From: seales@stilton.cs.wisc.edu (Brent Seales)
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles
Subject: Race results:  Tour of Flanders
Date: 7 Apr 92 10:19:08 GMT
Organization: University of Wisconsin, Madison -- Computer Sciences Dept.


The 76th Tour of Flanders
Sunday, April 5, 1992
Clear skies
Cool temperatures
192 riders at the start

Translated from l'Equipe

RACE SUMMARY

After the first hour of relative calm,  Jacky Durand (Castorama) attacked at 
the 45 km mark.  He was joined by the Swiss Wegmuller (Festina) and the Belgian
Meyvish (Carrera) and Roelandt (Assur).  The four riders profited from the 
sluggishness of the peloton, and took a 22'10" maximum lead, at the 90 km mark!
The speed increased a notch with the approach of the region of the small climbs.
At the Vieux Kwaremont (km 152) the four riders still had a lead of 15'50".

The weather was almost ideal, with a very light breeze.  The battles would be 
triggered in the coming climbs.  On the Taienberg (km 177) Maassen and Van 
Hooydonck organized to take things into their own hands.  But they were too 
timid, as was Argentin when he pushed on the Volkegemberg (km 184).  On the 
Varentberg (km 196), Tchmile, very active, and Moreels and Cenghialta, left a 
peloton with about sixty riders containing all the favorites, and were joined 
by Capiot, Museeuw and Nidjam on the Molenberg (km 207).  There, with 53 km 
remaining in the race, the lead of Durand, Wegmuller and Meyvisch, who had 
dropped Roelandt, was still 7'5".

At the foot of Berendries (km 227) where the lead of the trio was still 4'58" 
Argentin, Sorenson, and Madiot sat in without concern, and Argentin gave up 
his bike to his Danish teamate!  Thirty six riders composed the peloton as they 
approached the Wall of Grammont, including Madiot, Francois Simon, Gouvenou, 
Lemarchand and Jalabert, but not Fignon, Lemond, or Kelly, who had been dropped.

Van Hooydonck accelerated on the pavement of Grammont.  He was relieved by the 
help of Fondriest, and the two men launched an attack to pursue Durand and 
Wegmuller, who by that point had also dropped Meyvish at Brakel.  The pair
maintained a 2'29" lead with 16 km to go.

Durand dropped Wegmuller on the climb of the Bosberg, with 12 km to go, where 
he still nursed a shrinking 2'1" lead over the frantic chase of Fondriest and 
Van Hooydonck.  A battle of force, Wegmuller gave up quickly the idea of 
trying to catch Durand, who forced his way strongly and alone to the finish 
line, finishing 48" in front of Wegmuller, and 1'44" before Van Hooydonck and 
Fondriest.  Van Hooydonck placed third, and Madiot seventh.

After 220 kilometers in the front, Durand hung on to claim the first French 
victory in the Tour of Flanders in 36 years.  A virtually unknown young pro, 
Durand has only one other pro win to his name:  1991 winner of the Grand 
Prix d'Isbergues.  But the French cycling fans are certainly not complaining;
the hope is that now the floodgates will open and the Tour of Flanders will 
be won by the French more often than every 30 years.


CLASSIFICATION

123 finishers; 260 k in 6h 37' 19" (38.8 kph)

1.  Jacky DURAND (France, Castorama)	       6h 37' 19"
2.  Thomas WEGMULLER (Switzerland, Festina)	at    48"
3.  Edwig Van HOOYDONCK (Belgium, Buckler)	at 1' 44"
4.  Fondriest (Italy, Panasonic)		  s.t.
5.  Maassen (Netherlands, Buckler)		at 1' 57"
6.  Nijdam (Netherlands, Buc.)
7.  M. Madiot (France, Telekom)	
8.  Skibby (Denmark, TVM)
9.  Ballerini (It., GB-MB-Magnifico)
10. De Wolf (Belg., Gatorade)			
11. Simon (Fr, Castorama)		
12. Baffi (It., Ariostea)			at 2' 13"
13. Dhaenens (Belg., Pan)		
14. Museeuw (Belg., Lotto)
15. Sergeant (Belg., Pan)
16. Konishev (CEI, TVM)
17. Golz (Germany, Ari.)
18. Bontempi (It, Carrera)
19. Wampers (Belg., Collstrop)
20. Talen (Germany, PDM)
21. Raab (Germany, PDM)
22. Lemarchand (France, Z)
23. Tchmile (CEI, GB-MB)
24. Jalabert (France, Once)
25. Sciandri (Italy, Motorola)
26. Van der Poel (Netherlands, Tulip)
27. Capiot (Belg., TVM)
28. Theunisse (Netherlands, TVM)
29. Scirea (It., Gatorade)
30. Ekimov (CEI, Pan)
...
41. Bauer (Can., Motorola)			at 5' 55"
50. Anderson (Austr., Motorola)			at 10'10"
54. Cipollini (It., GB-MB)			
57. Colotti (Fr, Z)
73. Kelly (Ireland, Festina)
77. Fignon (Fr., Gatorade)