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90th Meisterschaft von Zürich - Championship of Zurich - CDM
Switzerland, August 17, 2003
Preview Start List Results Live coverage Past winners
Bettini goes for hat trick in Zurich; Jan Ullrich his top rival
By Tim Maloney, European editor
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As Europe continues to bake in record-setting summer heat, the 90th edition of the Züri-Metzgete gets under way this Sunday. The eighth round of the 2003 World Cup starts southeast of Zurich along the Zurichsee and winds through the rolling hills southeast of the Swiss financial capital to return to a lakeside finish. Thunderstorms and temperatures in the lower 30's are currently forecast for Sunday's race.
Sponsored once again by US based software firm BMC Software, the Zurich round of the 2003 World Cup features one large, hilly opening lap of 71 km, followed by four undulating laps of 41.4km with the steep, narrow Pfannenstiel climb the crucial point in the action. Paolo Bettini of Quick.Step-Davitamon, runner-up last year at Zurich and winner in 2001, will take the start clad in the leader's jersey of the World Cup.
Bettini, 2003 Italian champion, won in the World Cup in 2002 and has been unstoppable since the Tour de France, winning two straight World Cups in Hamburg and San Sebastian the last two weekends. At Zurich, Bettini is looking to extend his 97 point World Cup lead on Lotto-Domo's Peter Van Petegem with a third consecutive win in the World Cup, a feat never before achieved.
But Bettini won't have a cakewalk if he's to grab Züri-Metzgete honours. Team Bianchi's Jan Ullrich, runner-up in the 2003 Tour De France, has always ridden well in Zurich and showed two weeks ago in the 6th round of the 2003 World Cup in Hamburg that he's in shape with a solid third place. Ullrich now resides in Switzerland, not too far from Zurich, so this might be considered a home field for the German powerhouse. Three times runner-up at Zurich, look for Jan The Man to make a powerful attack the final time up the Pfannenstiel to blow the race apart as he did in 2001.
Last year's Zuri-Metzgete winner Dario Frigo of Fassa Bortolo doesn't like the heat much, but the blond bombshell exploded the race in 2002 with a sensational final attack on the Pfannenstiel despite the torrid temps. Frigo isn't in top condition now, but his cagey teammate Ivan Basso, second to Bettini in San Sebastian last weekend will undoubtedly be in the final on Sunday to boost his World Cup points tally.
Saeco's terrible twosome Mirko Celestino and Igor Astarloa will be looking for World Cup points at Züri-Metzgete, as will 2000 winner Laurent Dufaux (Alessio) and 1997 victor Davide Rebellin (Gerolsteiner). American Tyler Hamilton (CSC) will make his return to competition in Zurich after his triumphant tour Stateside after a courageous fourth place Tour De France finish. Still recovering from his cracked collarbone, Hamilton will be an unknown commodity in Zurich Sunday.
Past winners
First Second Third
2002 Dario Frigo (Ita) Paolo Bettini (Ita) Lance Armstrong (USA)
2001 Paolo Bettini (Ita) Jan Ullrich (Ger) Fernando Escartin (Spa)
2000 Laurent Dufaux (Swi) Jan Ullrich (Ger) Francesco Casagrande (Ita)
1999 Grzegorz Gwiazdowski (Pol) Sergio Barbero (Ita) Andrei Tchmil (Bel)
1998 Michele Bartoli (Ita) Frank Vandenbroucke (Bel) Salvatore Commesso (Ita)
1997 Davide Rebellin (Ita) Jan Ullrich (Ger) Rolf Sörensen (Dan)
1996 Andrea Ferrigato (Ita) Michele Bartoli (Ita) Johan Museeuw (Bel)
1995 Johan Museeuw (Bel) Gianni Bugno (Ita) Giorgio Furlan (Ita)
1994 Gianluca Bortolami (Ita) Johan Museeuw (Bel) Maurizio Fondriest (Ita)
1993 Maurizio Fondriest (Ita) Charly Mottet (Fra) Bruno Cenghialta (Ita)
1992 Viatcheslav Ekimov (Rus) Lance Armstrong (USA) Jan Nevens (Bel)
1991 Johan Museeuw (Bel) Laurent Jalabert (Fra) Max Sciandri (GB)
1990 Charly Mottet (Fra) Greg Lemond (USA) Claudio Chiappucci (Ita)
1989 Steve Bauer (Can) Acacio Da Silva (Por) Rolf Gölz (Ger)
1988 Steven Rooks (Ned) Rolf Sörensen (Dan) Toni Rominger (Swi)
1987 Rolf Gölz (Ger) Raul Alcala (Mex) Cam Passera (Ita)
1986 Acacio da Silva (P) Steve Bauer (Can) Adri van der Poel (Ned)
1985 Ludo Peeters (Bel) Mario Beccia (Ita) Steve Bauer (Can)
1984 Phil Anderson (Aus) Hubert Seiz (Swi) Pierino Gavazzi (Ita)
1983 Johan van de Velde (Ned) Gilbert Glaus (Swi) Frans Pirard (Ned)
1982 Adri van der Poel (Ned) Hubert Seiz (Swi) Tommy Prim (Swi)
1981 Beat Breu (Swi) Henry Rinklin (Ger) Daniel Willems (Bel)
1980 Gery Verlinden (Bel) Jean-P Vandenbrande (Bel) Stefan Mutter (Swi)
1979 Giuseppe Saronni (Ita) Francesco Moser (Ita) Marc Demeyer (Bel)
1978 Dietrich Thurau (Ger) Francesco Moser (Ita) G. Van Roosbroeck (Bel)
1977 Francesco Moser (Ita) Ron. De Witte (Bel) Walter Godefroot (Bel)
1976 Freddy Maertens (Bel) Roger De Vlaeminck (Bel) Walter Godefroot (Bel)
1975 Roger DE Vlaeminck (Bel) Eddy Merckx (Bel) Franceso Moser (Ita)
1974 Walter Godefroot (Bel) G. Van Roosbroeck (Bel) Frans Verbeeck (Bel)
1973 André Dierrickx (Bel) Hennie Kuiper (Ned) Licien de Brauwere (Bel)
1972 Willy Vanneste (Bel) Vic van Schil (Bel) André Poppe (Bel)
1971 Herman Vanspringel (Bel) Romano Tumellero (Ita) Roland Berland (F)
1970 Walter Godefroot (Bel) Franz Mintjens (Bel) André Dierickx (Bel)
1969 Roger Swerts (Bel) Eddy Beugels (Ned) Roger de Vlaeminck (Bel)
1968 Franco Bitossi (Ita) Walter van Sweevelt (Bel) Marino Basso (Ita)
1967 Robert Hagmann (Swi) Paul Zollinger (Swi) Louis Pfenninger (Swi)
1966 Italo Zilioli (Ita) Luc Armani (Ita) Francis Blanc (Swi)
1965 Franco Bitossi (Ita) Roland Zoeffel (Swi) Jan Hugens (Ned)
1964 Guido Reibrouck (Bel) Gastone Nencini (Ita) Robert Hintermüller (Swi)
1963 Franco Balmanion (Ita) Angelo Conterno (Swi) Vend Barriliera (Ita)
1962 Jan Janssen (Ned) Marc Ongenae (Bel) Raf Gijsles (Ned)
1961 Rolf Maurer (Swi) Heinz Graf (Swi) Andre Noyelle (Bel)
1960 Freddy Ruegg (Swi) Alc. Vaucher (Swi) Arrigo Padovan (Ita)
1959 Angelo Conterno (Ita) Heinz Graf (Swi) Otto Altweck (Ger)
1958 Giuseppe Cainero (Ita) Hans Junkermann (Ger) Heinz Graf (Swi)
1957 Hans Junkermann (Ger) R. Filippi (Ita) L. van der Elst (Bel)
1956 Carlo Clerici (Swi) Giuseppe Cainero (Ita) Heinz Graf (Swi)
1955 Max Schellenberg (Swi) Carlo Lafranchi (Swi) Roland Callebout (Bel)
1954 Hugo Koblet (Swi) Eugen Kamber (Swi) Jean Brun (Swi)
1953 Eugen Kamber (Swi) Arm. Para (Ita) Carlo Clerici (Swi)
1952 Hugo Koblet (Swi) Carlo Clerici (Swi) Fritz Schaer (Swi)
1951 Jean Brun (Swi) Fritz Schaer (Swi) Hans Sommer (Swi)
1950 Fritz Schaer (Swi) Ferdi Kübler (Swi) Désiré Keteleer (Bel)
1949 Fritz Schaer (Swi) C. Danguillaume (Fra) Gottfried Weilenmann (Swi)
1948 Gino Bartali (Ita) Ernest Stettler (Swi) Hans Schütz (Ita)
1947 Charles Guyot (Swi) Renzo Zanazzi (Ita) Ferdi Kübler (Swi)
1946 Gino Bartali (Ita) Fausto Coppi (Ita) H. Bolliger (Swi)
1945 Leo Weilemann (Swi) Hans Maag (Swi) Ernst Naef (Swi)
1944 Ernst Naef (Swi) E. Kuhn (Swi) Hans Knecht (Swi)
1943 Ferdy Kübler (Swi) Kurt Zogg (Swi) Walter Diggelmann (Swi)
1942 Paul Egli (Swi) Walter Diggelmann (Swi) Hans Knecht (Swi)
1941 Walter Diggelmann (Swi) Hans Maag (Swi) Paul Egli (Swi)
1940 Robert Zimmermann (Swi) Walter Diggelmann (Swi) R. Breitenmoser (Swi)
1939 Karl Litschi (Swi) Werner Buchwalder (Swi) Walter Gross (Swi)
1938 Hans Martin (Swi) Walter Blattmann (Swi) Paul Egli (Swi)
1937 Leo Amberg (Swi) Ed Buchwalder (Swi) Werner Buchwalder (Swi)
1936 Werner Buchwalder (Swi) Jean Wauters (Bel) Auguste Erne (Swi)
1935 Paul Egli (Swi) Leo Amberg (Swi) Walter Blattmann (Swi)
1934 Paul Egli (Swi) Auguste Erne (Swi) Alfred Bula (Swi)
1933 Walter Blattmann (Swi) Alfred Bula (Swi) Willi Kutschbach (Ger)
1932 Auguste Erne (Swi) Alfred Bula (Swi) Karl Altenburger (Ger)
1931 Max Bulla (Aut) Karl Altenburger (Ger) Albert Buchi (Swi)
1930 Omer Taverne (Bel) Désiré Louesse (Bel) Max Bulla (Aut)
1929 Henri Suter (Swi) Ludwig Geyer (Ger) Jozef Zind (Ger)
1928 Henri Suter (Swi) Albert Meyer (Swi) Henri Reymond (Swi)
1927 Kastor Notter (Swi) Oskar Tietz (Ger) Félix Manthey (Ger)
1926 Albert Blattmann (Swi) Otto Lehner (Swi) Oskar Tietz (Ger)
1925 Hans Kaspar (Swi) Henri Reymond (Swi) Marcel Perriere (Swi)
1924 Henri Suter (Swi) Kastor Notter (Swi) Max Sutter (Swi)
1923 Adolf Huschke (Ger) Henri Suter (Swi) Kastor Notter (Swi)
1922 Henri Suter (Swi) Hermann Gehrig (Swi) Louis Krauss (Swi)
1921 Ricardo Maffeo (Ita) A. Bani (Ita) Alf Dätwiler (Swi)
1920 Henri Suter (Swi) Josi Zorloni (Swi) F. Francescon (Ita)
1919 Henri Suter (Swi) Emile Strasser (Swi) Hans Lienhard (Swi)
1918 Anton Sieger (Swi) Jakob Sieger (Swi) Heinrich Wegmann (Swi)
1917 Charles Martinet (Ita) Josi Zorloni (Swi) Pascal Valentini (Ita)
1914 Henri Rheinwald (Swi) Otto Wiedmer (Swi) Robert Chopard (Swi)
In 1984, Eric McKenzie (NZ) was the winner but was disqualified for doping
