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Rabobank - Clockwork "Oranje" | Tour Down Under (4/6)
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Posted on 22-12-2024 10:19
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| Dankan |
Posted on 20-06-2008 19:17
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(24/01)  Tour Down Under - Stage 3: Unley > Victor Harbor
Nervousness shakes the peloton; Rabobank wins again
A last bump of wind made Dutch neo-pro Tom Leezer reach his first win as a ProTour rider as he took the victory on a thrilling stage, the third on the 2008 Tour Down Under. The 23-year sprinter came through a bunch of Milram riders, led by former Alessandro Petacchi's launcher Marco Velo, to triumph on the flat portion between Unley and Victor Harbor. Graeme Brown came into the 40-man group on the lead to keep the yellow jersey. No time gaps were taken into account for a second, 60-man group, a minute behind the leaders at the finish, and thus the general classification may not vary apart from the bonification seconds.
Leezer explained, in perfect English-speaking, how much the wind did affect on the stage's outcome: "At the start of the stage, Sánchez told us to mind the gaps on the group and not to leave any of our teammates to get stucked on the back, since the wind was being really gusty from the start. After Hammond was finally chased, I could see, just a couple of meters behind me, how [David] Millar and [Domi]Nique Rollin were falling and making a second group to get formed. Fortunately, we missed that crash and I could lead Graeme to sprint, he somehow could not follow me though, so I went for myself and got the win after the Milrams had to go to the right side when the wind hitted us," Leezer said.
Hammond's breakaway was the only notable attack on a stage where escapers could simply not go further than a few meters, lacking the peloton's protection against the win. High Road's former British champion went away for more than forty kilometers, reaching a biggest gap on 1'35'' seconds, and being finally caught only 3 miles to the finish on Victor Harbor. A little group including Kjell Carlström (Liquigas), Jimmy Engoulvent (Crédit Agricole) and French rising timetriallist Jérôme Coppel (Française des Jeux) also stayed away for a few k's before getting reached by the peloton.
The fast pace by the Zabel's domestiques from Team Milram made the peloton break apart, 30km before the finish. Several riders tried to jump into the first group, such as Thomas Dekker (Rabobank), currently wearing the KOM jersey. Some k's on, a massive fall involved ITT World Champion Fabian Cancellara (Team CSC) and Brit champion David Millar (Slipstream). The only injured rider was Irish TT champion Nicolas Roche (Crédit Agricole), whose fifth rib got broken. His withdrawal is the second one of the race: Estonian Rein Taaramäe (Cofidis) also abandoned on Stage 1.
Photo gallery
- The peloton knows which his destiny through the stage is: echelons are about to happen
- Half the Drapac Porsche squad gets cut of the group: Angus Morton, the revelation of the Aussie champs, is also there...
- Roger Hammond (Team High Road) goes by himself without attacking; there's still 50kms left...
- A 4-man group is also trying to break away; unfortunately, his attempt won't last more than a few clicks...
- Caution, echelons! Silence - Lotto and Team Milram are pushing up-front
- Thomas Dekker (Rabobank) is fighting not to get out of the 1st group...
- Chute by David Millar (Slipstream)! Canada's Dominique Rollin (Toyota) is also there!
- A bunch of riders try to recover themselves from a terrifying fall...
- It looks like a confusing sprint as two Milrams stay at front
- Tom Leezer (Rabobank) is coming from the left to take the win...!
- And the photo-finish shows he really does! Excellent!
Official results:
1. Tom Leezer (Rabobank) 2h58'48''
2. Marco Velo (Team Milram) s.t.
3. Peter Wrölich (Gerolsteiner) s.t.
4. Brett Lancaster (Team Milram) s.t.
5. Alberto Ongarato (Team Milram) s.t.
6. Paolo Bossoni (Lampre) s.t.
7. Enrico Poitschke (Team Milram) s.t.
8. Guido Trenti (Liquigas) s.t.
9. Martin Müller (Team Milram) s.t.
10. Marcus Ljungqvist (Team CSC) s.t.
GC:
1. Graeme Brown (Rabobank) 9h38'57''
2. Tom Leezer (Rabobank) +3
3. Stuart O'Grady (Team CSC) +4
4. Marco Velo (Team Milram) +6
5. Erik Zabel (Team Milram) +6
Points: Graeme Brown (Rabobank)
Mountain: Thomas Dekker (Rabobank)
Young: Tom Leezer (Rabobank) |
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| Mads_0 |
Posted on 20-06-2008 20:46
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Domestique
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You are dominating the TDU Dankan. Great stuff! |
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| Ak4 |
Posted on 20-06-2008 20:50
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Stagiare
Posts: 226
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Another good victory |
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| wackojackohighcliffe |
Posted on 20-06-2008 21:17
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Grand Tour Champion
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this is fantastic reporting
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| heda |
Posted on 20-06-2008 23:06
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Amateur
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very good story |
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| Karl_rab |
Posted on 21-06-2008 11:19
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Sprinter
Posts: 1888
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very good style dankan, very original, i dont like it, but kudos to you for coming up with a new and innovative style, good work on the TDU and do my team proud!!!!
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| carlos_valverde |
Posted on 21-06-2008 13:54
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Stagiare
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Good Luck in tour down under |
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| Smitho |
Posted on 21-06-2008 14:28
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Neo-Pro
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I am liking the way you presented this it looks cool. Keep it up menchov for the tour??? are you going to do like in real life and not put dekker in the tdf? |
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| Ak4 |
Posted on 21-06-2008 14:30
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Stagiare
Posts: 226
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I like that way of presentation too.. Looks so clean |
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| txirrinda |
Posted on 21-06-2008 15:35
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Amateur
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Hi ,is very interesting your history,tell me,Wait you wait about horillo?
Edited by txirrinda on 21-06-2008 17:48
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| Dankan |
Posted on 21-06-2008 17:44
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(25/01) Tour Down Under - Stage 4: Mannum - Strathalbyn
First win since long ago for Erik Zabel to snatch the yellow
Germany's Erik Zabel made their native fans cheer out ot joy, as well as the ones at the other side of the world, after he came across the line on top for the first time since his strange win at a stage of the Vuelta a España finishing in Zaragoza. Former Petacchi's teammate, who took the win from Stuart O'Grady (Team CSC) and Alessandro Ballan (Lampre), also claimed the lead on the 2008 Tour Down Under - just because of his best ranks all over the entire race, with the same time as local hero O'Grady and the previous leader Graeme Brown (Rabobank), who came in 9th position today.
The close sprint on today's fourth stage came after a big breakway took the main role on the afternoon's play. A 15-man group ahead of the peloton, including the white jersey's wearer (Marcel Sieberg from High Road), big Caisse's domestique Chente GarcÃa Acosta and Latvian TT champion Eaivis Belohvosciks, took a 5-minute gap before their last remaining units (already mentioned Chente, as well as France's Christophe Mengin from Française des Jeux) were chased before the 5km-mark.
The Milram squad did a tremendous job for their leader, causing the sprint to appear to be a duo battle between Zabel and Lampre's Alessandro Ballan. However, Australian champion Stuart O'Grady (CSC) came from the center of the group to fight for the win, which almost went to the tricolor ridersearching for his second win on this stagerace. It's been a perfectly spread round, with four different riders (Brown, O'Grady, Leezer and Zabel) taking the stages, but the GC contenders are not aiming for these close calls - thir momento will come on tomorrow's route towards the Willunga Hill!
Photo gallery
- Dominique Rollin (Toyota) sets the pace up the early - first climb of the day; Will Walker (Rabobank) goes on his wheel
- Graeme Brown (Rabobank) is already suffering as the peloton gets closer to the KOM climb; fortunately, he'll get back to the peloton to fight for another win!
- After a long while cooperating, Hungarian trimetriallist Laszló Bodrogi (Crédit Agricole) makes a late move to keep the lead of the race
- But the peloton leaves no place for surprise; Alessandro Ballan (Lampre) is already leading the pack on a long sprint move
- It seems Ballan is losing his strength to Erik Zabel (Team Milram), but look at those Aussie colors coming its way...!
- But Stuart O'Grady's (Team CSC) attempt is not enough; Zabel wins!
- Graeme Brown (Rabobank) did an awful move on the final rush; he's losing the shirt he wore for three stages!
Official results:
1. Erik Zabel (Rabobank) 3h03'19''
2. Stuart O'Grady (Team CSC) s.t.
3. Alessandro Ballan (Lampre) s.t.
4. Tom Boonen (Quick·Step) s.t.
5. Daniele Bennati (Liquigas) s.t.
6. Heinrich Haussler (Gerolsteiner) s.t.
7. Jean-Patrick Nazon (AG2R La Mondiale) s.t.
8. Jeremy Hunt (Crédit Agricole) s.t.
9. Graeme Brown (Rabobank) s.t.
10. Simon Spilak (Lampre) s.t.
GC:
1. Erik Zabel (Team Milram) 12h42'26''
2. Stuart O'Grady (Team CSC) s.t.
3. Graeme Brown (Rabobank) s.t.
4. Tom Leezer (Rabobank) +4
5. Marcel Sieberg (Team High Road) s.t.
Points: Graeme Brown (Rabobank)
Mountain: Thomas Dekker (Rabobank)
Young: Tom Leezer (Rabobank) |
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| Ak4 |
Posted on 21-06-2008 18:38
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Stagiare
Posts: 226
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Better sprints will come! |
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| Karl_rab |
Posted on 21-06-2008 23:50
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Sprinter
Posts: 1888
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haha bad luck with a typical performance with brown.....
But no worries you have the Points, mountain and young riders jersey B)
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| mowinckel91 |
Posted on 22-06-2008 00:07
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Breakaway Specialist
Posts: 995
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 Too bad for brown |
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 22-06-2008 00:12
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Team Manager
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I really like your cyclingnews like style of reports.
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| Dankan |
Posted on 23-06-2008 09:49
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Story on hold till next Monday due to exams and mini-vacation after the last one of them. |
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