Stephen Cummings wins the final stage of the Tour of Beijing 2012
Stephen Cummings bagged his first victory at the Chinese soil after claiming the final stage of the Tour of Beijing 2012.
He completed the 182.5 kilometre pursuit to Ping Gu Centenary Square in a total time of 4 hours, 5 minutes and 8 seconds restricting his major opponents.
Ryder Hesjedal of Team Garmin-Sharp fell two seconds short and achieved the second position with Edvald Boasson Hagen of Team Sky Procycling finishing further 15 seconds behind at the third position.
Daniele Bennati of Team RadioShack-Nissan and Tim Wellens of Team Lotto Belisol secured the fourth and the fifth position respectively.
“It was a big breakaway initially, so it was difficult for them to chase behind,” said Cummings,
“When you have a climb like that in the final, you only have so many people left to pull”.
“After the descent, I was with Ryder and he was strong, and we did a good job together to hold them off”.
“I have no regret about the final sprint,” Hesjedal said. “Steve was going more for the stage victory and actually he was pretty strong and smooth on the flat”.
Jan Bakelants of Team RadioShack-Nissan was looking good to bag the stage victory but had to surrender ahead of the strong Ryder Hesjedal.
“I knew it would be very hard to get to the finish, but then Hesjedal came and that was it,” Bakelants said.
Heinrich Haussler of Team Garmin-Sharp, Alexey Tsatevich of Team Katusha and Stephen Cummings of Team BMC succeeded during the first, second and the third sprints of the race.
Daniel Martin of Team Garmin-Sharp wins the first and the second mountains of the event with Stephen Cummings of Team BMC and Ryder Hesjedal of Team Garmin-Sharp succeeding at the third and the fourth climbs of the event.
Tim Wellens of Team Lotto Belisol, Tom Jelte Slagter of Team Rabobank, Rafal Majka of Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank, Moreno Moser of Team Liquigas-Cannondale and Christ Butler of Team Champion System Pro Cycling were the top five young riders on the day.
Overnight race leader, Tony Martin of Team Omega Pharma-Quick Step finished the race at the 21st position and secured an overall victory at the Chinese event.
Top finishers after the Tour of Beijing stage 5 are as below,
1
Stephen Cummings (GBr) BMC Racing Team
4:05:08
2
Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Sharp
0:00:02
3
Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky Procycling
0:00:17
4
Daniele Bennati (Ita) RadioShack-Nissan
5
Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team
6
Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Astana Pro Team
7
Tom Jelte Slagter (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
8
Rafal Majka (Pol) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank
9
Mathias Frank (Swi) BMC Racing Team
10
Simon Clarke (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team
11
Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale
12
Rui Alberto Faria Da Costa (Por) Movistar Team
13
Manuele Mori (Ita) Lampre - ISD
14
Vladimir Gusev (Rus) Katusha Team
15
Ivan Velasco Murillo (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
16
Eros Capecchi (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
17
Johnny Hoogerland (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
18
Tomasz Marczynski (Pol) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
19
Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
20
Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
21
Tony Martin (Ger) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
22
Maciej Paterski (Pol) Liquigas-Cannondale
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