1. Adri van der Poel (Netherlands) 56.12 2. Daniele Pontoni (Italy) 3. Luca Bramati (Italy) both s.t. 4. Henrik Djernis (Denmark) +9 secs 5. Erwin Vervecken (Belgium) 6. Emmanuel Magnien (France) both s.t. 7. Dieter Runkel (Switzerland) +21 secs 8. Richard Groenendaal (Netherlands) s.t. 9. Jerome Chiotti (France) +39 10. Beat Wabel (Switzerland) +59 11. Radomir Simunek (Czech Republic) +1.04 12. Wim de Vos (Netherlands) +1.06 13. Peter van Santvliet (Belgium) +1.08 14. Dominique Arnould (France) +1.18 15. Claudio Vandelli (Italy) +1.31 16. Patrice Halgand (France) +1.37 17. Jiri Pospisil (Czech Republic) +1.52 18. Marc Janssens (Belgium) +2.12 19. Marcel Gerritsen (Netherlands) +2.18 20. Ondrej Lukes (Czech Republic) +2.26
Van der Poel and Bramati broke clear on the final 3km lap and only Pontoni could get up to them. Earlier, van der Poel's Dutch team-mate Richard Groenendaal had twice tried to escape and at one point built a lead of six seconds.
1. Martinez (Fra) 46.57 2. P. Blum (Sch) s.t. 3. Mlynar (Cze) +0.04 4. Nijland (Ned) s.t. 5. Ausbuher (Cze) +0.14 6. Sussemilch (Cze) s.t. 7. Cioni (Ita) s.t. 8. Blum (Sch) s.t. 9. Morel (Fra) +0.19 10. Benoist (Fra) +0.25 11. Prosek (Cze) +0.39 12. Bruinsma (Ned) s.t. 13. Berden (Bel) s.t. 14. Coehorst (Ned) +1.03 15. David (Bel) s.t. 16. Agergaard (Den) +1.10. 17. Zubeldia (Spa) s.t. 18. Pelgrims (Bel) +1.18. 19. Hammond (G-B) s.t. 20. Artexte (Spa) s.t.
PARIS, Feb 4 (Reuter) - Leading results in the the world
cyclocross championships at Montreuil sous Bois on Sunday: Junior
event (18 km)
1. Roman Peter (Switzerland) 40 minutes 55 seconds
2. Gaizka Lejarreta (Spain) 49 seconds behind
3. Gregory Lapalud (France) 59 seconds
4. Peter Frei (Switzerland)
5. David Derepas (France) both same time
Long thought to be suffering from the "Eternal Second" disease,
inherited from his father in law (Raymond Poulidor), and a little
long in the tooth (at 37) to have too many more chances, Van der
Poel finally showed the Italians, Pontoni and Bramati, his back
wheel.
02/04/96 FRANCE: CYCLING-VAN DER POEL WINS TITLE AT LAST.
PARIS, Feb 4 (Reuter) - Dutchman Adrie van der Poel won the world
cyclocross title for the first time on Sunday to break a spell of
five silvers and a bronze since 1988.
Van der Poel shook off a double threat from Italian champion
Daniele Pontoni, who was second, and World Cup winner Luca Bramati
in the finishing straight after a 27-km race fought out at 28 kph
in a suburban park at Montreuil sous Bois.
Now in his 15th professional year, the 37-year-old Dutchman has won
four road racing classics, notably the Tour of Flanders in 1986 and
Liege-Bastogne-Liege in 1988, but a world title in cyclocross had
been among his unfulfilled ambitions.
Pontoni, a former world champion, [but not as a pro - Bill
Henderson] snatched second from Bramati in a sprint finish after
van der Poel had glanced around to check their position before
throwing his arms skywards in triumph.
The Dutchman and Bramati raced away on the final lap of the 3-km
circut from eight co-leaders and only Pontoni could respond. Van
der Poel's move came after his more favoured team mate, world
number one Richard Groenendaal, had twice tried to escape. He once
took a lead of six seconds but he was quickly recaptured by the
fiercely competitive chasers.
Bramati and Pontoni were seldom out of the first four as the hot
pace strung out the field of 74 then thinned out a crowd of
contenders over a course that favoured the faster racer rather than
the nimble expert. Before the race Groenendaal, a silver medallist
for the past two years, had been in conflict with van der Poel, who
is also his team mate in the Rabobank professional squad.
Groenendaal had accused his compatriot of being selfish.
But Rabobank team manager Jan Raas intervened on Saturday to end a
feud which could have threatened Dutch hopes. Van der Poel said:
"Despite all those silver medals I never despaired that I would not
win a title.
"Everything went perfectly today and when it is like that you don't
make mistakes. I attacked when no one expected it and I drove hard,
unlike the earlier attackers.
"I just had to make sure that I was first to the corners leading to
the finish then I knew that I had won because it was difficult for
anyone to pass."
From Bill Henderson
Bugno and Museeuw to ride, along with USA's new Postie.
DONORATICO (LI) -
Today the Italian season opener will be run off.
10 klicks a lap for 15 laps, 150km in all.
The course is relatively easy, but there is a nagging climb which
is 3km long.
Organized by UC Larcianese, there will be 156 riders on the line
including the major sprinters, Cipollini, Abdujaparov, Museeuw,
Nelissen e Baffi.
The entry of some top ranked foreign teams indicates that this
race is increasing in stature each year.
[Gee - even Handy Andy is listed as a marked rider - Bill
Henderson]
Riders to watch:
1 Faresin,
3 Belli,
12 Tonkov,
42 Baffi,
43 Ballerini,
47 Bortolami,
51 Di Grande,
53 Museeuw,
59 Tafi,
60 Vandenbroucke,
62 Bertolini,
80 Breukink,
81 Bruyneel,
87 Nelissen,
89 Sorensen,
91 Van Hooydonck,
93 Cipollini,
94 F. Casagrande,
96 Furlan,
120 Abdujaparov,
128 Colage,
139 Bugno,
142 Elli,
147 Jaermann,
156 Hampsten.
From Bill Henderson
OLYMPIC qualifier Declan Lonergan has agreed to go as a member of the Irish team to the Tour of Malaysia stage race from February 29th to March 10th, but Philip Collins has declined the invitation. At the World Championships in Colombia last August Collins qualified for the 4,000 metres pursuit event on the track at the Atlanta Games while Lonergan got through to the points race. Although American-based Lonergan is pleased at the opportunity of 11 days road racing in warm weather in Malaysia, Collins feels the assignment would be detrimental to his specialised preparation for the Olympics. Lonergan took out a professional license in America soon after his win in the FBD Milk R=E1s in 1994 but the main sponsors of the team he was with there have withdrawn support and his efforts to get a place with another squad have been unsuccessful. He expects the competition in Malaysia to he very beneficial before the season gets under way on the American circuit. Collins is on extended leave from his employment to prepare for the Olympics and he has been availing of the training facilities on the track in Manchester. He intends taking part in some of the early season domestic road events but is not keen to risk the unknown in Malaysia. National team director Alasdair MacLennan had some difficulty in getting a team of six lot' the Malaysian tour and the selection was only finalised yesterday. Going with Lonergan will be Richie McCauley, Tommy Evans, David Peelo, Barry Monaghan and Mel Sutchife. MacLennan, who goes with the team as manager, said he avoided naming any of the under-23 squad as they have World and European championships coming up. He regarded experience more important for the trip to what is a new event on the international calendar. Micheal Fitzgerald, Eamon Byrne and Aidan Duff are joining new clubs in France and were also not considered for selection by MacLennan. Dermot Dignam, organiser of the FBD Milk R=E1s from May 18th to 26th, expects to have an international line-up of 150 with at least four visiting countries represented. The route of 828 miles in nine stages is notable for the absence of a time trial but it should provide plenty of hard and fast racing. There is a total of 19 king of the mountain checkpoints, 11 of them during three days in Donegal. The ascent of Mamore Gap comes towards the end of stage six of 89 miles from Letterkenny to Buncrana, taking in Malin Head. Glengesh Pass is included on the 101-mile stage the next day to Donegal. Stage one on Saturday, May 18th is 73 miles from Dublin to Kilkenny with sprints for bonus seconds at Athy, Newtown Hill and Castlecomer, with 103 miles the next day to Millstreet. Then after 94 miles to Nenagh and another 103 miles on to Castlebar there is the only transfer, to Tubbercurry on the Wednesday morning, for the start of 94 miles After the tough stages to Buncrana and Donegal there is to Letterkenny. 103 miles to Newry on the second last day and the final 76 miles finishes on a circuit in Swords From Bill Henderson