12:09:18 pm:
After a very exciting final sprint on the Bonkevaart Henk Angenent, very deservedly so, won the 15th Elevencities tour in 6 hours, 49 minutes, and 18 seconds. For long stretches during the rest of the tour Henk took the lead, pulling the others along and catching the wind.
All the way from Dokkum it was exciting, although the riders didn't let anyone go far. Escape attempts never lasted long. For quite some time Verduin seemed agressive. Piet Kleine also attempted to pull away more than once, but most of the time he didn't carry through.
What happened after Dokkum?
11:40 am
From Dokkum on, tension rose. The skaters had the wind behind them after the checkpoint. In Dokkum there was a big crowd of onlookers.
On the Dokkumer Ee, back to Bartlehiem, the skaters kept
their calm. The group, by then consisting of six people, stayed together.
Angenent took a short lead, Hulzenbosch and Verduin seem to have some energy left for the
last stretch.
11:50 am
Yep Kramer and van Meggelen arrive 10 minutes behind the lead skaters at the checkpoint in Dokkum.
12:02 pm
The leaders. The wind isn't straight ahead anymore. There are some feigns at escapes but no one really tries to break away. The group stays together, the riders have been underway for 6 1/2 hours.
12:03 pm
Verduin escapes but Angenent catches him and the group is
back together again.
Another 9 kilometers to go. Temperatures are about -5 C (23 F), but the windchill factor
is about -20 C (-4 F).
12:07 pm
Verduin tries to escape again, each time coming from way back. Once again it is unsuccessful. The group still takes turns leading. Another six kilometers to go.
12:08 pm
The last right turn, wind in the back. Crossing underneath several low bridges in Leeuwarden: duck!
12:09 pm
Near the Giekerk (Gie church). Lots of enthousiastic spectators.
12:10 pm
Piet Kleine tried to escape three times during the past few minutes. It seems one of his attempts will succeed, but Benthem and Angement catch up to him. Stam has a hard time with the repeated escape attempts and falls back.
12:11 pm
Verduin takes a short sprint.
12:12 pm
Argenent tries to escape, unsuccessfully. A motorcycle with camera crashes.
12:13 pm
Verduin again. Angenent catches him. Stam struggles harder with the sprints and escapes of the others.
12:14 pm
Another 3 to 4 kilometer. Stam falls back. Kleine and Hulzebosch lead. Still the skaters are close together, the race isn't over yet.
12:16 pm
Piet Kleine escapes, but he can't pull away. Stam falls back for the final time.
12:17 pm
No one can get away. They all hang on to eachother.
12:18 pm
Right turn onto the Bonkevaart! Still the five men stick together. It is now down to Hulzebosch, Verduin, Angenent, Henk van Benthem and Piet Kleine. De skaters start their final sprint. A few hunderd meters to go!
12:19:14 pm
The final sprint is on, the men give all they have left.
Three riders stand a chance to win this close to the finish. The tension is enormeous.
Close to the finish Hulzenbosch looses his balance due to large crowds pushing in, and
Verduin misses that final bit of energy to get up to full speed in those last few meters.
12:19:18 pm
With a last burst of energy Henk Angenent makes it across the finish in first place, followed by Eric Hulzenbosch at about a meter behind him. Third is Verduin.
It was an absolutely fantastic race!
There will be more news later on, keep checking our web site.
© Digital Region Friesland 1997