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2002 Road World Championships - CM
Hasselt-Zolder, Belgium, October 8-13, 2002
Main Page Start list Course Map Results Latest live report
Day 5 - October 12: Junior Men Road Race, 128 km
Complete Live Report
Start time: 9:30 CEST
Estimated finish time: 12:30 CEST
09:30 CEST
Welcome to Cyclingnews coverage of the Junior Men's Road Race, held over 10
laps of the 12.8 km Zolder circuit for a total of 128 kilometres. It's cold
this morning (8 degrees) with a light easterly wind blowing, assisting the riders
down the finishing straight. The sun is not out though, although there is no
threat of rain just yet.
There are 164 starters, and we'll see in three hours time whether we are looking at our third bunch sprint
09:37 CEST - 5 km
Mads Kristensen (Den) and Joachin Rojas (Spa) puncture, and will have a tough
time getting back on as the speed is already high, with several small attacks
going off the front. A couple of Russian riders are involved, but it comes back
together.
There's a big fall at the back of the peloton, but no one looks badly hurt. A few of them need to wait a while for a wheel change though.
09:42 CEST - 8 km
On the first descent after the small climb on the Terlamenlaan, there is another
fall. A Slovenian rider can't get his wheel out, despite the application of
brute strength. A Canadian, Cabrel Boucher, is down and a bit banged up, but
he should get back on.
09:47 CEST - 13 km
The first time up the Pitsberg (400m, avg. 6%, max 9%) sees an Italian and
Russian rider on the front controlling things, but no attacks. The peloton is
extremely nervous, as is always the case at the Junior Worlds. No more falls
yet...
The first lap is completed in 17:08, that's rather brisk at 44.7 km/h.
Kin San Wu (HKg) has abandoned. There are five riders chasing the bunch at a minute, including Venezuelan sprinter Artur Garcia.
09:51 CEST - 16 km
Moldavian rider Veaceslav Talasimov attacks before the small climb on the Zolder
circuit, and gets a gap as the bunch watches each other. He has some 15 seconds
and the peloton is not interested in chasing him yet.
Dean-Srecko Kliba (Croatia) has abandoned.
09:59 CEST - 21 km/107 km to go
Talasimov increases his lead to 37 seconds as the Kazakhs and Slovakians start
to chase. However no-one else is interested at the moment. The slowing of the
pace allows Artur Garcia's five man chasing group to rejoin the peloton.
The pack close the gap to the Moldavian to 23 seconds over the Pitsberg, with the blue jerseys of the Slovakians, Kazakhs and Russians near the front. The Australians are also visible near the front, but not doing any chasing.
10:05 CEST - 26 km/102 km to go
Talasimov crosses the line after the second lap with a 14 second lead over the
Russian/Kazakh/Slovakian led peloton. The second lap was completed in 18 minutes,
meaning that the overall average is now 43.7 km/h.
10:09 CEST - 29 km/99 km to go
The Moldavian's solo attack comes to an end on the Gilles Villeneuve chicane,
as he is swallowed up by the very watchful pack.
As they turn into Westlaan, there is another fall. It's more a tangle of bikes but 10 riders are involved. Leon Makarovic (Slo) extracts his bike from his teammate, and starts chasing. All the time it's the blue jerseys of the Slovakians and Russians at the front, watched by the rest of the pack. Matej Jurco is the Slovakian hope.
A new attack on Terlaemenlaan by Dennis Persson (Swe) and Jonathon Clarke (Aus), the latter who is working for captain Mark Jamieson, one of the big favourites for this race.
10:18 CEST - 36 km/92 km to go
Ruslan Sambris (Moldavia) bridges up to the two leaders just before the Pitsberg,
and the break is looking a lot better. The gap is 30 seconds at the top.
Four riders, including Bert De Backer (Bel) try to get clear over the top in pursuit of the leaders, but the cooperation is not there.
10:23 CEST - 38 km/90 km to go
The leading three, Clarke (Aus), Sambris (Mda) and Persson (Swe) cross the start/finish
for the third time. The third lap was completed in 17.45 and the leaders have
17 seconds over the peloton, which is increasing its speed courtesy of a few
attacks.
A Kazakh attacks, and gets an Australian rider on his wheel. He signals for him to come through, but there is no chance with Clarke in the break. The pace slows again as they enter the pits.
10:28 CEST - 42 km/86 km to go
Andriy Buchko (Ukr) and Vladimir Grossu (Mda) have both abandoned the race,
due to being caught up in earlier falls. The peloton is moving faster again,
but it seems to be hard to organise a chase. The three leaders have 30 seconds
mid way through the fourth lap.
Eckard Bergh (South Africa) has abandoned.
10:33 CEST - 45 km/83 km to go
The peloton hits the Terlaemenlaan 43 seconds behind Clarke, Sambris and Persson.
The nervousness is apparent as several riders try to attacks. It looks as though
the Polish team want to keep it together too, as they mark the moves.
10:37 CEST - 48 km/80 km to go
The leaders hit the Pitsberg climb for the 4th time, still cooperating well.
But the attacks in the peloton have brought the gap back to 20 seconds. Will
it last though? The Italians do some work on the climb to keep the speed high,
and this could turn out to be fatal for the break.
However at the foot of the small descent the pace has slowed again, with the Italians still leading.
10:40 CEST - 51 km/77 km to go
Jonathon Clarke (Aus), Ruslan Sambris (Mda), and Dennis Persson (Swe) cross
the finish line for the fourth fourth time, with the average speed now 43.7
km/h. Belgian Evert Verbist attacks just before the finish and successfully
bridges the gap. The peloton is at 24 seconds.
Mark Jamieson (Aus) punctures and has to chase. He is riding hard to get onto the cars.
10:45 CEST - 54 km/74 km to go
Mark Jamieson finally makes it onto the convoy after his puncture. He could
have done with a teammate's help there. He is on the back of the peloton after
a hard chase.
The gap between the four leaders and the peloton is now 15 seconds as they turn onto Westlaan.
A Russian attacks in pursuit of the four leaders: Maxim Belkov. The peloton reacts but not immediately.
10:50 CEST - 59 km/69 km to go
Belkov is 10 seconds behind the four leaders as he hits the Terlaemenlaan climb.
The peloton is another 12 seconds back. The Russian closes the gap on the descent
to the Bolderberg roundabout to 5 seconds. He catches them on Galgeneinde.
Michael Concannon (Irl) and Cabrel Boucher (Can) have abandoned.
10:55 CEST - 62 km/66 km to go
On the Pitsberg for the fifth (of 10) times, and we have five leaders: Dennis
Persson (Swe), Jonathon Clarke (Aus), Ruslan Sambris (Mda), Maxim Belkov (Rus),
and Evert Verbist (Bel). They have 20 seconds over the top as the Slovakians
and Italians lead the chase.
10:57 CEST - 64 km/64 km to go
At the halfway point, the five leaders have lost a lot of their advantage, courtesy
of the Slovakian chase. The gap at the start/finish was just 8 seconds, and
the overall average speed is 43.7 km/h. The peloton catch the leaders just before
the team boxes round the back.
11:03 CEST - 68 km/60 km to go
The pace has increased after the break was caught, with a constant steam of
attacks creating several gaps in the peloton. Nothing has stuck yet, although
now a Spaniard attacks and gets a Swiss and Canadian rider with him. The peloton
reacts though, and closes it down. This course is very hard to get away on unless
there is a serious relaxation in the peloton.
At the rear of the peloton we have Thomas Dekker (Ned) and Mark Jamieson (Aus), two of the favourites.
11:08 CEST - 72 km/56 km to go
Tyler Farrar (USA) attacks on the Terlaemenlaan climb, taking four riders with
him. The group is Jesper Ingevaldsson (Swe), Tyler Farrar (USA), Thomas Frei
(Swi), Emanuele Rizza (Ita) and Matthias Schröger (Aut) and they have 12 seconds
on the Galgeneinde.
They drive hard up the Pitsberg climb, with three riders in pursuit: Harms (Ned), an Australian and an Irishman. They have 10 seconds at the top, and 20 seconds on the peloton.
11:14 CEST - 77 km/51 km to go
The Australian is Nicolas Sanderson, and he easily bridges the gap to the five
on the descent. The other two - Harms and Roche - are still trying to chase.
The cooperation in the front is not good though and they should get them. But
the peloton is also moving quickly.
The gaps at the end of lap 6: 5 seconds back to Harms/Roche, and 10 seconds to the peloton. The lap time was 16'23, an average of 46.9 km/h for that lap. The overall average is 44.2 km/h.
Harms and Roche catch the leading six in the pits, but the peloton is right behind them.
11:19 CEST - 81 km/47 km to go
The peloton hasn't quite closed the gap, and we have nine leaders: Joost Van
Leijen (Ned) Mickael Delage (Fra) Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Jesper Ingevaldsson
(Swe) Nicholas Roche (Irl) Matthias Schröger (Aut), Thomas Frei (Swi) Iban Iriondo
Uranga (Spa) Tyler Farrar (USA).
Patryk Bonda (Pol) bridges up, making a group of 10.
11:24 CEST - 84 km/44 km to go
The gap to the leading 10 at the top of the Terlaemenlaan climb is 26 seconds
to a couple of chasers, with the peloton very close behind. This is a good break,
with the Slovakians, Russians and Australians notable in their absence.
11:27 CEST - 87 km/41 km to go
Farrar leads the charge on the Pitsberg climb, and the break crosses with
18 seconds on a Lithuanian chaser and 22 seconds on the peloton.
The gap is reduced on the descent though, as the cooperation is not that great amongst the 10 leaders.
11:30 CEST - 90 km/38 km to go
Three laps to go, and we have a group of 10 leaders: Joost Van Leijen (Ned)
Mickael Delage (Fra) Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Jesper Ingevaldsson (Swe) Nicholas
Roche (Irl) Matthias Schröger (Aut), Thomas Frei (Swi) Iban Iriondo Uranga (Spa)
and Tyler Farrar (USA). The still large peloton follows them at 18 seconds,
with several riders in between trying to close the gap.
The average speed is now 44.6 km/h.
11:34 CEST - 93 km/35 km to go
The break exits the course with a 10 second lead on three chasers (Dumitru Creciun
(Mda), Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) and Dmitry Kozantchouk (Rus)). The peloton is at
23 seconds.
11:39 CEST - 97 km/31 km to go
The three chasers catch the leaders on Westlaan on the eighth lap, to form a
group of 13. Dumitru Creciun (Mda), Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) and Dmitry Kozantchouk
(Rus), Joost Van Leijen (Ned) Mickael Delage (Fra) Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Jesper
Ingevaldsson (Swe) Nicholas Roche (Irl) Matthias Schröger (Aut), Thomas Frei
(Swi) Iban Iriondo Uranga (Spa) and Tyler Farrar (USA).
The Danish team is trying to chase in the peloton, but it's 3 against 13.
A fall on the Terlaemenlaan climb, with Denis Birjukov (Est) and Marsh Cooper (Can) going down.
11:43 CEST - 100 km/28 km to go
The leaders hit the Pitsberg for the third last time, with three Danes leading
the peloton. The break has around 20 seconds over the top.
11:47 CEST - 102 km/26 km to go
With two laps to go, the gap has come down to 12 seconds. Five riders are in
pursuit around the back, with the peloton close on their heels. The eighth lap
was raced in 16'42 (46 km/h).
11:52 CEST - 106 km/22 km to go
A group of five with Vitalij Samsonov (Ltu) Oleksandr Shuvayev (Ukr) Matthew
Brammeier (GBr) Alexandre Cabrera (Fra) and Mark Jamieson (Aus) are closing
the gap to the leading 13 on Westlaan. There is another group of four trying
to get them. Vincent Jerome (Fra) has bridged to the leaders earlier.
Nicolas Roche (Irl) looks back from the rear of the leading break to see how close they are.
The chasers are at 10 seconds, the peloton is at 25 seconds.
11:59 CEST - 112 km/16 km to go
The chasers are caught and the peloton is now within 10 seconds. In front, Roche
attacks the break but it's unsuccessful. The peloton can see the break in the
same straight as they hit Pitsberg for the penultimate time. Farrar sprints
up the climb with Roelandts on his wheel.
The bridge is made over the top of the Pitsberg. Peloton complete again.
12:03 CEST - 114 km/14 km to go
Iban Iriondo Uranga (Spa) attacks after a Czech rider falls on the front of
the peloton. However he can't get much of a gap and is caught and passed by
an Australian - Sanderson, and a Frenchman, Arnaud Gerard.
The average speed is now just under 45 km/h with one lap to go.
12:07 CEST - 118 km/10 km to go
Tom Veelers (Ned) Arnaud Gerard (Fra) and Nicolas Sanderson (Aus) have a small
gap to the peloton as they exit the circuit for the last time.
12:10 CEST - 120 km/8 km to go
Tom Veelers (Ned) Arnaud Gerard (Fra) and Nicolas Sanderson (Aus) are leading
the race on the last lap. A Slovakian rider - Matej Jurco - sets off in pursuit.
12:13 CEST - 122 km/6 km to go
Jurco is gradually closing the gap to the leading three, but it's hurting him.
The peloton is at 12 seconds and ready to wind up for a bunch sprint. They climb
the Terlaemenlaan hill for the last time.
There are many falls, a big one in the peloton at the foot of the climb.
12:14 CEST - 123 km/5 km to go
Jurco gets within 3 seconds at the Bolderberg roundabout. Vastaranta (Fin) catches
Jurco, with another Dutchman close behind. They should be able to close the
gap to the leaders. They do, about 1 km from the Pitsberg. The second Dutchman
is Joost van Leijnen
12:16 CEST - 125 km/3 km to go
Tom Veelers (Ned) Arnaud Gerard (Fra) and Nicolas Sanderson (Aus), Jukka Vastaranta
(Fin), Matej Jurco (Svk) and Joost van Leijnen (Ned) are the leaders on the
Pitsberg, with 23 seconds to the peloton. Sanderson attacks, sort of, but
the six stay together.
12:18 CEST - 127 km/1 km to go
The six leaders keep the pressure on with 1 km to go, with Joost Van Leijen
(Ned) sitting on the back. Another Australian is trying to bridge the gap from
the bunch.
Sanderson sits near the back, just in front of Van Leijen. Jurco goes early, but gets Veelers on his wheel. Then Vastaranta
12:19 CEST - 128 km/0 km to go
No-one wants to go too early, but Sanderson attacks with 200m to go. But Arnaud
gets him on the line with Vastaranta taking second. Sanderson went too early,
and finished with bronze. Veelers, Jurco and Van Leijen take 4th to 6th. James
Meadley (Aus) crosses alone for 7th.
There is a nasty fall in the peloton right on the finishing line. A Spaniard, a German and an Australian (Ryan Sullivan) all cross the line in the air. Not a good way to finish.
The Italians win the bunch sprint, but they are clearly disappointed at not catching the break.
Results
Provisional 1 Arnaud Gerard (Fra) 2.50.17 2 Jukka Vastaranta (Fin) 3 Nicolas Sanderson (Aus) 4 Tom Veelers (Ned) 5 Matej Jurco (Svk) 6 Joost Van Leijen (Ned) 7 James Meadley (Aus) 0.05 8 Mauro Santambrogio (Ita) 0.09 9 Emanuele Rizza (Ita) 10 Samuele Marzoli (Ita)
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