The rest were largely from the local Foreldorado-Golff team, and a large team from Koln who I had never heard of. Some smaller BBS and VKS riders were there. And Zabel had just driven from Aartselaar, near Antwerp in Belgium some 100 kms to the east of the Netherlands to Maastricht. So Erik picks up a neat check of Ric, gets in the car and drives across Belgium, gets chauffured around the streets of Maastricht in a BMW with Ms. Maastricht aboard, probably gets a lot of guilders for the ride, and then comes out and wins the Ridderronde. Also on several corners are the inevitable two-person canned music bands.
People sing along.
They spill beers and sometimes they notice the 17 bike riders going at a pretty pedestrian pace for 2 hours, merely filling in time to set the showcased rider up for the sprint. The ears suffer is you stay for the whole race without alcohol. It offends really. Needless to say as a teetotaller and a person wishing to maintain a modicum of my hearing intact for my old age, I left with 40 kms to go - totally bored and knowing that Zabel was going to take it out. Anyway, here are the results for those who like to dream.