67th GP des Nations - 1.1/1.7.1/1.9.1

France, September 21, 2003

2002 Results Results Past winners

Rich follows Peschel

Rich on the mark
Photo ©: AFP

German giant Michael Rich (Gerolsteiner) has followed on from his teammate and defending champion Uwe Peschel by winning the 67th edition of the Grand Prix des Nations. Rich beat Belgian giant Bert Roesems (Palmans Collstrop) by a single second, with Ukrainian Serguei Gontchar (De Nardi) finishing third at 53 seconds. Uwe Peschel was fourth this time around, 58 seconds slower than Rich.

"It was a good test today," Rich told L'Equipe. "No, it was more than a test before the World Championships. The GP des Nations is a big race and I'm very proud to have won it."

Rich will now go to the World Championships with a good level of confidence, and will try to better his silver medal performances of 2000 and 2002.

Held over two laps of a tough 35 km parcours around Dieppe, the race attracted a strong field of specialists against the clock. In addition to the leading four, there were also Laszlo Bodrogi and Michael Rogers (both Quick.Step), Jens Voigt (Credit Agricole), Fabian Cancellara (Fassa Bortolo), Jean Nuttli (Volksbank-Ideal), Raivis Belohvosciks (Marlux), French TT champ Eddy Seigneur (Jean Delatour) and last year's U23 winner Tomas Vaitkus (Landbouwkrediet).

Rich and Roesems battled neck and neck throughout the 70 km event, with Roesems recording a split 26 seconds ahead after only 9 km. But eventually Rich was able to prevail by a single second as Roesems lost time over the remainder.

In the women's event, Swiss duathlete Karin Thuerig won in a time of 50'50 over one lap (35 km) of the course. She beat Hanka Kupfernagel (Nürnberger) by 7 seconds with the eternal French star Jeannie Longo in third at 28 seconds. Longo will represent France at the World's in Hamilton.

Photos

Images by AFP

Michael Rich (Gerolsteiner) rolls down the start ramp in Dieppe, recording the fastest time over a tough 70 kilometre parcours.
Michael Rich salutes the crowd as winner of the 67th Grand Prix des Nations.

Images by Peter Geyer/www.cyclingfans.com

The event poster was on display throughout the city of Dieppe.
The Rabobank team cars with loudspeakers attached to the bonnet for those extra words of encouragement from the directeur-sportif.
A beautiful day and location greeted the riders for the 67th edition of the GP des Nations.
More than 400 riders took part in the morning's 'Open' event on the same course the professionals would ride on later in the day.
Organized by the same crew who run the Tour de France, ASO, the GP des Nations had all the props and gizmos to make it a world-class event.
The long limbs of one Jeannie Longo.
Superstar Jeannie Longo leaves the start ramp on her way to a podium position before tackling the World Championships Hamilton later next month.
Jens Voigt (Credit Agricole) warms up for the 70 kilometre effort to come.
American Steven Cozza, riding for the American national team in the juniors event, has his bike checked out by a race official.
Steven Cozza exits the start ramp on his way to fourth place in the Juniors event.
Fabrice Jeandesboz (Cotes D'armor Cc Moncontour) comes into the final corner in the U23 men's event.
American Timothy Duggan, having recently arrived in Europe, was in Dieppe for the U23 men's event.
Team USA's Timothy Duggan rode to a fine 16th place in the U23 men's event.
TT specialist Michael Rich (Gerolsteiner) powers through the streets of Dieppe on the first of two laps of the 35 kilometre circuit.
Hungarian champion Lazlo Bodrogi (Quick.Step-Davitamon) flies by some alfresco diners on the first lap.
Jens Voigt (Credit Agricole) races through the streets of Dieppe.
Florent Brard (Marlux-Wincor Nixdorf), back in action, finished in 14th place.
David Herrero Llorente (Euskatel-Euskadi) turns the final corner to just make the top 20.
Nicolas Portal (AG2r Prévoyance) suffers on the testing parcours to record a time eight and a half minutes slower than winner Michael Rich (Gerolsteiner).
The big Swiss frame of Fabian Cancellara (Fassa Bortolo) rounds the final corner to claim a top 10 finish.
Just a few hundred metres from the finish, veteran Eddy Seigneur (Jean Delatour) shows the pain of his massive effort.
2001 GP des Nations winner Jens Voigt (Credit Agricole) could only manage seventh place today.
Belgian Bert Roesems (Palmans-Collstrop) battled with Michael Rich all the way to the line, only to lose by just one second.
Michael Rich (Gerolsteiner) prepared and rode magnificently, timing his effort to perfection to win the GP des Nations.

Results

Men - 70 km

1 Michael Rich (Ger) Georlsteiner                                  1.31.01 (46.14 km/h)
2 Bert Roesems (Bel) Palmans-Collstrop                                0.01
3 Serhiy Honchar (Ukr) De Nardi-Colpack                               0.53
4 Uwe Peschel (Ger) Gerolsteiner                                      0.58
5 Lazlo Bodrogi (Hun) Quick.Step-Davitamon                            1.06
6 Michael Rogers (Aus) Quick.Step-Davitamon                           1.59
7 Jens Voigt (Ger) Crédit Agricole                                    2.08
8 Philippe Gaumont (Fra) Cofidis, Le Crédit par Téléphone             3.17
9 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Fassa Bortolo                               3.34
10 Jean Nuttli (Swi) Volksbank-Ideal                                  4.09
11 Sandy Casar (Fra) FDJeux.com                                       4.28
12 Frédéric Finot (Fra) Jean Delatour                                 4.41
13 Raivis Belohvosciks (Lat) Marlux-Wincor Nixdorf                    4.43
14 Florent Brard (Fra) Marlux-Wincor Nixdorf                          4.52
15 Yuriy Krivtsov (Ukr) Jean Delatour                                 4.56
16 Stéphane Barthe (Fra) MBK-Oktos-Saint-Quentin                      4.58
17 Eddy Seigneur (Fra) Jean Delatour                                  5.01
18 Mikel Astarloza (Spa) AG2r Prévoyance                              5.34
19 Tomas Vaitkus (Ltu) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago                        6.15
20 David Herrero Llorente (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                     8.12
21 Nicolas Portal (Fra) AG2r Prévoyance                               8.37
22 Benoît Vaugrenard (Fra) FDJeux.com                                 8.46
23 Inigo Chaurreau (Spa) AG2r Prévoyance                              8.55

U23 Men - 35 km

1 Thomas Dekker (Ned) Rabobank                                       46.16 (45.39 km/h)
2 Joost Posthuma (Ned) Rabobank                                       0.18
3 Rory Sutherland (Aus) Australian National Team                      0.54
4 Peter Magyarosi (Ger) Hofbrau-Radler Stuttgart                      1.09
5 Olivier Kaisen (Bel) Belgian National Team                          1.37
6 Piotr Mazur (Pol) Polish National Team                              1.46
7 Francesco Rivera (Ita) Palazzago Vellutex                           1.46
8 Emilien Berges (Fra) Ac 23 Panorimmo.Com                            1.47
9 Denis Kostyuk (Ukr) Palazzago Vellutex                              1.52
10 Damien Monier (Fra) Velo-Club Riomois                              2.01
11 Niels Scheuneman (Ned) Rabobank                                    2.07
12 Julien Mazet (Fra) Credit Agricole Espoirs                         2.18
13 Gianluca Moi (Ita) Zoccorinese Vellutex                            2.20
14 Tom Southam (GBr) Nantes 44 Cyclisme                               2.25
15 Mariusz Witecki (Pol) Cyclo Club Nogent/Oise                       2.27
16 Timothy Duggan (USA) USA National Team                             2.28
17 Dominique Rollin (Can) Association Cycliste Canadienne             2.51
18 Guillaume Le Dinahet (Fra) Cotes D'armor Cc Moncontour             2.52
19 Loïc Vandel (Fra) Chambery Cyclisme Formation                      2.56
20 Romain Genter (Fra) Ac 23 Panorimmo.Com                            2.58
21 Sébastien Coeffier (Fra) Pays Des Olonnes Cycliste-Cote De Lumiere 3.09
22 Gaylor Cumont (Fra) Veloce Club Rouen 76                           3.11
23 Sébastien Thomas (Fra) Montmarault-Allier                          3.43
24 Fabrice Jeandesboz (Fra) Cotes D'armor Cc Moncontour               3.45
25 Kilian Patour (Fra) Credit Agricole Espoirs                        4.19
26 Dariusz Rundnicki (Pol) Polish National Team                       4.40
27 Jean-Charles Breard (Fra) US Sainte Ausreberthe Pavilly Barentin   6.19

Women - 35 km

1 Karin Thuerig (Swi)                                                50.50 (41.301 km/h)
2 Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger)                                             0.07
3 Jeannie Longo (Fra)                                                 0.28
4 Christiane Soeder (Aut)                                             2.05
5 Edwige Pitel (Fra)                                                  2.17
6 Kirsty Robb (Nzl)                                                   3.03
7 Virginie Moinard (Fra)                                              4.16
8 Corine Hierckens (Bel)                                              5.02
9 Blandine Camus (Fra)                                                7.13
10 Julie Wynants (Bel)                                               13.43

Juniors - 35 km

1 Julien Loubet (Fra)                                                48.29 (43,301 km/h)
2 Dominique Cornu (Bel)                                               0.02
3 Rémy Di Gregorio (Fra)                                              0.43
4 Steven Cozza (USA)                                                  0.44
5 Maxime Bouet (Fra)                                                  0.49

Past winners

Elite Men

2002 Uwe Peschel (Ger) Team Gerolsteiner

U23 Men

2002 Tomas Vaitkus (Ltu) Zoccorinese Ghia Fasco



Past winners by Mario Stiehl, www.world-of-cycling.com