McEwen Cruises In For Another Win!

Stage Details _ One climb: Cote de la Huniere (category-three at 27.5km). _ Intermediate sprints: Villedieu-les-Bailleul (at 46.0km), Chantrigne (at 116.5km) and Juvigne (162.5km). _ Weather conditions: The temperature at the start was 21 degrees Celsius in the air and 27 degrees at road level. _ Number of starters: 171 – Fabio Sacchi (MRM) did not start. Official start time: 12.57pm. _ _ The Progress Report _ _ Five Early Escapees… _ There was an attack from Coyot (COF) in the first kilometer but it didn’t last long at all. The first successful move of the day came from his team-mate Auge who escaped at 9km; he was joined by Garcia Acosta (CEI), Lopez Garcia (EUS), Guerini (TMO) and Backstedt (LIQ). At 16km they were 45” ahead. Bouygues Telecom led the peloton and was intent on catching the escapees before the first climb. At 22km, the advantage dropped to 25”. Guerini and Lopez Garcia led over the summit and Pineau (BTL) claimed third. The peloton was all together again at the 32km mark. _ _ Boonen Joins An Escape Group… _ Vaugrenard (FDJ) and Auge attacked at 45km. The intermediate sprint was won by Vaugrenard who put himself back in the lead of the Youth Classification with his time bonus. The average speed for the first hour was 46.9km/h. At the 49km mark the leading duo was joined by Brard (CEI), Knees (MRM) and Camano (EUS). They were caught by Padrnos (DSC), Sinkewitz (TMO), Calzati (A2R), Wrolich (GST), Flecha (RAB), Merckx (PHO), Boonen (QSI), Hushovd (C.A), Gilbert (FDJ), Backstedt (LIQ), Quinziato (LIQ), Geslin & Lefevre (BTL) at the 59km mark. Davitamon-Lotto briefly led the peloton in pursuit of Boonen’s group which, at 65km was 1’10” ahead. Then CSC – one of the only teams not represented – came to the front of the peloton. Lampre cooperated in the pursuiting duties. Backstedt attacked the lead group at the 70km mark. He was joined by Brard and Geslin. Boonen and the 12 other escapees did try and bridge for a while but eventually eased off the pace and were caught by the peloton at the 80km mark. At this point, the leading trio were 35” ahead. _ _ Three Push On With Their Escape… _ With Boonen back in the peloton Backsted, Geslin and Brard were allowed to build their advantage on the peloton. At the 84.5km mark they had a lead of 2’35”; 3’50” at 90km… the average speed for the 2nd hour was 44.7km/h. The maximum gain of the three escapees was 5’15” at 104km mark. Quickstep riders led the peloton and were later joined by riders from Rabobank and Quickstep at the 110km mark; the bunch was 4’35” behind. Geslin won the sprint in Chantrigne and the peloton was behind by 4’10”. The trio’s advantage steadily dropped: 3’45” at 121km, 2’20” at 146km… Brard claimed first-place points at the third intermediate sprint. The peloton was at 1’15”. _ _ McEwen Clains Win Number-Three This Year! _ With 20km to go, the advantage of Brard, Backsted and Gelsin was 1’00”; 25” with 10km to go… the escape was over at the 4km mark. Lampre controlled the peloton on the approach to Vitre. There were no complications in the closing kilometers and despite the best efforts of Lampre and Quickstep in the final straight, nothing could be done to slow McEwen’s run to the line. He had the perfect lead-out from Steegmans who began celebrating the third victory of his team-mate well before the line and still had the momentum to claim ninth in the stage. _ Tom Boonen was third and will wear the yellow jersey for the time trial of stage seven.