Sacrifice Cup - 1.5

Greece, March 25, 2003

Results

Volksbank dominates in Greek mountains

By Dimitris Konstantopoulos

Division III trade team Volksbank Ideal dominated the UCI 1.5 classed Sacrifice Cup, with Philippe Schnyder and Vasileios Anastopoulos finishing first and second in the 118 km event. Only third placed Ioannis Tamouridis (Aftodromos Salonika) was able to break into the top six, with Jean Nuttli, Fraser McMaster and Patrik Kofler the other Volksbank riders behind him.

Despite the previous days' bad weather, 57 riders started in the "Sacrifice Cup", held on the anniversary of the Greek Revolution (25th March, 1821). The course was gradually uphill, as the riders started from Patras Town and finished in Santa Lavra Monastery, in the middle of the Peloponesse mountains.

From the start, the race was exciting with the Austrian Volsbank-Ideal Trade Team (Ideal is a local bike manufacturer with its main factory near the startline) controlling and making the pace of the race. The first breakaways were made in the first climbs (km 15), but the strong Austrian team seemed hungrier than the other teams for the classification and prize money. The only Greeks who were able to survive in the front group were Vassilis Anastopoulos (Volskbank) and Ioannis Tamouridis and Kostas Simelidis, both from the Aftodromos Salonika Cycling Club. The latter was unlucky to puncture twice, and eventually finished 11th.

Results - 118 km

1 Philippe Schnyder (Swi) Volksbank - Ideal            3.16.05 (36.107 km/h)
2 Vasileios Anastopoulos (Gre) Volksbank - Ideal          0.04
3 Ioannis Tamouridis (Gre) Aftodromos Salonika            0.10
4 Jean Nuttli (Swi) Volksbank - Ideal                     0.30
5 Fraser John McMaster  (NZl) Volksbank - Ideal           0.34
6 Patrik Kofler (Aut) Volksbank - Ideal                   1.03
7 Igor Pajiovic (Yug) Borac Cacak                         3.16
8 Bruno Nella (Can) Maestro - Nella                       4.34
9 Markos Moraitakis (Gre) Talos Chania                    5.28
10 Georgios Ninos (Gre) Kronos Nikeas                     6.07
11 Konstantinos Simelidis (Gre) Aftodromos Salonika       6.34
12 Vasileios Chortomaris (Gre) Aftodromos Salonika        8.50
13 Manolis Kotoulas (Gre) Macedonia/Trhaki Regional Team  9.25
14 Georgios Tentsos (Gre) Velos Salonika                  9.33
15 Pelopidas Margaronis (Gre) Talos Chania               10.42
16 Dimitrios Dimitrakopoulos (Gre) Kronos Nikeas         10.54
17 Ioannis Tsakouridis (Gre) Velos Salonika              11.48
18 Nikolaos Kaloudakis (Gre) Kastro Heraklion            14.34
19 Nenad Velicic (Yug) Borac Cacak                       15.18
20 Minas Malatos (Gre) Central Greece Regional Team      16.17
21 Iosif Dalezios (Gre) Kronos Nikeas                    16.53
22 Mladen Mirkovic (Yug) Borac Cacak                     17.28
23 Lambros Diamantopoulos (Gre) Kronos Nikeas            17.32
24 Ioannis Tentsos (Gre) Velos Salonika                  17.48
25 Alexandros Mavridis (Gre) Velos Salonika              20.00
26 Andreas Markakis (Gre) Talos Chania                   20.02
27 Sotirios Exarchopoulos (Gre) Athens Regional Team     22.06
28 Pavlos Chalkiopoulos (Gre) Patras Cycling Club        25.39
29 Dimitrios Papas (Gre) Patras Cycling Club             25.52

Starters: 57
Classified: 29
Time cut: 24
DNF: 4
Courtesy of Dimitris Konstantopoulos/Hellenic Cycling Federation