Recently on Cyclingnews.com |
 Mont Ventoux Photo ©: Sirotti |
Grand Prix Tell - 2.7.1
Switzerland, August 27-31, 2003
2002 results Stage List Preview Start List Past winners
The Stages
- Stage 1 - August 27: Niedererlinsbach - Niedererlinsbach criterium, 80.0 km
- Stage 2 - August 28: Emmetten - Emmetten, 123.7 km
- Stage 3 - August 29: Muotathal - Muotathal, 122.2 km
- Stage 4a - August 30: Muotathal - Zug, 74.8 km
- Stage 4b - August 30: Zug - Zug ITT, 23.8 km
- Stage 5 - August 31: Zug - Beromünster, 145.1 km
Shorter but hillier GP Tell
By Andreas Oppliger
This year's edition of the Grand Prix Tell will again take place as an part of the U23 World Cup calendar, for the first time since its relaunch in 2000. The two race directors Moritz Lichtsteiner and Guido Graf describe their course as very challenging. Compared to the 2002 race, the riders will have to ride 60 fewer kilometres, but they will have an extra 500m in altitude gain to cope with this year.
The race is run in six stages including them two half stages on Saturday, August 30 around the picturesque town of Zug. The queen stage will be on Friday August 29 with two climbs of cat. 1 and one of cat. 2. The last obstacle on the stage is the cat. 1 climb of the Pragelpass (1550 metres above sea level), just 13 kilometres from the finish in Muotathal. Among Swiss cyclotourists, the Pragelpass is called the "Mortirolo of Switzerland" because of its tricky, narrow roads combined with the steepness of the ascent.
18 teams instead of the expected 20 will take place in the GP Tell 2003. Unfortunately the national teams of Ukraine, Ireland and Sweden informed the organisers two days before the start that they would not be participating in the Swiss World Cup event.
The top favourite for the race is certainly the current UCI number one, Ukrainian Denis Kostyuk. He is riding with the Italian espoir team Pallazago Zoccorinese Vellutex, and will count on the strong support of all his Italian teammates. His biggest challengers will be the Swiss national team riders and the Russian athletes starting for the teams of Angelin Travel St. Petersburg and the national selection of Rinat Latypov. Other riders to name for a possible podium spot include Danish rider Brian Vandborg, or the big Slovenian hope Tomas Nose.
Start list
Swiss Cycling Slovenian National Team 1 Roman Gugger (Swi) 21 Tomaz Nose (Slo) 2 Daniel Gysling (Swi) 22 Matic Strgar (Slo) 3 Florian Stalder (Swi) 23 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) 4 Hubert Schwab (Swi) 25 Jure Kocjan (Slo) 5 Andreas Dietziker (Swi) 26 Matej Mugerli (Slo) 6 Jonas Leib (Swi) Danish National Team Hadimec 31 Morten Knudsen (Den) 41 Laurent Arn (Swi) 32 Brian Vandborg (Den) 42 Steve Grossenbacher (Swi) 33 Lasse Böchman (Den) 43 Erich Kunz (Swi) 34 Larsen Klostergaard Kasper (Den) 44 Marcel Schilliger (Swi) 35 Peter Jörgensen (Den) 45 Jimmy Tapparel (Swi) 36 Michael Kristensen (Den) 46 Braulio Juanes (Spa) Hörmann Betoncoupe Kazakhstan National Team 51 Marco Von Känel (Swi) 61 Maxim Iglinskiy (Kaz) 52 Mario Wernli (Swi) 62 Alexandr Dymovskikh (Kaz) 53 Christian Grob (Swi) 63 Assan Bazayev (Kaz) 54 Arian Buchwalder (Swi) 64 Andrey Medyannikov (Kaz) 55 Peter Oeschger (Swi) 65 Viktor Shestakuv (Kaz) 56 Bruno Büetiger (Swi) 66 Alexandr Dyachenko (Kaz) Hofbräu Radler Stuttgart USA National Team 71 Steffen Greger (Ger) 91 Michael Creed (USA) 72 Peter Magyarosi (Ger) 92 Darby Thomas (USA) 73 Matthias Russ (Ger) 93 Timmy Duggan (USA) 74 Jochen Rochau (Ger) 94 Walker Ferguson (USA) 75 Ronny Hartz (Ger) 95 Wren Tyler (USA) 76 Michael Muck (Ger) 96 Dane Jankowiak (USA) German National Team GS Rufalex Nordwest 101 Leo Karstens (Ger) 111 Marco Jimenez (Swi) 102 Jochen Uhrig (Ger) 112 Jonas Meng (Swi) 103 Thorsten Struch (Ger) 113 Markus Schmidig (Swi) 104 Felix Gniot (Ger) 114 Johann Tschopp (Swi) 105 Sebastian Schwager (Ger) 115 Remo Spirgi (Swi) 106 Daniel Musiol (Ger) 116 Stefan Widmer (Swi) Dutch National Team Palmans-Collstrop 121 Stef Clement (Ned) 131 Glenn Poleunis (Bel) 122 Jos Harms (Ned) 132 Kurt Hovelynck (Bel) 123 Norbert Poels (Ned) 133 Kristof De Zutter (Bel) 124 Kenny Van Hummel (Ned) 134 Gregory De Munster (Bel) 125 Peter Mohlmann (Ned) 135 Serge Pauwels (Bel) 126 Bart Oegema (Ned) 136 Kurt Dierckx (Bel) Rietumu Bank Cycling Team Russian National Team 151 Aleksejs Saramotins (Lat) 161 Alexander Arekeev (Rus) 152 Oleg Melehs (Lat) 162 Vladimir Gusev (Rus) 153 Kalvis Eisaks (Lat) 163 Alexander Bespalov (Rus) 154 Aldis Abolins (Lat) 164 Ivan Chtchegolev (Rus) 155 Martins Polakovs (Lat) 156 Kristaps Celms (Lat) Angelin Travel RO St Petersburg Team Mixed Zollinger 171 Boris Shpilevski (Rus) 181 Tobias Baumgartner (Swi) 172 Stanislav Belov (Rus) 182 Janusch Laule (Ger) 173 Dmitri Kozontchuk (Rus) 183 Michael Müller (Swi) 174 Sergey Lazarev (Rus) 184 Simon Schärer (Swi) 175 Sergey Firsanov (Rus) 185 Christian Rocha (Swi) 176 Alexander Bazhenov (Rus) 186 Christian Frommelt (Lie) Mixed 2 - Tessin-Luzern 191 Marco Giani (Ita) 192 Pablo Pico (Swi) 193 Alberto Tiberio (Swi) 194 Ivan Santaromita (Ita) 195 Pirmin Lang (Swi) 196 Sandro Germann (Swi)
Past winners
2002 Rasmus Dyring (Den) Danish National Team 2001 Emil Arnell (Swe) Swedish National Team 2000 Jurgen Van Goolen (Bel) 1999 Not held 1998 Marco Velo (Ita) 1997 Oscar Camenzind (Swi) 1996 Andrea Dolci (Ita) 1995 Peter Verbeken (Swi) 1993 Peter Verbeken (Swi) 1992 Dieter Runkel (Swi) 1991 Alex Zülle (Swi) 1990 Werner Stutz (Swi) 1989 Karl Kählin (Swi) 1988 Josef Fuchs (Swi) 1987 Guido Winterberg (Swi) 1986 Heinz Imboden (Swi) 1985 Pascal Richard (Swi) 1984 Guido Winterberg (Swi) 1983 Richard Trinkler (Swi) 1982 Niki Rüttimann (Swi) 1981 Pedersen (Nor) 1980 Polini (Ita) 1979 Richard Trinkler (Swi) 1978 Ehrensberger (Swi) 1977 Gilbert Glaus (Swi) 1976 Roberto Ceruti (Ita) 1975 Jorgen Marcusson (Den) 1974 Fretz (Swi) 1973 Philippe Leleu (F) 1972 Lloyd (GB) 1971 Wehrli (Swi) Past winners by Mario Stiehl, www.world-of-cycling.com
