Paris-Brussels

Full Race Description

From the rush and excitement in the Sierra Nevada, Eurosport jumps quickly
several hundred km to the north.

The coverage comes up with a Collstrop rider leading the chase, followed by
Vandaraerden. They are chasing hard behind a lead group, led by Musseuw,
who has a 30 second lead. A Mapei rider sits in third, blocking a little.

A crash in the field, several riders, one down and in the middle of the
road, a marshall quickly out to direct the riders around him, but no word
on who it is.

Coming up to the next short climb, lead group is about 8, including Tchmile
and Corvers(Lotto), Den Baacker (TVM), Holm (Telekom), Jaermann and
Sorenson(MG), Ballerini and Musseuw (Mapei). Unquestionably a powerful
group, perhaps too powerful, the group is really chasing hard.

28km to go. The gap is coming down under the pressure from collstrop, now
22 seconds.

Collstrop still powering the field, Nelissen is sitting pretty in about 8th
place. The field is strung out behind the chase.

The lead group comes up to a short climb, the Eisenberg, 6%.

Seems like the blockers are starting to get a hold on the chase, the field
is starting to spread across the road a little. Now Motorola comes up to
lead the chase, Veenstra, I believe. He does relatively little, but does
get into the chasing rotation. The field is fairly small 40odd riders at
the most.

Vandaraerden comes back to the front, and gets a bit of a gap as the field
comes down a descent.

Lead group comes to the Alsemberg, another short climb, but it tops out at 11%.

Plankaert (Collstrop) attacks out of tte field on the climb, and then
Vandenbroucke (Mapei) comes by him on a cobbled stretch, he is closing the
gap to the front group, and now makes contact to Tchmile.

Behind Sunderland (Lotto) and Plankaert are in between the groups, fighting
to come to the front, now Ludwig brigdges the gap to these two and they try
to close the gap, Sunderland leading, a 12 second gap to the front.

20km to the finish. Looks like the gap to the field is about the same, now
a castorama is trying to bridge the gap alone as well.

The lead group seems to have some of the sting out of it, the three are now
only 8 second behind, it may be that the lead group is getting a little too
big, though the Collstrop chase should stop with Plankaert in the front.

The field behind is again strung out and chasing, Festina at the front

The Ludwig group closes to make it an even dozen at the front.

Jaermann attacks on a small uphill, Museeuw quickly catches his wheel, and
the rest follow. 24 seconds to the field. Gaps start to open up in the lead
group, it has split about in half, but they close up the gaps again.

The front group is not really unified, little gaps still opening up, the
field is lead behind by two GAN riders, helped by a Festina.

The disunity at the front is showing, the field comes now 11 seconds behind.

15km to go Still no sign of purpose in the front group. Vandenbroucke has
had enough and attacks, Sorenson and Corvers close up to him and they start
to get a gap. The riders come onto a straight stretch, and the field has
them easily in sight. Ballerini makes a short attack behind, but the field
closes the gap, to 9 of the former dozen.

The front three roll along, they open their gap quickly as the field slows,
it is now 28 seconds. A TVM attacks out of the slightly slowing field, but
the chase behind quickly reignites and the field chases. They close to him
with 10km to go.

Lotto is on the front, unclear if they are really chasing, the field is
strung out behind, Lotto may not much trust Corver winning from Sorensen
and Vandenbroucke, particularly with Nelissen as an ace in the field
sprint. The gap is now 35 seconds.

Still Lotto mobbing the front, 4 of the first 5.

Sorensen, now Vandenbroucke at the front. Corvers doesn't pull through,
sitting Vandenbroucke's wheel. Vandenbroucke looks back, the three at the
front are slowing a touch.

Now a TVM comes to the front of the field, 7 km to the end.

Corvers is pulling at the front, Sorensen pulls through, 30 seconds to the
field. Now Corvers again, 6km to the end, now Vandenbroucke.

The field is strung out behind a motorola rider, then two GAN riders
leading the chase. The gap is coming down.

The front three don't look really together, Corvers seems to be having
trouble holding the pace. Sorensen looks back for the field, he leads up
the last climb, now Vandenbroucke comes through, and Corvers falls off the
lead two.

Tchmile and Museeuw attack out of the field, but are quickly brought back.

Corvers fights to come back on to the front two as they come over the climb.

Nelissen leads behind, and now Holm attacks again.

Corvers starts to close the gap, he has the Sorensen's wheel and is on the
front two again.

The front three again don't look very united but they don't have much time
to play around. Vandenbroucke pulls off far to the right, and Sorensen
comes through. Corvers on the front, and Vandenbroucke stays on the back.
11 second gap.

Vandenbrouck still on the back of the group, Sorensen pulls through, but
not with real strengtt. He looks back, corvers doesn't come through. The
field comes quickly on them, they have them in sight. It will be close.

The front three come around a corner, and the finish is now in sight, the
field winds it up, but it won't be enough.

The sprint starts, Sorensen leading, then Corvers and Vandenbroucke, who
has been playing his cards close to the vest, sitting on as the field was
creeping closer and closer. Sorensen starts toward the left side of the
road, Corvers jumps hard to the right, he leads it out, Sorensen is dropped
off, Corvers on the lead, he shades back toward the right, where
Vandenbroucke is coming up alongside. Vandenbroucke pulls ahead and wins by
less than a length. Sorensen holds on for third, Nelissen wins the field
sprint from Musseuw and Ballerini.