Charleville-Mézières
8.3 km
Sunday 30 March
Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR – THR)set a time of 10’16" in the wet conditions to take the stage 3 time trial in Charleville - Mézières.
Jens Voigt (GER-CSC)rode a cautious time trial, finishing 43rd to win the Critérium International for the fourth time.
Luis-Leon Sanchez (SPA-GCE) posted a time of 10’29" to edge out Maxime Monfort (BEL-COF)in the competition for the top under 25 rider and the coveted white jersey.
Rcae leader, Jens Voigt(GER-CSC) has begun the time trial and if he can stay on his bike he will win his fourth Critérium International.
Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR-THR), the reigning national time trial champion in his native Norway, currently leads the list of finishers with a time of 10’16" over the 8.3km Charleville-Mézières circuit. You can click on his name on the standings page to learn more about this time trial titan.
With a 1’14†lead from Holland’s Laurens Ten Dam in the overall standings, Jens Voigt can afford to ride prudently and without the threat of being caught on the final stage. If proof need be presented, in 2007 he started the time trial with a 48†lead from Thomas Lovqist, who set the time trial course record and still fell 34†short of overtaking the overall winner Voigt.
The most intriguing battle on the final stage is for the under 25 category and the white jersey. Less than a second seperate Luis-Leon Sanchez (SPA - GCE) and Maxime Martin (BEL - COF)with Trent Lowe (AUS -TSL) and Yury Trofimov (RUS - BTL) four seconds back.
After showers this morning on stage 2 a constant rain continues to fall over the 8.3km time trial course. The riders will have to keep this in mind when they reach the final metres, which are cobblestone.
Stage 3 of the Critérium International will be a 8.3 km time trial through the streets of Charleville - Mézières. The first 34 riders will leave every 30 seconds with the final 84 riders leaving in one-minute intervals. Race leader Jens Voigt will be the last of the 118 remaining competiors to take to the wet streets of the host town.
