kirsipuu (Est)

COFIDIS: Fondriest (Ita), Rominger (Swi), Moncoutie, N. Jalabert, Thibout, Plaza (Spa), Andreu (USA), F. Moreau

FESTINA: Magnien, Bassons, Laurent, Ch. Moreau, Bouvard, Tebaldi (Ita), Boscardin (Swi), Jeker (Swi)

LA MUTUELLE DE SEINE-ET-MARNE: Dojwa, Gabriel, Guilbert, Maignan, Rault, Cueff, Lamour, Pillon

BIGMAT AUBER 93: Arroyo (Mex), L. Auger, Bourguignon, Genty, Gouvenou, Lance, Lino, Morin

FRENCH NATIONAL SELECTION: G. Auger, Brard, Jer, Delbove, Foure, Jeune, Hellas, Pluhinec, Turpin

RABOBANK: Bouwmans, De Louw, Talen

ONCE: Mauri, Diaz Juste, Diaz Zabala, Leanizbarrutia

US POSTAL SYTEM: Robin (Fra), Derame (Fra), Mercier, Teutenberg (Ger)

TONISSTEINER; Dierckxssens, Hennebert; CEDICO (Bel): Kozlitine (Kaz), Masdupuy (Fra), Marichal, Rokia (Fra)

Stage 1, Limoges - Guéret, 164 km:

  1. Gilles Bouvard (Fra) Festina          4.03.01 (40,491 km/h)
  2. Lauri Aus (Est) Casino
  3. Maurizio Fondriest (Ita) Cofidis
  4. Cédric Vasseur (Fra) Gan
  5. Jean Cyril Robin (Fra) US Postal
  6. Bruno Boscardin (Sch)
  7. Peter Luttenberger (Aut) Telekom
  8. Fabian Jecker (Sch) Festina
  9. Melchor Mauri (Spa) Once
 10. Stéphane Barthe (Fra) Casino         + 01.10
  ----
 41. Tony Rominger (Sch) Cofidis          + 17.14
 49. Chris Boardman (Gbr) Gan                s.t.

Stage 1 Report

French cyclist Gilles Bouvard, from Team Festina, was the winner of the sprint on the first stage of the Tour de Limousin disputed between Limoges & Gueret over 164km, covering the distance in 4:03:01. Bouvard didn't have any problems with his eight breakaway companions, which included Spaniard Melchor Mauri, Italian Maurizio Fondriest and Frenchman Vasseur. The stage was pretty active from the start, with numerous attacks, although it woudln't be until km 95 when the decisive attack would be launched. Some of the riders not riding so well were Swiss Toni Rominger, making his first appearance after his collarbone fracture at the Tour and British Boardman, both of whom already gave up 17 minutes and 14 seconds.

Stage 2, Le Mouthier D'Ahun - Tulle, 178 km:

  1. Frédéric Guesdon (Fra) FDJ          4.04.50
  2. Emmanuel Magnien (Fra) Festina       + 0.41
  3. Arvis Piziks (Let) Rabobank.
  4. Frédéric Moncassin (Fra) Gan
  5. Raymond Meijs (Ned) Foreldorado
  6. Gérard Rué (Fra) Gan
  7. Thierry Marichal (Bel) Cedico
  8. David Moncoutie (Fra) Cofidis
  9. Franck Bouyer (Fra) FDJ
 10. Rafael Díaz (Spa) Once             all s.t.

GC after Stage 2

  1. Gilles Bouvard (Fra) Festina        8.08.41
  2. Maurizio Fondriest (Ita) Cofidis
  3. Lauri Aus (Est) Casino.
  4. Cédric Vasseur (Fra) Gan
  5. Bruno Boscardin (Ita) Festina
  6. Jean Cyril Robin (Fra) US Postal
  7. Peter Luttenberger (Aut) Rabobank
  8. Melchor Mauri (Spa) Once
  9. Fabian Jeker (Sch) Festina         all s.t.
 10. Gilles Maignan (Fra) Mutuelle        1.31
 -----
 57. Chris Boardman (Gbr) Gan            17.14
 58. Tony Rominger (Sch) Cofidis       	   s.t.

Stage 3, Tulle - Saint-Junien, 186,5 km:

  1. Lauri Aus (Est) Casino               4.51.15
  2. Gilles Bouvard (Fra) Festina 
  3. Maurizio Fondriest (Ita) Cofidis
  4. Jean Cyril Robin (Fra) US Postal
  5. Jann Kirsipuu (Est) Casino.
  6. Peter Luttenberger (Aut) Rabobank
  7. Cédric Vasseur (Fra) Gan           all s.t.
  8. Aris Piziks (Let) Rabobank           + 0.03
  9. Fabian Jeker (Swi) Festina
 10. Frédéric Guesdon (Fra) FDJ         all s.t.
 ----
 35. Chris Boardman (Gbr) Gan             + 0.23
 52. Tony Rominger (Swi) Cofidis          + 0.33

GC after Stage 3:

  1. Gilles Bouvard (Fra) Festina           12.59.56
  2. Lauri Aus (Est) Casino
  3. Maurizio Fondriest (Ita) Cofidist.
  4. Cédric Vasseur (Fra) Gan
  5. Jean Cyril Robin (Fra) US Postal
  6. Peter Luttenberger (Aut) Rabobank 	       all s.t.
  7. Fabian Jeker (Swi) Festina          	0.03
  8. Bruno Boscardin (Swi) Festina       	0.08
  9. Melchor Mauri (Spa) Once            	0.14
 10. Gilles Maignan (Fra) Mutuelle       	1.45
 ----
 49. Chris Boardman (Gbr) Gan                  17.37
 56. Tony Rominger (Swi) Cofidis               17.47

Stage 4, Saint-Junien - Limoges, 169 km:

  1. Bruno Boscardin (Ita) Festina        3.54.08 
  2. Eddy Seigneur (Fra) Gan
  3. Gerard Rue (Fra) Gan
  4. Sören Petersen (Den) Tönissteiner   all s.t.
  5. Stephen Barthe (Fra) Casino            0.14
  6. Melchor Mauri (Spa) Once
  7. Cédric Vasseur (Fra) Gan
  8. Lauri Aus (Est) Casino
  9. Aris Piziks (Let) Rabobank
 10. Peter Luttenberger (Aut) Rabobank  all s.t.

Final GC:

  1. Lauri Aus (Est) Casino             16.54.11
  2. Gilles Bouvard (Fra) Festina           s.t.
  3. Cédric Vasseur (Fra) Gan               s.t.
  4. Maurizio Fondriest (Ita) Cofidis       s.t.
  5. Jean Cyril Robin (Fra) US Postal       s.t.
  6. Peter Luttenberger (Aut) Rabobank      s.t.
  7. Bruno Boscardin (Swi) Festina          0.01
  8. Fabian Jeker (Swi) Festina             0.03
  9. Melchor Mauri (Spa) Once               0.14
 10. Gilles Maignan (Fra) Mutuelle          1.45
 ----
 40. Chris Boardman (Gbr) Gan              17.37

Stage 4 Report

Estonian rider Lauri Aus, from Team Casino, became the overall winner of the Tour de Limousin after taking the first place from French Bouvard in the fourth and last stage, disputed today between Saint-Junien & Limoges, over 169km. Lauri Aus finished the stage with the same time as his French adversary, who needed to win today or at least finish no more than two places away from the Estonian to break the tie. The winner of the stage was Bruno Boscardin, from Team Festina, with a time of 3:54:08. Swiss Tony Rominger, from Team Cofidis abandoned the race today.

US Postal team report

Continuing to show fine form following his 15th overall placing in the Tour de France, the United States Postal Service Pro Cycling Team's Jean-Cyril Robin placed fifth overall and won the mountains classification at the Tour du Limousin, a four-stage race that ended today in Limoges, France. Robin finished with the same overall time of race winner Lauri Aus of Casino - 16 hours, 54 minutes and 11 seconds - but trailed on overall points, or top finishes. Festina's Gilles Bouvard had held the race lead throughout following his victory in the opening stage but Aus, the winner of yesterday's third stage, took the overall victory following today's 169 kilometer race from Saint Junien. The U.S. Postal Service's Remigijus Lupeikis won the race's sprint competition after taking the jersey following the opening stage.

Robin will lead the U.S. Postal Service team at this weekend's eighth round of the World Cup, the Grand Prix Suisse, a 237 km race from Basel to Zurich.

Robin was one of nine riders to finish in the lead group in Tuesday's opening stage, a 164 km race from Limoges to Gueret. Bouvard won the sprint with Robin placing fifth. All nine lead riders finished in a time of 4:03:01, with the 10th place rider finishing 1:10 back with members of the main field over 17 minutes behind. Francaise des Jeux's Frederic Guesdon, the surprise winner of this year's Paris-Roubaix, took stage two's 178 km race from Le Moutier D'Ahun to Tulle in solo fashion. Guesdon won the stage in 4:04:50, 41 seconds ahead of the field. In yesterday's third stage, a 186.5 km race from Tulle to Saint Junien, Aus won a seven-rider sprint from Bouvard, Cofidis' Maurizio Fondriest, Robin, Casino's Jann Kirsipuu, Rabobank's Peter Luttenberger and Gan's Cedric Vasseur. Robin's fourth place finish moved him from sixth to fifth place overall while Aus' stage win moved him from third to second place overall entering today's final stage.