April 17/02 10:29 am - Flèche Wallonne

Posted by Editoress on 04/17/02
 

Flèche Wallonne

Women
Fabiana Luperini has won her 3rd Flèche Wallonne. Results for the women's race are still not avaialble. Lyne Bessette and Team Saturn was there.

Men unofficial

1. Mario Aerts (Bel) Lotto - Adecco
2. Unai Etxebarria (Ven) Euskatel - Euskadi
3. Michele Bartoli (Ita) Fassa Bortolo
4. Andrea Noè (Ita) Mapei - Quickstep
5. José Azevedo (Por) ONCE - Eroski
6. Axel Merckx (Bel) Domo - Farm Frites


For the first 100 km the pack stayed together. AT 105km a group of 3 (Jens Heppner (Telekom), Walter Beneteau (Bonjour) and Alex Zülle (Team Coast)) went away and managed a gap of 2:40 by the 120km point. Levi Leipheimer (Rabobank) launched a chase at this point and he was quickly joined by others to make a group of 10. (Paolo Bettini (Ita) Mapei - Quick Step , Inigo Cuesta (Esp) Cofidis , Markus Zberg (Sui) Rabobank , Juan Antonio Flecha (Esp) Ibanesto.Com , Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Bonjour , Steve Zampieri (Sui) Tacconi Sport , Andrea Peron (Ita) Team CSC Tiscali , Gianni Faresin (Ita) Gerolsteiner). They are caught by the 135km mark.

After this a series of attacks and gaps were established... and lost

With 8km to go, Axel Merckx attacked and 3 bridge up to him - Aerts, Etxebarria and Azevedo. Bartoli and Noè join them shortly.

Merckx attacked again with 2 km to go, but was quickly caught.

At 1k to go, Aerts wound up the speed and no one could stay with him