01.03.2004 |
3 days of de Panne (4th stage) | ||
33th at 46" of Bodrogi / GC: 74th at 3'59" of Hincapie | |||
On the very flat course with some tight corners, the best contestants ride with more than 50 km/h of average speed. Kim Kirchen finishes on 33rd place, honourable on a course that doesn't suit him at all.
More: summary and results on www.cyclingnews.com the official homepage of the race
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01.03.2004 |
3 days of de Panne (3rd stage) | ||
137th at 2'33" of Zanotti / GC: 84th at 3'34" of Cooke | |||
Another sprint between a hundred riders. Kirchen crosses the line in a smaller groupe more than 2 minutes behind.
More: summary and results on www.cyclingnews.com the official homepage of the race
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31.03.2004 |
3 days of de Panne (2nd stage) | ||
118th at 0" of Cooke / GC: 84th at 57" of Cooke | |||
Sprint of the whole field on a very flat stage.
More: summary and results on www.cyclingnews.com the official homepage of the race
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30.03.2004 |
3 days of de Panne (1st stage) | ||
91st at 41" of Hondo / GC: 91th at 51" of Hondo | |||
The good break got away with about 12 km to go on the Leberg climb. Kim Kirchen has two teammates in it (Flecha and Cancellara) and he finishes the stage in the main field.
More: summary and results on www.cyclingnews.com the official homepage of the race
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27 - 28.03.2004: Frank Schleck at the
28.03.2004 Critérium International (3rd stage)
40th at 28" of Jens Voigt / GC: 16th at 32" of Voigt
The Luxemburgish rider has fulfilled the expectations: a better place in the time trial was hardly possible, especially after all the efforts in the morning stage. He is 16th in the overall classification, 5th in the points and 4th in the mountains competition. Voigt has won 2 races in just one day.
More: summary and results on www.cyclingnews.com the official homepage of the race
28.03.2004 Critérium International (2nd stage)
2nd at 0" of Jens Voigt / GC: 3rd at 3" of Voigt
Frank Schleck once more very active today. After having done his teamwork in the early race, he attacked himself before the last climb of the day, getting away with Hushovd and Rubiera. On the last kilometers of the stage, while the little group was caught by Voigt and Moncutié, Frank made another move, together with his teammate and the French climber Moncutié, who couldn't do anything in the sprint against the two CSC.
More: summary and results on www.cyclingnews.com the official homepage of the race
27.03.2004 Critérium International (1st stage)
94th at 0" of Jean-Patrick Nazon
Sprint for the whole bunch
More: summary and results on www.cyclingnews.com the official homepage of the race
21.03.2004 Cholet - Pays de Loire
A nice 4th place for Frank Schleck
After being at the front when the field explodes at half race already, and after bridging up to the leaders on the 10th and last climb, Frank Schleck has not managed to play his own card in a very tactical final with 6 riders. He finishes 5 seconds away from the winner but should be happy whith this nice result.
More: summary and results on www.cyclingnews.com the official homepage of the race
20.03.2004 Milano - San Remo
No Milano-San Remo this year for Kim Kirchen due to illness
07 - 14.03.2004: Kirchen and Schleck at
14.03.2004 Paris-Nice (8th stage)
Kirchen: 10th at 2'10" / Schleck: 32th at 2'10" of Vinokourov
Kirchen is again very good today, getting away from the bunch on the last climb of the col d'Eze. But once again, limited by the tactics of Fassa Bortolo around Vandenbrouke, his attack comes too late to win the stage. He finishes this Paris-Nice on the 20th position overall with 6'25" gap on Jacksche, while he is 5th in the points classification. Frank Schleck has again done a great job in the last 40 kilometers, doing most of the work for CSC in the lead of the peloton. He finishes on a great 9th place overall at 1'36", while he is second best young rider, 27" behind Michael Rodgers.
More: summary and results on www.cyclingnews.com the official homepage of the race
13.03.2004 Paris-Nice (7th stage)
Kirchen: 2th at 18" / Schleck: 15th at 18" of Vinokourov
Kim Kirchen has tried to win this stage, but there was someone stronger and luckier thant him today: Vinokourov. While Kim, after some unsuccessful attemps, manages to get away from the peloton too late, the timing of the Kazakh rider is perfect and he wins the stage ahead of the Luxemburger. Schleck and his team are again perfect.
More: summary and results on www.cyclingnews.com the official homepage of the race
12.03.2004 Paris-Nice (6th stage)
Kirchen: 5th at 11" / Schleck: 20th at 39" of Menchov
Kim was present at the front on this first mountain stage, attacking the field with 25 km to go. On the last climb, he is with the favourites Jaksche, Rebellin and Vandenbrouke, but the won't come back on the four riders in the lead. Kirchen wins the sprint for fifth place. Frank Schleck has also done a good race, working for his team in the main group and improving one position to 9th overall.
More: summary and results on www.cyclingnews.com the official homepage of the race
11.03.2004 Paris-Nice (5th stage)
Kirchen: 25th at 37" / Schleck: 9th at 11" of Vinokourov
Another day dominated by the agressive CSC team, which places 5 riders in the final ten-men break. Frank Schleck did a good job, first leading the peloton behind the early break, then being present at the front when the final attack started. He is now 10th in the overall classification and second best young rider. Kim Kirchen, who punctured in the worst moment and missed the good break, worked for Vandenbrouke in the chase of the CSC group
More: summary and results on www.cyclingnews.com the official homepage of the race
10.03.2004 Paris-Nice (4th stage)
Stage cancelled due to heavy snowfall
More: summary and results on www.cyclingnews.com the official homepage of the race
09.03.2004 Paris-Nice (3rd stage)
Kirchen: 7th at 25" / Schleck: 25th at 25" of Van Bon
A calmer day than yesterday, marked by a long two-men break of Van Bon and Ziegler. Kim Kirchen matches with the sprinters for 3rd place at the finish line.
More: summary and results on www.cyclingnews.com the official homepage of the race
08.03.2004 Paris-Nice (2nd stage)
Kirchen: 125th at 5'15" / Schleck: 21st at 00" of Horillo
Superb race for the CSC-team of Frank Schleck. With strong crosswinds, the team is at the origin of a break of 36 men with all its 8 riders in it. The main field is more than 5 minutes behind and several leaders have already lost the race today. Schleck gets up to 24th place in overall and 5th in the best young riders classification. On the other side, Kim Kirchen has had a very bad day. He is ill and was not able to jump onto the good train today. This evening, he is 45th at 5'45" in overall classification and will have to lower his ambitions.
More: summary and results on www.cyclingnews.com the official homepage of the race
07.03.2004 Paris-Nice (1st stage)
Kirchen: 18th at 29" / Schleck: 82nd at 1'00 of Jacksche
Good beginning for Kim in the time trial, in a race where he should be leader of his team Fassa Bortolo in case Frigo or Vandenbroucke are not at their best. Frank Schleck has to work for his team CSC and he will have a lot of work with Jacksche being the leader of the race.
More: summary and results on www.cyclingnews.com the official homepage of the race
Photos: www.cyclingnews.com
Photo: www.cholet-pdl.com
Photo: www.team-csc.com
Photo: www.team-csc.com
Photo: www.cyclingnews.com