GP Harelbeke

  1. Bart Leysen (Bel, Mapei-GB)   4:53:00
  2. Wesemann                         + 11 secs.
  3. Bomans
  4. Planckaert
  5. Hoffman
  6. Fidanza
  7. Bettin
  8. Sorensen
  9. Omloop
 10. G. Bontempi                  all same time

Belgium adores resurrection stories.There was another one on Saturday with Bart Leysen in the Grand Prix E3, named after the autoroute that runs alongside the town of Harelbeke. And a victory like this couldn't pass unnoticed on such a race route -- which uses six of the principal cobbled climbs of the next Tour of Flanders.

After having been stranded close to Jean-Luc Vandenbroucke in his first two pro years and vegetating a season with Vlaanderen 2002, Leysen was contacted as if by a miracle at the end of last year by Mapei-GB to join the band of the Antwerpers Bomans and Willems who look after Museeuw. On the cobbles and the climbs which a little bit of sunshine condescended to beautify, Bart Leysen seized his opportunity for the first time in four years.

And he needed to be courageous to take his chance for in the escape group that had just been formed there were only prestigious names. Johan Museeuw, Maurizio Fondriest and Luca Scinto had made a good attempt to get away, but a group of chasers led by Nelissen wasn't having it. Also in it were Cipollini, Chiappucci, Sergeant, Bomans, Sciandri, Ballerini, Armstrong, Sorensen, among others. Less than 15km from the finish Leysen found an opening, and it was 30 secs lead that he built up to seal his victory. The Lotto team, who after two years hadn't wanted him any more, were distanced in the streets of the final Harelbeke circuit. Bart Leysen indeed took his revenge.

Bart Leysen experienced all the emotions this weekend: a few hours after the first great victory of his career he learned of the death of his younger brother, Joe (22), himself an amateur racer, who had fallen victim of a heart attack.