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2003 Omloop Het Volk (HC)

This race is now "Omloop Het Nieuwsblad"

57th edition: Saturday March 1, 2003

Omloop Het Nieuwsblad podium history | 2002 edition | 2004 edition
Race Story | Complete results | Photos

Ghent-Lokeren, 200 km / 40.606 km/hr
194 starters / 81 classified finishers

Johan Museeuw

Johan Museeuw wins 2003 Omloop Het Volk

The race: The skies were cloudy and the roads were wet when the peloton rolled off in the late morning.

As has been the usual in this race, the day's break got away early, this time after just twelve kilometers. Tony Bracke, Kristof Trouvé, Christophe Agnolutto and Jacky Durand decided to enjoy the Belgian countryside without the company of the other 190 riders. Agnolutto was soon dropped, but the other three kept their heads down and after 90 kilometers of racing, they had a nearly nine-minute lead.

Back in the peloton, the short, steep hills were breaking things up as several riders went clear. A group of seven top pros eventually broke away from the pack: Johan Museeuw, Tom Boonen, Frank Vandenbroucke, Paolo Bettini, Filippo Pozzato, Max van Heeswijk & Peter Farazijn. Four of the seven were Quick-Step riders. This powerful group soon caught and dropped the early breakaways.

With 35 kilometers to go and with lots of cobblestones still in the way, Paolo Bettini started battering the group of seven. Ten kilometers later Bettini, Museeuw and Van Heeswijk were clear.

With six to go, Musseuw dropped the hammer. It didn't work, so he attacked again. That did it. The 37-year old pro was gone. He crossed the finish line first, a quarter-minute ahead of second-place Max van Heeswijk.

Impressively, Team Quick Step-Davitamon was able to take four of the five top places.

We have a Johan Musseuw photo gallery.

Complete results:

1 Johan Museeuw  Quick Step-Davitamon 4hr 55min 31sec
2 Max Van Heeswijk  US Postal Service @ 14sec
3 Paolo Bettini  Quick Step-Davitamon s.t.
4 Frank Vandenbroucke  Quick Step-Davitamon @ 1min 30sec
5 Tom Boonen Quick Step-Davitamon s.t.
6 Filippo Pozzato  Fassa Bortolo 2'38''
7 Peter Farazijn  Cofidis s.t.
8 Romans Vainsteins  Vini Caldirola-So.Di 3'30''
9 Gabriele Balducci  Vini Caldirola-So.Di s.t.
10 Robbie McEwen  Lotto-Domo s.t.
11 Kim Kirchen  Fassa Bortolo s.t.
12 Jaan Kirsipuu  AG2R Prévoyance s.t.
13 Remco Van Der Ven  BankGiroLoterij s.t.
14 Gianluca Bortolami  Vini Caldirola-So.Di s.t.
15 René Haselbacher  Gerolsteiner s.t.
16 Peter Van Petegem  Lotto-Domo s.t.
17 Sébastien Hinault  Crédit Agricole s.t.
18 Bernhard Eisel  FDJ s.t.
19 Andrea Ferrigato  Alessio s.t.
20 Fabio Sacchi  Team Saeco s.t.
21 André Korff  Coast s.t.
22 Allan Johansen  Fakta s.t.
23 Jacky Durand  FDJ s.t.
24 Johan Dekkers  Marlux-Wincor-Nixdorf s.t.
25 Roy Sentjens  Rabobank s.t.
26 Aart Vierhouten  Lotto-Domo s.t.
27 Tony Bracke  Landbouwkrediet-Colnago s.t.
28 Manuel Quinziato  Lampre-Fondital s.t.
29 Bobbie Traksel  Rabobank s.t.
30 Sebastian Lang  Gerolsteiner s.t.
31 Viatcheslav Ekimov  US Postal Service s.t.
32 Jörg Ludewig  Team Saeco s.t.
33 Fabio Baldato  Alessio s.t.
34 Christophe Mengin  FDJ s.t.
35 Erki Pütsep  AG2R Prévoyance s.t.
36 Wilfried Cretskens  Quick Step-Davitamon s.t.
37 Gerben Löwik  BankGiroLoterij s.t.
38 Thor Hushovd  Crédit Agricole s.t.
39 Magnus Bäckstedt  Fakta s.t.
40 Nick Nuyens  Quick Step-Davitamon s.t.
41 Andy Flickinger  AG2R Prévoyance s.t.
42 Alessandro Cortinovis  Lampre-Fondital s.t.
43 Antonio Cruz  US Postal Service s.t.
44 Matthé Pronk  BankGiroLoterij s.t.
45 Stijn Devolder  Vlaanderen-T Interim s.t.
46 Davide Bramati  Quick Step-Davitamon s.t.
47 Lars Ytting Bak  Fakta s.t.
48 Andrey Kashechkin  Quick Step-Davitamon s.t.
49 Tristan Hoffman  Team CSC s.t.
50 Chris Peers  Cofidis s.t.
51 Jean-Patrick Nazon  Jean Delatour s.t.
52 Nico Mattan  Cofidis s.t.
53 Paul Van Hyfte  Team CSC s.t.
54 Kai Hundertmarck  Deutsche Telekom s.t.
55 Dave Bruylandts  Marlux-Wincor-Nixdorf s.t.
56 Geert Verheyen  Marlux-Wincor-Nixdorf s.t.
57 Benoît Joachim  US Postal Service s.t.
58 Serge Baguet  Lotto-Domo s.t.
59 Christopher Jenner  Crédit Agricole s.t.
60 Robert Sassone  Cofidis s.t.
61 Michael Skelde  Fakta s.t.
62 Rolf Aldag  Deutsche Telekom s.t.
63 Hans De Clercq  Lotto-Domo s.t.
64 Oscar Freire Rabobank s.t.
65 Jan Boven  Rabobank s.t.
66 Janek Tombak  Cofidis s.t.
67 Dario Pieri  Team Saeco s.t.
68 Daniele Nardello  Deutsche Telekom s.t.
69 Enrico Cassani  Alessio s.t.
70 Nicolas Jalabert  Team CSC s.t.
71 Gianluca Sironi  Vini Caldirola-So.Di s.t.
72 Glenn D'Hollander  Lotto-Domo 6'30''
73 Kristof Trouve  Palmans - Collstrop s.t.
74 Pieter Vries  BankGiroLoterij s.t.
75 Fabian Cancellara  Fassa Bortolo s.t.
76 Johan Verstrepen  Landbouwkrediet-Colnago s.t.
77 Cristian Pepoli  Team Saeco s.t.
78 Yuriy Krivtsov  Jean Delatour s.t.
79 Bruno Thibout  Jean Delatour s.t.
80 Stéphane Berges  AG2R Prévoyance s.t.
81 Christophe Edaleine  Jean Delatour s.t.

2003 Omloop Het Volk photos by Fotoreporter Sirotti:

Paolo BEttini

Paolo Bettini has talk with the team car

Riders ascend the Grammont

Riders ascend the Grammont.

Steffan Wesemann

Steffen Wesemann get up the Grammont his own way.

Peloton

The peloton at Berendries

Johan Museeuw

Johan Museeuw with lots of Quick Step company climbs the Molenberg

Tom Steels

Tom Steels in his Belgian Champion's jersey climbs the Molenberg.

Tom Boonen and paolo Bettini

Tom Boonen and Paolo Bettini lead the break.

Johan Museeuw

Johan Museeuw wins the 2003 Omloop Het Volk

Max van Heeswijk and Paolo Bettini

Max van Heeswijk takes second ahead of Paolo Bettini.

Johan Museeuw

Johan Museeuw is congratulated just after the finish.

Het nieuswblad podium

The podium, from left: Paolo Bettini (3rd), Johan Musseuw & Max van Heeswijk (2nd)