PINGEON STARTING TIME TRIAL, VAN SPRINGEL STARTING, JANSSEN STARTING, RIDERS FINISHING, JANSSEN CONGRATULATED




Initials ERW/VS/MR/EEH



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: HOLLAND'S JANSSEN TODAY (SUNDAY) WON THE 55TH TOUR DE FRANCE CYCLE CLASSIC IN THE TIGHTEST FINISH EVER SEEN IN THE EVENT. THE 28-YEAR-OLD DUTCHMAN WRESTED THE RACE LEAD OVER FROM HERMANN VAN SPRINGEL OF BELGIUM IN THE FINAL 34 MILE (55KM) DASH FROM MELUN TO PARIS, TO BECOME THE FIRST MAN FROM HIS COUNTRY TO WIN THE TOUR.'
VAN SPRINGEL SET OUT FROM TIME MELUN AS LEADER BUT, DESPITE A DETERMINED EFFORT, HE COULD NOT HOLD OFF THE DUTCHMAN.

JANSSEN HAD CLIPPED THE LEADER'S ADVANTAGE DOWN TO ONLY FIVE SECONDS BY THE TIME THEY HAD REACHED THE HALFWAY MARK AND THEN BEGAN TO FORGE AHEAD TO RACE INTO THE STADIUM AT VINCENNES 54 SECONDS IN FRONT.

THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME FOR 11 YEARS THAT THE WINNER OF THE TOUR WAS DECIDED IN THE FINAL STAGE. THE LAST MAN TO TAKE VICTORY AWAY FROM THE LEADER IN THE TIME TRIAL WAS JEAN ROBIC OF FRANCE IN 1947.

JANSSEN, FORMERLY WORLD CHAMPION, FINISHED THE COURSE AT AN AVERAGE SPEED OF 25.5 MILES PER HOUR (40.9 KPH), TAKING ONE HOUR 20 MINUTE 9.2 SECONDS TO COVER THE 34 MILES (55 KM). VAN SPRINGEL'S TIME WAS ONE HOUR 21 MINUTES 3.4 SECONDS.

ROGER PINGEON OF FRANCE TOOK THIRD PLACE WITH A TIME OF ONE HOUR 21 MINUTES 26 SECONDS.