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43rd ENECO Ronde van Nederland - 2.1
Netherlands, August 19-23, 2003
2002 results Stage List Preview Start List Past winners
The Stages
- Stage 1 - August 19: Middelburg - Rotterdam, 185 km
- Stage 2 - August 20: Apeldoorn - Nijkerk, 190 km
- Stage 3 - August 21: Coevorden - Denekamp, 86 km
- Stage 4 - August 21: Nordhorn (Ger) - Denekamp ITT, 23 km
- Stage 5 - August 22: Kleve (Ger) - Sittard-Geleen, 195 km
- Stage 6 - August 23: Sittard-Geleen - Landgraaf , 214 km
Short but tough Tour of Holland in 2003
By Jeff Jones
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Commencing with a 185 kilometre stage between Middelburg and Rotterdam on August 19, the 43rd edition of the ENECO Ronde van Nederland (Tour of Holland) will run through until Saturday, August 23 when it finishes in Landgraaf, in the south of the country. The six stages of Holland's national tour present the riders with a varying mix of challenges, and the race is likely to be decided on the final day.
The first stage looks to be quite important, as the riders will have to cross several long bridges as they hop between islands in the south west of the country. If the wind blows on this stage, then there will be nowhere to hide. Stage 2 from Apeldoorn to Nijkerk over 190 should be a less exposed affair, and will lend itself to a bunch sprint. The third day features two stages: a short 86 km dash between Coevorden and Denekamp in the morning, followed by a 23 km time trial starting in Nordhorn (Germany) and finishing in Denekamp.
The fifth stage also starts in Germany, taking the riders from Kleve to Sittard-Geleen, using a fair proportion of German roads. The Ronde van Nederland will conclude on August 23 with a tough 214 km stage between Sittard-Geleen and Landgraaf, passing through Maastricht, Valkenburg and Gulpen among other Limburg towns. This is the hilliest stage and can certainly turn the general classification on its head.
Fifteen teams are registered to start in the Ronde van Nederland, with Fassa Bortolo's Kim Kirchen wearing the number one as defending champion. He will be backed by a strong team that includes Alessandro Petacchi, who showed in Dwars door Gendringen that he doesn't always need to rely on his sprint to win races.
Being the big home team, Rabobank will again be under pressure to perform well in its home tour. In the last four editions, top rider Erik Dekker has managed to finish no lower than second on GC, however he is likely to play a supporting role for his teammates in this edition, as he is coming back from injury. Rabobank will look to riders like Michael Boogerd to take on the captain's role.
1999 winner Serguei Gontchar will line up with De Nardi-Colpack. The Ukrainian can certainly do well in the time trial, but will have a hard time on the final stage. Team CSC has as its big drawcard Tyler Hamilton, who finished 62nd in the Championship of Zurich, his first real race since the Tour.
US Postal's Victor Hugo Peña led the race for a time last year, but faltered in the final stage to lose time to Kirchen and Dekker. He is a top time trialist and can handle the climbs. BankGiroLoterij will rely on stalwart Bart Voskamp for the GC, while sprinters Jans Koerts and Rudi Kemna will aim for stage wins.
FJDuex.com's Brad McGee and Baden Cooke are back in action in Holland, together with Jimmy Casper, who is recovered from his Tour injuries. Speaking of sprinters, Lotto-Domo's Robbie McEwen and Telekom's Erik Zabel are both down to start, and with Petacchi there we could see a few Tour de France scores being settled (or not).
Finally, Quick.Step's Johan Museeuw, Tom Boonen and Servais Knaven will be looking to mix things up, with Laszlo Bodrogi there for the time trial.
Start list
Fassa Bortolo Rabobank 1 Kim Kirchen (Lux) 11 Michael Boogerd (Ned) 2 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) 12 Robert Bartko (Ger) 3 Francesco Chicchi (Ita) 13 Maarten Den Bakker (Ned) 4 Sergei Ivanov (Rus) 14 Oscar Freire (Spa) 5 Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) 15 Bram De Groot (Ned) 6 Guido Trenti (USA) 16 Steven De Jongh (Ned) 7 Marco Velo (Ita) 17 Erik Dekker (Ned) 8 Marco Zanotti (Ita) 18 Marc Wauters (Bel) US Postal presented by Berry Floor Quick.Step-Davitamon 21 Victor-Hugo Pena (Col) 31 Johan Museeuw (Bel) 22 Steffen Kjaergaard (Nor) 32 Laslo Bodrogi (Hun) 23 Antonio Cruz (USA) 33 Tom Boonen (Bel) 24 Vjatceslav Ekimov (Rus) 34 Aurélien Clerc (Swi) 25 Max Van Heeswijk (Ned) 35 Wilfried Cretskens (Bel) 26 Pavel Padrnos (Cze) 36 Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) 27 Benoit Joachim (Lux) 37 Servais Knaven (Ned) 28 Guennadi Mikhailov (Rus) 38 Bram Tankink (Ned) Team Telekom Team fakta 41 Erik Zabel (Ger) 51 Frank Hoj (Den) 42 Rolf Aldag (Ger) 52 Allan Bo Andresen (Den) 43 Gian Matteo Fagnini (Ita) 53 Bjarke Nielsen (Den) 44 Cadel Evans (Aus) 54 Lars Bak (Den) 45 Andreas Kloden (Ger) 55 Werner Riebenbauer (Aut) 46 Andreas Klier (Ger) 56 Jacob Moe Rasmussen (Den) 47 David Kopp (Ger) 57 Michael Reihs (Den) 48 Stephan Schreck (Ger) 58 Julian Winn (GBr) Team CSC Bankgiroloterij Cycling Team 61 Tyler Hamilton (USA) 71 Bart Voskamp (Ned) 62 Geert Van Bondt (Bel) 72 Jeroen Blijlevens (Ned) 63 Jimmi Madsen (Den) 73 Bert Hiemstra (Ned) 64 Arvis Piziks (Lat) 74 Rudi Kemna (Ned) 65 Tristan Hoffman (Ned) 75 Jans Koerts (Ned) 66 Paul Van Hyfte (Bel) 76 Gerben Löwik (Ned) 67 Nicolas Jalabert (Fra) 77 Rik Reinerink (Ned) 68 Michael Sandstöd (Den) 78 Bram Schmitz (Ned) Lotto-Domo Vini Caldirola-SO.DI 81 Robbie McEwen (Aus) 91 Gabriele Balducci (Ita) 82 Leon Van Bon (Ned) 92 Massimo Apollonio (Ita) 83 Stefan Van Dijk (Ned) 94 Andrej Hauptmann (Slo) 84 Hans De Clercq (Bel) 95 Simone Masciarelli (Ita) 85 Glenn D'hollander (Bel) 96 Mauro Radaelli (Ita) 86 Koos Moerenhout (Ned) 97 Fred Rodriguez (USA) 87 Gert Steegmans (Bel) 98 Gianluca Sironi (Ita) 88 Aart Vierhouten (Ned) De Nardi-Colpack Team Bianchi 101 Sergei Gontchar (Ukr) 111 Fabrizio Guidi (Ita) 102 Andrus Aug (Est) 112 Stefan Adamsson (Swe) 103 Simone Cadamuro (Ita) 113 Daniel Becke (Ger) 105 Leonardo Giordani (Ita) 114 Steffen Radochla (Ger) 106 Rafael Nuritdinov (Uzb) 116 Sven Teutenberg (Ger) 107 Ondrej Fadrny (Cze) 117 Christophe Von Kleinsorgen (Ger) 108 Andrea Rossi (Ita) 118 Malte Urban (Ger) FDJeux.com O.N.C.E.-Eroski 121 Bradley McGee (Aus) 131 Mikel Zarrabeitia (Spa) 122 Jimmy Casper (Fra) 132 René Andrle (Cze) 123 Baden Cooke (Aus) 133 David Arroyo (Spa) 124 David Derepas (Fra) 134 Angel Castresana (Spa) 125 Jacky Durand (Fra) 135 Rafael Diaz Justo (Spa) 126 Benoit Vaugrenard (Fra) 136 Allan Davis (Aus) 127 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) 137 Xavier Florencio (Spa) 128 Matthew Wilson (Aus) 138 Angel Vicioso (Spa) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago 141 Ludo Dierckxsens (Bel) 142 Ludovic Capelle (Bel) 143 Yuri Mitlushenko (Ukr) 144 Lorenzo Bernucci (Ita) 145 Mikhail Timochine (Rus) 146 Kurt Van Landeghem (Bel) 147 Wesley Van Speybroeck (Bel) 148 Johan Verstrepen (Bel)
Past winners
1948: 1. E. Rogiers (Bel) 2. J. Goldschmidt (Lux) 3. A. Vooren (Ned) 1949: 1. G. Schulte (Ned) 2. D. Keteleer (Bel) 3. B. Schellingerhout (Ned) 1950: 1. H. Lakeman (Ned) 2. J. Depoorter (Bel) 3. N. Callens (Bel) 1951: 1. J. Bogaerts (Bel) 2. J. van Stayen (Bel) 3. J. de Feyter (Bel) 1952: 1. Wim van Est (Ned) 2. W. Wagtmans (Ned) 3. G. Voorting (Ned) 1954: 1. Wim van Est (Ned) 2. G. Schulte (Ned) 3. G. Voorting (Ned) 1955: 1. P. Haan (Ned) 2. Wim van Est (Ned) 3. H. van Breenen (Ned) 1956: 1. Ric van Looy (Bel) 2. G. Carlesi (Ita) 3. Wim van Est (Ned) 1957: 1. Ric van Looy (Bel) 2. Wim van Est (Ned) 3. P. van der Brekel (Ned) 1958: 1. P. van Est (Ned) 2. Peter Post (Ned) 3. L van der Branden (Ned) 1960: 1. Peter Post (Ned) 2. R. Baens (Bel) 3. C. Niesten (Ned) 1961: 1. D. Enthoven (Ned) 2. H. Zilverberg (Ned) 3. J. Captein (Ned) 1963: 1. L. van Kreuningen (Ned) 2. L. van der Ven (Ned) 3. Theo Nijs (Bel) 1965: 1. Jan Janssen (Ned) 2. B. Maliepaard (Ned) 3. J. Huysmans (Bel) 1975: 1. Joop Zoetemelk (Ned) 2. F. Verbeeck (Bel) 3. G. Vianen (Ned) 1976: 1. Gerrie Knetemann (Ned) 2. L. Peeters (Bel) 3. Jan Jacobs (Bel) 1977: 1. B. Pronk (Ned) 2. Sean Kelly (Ire) 3. Rudy Pevenage (Bel) 1978: 1. Johan van der Velde (Ned) 2. E. van der Helst (Bel) 3. Rudy Pevenage (Bel) 1979: 1. Jan Raas (Ned) 2. Gerrie Knetemann (Ned) 3. D. Willems (Bel) 1980: 1. Gerrie Knetemann (Ned) 2. L. Delcroix (Bel) 3. G. Verlinden (Bel) 1981: 1. Gerrie Knetemann (Ned) 2. Hennie Kuiper (Ned) 3. R. Martens (Bel) 1982: 1. B. Oosterbosch (Ned) 2. Jan Raas (Ned) 3. Gerrie Knetemann (Ned) 1983: 1. A. van Houwelingen (Ned) 2. J. Broers (Ned) 3. Herman Frison (Bel) 1984: 1. Jan Lammerts (Ned) 2. Jan Lammertink (Ned) 3. Gert-Jan Theunisse (Ned) 1985: 1. Eric Vanderaerden (Bel) 2. Theo de Rooy (Ned) 3. A. van Houwelingen (Ned) 1986: 1. Gerrie Knetemann (Ned) 2. Gerrit Solleveld (Ned) 3. Peter Pieters (Ned) 1987: 1. T. van Vliet (Ned) 2. M. Sergeant (Ned) 3. Adri van der Poel (Ned) 1988: 1. Thierry Marie (Fra) 2. Erik Breukink (Ned) 3. P. Stevenhaagen (Ned) 1989: 1. Laurent Fignon (Fra) 2. Thierry Marie (Fra) 3. Eddy Schurer (Ned) 1990: 1. Jelle Nijdam (Ned) 2. Erik Breukink (Ned) 3. Thierry Marie (Fra) 1991: 1. Frans Maassen (Ned) 2. Olaf Ludwig (Ger) 3. Eddy Schurer (Ned) 1992: 1. Jelle Nijdam (Ned) 2. Thierry Marie (Fra) 3. L. Bezault (Fra) 1993: 1. Erik Breukink (Ned) 2. Jelle Nijdam (Ned) 3. Olaf Ludwig (Ger) 1994: 1. Jesper Skibby (Den) 2. Djamoladine Abduzhaparov (Uzb) 3. D. Bottaro (Ita) 1995: 1. Jelle Nijdam (Ned) 2. Vjatceslav Ekimov (Rus) 3. Fabio Vanzella (Ita) 1996: 1. Rolf Sörensen (Den) 2. Lance Armstrong (USA) 3. Vjatceslav Ekimov (Rus) 1997: 1. Erik Dekker (Ned) 2. Peter Meinert-Nielsen (Den) 3. Jan Ullrich (Ger) 1998: 1. Rolf Sörensen (Den) Rabobank 2. Vjatceslav Ekimov (Rus) US Postal 3. Peter Van Petegem (Bel) TVM-Farm Frites 1999: 1. Serguei Gontchar (Ukr) Vini Caldirola 2. Erik Dekker (Ned) Rabobank 3. Dylan Casey (USA) US Postal Service 2000: 1. Erik Dekker (Ned) Rabobank 2. Robert Hunter (RSA) Lampre-Daikin 3. Servais Knaven (Ned) Farm Frites 2001 1. Leon Van Bon (Ned) Mercury 2. Erik Dekker (Ned) Rabobank 3. Sergei Gontchar (Ukr) Liquigas-Pata 2002 1. Kim Kirchen (Lux) Fassa Bortolo 2. Erik Dekker (Ned) Rabobank 3. Victor Hugo Pena Grisales (Col) US Postal Service Past winners by Mario Stiehl, www.world-of-cycling.com
