Steven Caethoven wins final stage and Marcel Kittel retains overall lead in 2011 DELTA Tour Zeeland
Veranda's Willems – Accent team’s Steven Caethoven won the mass sprint of second stage of 2011 DELTA Tour Zeeland in Terneuzen on Monday, June 12. Marcel Kittel retained his overall leader’s yellow jersey.
The 30-years-old Belgian rider took a total of 4 hours, 34 minutes and 51 seconds to cover a distance of 195.8 kilometres.
After winning the stage, Steven said, "I won two this season fair prices, and in Wanzele Puivelde. Beautiful course, but I admit that I enjoy more like a victory today. I was also there for a while to wait. And winning in your backyard makes it all even
more fun.”
Wietse Bosmans of BKCP-Powerplus was the runner-up and Roger Hammond of Garmin-Cervelo finished third.
Steven's team-mate, Niels Albert was also in good form, but he failed to cross the line with other riders and grabbed the 77th spot with 9 seconds behind Steven.
A group of four riders made their first breakaway, including, Bert De Backer (Skil – Shimano), Cedric Pineau (FDJ), Bram Schmitz (Veranda's Willems – Accent) and Robin Chaigneau (Skil – Shimano).
All of them gained a lead of few seconds over the peloton, but Bram Schmitz was caught after a few kilometres. Bert De Backer won the first sprint of the stage.
In the second sprint, Cedric and Robin maintained their pace and gained the advantage, but both of them failed and Martin Mortensen won the final sprint.
Steven took the points classification with 25 points ahead of Wietse Bosmans and Roger Hammond.
Steven said, "I think it's great to win here. Here were men really fast, and guys like Kittel Forest, perhaps intrinsically faster than me, but I beat them, despite everything. This victory shows that I'll get a decent level. It must I take heart to the
line by pulling the coming weeks. "
Wietse Bosmans of BKCP – Powerplus took the title of Best young rider with the timing of 4 hours, 34 minutes and 51 seconds.
Marcel Kittel won the overall classification with a timing of 8 hours, 58 minutes and 9 seconds. Theo Bos was the runner-up with 4 seconds behind Kittel while Jos Van Emden was in the third spot with difference of 6 seconds.
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