Paris - Nice (HC),
March 10 - March 17, 2002

The main contenders (in the opinion of Jean-Marie Leblanc of the TDF Society):

FRANCE

AG2R: Agnolutto, Kirsipuu, Chaurreau, Botcharov
BIG MAT: Capelle, Heulot, Kintana
BONJOUR: Rous, Chavanel, Simon, Magnien, Nazon
CREDIT AGRICOLE: Hushovd, Voigt
JEAN DELATOUR: Brochard, Halgand

ITALY

ALESSIO: Dufaux, Ferrigato
FASSA BORTOLO: Petacchi, Basso
MAPEI QUICK STEP: Bodrogi, Bramati, Garzelli, Steels
TACCONI SPORT: Frigo (winner in 2001), Luttenberger

GERMANY

TEAM COAST: Zülle (winner in 1993), Escartin, Guidi, Beltran
TELEKOM: Klöden (winner in 2000), Julich, Vinokourov

SPAIN

EUSKALTEL: Martinez
I BANESTO: Menchov, Arrieta
KELME: Zaballa, Manzano, Gutierrez
ONCE: Beloki, Azevedo, Gonzalez Galdeano

DENMARK

CSC TISCALI: L. Jalabert

BELGIUM

DOMO: Virenque, Museeuw, Merckx, Knaven, Blijlevens

Sunday, March 17: 7th and Final Stage, Nice - Nice, 157 km. They head into the hills behind Nice in a 100 km loop. There are 2 rated climbs in this first part, a Cat 1 and a Cat 2. Then, 7 loops, pan-flat, in Nice for a big sprinter's finale.

1. Robbie McEweb (Lotto) 3hr 38min 30sec

2. Tom Steels (Mapei) s.t.

3. Baden Cooke (FDJ) s.t.

4. Andy Flickinger (Ag2R) s.t.

5. Francois Simon (Bonjour) s.t.

Final GC after Stage 7:

1.Alexandre Vinokourov (Telekom) 30hr 39min 27sec. 1193.7 km ridden at an average speed of 38.95 km/hr

2. Sandy Casar (FDJ) @ 55sec

3. Laurent Jalabert (CSC Tiscali) @ 57sec

4. Andrei Kivilev (Cofidis) @ 59 sec

5. Aitor Garmedia (Coast) @ 1min 23sec

6. Jens Voigt (Credit Agricole) @ 1min 38sec

7. Didier Rous (Bonjour) @ 1min 40sec

8. Dario Frigo (Tacconi Sport) @ 1min 44sec

9. Mario Aerts (Lotto-Adecco) s.t.

10. Cadel Evans (Mapei) @ 2min 17sec

11. Inigo Cuesta (Cofidis) @ 2min 41sec

12. Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel) @ 2min 42sec

13. Stephane Heulot (Bigmat) @ 3min 12sec

14. Alekandr Shefir (Alessio) @ 3min 24sec

15. Aitor Osa (IBanesto) @ 3min 29sec

16. Dave Bruylandts (Domo-Farm Frites) @ 3min 32sec

17. Alex Zulle (Coast) @ 3min 35sec

18. Peter Luttenberger (Tacconi Sport) @ 3min 55sec

19. Fernando Escartin (Coast) @ 4min 3sec

20. Javier Pascual Rodriguez (IBanesto) @ 4min 27sec

Saturday, March 16: Stage 6, St. Raphael -Col d'Eze, 175 km. This stage has 8 rated climbs with a hill-top finish on the first category Col d'Eze.

Results:

1. Dario Frigo (Tacconi) wearing Vittoria "Racer" shoes! 4hr 46min 12sec

2. Cadel Evens (Mapei) @ 15sec

3. Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel) @ 22sec

4. Inigo Cuesta (Cofidis) @ 33sec

5. Dave Bruylandts (Domo) @ 33sec

GC after Stage 6:

1. Alexandre Vinokourov (Telekom) 27hr 57sec

2. Sandy Casar (FDJ) @ 55sec

3. Andrei Kivilev (Cofidis) @ 59sec

4. Laurent Jalabert (CSC Tiscali) @ 59sec

5. Aitor Garmedia (Coast) @ 1min 23sec

Friday, March 15: Stage 5, Toulon - Cannes, 188. 5 km. The stage heads northeast, winding in the Maure Massif, roughly following the French coastline. 6 rated climbs:

Km 43: Col de Taillude, Category 3

Km 91: Col de Taradeau, Cat. 2

Km 105: Col de Tuillieres, Cat. 2

Km 128: Col de St. Arnoux, Cat. 3

Km 140: Col de Bourigaille, Cat. 1

Km 174: Col de Tanneror, Cat 2

Results:

1. Alessandro Petacchi (Fassa Bortolo) 4hr 40min 41sec

2. Angel Vicioso (Kelme) s.t.

3. Nico Mattan (Cofidis) s.t.

4. Francois Simon (Bonjour) s.t.

5. Jo Planckaert (Cofidis) s.t.

GC after Stage 5:

1. Alexandre Vinokourov (Telekom) 21hr 10 min 4sec

2. Laurent Jalabert (CCSC Tiscali) @ 5sec

3. Didier Rous (Bonjour) @ 49sec

4. Sandy Casar (FDJ) @ 54sec

5. Jens Voigt (Credit Agricole) @ 56 sec

Thursday, March 14: Stage 4, Pertuis - Toulon (Mt. Faron), 175 km. A hill-top finish at the 540 m high Mt. Faron.

1. Alexandre Vinokourov (Telekom) 3hr 55min 13sec

2. Laurent Jalabert (CSC Tiscali) @ 28sec

3. Andrei Kivilev (Cofidis) @ 32sec

4. Sandy Casar (FDJ) @ 37sec

5. Jens Voigt (Credit Agricole) @ 45sec

GC after Stage 4:

1. Alexandre Vinokourov (Telekom) 17hr 33min 23sec

2. Laurent Jalabert (CCSC Tiscali) @ 6sec

3. Didier Rous (Bonjour) @ 49sec

4. Sandy Casar (FDJ) @ 54sec

5. Jens Voigt (Credit Agricole) @ 56 sec

Wednesday, March 3: Stage 3, St. Etienne - St. Etienne, 147.5 km. This ought to bust things up, 6 rated climbs.

Km 9: Cote de St. Heand, Category 2

Km 53: Col de Pavezin, Cat. 3

Km 81: Cote de Colombier, Cat. 3

Km 90: Col de L'Oeillon, Cat. 1

Km 113: Col du Planil, Cat. 2

Km 129: Col de la Croix de Chaubouret, Cat. 1

Results:

1. Laurent Jalabert (CSC Tiscali) 3hr 59min 29sec

2. Aitor Osa (IBanesto) s.t.

3. Didier Rous (Bonjour) s.t.

4. Peter Van Petegam (Lotto) @ 10sec

5. Jo Planckaert (Cofidis) @ 10sec

GC after Stage 3:

1. Didier Rous (Bonjour) 13hr 11min 13sec

2. Laurent Jalabert (CSC Tiscali) @ 2sec

3. Javier Pascual Rodriguez (IBanesto) @ 20sec

4. Juan carlos Dominguez (Phonak) a 20sec

5. Andreas Kloden (Telekom) @ 20sec

Tuesday, March 12: Stage 2, Moulins - Bellevile, 170 km. Not the nearly pan-flat ride of yesterday.

Km 103: Col de la Coix Coverte; 3rd category
Km 115: Col du Pavillon; 2nd Category
Km 124: Col de Ecorbans; 2nd Category
Km 150: Col du Fut-d'Avenas; 3rd category.

Results:

1. Robbie McEwen (Domo) 4hr 21min 22sec

2. Alessandro Petacchi (Fassa Bortolo) s.t.

3. Jaan Kirsipuu (Ag2R) s.t.

4. Andrea Tafi (Mapei) s.t.

5. Danilo Hondo (Telekom) s.t.

GC after Stage 2:

1. Alessandro Petacchi (Fassa BOrtolo) 9hr 11min 40sec

2. Robbie McEwen (Domo) @ 3sec

3. Laszlo Bodrogi (Mapei) @ 8sec

4. Didier Rous (Bonjour) @ 10sec

5. Javier Pascual Rodriguez (IBanesto) @ 14sec

Monday, March 11: Stage 1, Blois - St. Amand-Montrond, 176 km. Pretty flat.

1. Alessandro Petacchi (Fassa Bortolo) 4hr 43min 32sec

2. Jaan Kirsipuu (Ag2R) s.t.

3. Robbie McEwen (Domo) s.t.

4. Max Van Heeswijk (Domo s.t.

GC after Stage 1:

1. Alessandro Petacchi (Fassa Bortolo) 4hr 50min 24sec

2. Laszlo Bodrogi (Mapei) @ 2sec

3. Didier Rous (Bonjour) @ 4sec

4. Robbie McEwen (Domo) @ 7sec

5. Javier Rodriguez (IBanesto) @ 8sec

Sunday, March 10: Prologue Individual time Trial, 5.2 km at Issy le Moulinoux.

1. Laszlo Bodrogi (Mapei) 6min 56sec

2. Didier Rous (Bonjour) s.t.

3. Javier Pascual Rodriguez (IBanesto) @ 4sec

4. Nico Mattan (Cofidis) s.t.

5. Javier Dominguez (Phonak) s.t

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