Eddy Merckx Grand Prix, Belgium


Report:

Britain's Chris Boardman on Sunday added the Eddy Merckx Grand Prix title to his four-kilometre individual pursuit world championship triumph.

Boardman, who on Friday will make a new assault on the hour track record, carried on where he left off in Manchester five days ago in winning the 52-kilometre time-trial in 1hr 00min and 53sec with an average speed of 51.246 km/h.

He beat Lance Armstrong of the United States by 1min 37sec and Belgium's Johan Museeuw, last year's winner of the event, by 1min 49sec.

Chris Boardman continued a run of good form with a clear win in the GP Eddy Merckx time trial over two 26km laps in Brussels, his second victory in the event -- he also won it in 1993.. At the 4km check, Johan Museeuw, last year's winner, was 3 seconds ahead of Boardman but by the 13km mark Boardman was 5 seconds faster and gaining time. Museeuw also fell behind Lance Armstrong but continued to stamp his authority on the also-rans, overtaking Bjarne Riis for two minutes at 37km. Boardman's next task is his world hour record attempt, currently scheduled for the evening of Spetember 6 on the Manchester velodrome.

Results:

 1. Chris Boardman (Gbr),   52 km in 1.00.53 (average: 51.246 km/h)
 2. Lance Armstrong (USA)          at   1:37
 3. Johan Museeuw (Bel)                 1:49
 4. Jan Ullrich (Ger)                   3:10
 5. Viacheslav Ekimov (Rus)             3:13
 6. Abraham Olano (Spa)                 3:15
 7. Rolf Aldag (Ger)                    3:20
 8. Marc Streel (Bel)                   3:45
 9. Bjarne Riis (Dan)                   4:08
10. Andrea Ferrigato (Ita)              4:43
11. Axel Merckx (Bel)                   5:06
12. Nico Mattan (Bel)                   5:49
13. Eddy Seigneur (Fra)                 7:03
14. Marco Serpellini (Ita)              7:10
15. Magnus Backstedt (Swe)              8:24