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 Giro finale Photo ©: Bettini |
97th Paris-Tours - CDM
France, October 5, 2003
2002 Results Preview Live Report Results Past Winners
Who will succeed Piil?
By Chris Henry
 |
World Cup racing returns to France with the 97th running of the Paris-Tours falls classic. The penultimate round of the ten race World Cup series, Paris-Tours is generally considered a sprinter's race, but recent results have belied the generally flat parcours and assumption of an inevitable bunch finish on the wide Avenue de Grammont in Tours.
A race with a long history, Paris-Tours is organised by the Société du Tour de France, and for many riders is the final big test before the World Championships the following week. Last year's winner was Dane Jakob Piil from Team CSC, who won a two-up sprint with breakaway companion (and 1998 Paris-Tours winner) Jacky Durand (FDJeux.com). Piil, already a successful rider in his own right, turned a corner with his first World Cup victory and solidified a reputation as a crafty rider and fast finisher.
The race begins southwest of Paris in Saint Arnoult-en-Yvelines, working its way south to the Loire Valley and the traditional finish in Tours. Covering 257 kilometres, Paris-Tours contains no notable climbs, though a number of short shills and rolling terrain help give the racing some character. The peloton may not have time to admire the scenery, but the race passes near several Loire Valley landmarks, including the chateaux in Amboise and the Pagode de Chanteloupe, the region's answer to Pisa's leaning tower.
The star attraction will no doubt be Paolo Bettini, current World Cup leader and heavy favourite for the World's road race in Hamilton. Bettini may not be putting all of his effort into Paris-Tours, but with three World Cup wins already this season, he's a rider who can put in a strong attack and handle himself in a bunch sprint. Recent editions of the race have seen the early break stay clear to the finish, much to the chagrin of the sprinters. Watch also for Aussie Baden Cooke (FDJeux.com), looking for his first World Cup win at the end of a remarkable season.
Riders like Jakob Piil, Richard Virenque, Andrea Tafi, and Marc Wauters have all managed to foil the bunch, either alone or attacking from a small group. Such is the interest of Paris-Tours, a seemingly predictable race that lately has been anything but predetermined.
Prior to the Elite Men's event, an U23 Paris-Tours sets off from Bonneval for a 189km test over the remainder of the parcours.
Teams:
Ag2R-Prévoyance
Alessio
iBanesto.com
Team Bianchi
Brioches la Boulangère
Cofidis
Crédit Agricole
Team CSC
Domina Vacanze-Elitron
Euskaltel-Euskadi
Fassa Bortolo
FDJeux.com
Gerolsteiner
Jean Delatour
Lampre
Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
Lotto-Domo
ONCE-Eroski
Phonak Hearing Systems
Quick.Step-Davitamon
Rabobank
Saeco
Team Telekom
US Postal Service-Berry Floor
Vini Caldirola-SO.DI.
Past winners
Year Winner Second Third kms avs PARIS-TOURS 2002 Jakob Storm Piil (Den) Durand (Fra) Zabel (Ger) 257 45.46 2001 Richard Virenque (Fra) Freire (Spa) Zabel (Ger) 254 36.484 2000 Andrea Tafi (Ita) Tchmil (Bel) Nardello (Ita) 254 38.3 1999 Marc Wauters (Bel) Faresin (Ita) Kirsipuu (Est) 254 41.281 1998 Jacky Durand (Fra) Gualdi (Ita) Kirsipuu (Est) 254 44.231 1997 Andrei Tchmil (Ukr) Sciandri (GB) Vogels (Aus) 254 48.400 1996 Nicola Minali (Ita) Steels (Bel) Lombardi (Ita) 249 44.860 1995 Nicola Minali (Ita) Tchmil (Rus) Teutenberg (Ge) 250 43.363 1994 Erik Zabel (Ger) Bortolami (Ita) Spruch (Pol) 250 39.934 1993 Johan Museeuw (Bel) Fondriest (Ita) Gontchenkov 251 38.142 1992 Hendrik Redant (Bel) Henn (Ger) Ludwig (Ger) 286 46.745 1991 Johan Capiot (Bel) Ludwig (Ger) Verhoeven (Ned) 286 38.406 1990 Rolf Sorensen (Dan) Anderson (Aus) Fondriest (Ita) 283 39.601 1989 Jelle Nijdam (Ned) Vanderaerden (Bel) Museeuw(Bel) 283 39.402 1988 Peter Pieters (Ned) Goessens (Bel) Kelly (Ire) 290 34.202 CRETEIL-CHAVILLE (Grand Prix d'Automne) 1987 Adri Van Der Poel (Ned) Van Vliet (Ned) Fondriest (Ita) 255 38.734 1986 Phil Anderson (Aus) Peillon (Fra) Mottet (Fra) 253 40.765 1985 Ludo Peeters (Bel) Argentin (Ita) Kelly (Ire) 249 38.607 BLOIS-CHAVILLE (Grand Prix d'Automne) 1984 Sean Kelly (Irl) Rooks (Ned) Wojtinek (Fra) 249 41.411 1983 Ludo Peeters (Bel) Van der Poel (Ned) Raas (Ned) 237 43.431 1982 Luc Vandenbroucke (Bel) Gavazzi (Ita) De Wolf (Bel) 228 40.777 1981 Jan Raas (Ned) Van den Haute (Bel) Colyn (Bel) 228 40.113 1980 Daniel Willems (Bel) Vigneron (Fra) Vanhaerens (Be) 228 40.449 1979 Joop Zoetemelk (Ned) Saronni (Ita) Raas (Ned) 228 41.838 BLOIS-MONTLHERY (Grand Prix d'Automne) 1978 Jan Raas (Ned) Jacobs (Bel) Van Calster (B) 271 38.896 Grand Prix d'Automne 1977 Joop Zoetemelk (Ned) De Muynck (Bel) Kuiper (Ned) 259 44.531 1976 Ronald De Witte (Bel) Poulidor (Fra) Bouloux (Fra) 253 43.519 TOURS-VERSAILLES 1975 Freddy Maertens (Bel) Van Looy (Bel) De Vlaeminck 247 41.241 1974 Francesco Moser (Ita) Danguillaume (Fra) Leman (Bel) 254 43.268 PARIS-TOURS 1973 Rik Van Linden (Bel) De Vlaeminck (Bel) Verbeeck (Bel) 264 42.076 1972 Noel Vantyghem (Bel) Huysmans (Bel) De Geest (Bel) 292 40.679 1971 Rik Van Linden (Bel) Basso (Ita) Karstens (Ned) 285 40.766 1970 Jurgen Tschan (Ger) Pijnen (Ned) Reybroeck (Bel) 286 41.011 1969 Herman Vanspringel (Bel) Verbeeck (Bel) Jochmans (Bel) 286 43.038 1968 Guido Reybroeck (Bel) Godefroot (Bel) Leman (Bel) 249 44.584 1967 Rik Van Looy (Bel) Hoban (Ang) Samyn (Fra) 249 41.720 1966 Guido Reybroeck (Bel) Van Looy (Bel) Lemeteyer (Fra) 249 43.355 1965 Gerben Karstens (Ned) Desmet (Bel) Deferm (Bel) 247 45.029 1964 Guido Reybroeck (Bel) Van Looy (Bel) Desmet (Bel) 248 36.466 1963 Jo De Roo (Ned) Simpson (Ang) Poulidor (Fra) 255 39.162 1962 Jo De Roo (Ned) Melckenbeeck (Bel) Beheyt (Bel) 267 44.903 1961 Jos Wouters (Bel) De Smet (Bel) Novak (Fra) 267 38.407 1960 Jo De Haan (Ned) Stolker (Ned) Otano (Spa) 267 40.001 1959 Rik Van Looy (Bel) Niesten (Ned) Noyelle (Bel) 267 37.791 1958 Gilbert De Smet (Bel) De Bruyne (Bel) Mahe (Fra) 251 37.148 1957 Alfred DE Bruyne (Bel) Bobet (Fra) Conterno (Ita) 251 42.842 1956 Albert Bouvet (Fra) Schepens (Bel) Bobet (Fra) 251 40.844 1955 Jacques Dupont (Fra) De Bruyne (Bel) Cieleska (Fra) 253 43.766 1954 Gilbert Scodeller (Fra) Bobet (Fra) Michel (Fra) 253 40.881 1953 Jozef Schils (Bel) Kubler (Swi) Gilles (Fra) 253 43.529 1952 Raymond Guegan (Fra) Schotte (Bel) Caput (Fra) 253 40.861 1951 Jacques Dupont (Fra) Martini (Ita) Redolfi (Fra) 251 41.691 1950 Andre Mahe (Fra) Caffi (Fra) Lapebie (Fr) 251 39.536 1949 Albert Ramon (Bel) Neri (Ita) Geus (Bel) 251 41.377 1948 Louis Caput (Fra) Mignat (Fra) Idee (Fra) 251 43.096 1947 Brik Schotte (Bel) Idee (Fra) Sercu (Bel) 251 35.678 1946 Brik Schotte (Bel) Prevotal (Fra) De Muer (Fra) 251 37.714 1945 Paul Maye (Fra) Goutorbe (Fra) Idee (Fra) 253 37.161 1944 Lucien Teisseire (Fra) Gauthier (Fra) Thietard (Fra) 253 41.452 1943 Gaby Gaudin (Fra) Buysse (Bel) Hendrickx (Bel) 241 37.422 1942 Paul Maye (Fra) Virol (Fra) Rossi (Ita) 248 36.024 1941 Paul Maye (Fra) Goutal (Fra) Cloarec (Fra) 249 36.096 1939 Frans Bonduel (Bel) Storme (Bel) Pirmez (Bel) 251 39.655 1938 Jules Rossi (Ita) Disseaux (Bel) Maye (Fra) 251 42.097 1937 Gustave Danneels (Bel) Bonduel (Bel) De Caluwe (Bel) 251 41.092 1936 Gustave Danneels (Bel) Mithouard (Fra) Coelaert (Bel) 251 41.455 1935 Rene Le Greves (Fra) Lapebie (Fra) Di Paco (Ita) 251 37.900 1934 Gustave Danneels (Bel) Gijssels (Bel) Vervaecke (Bel) 243 38.358 1933 Jules Merviel (Fra) Magne (Fra) Geyer (Ger) 243 37.528 1932 Julien Moineau (Fra) Sieronski (Ger) Viarengo (Fra) 253 37.251 1931 Andre Leducq (Fra) Parioleau (Fra) Pelissier (Fra) 240 31.276 1930 Jean MarechaL (Fra) Bidot (Fra) Bonduel (Bel) 253 34.112 1929 Nicolas Frantz (Bel) Deolet (Bel) Ronsse (Bel) 253 27.355 1928 Den. Verschueren (Bel) Pelissier (Fra) Gallotini (Fra) 253 34.746 1927 Henri Suter (Swi) Van Slembroek (Bel) Ronsse (Bel) 253 35.324 1926 Henri Suter (Swi) Notter (Swi) Frantz (Lux) 324 28.230 1925 Den. Verschueren (Bel) Mortelmans (Bel) Hilarion (Fra) 342 27.469 1924 Louis Mottiat (Bel) Frantz (Lux) Huyvaert (Bel) 342 28.423 1923 Paul Deman (Bel) Sellier (Bel) Thiberghien (B) 342 25.014 1922 Henri Pelissier (Fra) Suter (Swi) Jacquinot (Fra) 342 29.653 1921 Francis Pelissier (Fra) Mottiat (Bel) Christophe (Fr) 342 22.893 1920 Eugene Christophe (Fra) Barthelemy (Fra) De Jonghe (Bel) 342 25.570 1919 Hector Thiberghien (Bel) Vandenhove (Bel) Rossius (Bel) 342 27.178 1918 Charles Mantelet (Fra) Cazalis (Swi) Michiels (Bel) 248 30.182 1917 Philippe Thys (Bel) Godivier (Fra) Christophe (Fr) 246 34.009 1914 Oscar Egg (Swi) Engel (Fra) Thys (Bel) 316 32.147 1913 Charles Crupelandt (Fra) Passerieu (Fra) Luguet (Fra) 246 33.931 1912 Louis Heusghem (Bel) Deruyter (Bel) Petit-Breton 246 26.348 1911 Octave Lapize (Fra) Van Hauwaert (Bel) Georget (Fra) 248 27.054 1910 Francois Faber (Lux) Trousselier (Fra) Engel (Fra) 248 32.105 1909 Francois Faber (Lux) Alavoine (Fra) Paul (Fra) 248 30.680 1908 Omer Beaugendre (Fra) Saillot (Fra) Faber (Lux) 248 30.690 1907 Georges Passerieu (Fra) Pottier (Fra) Georget (Fra) 245 32.186 1906 Lucien Petit-Breton (Fra) Trousselier (Fra) Cornet (Fra) 234 29.557 1901 Jean Fischer (Fra) Lorgeou (Fra) Wattelier (Fra) 253 26.982 1896 E. Prevost (Fra) Ouzou (Fra) Bouvet (Fra) 250 31.200
