GP Tell - 2.2U

Switzerland, August 23-27, 2006

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Prologue - August 23: Luzern ITT, 1.84km

Dutchmen fly in Switzerland

By Andreas Oppliger

The GP Tell, one of the major U23-events in the European race-calendar, got off to a flying start on Wednesday evening in Lucerne. One year ago devastating floods in Switzerland made it impossible to run this long-standing event, but this year blue skies and temperatures around 20°C were a perfect frame for an interesting but not too demanding prologue.

In the prologue the guys of the Rabobank squad demonstrated again that Dutchmen really can fly. On the short parcours Jos van Emden was the fastest, only 86 hundreds of a second faster than his teammate Tom Stamsnijder. Stefan Trafelet in third place was the best Swiss rider on this evening. Van Emden will be the first athlete to wear the yellow jersey on this year's race, meanwhile Tom Stamsnijder seemed to be extremely happy, despite his second place. The son of the former cyclo-cross world champion Hennie Stamsnijder has just been through a very difficult period, as his brother has suffered from a serious illness. It is easy to understand, that cycling has not been uppermost in Stamsnijder's mind recently and a good result in the GP Tell for him was like a psychological breakthrough.

One hundred and seven riders from eighteen teams were present tonight on the prologue. One space on the start list was empty. It was the place, where the name of Rafaa Chtioui should be. Chtioui was the first athlete from an African country to win a medal in a world cycling championship, in Verona in 2004. The Tunisian rider, who is part of the French AG2R development program in Chambéry has been in his home country the last few days. Unfortunately on Tuesday he was prevented from leaving Tunisia by problems with his visa.

On Thursday will be held the first stage with a circuit of 34.7 kilometers that has to be done four times. As the weather forecast is very bad for the afternoon the not too demanding stage could be influenced by the meteorological conditions and become much more difficult.

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Andreas Oppliger

Team Rabobank.
Team Slovenia.
Team Switzerland.
Jos Van Emden at the finish line.
Jos Van Emden (Rabobank) on the podium.
Viktor Renäng (Sweden national team).
Pierre Rolland (France).
Stefan Trafelet best of the Swiss riders in the prologue.
Team Mixte Central.

Results

1 Jos Van Emden (Ned) Rabobank (RB3)                               2.36.67
2 Tom Stamsnijder (Ned) Rabobank (RB3)                             0.00.86
3 Stefan Trafelet (Swi) Swiss national team                        0.01.41
4 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Team Löwik Meubelen                          0.02.66
5 Markus Eibegger (Aut) Austrian national team                     0.04.03
6 Andreas Moser (Swi) Team Mixte Central                           0.04.43
7 Brent Bookwalter (USA) USA national team                         0.04.51
8 Sander Oostlander (Ned) Team Löwik Meubelen                      0.04.78
9 Arjen De Baat (Ned) Rabobank (RB3)                               0.05.46
10 Kristjan Koren (Slo) Slovenian national team                    0.05.47
11 Romain Feillu (Fra) French national team                        0.05.61
12 Nazareno Rossi (Swi) Swiss national team                        0.06.27
13 Huub Duyn (Ned) Rabobank (RB3)                                  0.06.53
14 Grega Bole (Slo) Slovenian national team                        0.06.54
15 Pierre Rolland (Fra) French national team                       0.06.69
16 Lukasz Modzelewski (Pol) Polish national team                   0.06.78
17 Aldo Ino Ilesic (Slo) Slovenian national team                   0.06.96
18 Sebastian Hans (Ger) German national team                       0.07.23
19 Pirmin Lang (Swi) Swiss national team                           0.07.88
20 Alexey Kunshin (Rus) Premier St Petersburg / Russia             0.07.94
21 Nico Graf (Ger) Thüringer Energie Team                          0.08.10
22 Thomas Frei (Swi) Swiss national team                           0.08.31
23 Piotr Zielinski (Pol) Polish national team                      0.08.34
24 Rob Ruijgh (Ned) Rabobank (RB3)                                 0.08.62
25 Simon Wyss (Swi) Hadimec                                        0.08.65
26 Alexandre Pliuschin (Mda) Team Mixte Central                    0.08.70
27 Philip Patzer (Ger) Thüringer Energie Team                      0.08.98
28 Karsten Hess (Ger) Thüringer Energie Team                       0.09.00
29 John Devine (USA) USA national team                             0.09.25
30 Vladimir Kerkez (Slo) Slovenian national team                   0.09.26
31 Cyril Gautier (Fra) French national team                        0.09.33
32 Bernhard Oberholzer (Swi) Hadimec                               0.09.66
33 Thom Van Dulmen (Ned) Rabobank (RB3)                            0.09.76
34 Herman Fouche (RSA) Team Konica Minolta                         0.09.94
35 Tobias Eggli (Swi) Hadimec                                      0.09.97
36 Christian Ebner (Aut) Austrian national team                    0.10.04
37 Jonas Bjelkmark (Swe) Swedish national team                     0.10.20
38 Jérome Coppel (Fra) French national team                        0.10.50
39 Simon Spilak (Slo) Slovenian national team                      0.10.55
40 Alexandre Roger (Fra) French national team                      0.10.84
41 Mateusz Komar (Pol) Polish national team                        0.11.06
42 Marcel Wyss (Swi) Swiss national team                           0.11.13
43 Stefan Denifl (Aut) Austrian national team                      0.11.19
43 Petter Persson (Swe) Swedish national team                             
45 Maurizio Anzalone (Ita) VC Mendrisio-PL Valli Casino Admira     0.11.26
46 Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Polish national team                        0.11.28
47 Mathias Blumer (Swi) Hadimec                                    0.11.32
48 Maxime Beney (Swi) Swiss national team                          0.11.34
49 Julien Bérard (Fra) AG2R Chambéry Cyclisme Formation            0.11.44
50 Mathias Frank (Swi) Team Mixte Central                          0.11.48
51 Silvère Ackermann (Swi) VC Mendrisio-PL Valli Casino Admira     0.11.53
52 Roman Klimov (Rus) Premier St Petersburg / Russia               0.11.60
53 Albert Timmer (Ned) Team Löwik Meubelen                         0.11.64
54 Michael Stevenson (Swe) Swedish national team                   0.11.66
55 Steve Bovay (Swi) VC Mendrisio-PL Valli Casino Admira           0.11.90
56 Fabian Züsli (Swi) Team Mixte Central                           0.11.98
57 Mathieu Deschenaux (Swi) VC Mendrisio-PL Valli Casino Admira    0.12.28
58 Simon Geschke (Ger) German national team                        0.12.30
59 Marco-Leonardo Oreggia (Aut) Austrian national team             0.12.40
60 Nick Clesen (Lux) Luxembourg national team                      0.12.55
61 Guillaume Bonnafond (Fra) AG2R Chambéry Cyclisme Formation      0.12.57
62 Kim Lachmann (Ger) German national team                         0.12.76
63 Josef Kugler (Aut) Austrian national team                       0.12.82
64 Yann Huguet (Fra) French national team                          0.13.04
65 Matthew Crane (USA) USA national team                           0.13.06
66 Viktor Folkesson (Swe) Swedish national team                    0.13.16
67 Laurent Beuret (Swi) VC Mendrisio-PL Valli Casino Admira        0.13.42
68 Keith Jennings (USA) USA national team                          0.13.55
69 Michael Randin (Swi) Hadimec                                    0.13.89
70 Sergey Smirnov (Rus) Premier St Petersburg / Russia             0.14.04
71 Alexander Lebedev (Rus) Premier St Petersburg / Russia          0.14.11
72 Ben Gastauer (Lux) Luxembourg national team                     0.14.15
73 Thierry Fondère (Fra) Team Mixte Central                        0.14.20
74 Loïc Mühlemann (Swi) VC Mendrisio-PL Valli Casino Admira        0.14.33
75 Björn Gollhardt (Ger) Thüringer Energie Team                    0.14.40
76 Rick Fransen (Ned) Team Löwik Meubelen                          0.14.42
76 Lars Jun (Ned) Team Löwik Meubelen                                     
78 Peter Andres (Swi) Hadimec                                      0.14.43
79 Sheldon Deeny (USA) USA national team                           0.14.59
80 Maarten Krommendijk (Ned) Team Löwik Meubelen                   0.14.75
81 Viktor Renäng (Swe) Swedish national team                       0.15.36
82 Martin Velits (Svk) Team Konica Minolta                         0.15.58
83 Travis Allen (RSA) Team Konica Minolta                          0.15.76
84 Jean Charles Sénac (Fra) AG2R Chambéry Cyclisme Formation       0.16.07
85 Miha Svab (Slo) Slovenian national team                         0.16.43
86 Radoslaw Kwiatkowski (Pol) Polish national team                 0.16.55
87 Christoph Sokoll (Aut) Austrian national team                   0.16.75
88 Christoph Pfingsten (Ger) German national team                  0.16.77
89 Blaise Sonnery (Fra) AG2R Chambéry Cyclisme Formation           0.16.82
90 Janick Wisler (Swi) Team Mixte Central                          0.17.22
91 Cyrille Heymans (Lux) Luxembourg national team                  0.17.34
92 Michael Farel (Ger) German national team                        0.17.88
93 Peter Velits (Svk) Team Konica Minolta                          0.17.92
94 Eric Riggs (USA) USA national team                              0.18.53
95 Florian Frohn (Ger) Thüringer Energie Team                      0.19.00
96 Roman Mikhailov (Rus) Premier St Petersburg / Russia            0.19.17
96 John-Lee Augustyn (RSA) Team Konica Minolta                            
98 Alexander Afonin (Rus) Premier St Petersburg / Russia           0.19.27
99 Lucas Persson (Swe) Swedish national team                       0.20.43
100 Tom Wecker (Lux) Luxembourg national team                      0.20.92
101 Sven Hippel (Ger) Thüringer Energie Team                       0.20.96
102 Adam Sznitko (Pol) Polish national team                        0.21.28
103 Carlo Kirsch (Lux) Luxembourg national team                    0.22.94
104 Tony Martin (Ger) German national team                         0.23.47
105 Thomas Rostollan (Fra) AG2R Chambéry Cyclisme Formation        0.25.71
106 Robert Schmitt (Lux) Luxembourg national team                  0.29.95
107 Tom White (GBr) Team Konica Minolta                            0.31.73
 
Points
 
1 Jos Van Emden (Ned) Rabobank (RB3)                                    25 pts
2 Tom Stamsnijder (Ned) Rabobank (RB3)                                  20
3 Stefan Trafelet (Swi) Swiss national team                             16
4 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Team Löwik Meubelen                               13
5 Markus Eibegger (Aut) Austrian national team                          11
6 Andreas Moser (Swi) Team Mixte Central                                10
7 Brent Bookwalter (USA) USA national team                               9
8 Sander Oostlander (Ned) Team Löwik Meubelen                            8
9 Arjen De Baat (Ned) Rabobank (RB3)                                     7
10 Kristjan Koren (Slo) Slovenian national team                          6
11 Romain Feillu (Fra) French national team                              5
12 Nazareno Rossi (Swi) Swiss national team                              4
13 Huub Duyn (Ned) Rabobank (RB3)                                        3
14 Grega Bole (Slo) Slovenian national team                              2
15 Pierre Rolland (Fra) French national team                             1
 
General classification after prologue
 
1 Jos Van Emden (Ned) Rabobank (RB3)                               2.36.00
2 Tom Stamsnijder (Ned) Rabobank (RB3)                                0.01
3 Stefan Trafelet (Swi) Swiss national team                           0.02
4 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Team Löwik Meubelen                             0.03
5 Markus Eibegger (Aut) Austrian national team                        0.04
6 Andreas Moser (Swi) Team Mixte Central                              0.05
7 Brent Bookwalter (USA) USA national team                                
8 Sander Oostlander (Ned) Team Löwik Meubelen                             
9 Arjen De Baat (Ned) Rabobank (RB3)                                  0.06
10 Kristjan Koren (Slo) Slovenian national team                           
11 Romain Feillu (Fra) French national team                               
12 Nazareno Rossi (Swi) Swiss national team                               
13 Huub Duyn (Ned) Rabobank (RB3)                                     0.07
14 Grega Bole (Slo) Slovenian national team                               
15 Pierre Rolland (Fra) French national team                              
16 Lukasz Modzelewski (Pol) Polish national team                          
17 Aldo Ino Ilesic (Slo) Slovenian national team                          
18 Sebastian Hans (Ger) German national team                              
19 Pirmin Lang (Swi) Swiss national team                              0.08
20 Alexey Kunshin (Rus) Premier St Petersburg / Russia                    
21 Nico Graf (Ger) Thüringer Energie Team                                 
22 Thomas Frei (Swi) Swiss national team                                  
23 Piotr Zielinski (Pol) Polish national team                         0.09
24 Rob Ruijgh (Ned) Rabobank (RB3)                                        
25 Simon Wyss (Swi) Hadimec                                               
26 Alexandre Pliuschin (Mda) Team Mixte Central                           
27 Philip Patzer (Ger) Thüringer Energie Team                             
28 Karsten Hess (Ger) Thüringer Energie Team                              
29 John Devine (USA) USA national team                                    
30 Vladimir Kerkez (Slo) Slovenian national team                          
31 Cyril Gautier (Fra) French national team                           0.10
32 Bernhard Oberholzer (Swi) Hadimec                                      
33 Thom Van Dulmen (Ned) Rabobank (RB3)                                   
34 Herman Fouche (RSA) Team Konica Minolta                                
35 Tobias Eggli (Swi) Hadimec                                             
36 Christian Ebner (Aut) Austrian national team                           
37 Jonas Bjelkmark (Swe) Swedish national team                            
38 Jérome Coppel (Fra) French national team                           0.11
39 Simon Spilak (Slo) Slovenian national team                             
40 Alexandre Roger (Fra) French national team                             
41 Mateusz Komar (Pol) Polish national team                               
42 Marcel Wyss (Swi) Swiss national team                                  
43 Petter Persson (Swe) Swedish national team                             
43 Stefan Denifl (Aut) Austrian national team                             
45 Maurizio Anzalone (Ita) VC Mendrisio-PL Valli Casino Admira            
46 Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Polish national team                               
47 Mathias Blumer (Swi) Hadimec                                           
48 Maxime Beney (Swi) Swiss national team                             0.12
49 Julien Bérard (Fra) AG2R Chambéry Cyclisme Formation                   
50 Mathias Frank (Swi) Team Mixte Central                                 
51 Silvère Ackermann (Swi) VC Mendrisio-PL Valli Casino Admira            
52 Roman Klimov (Rus) Premier St Petersburg / Russia                      
53 Albert Timmer (Ned) Team Löwik Meubelen                                
54 Michael Stevenson (Swe) Swedish national team                          
55 Steve Bovay (Swi) VC Mendrisio-PL Valli Casino Admira                  
56 Fabian Züsli (Swi) Team Mixte Central                                  
57 Mathieu Deschenaux (Swi) VC Mendrisio-PL Valli Casino Admira           
58 Simon Geschke (Ger) German national team                               
59 Marco-Leonardo Oreggia (Aut) Austrian national team                0.13
60 Nick Clesen (Lux) Luxembourg national team                             
61 Guillaume Bonnafond (Fra) AG2R Chambéry Cyclisme Formation             
62 Kim Lachmann (Ger) German national team                                
63 Josef Kugler (Aut) Austrian national team                              
64 Yann Huguet (Fra) French national team                                 
65 Matthew Crane (USA) USA national team                                  
66 Viktor Folkesson (Swe) Swedish national team                           
67 Laurent Beuret (Swi) VC Mendrisio-PL Valli Casino Admira           0.14
68 Keith Jennings (USA) USA national team                                 
69 Michael Randin (Swi) Hadimec                                           
70 Sergey Smirnov (Rus) Premier St Petersburg / Russia                    
71 Alexander Lebedev (Rus) Premier St Petersburg / Russia                 
72 Ben Gastauer (Lux) Luxembourg national team                            
73 Thierry Fondère (Fra) Team Mixte Central                               
74 Loïc Mühlemann (Swi) VC Mendrisio-PL Valli Casino Admira           0.15
75 Björn Gollhardt (Ger) Thüringer Energie Team                           
76 Rick Fransen (Ned) Team Löwik Meubelen                                 
76 Lars Jun (Ned) Team Löwik Meubelen                                     
78 Peter Andres (Swi) Hadimec                                             
79 Sheldon Deeny (USA) USA national team                                  
80 Maarten Krommendijk (Ned) Team Löwik Meubelen                          
81 Viktor Renäng (Swe) Swedish national team                          0.16
82 Martin Velits (Svk) Team Konica Minolta                                
83 Travis Allen (RSA) Team Konica Minolta                                 
84 Jean Charles Sénac (Fra) AG2R Chambéry Cyclisme Formation              
85 Miha Svab (Slo) Slovenian national team                            0.17
86 Radoslaw Kwiatkowski (Pol) Polish national team                        
87 Christoph Sokoll (Aut) Austrian national team                          
88 Christoph Pfingsten (Ger) German national team                         
89 Blaise Sonnery (Fra) AG2R Chambéry Cyclisme Formation                  
90 Janick Wisler (Swi) Team Mixte Central                                 
91 Cyrille Heymans (Lux) Luxembourg national team                     0.18
92 Michael Farel (Ger) German national team                               
93 Peter Velits (Svk) Team Konica Minolta                                 
94 Eric Riggs (USA) USA national team                                 0.19
95 Florian Frohn (Ger) Thüringer Energie Team                             
96 John-Lee Augustyn (RSA) Team Konica Minolta                            
96 Roman Mikhailov (Rus) Premier St Petersburg / Russia                   
98 Alexander Afonin (Rus) Premier St Petersburg / Russia                  
99 Lucas Persson (Swe) Swedish national team                          0.21
100 Tom Wecker (Lux) Luxembourg national team                             
101 Sven Hippel (Ger) Thüringer Energie Team                              
102 Adam Sznitko (Pol) Polish national team                               
103 Carlo Kirsch (Lux) Luxembourg national team                       0.23
104 Tony Martin (Ger) German national team                            0.24
105 Thomas Rostollan (Fra) AG2R Chambéry Cyclisme Formation           0.26
106 Robert Schmitt (Lux) Luxembourg national team                     0.30
107 Tom White (GBr) Team Konica Minolta                               0.32
 
Points classification
 
1 Jos Van Emden (Ned) Rabobank (RB3)                                    25 pts
2 Tom Stamsnijder (Ned) Rabobank (RB3)                                  20
3 Stefan Trafelet (Swi) Swiss national team                             16
4 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Team Löwik Meubelen                               13
5 Markus Eibegger (Aut) Austrian national team                          11
6 Andreas Moser (Swi) Team Mixte Central                                10
7 Brent Bookwalter (USA) USA national team                               9
8 Sander Oostlander (Ned) Team Löwik Meubelen                            8
9 Arjen De Baat (Ned) Rabobank (RB3)                                     7
10 Kristjan Koren (Slo) Slovenian national team                          6
11 Romain Feillu (Fra) French national team                              5
12 Nazareno Rossi (Swi) Swiss national team                              4
13 Huub Duyn (Ned) Rabobank (RB3)                                        3
14 Grega Bole (Slo) Slovenian national team                              2
15 Pierre Rolland (Fra) French national team                             1