45th Grote Prijs E3-Harelbeke - 1.1

Belgium, March 30, 2002

2001 Results Photos Results Past winners

Pieri too strong for Planckaert in Harelbeke

Dario Pieri
Photo ©: AFP

Dario Pieri (Alessio) surprised one of the favourites Jo Planckaert (Cofidis) by beating him in a two man sprint to win the 45th GP E3 Harelbeke. The Italian, who finished second in the Tour of Flanders in 2000, was simply too strong for the Belgian, who is still in good form in time for the classics. 27 seconds behind them was Domo's Johan Museeuw (Domo), who just beat Paolo Bettini (Mapei) for third place.

The 209 kilometre race starts and finishes in Harelbeke, taking in a large lap around East Flanders including 12 hills. The climbs start with 90 kilometres to go (La Houppe) and take the riders in a generally westward direction back to Harelbeke. Many of them will be used in next week's Tour of Flanders, thus the GP E3 is considered an important preparation race/predictor for the Ronde.

Again the riders enjoyed good weather, with no rain and very little wind. Three riders formed the early breakaway: Tony Bracke, Arturas Kasputis and Andrej Hauptman. They managed a maximum lead of six minutes before being caught with 27 kilometres to go.

The peloton contained most of the favourites for next Sunday, including Van Petegem, Museeuw, Peers, Bettini, Planckaert, Wesemann and others. Last year's winner Andrei Tchmil was not racing, and was spotted training on the parcours near Kluisbergen. He is aiming to do well in tomorrow's Brabantse Pijl, a race that he has never won.

Peter Van Petegem (Lotto) again showed good condition by setting a fierce tempo up the climbs, reducing the peloton down to a much smaller group. After the three leaders were caught, a group with Van Petegem, Museeuw, Planckaert, Peers, Farazijn and Bettini formed. Pieri accelerated on the cobbles in Kaster, and quickly established a handful of seconds lead.

Pieri and Planckaert
Photo ©: AFP

After the Tiegemberg (16 km to go), the chasing group started to play games, and only Jo Planckaert was able to go after Pieri. Planckaert caught Pieri who was having a good day, and held him off in the sprint in Harelbeke. Behind them, Museeuw tried unsuccessfully to close the gap for his team's sprinter Fred Rodriguez. In the sprint for third, Museeuw managed to beat Bettini, and stamped himself firmly on the favourites list for the Ronde van Vlaanderen.

"It is two years since I won a race, because of problems with my former team (Saeco) and an accident," said the winner Pieri. "I dream of a win in Paris-Roubaix, but my team is not selected for races such as Paris-Roubaix and the Ronde van Vlaanderen."

"The finish line was just a bit after the corner and I did not see it. But c'est la vie," said Planckaert.

Photos

Gianluca Bortolami (Tacconi Sport-Vini Caldirola) - looking somewhat subdued before the start
I've got the look - Bert Hiemstra (Bankgiroloterij-Batavus)
Race Favourite - Belgian Jo Planckaert (Cofidis)
Sprint-bok - South African Robert Hunter (Mapei-Quick Step) rode a solid race, placing13th
PVP Power - Peter Van Petegem (Lotto-Adecco) finished 5th, and was looking like a good bet for Flanders
Jac Jac Jacky - Jacky Durand (La Francaise des Jeux) emanates intensity
Dutch national champion - Jan Koerts (Domo-Farm Frites)
Beefy Belgian - Belgian national champion Ludovic Capelle (Ag2r-Prevoyance)
Johan's the man - Johan Museeuw (Domo-Farm Frites) finished in 3rd place, 27 seconds behind Pieri
Check out those legs - Servais Knaven (Domo-Farm Frites) and Peter Van Petegem (Lotto-Adecco) spotting some eye candy
Hard right - the peloton kicking hard out of the corner
The Lion begins to roar - Johan Museeuw (Domo-Farm Frites) stamps his authority
It's a fun race - not - Tom Steels (Mapei-Quick Step) grimaces on the infamous Flemish roads
Ludo Dierckxsens (Lampre-Daikin) - finds a smooth line
Jan Koerts (Domo-Farm Frites) - contemplates on what could have been
Dario's day - winner Dario Pieri (Alessio) can't stop grinning, and why should he

Results

1 Dario Pieri (Ita) Alessio                              4.45.00
2 Jo Planckaert (Bel) Cofidis
3 Johan Museeuw (Bel) Domo-Farm Frites                      0.27
4 Paolo Bettini (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step              
5 Peter Van Petegem (Bel) Lotto-Adecco                      0.28
6 Peter Farazijn (Bel) Cofidis
7 Martin Hvastija (Slo) Alessio                             0.39
8 Steffen Wesemann (Ger) Team Telekom
9 Fred Rodriguez (USA) Domo-Farm Frites
10 Chris Peers (Bel) Cofidis

11 Andrej Hauptman (Slo) Tacconi Sport-Vini Caldirola       1.27
12 Arturas Kasputis (Ltu) Ag2r-Prevoyance
13 Robert Hunter (RSA) Mapei-Quick Step                     1.41
14 Niko Eeckhout (Bel) Lotto-Adecco
15 Hendrik Van Dyck (Bel) Palmans-Collstrop
16 Cristian Moreni (Ita) Alessio
17 Laszlo Bodrogi (Hun) Mapei-Quick Step                    1.50
18 Matthew Wilson (Aus) La Francaise des Jeux
19 Gianluca Bortolami (Ita) Tacconi Sport-Vini Caldirola
20 Danilo Hondo (Ger) Team Telekom
21 Alberto Vinale (Ita) Alessio
22 Markus Zberg (Swi) Rabobank
23 Gorik Gardeyn (Bel) Lotto-Adecco
24 Mauro Zanetti (Ita) Alessio
25 Lars Michaelsen (Den) Team Coast
26 Paul Van Hyfte (Bel) CSC-Tiscali
27 Kristof Trouve (Bel) Palmans-Collstrop
28 Mauro Gerosa (Ita) Tacconi Sport-Vini Caldirola
29 Stefan Van Dijk (Ned) Lotto-Adecco
30 Philippe Gaumont (Fra) Cofidis
31 Frédéric Guesdon (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux
32 Michel Van Haecke (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
33 Raphael Schweda (Ger) Team Coast
34 Vladimir Smirnov (Ltu) Team Colpack-Astro
35 Aart Vierhouten (Ned) Lotto-Adecco
36 Tristan Hoffman (Ned) CSC-Tiscali
37 Pedro Horrillo (Spa) Mapei-Quick Step
38 Christophe Mengin (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux
39 Stephan Schreck (Ger) Team Telekom
40 Fabian De Waele (Bel) Mapei-Quick Step
41 Coen H. Boerman (Ned) Rabobank
42 Andreas Klier (Ger) Team Telekom
43 Tony Bracke (Bel) Palmans-Collstrop
44 Rolf Sorensen (Den) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
45 Marc Wauters (Bel) Rabobank
46 Max Van Heeswijk (Ned) Domo-Farm Frites                  2.20
47 Marcus Ljungqvist (Swe) Team fakta                       5.39
48 Leonardo Giordani (Ita) Team Colpack-Astro
49 Frank Hoj (Den) Team Coast
50 Rafael Mateos Perez (Spa) Team Colpack-Astro
51 Bert Scheirlinckx (Bel) RDM-Flanders
52 Nico Mattan (Bel) Cofidis
53 Matthé Pronk (Ned) Rabobank                             11.21
54 Tom Desmet (Bel) Marlux-Ville de Charleroi
55 Kris Matthijs (Bel) Marlux-Ville de Charleroi
56 Servais Knaven (Ned) Domo-Farm Frites
57 Thijs Al (Ned) Bankgiroloterij-Batavus
58 Stijn Vanstraelen (Bel) RDM-Flanders
59 Wim Van Huffel (Bel) Vlaanderen-T Interim
60 Wilfried Cretskens (Bel) Domo-Farm Frites
61 Jürgen Landrie (Bel) RDM-Flanders
62 Alexandar Nikacevic (Yug) Alessio
63 Stefano Casagranda (Ita) Alessio
64 Sébastien Joly (Fra) Bonjour
65 Paolo Fornaciari (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step
66 Mauro Radaelli (Ita) Tacconi Sport-Vini Caldirola
67 Emmanuel Magnien (Fra) Bonjour
68 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Bonjour
69 Marco Engels (Ned) RDM-Flanders
70 Marek Salermo (Fin) RDM-Flanders
71 Alessandro Cortinovis (Ita) Lampre-Daikin
72 Bart Leysen (Bel) Palmans-Collstrop
73 Roger Hammond (GBr) Palmans-Collstrop
74 Geert Omloop (Bel) Palmans-Collstrop
75 Paolo Bossoni (Ita) Tacconi Sport-Vini Caldirola
76 Nicola Minali (Ita) Tacconi Sport-Vini Caldirola
77 Steven De Jongh (Ned) Rabobank
78 Ludo Dierckxsens (Bel) Lampre-Daikin
79 Gerben Löwik (Ned) Bankgiroloterij-Batavus
80 Marcel Duijn (Ned) Rabobank
81 Steven Van Malderghem (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
82 Leif Hoste (Bel) Domo-Farm Frites
83 Jan Boven (Ned) Rabobank
84 Rolf Aldag (Ger) Team Telekom
85 Jeff Louder (USA) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
86 Michael Skelde (Den) Team fakta
87 Tom Steels (Bel) Mapei-Quick Step
88 Hans De Clercq (Bel) Lotto-Adecco
89 Marco Serpellini (Ita) Lampre-Daikin
90 Zbigniew Spruch (Pol) Lampre-Daikin
91 Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor) Team fakta
92 Allan Johansen (Den) Team fakta
93 Ralf Grabsch (Ger) Team Telekom
94 Johan Verstrepen (Bel) Lampre-Daikin
95 Erik Lievens (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
96 André Korff (Ger) Team Coast
97 Rubens Bertogliati (Swi) Lampre-Daikin
98 Michael Giebelmann (Ger) Team Wiesenhof
99 Thomas Bodo (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux
100 Andy Flickinger (Fra) Ag2r-Prevoyance
101 Ludovic Capelle (Bel) Ag2r-Prevoyance
102 Jimmy Casper (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux
103 Geoffrey Demeyere (Bel) Vlaanderen-T Interim
104 Stijn Devolder (Bel) Vlaanderen-T Interim
105 Tom Flammang (Lux) Cofidis
106 Corrado Serina (Ita) Index-Alexia
107 Matteo Carrara (Ita) Team Colpack-Astro
108 Eddy Serri (Ita) Index-Alexia
109 Robert Sassone (Fra) Cofidis
110 Franck Perque (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux
111 Kai Hundertmarck (Ger) Team Telekom

Past winners

2001  Andrej Tchmil (Bel) Lotto-Adecco         209 kms in 5.08.49 (40.41 km/h)
2000  Serguei Ivanov (Rus) Farm Frites         209 kms in 5.13.00 (40.06 km/h)
1999  Peter Van Petegem (Bel) TVM-Farm Frites  206 kms in 4.39.10 (44.30 km/h)
1998  Johan Museeuw (Bel) Mapei-Bricobi        201 kms in 4.48.00
1997  Hendrik Van Dyck (Bel)
1996  Carlo Bomans (Bel)
1995  Bart Leysen (Bel)
1994  Andrej Tchmil (Mda)
1993  Mario Cipollini (Ita)
1992  Johan Museeuw (Bel)
1991  Olaf Ludwig (Ger)
1990  Sören Lilholt (DÄN)
1989  Eddy Planckaert (Bel)
1988  Guido Bontempi (Ita)
1987  Eddy Planckaert (Bel)
1986  Eric Vanderaerden (Bel)
1985  Phil Anderson (AUS)
1984  Bert Oosterbosch (Ned)
1983  Willy Tackaert (Bel)
1982  Jean Bogaert (Bel)
1981  Jan Raas (Ned)
1980  Jan Raas (Ned)
1979  Jan Raas (Ned)
1978  Freddy Maertens (Bel)
1977  Dietrich Thurau (Ger)
1976  Walter Planckaert (Bel)
1975  Frans Verbeeck (Bel)
1974  Herman Vanspringel (Bel)
1973  Willy In'T'Ven (Bel)
1972  Hubert Hutsebaut (Bel)
1971  Roger De Vlaeminck (Bel)
1970  Daniel Van Ryckegem (Bel)
1969  Rik Van Looy (Bel)
1968  Jacques De Boever (Bel)
1967  Willy Bocklant (Bel)
1966  Rik Van Looy (Bel)
1965  Rik Van Looy (Bel)
1964  Rik Van Looy (Bel)
1963  Noél Fore (Bel)
1962  André Messelis (Bel)
1961  Arthur De Carbooter (Bel)
1960  Daniel Doom (Bel)
1959  Norbert Kerckhove (Bel)
1958  Armand Desmet (Bel)

Past winners by Mario Stiehl, www.world-of-cycling.com