1. Tom Steels (Bel) Mapei-GB 5.06.00 2. Hendrik Redant (Bel) TVM s.t. 3. Olaf Ludwig (Ger) Telekom s.t. 4. Herman Frison (Bel) Lotto s.t. 5. Edwig van Hooydonck (Bel) Rabobank s.t. 6. Wilfried Peeters (Bel) Mapei-GB + 0.16 7. Ludo Dierickxsens (Bel) Tonissteiner + 0.18 8. Jelle Nijdam (Ned) TVM + 0.45 9. Johan Capiot (Bel) Collstrop s.t. 10. Gianluca Pianegonda (Ita) Polti s.t. 11. Sammy Moreels (Bel) Palmans 12. Tristan Hoffman (Ned) TVM 13. Laurent Brochard (Fra) Festina 14. Brian Holm (Den) Telekom 15. Cedric Vasseur (Fra) Gan 16. Francis Moreau (Fra) Gan 17. Wiebren Veenstra (Ned) Foreldorado 18. Henk Vogels (Aus) Rabobank 19. Michael Blaudzun (Den) Rabobank 20. Luc Roosen (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002 all s.t. as Nijdam
Winner Second Third
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1996 Tom Steels Hendrik Redant Olaf Ludwig (Ger)
1995 Franco Ballerini (It) E.V Hooydonck Andrej Tchmil (Rus)
1994 Wilfried Nelissen F.Moncassin (F) A.Kappes (Ger)
1993 Wilfried Nelissen O.Ludwig (Ger) E.Vanderaerden
1992 Johan Capiot P.Pieters (Ned) E.Vanderaerden
1991 Andreas Kappes (Ger) C.Bomans E.V Hooydonck
1990 Johan Capiot E.V Hooydonck E.De Wilde
1989 Etienne De Wilde S.Kelly (Irl) R.Stumpf (Ger)
1988 Ronny Van Holen J.Lammerts (Ned) J.Talen (Ned)
1987 Teun Van Vliet (Ned) S.Rooks (Ned) J.Goessens
1986 ------------ Race cancelled due to snow ------------
1985 Eddy Planckaert J.Hanegraaf (Ned) J.Lieckens
1984 Eddy Planckaert J.L.Vandenbroucke L.Peeters
1983 Alfons De Wolf J.Raas (Ned) L.Colijn
1982 Alfons De Wolf G.Jones (GBR) S.Kelly (Irl)
1981 Jan Raas (Ned) G.Duclos-Lassalle (F) J.L.Vandenbroucke
1980 Josephe Bruyere W.Planckaert S.Kelly (Irl)
1979 Roger De Vlaeminck J.Raas (Ned) F.Hoste
1978 Freddy Maertens A.Van Katwijk (Ned) J.Raas (Ned)
1977 Freddy Maertens J.Raas (Ned) L.Peeters
1976 Willem Peeters H.Kuiper (Ned) P.Sercu
1975 Josephe Bruyere P.Sercu J.De Cauwer
1974 Josephe Bruyere P.Sercu R.Van Linden
1973 Eddy Merckx R.D Vlaeminck A. Vlierberghe
1972 Frans Verbeeck A.Dierickx E.Merckx
1971 Eddy Merckx R.Rosiers A.Dierickx
1970 Frans Verbeeck R.Rosiers A.Dierickx
1969 Roger De Vlaeminck D.V Rijckeghem V.V Sweevelt
1968 H. Vanspringel R.Wolfshohl (Ger) V.D.Kerckhove
1967 Willy Vekemans J.Spruyt E.Sels
1966 Jo De Roo W.Godefroot E.Merckx
1965 Noel De Pauw M.V D Bogaert J.Vandervleuten (Ned)
1964 Frans Melckenbeeck A.De Cabooter Y.Molenaers
1963 Rene Van Meenen L.Janssens J.Claes
1962 Robert De Middeleir J.Claes R.Deconinck
1961 Arthur De Cabooter F.Schoubben G.Decraeye
1959 Seamus Elliott (Irl) A.De Bruyne T.Dingens
1958 Jef Planckaert R.Van Looy R.Decorte
1957 Norbert Kerckhove P.Cerami L.Van Daele
1956 Ernest Sterckx B.Schotte L.Schaeken
1955 Lode Anthonis A.Rosseel A.Vlayen
1954 Karel De Baere R.Decorte J.De Valck
1953 Ernest Sterckx M.Mollin M.Rijckaert
1952 Ernest Sterckx R.Impanis A.Declerck
1951 Jean Bogaerts L.Van Brabant R.Impanis
1950 Andre Declerck M.Meersman B.Schotte
1949 Andre Declerck F.Leenan M.Mollin
1948 Sylvian Grysolle F.Coppi (It) M.Hendrickx
1947 Albert Sercu E.Faignaert A.Buysse
1946 Andre Pieters M.Rijckaert E.Thoma
1945 Jean Bogaerts M.Desimpelaere R.Van Eenaeme
Born September 2, 1971 at Sint-Gillis-Waas, Belgium Pro: 1994 Vlaanderen 2002; 1995 Mapei-GB One stage of Tour de l'Avenir 1994 1st GP Van Steenbergen 1995 One stage of Tour of the Netherlands 1995 One stage of Tour Mediterraneen 1995 1st Omloop Het Volk 2nd Tour de la Cote Picardie 1994 2nd Belgian National Championships 1995
Nelissen was out to show this -- he attacked on the Muur at Geraardsbergen with only 80km of the race run. Probably far too early: there was still the Molenberg (km136), the Leberg (km144) and Berendries (149km) and taxing flat stretches of cobbles including 1300m only 13km from the new finish at Lokeren.
Nelissen's attack didn't last, and it was on the Berendries, with 60km to go that something more substantial took off when Lars Michaelsen (Den, Festina) led away a group of 12 including Franco Ballerini (Mapei-GB) and Frederic Moncassin and Cedric Vasseur (GAN). Lotto took up the chase and brought it back , expending energy (that's bike racing) that they were going to need later.
"In the climbs," Tom Steels said after the race, "I was a bit stretched, but I recuperated quickly, and when Museeuw asked me if the team could rely on me, I said yes."
It was Museeuw who tested the race next, turning on the power with 28km to go, taking Leon Van Bon (Neth, Rabobank), Andrei Tchmil (Rus, Lotto), Jelle Nijdam (Neth, TVM) with him. Gianluca Pianegonda (It, Team Polti) clawed his way up to join them. This time GAN did the chasing, on behalf of Moncassin, but because of this weren't up to the job when the decisive break of seven went away after 600m of cobbles 20km from the finish.
The seven (six Belgians -- Steels, Hendrik Redant, Edwig Van Hooydonck, Wilfried Peeters, Ludo Dierckxsens, Herman Frison -- and veteran German Olaf Ludwig) greatly benefited from Mapei's far from subtle blocking tactics on the front of the chase peloton which soon lost the heart for the chase. Nelissen was unhappy with the Mapei shoulder work and even Mapei directeur-sportif Lefevere conceded that the tactics were "brutal".
With 1,500m to go, Frison tried an attack and failed; this was followed by an attempt by Dierckxsens. Each time Peeters pulled the group up to the attacker, clearing the ground for team-mate Steels who was, however, badly placed for the final blow. "Van Hooydonck led out the sprint at 200m," Steels said, "and I wanted to go by him on the inside. When Ludwig passed Van Hooydonck, though, I was getting wedged up to the barriers." But he squeezed through a mousehole, and crossed the line first, mouth agape in delight and two fists punching the air in front of him.