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Ringerike GP - 2.5
Norway, April 30-May 4, 2003
Stage 1 - April 30: Hønefoss - Hønefoss, 157.7 km
First international win for Jonas Holmkvist
By Jean-François Quénet in Hønefoss
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Norwegians have such a good sense of hospitality that they welcome 22 foreign teams in their only UCI race, the Ringerike Grand Prix (2.5), so 33 teams in total are competing. And they usually leave the first stage win to their Swedish neighbours.
One year ago, Gustav Larsson, now riding for Fassa Bortolo, did a long solo breakaway to claim stage 1. Today his former teammate at Crescent Jonas Holmkvist won in a different way: in a bunch sprint. Larsson's team from last year is still directed by former Giro d'Italia runner up Tommy Prim, but is now called Team Bianchi Scandinavia. They have had an interesting start of the season with an unexpected win overall in the Circuit des Ardennes (2.6) in Mid April in France, with the young mountain-biker Tomas Lövkvist, only 19, who can't ride the Ringerike Grand Prix because he has to finish school.
"This is my first win this year and my first international win," Holmkvist said. "And it was planned as well with a perfect lead out from Jonas Olsson and Jonas Ljungblad. I took the first position before the last corners, this kind of sprint is perfect for me."
The stage finish in Hønefoss - to be repeated in stage 2 and 4 - is known for being hectic. "My front wheel slipped," said an amazed Freddy Bichot, 5th, before going on the podium to get his king of the mountains jersey.
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All the favourites finished in the main bunch but the battle has started. Bichot. who is turning professional with Team Barloworld next week, was first at the top of the climb at 35 km to go. He could already see that the competition for GC should be between him, Jonathan Dayus from Team Ringerike and Eric Leblacher from Crédit Agricole, just to name a few. It looks like the French professionals from Crédit Agricole don't want to let the French amateurs from Nantes 44 do their own. They're also afraid of Team Bianchi Scandinavia.
Crédit Agricole and Team Ringerike were the two teams chasing the last breakaway of the day comprising Tarmo Raudsepp from Nantes 44, Tobias Lergard from Team Bianchi Scandinavia and Vassili Anastopoulos from the Greek national team.
The race is very open before the hill finish of Ringkollen on Friday. This is the place where Dayus earned his place in Team Ringerike one year ago.
Photography
Images by Gunnar Mjaugedal/catchlight.no
- Tommy Prim runner up in the Giro d'Italia in 1981 and 1982, now director of Team Bianchi Scandinavia
- Steffen Kjaergaard (USPS) is here to spectate
- Pre-race favourite Mads Kaggestad (Credit Agricole) gets ready in his hotel
- Mads Kaggestad (Credit Agricole) full of enthusiasm before the first stage
- Mads Kaggestad (Credit Agricole) during stage 1
- Mads Kaggestad (Credit Agricole) well protected by his teammates in stage 1
- Mads Kaggestad (Credit Agricole) cruises along during stage 1
- Eric Leblacher working hard for the Credit Agricole team
- The peloton at full stretch during the first stage of the Ringerike GP in Norway
- Morten Christiansen and Richard Faltus during their long breakaway
- Morten Christiansen and Richard Faltus during their long breakaway
- Tobias Lergard (Team Bianchi) drives the bunch during the first stage of the Ringerike GP
- Tobias Lergard (Team Bianchi) rides during stage 1
- Tobias Lergard (Team Bianchi) hammers on the front
- Jonas Holmqvist wins the sprint for the first stage in Honefoss
- Jonas Holmqvist on the podium in the yellow jersey
Images by Jean-Francois Quenet
- Simon Gerrans in the new colours of Team Ringerike
- Mads Kaggestad now riding for Credit Agricole is a stressed defending champion in the Ringerike Grand Prix
- Norwegian Joachim Bohler meets up with his French team-mates from Nantes 44
- The stage 1 podium (L to R): Geert Van Crombruggen (3rd), Jonas Holmqvist (1st) and Marvin Van Der Pluijm (2nd)
- King of the mountains Freddy Bichot and race organiser Birger Hungerholdt
- Jonas Holmkvist (Team Bianchi Scandinavia) is the first yellow jersey
- Freddy Bichot and Jonas Holmkvist share the honours at the end of stage 1
Results
1 Jonas Holmkvist (Swe) Team Bianchi 3.49.34 2 Marvin Van Der Pluim (Ned) Bert Story- Piels 3 Geert Van Crombruggen (Bel) Rcs Bioagrico 4 Lars Breiseth (Nor) Team Ringerike 5 Stefan Ganser (Ger) Team Comnet- Senges 6 Freddy Bichot (Fra) Nantes 44 7 Johan Svensson (Swe) Team Mälarenergi 8 Henrik Oldin (Swe) Team Mälarenergi 9 Morten Hegreberg (Bel) Deschacht- Granville 10 Tjarco Cuppens (Ger) Team Comnet- Senges 11 Luke Roberts (Ger) Team Comnet- Senges 12 Joachim Bøhler (Nor) Ringerike Sk 13 Glen Zelderloo (Bel) Deschacht- Granville 14 Jonas Ljungblad (Swe) Team Bianchi 15 Andreas Molandsveen (Nor) National Team Norway 16 Christofer Stevenson (Swe) Cyclecomponents. Com/ Sollerö 17 Martin Vestby (Bel) Rcs Bioagrico 18 Per Martin Lund (Nor) National Team Norway 19 Anders Lennartsson (Swe) Degeberg Ck 20 Eric Leblacher (Fra) Credit Agricole 21 Vasileios Anastopoulos (Gre) National Team Greec 22 Oliver Penney (Bel) Rcs Bioagrico 23 Roland Mittendorf (Ger) Bbc/team Profline 24 Roger Karlsson (Swe) Degeberg Ck 25 Kristian Ellertsen (Nor) National Team Norway 26 Gregory Saw (Nor) Ringerike Sk 27 Danny Schewe (Ger) Rg Nordland 28 Ben Raby (Bel) Rcs Bioagrico 29 Jukka Heinikainen (Swe) Team Mälarenergi 30 Frank Dressler (Ger) Team Comnet- Senges 31 Alexandru Sabalin (Mda) National Team Moldavia 32 Are Andresen (Nor) Ck Bjørgvin 33 Germ Van Der Burg (Ned) Bert Story- Piels 34 Anders Gerhardsson (Swe) Motala 35 Martin Axelsson (Swe) Degeberg Ck 36 Richard Faltus (Cze) Ac Sparta Praha 37 Jos Harms (Ned) Bert Story- Piels 38 Gabriel Rasch (Nor) Team Ringerike 39 Peter Pucelik (Cze) Ac Sparta Praha 40 Evgheni Gutalov (Mda) National Team Moldavia 41 Dimitri Creciun (Mda) National Team Moldavia 42 Yannick Rebouilleau (Fra) Nantes 44 43 Martin Hebik (Cze) Ac Sparta Praha 44 Jan Fredrik Mohn (Nor) Fana I L Sykkel 45 Hans- Jörgen Juretzek (Ger) Team Comnet- Senges 46 Alexandru Pugaci (Mda) National Team Moldavia 47 Daniel Strauch (Ger) Rg Nordland 48 Mathias Carlsson (Nor) Team Ringerike 49 Bill Nickson (GBr) Arctic Shorter Rochford 50 Georgios Ninos (Gre) National Team Greec 51 Morten Christiansen (Nor) Bærum Ock 52 Jonas Olsson (Swe) Team Bianchi 53 Jan Mattsson (Swe) Team Mälarenergi 54 Phil Thuaux (Aus) Team Down Under 55 Petter Renäng (Swe) Team Bianchi 56 Bjørn Ivar Ekberg (Nor) Nes 57 Markos Moraitakis (Gre) National Team Greec 58 Mikale Segersäll (Swe) Team Bianchi 59 Simon Gerrans (Nor) Team Ringerike 60 David Migne (Fra) Nantes 44 61 Tarmo Raudsepp (Fra) Nantes 44 62 Christophe Diguet (Fra) Nantes 44 63 Andreas Johansson (Swe) Cyclecomponents. Com/ Sollerö 64 Aron Huysmans (Bel) Deschacht- Granville 65 Mikko Vastarante (Fin) National Team Finland 66 Yohan Charpenteau (Fra) Credit Agricole 67 Yan Tournier (Fra) Credit Agricole 68 Valery Kobzarenko (GBr) Team Maestro Nella 69 Corey Sweet (Fra) Credit Agricole 70 Tobias Lergård (Swe) Team Bianchi 71 Cameron Jennings (Aus) Team Down Under 72 Jussi Veikanen (Swe) Team Mälarenergi 73 Sven De Werdt (Aus) Team Down Under 74 Ioannis Tamouridis (Gre) National Team Greec 75 Stijn Penne (Bel) Deschacht- Granville 76 Kor Steenbergen (Ned) Bert Story- Piels 77 Jonathan Dayus (Nor) Team Ringerike 78 Stian Remme (Nor) Fana I L Sykkel 79 Stefan Repshus (Nor) Nes 80 Huw Pritchard (GBr) Wales 81 Klaas De Gruyter (Bel) Deschacht- Granville 82 Trond Kristian Schweder (Nor) Bærum Ock 83 James Norfolk (GBr) Wales 84 Espen Jogert (Nor) National Team Norway 85 Alges Maasikmets (Est) Mâe Ratturite Klubi 86 Anthony Malerczyk (GBr) Wales 87 Udo Müller (Ger) Rg Nordland 88 Börre Fjeld Halvorsen (Nor) Bærum Ock 89 Anders Sand (Nor) Oslo/ Akershus- 90 Oskari Kargu (Est) Mâe Ratturite Klubi 91 Andrew Roche (GBr) Team Maestro Nella 92 Raido Kodanipork (Est) Mâe Ratturite Klubi 93 Patrick Koeman (Ned) Bert Story- Piels 94 Mads Kaggestad (Fra) Credit Agricole 95 Ion Pripa (Mda) National Team Moldavia 96 Robert Österling (Swe) Motala 97 David Pell (Ger) Team Comnet- Senges 98 Geir Lien (Nor) Nes 99 Stian Nørve (Nor) Ck Bjørgvin 100 Pavel Vesely (Cze) Ac Sparta Praha 101 Jostein Hole (Nor) Bærum Ock 0.51 102 Idar Baekken (Nor) Oslo/ Akershus- 0.58 103 Marc A. Mackay (Bel) Rcs Bioagrico 1.12 104 Cody Stevenson (Aus) Team Down Under 1.19 105 Christian Einung Dahl (Nor) Fredrikstad Sk 6.09 106 Frank Pedersen (Nor) Ck Bjørgvin 107 Andreas Keuser (Ger) Bbc/team Profline 108 Håvard Kristiansen (Nor) Ringerike Sk 109 Marius Nyhammer (Nor) Fana I L Sykkel 110 Dimitri Bondari (Mda) National Team Moldavia 111 Patrick Blannin (Bel) Rcs Bioagrico 112 Michael Stevenson (Swe) Cyclecomponents. Com/ Sollerö 113 Tuomas Turunen (Fin) National Team Finland 114 Ryan Bevis (GBr) Wales 115 Mikko Siltanen (Fin) National Team Finland 116 Adrain Bird (GBr) Arctic Shorter Rochford 117 Kent Helge Olsen (Nor) Ck Bjørgvin 118 Martin Pecenka (Cze) Ac Sparta Praha 119 Anston Hulth (Swe) Cyclecomponents. Com/ Sollerö 120 Robin Van Der Pluim (Ned) Bert Story- Piels 121 Jan- Magnus Mansner (Fin) National Team Finland 122 Per- Erik Johansson (Swe) Motala 123 Martin Ford (GBr) Arctic Shorter Rochford 124 Elpidoforos Potouridis (Gre) National Team Greec 125 Ioannis Tsakouridis (Gre) National Team Greec 126 Tom Vastmans (Bel) Deschacht- Granville 127 Anders Juhlin (Swe) Team Mälarenergi 128 Håkan Nilsson (Swe) Degeberg Ck 129 Tommi Martikainen (Fin) National Team Finland 130 Robert Johansson (Swe) Cyclecomponents. Com/ Sollerö 131 Andreas Papp (Swe) Degeberg Ck 132 Kalle Sandell (Swe) Motala 133 Sabino Cannone (GBr) Team Maestro Nella 134 Håvard Nybø (Nor) Frikransen 135 Fredrik Løfsgaard (Nor) Bærum Ock 136 Herve Arcade (Fra) Nantes 44 137 Nico Indekeu (Aus) Team Down Under 138 Bart Bastiaens (Aus) Team Down Under 139 Helge Gevelt (Nor) Oslo/ Akershus- 140 Bruno Nella (GBr) Team Maestro Nella 9.49 141 Anders Magnusson (Swe) Motala 12.33 142 Jarle Wermskog (Nor) Frikransen 143 Deniz Tuzcu (Ger) Bbc/team Profline 144 Nils Einar Grutle (Nor) Fana I L Sykkel 145 Adam Broyad (GBr) Arctic Shorter Rochford 146 Anders Iversby Hvideberg (Nor) Fredrikstad Sk 147 Timothy Wood (GBr) Arctic Shorter Rochford 148 Luca Mara (Swe) Motala 149 Trygve Eriksen (Nor) Oslo/ Akershus- 150 Kenneth Randin (Nor) Ck Bjørgvin 151 Mirko Poldma (Est) Mâe Ratturite Klubi 152 Mart Ojavee (Est) Mâe Ratturite Klubi 153 Emiel Arbaham (GBr) Team Maestro Nella 154 Martin Gustavsen (Nor) Fredrikstad Sk 18.19 155 Rune Stordal (Nor) Ck Bjørgvin 156 Christian Westermark (Fin) National Team Finland 157 Matthew Melville (Nor) Frikransen 158 Benjamin Adriani (Ger) Bbc/team Profline 159 Tom Aleksandersen (Nor) Ringerike Sk 160 Sebastian Prengel (Ger) Bbc/team Profline 161 Eirik Helgesen (Nor) Fana I L Sykkel 162 Helge Haugstad (Nor) Fredrikstad Sk 163 Martin Bratland (Nor) Nes 164 Bersvenn Støen (Nor) Frikransen 165 Stig Sverre Holmsen (Nor) Nes 18.43 166 Wahur Valvas (Est) Mâe Ratturite Klubi 26.49 167 Oliver Stock (Ger) Rg Nordland 28.10 168 Øyvind Myrvold (Nor) Nes 28.26 169 Knut Borbe (Nor) Oslo/ Akershus- 28.57 170 Timothy Bayley (GBr) Arctic Shorter Rochford 30.26 171 Geroge Rose (GBr) Wales 33.13 172 Peter Lemke (Ger) Rg Nordland 44.07 173 Ola Magnus Laugaland (Nor) Frikransen 174 Vegard Almankaas (Nor) Asker CK 1.03.19 175 Helge Mosveen (Nor) Asker CK DNF Svein Olav Andersen (Nor) Asker CK DNF Christian Sjurseth (Nor) Asker CK DNF Paul Sheppard (GBr) Wales DNF Jens Sethzmann (Nor) Asker CK DNF Fredrik Lindberg (Swe) Degeberg Ck DNF Benno Reidesser (Ger) Bbc/team Profline DNF Bjørn Saksberg (Nor) Oslo/ Akershus- DNF Sebastian Freese (Ger) Rg Nordland DNF Bernt Owe Rein (Nor) Fredrikstad Sk DNF Jarle Fredriksen (Nor) Bærum Ock DNF Mats Larsen (Nor) Fredrikstad Sk DNF Arve Lyngstad (Nor) Asker CK Courtesy of Syklingens Verden
