Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Boasson Hagen closes in on leader

Edvald Boasson Hagen
Boasson Hagen has now won 11 races in 2009

Norway's Edvald Boasson Hagen won a second consecutive Tour of Britain stage in Blackpool to move within one second of overall race leader Kai Reus.

It was the defending race champion's 11th win of the 2009 season and the 79th victory for Team Columbia.

Australia's Chris Sutton finished second on the 148km fourth stage around the Forest of Bowland, his fourth consecutive top-three finish.

Germany's Martin Reimer was third, with Britain's Russell Downing fourth.

Team Columbia took command in the final stages and while a crash 500 metres from the finish scattered the peloton, Boasson Hagen was ahead of it and got a perfect lead out from Tony Martin of Germany.

"We're close now and so we have to try and win overall," said Team Columbia team coach Valerio Piva.

"Edvald is on form, we've got a strong team here, and so why not? We've done it before."

Sutton is just five seconds adrift of the yellow jersey in third overall and now leads the points standings.

"It was a pretty good day for me overall and I have to be pleased with how things have gone so far this week," he said.

"It's been a great week for me so far and I had no intention of chasing the GC when I got here. But now all the lads are telling me to go for it and give it a go but we will have to see."

Sutton, who won Saturday's first stage in York, again paid tribute to Garmin team-mate Bradley Wiggins - who played a critical role in dragging back a five-man breakaway.

"He was pushing 60km per hour for a lot of the ride and I was telling him to slow down because I'd need him at the finish," said Sutton.

"But he just looked at me and said 'don't worry about it, I've got loads in the tank'."

Britons Graham Briggs and Malcolm Elliott were ninth and 10th respectively, while Geraint Thomas saw his hopes hit by a puncture and crossed the line in 11th. Wiggins finished down in 29th.

Stage four result:
1 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor/Team Columbia-HTC) 3hrs 32mins 04secs
2 Christopher Sutton (Aus/Garmin-Slipstream)
3 Martin Reimer (Ger/Cervelo Test Team)
4 Russell Downing (GB/Candi TV- Pinarello RT)
5 Koldo Fernandez (Spa/Euskaltel-Euskadi)
6 Tony Martin (Ger/Team Columbia-HTC)
7 Renaud Dion (Fra/AG2R La Mondiale)
8 Mauro Finetto (Ita/CSF Group-Navigare)
9 Graham Briggs (GB/Candi TV-Pinarello RT)
10 Malcolm Elliott (GB/Candi TV-Pinarello RT)
All same time

Overall classification:
1 Kai Reus (Ned/Rabobank) 14hrs 56mins 19secs
2 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor/Team Columbia-HTC) at 0.01
3 Christopher Sutton (Aus/Garmin-Slipstream) at 0.05
4 Martin Reimer (Ger/Cervelo Test Team) at 0.11
5 Michele Merlo (Ita/Barloworld) at 0.14
6 Alexander Kristoff (Nor/Joker Bianchi) at 0.19
7 Simon Clarke (Aus/ISD-Neri) at 0.21
8 Reinier Honig (Ned/Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team) at 0.23
9 Rob Ruygh (Ned/Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team) at same time
10 Geoffroy Lequatre (Fra/Agritubel)
At same time

ะพ 7:36 AM

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