10th Grand-Prix Ostfenster - 03.05.1998 - Berbourg

Report form the race

km 0 The riders line up for 155 tough kilometers with 8 climbs. However, the first 70 km are mostly flat.

km 7 The first real attack comes after 7 km: Weiland, Papi and Bintz get a gap, followed a little bit later by Rauen, Theis, Kruse and Schmit.

km 14 These 7 riders have come together in the lead and have about half a minute advance on the rest of the field.

km 30 The actual Luxemburgish National Elite champion Daniel Bintz is part of the lead group, as well as a junior rider, Yves Rauen.

km 55 At the beginning of the climb of Boxberg, the first group has 2 minutes of a gap on the main peloton.

km 57 Papi and Kruse are in difficulty on the Boxberg, but they come back on the descent to Mertert.

km 73 Papi and Kruse are dropped for good on the wall of Wormeldange, there are only 5 riders in the lead now: Weyland, Bintz, Rauen, Theis and Schmit.

km 93 In the climb of Hostert, only a few meters away from his home, Kim Kirchen initiates a counter attack in the peloton. He is followed by two other former riders of ACC Contern: Vincenzo Centrone and Frank Schleck.

km 105 After the acceleration of Kirchen, 12 riders have chased down the 5 leaders: they are now 17 together at the front.

km 110 Kim Kirchen accelerates once again and takes the lead alone with around 20 seconds of advance.

km 120 The Lance brothers, John Van den Akker, Vicenzo Centrone and Junior Frank Schleck have joined Kirchen in the lead. They are 6 in front now with over a minute advance on the next chasers: Christian Theis who is the only one left from the early break, Tom Flammang and Steve Fogen.

km 145 The favorite John Van den Akker attacks at the front, but Jean-Michel Lance and Kim Kirchen manage to follow.

km 150 The three leaders have more than 30 seconds of advance on the 3 chasers and one of them should win the race.

Finish Kim Kirchen has no problems to hold off John Van den Akker and Jean-Michel Lance in the sprint and becomes the winner of the 10th Grand-Prix Ostfenster.

Finish A Minute later, the brother of Jean-Michel, Pascal Lance wins the sprint for 3rd place in front of Vincenzo Centrone and Frank Schleck, who is first junior in excellent 6th place.