GP Aalter, National Event (No UCI Points)

Belgium, September 29, 1997

Race Report - McCormack with thanks to Van Haecke

A handful of American riders are in Belgium at present as preparation for the World's in San Sebastian. That is a problem for the Belgian "bread riders" (working class professionals), with the 28-year old Frank McCormack (Saturn) winning the GP Aalter on Sunday. He should thank Michel Vanhaecke though. With 700 metres from the finish, the yankee had nowhere to go but sat the wheel of the Ipso-rider.

Michel Cornelisse, who came in second couldn't understand it. "Where did that come from?" said the Amsterdammer, and he was not alone.

It was perhaps a frustrating outing for Vanhaecke, who went the whole race in the stream of two teams Palmans (13 riders) and Ipso (12 riders). There was an initial attack of 9 riders, with 5 from Palmans and 4 Ipso, with Hans De Clercq (Palmans) and Robbie Vandaele (Ipso) in the group. Palmans played around with this group with first Johan De Geyter, then Gino Verheyden attacking, but with one km from the finish the verdict became clear - a mass sprint. But Palmans could only take third (Steven Van Malderghem) and 4th (Roger Hammond).

Race distance - 170 kms:

 1. Frank McCormack (USA) Saturn		3.51.00
 2. Michel Cornelisse (Ned) Foreldorado-Golff
 3. Steven Van Malderghem (Bel) Palmans
 4. Roger Hammond (GB) Palmans
 5. Andy De Smet  (Bel) Ipso
 6. Gunther Kindermann (Bel) elite
 7. Wiliam-Chann McRae (USA) Saturn
 8. Ronny Assez (Bel) RDM-Asfra-Sitra
 9. Gert Vanderaerden (Bel) Palmans
10. John Talen (Ned) Foreldorado-Golff
11. Tim Lenaers (Bel) Collstrop-Lystex
12. Marc Streel (Bel) Casino
13. Pedro Rubrecht (Bel) Palmans
14. Franky Van Haesebroucke (Bel) Ipso
15. Marat Ganeev (Rus) Lada
16. Michel Vanhaecke  (Bel) Ipso
17. Jans Koerts (Ned) Rabobank
18. Jurgen Vermeersch (Bel) Collstrop-Lystex
19. Brian Dalgaard (Den) EC Bayer
20. Geert Van Bondt (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002-E. Merckx
21. Christophe Leeuwerck (Bel) RDM-Asfra-Sitra
22. Werner Vandromme (Bel) RDM-Asfra-Sitra
23. Frank Höj (Den) Collstrop-Lystex
24. Peter Spaenhoven (Bel) Palmans
25. Yvan Segers (Bel)
26. Pavel Khamidoulin (Rus)
27. Jonas Emanuelsson (Zwe)
28. Johan De Geyter (Bel) Palmans
29. Bart Everaert (Bel)
30. Rik Van Slijcke (Bel) RDM-Asfra-Sitra

70 starters