Tour of Poland, Cat 2.5

Poland, September 7-14, 1997

Tour de Pologne is one of the oldest tours in Europe. It was established in 1928 and has been held 53 times since. Now it's the most prestigeous cycling event in Poland. Total prize money is nearly 100,000 US dollars.

Official net site

1996 Results

The Stages:

Stage 1, Sunday September 7	Kolczyglowy-Slupsk 168.5 kms
Stage 2, Monday September 8	Bytow-Inowroclaw 250 kms
Stage 3, Tuesday September 9	Radziejow-Belchatow 196 kms
Stage 4, Wednesday September 10	Radomsko-Jastrzebie Zdroj 234 kms
Stage 5, Thursday September 11	Wisla-Cieszyn 163.5 kms
Stage 6, Friday September 12	Bielsko-Biala - Zakopane 186 kms
Stage 7, Saturday September 13	Nowy Targ-Wieliczka 198 kms
Stage 8, Sunday September 14	Krakow-Krakow ITT 39.5 kms

Teams and principal participants:

Roslotto: Viatcheslav Djavanian (last year's winner), Piotr Ugrumov, Dmitri Konyshev, Massimo Strazzer
Mercatone Uno: Mario Traversoni, Stefano Garzelli, Marcus Zberg, Marco Artunghi 
Batik: Eugeni Berzin, Andrea Chiurato
Amore & Vita: N.B.Larsen
Mapei: Zenon Jaskula, Zbigniew Spruch, Giuseppe DiGrande
Ros Mary: Vladislav Bobrik
Casino: Rolf Jaermann
Mroz: Uwe Ampler, Jacek Mickiewicz, Cezary Zamana
Cantina Tollo: Alessandro Pozzi

total 24 teams and 144 riders on start

Stage 1, Kolczyglowy-Slupsk, 168.5 kms:

 1. Lauri Aus  (Est) Casino          3.52.11
 2. Piotr Wadecki (Pol) Mroz             s.t.
 3. Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) Casino
 4. Massimo Strazzer (It) Roslotto
 5. Glenn Magnusson (Swe) Amore e  Vita
 6. Gabriele Missaglia (It) Mapei
 7. Jacek Mickiewicz (Pol) Mroz
 8. Iztok Melansek  Slovenia
 9. Filippo Meloni (It) Amore e Vita
10. Franco Marango (It) Cantina Tollo  all s.t.

Stage 2, Bytow-Inowroclaw 250 kms:

 1. Emanuele Lupi (Ita) Amore e Vita           5.32.28
 2. Artur Krasinski (Pol) PEKAES                  0.01
 3. Steffen Blochwitz (Ger) Agro Adler            0.10
 4. Mariusz Bilewski (Pol) PEKAES                 0.14
 5. Rolf Jaermann (Swi) Casino                    0.17
 6. Gabriele Massaglia (Ita) Mapei GB
 7. David Lefevre (Fra) Casino
 8. Davide Dall'Olio (Ita) Mercatone Uno
 9. Piotr Przydzial (Pol) Joko
10. Saso Sviren (Slo)
11. Jacek Mickiewicz (Pol) Mroz             all  0.17

GC after Stage 2:

 1. Emanuele Lupi (Ita) Amore e Vita           9.24.39
 2. Artur Krasinski (Pol) PEKAES                  0.01
 3. Steffen Blochwitz (Ger) Agro Adler            0.10
 4. Mariusz Bilewski (Pol) PEKAES                 0.14
 5. Gabriele Missaglia (Ita) Mapei GB             0.17
 6. Saso Sviren (Slo)                        	  0.20
 7. Rolf Jaermann (Swi) Casino                    0.20
 8. David Lefevre (Fr) Casino                     0.20
 9. Piotr Przydzial (Pol) Joko                    0.20
10. Davide Dall'Olio (Ita) Mercatone  Uno         0.20

Stage 3, Radziejow-Belchatow 196 kms:

 1. Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) Casino             4.25.34
 2. Marcus Zberg (Swi) Mercatone Uno          s.t.
 3. Filippo Meloni (It) Amore e Vita
 4. Jacek Mickiewicz (Pol) Mroz
 5. Zbigniew Spruch (Pol) Mapei GB
 6. Grzegorz Gronkiewicz (Pol) MAT Jelcz
 7. Wojciech Pawlak (Pol) KTK Winiary
 8. Lauri Aus (Est) Casino
 9. Aleksej Nakazny (Ukr)
10. Slawomir Chrzanowski (Pol) MAT Jelcz  all s.t.

GC after Stage 3:

 1. Emanuele Lupi (It) Amore e Vita         13.50.21
 2. Artur Krasinski (Pol) PEKAES                0.01
 3. Mariusz Bilewski (Pol) PEKAES               0.06
 4. Rolf Jaermann (Swi) Casino                  0.09
 5. Saso Sviren (Slo)  nat. team                0.17
 6. Davide Dall'Olio (It) Maercatone Uno        0.17
 7. Piotr Przydzial (Pol) Joko                  0.17
 8. Jacek Mickiewicz (Pol) Mroz                 0.35
 9. Stefano Finesso (It) Ros Mary               1.06
10. Jan Richter (Ger) Agro Adler                1.06

Stage 4, Radomsko-Jastrzebie Zdroj 234 kms:

1. Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) Casino               5.41.30
2. Zbigniew Spruch (Pol) Mapei GB              s.t.
3. Marcus Zberg (Swi) Mercatone Uno
4. Zoran Klemencic (Slo) nat. team
5. Wojciech Pawlak (Pol) KTK Winiary
6. Jacek Mickiewicz (Pol) Mroz
7. Steffen Blochwitz (Ger) Agro Adler
8. O. Grischkin (Rus) nat. team
9. Mariusz Bilewski (Pol) PEKAES
10. Marcin Lewandowski (Pol) Legia-Romar   all s.t.

GC after Stage 4:

 1. Emanuele Lupi (It)  Amore e Vita        19.31.51
 2. Artur Krasinski (Pol) PEKAES                0.01
 3. Mariusz Bilewski (Pol) PEKAES               0.06
 4. Rolf Jaermann (Swi) Casino                  0.09
 5. Saso Sviren (Slo) nat. team                 0.17
 6. Davide Dall'Olio (It) Mercatone Uno         0.17
 7. Piotr Przydzial (Pol) Joko                  0.17
 8. Jacek Mickiewicz (Pol) Mroz                 0.35
 9. Stefano Finesso (It) Ros Mary               1.06
10. Jan Richter (Ger) Agro Adler                1.06

Stage 5, Wisla-Cieszyn 163.5 kms:

 1. Simone Bertoletti (It) Batik           3.46.23
 2. Zbigniew Piatek (Pol) PEKAES              s.t.
 3. Pavel Chumanov (Bul) Krka                 0.03
 4. Marcus Zberg (Swi) Mercatone Uno          0.20
 5. Marcus Ljungqvist (Swe) nat. team       
 6. Zbigniew Spruch (Pol) Mapei-GB
 7. Andrzej Sypytkowski (Pol) Mroz
 8. Dario Bottaro (It) Mercatone Uno
 9. Rolf Jaermann (Swi) Casino
10. Cezary Zamana (Pol) Mroz            all  0.20

GC after Stage 5:

 1. Emanuele Lupi (It) Amore e Vita       23.18.34
 2. Rolf Jaermann (Swi) Casino                0.09
 3. Saso Sviren (Slo) nat. team               0.17
 4. Davide Dall'Olio (It) Mercatone Uno       0.17
 5. Piotr Przydzial (Pol) Joko                0.48
 6. Stefano Finesso (It) Ros Mary             1.06
 7. Marcus Zberg (Swi) Mercatone Uno          1.22
 8. Zbigniew Spruch (Pol) Mapei-GB            1.22
 9. Gianpaolo Mondini (It) Amore e Vita       1.26
10. Piotr Wadecki (Pol) Mroz                  1.30

Stage 6, Bielsko-Biala - Zakopane 186 kms:

 1. Dmitri Konyshev (Rus) Roslotto         4.34.52
 2. Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) Casino         s.t.
 3. Markus Zberg (Swi) Mercatone Uno          0.28
 4. Rolf Jaermann (Swi) Casino   
 5. Alexei Sivakov (Rus) Roslotto 
 6. Zenon Jaskula (Pol) Mapei-GB
 7. Piotr Chmielewski (Pol) PEKAES
 8. Dainis Ozols (Lat) Mroz
 9. Piotr Ugrumov (Rus) Roslotto
10. Stefano Finesso (Ita) Ros Mary       all  0.28

GC after Stage 6:

 1. Rolf Jaermann (Swi) Casino          27.54.03
 2. Saso Sviren (Slo) Nat. Team             0.14
 3. Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) Casino       0.53
 4. Stefano Finesso (Ita) Ros Mary          0.57
 5. Markus Zberg (Swi) Meractone Uno        1.13
 6. Piotr Chmielewski (Pol) PEKAES          1.21
 7. Zenon Jaskula (Pol) Mapei-GB            1.21
 8. Alexei Sivakov (Rus) Roslotto           1.21
 9. Piotr Ugrumov (Rus) Roslotto            1.44
10. Dainis Ozols (Lat) Mroz                 1.52

Stage 7, Nowy Targ- Wieliczka 162 kms:

 1. Markus Zberg (Swi) Mercatone Uno        4.42.23
 2. Dmitri Konyshev (Rus) Roslotto             s.t.
 3. Sandro Giacomelli (Ita) Amore e Vita
 4. Filippo Meloni (Ita) Amore e Vita
 5. Piotr Wadecki (Pol) Mroz
 6. Rolf Jaermann (Swi) Casino
 7. Fausto Dotti (Ita) Ros Mary
 8. Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) Casino
 9. Alexei Sivakov (Rus) Roslotto
10. Zenon Jaskula (Pol) Mapei-GB           all s.t.

GC after Stage 7:

 1. Rolf Jaermann (Swi) Casino             32.36.26
 2. Saso Sviren (Slo) Nat. Team                0.14
 3. Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) Casino          0.53
 4. Stefano Finesso (Ita) Ros Mary             0.57
 5. Markus Zberg (Swi) Mercatone Uno           1.13
 6. Piotr Chmielewski (Pol) PEKAES             1.21
 7. Zenon Jaskula (Pol) Mapei-GB               1.21
 8. Alexei Sivakov (Rus) Roslotto              1.21
 9. Piotr Ugrumov (Rus) Roslotto               1.44
10. Dainis Ozols (Lat) Mroz                    1.52

Stage 8, ITT in Krakow 39,5 kms:

Third place in the individual time trial was enough to secure a final victory for the 31 years old Swiss rider Rolf Jaermann (Casino). Consequently he's smashed Zenon Jaskula's hopes to crown his long career (third place in Tour de France 1993) with this most prestigeous Polish title. Despite his recent excellent form (first place in Tour of Portugal last month) 35 years old Pole has decided to retire at the end of this season.

As far as the 10th place getter is concerned, on the start list his name was printed as: Sviben Saso, but in the UCI's documents there is no rider with a such name, there is only Saso Sviren - code UCI: SLO 19730110. Can anyone help us to solve this mystery?

Zdenko Kahlina who is living in Canada very kindly sent this to me. "Hi Bill, regarding your question about this rider, his name is: SASO SVIBEN. He rides for ROG cycling club in Ljubljana, Slovenia. At least this is how we (Croatians) spell his name. That was a very good ride for him, at the "Tour of Poland"!, Take care, Zdenko

See more below.

We all can only say thanks mate.

 1. Dario Andriotto (Ita) Amore e Vita       50.12
 2. Zenon Jaskula (Pol) Mapei-GB              0.19
 3. Rolf Jaermann (Swi) Casino                1.15
 4. Dainis Ozols (Lat) Mroz                   1.21
 5. Alexander Vinokourov (Kaz) Casino         1.41
 6. Dario Bottaro (Ita) Mercatone Uno         1.48
 7. Alexei Sivakov (Rus) Roslotto             1.48
 8. Johan Fredriksson (Swe) Nat.team          1.56
 9. Robert Pintaric (Slo) Nat.team            2.01
10. Saso Sviren (Slo) Nat. team               2.03

Final GC:

 1. Rolf Jaermann (Swi) Casino            33.27.53
 2. Zenon Jaskula (Pol) Mapei-GB              0.25
 3. Saso Sviren  (Slo) Nat. team              1.02
 4. Alexander Vinokourov (Kaz) Casino         1.19
 5. Alexei Sivakov (Rus) Roslotto             1.54
 6. Dainis Ozols (Lat) Mroz                   1.58
 7. Piotr Ugrumov (Rus) Roslotto              2.41
 8. Markus Zberg (Swi) Mercatone Uno          2.54
 9. Piotr Chmielewski (Pol) PEKAES            3.58
10. Gianpaolo Mondini (It) Amore e Vita       4.01

Other classifications:

Teams:

1. Mroz

Mountain jersey:

1. Oscar Pellicioli (It) Mercatone Uno

Points and "Most universal rider":

1. Markus Zberg

Sprinter:

1. Jacek Mickiewicz (Pol) Mroz

Many thanks to piotr cegielski.

More on our Mystery Rider

I received this helpful information about the mystery rider in 10th place for the final stage.

Hi Bill!

I send You some information, You asked for.

Saso SVIBEN is member of Slovene Amateur Cycling Club Radenska- Rog. He was born in Celje and was very perspective youngster. He won among other Golden bycicle ( it is award for best Slovene cyclist, given at the end of the year) in 1995, in 1996 he was injured, and is also Slovene national road champion 1997 held in Nova Gorica:

1. SVIBEN Saso, Radenska - Rog
2. SMERC Sandi,Sava Kranj
3. HVASTIJA Martin, Cantina Tollo
4. STANGELJ Gorazd, Krka Telekom

Next year Radenska - Rog will be organized as proffessonal club, so he will probably sign first pro-contract with Radenska - Rog or maybe Krka- Telecom if he does not get an offer from abroad.

In day or two i can send you more information, if you are interested. Tour de Slovenie is cancelled and will be held in 1998.

Best regards

Ales TOMAZIN