Ringerike GP - 2.5

Norway, April 30-May 4, 2003

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Stage 2 - May 1: Hønefoss - Hønefoss, 150.9 km

Faltus takes stage 2, Holmkvist retains lead

By Jean-François Quénet in Hønefoss

Richard Faltus
Photo: © Gunnar Mjaugedal

The 2000 Czech National champion, Richard Faltus (26) from Sparta Praha has taken his third win since he turned professional in 1998 with ZVVZ. Last year he won the GP Soluver in Luxembourg. He looked extremely motivated since he arrived in Norway and was one of the first attackers in stage 1. He was never off the front of the race in stage 2 until a group of 17 men rode for the victory in Hønefoss.

Lars Breiseth from Team Ringerike thought he had done the essential work when he took the last corner in first position, but Faltus overtook him in the final 100 metres. "I'm very disappointed to come so close to my first pro win," said Breiseth (23) who hails from Trondheim, the home of former cycling star Atle Kvålsvoll, who was Greg LeMond's teammate at Z for the Tour de France victory in 1990.

Breiseth is the Norwegian criterium champion but he's actually quite a complete rider, a very good sprinter, aggressive, able to do some damage on the small climbs. He has the physique of a wrestler but can become an excellent cyclist. He won the points competition in the Ringerike Grand Prix last year, now he wants at least a stage win in this race.

Team Ringerike is also chasing its first UCI win this year after coming 2nd (Simon Gerrans in stage 3 of the Tour of Normandy), 3rd (Mattias Carlsson in stage 1 of the Giro del Capo), 4th (Simon Gerrans in stage 4 of the Giro del Capo) and 5th (Jonathan Dayus overall in the Giro del Capo) earlier this year. The only pro team from Norway has prepared for its home race in the Settimana Lombarda in Italy, where Dayus recently showed his climbing abilities not far from Giro d'Italia superstars such as Mexican Julio Perez Cuapio.

Dayus didn't miss today's 17 man breakaway. He'll be up there for the win at the top of Ringkollen tomorrow, with the other GC contenders being new king of the mountains Eric Leblacher from Crédit Agricole and his teammate Mads Kaggestad, who is the defending champion in the race, Moldavian Alexandru Sabalin, team pursuit world champion Luke Roberts, and the trio of Team Bianchi Scandinavian formed by Jonas Ljungblad, Tobias Lergård and Jonas Holmkvist. The latter came third in stage 2 and retained his lead. "It'll be hard for me to keep the yellow jersey because such a hard climb isn't my speciality, but I'm very motivated and I target a top 10," Holmkvist said.

Disappointing teams in stage 2 who have lost their ambitions in GC are the Greek National team who didn't handle the cold (8°C) and the rain, and French outfit Nantes 44, whose leader Freddy Bichot was involved in a crash.

Photography

Images by Gunnar Mjaugedal/catchlight.no

Yohan Charpenteau (Credit Agricole) ponders the day ahead
Eric Leblacher (Credit Agricole) during stage 2
Team Bianchi Scandinavia working hard to defend Holmqvist's lead
Richard Faltus (Ac Sparta Praha) raises his arms as he wins stage 2

Images by Jean-Francois Quenet

French connection in Norway Yan Tournier, Yohan Charpanteau and Eric Leblacher from Crédit Agricole got a special permission from the UCI to ride a cat. 5 abroad in order to help defending champion Mads Kaggestad to win again
Race organiser Birger Hungerholdt gives the KOM jersey to another Frenchman, Eric Leblacher, after Freddy Bichot
Jersey wearers are Eric Leblacher and Jonas Holmkvist, still in the lead after stage 2
Lars Breiseth was unhappy to come second

Results

1 Richard Faltus (Cze) Ac Sparta Praha                 3.57.07
2 Lars Breiseth (Nor) Team Ringerike
3 Jonas Holmkvist (Swe) Team Bianchi
4 Luke Roberts (Aus) Team Comnet-Senges
5 Jonas Ljungblad (Swe) Team Bianchi
6 Morten Hegreberg (Nor) Deschacht-Granville
7 Udo Müller (Ger) Rg Nordland
8 Eric Leblacher (Fra) Credit Agricole
9 Alexandru Sabalin (Mda) Moldavia
10 Bart Bastiaens (Bel) Team Down Under
11 Oliver Penney (Bel) Rcs Bioagrico
12 Jonathan Dayus (GBr) Team Ringerike
13 Yohan Charpenteau (Fra) Credit Agricole
14 Mads Kaggestad (Nor) Credit Agricole
15 Tobias Lergård (Swe) Team Bianchi
16 Jonas Olsson (Swe) Team Bianchi
17 Valery Kobzarenko (Ukr) Team Maestro Nella
18 Geert Van Crombruggen (Bel) Rcs Bioagrico               3.13
19 Jos Harms (Ned) Bert Story - Piels
20 Kristian Ellertsen (Nor) Norway
21 Anthony Malerczyk (GBr) Wales
22 Glen Zelderloo (Bel) Deschacht-Granville
23 Christofer Stevenson (Swe) Cyclecomponents.Com/Solle    3.38
24 Andreas Molandsveen (Nor) Norway
25 Joachim Bøhler (Nor) Ringerike Sk
26 Martin Vestby (Nor) Rcs Bioagrico
27 Tjarco Cuppens (Ned) Team Comnet-Senges
28 Freddy Bichot (Fra) Nantes 44
29 Ben Raby (USA) Rcs Bioagrico
30 Jostein Hole (Nor) Bærum Ock
31 Johan Svensson (Swe) Team Mälarenergi
32 Sven De Werdt (Bel) Team Down Under
33 Per Martin Lund (Nor) Norway
34 Morten Christiansen (Nor) Bærum Ock
35 Germ Van Der Burg (Ned) Bert Story - Piels
36 Mathias Carlsson (Swe) Team Ringerike
37 Anders Lennartsson (Swe) Degeberg Ck
38 Stian Remme (Nor) Fana Il Sykkel
39 Evgheni Gutalov (Mda) Moldavia
40 Phil Thuaux (Aus) Team Down Under
41 David Migne (Fra) Nantes 44
42 Dimitri Creciun (Mda) Moldavia
43 Anders Gerhardsson (Swe) Motala
44 Gregory Saw (Aus) Ringerike Sk
45 Mikko Vastarante (Fin) Finland
46 Frank Dressler (Ger) Team Comnet-Senges
47 Roger Karlsson (Swe) Degeberg Ck
48 Cody Stevenson (Aus) Team Down Under
49 Christophe Diguet (Fra) Nantes 44
50 Gabriel Rasch (Nor) Team Ringerike
51 Roland Mittendorf (Ger) Bbc/Team Profiline
52 Stijn Penne (Bel) Deschacht-Granville
53 Klaas De Gruyter (Bel) Deschacht-Granville
54 Alexandru Pugaci (Mda) Moldavia
55 Cameron Jennings (Aus) Team Down Under
56 Kalle Sandell (Swe) Motala
57 Yannick Rebouilleau (Fra) Nantes 44
58 Kent Helge Olsen (Nor) Ck Bjørgvin
59 Danny Schewe (Ger) Rg Nordland
60 Bill Nickson (GBr) Arctic Shorter Rochford
61 Håkan Nilsson (Swe) Degeberg Ck
62 Andrew Roche (Irl) Team Maestro Nella
63 Daniel Strauch (Ger) Rg Nordland
64 Jan Fredrik Mohn (Nor) Fana Il Sykkel
65 Mikale Segersäll (Swe) Team Bianchi
66 Alges Maasikmets (Est) Mâe Ratturite Klubi
67 Stefan Ganser (Ger) Team Comnet-Senges
68 Börre Fjeld Halvors (Nor) Bærum Ock
69 Stian Nørve (Nor) Ck Bjørgvin
70 Anders Sand (Nor) Oslo/Akershus - Mix
71 Yan Tournier (Fra) Credit Agricole
72 James Norfolk (GBr) Wales
73 Trond Kristian (Nor) Bærum Ock
74 Raido Kodanipork (Est) Mâe Ratturite Klubi
75 Jussi Veikanen (Fin) Team Mälarenergi
76 Mikko Siltanen (Fin) Finland
77 Petter Renäng (Swe) Team Bianchi
78 Geir Lien (Nor) Nes
79 Geroge Rose (GBr) Wales
80 Jan Mattsson (Swe) Team Mälarenergi
81 Andreas Keuser (Ger) Bbc/Team Profiline
82 Hans- Jörgen Juretz (Ger) Team Comnet-Senges
83 Ioannis Tamouridis (Gre) Hellas
84 Elpidoforos Potouri (Gre) Hellas
85 Ioannis Tsakouridis (Gre) Hellas
86 Vasileios Anastopou (Gre) Hellas
87 Markos Moraitakis (Gre) Hellas
88 Robert Österling (Swe) Motala
89 Are Andresen (Nor) Ck Bjørgvin
90 Marc A. Mackay (NZl) Rcs Bioagrico
91 Peter Pucelik (Cze) Ac Sparta Praha
92 Martin Hebik (Cze) Ac Sparta Praha
93 Corey Sweet (Aus) Credit Agricole
94 Sabino Cannone (Ita) Team Maestro Nella
95 Kor Steenbergen (Ned) Bert Story - Piels
96 Tarmo Raudsepp (Est) Nantes 44
97 Nils Einar Grutle (Nor) Fana Il Sykkel
98 Per- Erik Johansson (Swe) Motala
99 Marvin Van Der Plui (Ned) Bert Story - Piels
100 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Team Ringerike
101 Huw Pritchard (GBr) Wales
102 Robin Van Der Pluim (Ned) Bert Story - Piels
103 Idar Baekken (Nor) Oslo/Akershus - Mix                11.24
104 Martin Bratland (Nor) Nes                             12.10
105 Håvard Kristiansen (Nor) Ringerike Sk
106 Espen Jogert (Nor) Norway
107 Anston Hulth (Swe) Cyclecomponents.Com/Sollerö
108 Nico Indekeu (Bel) Team Down Under                    14.04
109 Ryan Bevis (GBr) Wales
110 Andreas Johansson (Swe) Cyclecomponents.Com/Sollerö
111 Bjørn Ivar Ekberg (Nor) Nes
112 Christian Einung (Nor) Fredrikstad Sk - Mix
113 Deniz Tuzcu (Ger) Bbc/Team Profiline                  15.38
114 Dimitri Bondari (Mda) Moldavia
115 Timothy Wood (GBr) Arctic Shorter Rochford
116 Arve Lyngstad (Nor) Asker Ck - Mix
117 Timothy Bayley (GBr) Arctic Shorter Rochford
118 Mart Ojavee (Est) Mâe Ratturite Klubi
119 Pavel Vesely (Cze) Ac Sparta Praha
120 Martin Pecenka (Cze) Ac Sparta Praha
121 Georgios Ninos (Gre) Hellas
122 Martin Ford (GBr) Arctic Shorter Rochford
123 Sebastian Freese (Ger) Rg Nordland
124 Rune Stordal (Nor) Ck Bjørgvin
125 Tuomas Turunen (Fin) Finland
126 Anders Iversby (Nor) Fredrikstad Sk - Mix
127 Robert Johansson (Swe) Cyclecomponents.Com/Sollerö
128 Tommi Martikainen (Fin) Finland                       16.24
129 Tom Vastmans (Bel) Deschacht-Granville                22.37
130 Eirik Helgesen (Nor) Fana Il Sykkel
131 Jukka Heinikainen (Fin) Team Mälarenergi
132 David Pell (Aus) Team Comnet-Senges
133 Frank Pedersen (Nor) Ck Bjørgvin                      23.08
134 Ola Magnus Laugalan (Nor) Frikransen
135 Martin Axelsson (Swe) Degeberg Ck
136 Jarle Wermskog (Nor) Frikransen
137 Matthew Melville (GBr) Frikransen
138 Trygve Eriksen (Nor) Oslo/Akershus - Mix
139 Peter Lemke (Ger) Rg Nordland
140 Ion Pripa (Mda) Moldavia
141 Adam Broyad (GBr) Arctic Shorter Rochford
142 Mirko Poldma (Est) Mâe Ratturite Klubi
143 Adrain Bird (GBr) Arctic Shorter Rochford
144 Oskari Kargu (Est) Mâe Ratturite Klubi
145 Jan- Magnus Mansner (Fin) Finland
146 Stefan Repshus (Nor) Nes
147 Oliver Stock (Ger) Rg Nordland
148 Wahur Valvas (Est) Mâe Ratturite Klubi
149 Michael Stevenson (Swe) Cyclecomponents.Com/Sollerö
150 Herve Arcade (Fra) Nantes 44
151 Patrick Blannin (Aus) Rcs Bioagrico
152 Tom Aleksandersen (Nor) Ringerike Sk
153 Knut Borbe (Nor) Oslo/Akershus - Mix                  58.36
154 Luca Mara (Swe) Motala
155 Anders Magnusson (Swe) Motala                       1.06.45
DNF Marius Nyhammer (Nor) Fana Il Sykkel
DNF Martin Gustavsen (Nor) Fredrikstad Sk - Mix
DNF Aron Huysmans (Bel) Deschacht-Granville
DNF Sebastian Prengel (Ger) Bbc/Team Profiline
DNF Stig Sverre Holmsen (Nor) Nes
DNF Bersvenn Støen (Nor) Frikransen
DNF Benjamin Adriani (Ger) Bbc/Team Profiline
DNF Håvard Nybø (Nor) Frikransen
DNF Anders Juhlin (Swe) Team Mälarenergi
DNF Helge Haugstad (Nor) Fredrikstad Sk - Mix
DNF Øyvind Myrvold (Nor) Nes
DNF Christian Westermar (Fin) Finland
DNF Emiel Arbaham (Tri) Team Maestro Nella
DNF Fredrik Løfsgaard (Nor) Bærum Ock
DNF Patrick Koeman (Ned) Bert Story - Piels
DNF Kenneth Randin (Nor) Ck Bjørgvin
DNF Andreas Papp (Swe) Degeberg Ck
DNF Bruno Nella C.A Team Maestro Nella

General classification after stage 2

1 Jonas Holmkvist (Swe) Team Bianchi                    7.46.37
2 Richard Faltus (Cze) Ac Sparta Praha                     0.01
3 Lars Breiseth (Nor) Team Ringerike                       0.02
4 Luke Roberts (Aus) Team Comnet-Senges                    0.04
5 Udo Müller (Ger) Rg Nordland
6 Oliver Penney (Bel) Rcs Bioagrico
7 Mads Kaggestad (Nor) Credit Agricole
8 Morten Hegreberg (Nor) Deschacht-Granville
9 Valery Kobzarenko (Ukr) Team Maestro Nella
10 Eric Leblacher (Fra) Credit Agricole
11 Yohan Charpenteau (Fra) Credit Agricole
12 Jonathan Dayus (GBr) Team Ringerike
13 Jonas Olsson (Swe) Team Bianchi
14 Jonas Ljungblad (Swe) Team Bianchi
15 Tobias Lergård (Swe) Team Bianchi
16 Alexandru Sabalin (Mda) Moldavia
17 Geert Van Crombruggen (Bel) Rcs Bioagrico               3.16
18 Jos Harms (Ned) Bert Story - Piels                      3.17
19 Anthony Malerczyk (GBr) Wales
20 Glen Zelderloo (Bel) Deschacht-Granville
21 Kristian Ellertsen (Nor) Norway
22 Marvin Van Der Pluim (Ned) Bert Story - Piels           3.40
23 Hans- Jörgen Juretzek (Ger) Team Comnet-Senges          3.42
24 Frank Dressler (Ger) Team Comnet-Senges
25 Stefan Ganser (Ger) Team Comnet-Senges
26 Roland Mittendorf (Ger) Bbc/Team Profiline
27 James Norfolk (GBr) Wales
28 Christofer Stevenson (Swe) Cyclecomponents.Com/Solle
29 Danny Schewe (Ger) Rg Nordland
30 Ben Raby (USA) Rcs Bioagrico
31 Martin Vestby (Nor) Rcs Bioagrico
32 Raido Kodanipork (Est) Mâe Ratturite Klubi
33 Alges Maasikmets (Est) Mâe Ratturite Klubi
34 Daniel Strauch (Ger) Rg Nordland
35 Huw Pritchard (GBr) Wales
36 Martin Hebik (Cze) Ac Sparta Praha
37 Peter Pucelik (Cze) Ac Sparta Praha
38 Tjarco Cuppens (Ned) Team Comnet-Senges
39 Germ Van Der Burg (Ned) Bert Story - Piels
40 Klaas De Gruyter (Bel) Deschacht-Granville
41 Kor Steenbergen (Ned) Bert Story - Piels
42 Mathias Carlsson (Swe) Team Ringerike
43 Jussi Veikanen (Fin) Team Mälarenergi
44 Johan Svensson (Swe) Team Mälarenergi
45 Jan Mattsson (Swe) Team Mälarenergi
46 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Team Ringerike
47 Christophe Diguet (Fra) Nantes 44
48 Gabriel Rasch (Nor) Team Ringerike
49 Corey Sweet (Aus) Credit Agricole
50 Yan Tournier (Fra) Credit Agricole
51 Petter Renäng (Swe) Team Bianchi
52 Stijn Penne (Bel) Deschacht-Granville
53 Ioannis Tamouridis (Gre) Hellas
54 Vasileios Anastopoulos (Gre) Hellas
55 Bill Nickson (GBr) Arctic Shorter Rochford
56 Sven De Werdt (Bel) Team Down Under
57 Cameron Jennings (Aus) Team Down Under
58 Andrew Roche (Irl) Team Maestro Nella
59 Mikale Segersäll (Swe) Team Bianchi
60 Freddy Bichot (Fra) Nantes 44
61 Yannick Rebouilleau (Fra) Nantes 44
62 Tarmo Raudsepp (Est) Nantes 44
63 David Migne (Fra) Nantes 44
64 Markos Moraitakis (Gre) Hellas
65 Phil Thuaux (Aus) Team Down Under
66 Morten Christiansen (Nor) Bærum Ock
67 Anders Lennartsson (Swe) Degeberg Ck

Courtesy of Syklingens Verden