1. Thierry Laurent (Fr, Agrigel-La Creuse)159.5km in 4.01.38 (bonif 10 secs) 2. Philippe Gaumont (Fr, GAN) +6.58 (bonif 6 secs) 3. Denis Zanette (It, Aki-Gipiemme) (bonif 4 secs) 4. Cedric Vasseur (Fr, GAN) 5 Olaf Ludwig (Ger, Telekom) 6. Laurent Desbiens (Fr, GAN) 7. Udo Bolts (Ger, Telekom) 8. Arturas Kasputis (Lith, Petit Casino-C'est) all s.t. 9. Servais Knaven (Neth, TVM) +7.01 10. Marco Milesi (It, Brescialat) 11. Stephane Goubert (Fr, Festina) 12. Frank Corvers (Bel, Lotto) 13. Kai Hundertmark (Ger, Telekom) all s.t. 14. Francis Moreau (Fr, GAN) +7.04 15. Stephane Cueff (Fr, La Mutuelle de Seine-et-Marne) +8.32 16. Michelangelo Cauz (It, Aki-Gipiemme) +8.44 17. Francisque Teyssier (Fr, Aubervilliers 93-Peugeot) +8.47 18. Fabrizio Bontempi (It, Brescialat) s.t. 19. Jerome Chiotti (Fr, Festina) +8.50 20. Dariusz Baranowski (Pol, US Postal) s.t. 101 classified Abandons included Michaelsen, Seigneur, Pontier, Monin, Gabriel, Bernard
1. Thierry Laurent (Agrigel-La Creuse) 11.01.28 2. Denis Zanette (It, Aki-Gipiemme) +0.42 3. Philippe Gaumont (Fr, GAN) +1.10 4. Olaf Ludwig (Ger, Telekom) +1.24 5. Arturtas Kasputis (Lith, Petit Casino-C'est) +1.47 6. Laurent Desbiens (Fr, GAN) +1.58 7. Marco Milesi (It, Brescialat) s.t. 8. Michelangelo Cauz (It, Aki-Gipiemme) +3.16 9. Frank Corvers (Bel, Lotto) +3.36 10. Francis Moreau (Fr, GAN) +3.48 11. Cedric Vasseur (Fr, GAN) +3.49 12. Chris Boardman (GB, GAN) +4.13 13. Kai Hundertmark (Ger, Telekom) +5.06 14. Erik Zabel 9Ger, Telekom) +5.07 15. Jacky Durand (Fr, Agrigel-La Creuse) +5.21
1. Jeroen Blijlevens (Ned) TVM 4.40.42 2. Erik Zabel (Ger) Telekom 3. Massimo Strazzer (Ita) Brescialat 4. Olaf Ludwig (Ger) Telekom 5. Godert de Leeuw (Ned) Foreldrado 6. ???? Van der Wolf (Neth, Foreldorado-Golff) 7. Jaan Kirsipuu (Est, Petit Casino-C'est votre equipe) 8. Denis Zanette (It, Aki-Gipiemme) 9. Johan Capiot (Bel, Collstrop) 10. Frederic Moncassin (Fr, GAN) all s.t. 98 classified Abandons: Nijdam, Cornelisse, Saugrain Intermediate sprints: Omloop, 6 secs Agnolutto, 4 secs Zanette, 2 secs
1. Thierry Laurent (Fra) Agrigel 15.42.10 2. Denis Zanette (Ita) Aki-Gipiemme + 0.40 3. Philippe Gaumont (Fra) Gan + 1.10 4. Olaf Ludwig (Ger) Telekom + 1.24 5. Arturas Kasputis (Lit) Petit-Casino + 1.47 6. Laurent Desbiens (Fr, GAN) + 1.58 7. Marco Milesi (It, Brescialat) s.t. 8. Michelangelo Cauz (It, Aki-Gipiemme) + 3.16 9. Frank Corvers (Bel, Lotto) + 3.36 10. Francis Moreau (Fr, GAN) + 3.48 11. Cedric Vasseur (Fr, GAN) + 3.49 12. Chris Boardman (GB, GAN) + 4.13 13. Zabel + 5.01 14. Kai Hundertmark (Ger, Telekom) + 5.06 15. Jacky Durand (Fr, Agrigel-La Creuse) + 5.21
Agnolutto said after the race, "so why not us today?" Omloop and Agnolutto were caught just 10km from the line, but Petit Casino wasn't quite finished -- Pascal Chanteur trying an unsuccessful attack. The Dunkirk area seems to have a special affinity for mass-sprint winner Jeroen Blijlevens: he won his first pro victory there in the 1994 Quatre Jours, and a Tour stage there last year.
Thierry Laurent had been apprehensive about his ability to hold his overalll lead in view of his efforts the previous day but got through with the help of the other Agrigel riders. "My team-mates put together a recovery ride for me today. I've recuperated much better than I expected; it's all going to be sorted out [on tomorrow's stage at Cassel]. My chances have picked up a bit since there were no splits in the race today."
1. Marc Wauters (Bel, Lotto) 180km in 4.29.02 (bonif, 10 secs) 2. Daniele Contrini (It, Brescialat) +0.15 secs (bonif, 6 secs) 3. Frederic Moncassin (Fr, GAN) s.t. (bonif, 4 secs) 4. Philippe Gaumont (Fr, GAN) +1.10 5. Olav Ludwig (Ger, Telekom) +1.11 6. Kai Hundertmark (ger, Telekom) +2.00 7. Marco Milesi (It Brescialat) 8. Frank Corvers (Bel, Lotto) 9. Laurent Desbiens (Fr, GAN) 10. Fabrizio Bontempi (It, Brescialat) 11. Cedric Vasseur (Fr, GAN) 12. Denis Zanette (It, Aki-Gipieme) 13. Udo Bolts (Ger, Telekom) 14. Peter Meinert-Neilsen (Den, Telekom) 15. Chris Boardman (GB, GAN) 16. Pascal Chanteur (Fr, Petit Casino-C'est votre equipe) 17. Laurent Roux (Fr, TVM0 18. Gilles Talmant (Fr, Aubervilliers 93-Peugeot) 19. Christophe Rinero (Fr, ForceSud) 20. Stephen Hodge (Australia, Festina) 21. Arturas Kasputis ((Lith, Petit Casino-C'est votre equipe) 22. Stephane Petilleau (Fr, TVM) all s.t. also 25. Thierry Laurent (Fr, Agrigel-La Creuse) (89 classified) (Principal abandons: Zabel, Bresset, Kirsipuu, Arroyo)
Before the last climb up to Cassel, Moncassin, Wauters and Contrini broke clear, but Wauters made a surprise jump away from his two companions. Out of the peloton Philippe Gaumont (GAN) counterattacked, taking along Olaf Ludwig and Mario Kummer (Telekom). Gaumont's attack took 1.06 back on race leader Thierry Laurent, leaving Laurent only 4 seconds in hand. "We deliberately didn't designate a team leader from the beginning of the race so as to avoid influencing the way it was run," said GAN directeur-sportif Roger Legeay.
"But Saturday morning I announced that Philippe Gaumont and Laurent Desbiens must be protected riders from then on. I told Moncassin to attack from the beginning and then Boardman, Vasseur and Moreau to toughen up the race when it got to Cassel. Everything worked out as planned, we were just short of four seconds to take the pink jersey. Frankly I couldn't have taken the risk of staking everything on an attack at the foot [of the last climb of Cassel]."
The gap was originally said to be 2 seconds but Agrigel directeur sportif Marc Durant disputed this and the commissaires recalculated it at 4 seconds. Philippe Gaumont didn't sleep well Saturday night. "When I learnt that I had 4 seconds rather than 2 seconds to make up on Thierry Laurent I was thoroughly non-plussed. For me it seemed to have become a mission impossible."
1. Thierry Laurent (Fra) Agrigel 20.13.30 2. Philippe Gaumont (Fra) Gan + 0.02 3. Olaf Ludwig (Ger) Telekom + 0.17 4. Denis Zanette (Ita) Aki-Gipiemme + 0.22 5. Arturas Kasputis (Lit) Petit-Casino + 1.29 6. Laurent Desbiens (Fra) Gan + 1.40
1. Jeroen Blijlevens (Neth, TVM) 178.4km in 4.00.41 (10 secs bonif.) 2. Frederic Moncassin (Fr, GAN) (6 secs bonif.) 3. Frank Corvers (Bel, Lotto) (4 secs bonif.) 4. Denis Zanette (It, Aki-Gipiemme) 5. Michelangelo Cauz (It, Aki-Gipiemme) 6. Stephen Hodge (Australia, Festina) 7. Kai Hundertmark (Ger, Telekom) 8. Olaf Ludwig (Ger, Telekom) 9. Frank Hoj (Den, Collstrop) 10. Godert De Leeuw (Neth, Foreledorado-Golff) and the pel. all s.t. (d.n.s.: Lamour. Principal abandons: Halgand, Petilleau, Delphis, Rezze, Mentheour, Teyssier, Maignan, Cueff, Rokia, Derique, Mengin, Bessy, Colotti, Conan)
1. Philippe Gaumont (Fra) Gan 24.14.07 2. Thierry Laurent (Fra) Agrigel + 0,02 3. Olaf Ludwig (Ger) Telekom + 0.18 4. Denis Zanette (Ita) Aki-Gipiemme + 0.26 5. Arturas Kasputis (Lit) Petit-Casino + 1.33 6. Laurent Desbiens (Fra) Gan + 1.44 7. Marco Milesi (it, Brescialat) s.t. 8. Corvers +3.18 9. Moncassin +3.33 10. Cedric Vasseur (Fr, GAN) +3.35 11. Francis Moreau (Fr, GAN) +3.50 12. Chris Boardman (GB, GAN0 +3.59 13. Hundertmark +4.52 14. Udo Bolts (Ger, Telekom) +5.18 15. Marc Wauters (Bel, Lotto) +5.47 (68 classified)