54th Tour de la Guadeloupe - 2.6

Guadeloupe, August 6-15, 2004

Main Page Results Previous Stage Next Stage

Stage 8 - August 14: Sainte-Rose - Les Abymes, 132,8 km

100 kilometre break rewarded

By Hedwig Kröner in Les Abymes

Stage winner Marc Altmann (Germany)
Photo ©: Hedwig Kröner

The route of today's stage crossed the finish line five times, with four circuits around Les Abymes including a two kilometre climb.

Breakaways started early as usual, with the German team taking the intermediate sprint points for Robert Kriegs. Their leader, Marc Altmann, continued on in a small break, while the peloton split into several groups.

At the end of the second circuit around Les Abymes, Laury Bédard and yesterday's winner, Jacky Gibrien, were in front, with Altmann and Cory Lange in a chase group 29 seconds behind, and the peloton at 2'25". A second chase group joined the first by the third circuit, and while climbing the Cat. 3 hill, Cory Lange and Willy Noyon caught up with the two men in front. On the descent at km 100, Marc Altmann and Pierre Théophile made it back to the front group, now nine riders-strong, with the yellow jersey group around at 1'24".

On the final circuit, Jacky Gibrien tried to escape from his breakaway companions but was caught soon after. But GC contender Daniel Bernal was successful in joining the front riders, and took his attack even further. With 7km to go, the group with overnight leader Peña Peña, Ubeto and Dumont was still 1'10" in arrears. Marc Altmann, an experienced track rider, used his sprint prowess to take the stage victory. Bernal made up one second on Peña Peña, while third-placed overall Alexandre Lecoq lost 43 seconds.

Photography

Images by Hedwig Kröner

Only as young as you feel - an elderly man has been riding every stage of the Tour de la Guadeloupe.
Damien Wojciechowski (EDS, L) with yesterday's stage winner Jacky Gibrien (UCM) at the start in Sainte-Rose.
Germany's Robert Kriegs wears the red sprinter's jersey.
Belgium's Guy Marien.
Stage winner Marc Altmann (Germany) very happy...
... but also very tired.

Results

1 Marc Altmann (Ger) Germany             
2 Pierre Theophile (Gua) JCA             
3 Frédéric Theobald (Gua) ASBM                 0.02
4 Laury Bedard-Remilien (Gua) Orange               
5 Daniel Bernal (Col) USL                      0.04
 
General classification after stage 8
 
1 Flober Pena Pena (Col) LOFT                      
2 Miguel Ubeto (Ven) EDS                       0.21
3 Alexandre Lecoq (Gua) UVMG                   1.49
4 Nicolas Dumont (Fra) SM-RDA                  2.06
5 Javier Guerero Gonzalez (Col) Excelsior      2.30