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RACE REPORTS: ENECO TOUR STAGE 6: BOASSON HAGEN TAKES STAGE, EXTENDS LEAD
Road Bike Action & AFP
August 24, 2009
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(Photo: Roberto Bettini)
Norwegian Edvald Boasson Hagen consolidated his lead of the Eneco Tour stage race by beating some of the worlds best fast men in a sprint for the finish of Monday's sixth stage. Boasson Hagen, who rides for the Columbia-HTC team, grabbed precious bonus seconds for the win, which ahead of the final stage time trial over 13.1km on Tuesday, took his overall lead over American Tyler Farrar of Garmin-Slipstream to 21-seconds. Farrar, the winner of three stages so far here and the leader until Boasson Hagen took over on Sunday, finished third on the stage.
A three-man breakaway, composed of Dutchmen Rick Flens and Huub Duyn and Russian Alexander Serov, provided some early drama on the 163.3km ride from Genk to Roermond. They went on to build a lead of four minutes on the main bunch but, with the teams of Farrar and Boasson Hagen helping drive the chase their bid came to an end 6-kilometers from the finish line.
Boasson Hagen praised the contribution from Australian teammate Mark Renshaw, the main sprint lead-out man for Mark Cavendish during his six-stage winning Tour de France campaign, had been decisive. "The team worked great today, and Mark Renshaw did a superb job leading me out and getting me into position at the end," said Boasson Hagen. "I'm happy I finally managed to beat Tyler Farrar, but I'm happy I also added a few bonus seconds before the final stage tomorrow (Tuesday). "I still haven't won a time trial but I'm confident."
Boasson Hagen's hopes for victory will be given a boost if, as expected, Farrar does not start Tuesday in an effort to gain a day of rest ahead of the start of the Tour of Spain, which starts on Saturday. Belgian Tom Boonen, who is also competing at the Tour of Spain, did likewise by sitting out Monday's stage. Although Dane Lars Bak is third overall at 25-seconds, Quick Step rider Sylvain Chavanel, who won the prologue time trial, is Boasson Hagen's biggest threat in fourth overall at 31-seconds back
Eneco Tour Stage 6. 163km
1. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor/Team Columbia-HTC) 3:28:58
2. Matthew Goss (Aus/Saxo Bank) @ s.t.
3. Tyler Farrar (USA/Garmin-Slipstream)
4. Graeme Brown (Aus/Rabobank)
5. Francesco Chicchi (Ita/Liquigas)
6. Mark Renshaw (Aus/Team Columbia-HTC)
7. Baden Cooke (Aus/Vacansoleil)
8. Kristof Goddaert (Bel/Topsport Vlaanderen)
9. Angelo Furlan (Ita/Lampre-N.G.C.)
10. Klaas Lodewyck (Bel/Topsport Vlaanderen)
Overall Classification Afrer Stage 6
1. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor/Team Columbia-HTC) 26:33:33
2. Tyler Farrar (USA/Garmin-Slipstream) @ .21
3.Lars Ytting Bak (Den/Saxo Bank) @ .25
4. Sylvain Chavanel (Fra/Quick Step) @ .31
5.Joost Posthuma (Ned/Rabobank) @ .33
6. Juan Antonio Flecha (Spa/Rabobank) @ .35
7. Francesco Gavazzi (Ita/Lampre-N.G.C.) @ .38
8. Jan Bakelandts (Bel/Topsport Vlaanderen) @ s.t.
9. Maxime Monfort (Bel/Team Columbia-HTC) @ .39
10.Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel/Silence-Lotto) @ .42 |
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