The biggest winner of the Global Champions Tour 2006 has already been confirmed: Ludo Philippaerts, who collected 111,500 euros in total prize money with his spectacular victories in Monte-Carlo (MON) and Estoril (POR), cannot be caught when the final leg of the Tour is held on September 24 in Lanaken.
Accordingly, the Belgian will earn an additional bonus of 250,000 euros. “I am getting a great deal of response to this victory from lots of people. Our papers have been full of the news,” says Philippaerts. “And of course it’s always great to win such an amount of money!”
In total, the Global Champions Tour, sponsored by CN and CN WorldWide, will pay bonuses of 600,000 euros to the eight best-placed riders. Although the winner is known, it is still to be seen who will take second through eighth on the rankings.
All of the riders taking part in the Final at Lanaken have a chance to make it into the top eight. “It will be a very thrilling competition,” predicts Philippaerts. “All of the riders will give it their best, especially Edwina Alexander who is in really good shape at the moment.
Certainly she will try to move forward to the position of runner-up.” But the 43-year-old also wants to play an important role on Sunday. Even though he has already topped the Tour, he will be saddling his best horse, the handsome grey stallion Parco, for the 150,000 euro Grand Prix. “For sure I will try to increase my overall prize money a little more.”
2006 Global Champions Tour Ranking (After Fifth Leg at CSI Valkenswaard)
Rank Prize money (€) Rider (Country)
1. 111.500 Ludo Philippaerts (BEL)
2. 57.500 Thomas Frühmann (AUT)
3. 55.000 Leopold van Asten (NED)
4. 50.000 Norman Dello Joio (USA)
5. 40.500 Samantha McIntosh (BUL)
6. 39.000 Edwina Alexander (AUS)
7. 33.000 Michel Hecart (FRA)
8. 31.000 Francois Mathy (BEL)
You must be logged in to post a comment.