51st Circuit de la Sarthe - 2.3

France, April 8-11, 2003

2002 Results Stage List Preview Start List Past winners

The Stages

Stage 1 - April 8: Nantes - Fontenay-le-Comte, 188.4 km
Stage 2 - April 9: Fontenay-le-Comte - Pont-Château, 195.1 km
Stage 3a - April 10: Saint - Géréon/Angers, 93.3 km
Stage 3b - April 10: Angers - Angers ITT, 8.8 km
Stage 4 - April 11: Angers - Le Mans, 191.3 km

Preview

The 51st edition of the Circuit de la Sarthe will take place over the next four days, starting in Nantes with a 188.4 km stage to Fontenay-le-Comte, and finishing with a 191 km stage from Angers to Le Mans. In addition to the long-awaited re-entry into racing by Jan Ullrich (Team Coast), the race will once again see Lance Armstrong (US Postal) in action, as he continues along the road to try and win his fifth Tour de France.

Other riders, in better form at the moment, include Laurent Brochard (Ag2r), winner of the Criterium International and the big favourite for this race. Last year's runner up Brad McGee (FDJeux.com) is gradually coming into form, and this race will be an important test. Jens Voigt (Credit Agricole), winner of the time trial in Criterium International, will be a rider to watch, as will Sylvain Chavanel (Brioches la Boulangère). One team that definitely won't be on the start line is Cofidis, which has 2001 winner David Millar injured and out of action after his fall in Criterium International, and decided to withdraw itself from the competition.

Start list

Brioches La Boulangère
FDJeux.com
Jean Delatour
Ag2R-Prévoyance
Crédit Agricole
BigMat
MBK-Oktos
Team Coast
Gerolsteiner
Quick.Step-Davitamon
ONCE-Eroski
Euskaltel-Euskadi
CCC Polsat
Phonak Hearing Systems
US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor
Alessio
Domina Vacanze-Elitron

Past winners

2002 Didier Rous (Fra)
2001 David Millar (GBr) 
2000 David Canada (Spa)
1999 Steffen Kjaergaard (Nor)
1998 Melchor Mauri (Spa)
1997 Melchor Mauri (Spa)
1996 Adriano Baffi (Ita)
1995 Thierry Marie (Fra)
1994 Stéphane Heulot (Fra)
1993 Jean-François Bernard (Fra)
1992 Jean-François Bernard (Fra)
1991 Bruno Cornillet (Fra)
1990 Dmitri Zhdanov (Rus)
1989 Thierry Laurent (Fra)
1988 Thierry Marie (Fra)
1987 Piotr Ugrumov (USSR)
1986 Didier Garcia (Spa)
1985 Pascal Jules (Fra)
1984 Claude Moreau (Fra)
1983 Pascal Jules (Fra)
1982 Michenko (USSR)
1981 Barinov (USSR)
1980 Greg LeMond (USA)
1979 Muselet (Fra)
1978 Bernd Drogan (Ger)
1977 Pikkuus (USSR)
1976 Bernard Hinault (Fra)
1975 Bernard Hinault (Fra)
1974 Skosyrev (USSR)
1973 Gorelov (USSR)
1972 Regis Ovion (Fra)
1971 Nelioubine (USSR)
1970 Lechatelier (Fra)
1969 Szurkowski (Pol)
1968 Grimbert (Fra)
1967 Grimbert (Fra)
1966 Matignon (Fra)
1965 Lopez-Rodriguez (Spa)
1964 Cosseron (Fra)
1963 Juin (Fra)
1962 Ferrer (Fra)
1961 Jeugnet (Fra)
1960 André Foucher (Fra)
1959 J.Danguillaume (Fra)
1958 J.Danguillaume (Fra)
1957 Guérin (Fra)
1956 J.Danguillaume (Fra)
1955 Bernard (Fra)
1954 Fournières (Fra)
1953 Hays (Fra)

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