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86th Ronde van Vlaanderen (Tour of Flanders) - CDM
Belgium, April 7, 2002
News for April 7
Museeuw wants a duel on the Muur
Johan Museeuw would love to take a fourth Ronde Van Vlaanderen, and become the outright record holder in terms of wins. The Lion of Flanders has won pretty much everything that he has set his sights on, and the RVV record would be "fantastic" but not essential for his palmares.
The Domo rider will have to rely on a weaker team: "No Vainsteins, Van Bon, Wadecki, VDB: two of the four have the goods for the finale. So I was annoyed that we missed the front echelon on Thursday morning in De Panne. I did not understand it."
for the Ronde "Peter Van Petegem is the top favourite...[My dream] is to have a one-on-one on the Muur with my friend-rival Van Petegem. A real battle and then a deciding attack from Museeuw."
No Peers
Chris Peers (Cofidis) decided today that he will not start tomorrow. Peers was injured in the terrible crash on the Kemmelberg on Wednesday, and although he did not break any bones he was still confined to a wheelchair due to heavy bruising. He says he has only ridden on the home trainer for half an hour since then and doesn't want to start without being fully recovered and fit. Peers does intend on starting in next week's Gent-Wevelgem and Paris-Roubaix.
Weather
The weather today in Belgium was still sunny, but a lot cooler as a strong nor-easterly wind blew up, chilling thousands of fanatics who participated in the "Wielertoerist Ronde Van Vlaanderen" and making life very tough over the final 80 kilometres. If this holds tomorrow, then we can expect a very hard race, with the combination of wind and cobbles certain to weed out the weak from the strong.
The hills in the Ronde Van Vlaanderen
No. Name Height diff (m) Total length Average % Max. % 1 Molenberg 32 m 325 m 9.8% 11.0% 2 Wolvenberg 50 m 800 m 6.3% 19.0% 3 Kluisberg 66 m 1100 m 6.0% 15.0% 4 Knokteberg 88 m 1100 m 8.0% 13.0% 5 Oude-Kwaremont 93 m 2200 m 4.3% 11.0% 6 Paterberg 48 m 350 m 12.5% 20.0% 7 Koppenberg 64 m 550 m 11.6% 22.0% 8 Steenbriekdries 37 m 700 m 5.3% 6.7% 9 Taaienberg 45 m 475 m 9.5% 18.0% 10 Eikenberg 65 m 1175 m 5.5% 11.0% 11 Kapelleberg 50 m 700 m 6.4% 9.3% 12 Leberg 39 m 850 m 4.6% 16.0% 13 Berendries 65 m 900 m 4.7% 14.0% 14 Tenbosse 27.5 m 250 m 11% 14.0% 15 Muur-Kapelmuur 77 m 825 m 9.3% 20.0% 16 Bosberg 40 m 475 m 8.4% 11.0%
