23rd GP Eddy Merckx - 1.2

Brussels, Belgium, August 25, 2002

2001 Results Results Past winners

Bad luck for Germans as Bodrogi/Cancellara win by barest of margins

Tyler Hamilton's season finished by a car door

Place getters
Photo: © AFP

The powerful Mapei combination of Laszlo Bodrogi and Fabian Cancellara have won the 23rd GP Eddy Merckx, a 41 km two man time trial held in Brussels. The pair, both experts against the clock, rode the distance in a time of 48'25, fractions of a second faster than German pairing Uwe Peschel and Michael Rich (Gerolsteiner). Unfortunately for the Germans, a missed corner by Rich cost them 20 seconds and no doubt the win, as they were the leading team at that point.

Third place, at 12 seconds back, went to last year's winners Marc Wauters/Erik Dekker (Rabobank), who were admittedly both tired from finishing the Ronde van Nederland yesterday. They took too long to get into their stride, but were the quickest team over the final part of the parcours.

Armstrong and Ekimov
Photo: © AFP

Swedish pair of Magnus Backstedt/Marcus Ljunqvist (EDS-fakta) finished in fourth place, at 52 seconds after recording the best early time. They were followed by Lance Armstrong and Viatcheslav Ekimov (US Postal Service), who rode solidly for 5th spot.

Before the race started, there was some bad news for Tyler Hamilton: The CSC-Tiscali rider was training over the course this morning with his partner Andrea Peron, when a car door was opened just in front of him. Christian Andersen (CSC directeur sportif) said that he had no chance of avoiding the crash. Tyler broke his collarbone and had some injuries to his face. The doctors of the University hospital in Brussels say that he will recover, but Andersen says that this means that Tyler's season is over.

Photography

Images by AFP

Laszlo Bodrogi and Fabian Cancellara (Mapei-Quick Step) during the winning ride in the GP Eddy Merckx in Brussels.
Viatcheslav Ekimov (L) and Lance Armstrong (R) of the US Postal Service team ride during the GP Eddy Merckx in Brussels, where they finished 5th.
The podium (L to R): Slightly disappointed Germans Michael Rich and Uwe Peschel (Gerolsteiner, 2nd), contented Mapei riders Laszlo Bodrogi and Fabian Cancellara (1st), a happy Marc Wauters and a nonplussed Erik Dekker (Rabobank, 3rd)

Results - 41 km

1 Laszlo Bodrogi (Hun)/Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Mapei-Quick Step     48.25 (50.776 km/h)
2 Uwe Peschel/Michael Rich (Ger) Gerolsteiner
3 Marc Wauters (Bel)/Erik Dekker (Ned) Rabobank                      0.12
4 Magnus Backstedt/Marcus Ljunqvist (Swe) EDS-fakta                  0.52
5 Lance Armstrong (USA)/Viatcheslav Ekimov (Rus) US Postal Service   0.54
6 Nathan O'Neill (Aus)/Sergey Matveyev (Ukr) Panaria                 1.13
7 Andy Cappelle (Bel)/Christian Poos (Lux) Marlux-Ville de Charleroi 1.24
8 Anthony Morin (Fra)/Thor Hushovd (Nor) Credit Agricole             1.26
9 Floyd Landis/David Zabriskie (USA) US Postal Service               1.30
10 Serguei Gontchar (Ukr)/Marco Velo (Ita) Fassa Bortolo             1.33
11 Michael Rogers (Aus)/Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Mapei-Quick Step
12 Bart Voskamp/Jan Van Velzen (Ned) BankGiroLoterij-Batavus         1.46
13 Jean Nuttli (Swi)/Sergey Krushevskiy (Uzb) St Quentin Oktos       2.04
14 Johan Museeuw/Frank Vandenbroucke (Bel) Domo-Farm Frites          2.17
15 Robert Bartko/Steffen Wesemann (Ger) Telekom                      2.26
16 Sébastien Mattozza/Marc Streel (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago      2.32 
17 Glenn D'Hollander/Nico Eeckhout (Bel) Lotto-Adecco                2.34 
18 Bert Roesems/Andy De Smet (Bel) Palmans-Collstrop                 2.42
19 Ludo Dierckxsens (Bel)/Manuel Quinziato (Ita) Lampre-Daikin       2.47 
20 Geoffrey Demeyere/Stijn Devolder (Bel) Vlaanderen - T Interim     2.52
21 Piotr Wadecki (Pol)/Axel Merckx (Bel) Domo-Farm Frites            3.10

Past winners

2001 Erik Dekker (Ned)/Marc Wauters (Bel) Rabobank  
2000 Lance Armstrong (USA)/Viatcheslav Ekimov (Rus) US Postal
1999 Marc Wauters (Bel) and Erik Dekker (Ned) Rabobank
1998 Abraham Olano (Spa) and Jose-Vicente Garcia Acosta (Spa) Banesto
1997 Abraham Olano (Spa)
1996 Chris Boardman (GBr)
1995 Johan Museeuw (Bel)
1994 Tony Rominger (Swi)
1993 Chris Boardman (GBr)
1992 Jelle Nijdam (Ned)
1991 Erik Breukink (Ned)
1990 Frans Maassen (Ned)
1989 Sean Yates (GBr)
1988 Edwig Van Hooydonck (Bel)
1987 Eric Vanderaerden (Bel)
1986 Charly Mottet (Fra)
1985 Eric Vanderaerden (Bel)
1984 Claude Criquielion (Bel)
1983 Jean-Luc Vandenbroucke (Bel)
1982 Daniel Willems (Bel)
1981 Knut Knudsen (Nor)
1980 Knut Knudsen (Nor)

Past winners courtesy of Mario Stiehl, www.world-of-cycling.com