6th GP Rudy Dhaenens - 1.3

Nevele, Belgium, March 24, 2004

2003 Results Results Past winners

Omloop too good in Nevele

Belgian champion Geert Omloop (MrBookmaker.com-Palmans) won the 6th edition of the Grote Prijs Rudy Dhaenens with a solo attack in the final kilometres. Dutch champion Rudi Kemna (BankGiroLoterij) was second, while British champion Roger Hammond (MrBookmaker.com-Palmans) completed the national champions' podium in third place.

"These races in bad weather conditions suit me well," said Omloop after the finish. "I knew I had to ride attentively at the beginning of the race, certainly with the wind. In the finale we started to take it in turns attacking with the team. When Sentjens countered an attack from Hammond, I slipped away nicely."

The race was held in extremely windy conditions and a crash after 20 km took out both Marc Streel (Landbouwkrediet) and James Vanlandschoot (Bodysol). The former abandoned while the latter had to be taken to hospital with a hole in his knee and a sore wrist. A break of 15 riders managed to get clear after 30 km and they stayed away until the end, with a disinterested peloton already 13 minutes behind once the finishing circuits around Nevele began. In the meantime a group of 24 riders tried to mount a pursuit, but they could get no closer than 3 minutes.

In the closing laps, Dutch champion Rudi Kemna started the attacking, but was countered by Geert Omloop. He was caught by teammates Michel Vanhaecke and Roger Hammond, as well as Gerben Löwik (Jacques), Niels Scheuneman and Johan Van Summeren (Relax-Bodysol), Roy Sentjens (Rabobank) and Rudi Kemna (BankGiroLoterij). Omloop kept putting the pressure on but could not break the group. His teammate Roger Hammond attacked and got a 13 second lead, only to be caught by Omloop and Sentjens on the cobbled section in Hansbeke. But the rest of the group closed the gap, prompting Hammond to attack again. This time it was Sentjens who shut it down, only to be countered by Omloop, who finally rode away to win by eight seconds. Kemna beat Hammond in the group sprint for second.

Results

1 Geert Omloop (Bel) MrBookmaker.Com - Palmans              4.42.00
2 Rudi Kemna (Ned) Bankgiroloterij                             0.08
3 Roger Hammond (Gbr) MrBookmaker.Com - Palmans
4 Nico Mattan (Bel) Relax - Bodysol
5 Roy Sentjens (Ned) Rabobank
6 Gerben Löwik (Ned) Chocolade Jacques Wincor - Nixdorf
7 Mlchel Van Haecke (Bel) MrBookmaker.Com - Palmans
8 Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Relax - Bodysol
9 Niels Scheuneman (Ned) Relax - Bodysol                       0.45
10 Gorlk Gardeyn (Bel) Lotto -Domo                             0.17
11 Kenny Van Hummel (Ned) Vanhemert-Eurogifts
12 Bobbie Traksel (Bel) Rabobank
13 Wim De Vocht (Bel) Relax - Bodysol
14 Hans De Clercq (Bel) Lotto-Domo
15 Gert Steegmans (Bel) Lotto-Domo                             4.25
16 Ief Verbrugqhe (Bel) Lotto-Domo                             4.40
17 Stefan Schumacher (Ger) Team Lamonta
18 Stijn Devolder (Bel) Mixed Team
19 Kirk O'Bee (Bel) Navigators Insurance
20 Erwin Thijs (Bel) MrBookmaker.Com - Palmans
21 Matthé Pronk (Ned) Bankgiroloterij
22 Remco Van Der Ven (Ned) Bankgiroloterij                     5.45
23 Kurt Hovelynck (Bel) Jong Vlaanderen                        7.35
24 Flllp Meirhaeghe (Bel) Jong Vlaanderen
25 Kristof Trouve (Bel) MrBookmaker.Com - Palmans
26 Stefan Kupfernagel (Dui) Teamlamonta
27 Kevin De Weert (Bel) Rabobank
28 Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Relax - Bodysol
29 Eelke Van Der Wal (Ned) Bankgiroloterij                    10.05
30 Frank Van Dulmem (Ned) Bankgiroloterij
31 Ralf Grabsch (Ger) Team Wiesenhof
32 Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Bankgiroloterij
33 Glenn D'Hollander (Bel) Lotto-Domo                         10.55
34 David Harrigan (Aus) Team Cyclingnews.com-Down Under
35 Johnny Hoogerland (Ned) Van Hemert - Eurogifts

Courtesy of Wielerparcours

Past winners

2003 Christophe Kern (Fra) Brioches La Boulangère
2002 Wesley Van Speybroeck (Bel) Lotto-Adecco
2001 Geert Omloop (Bel) Collstrop-Palmans
2000 Nico Eeckhout (Bel) Palmans-Ideal
1999 Hendrik Van Dyck (Bel) TVM

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