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

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 has talk with the team car

Riders ascend the Grammont.

Steffen Wesemann get up the Grammont his own way.

The peloton at Berendries

Johan Museeuw with lots of Quick Step company climbs the Molenberg

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

Tom Boonen and Paolo Bettini lead the break.

Johan Museeuw wins the 2003 Omloop Het Volk

Max van Heeswijk takes second ahead of Paolo Bettini.

Johan Museeuw is congratulated just after the finish.

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