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2000 Results    Start list    Chronology    Past winners

Preview

By Jeff Jones

The second last round of the World Cup will once again be the 254 kilometre Paris-Tours, one of the oldest races on the calendar, first held in 1896. Like its counterpart, Paris-Roubaix, this race is long and flat. The obvious difference between the two is that there are no cobbles in Paris-Tours, thus it is one of the most favourable races for sprinters. The winds often assist the riders, and this race holds the record average speed for a classic at 48.929 km/h (Andrei Tchmil in 1997).

The race is also significant in that it is the last major race before the World Championships road race in Lisbon on October 14. However it should not be used as a predictor for Lisbon, as the parcours is simply too flat to compare. There are some hills towards the end of the race before the finish in the Avenue de Grammont in Tours, and these can assist breakaways like Marc Wauters (1999) or Andrea Tafi (2000). Tafi was (again) left out of the Italian squad for this year's World's - can he repeat his 'revenge' ride of last year?

If the race does come down to a sprint, then the big favourite will be Erik Zabel (Telekom). The German speedster has won two World Cup races already this year, along with three Tour de France stages, three stages in the Vuelta Espana and many more high quality victories. When he is motivated top win (and he is for this race), Zabel is nearly unbeatable.

Others to challenge him include Ag2r's Jaan Kirsipuu and Domo-Farm Frites' Romans Vainsteins, both part of the world's sprinting elite, and Andrei Tchmil (Lotto) who placed second in this race last year.

Chronology

1920 Eugene Christophe, nicknamed the "Old Gaul," escapes in freezing rain, with 150 kilometers left into the stage, and beats Honore Barthelemy by 15 mins.

1921 Snow reduces the 64 starters to 7 finishers. Francis Pelissier, escaped on Chinon hill, to beat Christophe and Mottiat, in the slowest average speed - just under 23 km/h.

1922 Next year, Henri Pelissier brother of Francis narrowly beats Suter. This was the closest victory.

1935 Rene Le Greves wins the race in the fastest race to date. He is among four sprinters who dominated the times - Le Greves, Roger Lapebie and Di Paco.

1936 The speeds are rising and with an average of 41 km/h, Danneels sprints to victory.

1948 It is now up to an average of 43 km/h, as Louis Caput beats Mignat and Idee in the sprint. The three had staged a long breakaway.

1950 Andre Mahe solos to victory after breaking away in the last 10 kms. The pack just about chases him down. The big development was the new front ring and back ring he rode with - 52 x 14.

1956 At the 44 kms to the finish mark, Albert Bouvet attacks at Poce-sur-Cisse and keeps a narrow margin (never more than 50 seconds), and triumphs on top of l'Alouette hill. It would be 42 years before another Frenchman would win this race.

1961 Belgium's Joseph Wouters sprints to win from a group who had staged a successful breakway. Notable feature - he was under 20 years of age.

1962 Joop De Roo wins with a record average of 44.9 km/h

1965 Fixed gear bikes only. The organisers said it was to make the race tougher. A strong tail wind thwarts them and the Dutchman Karstens (23) takes the new record with an avs of 45 km/h.

1992 Another strong tail wind, Belgium's Henrik Redant rides in with 46.7 km/h ave, and a new record.

1997 Andre Tchmil sets the new record 48.4 km/h.

1998 Jacky Durand breaks a 42-year drought and wins it for France.

Start list

Mapei - Quick Step               Lotto - Adecco
 
1 Andrea Tafi (Ita)              11 Andrei Tchmil (Bel)
2                                12 Mario Aerts (Bel)
3 Laszlo Bodrogi (Hun)           13 Serge Baguet (Bel)
4 Davide Bramati (Ita)           14 Christophe Brandt (Bel)
5 Oscar Freire (Spa)             15 Glenn D'hollander (Bel)
6 Daniele Nardello (Ita)         16 Nico Eeckhout (Bel)
7 Luca Paolini (Ita)             17 Guennadi Mikhailov (Rus)
8 Stefano Zanini (Ita)           18 Paul Van Hyfte (Bel)
9 Kevin Hulsmans (Bel)
 
Rabobank                         Domo - Farm Frites
 
21 Erik Dekker (Ned)             31 Romans Vainsteins (Lat)
22 Jan Boven (Ned)               32 Enrico Cassani (Ita)
23 Steven De Jongh (Ned)         33 Axel Merckx (Bel)
24 Maarten Den Bakker (Ned)      34 Marco Milesi (Ita)
25 Karsten Kroon (Ned)           35 Johan Museeuw (Bel)
26 Marc Lotz (Ned)               36 Wilfried Peeters (Bel)
27 Matthé Pronk (Ned)            37 Richard Virenque (Fra)
28 Marc Wauters (Bel)            38 Piotr Wadecki (Pol)
 
Lampre - Daikin                  Tacconi Sport - Vini Caldirola
 
41                               51 Nicola Minali (Ita)
42 Robert Hunter (RSA)           52 Paolo Bossoni (Ita)
43 Mariano Piccoli (Ita)         53 Diego Ferrari (Ita)
44 Maximilian Sciandri (GBr)     54 Mauro Gerosa (Ita)
45 Marco Serpellini (Ita)        55 Andrej Hauptman (Slo)
46                               56 Eddy Mazzoleni (Ita)
47 Zbigniew Spruch (Pol)         57 Mauro Radaelli (Ita)
48 Jan Svorada (Slo)             58 Gianluca Sironi (Ita)
49 Simone Bertoletti (Swi)
50 Johan Verstrepen (Bel)
 
Team Deutsche Telekom            Fassa Bortolo
 
61 Erik Zabel (Ger)              71 Michele Bartoli (Ita)
62 Rolf Aldag (Ger)              72 Ivan Basso (Ita)
63 Ralf Grabsch (Ger)            73 Serguei Ivanov (Rus)
64 Danilo Hondo (Ger)            74 Dimitri Konyshev (Rus)
65 Kai Hundertmarck (Ger)        75 Nicola Loda (Ita)
66 Andreas Klier (Ger)           76 Luca Mazzanti (Ita)
67 Jan Schaffrath (Ger)          77 Alessandro Petacchi (Ita)
68 Stephan Schreck (Ger)         78 Oscar Pozzi (Ita)
 
Cofidis                          Saeco Macchine Per Caffe
 
81 Nico Mattan (Bel)             91 
82 Médéric Clain (Fra)           92 Salvatore Commesso (Ita)
83                               93 Biagio Conte (Ita)
84 Dimitri Fofonov (Kaz)         94 Cadel Evans (Aus)
85 Claude Lamour (Fra)           95 Jorg Ludewig (Ger)
86 Chris Peers (Bel)             96 Massimiliano Mori (Ita)
87 Jo Planckaert (Bel)           97 Igor Pugaci (Mda)
88 Jean-Michel Tessier (Fra)     98 Fabio Sacchi (Ita)
                                 100 Marius Sabaliauskas (Ltu)
 
Liquigas - Pata                  CSC - Tiscali
 
101 Daniele Contrini (Ita)       111 Rolf Sorensen (Den)
102 Fausto Dotti (Ita)           112 Michaël Blaudzun (Den)
103 Christiano Frattini (Ita)    113 Tristan Hoffman (Ned)
104 Mirco Marini (Ita)           114 Nicolas Jalabert (Fra)
105 Giancarlo Raimondi (Ita)     115 Danny Jonasson (Den)
106                              116 Bjarke Nielsen (Den)
107 Marco Zanotti (Ita)          117 Arvis Piziks (Ltu)
109 Ellis Rastelli (Ita)         118 Jacob Moe Rasmussen (Den)
 
Festina Watches                  Credit Agricole
 
121 Florent Brard (Fra)          131 Thor Hushovd (Nor)
122 Stéphane Auge (Fra)          132 Magnus Backstedt (Swe)
123 Andy Flickinger (Fra)        133 Frédéric Bessy (Fra)
124 Michel Klinger (Swi)         134 Pierrick Fedrigo (Fra)
125 André Korff (Ger)            135 Ludovic Martin (Fra)
126 Arnaud Pretot (Fra)          136 Benoit Poilvet (Fra)
127 Nicolas Reynaud (Fra)        137 Jonathan Vaughters (USA)
128 Sven Teutenberg (Ger)
 
Euskaltel - Euskadi              Ag2R Prevoyance
 
141 David Etxebarria (Spa)       151 Jaan Kirsipuu (Est)
142 Igor Flores (Spa)            152 Christophe Agnolutto (Fra)
143 Gorka Gerrikagoitia (Spa)    153 Lauri Aus (Est)
144 Gorka Gonzalez (Spa)         154 Linas Balciunas (Ltu)
145 Inaki Isasi Flores (Spa)     155 Stéphane Berges (Fra)
146 Alberto Martinez (Spa)       156 Alexandre Botcharov (Rus)
147 Josu Silloniz Aresti (Spa)   157 Innar Mandoja (Est)
148                              158 Ludovic Turpin (Fra)
150 Bingen Fernandez (Spa)
 
Alessio                          Bonjour
 
161 Alessandro Bertolini (Ita)   171 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra)
162 Stefano Casagranda (Ita)     172 Franck Bouyer (Fra)
163 Angelo Furlan (Ita)          173 Frédéric Gabriel (Fra)
164 Alexandar Nikacevic (Yug)    174 Charles Guilbert (Fra)
165 Paolo Valoti (Ita)           175 Frédéric Mainguenaud (Fra)
166 Alberto Vinale (Ita)         176 Mickael Pichon (Fra)
                                 177 Franck Renier (Fra)
                                 178 Jean-Cyril Robin (Fra)
 
Collstrop - Palmans              Jean Delatour
 
181 Peter Van Petegem (Bel)      191 Patrice Halgand (Fra)
182 Eric De Clercq (Bel)         192 Gilles Bouvard (Fra)
183 Hans De Meester (Bel)        193 Laurent Brochard (Fra)
184 Roger Hammond (GBr)          194 Cyril Dessel (Fra)
185 Geert Omloop (Bel)           195 Iva Lo Gabrovski (Bul)
186 Marc Streel (Bel)            196 Stephane Goubert (Fra)
187 Erwin Thijs (Bel)            197 Eddy Lembo (Fra)
188 Kristof Trouve (Bel)         198 Bruno Thibout (Fra)
 
Francaise Des Jeux               Team Coast
 
201 Jacky Durand (Fra)           211 
202                              212 Stefan Adamsson (Swe)
203 Patrick D'hont (Bel)         213 Daniel Becke (Ger)
204 Bradley Mc Gee (Aus)         214 Frank Hoj (Den)
205 Christophe Mengin (Fra)      215 Rolf Huser (Swi)
206 Jean-Patrick Nazon (Fra)     216
207 Sandy Casar (Fra)            217 Malte Urban (Ger)
208 Nicolas Vogondy (Fra)        218 Christoph Von Kleinsorgen (Ger)
                                 219 Aitor Garmendia (Spa)
                                 220 Raphael Schweda (Ger)
 
Big.Mat - Auber 93               Saint - Quentin Oktos
 
221 Stéphane Heulot (Fra)        231 Maxim Smirnov (Rus)
222 Guillaume Auger (Fra)        232 Jérome Desjardin (Fra)
223 Ludovic Auger (Fra)          233 Christophe Gauthier (Fra)
224 Jérémy Hunt (GBr)            234
225 Xavier Jan (Fra)             235 Christophe Morel (Fra)
226 Patrick Jonker (Ned)         236 Laurent Paumier (Fra)
227                              237 Vincent Templier (Fra)
228                              238 Arturas Trumpaukskas (Ltu)
230 Cryil Saugrain (Fra)

Thanks to Daniel Schamps for the final start list

Past Winners

Year Winner                    Second              Third           kms   avs

PARIS-TOURS

2000 Andrea Tafi (Ita)         Tchmil (Bel)        Nardello (Ita)  254  38.3
1999 Marc Wauters (Bel)        Faresin (Ita)       Kirsipuu (Est)  254  41.281
1998 Jacky Durand (Fra)        Gualdi (Ita)        Kirsipuu (Est)  254  44.231
1997 Andrei Tchmil (Ukr)       Sciandri (GB)       Vogels (Aus)    254  48.400
1996 Nicola Minali (Ita)       Steels (Bel)        Lombardi (Ita)  249  44.860
1995 Nicola Minali (Ita)       Tchmil (Rus)        Teutenberg (Ge) 250  43.363
1994 Erik Zabel (Ger)          Bortolami (Ita)     Spruch (Pol)    250  39.934
1993 Johan Museeuw (Bel)       Fondriest (Ita)     Gontchenkov     251  38.142
1992 Hendrik Redant (Bel)      Henn (Ger)          Ludwig (Ger)    286  46.745
1991 Johan Capiot (Bel)        Ludwig (Ger)        Verhoeven (Ned) 286  38.406
1990 Rolf Sorensen (Dan)       Anderson (Aus)      Fondriest (Ita) 283  39.601
1989 Jelle Nijdam (Ned)        Vanderaerden (Bel)  Museeuw(Bel)    283  39.402
1988 Peter Pieters (Ned)       Goessens (Bel)      Kelly (Ire)     290  34.202

CRETEIL-CHAVILLE (Grand Prix d'Automne)

1987 Adri Van Der Poel (Ned)   Van Vliet (Ned)     Fondriest (Ita) 255  38.734
1986 Phil Anderson (Aus)       Peillon (Fra)       Mottet (Fra)    253  40.765
1985 Ludo Peeters (Bel)        Argentin (Ita)      Kelly (Ire)     249  38.607

BLOIS-CHAVILLE (Grand Prix d'Automne)                       

1984 Sean Kelly (Irl)          Rooks (Ned)         Wojtinek (Fra)  249  41.411
1983 Ludo Peeters (Bel)        Van der Poel (Ned)  Raas (Ned)      237  43.431
1982 Luc Vandenbroucke (Bel)   Gavazzi (Ita)       De Wolf (Bel)   228  40.777
1981 Jan Raas (Ned)            Van den Haute (Bel) Colyn (Bel)     228  40.113
1980 Daniel Willems (Bel)      Vigneron (Fra)      Vanhaerens (Be) 228  40.449
1979 Joop Zoetemelk (Ned)      Saronni (Ita)       Raas (Ned)      228  41.838

BLOIS-MONTLHERY (Grand Prix d'Automne)

1978 Jan Raas (Ned)            Jacobs (Bel)        Van Calster (B) 271  38.896

Grand Prix d'Automne

1977 Joop Zoetemelk (Ned)      De Muynck (Bel)     Kuiper (Ned)    259  44.531
1976 Ronald De Witte (Bel)     Poulidor (Fra)      Bouloux (Fra)   253  43.519

TOURS-VERSAILLES

1975 Freddy Maertens (Bel)     Van Looy (Bel)      De Vlaeminck    247  41.241
1974 Francesco Moser (Ita)     Danguillaume (Fra)  Leman (Bel)     254  43.268

PARIS-TOURS

1973 Rik Van Linden (Bel)      De Vlaeminck (Bel)  Verbeeck (Bel)  264  42.076 
1972 Noel Vantyghem (Bel)      Huysmans (Bel)      De Geest (Bel)  292  40.679
1971 Rik Van Linden (Bel)      Basso (Ita)         Karstens (Ned)  285  40.766
1970 Jurgen Tschan (Ger)       Pijnen (Ned)        Reybroeck (Bel) 286  41.011
1969 Herman Vanspringel (Bel)  Verbeeck (Bel)      Jochmans (Bel)  286  43.038
1968 Guido Reybroeck (Bel)     Godefroot (Bel)     Leman (Bel)     249  44.584
1967 Rik Van Looy (Bel)        Hoban (Ang)         Samyn (Fra)     249  41.720
1966 Guido Reybroeck (Bel)     Van Looy (Bel)      Lemeteyer (Fra) 249  43.355
1965 Gerben Karstens (Ned)     Desmet (Bel)        Deferm (Bel)    247  45.029
1964 Guido Reybroeck (Bel)     Van Looy (Bel)      Desmet (Bel)    248  36.466
1963 Jo De Roo (Ned)           Simpson (Ang)       Poulidor (Fra)  255  39.162
1962 Jo De Roo (Ned)           Melckenbeeck (Bel)  Beheyt (Bel)    267  44.903
1961 Jos Wouters (Bel)         De Smet (Bel)       Novak (Fra)     267  38.407
1960 Jo De Haan (Ned)          Stolker (Ned)       Otano (Spa)     267  40.001
1959 Rik Van Looy (Bel)        Niesten (Ned)       Noyelle (Bel)   267  37.791
1958 Gilbert De Smet (Bel)     De Bruyne (Bel)     Mahe (Fra)      251  37.148
1957 Alfred DE Bruyne (Bel)    Bobet (Fra)         Conterno (Ita)  251  42.842
1956 Albert Bouvet (Fra)       Schepens (Bel)      Bobet (Fra)     251  40.844
1955 Jacques Dupont (Fra)      De Bruyne (Bel)     Cieleska (Fra)  253  43.766
1954 Gilbert Scodeller (Fra)   Bobet (Fra)         Michel (Fra)    253  40.881
1953 Jozef Schils (Bel)        Kubler (Swi)        Gilles (Fra)    253  43.529
1952 Raymond Guegan (Fra)      Schotte (Bel)       Caput (Fra)     253  40.861
1951 Jacques Dupont (Fra)      Martini (Ita)       Redolfi (Fra)   251  41.691
1950 Andre Mahe (Fra)          Caffi (Fra)         Lapebie (Fr)    251  39.536
1949 Albert Ramon (Bel)        Neri (Ita)          Geus (Bel)      251  41.377
1948 Louis Caput (Fra)         Mignat (Fra)        Idee (Fra)      251  43.096
1947 Brik Schotte (Bel)        Idee (Fra)          Sercu (Bel)     251  35.678
1946 Brik Schotte (Bel)        Prevotal (Fra)      De Muer (Fra)   251  37.714
1945 Paul Maye (Fra)           Goutorbe (Fra)      Idee (Fra)      253  37.161
1944 Lucien Teisseire (Fra)    Gauthier (Fra)      Thietard (Fra)  253  41.452
1943 Gaby Gaudin (Fra)         Buysse (Bel)        Hendrickx (Bel) 241  37.422
1942 Paul Maye (Fra)           Virol (Fra)         Rossi (Ita)     248  36.024
1941 Paul Maye (Fra)           Goutal (Fra)        Cloarec (Fra)   249  36.096
1939 Frans Bonduel (Bel)       Storme (Bel)        Pirmez (Bel)    251  39.655
1938 Jules Rossi (Ita)         Disseaux (Bel)      Maye (Fra)      251  42.097
1937 Gustave Danneels (Bel)    Bonduel (Bel)       De Caluwe (Bel) 251  41.092
1936 Gustave Danneels (Bel)    Mithouard (Fra)     Coelaert (Bel)  251  41.455
1935 Rene Le Greves (Fra)      Lapebie (Fra)       Di Paco (Ita)   251  37.900
1934 Gustave Danneels (Bel)    Gijssels (Bel)      Vervaecke (Bel) 243  38.358
1933 Jules Merviel (Fra)       Magne (Fra)         Geyer (Ger)     243  37.528
1932 Julien Moineau (Fra)      Sieronski (Ger)     Viarengo (Fra)  253  37.251
1931 Andre Leducq (Fra)        Parioleau (Fra)     Pelissier (Fra) 240  31.276
1930 Jean MarechaL (Fra)       Bidot (Fra)         Bonduel (Bel)   253  34.112
1929 Nicolas Frantz (Bel)      Deolet (Bel)        Ronsse (Bel)    253  27.355
1928 Den. Verschueren (Bel)    Pelissier (Fra)     Gallotini (Fra) 253  34.746
1927 Henri Suter (Swi)         Van Slembroek (Bel) Ronsse (Bel)    253  35.324
1926 Henri Suter (Swi)         Notter (Swi)        Frantz (Lux)    324  28.230
1925 Den. Verschueren (Bel)    Mortelmans (Bel)    Hilarion (Fra)  342  27.469
1924 Louis Mottiat (Bel)       Frantz (Lux)        Huyvaert (Bel)  342  28.423
1923 Paul Deman (Bel)          Sellier (Bel)       Thiberghien (B) 342  25.014
1922 Henri Pelissier (Fra)     Suter (Swi)         Jacquinot (Fra) 342  29.653
1921 Francis Pelissier (Fra)   Mottiat (Bel)       Christophe (Fr) 342  22.893
1920 Eugene Christophe (Fra)   Barthelemy (Fra)    De Jonghe (Bel) 342  25.570
1919 Hector Thiberghien (Bel)  Vandenhove (Bel)    Rossius (Bel)   342  27.178
1918 Charles Mantelet (Fra)    Cazalis (Swi)       Michiels (Bel)  248  30.182
1917 Philippe Thys (Bel)       Godivier (Fra)      Christophe (Fr) 246  34.009
1914 Oscar Egg (Swi)           Engel (Fra)         Thys (Bel)      316  32.147
1913 Charles Crupelandt (Fra)  Passerieu (Fra)     Luguet (Fra)    246  33.931
1912 Louis Heusghem (Bel)      Deruyter (Bel)      Petit-Breton    246  26.348
1911 Octave Lapize (Fra)       Van Hauwaert (Bel)  Georget (Fra)   248  27.054
1910 Francois Faber (Lux)      Trousselier (Fra)   Engel (Fra)     248  32.105
1909 Francois Faber (Lux)      Alavoine (Fra)      Paul (Fra)      248  30.680
1908 Omer Beaugendre (Fra)     Saillot (Fra)       Faber (Lux)     248  30.690
1907 Georges Passerieu (Fra)   Pottier (Fra)       Georget (Fra)   245  32.186
1906 Lucien Petit-Breton (Fra) Trousselier (Fra)   Cornet (Fra)    234  29.557
1901 Jean Fischer (Fra)        Lorgeou (Fra)       Wattelier (Fra) 253  26.982
1896 E. Prevost (Fra)          Ouzou (Fra)         Bouvet (Fra)    250  31.200

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