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98th Paris-Tours - CDM
France, October 10, 2004
2003 results Live coverage Preview Start List Past winners
More success for Oscar in Tours?
No Zabel/Petacchi rematch
By Jeff Jones
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Taking place after the World Championships this year is Paris-Tours, the ninth round of the UCI World Cup. Approaching its 110th birthday, this late season classic is traditionally one for the sprinters, although several times in recent history it has been won by breakaways. Last year, thanks to the strength of T-Mobile and Fassa Bortolo, the race did finish in a bunch sprint, but instead of Alessandro Petacchi claiming his first ever World Cup win, it was Erik Zabel who snuck around him to grab the honours.
Unfortunately, Zabel will not be able to defend his title this Sunday after falling off a ladder this week and breaking a bone in his heel. Petacchi won't be back either, and the pressure in Fassa Bortolo will likely fall on the shoulders of Juan Antonio Flecha or even Petacchi's lead out men Guido Trenti and Marco Velo.
One of the biggest challengers this year is likely to be recently crowned World Champion Oscar Freire (Rabobank), who will have the support of Erik Dekker, Marc Wauters (1999 winner) and Steven de Jongh, among others. Cofidis will be led by sprinter/all-rounder Stuart O'Grady, who will count on Jimmy Casper, Matt White and Cedric Vasseur for support.
The Quick.Step-Davitamon challenge will be mounted by Paolo Bettini, who has just two more races to try to close the three point gap to Davide Rebellin in the World Cup standings. Normally, Quick.Step's victory chances would lie with Tom Boonen, but the latter's stomach problems this week have forced him out of Sunday's race.
World Cup leader Davide Rebellin (Gerolsteiner) will not find the flattish Paris-Tours course to his liking, but all he needs to do is stay close to Bettini to ensure that his rival doesn't overtake him in the points. Gerolsteiner may also play the Danilo Hondo card in the sprint, but it's likely that the team's resources will be focused on Rebellin.
The race begins southwest of Paris in Saint Arnoult-en-Yvelines, working its way south to the Loire Valley and the traditional finish on the Avenue de Grammont in Tours. Covering 252.5 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.
Paris-Tours will be preceded by an Espoirs (U23) race from Bonneval to Tours, which celebrates its 62nd edition this year. The espoirs will race over the last 186.5 km of the elite parcours.
Live coverage
Cyclingnews will be covering the Paris-Tours live, with coverage starting at 14:30 CEST (Europe)/8:30 EDT (USA East)/5:30 PDT (USA West)/22:30 AEST (Australia East).
Past winners
Year Winner Second Third kms avs PARIS-TOURS 2003 Erik Zabel (Ger) Petacchi (Ita) O'Grady (Aus) 257 47.55 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
