Edvald Boasson Hagen takes final stage victory in Eneco Tour 2011 - Cycling News
Sky team’s Edvald Boasson Hagen showed a brilliant effort in the sixth and final stage and also took overall leader’s yellow jersey on Tour of Eneco 2011 in Sittard-Geleen on Sunday, August 14.
The 24-year-old Norwegian professional road racing cyclists took the total of 4 hours, 53 minutes and 6 seconds to cover the distance of 201.2 kilometres.
After winning the stage, Hagen told the media, “Everyone went too fast around the corner and they crashed in front of me, I luckily came out without crashing. I also won the stage, so I’m really happy with that, even though I’m sorry for the guys who crashed.”
Manuel Antonio Leal Cardoso of RadioShack was runner-up and Lars Boom of Rabobank Cycling was in third place with same timing of Hagen.
Juan Antonio Flecha increased his pace and managed to take a part of the leading breakaway cyclists. However, Flecha fell out the leading group due to mechanical problems with 70 kilometres to go. The five cyclists including Matt Wilson (Garmin-Cervélo),
Frederik Veuchelen (Vacansoleil-DCM), David Tanner (Saxo Bank-Sungard), Matteo Trentin (Quick Step) and Julien Fouchard (Cofidis) managed to get away.
David Millar of Garmin-Cervelo managed to launch an attack and was quickly joined by Philippe Gilbert and later Lars Bak. However, Hagen managed to pack up the move.
Bernhard Eisel (HTC-Highroad) took points and increased his pace to jump clear and close the gap of breakaways ahead. While, his advantage was again falling as Omega Pharma-Lotto again seized the plan. Jelle Vanendert managed to make the right move with
his leader Gilbert.
In the final 11 kilometres, Taylor Phinney tried his luck but failed and Sky responded well as Lars Bak move clear in the last 4 kilometres, while Hagen managed to cross the finish line first ahead of the other cyclists.
Hagen also took the overall standing with the timing of 22 hours, 54 minutes and 22 seconds while Gilbert was runner-up with 22 seconds behind Hagen.
David Millar (Team Garmin-Cervelo) was in third place with the difference of 28 seconds ahead of Phinney.
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