54th Tour de la Guadeloupe - 2.6

Guadeloupe, August 6-15, 2004

Main Page Results Previous Stage Next Stage

Stage 2 - August 8: Saint-François - Capesterre Belle-Eau, 150,1 km

Local success in stage 2

Lead changes again

By Hedwig Kröner in Capesterre Belle-Eau

And the winner is...
Photo ©: Hedwig Kröner

Guadeloupe's Jean-Marc Dollin (Orange) gave his compatriots something to cheer about in the Tour de la Guadeloupe by winning the second stage in Capesterre Belle-Eau. Dollin sprinted in just ahead of German Jan Deutschmann (Sarre-Moselle), with a large breakaway led by Belgian Rik Kavsek (Team Bianchi Diametal) coming in at 12 seconds behind. The leader's jersey changed hands again today with Canadian Martin Saint-Laurent taking over from Norbert Poels.

Today's breakaway attempts started early in the stage, with an intermediate sprint right at the beginning. Germany's Robert Kriegs took the points, as well as the other two intermediate sprints afterwards. The French team Métropole was very active, UVMG's Alexandre Lecoq also tried to get away, but the peloton caught him at km 44. One local rider, Gaël Marigny, crashed into a barrier and was taken to hospital with a suspected collarbone fracture.

After the stage's third category climb at km 50, won by Miguel Ubeto from Venezuela, a serious breakaway managed to leave the peloton behind. The main contenders Daniel Bernal (USL) and Flobert Peña Peña (LOFT/UVN) were present, along with two Germans, two Sarre-Moselles, two Oranges and several others. This 18 man group built a lead of up to 2'50, but after 100 km, their advantage began to melt, and soon enough a counter-attack formed from behind which had good chances of catching them. But the riders in front worked hard and well, passing the 10 km to go mark with a one minute lead.

A nervous finish followed, in which the best young rider, Rik Kavsek (Belgium/Team Bianchi Diametal), Venezuela's Rodolfo Camacho and Miguel Ubeto (EDS) all tried to avoid a sprint finish by attacking, but without success. 2 km away from the line, two riders finally made it: Jan Deutschmann (Sarre-Moselle) and Jean-Marc Dollin (Orange). Deutschmann led Dollin to the finish, but couldn't follow the other's pace in the last 200 metres. It was a home run for the man from Guadeloupe, while the German had had a mechanical problem right from the beginning of the stage and only been able to use 2 gears all along. Canada's Martin Saint-Laurent came in 15th and took the leader's jersey.

As for the legal investigation of illicit products found in the luggage of two riders, it seems they will only be held responsible for possession, not traffic, of the substances. Both of them are still on the race, which hasn't called any riders inside the medical control office yet.

Photography

Images by Hedwig Kröner

The start in Saint-François
Team Bianchi from Berlin - it was 30° Celsius in the shade at the start
Damien Wojciechowski (left) and Régis Maréchaux (centre)
A fabulous crowd comparable to a pro race in Europe
The last 30 km were on a highway
Fabrice Lapilus checking on the German Marcus Pichler, who punctured twice and finished last
And the winner is... Jean-Marc Dollin

Results

1 Jean-Marc Dollin (Gua) Orange                3.23.58
2 Jan Deutschmann (Ger) Sarre-Moselle             0.03
3 Rik Kavsek (Bel) Belgium/Team Bianchi Diametal  0.12
4 Tony Linares (Ven) Vénézuéla                      
5 Christophe Cospar (Gua) Orange                    
6 Alexei Ledvansky (Rus) Sarre-Moselle              
7 Serguei Lazarev (Rus) Russia                      
8 Andréas Muller (Ger) Germany                      
9 Juan Murillo (Ven) Vénézuéla                      
10 Flobert Pena Pena (Col) LOFT/UVN                  
 
General classification after stage 2
 
1 Martin Saint-Laurent (Can) Canada            7.09.19
2 Rik Kavsek (Bel) Belgium/Team Bianchi Diametal  0.05
3 Alexandre Lecoq (Fra) U.V.M.G.                  0.06
4 Tony Linares (Ven) Vénézuéla                    0.22
5 Flobert Pena Pena (Col) LOFT/UVN                1.13
6 Daniel Bernal (Col) U.S.L.                      1.19
7 Miguel Ubeto (Ven) E.D.S.                       1.20
8 Jan Deutschmann (Ger) Sarre-Moselle             1.33
9 Jean-Marc Dollin (Gua) Orange                   1.34
10 Stephane Bellicaud (Fra) Selection France      1.37
11 Serge Lazarev (Rus) Russia                       
12 Régis Maréchaux (Gua) LOFT/UVN                 1.38
13 Christophe Cospar (Gua) Orange