Giro de Puglia, Cat 2.3

Italy, September 30-October 3, 1997

1996 Results

The Stages

  • Stage 1 - Tuesday, September 30, Foggia - Molfetta, 223 km

  • Stage 2 - Wednesday, October 1, Bari - Lecce, 156 km

  • Stage 3 - Thursday, October 2, Otranto - Maruggio, 173 km

  • Stage 4 - Friday, October 3, Pulsano - Martina Franca, 171 km

    • Preview

    The Tour of Puglia, is the last European stage race of the season, and began on Tuesday, September 30. Last year's overall winner Fabrizio Guidi will be defending his title and other Italians riding include Nicola Minali, Francesco Casagrande and Davide Rebellin. Neither Claudio Chiappucci nor Gianni Bugno are down to ride. The race will serve as the last evidence of form for Italian worlds team selector Alfredo Martini. Current world champion Johan Museeuw is also taking part and French riders include Luc Leblanc (who is not in Charly Mottet's pre-selection) and Stephane Barthe, Emmanuel Magnien and Christophe Moreau (who are and will have an opportunity to show their form). today

    Recent winners:

    1980 Saronni
1981 Baronchelli
1982 Segersall (Swe)
1983 Noris
1984 Mantovani
1985 Contini
1986 Pagnin
1987 Bontempi
1988 Saronni
1989 Lecchi
1990 Bontempi
1991 Fontanelli
1992 Arnould (Fra)
1993 Calcaterra
1994 cancelled
1995 cancelled
1996 Guidi

    Teams

    Lotto: Planckaert, Farazijn, Wauters, Peers, De Wolf, Tchmil, Teteriuk, Fleischer.
Mapei-GB: Museeuw, Steels, Peeters, Mattan, Bomans, Tafi, Bugno, Camenzind.
Polti: Merckx, Leblanc, Baldinger, Jaksche.
Rabobank: Bruyneel, Boogerd, Breukink, Boven, Dekker, Lotz,  McEwen, Piziks.
Française des Jeux: Patrick D'hont, Rebellin, Gianetti.
Telekom: Riis, Bolts, Aldag, Henn, Holm, Weseman, Hundertmark.
Casino: Richard, Elli, Barthe, Massi.
Saeco: Casagrande, Gotti, Martinello.
Festina: Bortolami, Rous, Magnien, Boscardin.
Batik: Berzin, Cenghialta, Minali, Volpi.
Scrigno: Guidi, Conte, Casarotto.
Asics: Chiesa, Roscioli.
Refin: Aggiano, Puttini, Balducci.
AKI: Pavanello, Zanotti.
Mercatone Uno: Zberg, Checchin, Bottaro.
Brescialat: Frattini, Contrini, Velo.
Cantina Tollo: Valoti, Pozzi.
Amore e Vita: Magnusson, Forconi.
Kross: Biasci, Pulnikov, Frigo, Davidenko.
Ross Mary: Bobrik, Dotti.

    Stage 1, Foggia - Molfetta, 223 km

      1. Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) Casino	           6.12.21 (5 sec bonus)
  2. Biagio Conte (Ita) Scrigno			   (2 sec bonus)
  3. Marcus Zberg (Swi) Mercatone Uno		   (1 sec bonus)
  4. Mirko Rossato (Ita) Scrigno
  5. Nicola Minali (Ita) Batik
  6. Fulvio Frigo (Ita) Kross
  7. Marco Bellini (Ita) Asics
  8. Alessio Di Basco (Ita) Saeco
  9. Marco Zanotti (Ita) AKI
 10. Claudio Camin (Ita) Brescialat
 11. Steffen Wesemann (Ger) Telekom
 12. Ivan Quaranta (Ita) Team Polti
 13. Andrei Tchmil (Ukr) Lotto
 14. Franco Maragno
 15. Simone Biasci (Ita) Kross
 16. Casarotto (Ita) Scrigno
 18. Balducci (Ita) Refin
 ...
 23. Jo Planckaert (Bel) Lotto
 26. Bjarne Riis (Den) Telekom
 37. Robbie McEwen (Australia) Rabobank
 38. Nico Mattan (Bel) Mapei-GB
 47. Chris Peers (Bel) Lotto
 50. Davide Rebellin (Ita) Francaise des Jeux	0.15
 56. Tom Steels (Bel) Mapei-GB			0.20
 58. Andrea Tafi (Ita) Mapei-GB			0.22
 59. Bortolami (Ita) Festina-Lotus
 68. Patrick D'Hont (Bel) Francaise des Jeux
 69. Steve De Wolf (Bel) Lotto			0.30
 72. Peter Farazijn (Bel) Lotto
 76. Johan Bruyneel (Bel) Rabobank
 82. Gianni Bugno (Ita) MG-Technogym		1.12
 83. Fra Casagrande (Ita) Saeco
 85. Carlo Bomans (Bel) Mapei-GB		1.12
 87. Brian Holm (Den) Telekom
 90. Caruso (Ita)
 94. Marc Wauters (Bel) Lotto
 95. Erik Breukink (Ned) Rabobank
100. Ivan Gotti (Ita) Mercatone Uno
104. Evgeny Berzin (Rus) Batik
107. Wilfried Peeters (Bel) Mapei-GB
113. Axel Merckx (Bel) Team Polti
114. Johan Museeuw (Bel) Mapei-GB
120. Pascal Richard (Swi) Casino
128. Luc Leblanc (Fra) Team Polti
131. M. Gianetti (Swi) Francaise des Jeux
136. Jan Boven (Ned) Rabobank			1.34
144. Erik Dekker (Ned) Rabobank			2.31
145. Michael Boogerd (Ned) Rabobank		2.31
146. Guidi (Ita) Scrigno 			3.05

    GC after Stage 1

      1. Jan Kirsipuu (Est) Casino	     6.12.16
  2. Conte (Ita)			0.02
  3. Zberg (Swi)			0.04
  4. Rossato (Ita) 			0.05
  5. Minali (Ita)
  6. F. Frigo (Ita)
  7. Bellini (Ita)
  8. Di Basco (Ita)
  9. Zanotti (Ita)
 10. Camin (Ita)
...
 50. Rebellin 				0.20
 58. Tafi 				0.27
 59. Bortolami
 82. Bugno				1.17
 83. Fra. Casagrande
 90. Caruso
146. Guidi				3.10

    Stage Report

    While Johan Museeuw looks to be getting in form for the coming week, Tom Steels is only a shadow of the fast athlete, who won Paris-Nice in March and then the National Championship. With only a few days to Paris-Tours (last year he was second) and the World's (on a course which is not suited to him) there is no good news for Steels. The first stage in the GP Puglia went to a mass sprint and Steels was not in contention.

    Jaan Kirsipuu (Casino) won. For the 28-year old Estonian this was his 9th win for the season, and his 26th win since he turned pro in 1993. Almost all stage wins in smaller tours. And almost all of them won in the last 100 metres by superior sprinting.

    Kirsipuu though took the stage which would have been ideal for Tom Steels. Steels won a month ago at Schaal Sels, and he said it was a sign that his condition was good. The Swiss tour, William Tell also was mean't to bring Tom some hope. But 4 weeks later he is not riding well at all.

    "I have nothing out on the road" Steels analysed. "I shall be nothing more than a helper for Museeuw on Sunday at San Sebastian. I cannot win. Over the last month I trained extra kms for each race, always in the hope that the next one would get better. And that is under almost continual Italian sun. The teammates think it was set up for my sprint, but in the last few kms I could not get a wheel. The doctors have found nothing. How can I know what is going wrong?"

    "Museeuw had everyone looking in the three classics last week" said Davide Rebellin. "Today he did long kms at the front. Our National Coach, Alfredo Martini has him and Jalabert as favourites for the World's Race next week. Museeuw took the compliments without comment.

    He was more concerned with the lot of Wilfried Peeters who along with 30 others hit the alsphalt in a mass pile up. "My knee is painful after it hit against the bars. But it is really not much. Tomorrow I will be the live of the party" Peeters said.

    Stage 2, Bari - Lecce, 156 km

      1. Silvio Martinello (Ita) Saeco		3.25.08 (5 sec bonus)
  2. Mirko Rossato (Ita) Scrigno			(3 sec bonus)
  3. Emmanuel Magnien (Fra) Festina-Lotus		(1 sec bonus)
  4. Steffen Wesemann (Ger) Telekom
  5. Fulvio Frigo (Ita) Kross
  6. Glenn Magnusson (Swe) Amore e Vita
  7. Nicola Minali (Ita) Batik
  8. Biagio Conte (Ita) Scrigno
  9. Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) Casino
 10. Simone Biasci (Ita) Kross
 11. Stéphane Barthe (Fra) Casino
 12. Elio Aggiano (Ita) Refin
 13. Ivan Quaranta (Ita) Team Polti
 14. Claudio Camin (Ita) Brescialat
 15. Tom Steels (Bel) Mapei-GB
 16. Marco Bellini (Ita) Asics
 17. M. Zberg (Swi) Mercatone Uno
 18. Andrei Tchmil (Rus) Lotto
 19. Nico Mattan (Bel) Mapei-GB
 20. Casarotto (Ita) Scrigno  
 21. Checchin (Ita) Mercatone Uno 
 22. Bottaro (Ita) Mercatone Uno 
 23. Jaermann (Swi) Casino
 24. Pavanello (Ita) AKI
 25. Andrea Tafi (Ita) Mapei-GB
 27. Bjarne Riis (Den) Telekom
 43. Johan Museeuw (Bel) Mapei-GB
 47. Wilfried Peeters (Bel) Mapei-GB
 54. Johan Bruyneel (Bel) Rabobank
 55. Michael Boogerd (Ned) Rabobank
 66. Luc Leblanc (Fra) Team Polti
 69. Marc Waauters (Bel) Lotto
 71. Caruso (Ita)
 72. Evgeny Berzin (Rus) Batik
 73. Gianni Bugno (Ita) MG-Technogym
 77. Davide Rebellin (Ita) Francaise des Jeux
 85. Carlo Bomans (Bel) Mapei-GB		all s.t.
 96. Steve De Wolf (Bel) Lotto			   2.43
104. Erik Breukink (Ned) Rabobank
105. Patrick D'Hont (Bel) Francaise des Jeux
106. Jo Planckaert (Bel) Lotto
107. Peter Farazijn (Bel) Lotto
111. Jan Boven (Ned) Rabobank
115. Robbie McEwen (Australia) Rabobank
116. Brian Holm (Den) Telekom
118. Axel Merckx (Bel) Polti		all fell and were on 2.43

Retired: Chris Peers (Bel) Lotto

    GC after Stage 2

      1. Jan Kirsipuu 	     9.37.24 	(10 points)
  2. Silvio Martinello	         s.t.	(34 points)
  3. Mirko Rossato 		0.02
  4. Biagio Conte
  5. Markus Zberg 		0.04
  6. Emmanuel Magnien
  7. Fulvio Frigo 		0.05
  8. Nicola Minali
  9. Steffen Wesemann
 10. Marco Bellini
 11. Claudio Camin
 12. Simone Biasci
 13. Ivan Quaranta
 14. Glenn Magnusson
 15. Andrei Tchmil
 ...
 20. Bjarne Riis
 21. Nico Mattan 		0.05

 46. Tom Steels 		0.25
 48. Andrea Tafi 		0.27
 56. Johan Bruyneel 		0.35
 64. Wilfried Peeters 		1.17
 66. Johan Museeuw
 69. Marc Wauters
 72. Carlo Bomans		1.17
 88. Michael Boogerd 		2.36
 90. Jo Planckaert 		2.48
 91. Rob McEwen
 98. Patrick D'Hont 		3.10
101. Steve De Wolf
102. Peter Farazijn 		3.18
109. Erik Breukink 		4.00
110. Brian Holm
121. Axel Merckx (Bel) Polti
132. Jan Boven (Bel) 			4.22

    Stage 2 Report

    If there is one time in the day when the Italians are likely to be occupied, it is the mid-afternoon. An Italian is then likely to be having some spaghetti, a glass of wine or an espresso coffee. But this is also the time when the attacks are on for bike riders. In Lecce, there were less than 30 people standing around the finish line when Olympic and World Champion pointscore holder Silvio Martinello won his second stage in the GP van Puglia. The riders rode so fast that the publicity boards were not yet hanging out until the whole spectacle was over.

    But for the best riders in the peloton the last kms were still very difficult on the legs. For them it was business with the World Championships only a matter of days away and there were no compromises to be made. Fabrizio Guidi knows what it is all about. On Tuesday he hit the asphalt for the 13th time this season. The National Coach was soon on the telephone. "Guidi knows what things are. And that he is riding well in Puglia. But it is not his business to be sprinting."

    Museeuw was at the front again. Yesterday, the last hectic meters were without him. "A km or 15 at the top is nothing. We have to do some extra training." said Museeuw. His doctor Yvan Van Molarrived in Lecce yesterday and said "Johan is riding well. He is just nearly there."

    Tom Steels came 15th yesterday.

    Stage 3, Otranto - Maruggio, 173 km

      1. Nicola Minali  (Ita) Batik        4.19.53 (39,989 km/h)
  2. Silvio Martinello (Ita) Saeco
  3. Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) Casino
  4. Biagio Conte (Ita) Scrigno
  5. Markus Zberg (Swi) Mercatone Uno
  6. Fulvio Frigo (Ita) Kross
  7. Mirko Rossato (Ita) Scrigno
  8. Gilles Bouvard (Fra) Festina
  9. Glenn Magnusson (Swe) Amore e Vita
 10. Gabriele Balducci (Ita) Refin    all s.t.
 11. Ivan Quaranta (Ita) Polti
 12. Stéphane Barthe (Fra) Casino
 13. Claudio Camin (Ita) Brescialat
 14. Andrei Tchmil (Rus) Lotto
 15. Franco Maragno (Ita)
 16. Elio Aggiano (Ita) Refin
 ..
 29. Guidi (Ita) Scrigno
 32. Andrea Tafi (Ita) Mapei-GB
 47. Bjarne Riis (Den) Telekom
 60. Caruso (Ita)
 78. Davide Rebellin (Ita) Francaise des Jeux
 79. Mauro Gianetti (Swi) Francaise des Jeux
 85. Gianni Bugno (Ita) MG-Technogym
 98. Fra. Casagrande a 7'28
101. Bortolami (Ita) Festina
121. Ivan Gotti (Ita) Saeco

Started 144, Finished 140

DNS: Apollonio (Ita), Zanotti (Ita), Bolts (Ger)
Retired: Ritirati Calzolari (Ita), Fleischer (Ger), Bruyneel (Bel), Baldinger (Ger)

    Overall:

      1. Silvio Martinello (Ita) Saeco          13.57.14
  2. Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) Casino                 0.02
  3. Nicola Minali  (Ita) Batik                 0.03
  4. Mirko Rossato (Ita) Scrigno                0.05
  5. Biagio Conte (Ita) Scrigno                 s.t.
  6. Markus Zberg (Swi) Mercatone Uno           0.07
  7. Emmanuel Magnien (Fra) Festina             s.t.
  8. Fulvio Frigo (Ita) Kross                   0.08
  9. Glenn Magnusson (Swe) Amore e Vita
 10. Ivan Quaranta (Ita) Polti                both s.t.
 11. Claudio Camin (Ita) Brescialat
 12. Marco Bellini (Ita) Asics
 13. Stéphane Barthe (Fra) Casino
 14. Andrei Tchmil (Rus) Lotto
 15. Simone Biasci (Ita) Kross
 ..

 42. Davide Rebellin (Ita) Francaise des Jeux	0.23
 44. Andrea Tafi (Ita) Mapei-GB			0.30
 58. Caruso (Ita) 					1.20
 62. Gianni Bugno (Ita) MG-Technogym
 94. Guidi (Ita) Scrigno 			5.53
113. Bortolami (Ita)		               10.41
119. Fra. Casagrande (Ita) Saeco 	       11.31

    

    Stage 4, Pulsano - Martina Franca, 171 km/a>
    

     1. Sergio Barbero (Ita)	     4.09.38 (avs 40.379)
 2. Glenn Magnusson (Swe) Amore e Vita	0.01
 3. Silvio Martinello (Ita) Saeco	0.04
 4. Biagio Conte (Ita) Scrigno		s.t. 
 5. Marcus Zberg (Swi) Mercatone Uno 	s.t. 
 6. Stefano Cecchin (Ita) Mercatone Uno s.t. 
 7. Claudio Camin (Ita) Brescialat s.t. 
 8. Emmanuel Magnien (Fra) s.t. 
 9. Stephane Barthé (Fra) Casino 	s.t. 
10. Andrei Tchmil (Rus) Lotto	 	s.t. 
... 
12. Nico Mattan (Bel) Mapei-GB 		s.t. 
59. Peter Farazijn (Bel) Lotto		2.33

    


    Final GC
    

     1. Silvio Martinello (Ita) Saeco   18.06.55
 2. Sergio Barbero (Ita) 		s.t.
 3. Glenn Magnusson (Swe) 		0.03
 4. Biagio Conte (Ita) 			0.06 
 5. Marcus Zberg (Swi)			0.08 
 6. Emmanuel Magniem (Fra) 		s.t. 
 7. Claudio Camin (Ita) 		0.09 
 8. Stephane Barthé (Fra) 		s.t. 
 9. Andrei Tchmil (Rus) 		s.t. 
10. Ivan Quaranta (Ita) 		s.t. 
... 
14. Nico Mattan 			s.t. 
49. Peter Farazijn 			5.51

    


    Stage 4 Report
    

De Italiaan Silvio Martinello won the Tour of Puglia on Friday. The Saeco
rider had taken the leader's jersey from the Estonian Jan Kirsipuu on Thursday.
The fourth and last stage from Pulsano to Martina Franca was won by the Italian
Sergio Barbero.

    
Johan Museeuw and Axel Merckx completed their Italian preparation for Paris-Tours
and the World Championships on Friday when they pulled out of the last stage
after 75 kms. The World Champion
and Axel put in extra kms on Thursday after the stage (Johan 50 kms and Axel 90 kms)
as extra kms.

    
They knew the peloton on Friday midday in Martina Franca had nine criterium laps, each one
10 kms, to complete over a dangerous circuit. No risks were to be taken.
The preparation of the two Belgians was in constrast to Tom Steels. The Mapei rider
rode with Gianni Bugno and Nico Mattan (who is not riding on Sunday) to the end.

    
Nearly everyone had to get to the airport at Bari, 80 kms away over slow roads, in 
order to fly to Rome or Milan on Friday afternoon to pick up a flight to Paris.

    
The last stage of the race was of interest to only a few riders. Barbero and Magnusson,
tried get a break. But because Silvio Martinelllo waas third
even a one second time bonus was significant and so he had an incentive to keep with
the two. The end result was to be decided on points. And that meant that no-one could
beat Martinello. The 34-year old Venetian is not for nothing - the world and olympic
champion at the pointscore.