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GP Punkt - NE
Sweden, August 16, 2002
Live report
Start time: 1900 CEST
Estimated finish time: 2000 CEST
18:45 CEST
Welcome to the Cyclingnews coverage of the GP Punkt, a unique event in Sweden
that redefines the concept of a parking lot criterium. The 18 lap x 2.2 km (39.6
km) race is held in a nine storey parking lot, with 350 metres of climbing (not
vertical altitude) every lap. It should be interesting, to say the least, with
a good collection of Swedish amateur riders including the likes of Fredrik Modin,
Fredrik Johansson, and Tomas Lövkvist, as well as Finnish talent Jukka
Vastaranta and Kimmo Kaananen.
The weather is warm for this evening's event - 30 degrees and still, although the wind won't make a lot of difference inside the parcours.
19:08 CEST
The first rider to the top of the parking lot is none other than Fredrik
Modin, Team Mälarenergi's top climber. The group is already starting to split
up, not surprisingly. He is followed by Johan Nyman (Team Trek), and a group
of 10 riders.
19:13 CEST - Lap 2
The second lap sees a group of 15 riders in the lead, with another Mälarenergi
rider Niclas Ekström heading the charge. There is not much of an opportunity
to rest on this course. Four Mälarenergi riders are in the leading group.
19:21 CEST
Tomas Lövkvist (Ullricehamn), Kristian Eilertsen (Norway), Jussi Veikkanen
(Mälarenergi) and a Köpings CK rider lead the dwindling pack to the top of the
parking house. The leading bunch is around 12 riders strong at the moment.
19:26 CEST
The leading four have 10 seconds to the group, which contains Fredrik Johansson
(Mälarenergi) and Henrik Sparr (CK Ceres).
19:29 CEST
We're on the fifth lap now (we think!) and the group of four riders - Lövkvist,
Eilertsen, Veikkanen and Fredrik Eriksson (Upsala CK), have a lead on Modin,
Ekström, Johansson Mälarenergi), Jesper Ingvaldsson (Ullricehamn), Anders Juhlin
(Sollerö IF), and Peter Lundblad (Väterås CK).
19:32 CEST
Fredrik Modin has bridged up to the leading four (Lövkvist, Eilertsen,
Veikkanen and Fredrik Eriksson). They are followed by 8 riders at 15 seconds,
with another 3 riders a further 25 seconds back.
19:36 CEST
The leading five now have 20 seconds to a group of nine chasers, who are
in turn being chased by three riders. The remnants of the field are scattered
over various levels of the parking lot.
19:40 CEST
The two chasing groups merge to form a group of 12 riders, who are trailing
Tomas Lövkvist (Ullricehamn), Kristian Eilertsen (Norway), Fredrik Eriksson
(Upsala CK), Jussi Veikkanen and Fredrik Modin (Mälarenergi) by 30 seconds.
Modin is doing more work for his teammate Veikkanen, who is a better sprinter.
19:44 CEST - Lap 10
It may not come down to a sprint though, as Eilertsen loses contact, and
Veikkanen is struggling.
The leading four have a minute to 11 chasers, which are being controlled by Fredrik Johansson (Mälarenergi).
19:48 CEST - Lap 11
With seven 2.2 km laps to go, Fredrik Modin and Tomas Lövkvist have attacked,
dropping their companions on the steep slopes of the parking house. Modin's
teammate Jussi Veikkanen is sitting behind Fredrik Eriksson (Upsala CK), and
not helping him close the seven second gap to the leading pair.
19:52 CEST - Lap 12
As they pass the start/finish for the 12th time, Fredrik Modin is clamped
to Tomas Lövkvist's wheel. The pair have put more distance into the two chasers,
Jussi Veikkanen and Fredrik Eriksson.
19:58 CEST - Lap 13
Lövkvist looks strong as he tows Modin around the course. Meanwhile behind
them, Veikkanen attacks and drops Eriksson, and is 20 seconds behind the leading
pair. If he bridges the gap, there will be two Mälarenergi riders in front.
20:01 CEST - Lap 14
Four laps to go, and Modin opens up a little gap to Lövkvist on the descent.
However, the European junior MTB champion closes it back up. Meanwhile, Modin's
teammate Jussi Veikkanen is 16 seconds behind the leading two.
20:05 CEST - Lap 15
Three laps to go, and it's still Lövkvist pulling with Modin in his slipstream.
He is obviously very strong today. But Modin might have a trick up his sleeve
in the final laps - we'll see.
20:08 CEST - Lap 16
Lövkvist hasn't left the front - it's between him and Modin now as Veikkanen
can't close the gap. The Finnish rider trails 23 seconds behind the two leaders,
who have two laps of this tough circuit to go.
20:12 CEST - Lap 17
Modin is stronger on the climb, as they hit one lap, and one more climb
to go.
Modin attacks!
20:16 CEST - Lap 18
Modin gets a good gap and finishes alone, well ahead of the exhausted Lövkvist.
Veikkanen took third ahead of Fredrik Eriksson, with Kristian Eilertsen (Norway)
in fifth.
Results
1 Fredrik Modin (Team Mälarenergi) 2 Tomas Lövkvist (Ullricehamn) 3 Jussi Veikkanen (Team Mälarenergi) 4 Fredrik Eriksson (Upsala) 5 Kristian Eilertsen (Norway) 6 Martin Nyman (Team Trek)
