Published February 25, 2006 01:00AM
By Agence France Presse
Belgian Philippe Gilbert won the 61st edition of the Omloop Het Volk on Saturday over 202km between Gent and Lokeren in Belgium.
The Française des Jeux rider beat compatriot Bert De Waele of Landbouwkrediet in the opening classic of the season in Belgium, with the Netherlands’ Leon Van Bon of Davitamon taking third place.
“This is the best victory of my young career,” said an overjoyed Gilbert. “It’s incredible. This morning I didn’t feel 100 percent. I was a little bit ill these last few days but I was very motivated.”
But it was not such a happy day for world champion Tom Boonen (Quick Step), who, despite being highly motivated to perform in front of his public, was well marshaled by opposition teams and hampered by his own team’s tactics.
Gilbert made his decisive move 8km from the finish line in a five-man break that also included Italian Filippo Pozzato and Belgian Koen Barbe.
Results
1. Philippe Gilbert (B), Française des Jeux, 4:56:18
2. Bert De Waele (B), Landbouwkrediet-Colnago, at 0:38
3. Leon Van Bon (Ned), Davitamon-Lotto, at 0:54
4. Koen Barbe (B), Chocolade Jacques, same time
5. Filippo Pozzato (I), Quick Step, at 1:45
6. Gert Steegmans (B), Davitamon-Lotto, same time
7. Joost Posthuma (Ned), Rabobank, s.t.
8. Franck Renier (F), Bouygues Telecom, s.t.
9. Wim De Vocht (B), Davitamon-Lotto, s.t.
10. Michele Maccanti (I), LPR, s.t.
Arenberg returned to 2006 Paris-Roubaix
Paris-Roubaix will return to the cobbled streets of Arenberg this year, according to the Amaury Sport Organization, the group responsible for the race.
The section was dropped from last year’s race due to safety concerns.
The decision was announced Saturday by Jean-Marie Leblanc, the general manager of ASO, and Jean-Francois Pescheux, Paris-Roubaix race director.
Improvements have now been made to the 2.4km section of paving stones which will make their 29th appearance at the Queen of the Classics.
“It is now possible to guarantee to the sports teams that racers will not be led into a trap when entering the forest of Arenberg,” said Pescheux.
“But, don’t be fooled, the improvements that were made to the opening does not make it a boulevard. Arenberg is still a tricky paved section of the course.”
The race covers 52.7km of cobbled streets spread out along 27 different sections.
Hughes medals again, this time in speedskating
Canada’s Clara Hughes who won two bronze medals in cycling at the 1996 Atlanta Games, passed Claudia Pechstein with two laps to go to win the gold medal in women’s 5,000-meter speedskating Saturday.
Her victory kept the German from becoming the first Winter Olympian to win the same event four times.
Hughes’ teammate Cindy Klassen took the bronze for her fifth medal of the games.
Hughes, trailed Pechstein for 10 of the 12 1/2 laps before coming back with a devastating kick to finish in 6 minutes, 59.07 seconds.
When Hughes crossed the finish line and saw her time, her mouth dropped open in shock. Moments later, she was laid out flat on the inside of the oval, panting heavily with her head buried in her hands.
She got up and Klassen greeted her with a hug. Klassen applauded her teammate and handed over a Canadian flag before Hughes took it on a victory lap, a look of disbelief on her face.
The three medalists wore wide smiles on the podium, Hughes bouncing up and down in excitement, her gap-toothed smile delighting the fans. She donned her gold medal and immediately leaned over to hug Pechstein.
During the Canadian anthem, Hughes pulled Klassen to the top spot and they embraced while singing exuberantly. Pechstein looked at them and laughed. —The Associated Press