German Voss sprints to surprise win in Catalunya
Source: Agencies |
March 24, 2010, Wednesday
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GERMANY'S Paul Voss claimed his first career victory by winning the Tour of Catalunya's opening stage in Spain on Monday.
The 23-year-old Milram rider was one second ahead of American Levi Leipheimer and two seconds clear of fellow German Andreas Kloden, both Tour de France specialists from the RadioShack team.
British sprinter Mark Cavendish finished seventh in the 3.6km time trial along Lloret de Mar's rain-soaked seafront but compatriot Bradley Wiggins did not start because of illness.
A professional since 2007, Voss said he was surprised by his win.
"I had no idea I could do it," he told reporters. "I took a lot of risks on a very dangerous descent ... and that probably made the difference.
"The rest of the time I was just riding flat out and hoping I'd do well."
Voss said he had given no thought to how he would defend the leader's jersey. "It's the first victory of my career and I just want to enjoy the feeling that I'm the leader," he said. "We'll take it day by day."
Team Sky rider Wiggins went down with a stomach upset in the build-up to the event.
"It's a pity because he was looking forward to it and this stage in particular was perfect for him," Sky official Rod Ellingworth said.
"But things like this always happen at some point in a rider's season and better it's now than a week before the Tour de France."
Meanwhile, Lance Armstrong's RadioShack was left off the list of 22 squads invited to the Giro d'Italia on Monday.
Armstrong had already announced that he would not compete in the May 8-30 race.
RadioShack apparently never intended to the race the Giro, though, according to what Armstrong wrote on his Twitter account on Monday: "Interesting 2 read that @teamradioshack not selected 4 the Giro. Unrelated - guess they got our letter Jan 23 saying we wouldn't be coming."
The 23-year-old Milram rider was one second ahead of American Levi Leipheimer and two seconds clear of fellow German Andreas Kloden, both Tour de France specialists from the RadioShack team.
British sprinter Mark Cavendish finished seventh in the 3.6km time trial along Lloret de Mar's rain-soaked seafront but compatriot Bradley Wiggins did not start because of illness.
A professional since 2007, Voss said he was surprised by his win.
"I had no idea I could do it," he told reporters. "I took a lot of risks on a very dangerous descent ... and that probably made the difference.
"The rest of the time I was just riding flat out and hoping I'd do well."
Voss said he had given no thought to how he would defend the leader's jersey. "It's the first victory of my career and I just want to enjoy the feeling that I'm the leader," he said. "We'll take it day by day."
Team Sky rider Wiggins went down with a stomach upset in the build-up to the event.
"It's a pity because he was looking forward to it and this stage in particular was perfect for him," Sky official Rod Ellingworth said.
"But things like this always happen at some point in a rider's season and better it's now than a week before the Tour de France."
Meanwhile, Lance Armstrong's RadioShack was left off the list of 22 squads invited to the Giro d'Italia on Monday.
Armstrong had already announced that he would not compete in the May 8-30 race.
RadioShack apparently never intended to the race the Giro, though, according to what Armstrong wrote on his Twitter account on Monday: "Interesting 2 read that @teamradioshack not selected 4 the Giro. Unrelated - guess they got our letter Jan 23 saying we wouldn't be coming."
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