La 16ème Charly Gaul - 19.09.2005 - Contern
Brief report from the race:
928 riders have participated in the 16th edition of the cyclosport-race La Charly Gaul, starting at 9h30 in the morning in Contern. The rue de Moutfort was filled up with coulourful riders that took off for 5 neutralized kilometers (dangerous descent and road works) and then chose between a race of 153 km with 12 climbs (course A) or 106 km with 8 climbs (course B). 368 brave have opted for the long course with a difference of altitude of 1850 m and 357 have finished it, whereas 560 riders have chosen the shorter course with 1200 m of difference in altitude (544 at the finish). Despite a difficult final part of the race, two riders have attacked on the very first climb and they quickly got a comfortable gap to the rest, among them Johan Villiger, recently 5th at the "Ballons Vosgiens". With over 40 km/h of average speed, they have swallowed the climbs of Medernach, Consdorf and Muertendall and then continued their way to the valley of the Moselle. There, they have been joined by a bigger group and shortly after, 12 riders found themselves in the lead with the Luxemburgish Triebel, Degano, Fries, Gastauer and some foreign riders. The young Ben Gastauer, who still competes in the junior category, has attacked on the way back to Contern and began the second lap of 40 km in the lead. But Villiger still had some strengh left and he bridged up to the Luxemburgish rider before dropping him on the steep climb outside Moutfort. Very quickly, he made a considerable gap and seemed to have the victory in his pocket. He flew towards Contern, but then he took the wrong road at the seperation point, heading for another lap instead of taking to the finish line. When he realized his error, turned around and came back to the right course, Gastauer had already passed that point and crossed the finish line first. But given the advantage of Villiger before the incident, the jury decided to declare him winner ex-aequo with the Luxemburgish rider. Behind them, Jean-Charles Martin of Toul, who has already won two times the Charly Gaul, finished third, a few seconds before a small group of 5 riders containing Degano, Richard, Demesy, Guistizia and Pascal Triebel who had broken his derailleur.
In the category B, the decision had also been very close and the winner is the same as last year. Peter Schroen has managed to get rid of Pierre-Paul Gruen, third last year, and his other break companions shortly before the finish line and he has taken the victory with 23 seconds of advantage on a groupe with 4 Luxemburgish riders: Gruen, Laterza, Joachim and Carier.
