Sporting Digest: Cycling

STEPHEN ROCHE, of Ireland, has confirmed he will retire at the end of the season.

DE PANNE THREE-DAY RACE Second stage (231km, Herzele to Oostduinkerke, Bel): 1 N Minali (It) 5hr 26min 46sec; 2 M Cipollini (It); 3 W Nelissen (Bel); 4 D Abdoujaparov (Uzb); 5 J Museeuw (Bel); 6 O Ludwig (Ger); 7 M Bartoli (It); 8 S Martinello (It); 9 E Leoni (It); 10 A Van den Bossche (Bel) s/t. Overall: 1 E Vanderaerden (Bel) 9hr 25min 24sec; 2 F Moncassin (Fr) +3sec; 3 F Maassen (Neth) +6; 4 E Van Hooydonck (Bel) +7; 5 Abdoujaparov +18; 6 Z Spruch (Pol) +21; 7 A Gonchenkov (Ukr); 8 M Fondriest (It); 9 J Svorada (Cz Rep) s/t; 10 Nelissen +35.