15th Grand-prix Ostfenster - April 30, 2006 - Berbourg

Riders:

As a regional race, the Grand-prix Ostfenster 2006 will surely see a lot of Luxemburgish and Belgian riders lining up, but also some riders of other nations, because the rules allow us to invite three international teams to the start. The first one comes from Switzerland and is named Team MegaBike Macom Orbea. The only Roman squad in the Swiss elite category brings to Luxemburg a young team with among others two members of the Team MegaBike Macom Orbea (Picture: team-megabike.ch) Swiss national U23 selection, Maxime Beney (best climber on the National Swiss Championships 2005) and Laurent Beuret, who has celebrated 7 victories in 2005, among them 3 of national level and who also has already won a criterium in the year 2006. Another young rider is Sylvère Ackermann, who has animated the first stage in the Flèche du Sud (5th) in 2005 and has also won 3 victories in 2005. In the year 2006, he has been the best climber of the Tour de l'Ardèche, what should be a gould sign in reference to the difficult courses of this Week-end's races. Another rider enjoying a good form for the moment is Marco Jimenez, who has won only a few days ago the Easter Grand-prix in French Jura and has also finished at the beginning of the month as third in the Tour de l'Ardèche. More Swiss riders expected at the start are Florian Ludi (winner of the Tour de Rigi 2005), Patrick Sala (2 wins in 2004), Jimmy Tapparel (best climber at the U23-Thüringen-rundfahrt 2005), Jéròme Cornuz, Mathieu Deschenaux and Stefan Nagelin Serguey Krushevsky The team of CC Cambrai has participated in the Grand-prix Ostfenster last year with among ohters Serguey Krushevsky, the former champion of Uzbekistan and double winner of the Tour de la Somme (2002 and 2004) who had finished in 5th position then, after having been among the very best riders until about 15 km from the end. Krushevsky will also line up this year and he seems to be in a good shape because he has already taken 2 victories in 2006 so far. He will be supported by the very experienced Pierre Herinne, former professional rider within the Lotto squad who has resumed competition after several years of pause. In the years 1990, Pierre Herinne has celebrated three victories as a professionnal and he was also Belgian time-trial champion and winner of Liège-Bastogne-Liège espoirs. The comeback to competition of the tall Belgian has been successfull so far, because after three victories in 2005, Pierre Hérinne has also opened his account for 2006 with a succes in Jeumont. Claudio Catella and Jérôme Comblain are two more riders that have already known a success this year so far. The squad will be completed with Patrick Trouckens (10th of the Grand-prix Ostfenster 2005), Kevin Malcourt, Michael Charles, Bruno Taeleman, Ludovic Sagniez and Romain Bâle Coming from the neighbourhood, the Belgian riders will certainly play a role in the race with for example Kevin Moraux of the team VC Kevin Moraux winner in Dippach Ardennes, the winner of the race in Dippach. This talented climber will find a suitable profile for himself in the Grand-prix Ostfenster, and his 4 victories in 2005, his selections in the Belgian National squad as well as his performances in the classique des Alpes or the Circuit des Régions Wallonnes as junior are there to prove his value. Moraux will be supported by numerous other riders from Davitamon-Lotto VC Ardennes like Bonmariage, Henrard, Pusco, Troukens, Van Humbeeck or Kevin Van Melsen Belgian National Junior Chamion 2005 who has also been excellent in last year's Grand-prix Patton. Also from Belgium, there will be the Bastin brothers, of whom the younger, Raphael, surely has to be considered among the best Amateur racers in Wallonia. His best year was 2004, when he won among others the Spar Arden Challenge and was also at his best at the Tour de la Dordogne. In the year 2000, Raphael Bastin finished 8th at Paris-Tours espoirs, shortly behind winner Tom Boonen and one position before Kim Kirchen. His brother Emmanuel competes regularely at races in Luxemburg and he will be joined at the Week-end of the ACC Contern by David Malcorps, Emmanuel Robert, Rudy Rouet, Jérôme Dewit, Geoffroy Nobile, Ludovic Tournay and Sebastien Delfosse. Double victory for CCI Diffedange in 2005 There will also been a delegation from the Saar in Germany with the Team Physiodom Tri-Sar, composed of Felix Willems, winner this year of the race in Saarlouis-Steinrausch and 4 victories in 2005, of Markus Zingen who had animated the Grand-prix Ostfenster 2004 for a long while (15th) and who has had three victories in 2005, Ivan Ordonez (multiple Mexican MTB champion), Marius Lautwein, Marcel Rothstein, Manuel Serrano, Martin Masson and Florian Salzinger. On the Luxemburgish side, the biggest challenger will surely come from the continental team of CCI Differdange, whose riders are used to the first places in the races of ACC Contern, with notably Vincenzo Centrone, winner of GP Ostfenster 2005 and of Grand-prix François Faber 2002, their scandinavian bloc with Morten Knudsen, Frederik Johansson (winner last week-end in Belvaux), Michael Kristensen and Hakan Nilsson (2nd at Grand-prix Ostfenster a year ago) and with Eddy Forner, Frank Dressler, Manuel Reuter or Tino Fernandez. Also to be watched are the riders of LC Tétange with Pascal Triebel (winner of last year's Grand-prix François Faber 2005 and of Grand-prix Ostfenster 1995), as well as the actual Luxemburgish champ elite without contract Daniel Bintz or Christian Weyland. In total, around 100 riders are expected to line-up in the race. Grand-prix Ostfenster 2006>>