|
Kessler wins, Boonen in yellow
04/07/2006 18:11 - (SA)
Valkenburg, Netherlands - Germany's Matthias Kessler of T-Mobile was rewarded for his persistence with victory in the tough third stage of the Tour de France here on Tuesday after 216.5km of racing from Luxembourg.
Belgium's world champion Tom Boonen took the race leader's yellow jersey from fellow sprinter Thor Hushovd of Norway after finishing fourth.
Kessler, who tried in vain to win Monday's stage when he was overtaken shortly before the finish line, launched a daring attack on the hilly finale which usually plays host to the Amstel Gold Race to finish with room to spare.
The German's move outfoxed both the sprinters and the punchers, who had been threatening to reel him in and he went on to savour his first ever stage win on the race.
Five seconds behind him Australian Michael Rogers, also of T-Mobile, finished second in front of Italian Daniele Bennati, with Boonen in fourth just ahead of German veteran Erik Zabel.
In the general classification, Quick Step pin-up Boonen has a one-second lead over Rogers.
American George Hincapie is in third place overall at five seconds adrift with Hushovd in fourth at seven.
Earlier in the race Spanish ace Alejandro Valverde crashed out while riding in the middle of the peloton and failed to get back on his bike.
Broke his collarbone
It means the 25-year-old will have failed to complete the race for the second year in a row. Last year on his debut Valverde had to pull out because of a knee injury suffered in a fall.
The official race doctor later confirmed that this time he suffered a broken right collarbone.
Kessler meanwhile played his hand perfectly.
A rider who loves to race in the tough, hilly one-day classics - he finished fifth in the Amstel Gold Race in 2003 and third in the Fleche Wallonne a year later - Kessler used his knowledge to perfection in a thrilling finale.
A five-man breakaway which had threatened to go all the way to the finish was swallowed up by the peloton with around 15km to race.
Only one of that group - Jose Luis Arrieta of the AG2R team - had the strength to stay ahead of the ensuing bunch, but once he hit the long, steady slope of the Cauberg climb, his fate looked sealed.
The Spaniard's cadence slowed significantly, and then an attack by Credit Agricole climber Pietro Caucchioli was followed by a series of counter attacks.
All the 'punchers' - riders who can still chase victory down on the tough little climbs - were there, including Oscar Freire, Michael Boogerd, Phillipe Gilbert and even Spanish climber Iban Mayo.
Boonen was also among the front group, but together they could do little when Kessler made his move with a little under three kilometres to go.
The German was followed by Belgian star Gilbert, however he found the pace too tough and Kessler - crucially - left the peloton with too much work to do in the final kilometre.
- AFP
|
