Flying Dutchman has Italian in his sights
Italian rider Davide Rebellin retook the overall lead of Tirreno-Adriatico on Tuesday after the 223km seventh stage of the race ended in Ascoli. But Rebellin was edged out for the stage win as the in-form Dutchman Michael Boogerd sprinted past at the line. However, the 29-year-old Rebellin, who held the lead after Saturday's fourth stage but lost it the next day, will have to be on his guard in Wednesday's final 161km stage as Boogerd, second in the recent Tour of Valencia, trails by just three seconds in third place. Rebellin, though, said he was confident he could hold on. "I have
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By VeloNews Interactive — Copyright AFP2001
Italian rider Davide Rebellin retook the overall lead of Tirreno-Adriatico on Tuesday after the 223km seventh stage of the race ended in Ascoli. But Rebellin was edged out for the stage win as the in-form Dutchman Michael Boogerd sprinted past at the line.
However, the 29-year-old Rebellin, who held the lead after Saturday’s fourth stage but lost it the next day, will have to be on his guard in Wednesday’s final 161km stage as Boogerd, second in the recent Tour of Valencia, trails by just three seconds in third place.
Rebellin, though, said he was confident he could hold on. “I have never felt so strong as I do now,” he said. “This season I have a lot of confidence in my ability.”
Boogerd, 28, showed his strength when he beat Rebellin home over the challenging final sprint up an 800-meter incline with a portion that approached a grade of 20 percent.
The stage had earlier been set alight by a 175km five man escape which was finally reeled in just 3km to the finish.
Results
7th Stage
1. Michel Boogerd (Ned) 5hrs 08.19sec, 2. Davide Rebellin (Ita) same time,
3. Francesco Casagrande (Ita) s.t., 4. Danilo Di Luca (Ita) s.t., 5. Paolo
Savoldelli (Ita) s.t., 6. Gabriele Colombo (Ita) s.t., 7. Carlos Sastre Candil
(Spa) at 4sec, 8. Oskar Camenzind (Swi) 5, 9. David Plaza Romero (Spa) s.t.,
10. Mikel Zarrabeitia (Spa) s.t.
Overall standings:
1. Davide Rebellin (Ita) 25hrs 12.12sec, 2. Gabriele Colombo (Ita) at
2sec, 3. Michel Boogerd (Ned) 3, 4. Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) 6, 5. David Plaza
Romero (Spa) 8, 6. Roberto Petito (Ita) 13, 7. Oskar Camenzind (Swi) 23, 8.
Beat Zberg (Swi) 28, 9. Carlos Sastre Candil (Spa) 34, 10. Ruslan Ivanov (Mol)
35.