33rd Etoile des Bessèges - 2.3

France, February 5-9, 2003

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Stage 5 - February 9: Brannoux-les-Taillades, 148 km

Baldato wraps up GC, as Kirsipuu takes the final

Fabio Baldato
Photo: © AFP

Fabio Baldato (Alessio) has clinched the overall classification of the 33rd Etoile des Bessèges, after finishing safely in the bunch in the final stage. The wily Italian speedster won the first stage in a breakaway and successfully defended it over the next four stages, which all finished in bunch sprints.

Somewhat surprisingly, given the strength of the Italians, Baldato became the first rider from his country to win the Etoile des Bessèges. He finished with a five second lead to Dane Mickael Skelde (Team fakta), with Franck Bouyer (La Boulangère) securing third spot at 6 seconds.

Jaan Kirsipuu
Photo: © AFP

Today's winner was Estonian Jaan Kirsipuu, who accounted for Roger Hammond (Palmans-Collstrop) and Yuri Mitlushenko (Landbouwkrediet-Colnago) to take his first stage win, after finishing second and third in previous stages.

The 148 km stage between Branoux-les-Taillades and Bessèges was marked by an attack from Kirsipuu's compatriot and teammate Erki Putsep (Ag2r) and Samuel Dumoulin (Jean Delatour). The pair escaped after 50 km and rode out to a maximum lead of five minutes before the bunch started chasing with 40 km to go. The pair were caught with 8 km left by the charging peloton, with the ensuing sprint dominated by Kirsipuu.

Photography

Images by AFP Photo/Anne-Christine Poujoulat

Jaan Kirsipuu (Ag2r) makes no mistake as he wins the final stage in the Etoile des Besseges
Jaan Kirsipuu (Ag2r) smiles on the podium with his trophy and flowers following his win in the final stage
Fabio Baldato (Alessio) salutes the crowd after winning the Etoile des Besseges
Fabio Baldato (Alessio) with a very hefty trophy for winning the Etoile des Besseges

Results

1 Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) Ag2R                           3.17.30 (44.962 km/h)
2 Roger Hammond (GBr) Collstrop-Palmans
3 Yuri Mitlushenko (Ukr) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
4 Jean-Patrick Nazon (Fra) Jean Delatour
5 Jimmy Casper (Fra) Fdjeux.com
6 Robert Hayles (GBr) Cofidis
7 Lilian Jegou (Fra) Credit Agricole
8 Jehudi Schoonacker (Bel) Vlaanderen T-Interim
9 Nicolas Liboreau (Fra) BigMat-Auber
10 Stal Scheirlinckx (Bel) Flanders-IteamNova
11 Verner Riebenbauer (Aut) Team fakta
12 Bruno Thibout (Fra) Jean Delatour
13 Plamen Stoianov (Bul) BigMat-Auber
14 Peter Farazijn (Bel) Cofidis
15 Robbie McEwen (Aus) Lotto-Domo
16 Magnus Bäckstedt (Swe) Team fakta
17 Saulius Ruskys (Ltu) Marlux - Wincor Nixdorf
18 Lanaic Olivier (Fra) MBK-Oktos
19 Fabin De Vaele (Bel) Collstrop-Palmans
20 Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor) Team fakta
21 Philippe Gaumont (Fra) Cofidis
22 Alexei Sivakov (Rus) BigMat-Auber
23 Jérôme Pineau (Fra) Brioches La Boulangère
24 Michael Skelde (Den) Team fakta
25 Nico Sijmens (Bel) Vlaanderen T-Interim
26 Chris Peers (Fra) Cofidis
27 Fabio Baldato (Ita) Alessio
28 Mickael Rheis (Den) Team fakta
29 Tom Steels (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
30 Johan Coenen (Bel) Marlux - Wincor Nixdorf
31 Frederic Gabriel (Fra) MBK-Oktos
32 Guillaume Auger (Fra) BigMat-Auber
33 Ludovic Turpin (Fra) Ag2R
34 Erki Putsep (Est) Ag2R
35 Laurent Lefevre (Fra) Jean Delatour
36 Jo Planckaert (Bel) Cofidis
37 Frank Høj (Den) Team fakta
38 Phillipe Koehler (Fra) MBK-Oktos
39 Ludovic Capelle (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
40 Jurgen Vandevalle (Bel) Vlaanderen T-Interim
41 Andy Capelle (Bel) Marlux - Wincor Nixdorf
42 Ludovic Auger (Fra) BigMat-Auber
43 Marcus Ljungqvist (Swe) Credit Agricole
44 Bert Roesems (Bel) Collstrop-Palmans
45 Johan Verstrepen (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
46 Christophe Moreau (Fra) Credit Agricole
47 Walter Bénéteau (Fra) Brioches La Boulangère
48 Franck Bouyer (Fra) Brioches La Boulangère
49 Lorenzo Bernucci (Ita) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
50 Vim Vanhuffel (Bel) Vlaanderen T-Interim
51 Robert Sassone (Fra) Cofidis
52 Frederik Villems (Bel) Vlaanderen T-Interim
53 Enrico Cassani (Ita) Alessio
54 Vincent Templier (Fra) MBK-Oktos
55 Anthony Charteau (Fra) Brioches La Boulangère
56 Olivier Trastour (Fra) Ag2R
57 Julien Laidoun (Fra) Ag2R
58 Christophe Rinero (Fra) MBK-Oktos
59 Jef Peeters (Bel) Vlaanderen T-Interim
60 Cédric Fragniere (Swi) Credit Agricole
61 Tom Stremersch (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
62 Steve De Volf (Bel) Collstrop-Palmans
63 Stéphane Barthe (Fra) MBK-Oktos
64 Inigo Chaurreau (Spa) Ag2R
65 Aart Vierhouten (Ned) Lotto-Domo
66 Loic Lamouller (Fra) BigMat-Auber
67 Jérôme Bernard (Fra) Jean Delatour
68 Pierre Bourquenoud (Swi) Jean Delatour
69 Danny Daelman (Bel) Collstrop-Palmans
70 Geert Verheyen (Bel) Marlux - Wincor Nixdorf
71 Christophe Agnolutto (Fra) Ag2R
72 Vim Van Sevenant (Bel) Lotto-Domo
73 Geert Omloop (Bel) Collstrop-Palmans                 0.13
74 Ludo Dierckxsens (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago       0.17
75 Stéphane Berges (Fra) Ag2R
76 Martin Rittsel (Swe) Team fakta
77 Dominique Perras (Can) Flanders-IteamNova
78 Andrea Brognara (Ita) Alessio
79 Allan Johansen (Den) Team fakta
80 Manu L'Hoir (Bel) Marlux - Wincor Nixdorf
81 Franck Renier (Fra) Brioches La Boulangère
82 Ivain Gabrovsky (Hun) MBK-Oktos
83 Frédéric Finot (Fra) Jean Delatour
84 Nicolas Meunier (Fra) BigMat-Auber
85 Serge Baguet (Bel) Lotto-Domo
86 Christophe Stevens (Bel) Marlux - Wincor Nixdorf
87 frederick Penne (Bel) Collstrop-Palmans
88 Kevin Van Impe (Bel) Lotto-Domo
89 Stefano Casagranda (Ita) Alessio
90 Nico Mattan (Bel) Cofidis
91 Matthew Wilson (Aus) Fdjeux.com
92 Régis Lhuiller (Fra) Fdjeux.com                      0.28
93 Benoit Vaugrenard (Fra) Fdjeux.com
94 Niels Brouzes (Fra) BigMat-Auber
95 Bert Scheirlinckx (Bel) Flanders-IteamNova           0.33
96 Nicolas Fritsch (Fra) Fdjeux.com                     0.38
97 Maryan Hary (Fra) Brioches La Boulangère
98 Peter Van Petegem (Bel) Lotto-Domo                   0.42
99 Claudio Lucchine(Ita) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
100 Alberto Vinale (Ita) Alessio                        0.44
101 Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Fdjeux.com                     0.53
102 Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) Jean Delatour                 1.18
103 Geoffrey Demeyere (Bel) Vlaanderen T-Interim        1.37
104 Jacky Durand (Fra) Fdjeux.com
105 Gert Steegmans (Bel) Lotto-Domo                     2.02
 
Final general classification
 
1 Fabio Baldato (Ita) Alessio                       19.01.30
2 Michael Skelde (Den) Team fakta                       0.05
3 Franck Bouyer (Fra) Brioches La Boulangère            0.06
4 Stal Scheirlinckx (Bel) Flanders-IteamNova            0.12
5 Jérôme Pineau (Fra) Brioches La Boulangère            1.12
6 Jurgen Vandevalle (Bel) Vlaanderen T-Interim          1.14
7 Peter Farazijn (Bel) Cofidis                          1.16
8 Lorenzo Bernucci (Ita) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
9 Jérôme Bernard (Fra) Jean Delatour
10 Johan Coenen (Bel) Marlux - Wincor Nixdorf           1.44
11 Jo Planckaert (Bel) Cofidis                          2.15
12 Laurent Lefevre (Fra) Jean Delatour                  2.23
13 Anthony Charteau (Fra) Brioches La Boulangère        2.25
14 Frank Høj (Den) Team fakta                           2.27
15 Frederick Gabriel (Ita) MBK-Oktos
16 Vim Vanhuffel (Bel) Vlaanderen T-Interim
17 Inigo Chaurreau (Spa) Ag2R                           2.47
18 Vim Van Sevenant (Bel) Lotto-Domo                    5.21
19 Julien Laidoun (Fra) Ag2R                            6.48
20 Roger Hammond (GBr) Collstrop-Palmans                7.55
21 Geert Verheyen (Bel) Marlux - Wincor Nixdorf        13.39
22 Jean-Patrick Nazon (Fra) Jean Delatour              13.41
23 Jef Peeters (Bel) Vlaanderen T-Interim
24 Chris Peers (Bel) Cofidis                           13.45
25 Walter Bénéteau (Fra) Brioches La Boulangère
26 Bruno Thibout (Fra) Jean Delatour
27 Mickael Rheis (Den) Team fakta
28 Christophe Rinero (Fra) MBK-Oktos
29 Ludovic Turpin (Fra) Ag2R
30 Steve De Volf (Bel) Collstrop-Palmans
31 Pierre Bourquenoud (Swi) Jean Delatour
32 Serge Baguet (Bel) Lotto-Domo                       14.02
33 Enrico Cassani (Ita) Alessio                        14.06
34 Cédric Fragniere (Swi) Credit Agricole
35 Robert Sassone (Fra) Cofidis                        14.19
36 Franck Renier (Fra) Brioches La Boulangère          14.22
37 Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) Jean Delatour                 14.57
38 Lilian Jegou (Fra) Credit Agricole                  15.17
39 Olivier Trastour (Fra) Ag2R                         15.29
40 Peter Van Petegem (Bel) Lotto-Domo
41 Bert Scheirlinckx (Bel) Flanders-IteamNova          15.43
42 Régis Lhuiller (Fra) Fdjeux.com                     17.10
43 Claudio Lucchine(Ita) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago       17.44
44 Andy Capelle (Bel) Marlux - Wincor Nixdorf          17.50
45 Saulius Ruskys (Ltu) Marlux - Wincor Nixdorf        18.06
46 Verner Riebenbauer (Aut) Team fakta
47 Nico Mattan (Bel) Cofidis                           18.07
48 Christophe Stevens (Bel) Marlux - Wincor Nixdorf    18.23
49 Frédéric Finot (Fra) Jean Delatour
50 Fabin De Vaele (Bel) Collstrop-Palmans              18.26
51 Frederik Villems (Bel) Vlaanderen T-Interim         19.13
52 Robbie McEwen (Aus) Lotto-Domo                      21.05
53 Jehudi Schoonacker (Bel) Vlaanderen T-Interim       21.22
54 Lenaic Olivier (Fra) MBK-Oktos
55 Alexei Sivakov (Rus) BigMat-Auber
56 Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor) Team fakta
57 Christophe Moreau (Fra) Credit Agricole
58 Guillaume Auger (Fra) BigMat-Auber
59 Ludovic Auger (Fra) BigMat-Auber
60 Vincent Templier (Fra) MBK-Oktos
61 Geert Omloop (Bel) Collstrop-Palmans                21.42
62 Ludo Dierckxsens (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago      21.52
63 Allan Johansen (Den) Team fakta                     21.59
64 Matthew Wilson (Aus) Fdjeux.com                     22.12
65 Loic Lamouller (Fra) BigMat-Auber                   22.26
66 Maryan Hary (Fra) Brioches La Boulangère            22.29
67 Johan Verstrepen (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago      23.14
68 Bert Roesems (Bel) Collstrop-Palmans
69 Tom Stremersch (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago        23.22
70 Nico Sijmens (Bel) Vlaanderen T-Interim             24.22
71 Martin Rittsel (Swe) Team fakta                     24.28
72 Stefano Casagranda (Ita) Alessio                    24.46
73 Stéphane Barthe (Fra) MBK-Oktos                     26.04
74 Kevin Van Impe (Bel) Lotto-Domo                     26.37
75 Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) Ag2R                            26.44
76 Frederick Penne (Bel) Collstrop-Palmans             26.53
77 Tom Steels (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago            26.54
78 Yuri Mitlushenko (Ukr) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago      27.00
79 Alberto Vinale (Ita) Alessio                        27.31
80 Magnus Bäckstedt (Swe) Team fakta                   27.36
81 Marcus Ljungqvist (Swe) Credit Agricole             28.36
82 Philippe Koelher (Fra) MBK-Oktos                    28.43
83 Nicolas Meunier (Fra) BigMat-Auber                  28.53
84 Manu L'Hoir (Bel) Marlux - Wincor Nixdorf           29.28
85 Benoit Vaugrenard (Fra) Fdjeux.com                  29.39
86 Robert Hayles (GBr) Cofidis                         29.41
87 Nicolas Fritsch (Fra) Fdjeux.com                    29.49
88 Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Fdjeux.com                     30.04
89 Danny Daelman (Bel) Collstrop-Palmans               30.32
90 Geoffrey Demeyere (Bel) Vlaanderen T-Interim        30.33
91 Andrea Brognara (Ita) Alessio                       32.01
92 Jimmy Casper (Fra) Fdjeux.com                       32.03
93 Philippe Gaumont (Fra) Cofidis                      32.57
94 Christophe Agnolutto (Fra) Ag2R                     33.03
95 Stéphane Berges (Fra) Ag2R                          33.04
96 Niels Brouzes (Fra) BigMat-Auber                    33.50
97 Gert Steegmans (Bel) Lotto-Domo                     34.49
98 Erki Putsep (Est) Ag2R                              35.15
99 Aart Vierhouten (Ned) Lotto-Domo                    37.20
100 Plamen Stoianov (Bul) BigMat-Auber                 38.39
101 Jacky Durand (Fra) Fdjeux.com                      41.08
102 Ivain Gabrovsky (Hun) MBK-Oktos                    49.34
103 Nicolas Liboreau (Fra) BigMat-Auber                50.54
104 Dominique Perras (Can) Flanders-IteamNova          52.15
105 Ludovic Capelle (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago      55.18