August 13, 2002 – Bart Brentjens showed no mercy on the final day of the
Tour VTT, making another successful late attack, and gaining Giant a clean
sweep of the stage wins as well as the top three overall and the teams, the
points and mountains competitions.

“Whether it’s a stage race or a one-day event, you never believe you have
won in mountain biking until you have crossed the final line” Brentjens
insisted afterwards. “Plus with the worse weather and all that climbing,
this last stage was definitely the hardest day of them all in the whole, so
I didn’t believe the win was coming home with me to Holland until I had
completed last metre of the course.”

The two-lap 27 kilometre circuit near Luchon included three climbs, the
first of which forced all the riders without exception to walk up because of
the scree. Then the second had a lengthy dangerous descent and heavy terrain
from start to finish. Giant’s veteran Rune Hoydahl was one of many riders
unfortunate enough to puncture – in his case with five kilometres to go –
although he still finished second overall, with team-mate Christophe Dupouey
completing Giant’s hat-trick on the GC by taking third spot.

Following his by-now standard tactic, Brentjens broke away on the final
climb for a confident win, with Dupouey second and Hoydahl third. Team-mate
Marti Gispert took a noteworthy eighth.

“There was a lot of travelling each day, the courses were well-designed to
make you race hard, and I had some mechanical problems – which are
inevitable on this kind of course – so it’s not been easy. The
race definitely deserves a thumbs-up in terms of organization and prizes,”
commented Brentjens.

Final overall
1. Bart Brentjens (Holland) Giant 9-09-42;
2. R. Hoydahl (Giant) at 4-03;
3. C. Dupouey (Giant) at 4-47;

Points:
1. Rune Hoydahl (Norway) Giant 137 points;
2. B. Brentjens (Giant) 118.

Mountains:
1.Bart Brentjens (Holland) Giant 118 points;
2. C. Dupouey (Giant) 114.

August 13, 2002 – Bart Brentjens showed no mercy on the final day of the
Tour VTT, making another successful late attack, and gaining Giant a clean
sweep of the stage wins as well as the top three overall and the teams, the
points and mountains competitions.

“Whether it’s a stage race or a one-day event, you never believe you have
won in mountain biking until you have crossed the final line” Brentjens
insisted afterwards. “Plus with the worse weather and all that climbing,
this last stage was definitely the hardest day of them all in the whole, so
I didn’t believe the win was coming home with me to Holland until I had
completed last metre of the course.”

The two-lap 27 kilometre circuit near Luchon included three climbs, the
first of which forced all the riders without exception to walk up because of
the scree. Then the second had a lengthy dangerous descent and heavy terrain
from start to finish. Giant’s veteran Rune Hoydahl was one of many riders
unfortunate enough to puncture – in his case with five kilometres to go –
although he still finished second overall, with team-mate Christophe Dupouey
completing Giant’s hat-trick on the GC by taking third spot.

Following his by-now standard tactic, Brentjens broke away on the final
climb for a confident win, with Dupouey second and Hoydahl third. Team-mate
Marti Gispert took a noteworthy eighth.

“There was a lot of travelling each day, the courses were well-designed to
make you race hard, and I had some mechanical problems – which are
inevitable on this kind of course – so it’s not been easy. The
race definitely deserves a thumbs-up in terms of organization and prizes,”
commented Brentjens.

Final overall
1. Bart Brentjens (Holland) Giant 9-09-42;
2. R. Hoydahl (Giant) at 4-03;
3. C. Dupouey (Giant) at 4-47;

Points:
1. Rune Hoydahl (Norway) Giant 137 points;
2. B. Brentjens (Giant) 118.

Mountains:
1.Bart Brentjens (Holland) Giant 118 points;
2. C. Dupouey (Giant) 114.