Press Release Johan Museeuw: Into The Legend With his tenth victory in a World Cup Race, Johan Museeuw not only triumphs in the 100th running of Paris-Roubaix, but also snatches the overall UCI World Cup lead. German Steffen Wesemann takes second place, with young Belgian revelation Tom Boonen managing an improbable third place finish in his first participation in the Queen of Classics. One week after his disappointing second place finish in the Tour des Flandres, Belgian Museeuw proved he has character as much as talent! Having already overcome a severe injury as well as a life-threatening motorcycle accident, the "Flemish Lion" has fully earned his place in Paris-Rouaix lore alongside four-time-winner Roger De Vlaeminck. Belgian fans will also cherish Boonen's accomplishment. Museeuw acknowledged his junior on the podium, a fitting symbol of one generation giving way to another. Expect all these champions to once again show their stuff in the next World Cup event, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, this coming Sunday. Be sure not to miss out with online race commentary on the Tour de France's official web site. Newsflashes 17:38    Wesemann edges Boonen Wesemann easily outsprints Boonen for second place. At the tender age of 21, in this his first season as a professionnal rider, Tom Boonen is the revelation of this 100th Paris-Roubaix. 17:29    And Three For Museeuw Johan Museuuw makes his entrance in the Roubaix Velodrome, winning Paris-Roubaix for the third time, his tenth victory in a World Cup event. 17:23    On The Sunny Side Of Roubaix As if in hommage to the Belgian champion, the sun has just begun shining on the Roubaix cycling ring, where Museeuw is set to triumph shortly. 17:13    A Legend In The Making As he leaves paved sector n°3 in Gruson, Johan Museeuw holds a 2’15 lead over Boonen and the other counter-attackers. Unless he has mechanical problems, the Belgian super star seems headed for victory. 17:04    Hincapie's Woes Having already given up more than a minute to Museeuw, Hincapie falls while going through paved sector n°4. He manages to continue, with Wesemann catching him up. With less than 20 km to go, the American’s hopes are waning. 16:47    The Flamish Lion Roars On his own against the two US Postal team-mates, Museeuw nonetheless increases his lead to 50 seconds. 25 km to go. 16:40    Chasing Duo Thirty seconds behind Johan Museeuw, Tom Boonen and George Hincapie take up the chase on their own. Boonen gives it everything he’s got for his leader. For his rookie season, Dirk Demol’s protégé is showing uncanny class. 16:28    Foolish Or Heroic? During paved sector n°8 in Mérignies, Johan Museeuw places an attack, with still 40 km to go. George Hincapie asks team-mate Boonen to lead the chase. 16:20    The Stage Is Set Once again picking up the pace, as they ride through cobblestones sector n°9, Museeuw and his fellow counter-attackers managed to catch up with the race leaders. Domo Knaven an Rodriguez have dropped back. Hincapie can now cooperate with team-mate Boonen, to try to stifle the Domo trio (Museeuw, Cassani, Van Heeswijk). 16:08    A Tough Call Having at one time fallen under one minute, the gap between the seven leaders and the Museeuw group has gone back up to 1’30. The Tafi is another minute behind. 55 km to go. 15:53    Things Are Cooking For Domo The leading group has lost two more riders. As it reaches the second feed zone (Km 195,5), it includes the following riders: Cassani, Van Heeswijk, Bodrogi, De Clercq, Mattan, Schweda, Eriksen, Hofman and Boonen. The pursuing group with Museeuw, US Champion Rodriguez & Hincapie, steadily makes up ground, now trailing by only 50’’. Should they catch up with the leaders, Domo will have five of its eight riders in front. Tafi and Van Petegem are part of a group, 3’30 behind. 15:37    On The Move While Museeuw and Hincapie pick up the pace, Daniele Nardello and Andrea Tafi lead the chase at the back. 15:23    Museeuw Takes Charge Belgian Johan Museeuw, who last week just missed out snatching his fourth Tour des Flandres, is in the hunt for a third Paris-Roubaix. Many riders have fallen back, as he picked up the pace in pursuit. Among the favorites, only Hincapie and Wesemann are hanging on. 15:11    Closing The Gap After the Arenberg trench, ten riders retain a 2’45 lead over a group which includes most of the favorites (Wesemann,Hincapie, Museeuw): Cassani, Heeswijk, Bodrogi, De Clercq, Mattan, Tombak, Schweda, Eriksen, Hofman, Boonen, Hondo, Klier et Gouvenou. 80 km left. 14:54    Facing Up To Arenberg Enrico Cassani is the first of the leading group to head into the 2.4 km-Arenberg trench. Huge crowds line the legendary cobbled stretch, where so many Paris-Roubaix have been won or lost. Despite moddy cobblestones, riders are keeping their balance, much like acrobats. 14:43    Status Quo With the famed Arenberg trench looming in a few kilometers, the race is reaching a crucial stage. The gap with the chasing pack has come down to four minutes. A hundred kilometers to the finish line. 14:36    A Third Mathew (with one T) Sydney-based Rob Arnold, Ride Cycling Review’s keen editor, points out we forgot one Aussie: Rabobank’s Mathew Hayman. When Frenchmen face Australian opposition, there are usually 15 Wallabies, but three cyclists is a pretty good start. See you Rob. The Tour is just around the corner. 14:10    US Postal On The Counterattack As the race reaches its half-way point, 16 riders lead the way: Cassani, Van Heeswijk, Bodrogi, Horillo, Hunter, De Clercq, Mattan, Tombak, Korff, Schweda, Eriksen, Hofman, Boonen, Hondo, Klier and Talabardon. The pack trails 4’30 behind, with the US Postal team leading the chase. 13:44    Still Going Strong After four paved sectors, twelve riders retain a 4’30 lead over stretched out pack. 144 kilometers remain. 13:28    Drawing First Blood With the first cobbled stretches, the group of 32 has disbanded. Five riders lead the pack by nearly four minutes, with three Mapei, putting on the heat: Bodrogi, Horillo and Hunter. The Domo-Mapei showdown has started. 13:18    A Distinctly Belgian Speciality Belgian Roger De Vlaeminck holds the record with four victories. Five riders have managed to notch up three triumphs: along with Francesco Moser and Octave Lapize, Belgian Gaston Rebry, Rik Van Looy and Eddy Merckx. 13:03    Getting Down To Business The breakaway has reached the first cobblestone section of the day in Troisvilles at Km 100. 12:58    Roll Of Call Claiming victory in Paris-Roubaix calls for inordinate skills, making pre-race prognosis only the more easy. For this 100th running, Belgian outfit Domo Farm Frites, with the «Wizard of Paris-Roubaix» Patrick Lefevere at the helm, once again seems to have the upper edge. It boasts the past two winners, Johan Museeuw and Servais Knaven. But Italian team Mapei will no doubt put up a fierce challenge, with the likes of 1999 winner Andrea Tafi and Hungarian prodigy Laslzo Bodrogi. 36 Belgian riders have notched up a record 48 victories: this year once again they have strong contenders, with Ludo Dierckxsens, Peter Van Petegem and Marc Wauters. German team Deutsche Telekom also hopes to have its say, be it with bonafide sprinter Erik Zabel or rugged Steffen Wesemann. Fellow countryman Jens Voigt could pull off a surprise, having made it clear that the Queen of Classics was his main early season objectives. How could we fail to mention American George Hincapie, who has shown outstanding form. Lance Armstrong’s team-mate would earn his place in cycling history were he to become the first non European winner. Though by no means in contention for final victory, two Australian riders are also involved: Matthew White & Matthew Wilson. 12:46    A Growing Gap At Km 82, 32 riders remain in the lead, holding a 2’20 edge over the pack. Although having had to change bikes two times already, Andrea Tafi has managed to keep in contact with the pack. 12:08    Building Up A Breakaway Amongst the leading group, which holds a one-minute lead after 50 kilometers, none of the pre-race favorites are to be found. The most notable of these escapees are Belgian Nico Mattan, Frenchman Jacky Durand, Italian Fabio Baldato and Spaniard Alvaro Gonzalez Galdeano. Average speed for the first hour was 46.300 kph. 11:45    Against The Wind Facing a sideway wind, the pack has adopted a spread-out formation, which has lead a group of 33 riders to notch up a 30 second lead. 11:32    An Italian Affair One of cycling’s legendary races, Paris-Roubaix is also the third events of the UCI World Cup, currently lead by Italian Mario Cipollini, winner of Milan-San Remo and ninth in the Tour des Flandres. The playboy sprinter has chosen to forego Paris-Roubaix, deeming his chances of success very unlikely. Compatriot and pre-race favorite Andrea Tafi, winner of the second World Cup event, lies in wait… 11:12    Setting Off Early 190 riders took the start in Compiègne at 10.50am, twenty minutes earlier than scheduled to take into account headwinds. After fifteen kilometers, the pack remains bunched, and is keeping up a brisk pace. 10:57    Early Greats Six years before capturing the first Tour de France, Maurice Garin won the 1897 Paris-Roubaix, the first of twelve successive French victories: Albert Champion in 1899, Emile Bouhours in 1900, Lucien Lesna in 1901 & 1902, Hippolyte Aucouturier in 1903 & 1904, Louis Trousselier in 1905, Henri Cornet in 1906 and Georges Passerieu in 1907. After a Belgian success in 1908 with Van Houwaert, Octave Lapize became the first rider to three-peat, winning in 1909, 1910 & 1911. Italian great Francesco Moser is the only one to have matched this feat (1978 to 1980). Charles Crupelandt, who grew up in the Northern France not far from Roubaix, put an end to Lapize’s reign in 1912; the last cobblestone sector of the race bears his name. 10:13    One Hundred And Counting... Welcome to the Paris-Roubaix official website, for this the 100th running of the fabled cobblestone classic. Josef Fischer, winner of the inaugural 1896 race, remains to this day the only German laureate. No doubt compatriot Erik Zabel, one of today’s pre-race favorites, would like to make sure that the 21st century, unlike the 20th, sees a German victory.