Australian Robbie McEwen claimed his second victory on this year’s Tour de France in Gueret, France, on Tuesday after a dramatic finale to the ninth stage that robbed a two-man breakaway of sure victory metres from the finish line.
The 32-year-old McEwen, who rides for Lotto, claimed his second sprint finish victory inside a week following his win last week in Namur, Belgium.
McEwen clocked three hours, 32 minutes and 55 seconds for the 160,5km stage from St-Leonard-de-Noblat to Gueret, a whisker in front of Norwegian rider Thor Hushovd, of Credit Agricole, with Australian Stuart O’Grady, of Cofidis, finishing third.
Frenchman Thomas Voeckler of the La Boulangere team retained the race leader’s yellow jersey after the shortest stage of this year’s race.
Voeckler (24) still has a nine minute and 35 second lead over five-time winner Lance Armstrong, of the US Postal team, with his main rival Jan Ullrich, of T-Mobile, 55 seconds behind him at 10,30 adrift of Voeckler.
US Postal’s Armstrong admitted the day had been hard, but the 32-year-old American said he had been protected most of the day.
”We just sat on the wheel all day, we didn’t have much responsibility,” said Armstrong, referring to the real battle of the day between the two-man break and the sprinters’ teams trying to reel them in.
But the American admitted the race could be blown apart on Wednesday’s difficult 237km stage from Limoges to St Flour, which many regard as the first climbing stage of the race.
”Tomorrow is not going to be hard, especially if they start racing as fast as it was today,” said Armstrong.
American Tyler Hamilton, who is also a contender for the race’s yellow jersey, is in between the latter two at 10,11.
The stage, which is followed on Wednesday by the race’s longest stage of 237km, got off to a flying start with 45km covered in the first hour as the two-man breakaway by Italian Filippo Simeoni of the Domina Vacanze team and Euslakltel’s Inigo Landaluze was let loose.
Both riders, who were not a threat in the overall standings, worked together after escaping at the 38km mark to go on and build a lead of close to eight minutes.
But with less than 60m to ride, the entire peloton descended on Landaluze and Simeoni and their 122km breakaway came to an end.
”I’m sad and disappointed,” said Simeoni, who on this tour has been more known for his stated intention to take Armstrong to court over alleged defamatory remarks made against him in France’s Le Monde newspaper last year.
Their argument is over the role of Italian sports doctor Michele Ferrari, who is under investigation in Italy for sports fraud and the distribution of banned substances.
Armstrong has in the past consulted Ferrari, and Simeoni — a key witness in the doctor’s trial — claims it was Ferrari who advised him how to use the banned blood booster erythropoietin without getting caught.
To many, Simeoni’s escape was regarded as a defiant message to Armstrong.
But the Italian said it was more a question of pride.
”It’s not to make a statement,” said Simeoni when asked if his intention was to send a message to the American.
”It’s more a question of pride. I came here on good form and with the intention of taking something away from it. But the tour’s not over yet, and I still plan to go for a stage win.”
Once Simeoni and Landaluze were swallowed up, the sprinters took over, with McEwen, who is still suffering the effects of a dramatic crash a few days ago, driving up the right-hand side to hold off Hushovd and O’Grady on the line.
”It’s a massive victory for me, especially after my crash,” beamed McEwen, who by winning the stage further boosted his green-jersey points tally ahead of three days of climbing starting on Wednesday.
”I’ve been hurting all over ever since. I gave it everything I could at the sprint, but it was a difficult one with the bend near the end.
”I couldn’t really see the two guys in front until near the finish and when I did I thought to myself, ‘this is going to be hard’.
”But I went up the right-hand side, which was just as well because it was kind of blocked in the middle,” added McEwen, who said he is now more or less convinced that he’s the best sprinter on the race.
”I’ve won two bunch sprints and I think that when you look at the overall picture I’m the best sprinter in the race, which gives me great satisfaction already before it’s finished.
”Today was really important for me also because the team have continued to believe in me despite all my complaining since my crash. They were right up there at the front all day.” — Sapa-AFP