Rast wins Luxembourg prologue

• Results

Grégory Rast (Astana) carved out his first victory on the 2009 season in Wednesday’s prologue at the 69th Tour of Luxembourg on a technical, 2.7km course in the streets of the capital.

Rast – a winner of the Luxembourg tour in 2007 – covered the course in 3 minutes, 48 seconds to claim the opener of the five-day race.

Stopping the clock for second was Jonathan Hivert (Skil-Shimano) at two seconds slower with Romain Feillu (Agritubel) third at four seconds adrift.

“I had this prologue already a long time in my mind,” Rast said. “The last years, I was in this prologue, but could not win. Now I am much stronger. My sprints are better. This prologue was a long sprint. In 2007, I won the overall … I would like to repeat this victory.”

Riders started late, with Andreas Klöden hitting the start ramp at 9 p.m. Rast, a three-time national Swiss road champion, wore the leader’s jersey at the Tour de Romandie for two stages earlier this season.

The five-day tour continues Thursday with the 157km second stage from Luxembourg to Mondorf, home of the Schleck brothers. Both are racing in their national tour with Saxo Bank.

Results

Prologue results

• 1. Grégory Rast Astana in 3:46 at 42,86km/h
• 2. Jonathan Hivert Skil – Shimano in 3:48 42,519km/h
• 3. Romain Feillu Agritubel in 3:50 at 4 42,127km/h
• 4. Assan Bazayev Astana in 3:51 at 5 42,014km/h
• 5. Gustav Larsson Team Saxo Bank in 3:52 at 6 41,763km/h
• 6. Andreas KlÖden Astana in 3:54 at 8 41,446km/h
• 7. Baden Cooke Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team Ned in 3:54 at 8 41,432km/h
• 8. Marco Marcato Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team Ned in 3:54 at 8 41,405km/h
• 9. Alexei Markov Team Katusha in 3:54 at 8 41,37km/h
• 10. Tiziano Dall’antonia Csf Group – Navigare in 3:55 at 9 41,287km/h
• 11. Fränk Schleck Team Saxo Bank in 3:56 at 10 41,149km/h
• 12. Rémi Cusin Agritubel in 3:56 at 10 41,101km/h
• 13. Jempy Drucker Ct Differdange in 3:56 at 10 41,066km/h
• 14. Matti Breschel Team Saxo Bank in 3:56 at 10 41,045km/h
• 15. Damien Gaudin Bbox Bouygues Telecom Fra in 3:57 at 11 40,99km/h
• 16. Matteo Carrara Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team Ned in 3:57 at 11 40,952km/h
• 17. Sébastien Portal Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne Fra in 3:57 at 11 40,922km/h
• 18. Aitor Galdos Euskatel – Euskadi in 3:57 at 11 40,905km/h
• 19. Nico Sijmens Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne Fra in 3:57 at 11 40,854km/h
• 20. Alexandre Blain Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne Fra in 3:58 at 12 40,776km/h
• 21. Anthony Ravard Agritubel in 3:58 at 12 40,775km/h
• 22. Markel Irizar Euskatel – Euskadi in 3:58 at 12 40,77km/h
• 23. Koen De Kort Skil – Shimano in 3:58 at 12 40,77km/h
• 24. Kurt Arvesen Team Saxo Bank in 3:58 at 12 40,766km/h
• 25. Martin Mortensen Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team Ned in 3:59 at 13 40,654km/h
• 26. Andy Schleck Team Saxo Bank in 3:59 at 13 40,611km/h
• 27. Rene Haselbacher Voralrberg – Corratec in 3:59 at 13 40,552km/h
• 28. Geoffroy Lequatre Agritubel in 4:00 at 14 40,434km/h
• 29. Marcus Llungqvist Team Saxo Bank in 4:00 at 14 40,392km/h
• 30. Martial Ricci Poggi Landbouwkrediet – Colnago Bel in 4:00 at 14 40,333km/h
• 31. Alan Marangoni Csf Group – Navigare in 4:01 at 15 40,318km/h
• 32. Borut Bozic Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team Ned in 4:01 at 15 40,291km/h
• 33. Stuart O´grady Team Saxo Bank in 4:01 at 15 40,23km/h
• 34. Mitchell Docker Skil – Shimano in 4:02 at 16 40,147km/h
• 35. Robert Retschke Ct Differdange in 4:02 at 16 40,051km/h
• 36. Filippo Savini Csf Group – Navigare in 4:03 at 17 39,97km/h
• 37. Maxime Vantomme Team Katusha in 4:03 at 17 39,968km/h
• 38. Bjorn Leukemans Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team Ned in 4:03 at 17 39,942km/h
• 39. Cyrille Heymans Ct Differdange in 4:03 at 17 39,914km/h
• 40. Sébastien Turgot Bbox Bouygues Telecom Fra in 4:03 at 17 39,899km/h
• 41. Hakan Nilsson Ct Differdange in 4:03 at 17 39,898km/h
• 42. Theo Eltink Skil – Shimano in 4:03 at 17 39,88km/h
• 43. Michael SchÄr Astana in 4:03 at 17 39,849km/h
• 44. Joan Horrach Team Katusha in 4:03 at 17 39,845km/h
• 45. Aitor Hernandez Euskatel – Euskadi in 4:04 at 18 39,819km/h
• 46. Federico Canuti Csf Group – Navigare in 4:04 at 18 39,813km/h
• 47. Christian Poos Ct Differdange in 4:04 at 18 39,767km/h
• 48. Tom Veelers Skil – Shimano in 4:04 at 18 39,762km/h
• 49. Domenico Pozzovivo Csf Group – Navigare in 4:04 at 18 39,733km/h
• 50. Alexandre Usov Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne Fra in 4:04 at 18 39,702km/h
• 51. Oleksandr Kvachuk Isd – Neri in 4:04 at 18 39,678km/h
• 52. Mauro Finetto Csf Group – Navigare in 4:05 at 19 39,668km/h
• 53. Ruben Perez Euskatel – Euskadi in 4:05 at 19 39,663km/h
• 54. Guennadi Mikhailov Team Katusha in 4:05 at 19 39,662km/h
• 55. Rob Peeters Landbouwkrediet – Colnago Bel in 4:05 at 19 39,631km/h
• 56. Carlo Scognamiglio Barloworld in 4:05 at 19 39,624km/h
• 57. Maxim Iglinskiy Astana in 4:05 at 19 39,603km/h
• 58. Benoit Berges Emilien Agritubel in 4:05 at 19 39,591km/h
• 59. Marco Frapporti Csf Group – Navigare in 4:05 at 19 39,525km/h
• 60. Sébastine Delfosse Landbouwkrediet – Colnago Bel in 4:05 at 19 39,525km/h
• 61. Rony Martias Bbox Bouygues Telecom Fra in 4:06 at 20 39,504km/h
• 62. Bolat Raimbekov Astana in 4:06 at 20 39,464km/h
• 63. Igor Abakoumov Isd – Neri in 4:06 at 20 39,449km/h
• 64. Florent Brard Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne Fra in 4:06 at 20 39,412km/h
• 65. Geert Verheyen Landbouwkrediet – Colnago Bel in 4:07 at 21 39,336km/h
• 66. Francesco Bellotti Barloworld in 4:07 at 21 39,31km/h
• 67. Denys Kostyuk Isd – Neri in 4:07 at 21 39,277km/h
• 68. Daniel Musiol Voralrberg – Corratec in 4:07 at 21 39,245km/h
• 69. Dmitriy Muravyev Astana in 4:07 at 21 39,231km/h
• 70. Robert Hunter Barloworld in 4:07 at 21 39,217km/h
• 71. Silvere Ackermann Voralrberg – Corratec in 4:07 at 21 39,204km/h
• 72. Amets Txurruka Euskatel – Euskadi in 4:08 at 22 39,187km/h
• 73. Nicolas Jalabert Agritubel in 4:08 at 22 39,171km/h
• 74. Pablo Urtasun Euskatel – Euskadi in 4:08 at 22 39,111km/h
• 75. Olivier Bonnaire Bbox Bouygues Telecom Fra in 4:08 at 22 39,106km/h
• 76. Romain Villa Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne Fra in 4:09 at 23 38,923km/h
• 77. Emanuele Vona Isd – Neri in 4:09 at 23 38,911km/h
• 78. Franck Bouyer Bbox Bouygues Telecom Fra in 4:09 at 23 38,89km/h
• 79. Bert De Backer Skil – Shimano in 4:10 at 24 38,875km/h
• 80. Sergey Lagutin Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team Ned in 4:10 at 24 38,872km/h
• 81. Vincent Jerome Bbox Bouygues Telecom Fra in 4:10 at 24 38,862km/h
• 82. Yoann Leboulanger Agritubel in 4:10 at 24 38,827km/h
• 83. Reto Hollenstein Voralrberg – Corratec in 4:10 at 24 38,824km/h
• 84. Kenny Dehaes Team Katusha in 4:10 at 24 38,78km/h
• 85. Gerben Lowik Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team Ned in 4:10 at 24 38,766km/h
• 86. Fredrik Johansson Ct Differdange in 4:10 at 24 38,757km/h
• 87. Josu Agirre Euskatel – Euskadi in 4:11 at 25 38,715km/h
• 88. Guillaume Blot Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne Fra in 4:11 at 25 38,638km/h
• 89. Yukihiro Doi Skil – Shimano in 4:11 at 25 38,637km/h
• 90. Hannes Blank Ct Differdange in 4:11 at 25 38,591km/h
• 91. Danilo Napolitano Team Katusha in 4:11 at 25 38,588km/h
• 92. Josef Benetseder Voralrberg – Corratec in 4:11 at 25 38,572km/h
• 93. Ivan Velasco Euskatel – Euskadi in 4:12 at 26 38,495km/h
• 94. Wim Vanhuffel Voralrberg – Corratec in 4:12 at 26 38,484km/h
• 95. Mathieu Claude Bbox Bouygues Telecom Fra in 4:13 at 27 38,34km/h
• 96. Anker Sorensen Chris Team Saxo Bank in 4:14 at 28 38,213km/h
• 97. Michaël Buffaz Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne Fra in 4:14 at 28 38,209km/h
• 98. Patrick Calcagni Barloworld in 4:14 at 28 38,125km/h
• 99. Christoph Sokoll Voralrberg – Corratec in 4:14 at 28 38,125km/h
• 100. Vitalyy Kondrut Isd – Neri in 4:15 at 29 38,054km/h
• 101. Diego Caccia Barloworld in 4:15 at 29 38,035km/h
• 102. Steve Houanard Skil – Shimano in 4:16 at 30 37,902km/h
• 103. Benjamin Gourgue Landbouwkrediet – Colnago Bel in 4:16 at 30 37,9km/h
• 104. Michele Merlo Barloworld in 4:16 at 30 37,828km/h
• 105. Maxim Belkov Isd – Neri in 4:17 at 31 37,775km/h
• 106. Mathieu Drouilly Landbouwkrediet – Colnago Bel in 4:17 at 31 37,753km/h
• 107. Jonathan Bertrand Landbouwkrediet – Colnago Bel in 4:17 at 31 37,677km/h
• 108. Enrico Zen Csf Group – Navigare in 4:18 at 32 37,661km/h
• 109. Gianluca Mirenda Isd – Neri in 4:18 at 32 37,563km/h
• 110. Perrig Quemeneur Bbox Bouygues Telecom Fra in 4:19 at 33 37,458km/h
• 111. Philipp Ludescher Voralrberg – Corratec in 4:21 at 35 37,224km/h
• 112. Ruslan Pidgornyy Isd – Neri in 4:22 at 36 37,003km/h
• 113. Valeriy Dmitriyev Astana in 4:22 at 36 36,991km/h
• 114. Steven Caethoven Agritubel in 4:24 at 38 36,8km/h
• 115. Ludovic Capelle Ct Differdange in 4:24 at 38 36,784km/h
• 116. Marco Corti Barloworld in 4:29 at 43 36,006km/h