Tour of Austria - June 6-15, Cat 2.5

  • Prologue

  • Stage 1

  • Stage 2

  • Stage 3

  • Stage 4

  • Stage 5 

  • Stage 6

  • Stage 7

  • Stage 8

  • Stage 9

  • Stage 10 and Final GC

    • Prologue Report

    Frank Vandenbroucke wins first stage (time-trial) in Tour d'Austria. Frank VDB said he participated in this smaller tour for two reasons. The young and most promising rider Belgium has had in years, would like to test himself in the higher mountains. Next Tuesday there is a climb of 2,700 meters. He also would like to win the tour against "softer" competition.

    He will wait until 1997 to participate in the Vuelta. He'll wait until 1998 for the Giro or the Tour. The team tries to protect him until he's 24 years of age.

    The other reason is his preparation for the Belgian championship which will be held in his province and where everyone expects him to win. The only competition will certainly come from within his own team.

    Prologue in Neuhofen, 7 km:

     1. Franck Vandenbroucke (Bel) Mapei-GB          8.34 (48,97 km/h)
 2. Franco Ballerini (Ita) Mapei-GB             + 0.09
 3. Thomas Liese (Ger) Leipzig                  + 0.11
 4. Dietmar Muller (Aut)                        + 0.17
 5. Fritz Berein (Aut)                          + 0.19
 6. Bart Leysen (Bel) Mapei-GB                  + 0.21
 7. Eddy Bouwmans (Ned) Foreldorado-Golff       + 0.21
 8. Pavel Padrnos (Cze) Tico                    + 0.25
 9. Bruno Risi (Sch)                            + 0.25
10. Matthias Buxhofer (Aut)                     + 0.28

    Stage 1, Neuhofen-Linz 169 km:

     1. Frank Augustin (Ger)                 3.59.19
 2. Harald Morscher (Aut)
 3. Klaus Diewald (Ger) Team Nurnberger
 4. Lutz Lehmann (Ger)
 5. Werner Riebenbauer (Aut)             all s.t.

    Overall:

     1. Frank Vandenbroucke (Bel) Mapei-GB
 2. Franco Ballerini (Ita) Mapei-GB     + 0.10
 3. Thomas Liese (Ger)                  + 0.12
 4. Dietmar Muller (Aut)                + 0.18
 5. Fritz Berein (Aut)                  + 0.20

    Stage 2, Linz - Mattighofen 161 km:

     1. Gert Vanderaerden (Bel) Palmans    3.45.39
 2. Michel Cornelisse (Ned) TVM         + 0.03
 3. Werner Riebenbauer (Aut)
 4. Patrick Veitsch (Sch)             
 5. F. Colonna (It)                                    
 6. P. Moster (Ger)			all s.t.

    Overall:

     1. Frank Vandenbroucke (Bel) Mapei-GB 7.53.35
 2. Franco Ballerini (Ita) Mapei-GB     + 0.10
 3. Dietmar Muller (Aut)                + 0.18
 4. Eddy Bouwmans (Ned) Foreldorado     + 0.21
 5. Bruno Risi (Sch)                    + 0.22
 6. Rene Haselbacher (Aut)              + 0.25
 7. Pavel Padrnos (Cze) Tico            + 0.25
 8. Franz Stocher (Aut)                 + 0.26
 9. Matthias Buxhofer (Aut)             + 0.27
10. Gert Vanderaerden (Bel) Palmans     + 0.28

    Stage 2 Report

    Gert Vanderaerden won the second stage (09/06/96) in the Austrian Tour. It was the first victory for the brother of Eric Vanderaerden. He became a pro-rider in Sep 1995. He is more of a climber than a sprinter (unlike his famous brother). He won by escaping in the last km.

    Stage 3, Mattighofen-Grobming 144 km: 
     1. Franck Vandenbroucke (Bel) Mapei-GB        3.20.05 (43,18 km/h)
 2. Bernhard Gugganig (Aut)                       s.t.
 3. Matthias Buxhofer (Aut)                       s.t.
 4. Glenn D'Hollander (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002     + 0.05
 5. Geert Verheyen (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002        + 1.23
 6. Casper van der Meer (Ned) Palmans              s.t.

    Frank Vandenbroucke won the third stage (07/06/96 PM). A group 4 of riders escaped. Vandenbroucke easily won the sprint. He confirmed his leadership in this open race. The next days will be interesting as the terrain will be more difficult.

    Stage 4 in Grobming, 52 km:

    1. Michel Cornelisse (Ned) TVM 1.09.27 2. Korff (Ger) 3. Gert Vanderaerden (Bel) Palmans 4. John Talen (Ned) Foreldorado-Golff 5. Frank Augustin (Ger) 6. Bruno Risi (Sch) all s.t. The Dutch rider Michel Cornelisse (fast sprinter) won the sprint in this short stage on June 9th in the street of Grobming.

    GC after Stage 4

     1. Franck Vandenbroucke (Bel) Mapei-GB       12.23.00
 2. Matthias Buxhofer (Aut)                     + 0.29
 3. Bernhard Gugganig (Aut)                     + 0.41
 4. Glenn D'Hollander (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002       s.t.
 5. Franco Ballerini (Ita) Mapei-GB             + 1.40
 6. Bruno Risi (Sch)                            + 1.49.

    Stage 5, Schoder - Villach 109 km:

     1. Franco Ballerini (Ita) Mapei-GB     2.41.16
 2. J. Christen (Sch)
 3. Sammy Moreels (Bel) Palmans
 4. Bogdan Ravbar (Sln)
 5. Geert Verheyen (Bel)
 6. Kurt Betschart (Sch)                all s.t.

    Overall:

     1. Franco Ballerini (Ita) Mapei-GB   15.05.46
 2. Franck Vandenbroucke (Bel) Mapei-GB + 0.07
 3. Eddy Bouwmans (Ned) Foreldorado     + 0.21
 4. Matthias Buxhofer (Aut)             + 0.36
 5. Kreidl (Aut)                        + 0.37
 6. Kurt Betschart (Sch)                + 0.44

    Stage 5 Report

    Ballerini wins stage and becomes leader in Austrian Tour. So he continues his winning mood. Due to bad road conditions, the Selkpas (1788m) was left out of the original planned race. Therefore the distance was reduced from 160 to 110 km. During the first half, the leading rider, Vandenbroucke, attacked on the only remaining hill, the Turracherhehe. At the top he had 30 seconds on a group of 8 riders. He managed to hold the lead until 40 km from the finish.

    In the last 30 km, a group of 16 riders broke out. No direct danger for the Mapei team, as the best placed rider was Ballerini, team-mate of VDB. He finished it off brilliantly, by winning the sprint. Thanks to the time bonus of 10 sec for the winner, he even managed to get the leading shirt. Team manager Patrick Lefevre will have to use (again!) all his diplomatic skills to satisfy all his talented riders. It should be a good mental and diplomatic training for the Belgian championship where only a Mapei rider can win (but the question is if you can make the same decisions in a national championship as in Paris-Roubaix!)

    Stage 6, Faak am See-Lienz (180 km):

     1. Franck Vandenbroucke (Bel) Mapei-GB        4.42.32 (38,23 km/h)
 2. Luc Roosen (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002            + 1.04
 3. Franco Ballerini (Ita) Mapei-GB               s.t.
 4. Paolo Alberati (Ita) Mapei-GB               + 1.49
 5. Kastenhuber (Ger)                             s.t.
 6. Ravbar (Sln)

    GC

     1. Franck Vandenbroucke (Bel) Mapei-GB       19.48.15
 2. Franco Ballerini (Ita) Mapei-GB             + 1.03
 3. Luc Roosen (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002            + 2.01
 4. Eddy Bouwmans (Ned) Foreldorado             + 2.13
 5. Kastenhuber (Ger)                           + 2.48
 6. Glenn D'Hollander (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002     + 3.07

    Stage 6 Report

    Team leader of Mapei-GB, Patrik Lefevre left for the more important Tour of Switzerland. His place was being taken by former world champion Claude Criquillon.

    He saw Vandenbroucke and Ballerini lead the race. The 180 km long stage had three climbs at the end. 3 Riders were far more stronger than the rest of this field: VDB, Ballerini and a former winner for the Switzerland tour Luc Roosen.

    At 4 km of the top of the last mountain. VDB left the others behind, took one minute at the top and held this until the end.

    Stage 7, Lienz - St.Johann/T., 143km

     1. Wim Van der Meulenhof (Ned) Foreldorado    3.26.11 (41,61 km/h)
 2. Dietmar Muller (Aut)                           s.t.
 3. Niels van der Steen (Ned) TVM               + 0.10
 4. Karl Pauwels (Bel) Palmans
 5. Frank Augustin (Ger)
 6. Korff (Ger)                        
 7. Heinz Marchel (Austria)
 8. Gert Vanderaerden (Bel)
 9. Bernhard Gugganig (Austria)
10. Josef Lontscharitsch (Austria)		all s.t.

    Overall:

     1. Franck Vandenbroucke (Bel) Mapei-GB       23.14.36
 2. Franco Ballerini (Ita) Mapei-GB             + 1.03
 3. Luc Roosen (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002            + 2.01
 4. Eddy Bouwmans (Ned) Foreldorado             + 2.13
 5. Kastenhuber (Ger)                           + 2.48
 6. Glenn D'Hollander (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002     + 3.07
 7. Bodgan Ravbar (Slovakia)		     	+ 3:07
 8. Bernhard Gugganig (Austria)		   	+ 3:21
 9. Thomas Kreidl (Austria)			+ 3:24
10. Jose Robles (Col)              		+ 3:28

    Stage 7 Report

    Two riders managed to get away at 10 km from the end, in the local tour in ST JOHANN. They soon had 30". In the sprint the German rider Muller took the lead and it looked he would easily win. But just in the last meters he couldn't hold on and the Dutch Van der Meulehof won surprisingly. VDM won the race three days before his 30th birthday. He is riding for the Dutch team of Foreldorado-Golff with more famous team-mates like Eddy Bouwmans and John Talen.

    St.Johann/T. - Axams, 172 km

    Only two mountains (2 Cat) in this race. But the last one at 3km of the end. The first group (40 riders) "exploded" on this last climb. The Swiss Bruno Risi attacked halfway, took immediately 100 meters. Only at the top VDB reacted. Closed the gap in a few seconds and rode on, without pausing. Risi couldn't hang on. VDB won his 9th race of the season.

    At half a minute 3 riders followed. Gert Vanderaerden won the sprint of the group.

    On Friday 14th, the most difficult heat will be held. Only 120 km but very difficult climbing, according to our sources. The end of the heat is at the top of a very hard climb.

    Results from Stage 8

    1. Franck Vandenbroucke (Bel) Mapei-GB 4.07.48 2. Bruno Risi (Sch) + 0.14 3. Andreas Kloden (Ger) + 0.29 4. Luc Roosen (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002 5. Casper Van der Meer (NL), 6. Gert Vanderaerden (Bel) Palmans 7. John van der Akker (Neth) 8. Geert Verheyen (Bel) 9. Raymond Meijs (Neth) 10. Matthias Buxhofer (Austria) all s.t.

    Overall:

     1. Franck Vandenbroucke (Bel) Mapei-GB       27.22.14
 2. Franco Ballerini (Ita) Mapei-GB             + 1.55
 3. Luc Roosen (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002            + 2.40
 4. Eddy Bouwmans (Ned) Foreldorado             + 3.05
 5. Alexander Kastenhuber (Ger)                 + 3.40
 6. Glenn D'Hollander (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002     + 3.59
 7. Bogdan Ravbar (Slo)                         + 4.05
 8. Bernhard Gugganig (Aut)                     + 4.12
 9. Thomas Kreidl (Aut)                         + 4.16
10. Jose Robles (Col)                           + 4.26

    Stage 9, Natters-Kaunertaler Gletscher, 129km

     1.  L. Roosen	(Bel)			       3.45.31
 2.  F. Vandenbroucke (Bel)			  s.t.
 3.  G. DHollander (Bel)			+ 0.51 
 4.  J. Robles (Col)				+ 0.59
 5.  G. Verheyen (Bel)				+ 1.20
 6.  F. Ballerini (Ita)				+ 1.27

    GC after Stage 9

     1.  F. Vandenbroucke (Bel)		      31.07.39
 2.  L. Roosen (Bel)				+ 2.36
 3.  F. Ballerini (Ita)				+ 3.28
 4.  G. DHollander (Bel)			+ 4.52
 5.  J. Robles (Col)				+ 5.31
 6.  A. Kastenhuber (Ger) 			+ 5.55

    Stage 9 Report

    This rather short trip was definitively the most difficult stage of the Tour. The last climb was 2700 meters high (the Kaunertaler Gletscher). A group of 10 riders formed after a while and the two best climbers in this tour rode away at 5 km from the top: VDB and his compatriot Luc Roosen of the Vlaanderen 2000 team.

    VDB only followed Roosen and took no lead to protect the second place of Ballerini in the general standing. They took one minute and everyone thought VDB would win his 5th victory in this tour. But in the last hundred meters nothing happened. The two settled it friendly and they finished without going for a real sprint. Roosen certainly rode very well in this tour and took with this result the second place from Ballerini, who still remains in the top 3.

    Roosen (almost 32) an ex-winner of the Tour of Switzerland is especially a rider of lost opportunities. He once lost the Amstel Gold Race to Vanderpoel by raising his hands to early in the sprint. The pictures with all that snow in summer-time were beautiful to watch

    VDB wins Austrian Tour (June 06-15 1996)

    The last stage of this tour was a win for the Belgian rider Glenn D'Hollander, from the Vlaanderen 2000 team. No problems for the final winner Frank Vandenbroucke. In this little tour one really could speak of a revival of Belgian cycling. Of course the lack of real talented riders was evident. Still, with VDB and D'Hollander, Belgium has again two very young (both 21) riders who at least can climb. Which is an improvement over the past years.

    Both were first discovered in the Belgian "debutants" championship in 1991 at the age of 16, when they became first and second, putting minutes between them and the others.

    Both are the first products of the new politics of the Belgian Cycling federation. This week the Belgian Cycling federation confirmed their cooperation with the University of Brussels to aid as scientific as possible new young riders. They are still far behind the Italian success and due to the "mondialisation", the supremacy of Belgian riders in the 70's will never occur again, but these results are encouraging.

    Stage 10, Feichten - Innsbruck 148 km:

     1. Glenn D'Hollander (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002    3.29.16
 2. Hannes Hempel (Aut)                         + 0.01
 3. Luc Roosen (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002            + 0.03
 4. Andreas Kloden (Ger)                        + 0.04
 5. Gert Vanderaerden (Bel) Palmans             + 0.05
 6. Casper van der Meer (Ned)  Palmans            s.t.

    Final overall:

     1. Franck Vandenbroucke (Bel) Mapei-GB       34.37.22
 2. Luc Roosen (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002            + 2.08
 3. Franco Ballerini (Ita) Mapei-GB             + 3.37
 4. Glenn D'Hollander (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002     + 4.15
 5. Jose Robles (Col)                           + 5.31
 6. Geert Verheyen (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002        + 5.47