Vinokourov takes third stage win.
Alexander Vinokourov won hos third stage in four days on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, outsprinting breakaway companion Denis Menchov [Illes Baleares-Bamesto], himself a stage winner two days ago in Gap. Vinokourov was one of several contenders for the overall classification knocked out of the running by the team CSC juggernaut on stage 2, but the feisty Kazakh rode himself into better condition as the week went on and showed ones again his knack for big performances in Paris-Nice.
"I found my legs as the week went on," Vinokourov told french television after his stage victory sunday. "The strongest rider is the one who wins the overall, but still I won three stages and this is a magnificent result."
How it unfolded
The key move of the race came on the final trip up the Col de Châteauneuf, as Vinokourov and Torsten Hiekmann together with 6 other riders put a decisive gap between themselfs and the main peloton of the yellow jersey. The leaders worked very well together and were spurred on largely by the Illes Balears and T-mobile duos.
King of the mountains Aitor Oza set a furious tempo as the final climb of the Col d'Eze began, setting up teammate Menchov for an eventual showdown with Vinokourov, who himself tried some small attacks but preferred to test the waters before going for gold. Menchov tried a first attack but Leipheimer and Vinokourov were quick to catch his wheel, with Contador coming up behind with Moncoutié digging deep. Once he had his caught, Menchov kicked again, and this time only Vinokourov had the awnser.
As the two opened a small gap, Vinokourov committed himslef and counter-attack with full force. dropping Menchov and the rest. It took some time, but Menchov slowly pulled himslef up to Vinokourov with just an kilometre to the summit of the Col d'Eze. The gap to the others was set, and the pair began to the sweeping plung back to nice with 15" over Cantador and the rest of the break spread out behind.
Vinokourov and Menchov traded pulls on the wide, fast descent and steadily opened their advantage to 30 seconds, then 45, and utlitmately over a minute as the chasing riders began to resign themsleves to a fight for third place.
By the time the two leaders reached Nice and the Pommenade des Anglais, the deed was done. With more than a minute in hand, Vinokourov ducked behind Menchov as they hit the red kite with 1 km to go, Their pace steadily slowed as both prepared for a tricky, tactical two man sprint.
Around the final U-turn Vinokourov still sat behind, but as they hit the headwind of the final stretch, the powerfull
T-mobile rider moved alongside and ultimately launched the sprint from the front position, powering all the way to the line with a tired and hapless Menchov unable to even move up alongside the sprint. The rest of the break straggled home as Vinokourov's teammate Hiekmann took an uncontested jump to claim third place. Jaksche punshed the air in the main peloton as he slid across the line two minutes later.
Source: www.cyclingnews.com |
