Bjorn Leukemans begins perfect day for Vacansoleil-DCM after taking Tour Du Limousin 2011
Vacansoleil-DCM team’s Bjorn Leukemans won the first stage of Tour Du Limousin 2011 and took overall leader’s jersey on Tuesday, August 16. The race started in Limoges and ended in Gueret.
After attack in the closing kilometres, Leukemans managed to increase his pace and hold off the peloton. The 35-year-old Belgian professional road bicycle racer took the total of 3 hours, 59 minutes and 46 seconds to cover the distance of 165 kilometres.
Florian Guillou of Bretagne – Schuller was runner-up with 5 seconds ahead of Belgium and Thomas Degand of Veranda's Willems – Accent finished third with the difference of 14 seconds.
The stage was dominated by the group of ten cyclists who made the first breakaway including, Svein Tuft (SpiderTech p/b C10), Jean-Marc Bideau (Bretagne-Schuller), Morgan Kneisky (Roubaix-Lille Métropole), Johnny Hoogerland (Vacansoleil-DCM), and Julien
El Fares (Cofidis).
The two cyclists including Arashiro and Kniesky managed to get away from the other cyclists but still the peloton was too close. The three cyclists Anthony Geslin and Jonathan Thire were able to get across the Bideau. Although, the five-man group built a
lead of three minutes.
Other cyclists also tried to cross the lead group including, Leukemans, Hoogerland, Nocentini and Romain Hardy. After few kilometres to go, Leukemans again launched an attack and took control of the situation. Romain Hardy was in fourth place ahead of Arashiro
and Mederel.
Recently, Leukemans took runner-up spot in Brabantse Pijl and grabbed seventh place in Amstel Gold race. He also took first place in Druivenkoers-Overijse race in 2010.
The three cyclists Martijn Verschoor (Team Type 1 - Sanofi Aventis), Damien Monier (Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne) and Benoit Daeninck (Roubaix Lille Metropole) were disqualified.
Leukemans took the overall standing with the timing of 3 hours, 59 minutes and 36 seconds. Florian Guillou was runner-up with 9 seconds and Thomas Degand finished third with 20 seconds ahead of Belgium.
Thomas Degand took a title of Best of young rider ahead of Mickael Cherel and Ben Gastauer.
The second stage will start in St Hilaire Peyroux and end in Allassac. All the cyclists will cover the distance of 184 kilometres.
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