Fleche Brabanconne - Belgium

36th Fleche Brabanconne/Brabantse Pijl (Belgium, Cat 1.3) March 31 1996

The Ronde van Vlaanderen's just round the corner....

Johan Museeuw (Bel, Mapei-GB) won today's "Brabant Arrow" 183km race with Edwig Van Hooydonck (Bel, Rabobank) second and Gianluca Pianegonda (It, Team Polti) third.

Results

 1. Johan Museeuw (Bel) Mapei-GB                4.20.25 (41,756 km/h)
 2. Edwig van Hooydonck (Bel) Rabobank             s.t.
 3. Gianluca Pianegonda (Ita) Team Polti         + 0.04
 4. Maarten den Bakker (Ned) TVM                 + 0.07
 5. Andrej Tchmil (Ukr) Lotto                    + 0.08
 6. Axel Merckx (Bel) Motorola                   + 0.12
 7. Erwin Thijs (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002            + 0.18
 8. Fabio Roscioli (Ita) Refin                   + 0.24
 9. Rolf Sorensen (Den) Rabobank                 + 0.37
10. Michael Boogerd (Ned) Rabobank               + 1.26
11. Cedric Vasseur (Fra) Gan                     + 3.32
12. Frederic Guesdon (Fra) Team Polti            + 4.22
13. Angelo Canzonieri (Ita) Saeco                  s.t.
14. Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Gan                       s.t.
15. Mario Aerts (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002              s.t.

Starters 191, Finishers 43

Race Report

The peloton was cut down to a hardy 43 classified finishers by snow and the unpleasant prospect of five climbs of the cote d'Alsemberg (12% in parts). Johan Museeuw said he contemplated abandoning -- "my fingers and arms were frozen" -- but rather hung on when Van Hooydonck attacked the first time up the Alsemberg. The final sprint,at the top of the climb, proved no more than a formality for Museeuw. "He's got better legs than I've ever seen him have before," declared Mapei directeur sportif Patrick Lefevere. "But if this sort of weather persists I'll pull the team out of the Three Days of La Panne [April 2-4]. I don't want to take any risk with the Tour of Flanders only a week away."