ROTTERDAM, Netherlands, Aug 18, 2009 (AFP) – French rider Sylvain Chavanel of the Quick Step team took the leader’s jersey after winning the prologue of the seven-stage Eneco Tour ProTour cycling race being held in the Netherlands and Belgium.
Chavanel covered the 4.4km in 4min 55sec to finish one second ahead of American Tyler Farrar, winner Sunday of Hamburg’s Cyclassics, with Belgian rider Tom Boonen in third a further second back.
“It was a quick race, not very difficult, not too technical. I had a good feeling, so I was able to demonstrate my power,” explained 30-year-old Chavanel.
“It’s my first time competing in the Eneco Tour. I’m going to try and stay focused throughout the week to live up to my team’s ambitions,” he said.
“The aim is obviously the overall victory. I haven’t taken my foot off the pedal since the Tour de France. I’m continuing to train well – I’m in form.”
Two-time defending champion Jose Ivan Gutierrez of Spain finished ten seconds behind Chavanel while Britain’s Bradley Wiggins, fourth in the Tour de France and one of the race favourites, finished fourth at two seconds.
Wednesday’s 184km first stage which runs between Aalter and Ardooie in Belgium will favor the sprinters.
- Results after the 4.4km prologue of the Eneco Tour ProTour cycling race here on Tuesday:
1. Sylvain Chavanel (FRA) QuickStep 4min 55sec, 2. Tyler Farrar (USA) at 1sec, 3. Tom Boonen (BEL) 1, 4. Bradley Wiggins (GBR) 2, 5. Joost Posthuma
(NED) 2, 6. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA) 4, 7. Juan Antonio Flecha (ESP) 4, 8. Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR) 5, 9. Maarten Tjalingi (NED) 5, 10. Nikolas Maes (BEL) 5.
Photo by: CorVos Pro
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Go – Bradley!!!!!!!!!! Wot a rider. The tour was just a warm up lad. If you get in the right mindset nothing can stop you. You have the class and that level of suffering that only champions have. And you will do it again and again in the future. Dont get down if it all becomes to much – just relax and think wot you are doing for our morale back home. You had to follow the wheels in this years tour because you and everybody else didnt know how good you are at this stage race riding. Like champs before you, you have a brain and savvy and I look forward to next year.