54th Tour de la Guadeloupe - 2.6

Guadeloupe, August 6-15, 2004

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Prologue - August 6: Pointe-à-Pitre - Pointe-à-Pitre ITT, 4,0 km

Peña Peña wins prologue

Drugs seized in controversial start to Tour

By Hedwig Kröner in Pointe-à-Pitre

Eventual winner Flober Pena Pena (LOFT)
Photo ©: Hedwig Kröner

This year's Tour of Guadeloupe started with a 4 km prologue inside the island's capital, Pointe à Pitre. A flat course, from the town hall along the seaside boulevard and back, meant some heavy wind for the riders on the second half. In fact, the "alizé" wind blows constantly and might even play a big part on the outcome of this race. But a first selection was drawn in early evening from 18:00 to 20:00, accompanied by a cheering Caribbean people for whom the Tour of their island seems to be even more important than the Tour de France. After sunset, Flober Peña Peña established the best time with 4'40", six seconds faster than four-time winner Daniel Bernal.

While the Tour de la Guadeloupe started without the Lithuanian Team, who apparently did not get on their confirmed flight, the riders arriving from Venezuela were searched by airport customs. Various medical products were found and confiscated for analysis and later confirmed to be EPO as well as masking products. The riders did start the race, as the officials present, including Jean Pitallier, president of the French Cycling Federation, announced an upcoming judicial investigation: a shady turn of events, which this beautiful race and its enthusiastic spectators surely do not deserve.

Photography

Images by Hedwig Kröner

Cory Lange (Canada)
Cory Lange (Canada)
Cedric Jourdan (Sarre_Moselle)
Colombian Daniel Bernal (USL) finished second.
Daniel Bernal (USL) in the start house.
Juan Murillo (Venezuela)
Nicolas Dumont (SMRDA) limbers up.
Eventual winner Flober Pena Pena (LOFT).

Results

1 Flober Pena Pena (Col) LOFT          4.40.09
2 Daniel Bernal (Col) USL              0.06.26
3 Miguel Ubeto (Ven) EDS               0.06.97
4 Norbert Poels (Bel) Belgium          0.09.67
5 Anthony Morin (Fra) Sarre-Moselle    0.10.30
6 Bruno Langlois (Can) Canada          0.10.44
7 Régis Maréchaux (Fra) LOFT           0.12.33
8 Martin Saint-Laurent (Can) Canada    0.13.11