MILRAM veteran ends famous Classic for the 16th time

Dortmund, 11. April 2010. MILRAM’s Servais Knaven has set an historical record at the Spring Classic Paris-Roubaix (April 11 / UCI HIS). The 39-year-old Dutchman ended the „Hell of the North“ on Sunday for the 16th time, the only active rider to do so. The winner of the 2001 edition of the race thus drew equal with Belgian Raymond Impanis, who started more often but did not always finish the race.

„This race day cost me ten years off my life! This morning I was very nervous and absolutely wanted to have a good race,“ said the MILRAM veteran after finishing 43rd in the Roubaix velodrome. „Now I am happy that I have accomplished it. I am very proud, because this race has been part of my whole life as a pro cyclist.“

The best rider for the German ProTour team was Niki Terpstra in 32nd. The Dutch rider attacked out of the group of favorites with two other riders 55 kilometers before the finish line. Together with the two French riders Sebastien Hinault (AG2R) and Frederic Guesdon (Francaise des Jeux), Terpstra was able to get away. But the chasing group around Tom Boonen (Quick Step) and Fabian Cancellara (Saxo Bank) wouldn’t let the trio go.

“At the moment that the chase group caught us, I was stopped by a puncture,“ is how Niki Terpstra described his bad luck. “Up to that point I was doing well in the race. That is very bothersome, because I felt good and with some luck might have finished higher up.“

The victory after 259 kilometers between Compiegne and Roubaix went to Swiss champion Fabian Cancellara. In an impressive solo ride, the Saxo Bank rider took off from the lead group with 45 km to go. In the velodrome of Roubaix, the Ronde van Vlaanderen winner had a comfortable lead of two minutes. In the sprint for second place in the velodrome, Thor Hushovd (Cervelo) beat Spaniard Juan Antonio Flecha (Sky).