|
|
RACE REPORTS: TOUR DE SUISSE STAGE 4: PETACCHI WINS CRASH MARRED STAGE
Road Bike Action
June 15, 2010
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)
Italian rider Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre) came through to win the 192km fourth stage of the Tour de Suisse on Tuesday, although a mass crash marred the final sprint. German Tony Martin (HTC-Columbia), held up by the crash 50 meters from the finish line, kept hold of the leader's yellow jersey. The pile-up occurred when Martin's Columbia teammate Mark Cavendish of Great Britain and the German-Australian Heinrich Haussler (Cervelo), winner of the second stage, touched bikes as they were sprinting for the line. The two leaders both went to ground, bringing down a dozen other riders with them, notably the Belgian Tom Boonen (Quick Step), who hit Cavendish on the way. Columbia team doctors said the Briton was not seriously injured.
"Cavendish's worst injuries are that he suffered from severe road rash and major bruising," the team said in a statement. "The rider will undergo x-ray examination as a precautionary measure."
Frenchman Arnaud Coyot (Caisse d'Epargne) was another victim, suffering a suspected broken hip, but RadioShack's Lance Armstrong was not involved. Another Frenchman Brice Feillu (Vacansoleil), a stage winner in last year's Tour de France, set the pace after the peleton set off from Schwarzenburg, heading out on a solo breakaway from the tenth kilometre. He managed to open up a gap of 9 minutes 27 seconds before the peleton reeled him in 24km from the finish.
The 36-year-old Petacchi had abandoned the Tour of Italy on the eighth stage because of a bronchial problem. The winner of over 150 honors during his 14-year career, he had enough breath in him this time to pick his way through the crash site and take his first ever stage win in Switzerland.
"I was a long way back and normally wouldn't have any chance of winning this stage," said Petacchi. "I don't know what happened in front. Maybe the wind had something to do with this unfortunate finish. I don't like winning this way. If Cavendish hadn't crashed, he would certainly have won."
Denmark's Matti Breschel (Team Saxo Bank) took second place while another Italian, Marco Marcato (Vacansoleil), was third over the line. Wednesday's fifth stage takes the riders 172km from Wettingen to Frutigen.
Tour de Suisse Stage 4: Schwarzenburg - Wettingen 192.2km
1. Alessandro Petacchi (Ita/Lampre) 4:57:33
2. Matti Breschel (Den/Saxo Bank) @ s.t.
3. Marco Marcato (Ita/Vacansoleil)
4. Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa/Caisse d'Epargne)
5. Robbie McEwen (Aus/Katusha)
6. Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa/Sky)
7. Daniele Pietropolli (Ita/Lampre)
8. Bauke Mollema (Ned/Rabobank)
9. Andreas Klöden (Ger/Radioshack)
10. Dries Devenyns (Bel/Quick Step)
General Classification After Stage 4
1. Tony Martin (Ger/HTC-Columbia) 14:35:37
2. Fabian Cancellara (Swi/Saxo Bank) @ .01
3. Thomas Lövkvist (Swe/Sky) @ .09
4. Rigoberto Uran (Col/Caisse d'Epargne) @ .10
5. Dries Devenyns (Bel/Quick Step) @ .11
6. Steve Morabito (Swi/BMC) @ s.t.
7. Fränk Schleck (Lux/Saxo Bank) @ .13
8. Jakob Fuglsang (Den/Saxo Bank) @ .14
9. Nicolas Castroviejo (Spa/Euskaltel-Euskadi) @ .15
10. Bauke Mollema (Ned/Rabobank) @ .17
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|