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Saturday's EuroFile: Van Avermaet wins German classic; Klöden glum despite victory; Chicchi takes stage in Danish tour
Belgian Greg van Avermaet (Predictor-Lotto) claimed victory in the German classic Rund um die Hainleite on Saturday.
Van Avermaet outsprinted Germans Sven Krauss and Paul Martens to win the 201km race around Erfurt.
Italian Alessandro Petacchi (Milram), who has returned to racing following a positive test for salbutamol, finished with the bunch, well behind the 11-man break that contested the victory.
The Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) had recommended to the Italian cycling federation (FCI) that Petacchi be banned from cycling for 12 months after a urine sample he gave at Pinerolo on May 23 showed an unusually high level of salbutamol, a substance primarily used to treat asthma.
However, last month the FCI exonerated the 33-year-old, saying human error was to blame for his positive test, which resulted in his Milram barring him from the Tour de France.
Rund um die Hainleite
Results
1. Greg van Avermaet (B), Predictor-Lotto, 182.1km in 4:20:01
2. Sven Krauss (G), same time
3. Paul Martens (G), s.t.
4. Florian Stalder (Swi), s.t.
5. Robert Retschke (G), s.t.
Klöden glum despite win in German race
Astana’s Andreas Klöden won the 16th City Night race in Rhede, Germany, on Saturday, but admitted he remains devastated by the events that took place during this year's Tour de France.
The 32-year-old completed the 82.8km race in 2:10:50, just ahead of last year's winner, Fabian Wegmann, but the 2004 German champion is still smarting from his Tour exit.
Astana withdrew from the Tour after team leader Alexander Vinokourov failed a doping test and was subsequently sacked.
"I came here with a fire in my belly, because I have been cycling well and the end of the Tour was so abrupt," said Klöden, whose team management gave him special clearance to race after announcing last Tuesday that it would suspend all racing for a month.
"After the atmosphere was so excellent here, it is tough we won't be racing again this month,” Klöden added. “After what has happened recently, the victory falls flat. Morality (in cycling) is on the floor."
Klöden said the enforced break will hamper his preparations for September’s road world championships in Stuttgart.
"A racing break of one month is, of course, far from an ideal preparation for it," Klöden added.
Chicchi takes Danish stage; Breschel holds lead
Italian Francesco Chicchi (Liquigas) won Saturday's fourth stage of the Tour of Denmark, run over 95km between Skaelskoer and Ringsted.
Dane Matti Breschel (CSC) retains the overall lead going into Saturday’s fifth stage, a 12.4km individual time trial in Naestved.
Stage 4
1. Francesco Chicchi (I), Liquigas, 95km in 2:02:30
2. Mark Cavendish (GB), same time
3. Matti Breschel (Den), s.t.
4. Jonas Aaen Jorgensen (Den), s.t.
5. Kenny Van Hummel (Ned), s.t.
Overall
1. Matti Breschel (Den), CSC, 15:29:23
2. Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor), at 0:04
3. Enrico Gasparotto (I), at 0:10
4. Lorenzo Bernucci (I), at 0:12
5. Nicki Sorensen (Den), at 0:16
