News

17th March 2007

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Yaroslav Popovych takes Discovery Channel's second stage win in as many days with no change in the overall

Discovery Channel have taken another stage win at the Paris Nice when Ukrainian rider Yaroslav Popovych soloed into Manosque at the end of the 178 kilometer stage. Spain's Francisco José Ventoso riding for the Saunier Duval-Prodir team crossed the line in second place, winning the sprint from the main peloton 14 seconds behind 'Popo' banging his handlebars realizing that the stage win could have so easily have been his.

Popovych was a member of a large 13 rider break that escaped soon after the stage start but it wasn't long before Popovych, a stage winner at the 2006 Tour de France, slimmed the group down to only seven, those being, Popovych (Discovery Channel), David Zabriskie (CSC), Johan van Summeren (Predictor-Lotto), Koos Moerenhout (Rabobank), Bert Grabsch (T-Mobile), Jurgen van de Walle (Quick Step-Innergetic) and Murillo Fisher (Liquigas).

Together the leading breakaway riders worked together building their advantage over the peloton controlled by the Gerolsteiner team for their race leader Rebellin.

With the escapees advantage starting to drop Popovych decided it was time for him to continue alone, attacking on a drag, accelerating from the remnants of the leading group. Immediately he put distance between himself and the chasing riders, increasing his advantage with each and every turn of his pedals. With just over 30 kilometers of the stage remaining the scene was set, Popovych was going for the stage and doing it with the possibility of taking over the leaders yellow jersey at the end of the stage.

Panic started setting in behind with the Gerolsteiner led peloton with Rebellin's team seemingly unable to control Popo who was gradually increasing his lead once again. With more than 3 minutes advantage the flying Ukrainian was now the virtual leader on the road.

The gap only started to come down when the teams looking for a stage win hit the front. Caisse d'Epargne, Predictor-Lotto and Lampre-Fondital all hit the front. Together they worked keeping the pace high looking to bring the race together once again prior to the finish.

For Popovych though the line came just in time, surviving by 14 seconds to take the stage, Discovery Channel's second stage win in as many days.

After the stage CSC sporting director Alain Gallopin said on team-csc.com, "It was just a bit too soon for Dave today. We have to keep in mind that he's only had a few days on the road after his crash in Tour of California, so this race is part of his rehabilitation really."

So Italian Davide Rebellin survives his first day in yellow as the race gets ever closer to the finish on Sunday with Alberto Contador (Discovery Channel) 2nd overall and Tadej Valjavec (Lampre-Fondital) in 3rd.

Click here for the full results from stage five of the Paris-Nice...

Saunier Duval-Prodir score with Riccardo Riccò who moves to second place overall at the Tirreno-Adriatico behind race leader Alexandr Arekeev

Saunier Duval-Prodir's Riccardo Riccò has claimed the 3rd stage of the Tirreno-Adriatico where he beat the 2006 Vuelta a España winner Alexander Vinokourov and two-time Tour de France podium finisher, Andreas Klöden, both from the Astana team.

The riders rolled out of Marsciano on the 213 kilometer stage to Macerata, a stage where the surviving riders would have to tackle several tough climbs before reaching the finish.

The stage started and so did the attacks . Rider after rider tried to break from the peloton but it wasn't to around the 40th kilometer that any rider successfully gained any advantage, it wasn't to Dimitri Champion launched a move.

The 23 year-old first year professional, riding for the Bouygues Telecom team launched himself off the front just over 40 kilometers into the stage. Gradually building his lead the Frenchman continued to put time and distance between himself and the peloton behind who were being controlled by the race leaders Acqua & Sapone-Caffè Mokambo squad.

With Champion's lead now at 13 minutes the Acqua & Sapone-Caffè Mokambo team decided enough was enough and started raising the tempo behind, gradually getting faster and faster, bringing the sole leaders time advantage down. As the tempo in the main peloton got faster and faster Champion's lead was quickly being reduced.

Eventually with just under 20 kilometers of the stage remaining the Bouygues Telecom rider was reeled back in.

Local rider Michele Scarponi (Acqua e Sapone-Caffè Mokambo) was the first to launch himself towards the finish, attacking at the base of the final climb to the line. Quickly Saunier Duval-Prodir rider Riccardo Riccò jumped across. Together both riders pushed on towards the line. Into the final kilometer the leading duo held a 10 second advantage but Scarponi was fading.

As the meters to the line counted down Riccò put the pressure on with Scarponi unable to follow, getting dropped and being caught by the chasing riders.

The strength of Riccò was enough to bring the Italian to the line for the stage victory with Astana pair Vinokourov and Klöden second and third respectively.

Overall Arekeev survived his first day in yellow but Riccò done enough to move into second overall, 21 seconds behind the race leader and now well within striking distance.

After the stage CSC's sporting director Scott Sunderland, speaking on team-csc.com, said, "It was a tough finish and it was good to see Jens [Voigt] all the way up front. He was up there among the best and still holds a good position in the general classification ahead of this weekend's difficult stages. It will be very interesting to see how far he's able to take over the next couple of days. O'Grady didn't quite have, what it took to sit in the front group today, but he didn't loose too much time though. It was also great to see Matti Breschel finishing in one of the first groups."

Click here for the full results from stage three of the Tirreno-Adriatico...

The Barloworld train takes Robert Hunter to a win

Yesterday's second stage of the Volta ao Santarém was won by Barloworld rider Robert Hunter. The 29 South African rider, who raced last season with the Phonak ProTour team, won the 187 kilometer stage from Abrantes to Cartaxo in the sprint finish thanks to a perfect lead-out by his Barloworld team-mates.

A 4-man breakaway group managed to form after 90 kilometers of the stage, building a maximum lead of close to 3'30" but with Barloworld determined to have a bunch sprint the breaks chances were doomed. Barloworld continued to chase bringing the breakaway's advantage down rapidly, eventually overhauling them 5 kilometers before the line.

With taking the stage Hunter also managed to claim to overall lead after finishing 2nd on the first stage behind Portuguese rider Benitez.

Valerio Tebaldi, sporting director of Team Barloworld said, "I'm really pleased. Bob rode at his best, just as the whole squad did."

Hunter is now looking forward to a good ride at the Milan-Sanremo classic, where the team received a wild-card invitation to the Italian race, especially considering the sprinter is obviously coming into top condition.

Second stage results:
1st Robert Hunter (RSA) Barloworld 4h12’50”

2nd Christopher Sutton (Aus) Cofidis

3rd Rony Martias (Fra) Bouygues Telecom

4th Bruno Neves (Por) LA MSS

Australia's Nathan O'Neill and Tour de Georgia officials get injured in car accident