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 Sunday, September 4th 2005 |
| Stage 4Sassay > Chauvigny - 151 km |
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| De Kort triumphs |
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 De Kort wins in Chauvigny after a 151 kilometre stage under very warm September conditions. |
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 At 13h46, the pack of the Tour de l'Avenir took off from Sassay heading to Chauvigny where the stage was to be decided after 151 kilometres and three intermediate sprints. The race started at a fast pace straight from the beginning. Attacks rapidly occurred without anyone however managing a significant break. The first bonus sprint in Beaumont-Village (km 31,5) was claimed by Farrar (USA) ahead of Dominguez (ORB) and Mondory (A2R). The pack then remained bunched.
The race really started at the 47th kilometre… At the exit of Sennevières, Kaisen (RAG), Pauriol (FRA), Martias, Ravard (BTL), de Kort (LSW) , Heyboer (RB3), Muller (CSC), Johnson (AUS), Mazet (AUB), Danculovic (PER), Stubbe (JAC), Ochotorena (ORB) broke away from the pack. Gradually, the twelve men increased their lead and made it to the second intermediate sprint in Charnizay (km 71,5) with a 2'20'' advantage. On the sprint line, Stubbe earned the bonus seconds and points ahead of De Kort and Ravard.
The leading group's advantage grew to 4'25'' in the village of Saint-Pierre-de-Maillé. 46 kilometres were still to be ridden and the pack decided to really start the chase. In la Puye (km 113), the gap had dropped down to 2'25 between the leaders and a pack led by the Perutnina team of Bozic, working hard to keep their leader's yellow jersey. At the first passage on the line in Chauvigny, with the finish only 17 kilometres away, the front group enjoyed a 1'30 lead.
Quite a few attacks started taking place at the front, Muller giving it a go, well aware that despite his talent and power, he probably wasn't the fastest when it came to a final sprint, especially against riders like Martias, Ravard, Danculovic or De Kort. Muller, however, never managed to break clear. Meanwhile Martias and Ravard, dropped at a moment, were able to make it back among the leading group for a possible stage win.
 With 300 metres to go, De Kort powered to the line and broke away. Martias, surprised by this fierce effort, immediately tried to jump in the leader's wheel but failed in the closing moments of the day. De Kort clinched his first win on the Tour de L'Avenir ahead of Martias and Danculovic. Caethoven managed to claim the bunched sprint, the pack crossing the line 1'02 adrift. In the overall standings, Bozic keeps his leader's yellow jersey.
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| Stage winner |
Koen DE KORT |
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| Overall |
Borut BOZIC |
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| Points |
Borut BOZIC |
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| Best climber |
Maxime MEDEREL |
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| Best team |
PERUTNINA PTUJ |
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| Starters' list | Time schedules |
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| 1 |
Thursday, September 1st |
141 km |
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Argentré-du-Plessis > Argentré-du-Plessis |
| 2 |
Friday, September 2nd |
173 km |
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Argentré-du-Plessis >
Sainte-Scolasse-sur-Sarthe |
| 3 |
Saturday, September 3rd |
203 km |
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Sainte-Scolasse-sur-Sarthe > Sassay |
| 4 |
Sunday, September 4th |
151 km |
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Sassay > Chauvigny |
| 5 |
Monday, September 5th |
22 km |
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Leignes-sur-Fontaine >
Montmorillon |
C.L.M. ind |
| 6 |
Tuesday, September 6th |
144 km |
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Chauvigny > Guéret |
| 7 |
Wednesday, September 7th |
148 km |
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Guéret > Mauriac |
| 8 |
Thursday, September 8th |
159 km |
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Aurillac > Aurillac |
| 9 |
Friday, September 9th |
154 km |
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Maurs > Carmaux |
| 10 |
Saturday, September 10th |
146 km |
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Blaye-les-mines > Blaye-les-Mines |
| Total |
1 441 km |
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