GP Wingene, National Event (No UCI Points)

Belgium, September 10, 1997


Race Report

By half way, the businesslike, Vanhaecke was leading. The topgroup behind him was at 32 seconds. The peloton was more than 5 minutes down and effectively out of the race.

With the last 15 kms left to ride, there was Teutenberg, Verstrepen, Van Der Wolf, Lenaers, Nottebaert, De Wael, Korff and the Pole, Wojciechowski, with the chaser at 45 seconds. 5 kms further the gap was now just 15 seconds. Then Johan Verstrepen, one of a few Vlaanderen 2002 riders at the start, attacked. "In the final lap the pressure from the chasers made me try 4 times to get away. I finally was able to get my first win" said the Laakdalener.

Van der Wolf, won the sprint of the chasers from Heirewegh, De Wael and Korff only 2 seconds from Verstrepen.

Race distance - 160 kms:

 1. Johan Verstrepen (Bel)	     3.46.00
 2. Michael van der Wolf (Ned)		0.02
 3. Bart Heirewegh
 4. Patrick De Wael
 5. Andre Korff (Ger)
 6. Pawel Rychlicki (Pol)
 7. John Talen (Ned)
 8. Geert Omloop
 9. Raimondas Rumsas (Lit)
10. Brian Dalgaard (Den)
11. Jean-Pierre Heynderickx
12. Dariusz Wojciechowski (Pol)
13. Michel Nottebart
14. Eric De Clercq
15. Filip Meirhaeghe 			0.12
16. Stig Kristiansen (Nor)
17. Jan Van Immerseel
18. Lars Teutenberg (Ger)
19. Steven De Neef
20. Michel Cornelisse (Ned) 		1.23
21. Bernard Bocian (Pol)
22. Wesley Huvaere
23. Marc Streel
24. Danny Baeyens
25. Michel Vanhaecke
26. Gregory Schoelens
27. Jeanot Deriemacker
28. Jerome Bernard (Fra)
29. Bruno Boscardin (Swi)
30. Michael Giebelmann (Ger)