42nd Brabantse Pijl - 1.2

Belgium, March 31, 2002

2001 Results Photos Results Past winners

De Waele benefits from teammate's attack

Mapei Quick-Step's Fabien De Waele was successful in today's 42nd edition of the Brabantse Pijl. The Belgian outsprinted Erwin Thijs (Palmans-Collstrop) and Chris Peers (Cofidis) who were part of a group of 12 that had made the final selection. De Waele profited from a move by teammate Elio Aggiano, who had attacked in the final kilometres and was only chased down with 1 km to go.

The 198 kilometre race was held on a circuit around Brussels: a big lap of 101 kilometres followed by six small laps of 16 kilometres, including the finishing climb of the Côte d'Alsemberg each lap. The Rabobank team, with defending champion Michael Boogerd, were particularly active, controlling the race and getting into the early breaks. The first two hours were raced at over 44 km/h, and a number of top riders pulled out including yesterday's podium in the GP E3: Dario Pieri Jo Planckaert and Johan Museeuw.

A leading group of 12 riders formed with approximately 4 laps (60 km) to go, containing favourites Boogerd (Rabobank), Baguet (Lotto) and Bruylandts (Domo). Palmans had two representatives in the break: Thijs and Vansevenant, as did Mapei (De Waele and Aggiano). Boogerd and Bruylandts also had teammates there.

Although the favourites showed their strength on the Lindenberg and the Côte d'Alsemberg, they were too busy watching each other to try and reduce the group even more. A number of riders (Verheyen, Peers and Moreni) tried to attack on the final lap, but all were unsuccessful. Then it was the turn of Mapei's Elio Aggiano, who attacked twice before the foot of the final climb. He was caught in the last kilometre, but his attack paved the way for 26 year old De Waele to sprint to the biggest win of his career.

"I am very happy with today's win after having had such an unlucky 2001 season," said De Waele. "Let's hope that this is a good omen for the whole team that is busy competing in Northern races. Once again I'd like to thank Aggiano - this win is also his".

Photos

Eric Vanderaerden - the Mapei boss must have known one of his boys was going to win today
Robert Hunter (Mapei-Quick Step) - appears to have something stuck in his teeth
Laszlo Bodrogi (Mapei-Quick Step) - still needs a bit of work on his goatee
Eventual winner - Fabian De Waele (Mapei-Quick Step)
Happy to pose - Tristan Hoffman (CSC-Tiscali)
Umm...where am I? - Patrick Jonker (Big Mat) appears to have lost his orientation
Gabriele Colombo (Acqua e Sapone) - gathering his thoughts before the start
Yesterday's winner - of the GP E3, Dario Pieri (Alessio) found the going too tough and pulled the pin before the half-way mark
Duncan Seko (RDM-Flanders) - is not finding the big Northern Classics to his liking
Andrei Tchmil (Lotto-Adecco) - just can't get enough of these hard-man races, finishing 16th
Shouldn't you be at school? - Addy Engels (Rabobank) isn't sure himself
Ninth at nine seconds - Michael Boogerd's (Rabobank) form is starting to show
Lucky last - Bart Voskamp (Bankgiroloterij-Batavus) was the last placed finisher today
This helmet's too small! - Andrei Tchmil (Lotto-Adecco) attempts to mould the helmet to fit his head
Redemption - the peloton realises they're running late for the 10am church service
Rabo-power - the Rabobank train forges the break for their leader Michael Boogerd
Spring is in the air - the world is a beautiful place
I want some attention - Rudolf Wentzel (Vlaanderen-T Interim) gives the medic his best pout
Having a laugh - at himself - Michael Boogerd (Rabobank) finds his wounds amusing. Wait till he gets to the showers
Keeping an eye on things - eventual winner Fabian De Waele (Mapei-Quick Step) pays close attention to his rivals in the closing kilometres
The attacks come thick and fast - with Tchmil opting for the left hand gutter at four to go
Michael Boogerd (Rabobank) - contemplates having a shower and the inevitable pain that awaits
Dreaming of an easier profession? - Michael Boogerd looks like he's had a tough race
The podium - Belgium 1-2-3 - Fabian De Waele (Mapei-Quick Step) wins the Brabantse Pijl, ahead of Erwin Thijs (Palmans-Collstrop) and Chris Peers (Cofidis)

Results

1 Fabian De Waele (Bel) Mapei-Quick Step             4.30.10
2 Erwin Thijs (Bel) Palmans-Collstrop
3 Chris Peers (Bel) Cofidis
4 Elio Aggiano (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step                   0.05
5 Wim Vansevenant (Bel) Palmans-Collstrop
6 Serge Baguet (Bel) Lotto-Adecco
7 Cristian Moreni (Ita) Alessio
8 Dave Bruylandts (Bel) Domo-Farm Frites                0.08
9 Michael Boogerd (Ned) Rabobank                        0.09
10 Geert Verheyen (Bel) Rabobank                        0.23
11 Rolf Sörensen (Den) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago          1.02
12 Enrico Cassani (Ita) Domo-Farm Frites                1.04
13 Massimo Giunti (Ita) Acqua e Sapone                  1.12
14 Simone Masciarelli (Ita) Acqua e Sapone              1.15
15 Pedro Horrillo Muñoz (Spa) Mapei-Quick Step
16 Andrei Tchmil (Bel) Lotto-Adecco
17 Björn Leukemans (Bel) Palmans-Collstrop
18 Bert De Waele (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
19 Nicolas Inaudi (Fra) Ag2r-Prevoyance                 1.22
20 Zbigniew Piatek (Pol) Mróz
21 Karsten Kroon (Ned) Rabobank
22 Peter Farazijn (Bel) Cofidis                         1.25
23 Nico Sijmens (Bel) Vlaanderen-T Interim              1.39
24 Jan Van Velzen (Ned) Bankgiroloterij-Batavus         1.45
25 Christophe Mengin (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux
26 Addy Engels (Ned) Rabobank                           1.49
27 Kris Gerits (Bel) Vlaanderen-T Interim               1.57
28 Staf Scheirlinckx (Bel) Palmans-Collstrop
29 Mateusz Mroz (Pol) Mróz
30 Roberto Lochowski (Ger) Team fakta
31 Gerben Löwik (Ned) Bankgiroloterij-Batavus
32 Thierry De Groote (Bel) Palmans-Collstrop
33 Thierry Marichal (Bel) Lotto-Adecco
34 Tom Desmet (Bel) Marlux-Ville de Charleroi
35 Piotr Chmielewski (Pol) Mróz
36 Sven Nijs (Bel) Rabobank
37 Franck Pencole (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux
38 Ludovic Auger (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93
39 Claude Lamour (Fra) Cofidis                          2.05
40 Sébastien Demarbaix (Bel) Ag2r-Prevoyance            2.09
41 Bas Van Dooren (Ned) Bankgiroloterij-Batavus
42 David Debremaeker (Bel) Marlux-Ville de Charleroi    2.15
43 Peter Wuyts (Bel) Palmans-Collstrop
44 Eddy Serri (Ita) Index-Alexia
45 Dario Andriotto (Ita) Index-Alexia
46 Alessandro Cortinovis (Ita) Lampre-Daikin
47 David Plas (Bel) RDM-Flanders                        3.38
48 Laurent Estadieu (Fra) Ag2r-Prevoyance
49 Kazimierz Stafiej (Pol) Mróz
50 Jacky Durand (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux
51 Bram Tankink (Ned) Domo-Farm Frites
52 Marc Streel (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
53 Paolo Fornaciari (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step
54 Nicolas Fritsch (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux
55 Frederik Penne (Bel) Palmans-Collstrop
56 Augustin Pena Gago (Spa) Acqua e Sapone
57 Andrej Hauptman (Slo) Tacconi Sport-Emmegi
58 Kurt Van Lancker (Bel) Lotto-Adecco
59 Jan Kuyckx (Bel) Vlaanderen-T Interim
60 Mauro Gerosa (Ita) Tacconi Sport-Emmegi
61 Marco Milesi (Ita) Domo-Farm Frites
62 Denis Lunghi (Ita) Team Colpack-Astro
63 Paolo Bossoni (Ita) Tacconi Sport-Emmegi
64 Andris Reiss (Lat) Index-Alexia
65 Gabriele Colombo (Ita) Acqua e Sapone
66 Zbigniew Wyrzykowski (Pol) Mróz
67 Thierry Gouvenou (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93
68 Cédric Loué (Fra) Cofidis
69 Marc Lotz (Ned) Rabobank
70 Marco Serpellini (Ita) Lampre-Daikin
71 Bram De Groot (Ned) Rabobank
72 Corrado Serina (Ita) Index-Alexia
73 Emmanuel Magnien (Fra) Bonjour
74 Nico Indekeu (Bel) RDM-Flanders
75 Bart Voskamp (Ned) Bankgiroloterij-Batavus

Past winners

2001 Michael Boogerd (Ned) Rabobank         194 kms in 4.31.10 (42.93 km/h)
2000 Johan Museeuw (Bel) Mapei-Bricobi      195 kms in 4.33.43 (42.675 km/h)
1999 Michele Bartoli (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step 193 kms in 4.43.15 (40.882 km/h)
1998 Johan Museeuw (Bel) Mapei-Bricobi      193 kms in 4.15.50 (45.263 km/h)
1997 Gianluca Pianegonda (Ita)
1996 Johan Museeuw (Bel)
1995 Edwig Van Hooydonck (Bel)
1994 Michele Bartoli (Ita)
1993 Edwig Van Hooydonck (Bel)
1992 Johan Capiot (Bel)
1991 Edwig Van Hooydonck (Bel)
1990 Frans Maassen (Ned)
1989 Johan Capiot (Bel)
1988 Johan Capiot (Bel)
1987 Edwig Van Hooydonck (Bel)
1986 Johan Van de Velde (Ned)
1985 Adri Van der Poel (Ned)
1984 Ronny Van Holen (Bel)
1983 Eddy Planckaert (Bel)
1982 Claude Criquielion (Bel)
1981 Roger De Vlaeminck (Bel)
1980 Michel Pollentier (Bel)
1979 Daniel Willems (Bel)
1978 Marcel Laurens (Bel)
1977 Frans Verbeeck (Bel)
1976 Freddy Maertens (Bel)
1975 Willem Peters (Bel) 
1974 Herman Vanspringel (Bel)
1973 Johan De Muynck (Bel)
1972 Eddy Merckx (Bel)
1971 Joseph Spruyt (Bel)
1970 Herman Vanspringel (Bel) 
1969 Willy In'T'Ven (Bel)
1968 Victor Van Schil (Bel)
1967 Roger Rosiers (Bel)
1966 Jan Janssen (Ned)
1965 Willy Bocklant (Bel)
1964 Arnaldo Pambianco (Ita)
1963 Joseph Wouters (Bel)
1962 Marcel Janssens (Bel)
1961 Pino Cerami (Bel)


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