Kevin Pauwels wins third stage as Freddy Bichot takes lead in Kreiz Breizh Elties 2011 - Cycling
Sunweb-Revor.be team’s Kevin Pauwels showed his good performance in the third stage of Kreiz Breizh Elites 2011 on Sunday, July 24. Freddy Bichot took overall leader’s yellow jersey.
The race started in Plouguernervel and ended in Ploerdut. The 27-year-old Belgian cyclists took the total of 2 hours, 30 minutes and 59 seconds to cover the distance of 102.4 kilometres.
Previously, Pauwels took second place in Druivenveldrit Overijse, cyclo-cross and first place in Hasselt, cyclo-cross in 2010. He also took first spot in Heusden-Zolder, World cup cyclo-cross in 2009.
Freddy Bichot of Veranda Rideau Sarthe was runner-up and Moreno Hofland of Rabobank was in third place with the same timing as Pauwels.
Laurent Pichon (Bretagne Schuller), Tom Devriendt (EFC Quick Step Cycling Team) and César Bihel (Côtes d'Armor Cyclisme) were in seventh, eighth and ninth place respectively.
65 cyclists crossed the finish line with the same timing of sprinter while EFC Quick Step cycling team’s Niels Nachtergaele was in good form and tried to take a lead but failed to maintain his pace. He grabbed 66th place with the difference of
1 minute and 20 seconds ahead of Romain Bacon (BIGMAT-AUBER 93) and Ronan Racault (BIGMAT-AUBER 98).
The group of five cyclists made their first breakaway lead including, Cyrille Patoux of Veloce Club Rouen 78, Moreno Hofland of Rabobank, Freddy Bichot, Maxime Renault of Sojasun Espoir ACNC and Kevin Pauwels.
All of them managed to gain a lead ahead of the other cyclists. Kevin Pauwels increase his pace and followed by the other cyclists but Cyrille Patoux and Maxime Renault working together and launched an attack but were unable to hold the lead and failed.
However, in the final kilometres, Sunweb-Revor.be team controlled the situation and with the help of his team, Pauwels crossed the finish line ahead of the other cyclists.
Veranda Rideau Sarthe team’s Freddy Bichot took the overall standing with the timing of 8 hours, 56 minutes and 59 seconds.
Laurent Pichon of Bretagne Schuller was runner-up with the same timing of Bichot. Moreno Hofland of the Rabobank team was in third place with the difference of 4 seconds ahead of stage winner Kevin Pauwels and Thomas Kvist.
The next stage will start in Carhaix and end in Rostrenen. All the cyclists will cover the distance of 169.1 kilometres.
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