All's fair in winning a race for your sponsor. What else could Rudy do? I'm sure that Hanegraaf
admitted that it was Pevenage's race.
"benjo maso" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Van Hoorebeeck Bart" <
[email protected]> wrote
in
> message
news:[email protected]...
> >
> > 1980....
> >
> > He was in a break with 2 French lesser gods that took +20 minutes.
The
> French
> > cracked soon thereafter. Rudy defended his huge lead in the bonus
sprints
> (12,8,4
> > back then ), surpassed his abilities in the TT.... By the time the GC men caught up, Pevenage
> > led the green thanks to
all
> those
> > sprints points. All nice for an 'accidental' Tour hero. There isn't much more to
say about
> his
> > palmares, but he was an excellent and smart team element.
>
>
> In 1982 Pevenage was the tragic hero of Paris-Brussels. Fifteen
kilometers
> before the finish he was in the lead together with Dutchman Jacques Hanegraaf. Pevenage was
> setting the pace and Hanegraaf seemed to be
in
> difficulty. Pevenage asked him to relay, but Hanegraaf's face was
contorted
> in pain and he said he was having cramp. Pevenage tried to shake him
loose,
> but in vain. because the peloton was coming dangerously close,
Pevenage had
> no choice but leading the race with Hanegraaf sitting on his wheel.
One
> kilometer from the finish the two leaders came within reach of the
peloton
> and Pevenage asked Hanegraaf once more to take the lead, but again
Hanegraaf
> shook his head, grimacing with pain. The peloton came so close that
Pevenage
> couldn't afford to look behind anymore and was completely sursprised
that
> Hanegraaf, suddenly cured, overtook him with less than hundred
meters to go.
> Pevenage literally cried of rage, didn't sprint anymore, was
overtaken by
> the peloton and finished fourth. I've never seen a rider so angry as Pevenage. He tried to hit
> Hanegraaf, screamed that he would kill
him, and so
> on. Last year Hanegraaf and Pevenage were working closely together,
setting
> up the new Bianchi-team. I saw them on TV, obviuously the best of
friends
> and having a wonderful time.
> Great sport, cycling.
>
> Benjo Maso