Four Days of Dunkirk, Cat 2.1

France, May 6-11, 1997

1996 Results 

Preview
Stage One
Stage 2
Stage 3
Stage 4
Stage 5
Stage 6
Stage 7 and Final GC

Stages

Stage 1:  Tuesday May 6:   Dunkerk - Boulogne-sur-Mer (152 km).
Stage 2:  Wednesday May 7: Boulogne-sur-Mer - Henin-Montigny (184 km)
Stage 3a: Thursday May 8:  Roost-Warendin - Saint-Quentin (93 km) and
Stage 3b: Thursday May 8:  ITT - Saint-Quentin (14.2 km).
Stage 4:  Friday May 9:    Amiens - Grevelingen (175.5 km).
Stage 5:  Saturday May 10: Loon-Plage - Monts de Flandre (181 km).
Stage 6:  Sunday May 11:   Grande-Synthe - Duinkerke (177.5 km).

The Main Riders and Teams

Gan: Moncassin, O'Grady.
Lotto: Abdujaparov, Planckaert, Tchmil, Wauters.
Festina: Bortolami, Magnien.
TVM: Blijlevens, Capiot, Van Dijck.
Mapei-GB: Museeuw, Steels, Vandenbroucke.
Cofidis: Fondriest, Gaumont.
La Francaise des Jeux: Guesdon, Seigneur.
Rabobank: Sorensen, Van Bon.
Vlaanderen 2002: D'Hollander, Van Bondt, Aerts.
Palmans: Omloop, Pauwels

Stage 1, Dunkerque - Boulogne-sur-Mer, 152 km:

  1. Wilfried Peeters (Bel) Mapei            3.29.23
  2. Nico Mattan (Bel) Mapei                    s.t.
  3. Andrej Tchmil (Ukr) Lotto                  s.t.
  4. Laurent Genty (Fra) Big Mat-Auber        + 0.02
  5. Cedric Vasseur (Fra) Gan                 + 0.09
  6. Frank Vandenbroucke (Bel) Mapei
  7. Christophe Mengin (Fra) FDJ
  8. Mariano Piccoli (Ita) Brescialat
  9. John Van Der Akker (Ned) Foreldorado    all s.t.
 10. Thierry Bourguignon (Fra) Big Mat-Auber   + 0.10                      

 11. Philippe Gaumont (Fra)
 12. Laurent Roux (Fra)
 13. Marcel Wust (Ger) 			0.12
 14. Robbie McEwen (Aus)
 15. Jaan Kirsipuu (Est)
 16. Denis Zanette (Ita)
 17. Frederic Moncassin (Fra)
 18. Stuart O'Grady (Aus)
 19. Maurizio Fondriest (Ita
 20. Geert Van Bondt (Bel)
 21. Michelangelo Cauz (Ita)
 22. Fabio Sacchi (Ita)
 23. Claude Lamour (Fra)
 24. Laurent Brochard (Fra)
 25. Nicolas Jalabert (Fra)
 27. Christophe Detilloux
 28. Hans De Clercq (Bel)
 29. Leon van Bon (Ned)
 33. Chris Peers (Bel)
 35. Johan Museeuw (Bel)
 44. Hans De Meester (Bel)
 54. Jo Planckaert (Bel)
 56. Erwin Thijs (Bel)
 65. Niko Eeckhout (Bel)
 66. Wim Vansevenant (Bel)
 70. Hendrik Van Dijck (Bel)
 71. Wim Feys (Bel)
 81. Ludwig Willems (Bel)
 98. Gino Verheyden (Bel)
 99. Marc Bouillon (Bel)
101. Danny Daelman (Bel)
104. Geert Verheyen (Bel)
109. Johan Capiot (Bel)
110. Kurt Van de Wouwer (Bel)
111. Bart Leysen (Bel)
112. Nico Renders (Bel)
114. Marc Streel (Bel)
117. Jean-Pierre Heynderickx (Bel)
118. Michel Nottebart (Bel)
123. Tom Steels (Bel)
125. Jarno Vanfrachem (Bel)		16.19
126. Pedro Rubrecht (Bel)		17.40
133. Glenn D'Hollander (Bel)		20.18
141. Frank Van den Abbeele (Bel)
144. Karl Pauwels (Bel)

Overall (after bonuses):

  1. Wilfried Peeters (Bel) Mapei            3.29.13
  2. Nico Mattan (Bel) Mapei                  + 0.04
  3. Andrej Tchmil (Ukr) Lotto                + 0.06
  4. Laurent Genty (Fra) Big Mat-Auber        + 0.12
  5. Frank Vandenbroucke (Bel) Mapei          + 0.16
  6. Cedric Vasseur (Fra) Gan                 + 0.18
  7. Christophe Mengin (Fra) FDJ              + 0.19
  8. Mariano Piccoli (Ita) Brescialat         + 0.19
  9. John Van Der Akker (Ned) Foreldorado     + 0.19
 10. Frederic Moncassin (Fra) Gan             + 0.19
 
 22. Geert van Bondt (Bel)
 29. Christophe Detilloux (Bel)
 30. Hans De Clercq (Bel)
 35. Chris Peers (Bel)
 37. Johan Museeuw (Bel)
 46. Hans De Meester (Bel)
 54. Jo Planckaert (Bel)
 56. Erwin Thijs (Bel)
 65. Niko Eeckhout (Bel)
 66. Wim Vansevenant (Bel)
 70. Hendrik Van Dijck (Bel)
 71. Wim Feys (Bel)
 81. Ludwig Willems (Bel)
 98. Gino Verheyden (Bel)
 99. Marc Bouillon (Bel)
101. Danny Daelman (Bel)
104. Geert Verheyen (Bel)
109. Johan Capiot (Bel)
110. Kurt Van De Wouwer (Bel)
111. Bart Leysen (Bel)
112. Nico Renders (Bel)
114. Marc Streel (Bel)
117. Jean-Pierre Heynderickx (Bel)
118. Michel Nottebaert (Bel)
123. Tom Steels (Bel)
125. Jarno Vanfrachem (Bel) 			16.29
126. Pedro Rubrecht (Bel)			17.50
133. Glenn D'Hollander (Bel) 			20.28
141. Frank Van Den Abbeele (Bel)
144. Karl Pauwels (Bel)

Stage 1 Report

Wilfried Peeters outsprinted Belgian compatriot and Mapei team mate Nico Mattan to win the opening stage of the Dunkirk Four Days cycle race on Tuesday.

Ukrainian Andrei Peeters was third in the 152.5-km leg from Dunkirk to Boulogne-sur-Mer.

The leading three parted from the the main bunch in the final few kilometres of a stage made difficult by strong winds.

``It's been a great day for us but it will be difficult to hold the lead since one of our key riders, Stefano Zainini, pulled out before the start,'' said Mapei rider Franck Vandenbroucke. He finished fifth.

The second stage takes the riders from Boulogne to Montigny

Stage 2, Boulogne-sur-Mer - Hinin-Montigny, 184 km:

  1. Robbie McEwen (Aus) Rabobank            4.25.42
  2. Djamolidine Abdujaparov (Uzb) Lotto
  3. Jann Kirsipuu (Est) Casino
  4. Johan Museeuw (Bel) Mapei
  5. Cedric Vasseur (Fra) Gan
  6. Nicolas Jalabert (Fra) Cofidis
  7. Gordon Fraser (Can) Mutuelle
  8. Endrio Leoni (Ita) Aki
  9. Marco Milesi (Ita) Brescialat
 10. Geert Van Bondt (Bel) Vlaanderen
 11. John Den Braber (Ned)
 12. Christophe Rinero (Fra) Cofidis
 13. Mariano Piccoli (Ita) Brescialat
 14. Francis Moreau (Fra) Cofidis
 15. John Talen (Ned) Foreldorado           all s.t.

Overall:

  1. Wilfried Peeters (Bel) Mapei            7.54.55
  2. Nico Mattan (Bel) Mapei                  + 0.04
  3. Andrej Tchmil (Ukr) Lotto                + 0.06
  4. Rob McEwen (Aus) Rabobank                + 0.10
  5. Laurent Genty (Fra) Big Mat-Auber        + 0.12
  6. Frank Vandenbroucke (Bel) Mapei          + 0.15
  7. Cedric Vasseur (Fra) Gan                 + 0.16
  8. Arturas Kasputis (Lit) Casino            + 0.16
  9. Jann Kirsipuu (Est) Casino               + 0.18
 10. Philippe Gaumont (Fra) Cofidis           + 0.18
 11. Mariano Piccoli (Ita) Brescialat         + 0.19
 12. Laurent Roux (Fra) TVM
 13. Christophe Mengin (Fra) FDJ 
 14. John Van Den Akker (Ned) Foreldorado 
 15. Frederic Moncassin (Fra) Gan           all s.t.

Stage 2 Report

Robbie McEwen of Australia won the second stage of the Dunkirk Four Days race on Wednesday.

Belgian Wilfried Peeters retained the overall leader's pink jersey after the 184-km stage from Boulogne-sur-Mer.

McEwen won the sprint to the line ahead of Djamolidin Abdujaparov of Uzbekistan, who was second, and Estonian Jaan Kirsipuu.

Peeters' Mapei team helped the Belgian hold on to the overall lead by heading the peloton in a concerted chase of Lithuanian Arturas Kasputis, who broke away alone early on.

Kasputis was out in front for the better part of the stage after taking off at around the 40-km mark and leading by three minutes at the halfway point.

At the height of the chasing group's effort Italian Maurizio Fondriest, the Cofidis team leader, had to abandon the race with a recurrence of back trouble.

The peloton caught up with Kasputis a few kilometres from the finish line with McEwen, who turned professional last year and had nine wins last season, the fastest in the final sprint.

There is a 93.2-km stage on Thursday morning from Roost-Warendin to Saint-Quentin, where there will be a 14.2-km ITT.

Another Report

Australian Robbie McEwen (Rabobank) won the second stage at the Four Days of Dunquerque in a sprint, which was raced today over 184 kms. between Boulogne sur Mer and Henin Montigny. McEwen, who beat in the sprint, Uzbek Djamolidine Abdoujaparov, spent a time of 4:25:42, with Belgian Wilfried Peeters (Mapei) retaining the overall lead. The Belgian rider went through some hard times during the stage, when Lithuanian Arturas Kasputis jumped from the peloton at km. 40 and reached a maximum advantage of three minutes at the halfway point, which is when Mapei started working hard to maintain Peeters' leadership. The escape was neuralized just a few kilometers away from the finish and Robbie McEwen'w sprint was the fastest (he became a pro in '96 and won 9 races), ahead of Abdoujaparov and Stonian Jaan Kirsipuu.

Stage 3, Roost-Warendin - St.Quentin, 93.2 km:

 1. Philippe Gaumont (Fra) Cofidis		2.31.03
 2. Jeroen Blijlevens (Ned) TVM
 3. Michael van der Wolf (Ned) Foreldorado
 4. Marcel W|st (Ger) Festina
 5. Marco Bellini (Ita) Asics
 6. Geert Van Bondt (Bel) Vlaanderen       	
 6. Geert Van Boendt (Belgium) Vlaanderen 2002 
 7. Jaan Kirsipuu (Estonia) Casino 
 8. Daniele Contrini (Italy) Brescialat 
 9. Marco Milesi (Italy) Brescialat 
10. Nico Renders (Belgium) Vlaanderen 2002	
11. Laurent Brochard (Fra)                              
12. John Den Braber (Ned)                               
13. Ivan Quaranta (Ita)                                 
14. Gilles Talment (Fra)                                
15. Nico Mattan (Bel)				all s.t.

Overall after Stage 4:

 1. Wilfried Peeters (Bel) Mapei
 2. Nico Mattan (Bel) Mapei                  	0.04
 3. Andrej Tchmil (Ukr) Lotto                	0.06
 4. Philippe Gaumont (Fra) Cofidis           	0.09
 5. Rob McEwen (Aus) Rabobank                	0.10
 6. Laurent Genty (Fra)                     	0.12
 7. Franck Vandenbroucke (Bel)              	0.15
 8. Jaan Kirsipuu (Est)                     	0.16
 9. Arturas Kasputis (Lit)                  	0.16
10. Cedric Vasseur (Fra)                    	0.16
11. Jeroen Blijlevens (Ned)                 	0.18
12. Frederic Moncassin (Fra)                	0.18
13. Mariano Piccoli (Ita)                   	0.19
14. Laurent Roux (Fra)                      	0.19
15. Christian Mengin (Fra)                  	0.19

Stage 4, ITT in St Quentin, 14 km:

  1. Johan Museeuw (Bel) Mapei                 17.15
  2. Leon Van Bon (Ned) Rabobank              	0.18
  3. Frank Vandenbroucke (Bel) Mapei          	0.21
  4. Daniele Contrini (Ita) Brescialat        	0.33
  5. Christophe Bassons (Fra) Festina         	0.37
  6. Mirco Crepaldi (Ita) Polti               	0.39
  7. Nico Mattan (Bel) Mapei                  	0.40
  8. Arturas Kasputis (Lit) Casino            	0.45
  9. Erwin Thijs (Bel) Vlaanderen             	0.46
 10. Stefano Faustini (Ita) Aki               	0.46

Overall:

  1. Johan Museeuw (Bel) Mapei              10.43.35
  2. Frank Vandenbroucke (Bel) Mapei          	0.14
  3. Nico Mattan (Bel) Mapei                  	0.22
  4. Andrej Tchmil (Ukr) Lotto                	0.30
  5. Leon Van Bon (Ned) Rabobank              	0.31
  6. Daniele Contrini (Ita) Brescialat        	0.34
  7. Wilfried Peeters (Bel) Mapei             	0.36
  8. Christophe Bassons (Fra) Festina         	0.37
  9. Laurent Genty (Fra) Big Mat-Auber        	0.38
 10. Arturas Kasputis (Lit) Casino            	0.39

Stage 3a and 3b Report

World champion Johan Museeuw won the time trial to take over from fellow Belgian Wilfried Peeters as leader of the Dunkirk four days cycling race on Thursday.

Museeuw completed the 14.2-km time trial at Saint-Quentin, fourth stage of the race, in 17 minutes 15 seconds and now heads a Belgian trio at the front of the race after three days.

He is 14 seconds ahead of Franck Vandenbroucke and 22 ahead of Nico Mattan. Peeters, who led from the first stage on Tuesday, is now seventh 36 seconds behind Museeuw.

Despite a strong wind and driving rain, Museeuw did the time trial at close to 50 kph, but said afterwards ``I didn't take any risks.''

He was 18 seconds faster than second-placed Dutchman Leon van Bon with new young Belgian hope Vandenbroucke three seconds further behind.

On Thursday morning, Frenchman Philippe Gaumont won the 93.2-km third stage from Roost-Warendin to Saint-Quentin with Peeters retaining his overall lead up to that point.

Gaumont, who won the Gand/Wevelgem classic this year, beat Dutchman Jeroen Blijlevens in the final sprint at the end of a leisurely stage as the riders kept their stamina for the ITT.

Stage 5, Amiens - Gravelines, 175 km:

  1. Jeroen Blijlevens (Ned) TVM             4.15.10
  2. Djamolidine Abdujaparov (Uzb) Lotto
  3. Frederic Moncassin (Fra) Gan
  4. Jann Kirsipuu (Est) Casino
  5. Mariano Piccoli (Ita) Brescialat
  6. Philippe Gaumont (Fra) Cofidis
  7. Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Gan
  8. Lauri Aus (Est) Casino
  9. Laurent Brochard (Fra) Festina
 10. Aart Vierhouten (Ned) Rabobank         all s.t.

Overall:

  1. Johan Museeuw (Bel) Mapei               14.58.45
  2. Frank Vandenbroucke (Bel) Mapei           0.19
  3. Nico Mattan (Bel) Mapei                   0.27
  4. Leon Van Bon (Ned) Rabobank               0.33
  5. Andrei Tchmil (Ukr) Lotto                 0.35
  6. Daniele Contrini (Ita) Brescial0.        0.39
  7. Wilfried Peeters (Bel) Mapei              0.41
  8. Christophe Bassons (Fra) Festina          0.42
  9. Laurent Genty (Fra) Big Mat-Auber         0.43
 10. Arturas Kasputis (Lit) Casino             0.44

Stage 5 Report

Dutchman Jeroen Blijlevens (TVM) won in a sprint today the fifth stage of the Four Days of Dunquerke, raced between Amiens and Gravelines (175 kms.), while Belgian Johan Musseuw (Mapei) continues to lead the overall. Blijlevens easily beat his chasers, Yamolidin Abduyaparov (Lotto), who came in second and Frederic Moncassin (GAN), third. Musseuw increased his advantage by 5 seconds thanks to an intermediate sprint. In the first one of them he cme in second, behind Robby McEven (Rabobank), where he gained 2 seconds and 0.9 kms. from the finish, he was first on another where he gained 3 seconds. But is not certain th0.the current World Champion will finish the race on Sunday, since his wife is pregnant and is due any time now, so he has said that even if the baby is born before the end of the race, he will leave to be next to his wife.

Museeuw could quit race if wife gives birth

World champion Johan Museeuw retained the overall lead of the Dunkirk cycle race on Friday but will not be there for Sunday's finish if his wife gives birth before then.

Museeuw, who already has a son, announced that the birth of his second child was imminent and he would head straight home to Ostende as soon as it was born.

His Mapei team do not seem concerned after dominating the 175.5-km fifth stage from Amiens with three of their Belgians retaining all three leading places in the overall standings.

Museeuw, however, remains fully concentrated on the race and added a further second to his lead over second-placed Franck Vandenbroucke, extending it to 19. Nico Mattan is still third overall, 27 seconds behind Museeuw.

Dutchman Jeroen Blijlevens easily won the stage, beating Djamolidin Abdujaparov of Uzbekistan into second place in the final sprint. Frenchman Frederic Moncassin was third.

Stage 6, Loon-Plage - Monts De Flandres, 180.8 km:

  1. Daniele Contrini (Ita) Brescialat        4.25.27 (40,860 km/h)
  2. Franck Vandenbroucke (Bel) Mapei            s.t.
  3. Andrei Tchmil (Ukr) Lotto                   s.t.
  4. Christophe Mengin (Fra) FDJ               + 0.02
  5. Wladimir Belli (Ita) Brescialat             s.t.
  6. Johan Museeuw (Bel) Mapei                   s.t.
  7. Philippe Gaumont (Fra) Cofidis            + 1.42
  8. Laurent Roux (Fra) TVM
  9. Cedric Vasseur (Fra) Gan
 10. Mariano Piccoli (Ita) Brescialat
 11. Laurent Brochard (Fra) Festina
 12. Jean-Luc Masdupuy (Fra)
 13. Aart Vierhouten (Ned) Rabobank
 14. Leon Van Bon (Ned) Rabobank
 15. Sergei Usciakov (Ukr) Polti              all s.t.

Overall:

  1. Johan Museeuw (Bel) Mapei               19.24.09
  2. Franck Vandenbroucke (Bel) Mapei          + 0.11
  3. Daniele Contrini (Ita) Brescialat         + 0.27
  4. Andrei Tchmil (Ukr) Lotto                 + 0.29
  5. Christophe Mengin (Fra) FDJ               + 1.11
  6. Vladimir Belli (Ita) Brescialat           + 1.27
  7. Nico Mattan (Bel) Mapei                   + 2.07
  8. Leon Van Bon (Ned) Rabobank               + 2.13
  9. Arturas Kasputis (Lit) Casino             + 2.24
 10. Michelangelo Cauz (Ita) Aki               + 2.36
 11. Laurent Brochard (Fra) Festina            + 2.42
 12. Cedric Vasseur (Fra) Gan                  + 2.46
 13. Gerard Rui (Fra) Gan                      + 2.47
 14. Stephane Barthe (Fra) Casino              + 2.48
 15. Philippe Gaumont (Fra) Cofidis            + 3.00

Stage 6 Report

Daniele Contrini of Italy won the sixth stage of the Dunkirk cycle race on Saturday while Belgian world champion Johan Museeuw retained the overall lead with one day to go.

Contrini, who appears to have fully recovered from knee surgery at the end of last season, won the 180.8-km stage from Loon-Plage to the Flandres hills.

The 22-year-old Italian crossed the line ahead of Belgium's Franck Vandenbroucke, who remains second overall, with Ukrainian Andrei Tchmil third.

Museeuw was among a group of six riders who broke away from the peloton in the final sprint, coming in sixth. His lead over Vandenbroucke in the overall standings was cut to 11 and he is 27 ahead of Contrini who moved up to third.

Sunday's flat final 177.4-km stage from Grande-Synthe back to Dunkirk should see Museeuw confirmed as winner for the second time following his victory in 1995, unless his wife gives birth before then and he rushes home early as he announced on Friday.

Stage 7, Grande-Synthe to Dunkirk, 177.4 kms:

 1. Jamolidin Abduzhaparov (Uzbekistan) Lotto 		4.00.16
 2. Jaan Kirsipuu (Lituania) Casino 
 3. Jan Koerts (Netherlands) Rabobank 
 4. Philippe Gaumont (France) Cofidis 
 5. Endrio Leoni (Italy) Aki 
 6. Frederic Moncassin (France) Gan 
 7. Gordon Fraser (Canada) Mutuelle Seine et Marne 
 8. Jean-Jacques Henry (France) Bigmat 
 9. Jean-Pierre Heynderickx (Belgium) Cedico 
10. Marcel Wust (Germany) Festina                      all s.t.

Final standings:

 1. Johan Museeuw (Belgium) Mapei  		    10.43.35
 2. Franck Vandenbroucke (Belgium) Mapei   		0.11
 3. Daniele Contrini (Italy) Brescialat    		0.25 
 4. Andrei Chmil (Ukraine) Lotto           		0.29
 5. Christophe Mengin (France) Francaise   		1:11
 6. Vladimir Belli (Italy) Brescialat      		1:27
 7. Nico Mattan (Belgium) Mapei            		2:07
 8. Leon Van Bon (Netherlands) Rabobank    		2:13
 9. Arturas Kasputis (Lithunia) Casino     		2:24

Stage 7 Report

World road race champion Johan Museeuw won the Dunkirk Four Days cycling race for the second time on Sunday and said he felt he had earned a brief break.

The victory, in a race the Belgian first won in 1995, was consolation for Museeuw after a rather lacklustre campaign in the Spring classics - he fell in Milan-San Remo and in the Tour of Flanders before managing second place in Paris-Roubaix.

``Last season, I did not take a day's break. This time, I've decided to enjoy being with my family every time I can. I'm taking a break right now,'' said the Mapei team leader, whose wife is expecting a second child any day.

The 31-year-old Belgian, who won six races this season, again looked as though he might have done much better given the domination of his Mapei team in the Dunkirk Four Days, which, despite its name, lasts a week.

Young teammate and fellow Belgian Franck Vandenbroucke was second overall and the leader's pink jersey remained on Mapei shoulders thoughout since compatriot Wilfried Peeters was the early overall leader.

``We came here relaxed, knowing how strong we were. We wanted Museeuw to win and that's what we did. I'm proud to be second to a rider like him,'' Vandenbroucke said.

Sunday's seventh and last stage from Grande-Synthe to Dunkirk brought no change to the overall positions.