29.06.2003 |
Luxemburgish National Road Championships 2003
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Disappointment
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In the race organised by the ACC Contern, our riders have not got any medal. Frank Schleck, with health problems due to too much racing, has abandoned the race and Kim Kirchen, chasing alone behind the leaders Joachim and Centrone for several kilometers, did not have enough power at the end of the race to do a good result. He finishes 5th.
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More: The National Championships on this site |
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Frank Schleck and Kim Kirchen at the
June 16, 2003 - June 25, 2003
25.06.2003 |
Tour de Suisse (9th stage)
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Kirchen: 14th at 2" / Schleck: 35th at 2" of Cooke
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Both riders finish the last stage in the first part of the peloton, where they have been all over the stage race. Frank Schleck finishes his first Tour de Suisse on a good 42nd position, 36'28" behind Alexander Vinokourow, without showing any weakness nor on the flat stages, nor in the time-trials or the mountains. Kirchen, who has been into the top riders nearly every day, gains one position in the overall classification today due to the abandon of Casagrande and finishes finally 4th on 1'46" as well as 3rd in the points classification. In regard of these performances, everyone gets hungry for more...
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More: summary and results on www.cyclingnews.com the official homepage of the Tour de Suisse |
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24.06.2003 |
Tour de Suisse (8th stage)
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Kirchen: 14th at 2'03" / Schleck: 43th at 3'40" of McGee
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No miracle today for Kim Kirchen. Although he did a good race, it wasn't quite as well as in the Giro and he stays on 5th place at 1'44" in the overall and in 2nd position 15 points behind Vinokourov in the points classification. The Telekom rider is now again leader in those two classifications. One more time also a good result for Frank Schleck.
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More: summary and results on www.cyclingnews.com the official homepage of the Tour de Suisse |
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22.06.2003 |
Tour de Suisse (6th stage)
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Kirchen: 3rd at 1'17" / Schleck: 44th at 15'04" of Peireiro
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Today, Kim was again in the first group with all the other favourites and even the fastest of it. He has gained 4" in the overall and the 2nd place in the points classification. Schleck finishes the stage on his own, several minutes before the 1st of the 2 "grupetto"
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More: summary and results on www.cyclingnews.com the official homepage of the Tour de Suisse |
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21.06.2003 |
Tour de Suisse (5th stage)
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Kirchen: 7th at 1'10" / Schleck: 42th at 9'46" of Casagrande
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Kim has not been with the very best riders today, but has well limited the gap. He has not managed to get into the little group in pousuit of the attacking Casgrande and Vinokourov, but he chased alone after them and nearly had the group in sight at the finish. Frank Schleck did a good stage today, finishing amont the first third of the field. Kirchen is now 6th in the overall classification, 1'34" behind the new leader Casagrande and Schleck is 42nd at 20'44".
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More: summary and results on www.cyclingnews.com the official homepage of the Tour de Suisse |
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20.06.2003 |
Tour de Suisse (4th stage)
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Kirchen: 2nd at 0" / Schleck: 66th at 0" of Casar
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Another 2nd place for Kirchen, but in different circumstances this time. Since the Nufenen-Pass, top of the Tour of Switzerland 2003, 2 riders, Casar and Simeoni, have been in the lead with a gap of more than 10 minutes to the peloton. On the flat final kilometers of the stage, the bunch got closer and closer to them and nearly catched them with 500 m to go. At this moment, Kirchen attacks, joins and passes the two leaders. But he stops his effort too early and is caught again by Casar to finish only second. He gaines 6" in the overall classification. Frank Schleck also finished in the main bunch
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More: summary and results on www.cyclingnews.com the official homepage of the Tour de Suisse
  Pictures: www.cyclingnews.com |
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19.06.2003 |
Tour de Suisse (3rd stage)
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Kirchen: 2nd at 13" / Schleck: 57th at 10'17" of Casagrande
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Nobody managed to follow Francesco Casagrande on the last 3 kilometers in the first mountain stage of this Tour de Switzerland. But some riders were very close, including a fantastic Kim Kirchen. After having been behind Vinokourov and Valjavec for some time, he decided to go after Casagrande in the last hectometers of the stage. He couldn't catch him but finishes second. After this performance, he is 4th in the overall classification, just 26" behind Vinokourov still leader. He is also 5th in the points and the king of the mountains competition. Frank Schleck also did a good stage and managed to finish ahead of the main peloton. He is now 53rd in the overall classification at 10'54"
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More: summary and results on www.cyclingnews.com the official homepage of the Tour de Suisse
 Images: www.cyclingnews.com |
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18.06.2003 |
Tour de Suisse (2nd stage)
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Kirchen: 33th at 0" / Schleck: 76th at 0" of Mc Ewen
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Massive sprint in a stage with not too much action, except a long two-man breakaway and the fighting in the last kilometers. Kirchen crossed the line of an intermediate sprint early in the stage as second. Not much change in the overall classifications.
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More: summary and results on www.cyclingnews.com the official homepage of the Tour de Suisse |
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17.06.2003 |
Tour de Suisse (1st stage)
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Kirchen: 18th at 15" / Schleck: 25th at 15" of Vinokourov
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The final part of the stage was very nevous with little climbs and technical descents and the peloton has breaken into little pieces. Kim has won the sprint of the first bigger group of 15 riders and Frank finished in the same group. After these good performances, our two riders are 19th (Kirchen at 31") and 35th (Schleck at 48") in the general classification.
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More: summary and results on www.cyclingnews.com the official homepage of the Tour de Suisse |
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