37th GP Jef Scherens Leuven - 1.3

Belgium, September 7, 2003

2002 Results Results Past winners

Hushovd wins GP Jef Scherens

By Jeff Jones

Norwegian Thor Hushovd has triumphed in a bunch sprint in the 37th GP Jef Scherens, held over a tough circuit in Leuven today. The powerful Credit Agricole rider beat Roger Hammond (Palmans) and Nico Eeckhout (Lotto-Domo) in the rush for the line, after a late attack by Scott Sunderland (fakta) was chased down.

The race was held over 13 laps of a hard 14 km circuit in the heart of Leuven, one of Belgium's nicest cities. In addition to a number of corners, the circuit contained three climbs per lap: two short, steep hills and a 1 km drag. The weather was a perfect early autumn day, with little wind and moderate sunny conditions.

The attacks started from the gun, and didn't let up during the whole 183 kilometres. Notable was the presence of Johan Museeuw, who attacked several times in the beginning before climbing off with four laps to go. A break escaped on the first lap and rode out to a modest lead, but it was not committed to staying away for the full distance. With around five laps to go, the leading 17 were caught by another 20, and then the rest of the peloton.

The attacks started again, and eventually a group of five riders including O'Grady (Credit Agricole) and Skelde (fakta) escaped. Skelde's teammate Scott Sunderland bridged up with two others on the last climb with 5 km to go, and there were eight in front. However a hard chase from Telekom, Rabobank and Quick.Step was not letting the break get clear. Sunderland attacked twice in the closing kilometres, including a last kilometre effort, but was swamped by the bunch with 500m to go. The sprint was won by Hushovd, who had hung tough on the climbs to be there at the end.

Results - 183 km

1 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Credit-Agricole              4.06.00 (44.63 km/h)
2 Roger Hammond (GBr) Palmans-Collstrop
3 Nico Eeckhout (Bel) Lotto-Domo
4 Ludovic Capelle (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
5 Michael Skelde (Den) Team fakta
6 Frank Hoj (Den) Team fakta
7 Mark Renshaw (Aus) FDJeux.com
8 Jimmy Casper (Fra) FDJeux.com
9 Aurélien Clerc SWI Quick Step - Davitamon
10 Jan Kuyckx (Bel) Vlaanderen - T Interim
11 Fabien de Waele (Bel) Palmans-Collstrop
12 Gert Vanderaerden (Bel) Palmans-Collstrop
13 Gorik Gardeyn (Bel) Lotto-Domo
14 Johan Coenen (Bel) Marlux-Wincor-Nixdorf
15 Tony Bracke (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
16 Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor) Team fakta
17 Mikhail Timochine (Rus) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
18 Aart Vierhouten (Ned) Lotto-Domo
19 Jeremy Hunt (GBr) MBK-Oktos
20 Hans de Clercq (Bel) Lotto-Domo
21 Mathew Wilson (Aus) FDJeux.com
22 Erwin Thijs (Bel) Palmans-Collstrop
23 Roy Sentjens (Ned) RaboBank
24 Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
25 Gerben Lowik (Ned) Bankgiroloterij
26 Sandy Casar (Fra) FDJeux.com
27 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Credit-Agricole
28 Torwald Veneberg (Ned) RaboBank
29 Manu L'Hoir (Bel) Marlux-Wincor-Nixdorf
30 Sven Nijs (Bel) RaboBank
31 Pierre-B Vaillant (Fra) FDJeux.com
32 Marc Lotz (Ned) RaboBank
33 Kevin de Weert (Bel) RaboBank
34 Wilfried Cretskens (Bel) Quick Step - Davitamon
35 Steven Kleynen (Bel) Vlaanderen - T Interim
36 Rudoph Wentzel (RSA) Vlaanderen - T Interim
37 Cristoph Trouvé (Bel) Palmans-Collstrop
38 Steven De Neef (Bel) Marlux-Wincor-Nixdorf
39 Grischa Niermann (Ger) RaboBank
40 Charles Guilbert (Fra) Marlux-Wincor-Nixdorf
41 Koos Moerenhout (Ned) Lotto-Domo
42 Tomas Konecny (Cze) eD'system - ZVVZ
43 Nick Nuyens  (Bel) Quick Step - Davitamon
44 Wim Vansevenant (Bel) Lotto-Domo
45 Bjorn Leukemans (Bel) Palmans-Collstrop
46 Bert Dewaele (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
47 Scott Sunderland (Aus) Team fakta
48 Frédéric Amorison (Bel) Quick Step - Davitamon
49 Kevin van Impe (Bel) Lotto-Domo
50 Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Quick Step - Davitamon
51 Philip Thuaux (Aus) Team Down Under
52 Arne Daelmans (Bel) Vlaanderen - T Interim
53 Gabriel Rasch (Nor) Ringerike
54 Cameron Jennings (Aus) Team Down Under
55 Jan Faltynek (Cze) eD'system - ZVVZ
56 Maarten den Bakker (Ned) RaboBank
57 Bram de Groot (Ned) RaboBank

Courtesy of Ronald Schipper

Past winners

2002 Andreas Klier (Ger) Team Telekom
2001 Nico Eeckhout (Bel) Lotto-Adecco
2000 Dave Bruylandts (Bel) Palmans Ideal
1999 Marc Streel (Bel) Team Home-Jack & Jones
1998 Jo Planckaert (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar
1997 Stéphane Hennebert (Bel)
1996 Jans Koerts (Ned)
1995 Erik Dekker (Ned)
1994 Mauro Bettin (Ita)
1993 Frans Maassen (Ned)
1992 Hendrik Redant (Bel)
1991 Wilco Zuiderwijk (Ned)
1990 Wilfried Peeters (Bel)
1987 Ronny Van Holen (Bel)
1986 Josef Lieckens (Bel)
1985 Josef Lieckens (Bel)
1984 Ronny Van Holen (Bel)
1983 Adri Van der Poel (Ned)
1982 Rudy Matthijs (Bel)
1981 Jan Raas (Ned)
1980 Ludo Delcroix (Bel)
1979 Marcel Laurens (Bel)
1978 Frans Van Looy (Bel)
1977 Walter Planckaert (Bel)
1976 Frans Verbeeck (Bel)
1975 Freddy Maertens (Bel)
1974 Freddy Maertens (Bel)
1973 Johan Van Katwijk (Ned)
1971 Frans Verbeeck (Bel)
1970 Frans Verbeeck (Bel)

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