There are three “points” to note from the Gand-Wevelgem, a race that was disputed by riders at a very high average speed, notwithstanding the strong wind.

1. At the second passage on the legendary Kemmel, George Hincapie attacked, leaving Johann Museeuw and all the other riders in the front of the race behind him. Hincapie climbed the 51 meters of elevation in just 88”, exerting an average power output of about 600 watts, given that his bodyweight is about 77 kg.

2. 30 km from the finish line, Super-Mario Cipollini caught up to the 4 runaways, closing a gap of about 12” in just a little more than 1 km. Considering that the 4 riders were pedalling, (with a head wind) at about 48 km/h, Cipo must have “flown” that kilometre at almost 60 km/h, thrusting a power output that could be estimated around 750-800 watts.

3. The straight-off sprint for Mario is a confirmation that he really is Super, not only as a sprinter, but even as a great rider who is able to seize the right moment.