La 17ème Charly Gaul - 17.09.2006 - Contern
Report:
The 17th edition of the Charly Gaul cyclo-sport race was the first since the death of the great champion and was naturally marked by his absence. He had used us to his presence, as participant like in the years 1990 or as guest like in the last years, Charly Gaul had always taken an active part in "his" race. Everyone was missing him on this day, but Charly was duly represented by his wife Josée and his daughter Fabienne, so that the big cycling event in his honour could take place.
In comparison with the last years, some changes had occured, for example with the arrival of a new sponsor. Thanks to the support from the drink producer RIVELLA, the infrastrucutes at the feeding points, but also at start and finish had been improved. The course was also quite different from last year, with a trip to the North of the country and the comeback of some "classic" places like the climbs of Groesteen and Beeforter, some touristic highlights like Vianden or the valleys of the Our and of the Mullerthal. The climb of Groesteen, almost a "legendary" climb in Luxemburgish cycling and training ground for numerous reknowned bycicle stars, is certainly one of the most difficult climbs of the country and its 3,8 km with 7,4 % average slop surely represented a big challenge for most of the riders.
809 participants had registrated before the start, more than 100 less than in the last year. One reason for that certainly were the bad weather conditions announced for two weeks. But the announcement was wrong and finally the conditions were perfect for a bycicle race, 20 degrees, clouds but no rain. At 9 o'clock in the morning, 304 riders took the start to the big course, the one with 169 km, 1900 m of change in altitude and 12 climbs. Despite the difficulty of the course, the race started very fast and Johan Boucher broke away early. On the second climb of the day, in Gonderange, the young rider had already a minute of advantage on a very long peloton. After 40 kilometers, Boucher had increased the gap to two minutes, but behind him, a chasing group of 4 riders had formed with another Luxemburgish rider, David Claerebout. The experienced Pascal Triebel and Claude Degano were the first of the favourites to react and they bridged up to the front. On the climb of Groesteen, the peloton exploded completely and more riders caught up with the leaders, like Herman or Damien Richard, fifth of last year's edition. After the climb of Beaufort, they are still 19 in the first group and the race wasn't decided yet. Dider Wegner, from the Belgian Ardennes, attacked near Wecker and he managed to take nearly a minute of advantage in the lead.
18 riders were still together at the foot of the last climb up to Contern, and they tackled the "Bärbelskraiz" several seconds behind Wegner. But the legs of the Belgian rider were tired and he was caught by the others in the middle of this wall with 13 % gradient. Philippe Herman knew the climb for having finished there in second position in last year's Grand-prix François Faber and he broke away together with Damien Richard. In the sprint for the victory, Herman was faster than Richard, whereas Pascal Triebel finished in third position, only three seconds late and in front of Danish rider Nielsen.
In the women's race, the decision fell also in the very last climb, where Sione Jongstra managed to drop her most dangerous opponent Ursula Cuneen to take the victory for the second year in a row.
In the B-race, 505 riders took off for a calm beginning. A big groupe of more than 100 riders was still together at the foot of the most difficult climb of the day in Beaufort, where the race started for good. Around ten riders were the strongest and they broke away on the climb, among them two times winner Peter Schroen, but also Pierre-Paul Grun or Sebastien Kokolshka, who are both used to podium places in the event.
Peter Schroen seemed once again very strong and he attacked together with his long-time friend Jean-Michel Thimister. The two men took more than 2 minutes of advantage on the rest and they crossed the finish line together, hand in hand. The computer finally gave the victory to Thimister, with less than a tenth of a second advantage on his friend. Behind them, Vincent Melon managed to drop Pierre-Paul Gruen in the Bärbelskraiz to comlete a 100 % Belgian podium, whereas the two best ladies, Monique Ludovicy and Karin Hesse, were from Luxembourg.
