Oscar Freire first Spaniard to win Paris-Tours
Three-time world champion Oscar Freire has won the Paris-Tours classic in his 11th time racing the French event and has become the first Spaniard ever to win the race and recorded the second fastest average speed for the race. He took the final
sprint on Sunday to the finish line ahead of Angelo Furlan and Gert Steegmans.
"I've had more luck today than at the world championship," said Freire. "My condition was ok after the trip to Australia. We have controlled the race and I stayed at the front. It was a perfect race for me."
The race set off to a fast start until a successful eight-man breakaway was launched 37km into the race. At 70km the lead group had a four-minute lead but the peloton began getting antsy halfway through the race. The lead was caught a bit at a time, with
the last two riders reeled in 15km from the finish line. Within the last 3km, RadioShack’s Geoffrey Lequatre managed to get ahead and hold an 18 second lead into the final stretch.
"I took risks before everyone else," said Lequatre. "Everything was possible. I heard from Alain Gallopin over the radio that I had 25 or 29 seconds advantage. It was a game between me and the bunch. I never looked back, but the headwind on the Avenue de
Grammont made it too hard for a man alone."
The leader was caught 400 metres from the finish. Furlan opened the final sprint at 300m from the finish but caught the head wind and couldn’t stop Freire’s attack.
"He was really impressive," said Philippe Gilbert, who was the defending champion. "He was almost stopped and found a great speed in only 100 metres."
Gilbert has placed the blame on Filippo Pozzato for his failure to make a mark at the Paris-Tours. The Belgian had planned his attack for the Côte de l’Epan but found that he was marked by his the Katusha rider.
“It needs to be said, that’s his way of riding,” said Gilbert. “All he does is try to make the favourites lose. He did that for two years in the classics with Boonen and now I’m his target.”
Gilbert has one more chance to make up for his loss at the world championships. The final major race of the season, the Giro di Lombardia, will take place next Sunday in Northern Italy.
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