56th Aalst Criterium - NE

Aalst, Belgium, July 29, 2002

2001 Results Results Past winners

McEwen wins in Aalst

Green Jersey wearer Robbie McEwen met a few unsatisfied cycling fans on his way to winning the post Tour criterium in Aalst, Belgium. With 40,000 people making a record number of spectators for the criterium in the Carnival city of Belgium, McEwen was very active and went in the first break. Hans De Meester made sure that one was back and immensely popular Ludo Dierckxsens stepped into the lime-light. The public went mad and the applause meter gave in on the loud cheering and clapping when Ludo launched a strong attack.

But halfway through the race a few beer glasses were thrown in front of the wheels of McEwen. McEwen punctured and got off the bike. After the organisers decided to neutralize the lap (and those responsible were taken away by police), Robbie got back on the bike and he was brought to the front of the pack by his Lotto train. McEwen won the criterium in front of Tom Boonen and Bart Heirwegh.

Peiper beats favourite De Vlaeminck

The hand of time seems to have no grip on some of the ex-pro's. A sharp looking Roger De Vlaeminck, alias "Mr Paris-Roubaix" lined up, together with a bunch of former colleagues. Among them were Alan Peiper, Sean Kelly and Felice Gimondi! These veterans were going to present the public in Aalst with a fantastic show while awaiting the pro's.

"Local" Alan Peiper attacked with two laps to go and left the bunch looking at each other; De Vlaeminck refusing to initiate the chase. Mr Paris-Roubaix did manage to beat Jan Bogaert for second in the sprint. The riders climbed the podium and got an incredible standing ovation from the enthusiastic public; as if they were nr one-two-three in a mountain stage in the Tour!

Results - 94 km

Professionals

1 Robbie McEwen (Aus) Lotto-Adecco                 2.10.00
2 Tom Boonen (Bel) US Postal Service
3 Bart Heirewegh (Bel)
4 Nico Mattan (Bel) Cofidis
5 Fabian De Waele (Bel) Mapei-Quick Step
6 Thierry Masschelein (Bel) Marlux-Ville de Charleroi
7 Tom Desmet (Bel) Marlux-Ville de Charleroi
8 Kevin Van Impe (Bel) Lotto-Adecco
9 Zbigniew Serafinski (Pol)
10 Hans De Meester (Bel) Palmans-Collstrop
11 Jürgen Landrie (Bel) RDM-Flanders
12 Staf Scheirlinckx (Bel) Palmans-Collstrop
13 Marc Wauters (Bel) Rabobank
14 Ruud Verspaandonk (Bel)
15 Koen Barbé (Bel)
16 Pedro Romero Dos Santos (Bra)
17 Paul Van Hyfte (Bel) CSC-Tiscali
18 Kris Matthijs (Bel)
19 Bert Scheirlinckx (Bel) RDM-Flanders
20 Kristof Trouvé (Bel) Palmans-Collstrop
21 Thierry Marichal (Bel) Lotto-Adecco
22 Serge Baguet (Bel) Lotto-Adecco
23 Christophe Brandt (Bel) Lotto-Adecco
24 David Debremaecker (Bel) Marlux-Ville de Charleroi
25 Jurgen Guns (Bel) Vlaanderen-T Interim
26 Ludo Dierckxsens (Bel) Lampre-Daikin
27 Nico Indekeu (Bel) RDM-Flanders
28 Frederik Penne (Bel) Palmans-Collstrop
29 Hans De Clercq (Bel) Lotto-Adecco
30 Ludo Giesberts (Bel)
31 Andreas Kappes (Ger)

34 starters

Former professionals

1 Alan Peiper (Aus)
2 Roger De Vlaeminck (Bel)
3 Jan Bogaert (Bel)

Past winners

2001 Serge Baguet (Bel) Lotto-Adecco
2000 Axel Merckx (Bel)
1999 Ludo Dierckxsens (Bel)
1998 (2) Tom Steels (Bel)
1997 Frank Vandenbroucke (Bel)
1996 Tom Steels (Bel)
1995 Johan Bruyneel (Bel)
1994 Hendrik Redant (Bel)
1993 Alain Van den Bossche (Bel)
1992 Dirk De Wolf (Bel)
1991 Benjamin Van Itterbeeck (Bel)
1990 Johan Museeuw (Bel)
1989 Etienne De Wilde (Bel)
1988 Eddy Planckaert (Bel)
1987 Josef Lieckens (Bel)
1986 Marc Sergeant (Bel)
1985 (2) Eric Vanderaerden (Bel)
1984 Frank Hoste (Bel)
1983 Eric Vanderaer-den (Bel)
1982 (3) Roger De Vlaeminck (Bel)
1981 (2) Lucien Van Impe (Bel)
1980 Ferdinand Van den Haute (Bel)
1979 Marc Demeyer (Bel)
1978 Francesco Moser (Ita)
1977 Lucien Van Impe (Bel)
1976 Rik Van Linden (Bel)
1975 (2) Roger De Vlaeminck (Bel)
1974 Eddy Peelman (Bel)
1973 Roger De Vlaeminck (Bel)
1972 Walter Godefroot (Bel)
1971 (2) Eddy Merckx (Bel)
1970 Victor Van Schil (Bel)
1969 Eddy Merckx (Bel)
1968 (2) Rik Van Looy (Bel)
1967 Rik Van Looy (Bel)
1966 Edward Sels (Bel)
1965 Edgar Sorgeloos (Bel)
1964 Benoni Beheyt (Bel)
1963 Frans Melckenbeeck (Bel)
1962 Robert Lelangue (Bel)
1961 Norbert Kerckhove (Bel)
1960 (3) Rik Van Steenbergen (Bel)
1959 (2) Rik Van Steenbergen (Bel)
1958 Rik Van Steenbergen (Bel)
1957 Joseph Plas (Bel)
1956 Alfred De Bruyne (Bel)
1955 Jules Cools (Bel)
1954 (2) Roger Decock (Bel)
1953 (2) André Rosseel (Bel)
1952 Valeér Olivier (Bel)
1951 Roger Decock (Bel)
1950 Alberic Schotte (Bel)
1949 Frans Leenen (Bel)
1948 André Rosseel (Bel)
1947 Achille Buysse (Bel)

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