ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, May 2, 1996 TAG: 9605020039
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: WILMINGTON, DEL.
SOURCE: rom New York Times and Associated Press reports
The Tour DuPont, the most important cycling competition outside Europe, started Wednesday with a race to nowhere that did not count. But the day's leaders did not mind because they had achieved something, and the others among the 112 professional riders from 16 teams did not mind because they had survived a day's racing.
In past years, the 12-day race began in Wilmington with a three-mile prologue time trial. This year, partly to accommodate the Tour's title sponsor - Wilmington-based DuPont - and partly to accommodate live television by ESPN, the organizers abandoned the evening prologue in favor of a 47.6-mile circuit race.
The Union Cyclisme Internationale, the sport's world governing body, assigns only 11 days to the 1,225-mile Tour DuPont. If there is a prologue time trial on the 12th day, those times count in the final standing, but a circuit race does not.
So Wednesday's ceremonial race, a dozen 3.97-mile laps, offered minuscule rewards. The winner, Arvis Piziks, a 26-year-old Latvian from the Dutch team Rabobank, received $2,000. He also will wear the leader's yellow jersey in today's 93-mile stage, a road race from Fredericksburg to Richmond in Virginia.
But Piziks received no time bonus. Everyone in the field, even eight riders who did not finish, was given the same time as the winner - 1 hour, 32 minutes, 44 seconds.
Such favorites as 1995 Tour winner Lance Armstrong of Austin, Texas, and Tony Rominger of Switzerland, the world's No.2-ranked rider, rode hard but carefully. Others forced the pace so much that the winner averaged 30.79 mph.
Nine riders broke away on the eighth lap and stayed in front. With 100 meters to go, Piziks bolted from that group and won by nine feet.
``I have the [leader's] jersey, but nothing else,'' said Piziks, who placed 91st in last year's Tour de France. ``I was ready for a fast race because it was flat course and a short race.''
Matthew White, a 22-year-old Australian in his first pro race, finished second and Scott Fortner of Littleton, Colo., was third.
Said Fortner: ``To win a stage of a prestigious race like the Tour DuPont is worthwhile.''
LENGTH: Medium: 51 lines ILLUSTRATION: GRAPHIC: Chart by staff. color.by CNB