The seventeenth stage over 200 km has developed like the first week stages. A group managed to escape from the pack but the teams of the strong sprinters have worked hard to catch them. The escapees were caught before the finish and for the eight time this year the stage ended in a sprint finish. Tom Steels won his third stage. Stuart O'Grady was involved in a crash about one and a half km before the line so he is not in today's top ten. Armstrong kept the yellow jersey.
The scores in the game were good but they were not as high as in the first week. The reason for this is that some top sprinters, who normally would have finished in the stage top ten, have already left the race. For the first time in the history of the game a stage has been won by three participants. The lucky ones are Gosse Darbe, Huib van Grol and Wicher Otten, all from The Netherlands. Michael Botzet remains the overall leader. However Christian Hoffellner from Austria finished fourth in the stage today and he has decreased Botzet's point advantage to only seven points. If the stage result of tomorrow is similar to that of today, Hoffellner will take over first place from Botzet. Dutchman Martin Brilleman has positioned himself on third place now.
1. 66 Gosse Darbe (The Netherlands)
66 Huib van Grol (The Netherlands)
66 Wicher Otten (The Netherlands)
4. 65 Carlos Gorria (Spain/Basque Country)
65 Christian Hoffellner (Austria)
6. 64 Ted Northrop (USA)
7. 63 Herman Klaassen (The Netherlands)
63 Stefan Simenon (The Netherlands)
9. 62 Angelo Pibiri (The Netherlands)
62 Rene van Buitenen (The Netherlands)
11. 61 Dick Blom (The Netherlands)
61 Eddy B. (The Netherlands)
61 Eric van Balkum (The Netherlands)
61 George Dusties (The Netherlands)
61 Martin Brilleman (The Netherlands)
16. 60 Jose Antonio Guerrero (Spain)
60 Richard Burkholder (USA)
60 Wil Repkes (The Netherlands)
19. 59 Amat Artigas Towle (Spain)
59 Angelo Colombo (Italy)
59 M.F. Armani (USA)
59 Paul van der Wijk (The Netherlands)
59 René Mous (The Netherlands)
59 Rien Post (The Netherlands)
59 Roberto Sala (Switzerland)
59 Wilco Vertegaal (The Netherlands)
27. 58 Aitor Casado (Spain/Basque Country)
58 Bob Dongelmans (The Netherlands)
58 Dave Marple (USA)
58 Edmond Huntjens (The Netherlands)
58 Eeuwe Zijlstra (The Netherlands)
58 Howard Hobson (UK)
58 Jeroen Van Koert (Australia)
58 Jim Moore (USA)
35. 57 Bert Platt (The Netherlands/Friesland)
57 Hans Splinter (The Netherlands)
57 Jose Maria Olazabel Da Silva Smith Jr. (Mozambique)
57 Marco Moccetti (Switzerland)
57 Sjoerd Stoffels (The Netherlands)
57 The Vans (South Africa)
57 Wil Gommans (The Netherlands)
42. 56 Akke Vellinga (Belgium)
56 Arno Brus (The Netherlands)
56 Eric Anderson (USA)
56 Greg Reed (USA)
56 Gudy Munsterman (The Netherlands)
56 Hans-Peter Schweiss (Germany)
56 L. Pelzers (The Netherlands)
56 Martin Smith (UK)
56 Michel van Musschenbroek (Canada)
56 Mike Johanson (USA)
56 Roberto Paolini (Switzerland)
56 Tato Uribe Ortiz (Colombia)
54. 55 Daniel M. Kokke (The Netherlands)
55 Erwin Munsterman (The Netherlands)
55 Frans Mobron (The Netherlands)
55 H.J.C.J. (The Netherlands)
55 Marc Smith (UK/England)
55 Niels van Daalen (The Netherlands)
55 P. Hogenstijn (The Netherlands)
55 Roger van Leeuwen (The Netherlands)
62. 54 Anton Cozijnsen (Australia)
54 Jean-Louis Simon (France)
54 Jim Hagberg (USA)
54 John Granquist (USA)
54 Kim Shearer (Australia)
54 Peter Beursgens (The Netherlands)
54 Wim Stoops (Belgium)
69. 53 Bill Wildenberg (USA)
53 Bjorn Aelvoet (Belgium)
53 Bojan Kozelj (Slovenia)
53 Christian Johnson (USA)
53 Christoph Kersten (Germany)
53 Ellen van Overeem (The Netherlands)
53 Gene Dollarhide (USA)
53 Gerry Gallagher (USA)
53 Henk ten Have (The Netherlands)
53 Henry van Asseldonk (The Netherlands)
53 Jason Chupick (USA)
53 John Crawford (USA)
53 Matz Venga (The Netherlands)
53 Merijn van der Werff (The Netherlands)
53 Michel Oberson (Switzerland)
53 Nerazzurri (Italy)
53 Paolo Quaglia (Belgium)
53 Rob Spaans (The Netherlands)
53 Robbie Brown (USA)
53 Robert van Lunteren (The Netherlands)
53 Sander Kaspers (The Netherlands)
90. 52 A. Mulder (The Netherlands)
52 Andrea Giordano (Italy)
52 Bart Ronsyn (Belgium)
52 Bruce Larson (USA)
52 Cameron Henderson (Australia)
52 Charlie Haygood (USA)
52 Ellen van Bodegom (The Netherlands)
52 Erix Schokker (New Zealand/The Netherlands)
52 Freek Burger (The Netherlands)
52 Hans van Oss (The Netherlands)
52 Huub van Oirschot (The Netherlands)