22nd Chrono des Herbiers - 1.3/1.9.2/1.7.2/1.8

France, October 19, 2003

2002 Results Results Past winners

Rich's happy end

By Jean-Francois Quenet in Les Herbiers

The men's podium
Photo: © J-F Quenet

For the second time in a row, Michael Rich has won the closing event of French professional cycling, the Chrono des Herbiers individual time trial, held in the Vendée region of France. It's a big victory for the Gerolsteiner rider who beat Bert Roesems (Palmans-Collstrop) by 32 seconds. If Sergei Gontchar hadn't ridden the Tour of Lombardy the day before and driven from Italy to the west of France, it could have been the same podium as in the GP des Nations last month, but Uwe Peschel took third place and Gerolsteiner rounded off a fantastic result with Sebastian Lang in fourth.

"When we came here and saw the start list, we couldn't imagine to repeat the podium of the German championship," Rich explained. "There were so many good specialists at this race. 1st, 3rd and 4th is definitely the best we could get. For me, it's always good to end up the season with a win."

Rich had a perfect race but was a bit worried before the start. "I've felt kind of sick for the last two days, he said. But on the bike I was OK. I was confident in winning because my trainer gave me good news all the time. I was the second fastest after the first split and I had an advantage of 14 seconds with 10km to go, after that I was still fast. But I've had to fight all the time because of the weather conditions."

Suddenly it started raining when the race began after almost 5 months of good weather in Les Herbiers. It was terrible for the cyclists to finish their season that way.

It's Rich's eighth win this year and it's a revenge taken after the world's where he finished fourth. "I felt so strong before going to Hamilton but the course wasn't good for me, too many hills and too long. After half way I knew I was only fighting for the silver medal because David Millar was too strong and it's frustrating when the goal is the win."

The women's 20.5 km even was won by Australian Margaret Hemsley, who beat World TT Champion Joane Somarriba (Bizkaia) by 44 seconds and the returning to form Australian Kathy Watt by 1'00.

Photography

Images by Jean-Francois Quenet

A wet Jacky Durand (FDJeux.com) climbs up to the start house
The Chrono Les Herbiers was Jacky Durand's last race for Fdjeux.com
The pro podium of the Chrono des Herbiers: Bert Roesems (2nd), Michael Rich (1st) and Uwe Peschel (3rd)
The women's podium (L to R): Joane Somarriba (2nd), Margaret Hemsley (1st) and half of Kathy Watt (3rd)

Results

Men - 48.150 km

1 Michael Rich (Ger) Gerolsteiner           1.00.23
2 Bert Roesems (Bel) Palmans-Collstrop         0.32
3 Uwe Peschel (Ger) Gerolsteiner               1.07
4 Sebastian Lang (Ger) Gerolsteiner            1.12
5 Eddy Seigneur (Fra) Jean Delatour            1.22
6 Laszlo Bodrogi (Hon) Quickstep               2.15
7 Raivis Belohovosciks (Lat) Marlux            2.31
8 Jean Nuttli (Swi) Volksbank                  2.34
9 Ben Day (Aus) Carvalhelos Boavista           2.48
10 Yuriy Krivtsov (Ukr) Jean Delatour          3.10
11 Marco Pinotti (Ita) Lampre                  3.21
12 Sergei Honchar (Ukr) Colpack                3.27
13 Fabien Sanchez (Fra) Fdjeux.com             3.35
14 Tomas Vaitkus (Lit) Landbouwkrediet         3.48
15 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Fdjeux.com           4.18
16 Franck Bouyer (Fra) La Boulangère           5.04
17 Florent Brard (Fra) Marlux                  5.29
18 Jacky Durand (Fra) Fdjeux.com               5.50
19 Jonathan Dayus (GB) Team Ringerike          6.16
20 Franck Renier (Fra) La Boulangère           6.44
21 Ivailo Gabrovski (Bul) Oktos                7.35
22 Tjarco Cuppens (Ned) Team Comnet            8.22

Women - 20.525 km

1 Margaret Hemsley (Aus) Nurnberger           29.15
2 Joane Somarriba (Spa) Bizkaia                0.44
3 Kathy Watt (Aus) Blackburn                   1.00
4 Zoulfia Zabirova (Rus) Guerciotti            1.34
5 Magali Finot (Fra) VS Nivernais-Morvan       2.12

Under 23 - 38.4 km

1 Damien Monier (Fra) Cofidis                 51.15
2 Emilien-Benoit Bergès (Fra) Panorimmo.com    0.27
3 Jean Zen (Fra) Vendée U                      0.43
4 Tarmo Raudsepp (Est) Nantes 44 Cyclisme      1.03
5 Loic Vandel (Fra) Chambéry CF                1.08

Past winners

Men

2002 

1 Michael Rich (Ger) Gerolsteiner
2 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Mapei-Quick Step Espoirs
3 Bert Roesems (Bel) Palmans-Collstrop

2001

1 Jean Nuttli (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems
2 Laszlo Bodrogi (Hun) Mapei-Quick Step
3 Sergey Gontchar (Ukr) Liquigas-Pata

2000

1 Jean Nuttli (Swi) Phonak
2 Sergey Gontchar (Ukr) Liquigas
3 Laszlo Bodrogi (Hun) Mapei-Quick Step

1999

1 Sergey Gontchar (Ukr)
2 Gilles Maignan (Fra)
3 Christophe Moreau (Fra)

1998

1 Sergey Gontchar (Ukr)
2 Gilles Maignan (Fra)
3 Francisque Teyssier (Fra)

1997

1 Sergey Gontchar (Ukr)
2 Tony Rominger (Swi)
3 Francoise Teyssier (Fra)

1996

1 Chris Boardman (GB)
2 Laurent Brochard (Fra)
3 Neil Stephens (Aus)
 
1995 Pascal Lance (Fra)
1994 Pascal Lance (Fra)
1993 Chris Boardman (GBr)
1992 Arturas Kasputis (Ltu)
1991 Jan Karlsson (Swe)
1990 Jan Karlsson (Swe)
1989 Marco Jeletich (Ned)

Women

2002 Zoulfia Zabirova (Rus) Usci Chirio 
2001 Edwige Pitel (Fra) AVC Aix
2000 Jeannie Longo (Fra)
1999 Zoulfia Zabirova (Rus)
1998 Zoulfia Zabirova (Rus)

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