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Julich wins Critérium International
Graham Watson gallery below
CSC's Bobby Julich continued his great early season form by winning the Criterium International three-stage race as it wrapped up in Charleville-Mezieres, France, Sunday, after dominating the concluding time trial.
Julich, the winner of Paris-Nice less than a month ago - the first leg of the 27-race Pro Tour series - won the 8.3km time trial to overhaul Dutchman Thomas Dekker, the winner of the 98.5km second stage which was held in the morning.
Julich had come third in Sunday's second stage behind Liberty rider Jörg Jaksche and Dekker. It left the American with a three-second deficit to the 20-year-old Dutchman ahead of the time trial.
However the 33-year-old American defied damp conditions on the roads of the French Ardennes, and rode at over 49kph to claim the victory ahead of his CSC teammate Jens Voigt, who came second at 02secs. Another CSC man, Kurt-Asle Arvesen of Norway, was third, 11 seconds off Julich's pace.
It meant that Dekker, who also finished 11 seconds behind Julich in the time trial, finished the race in second place overall at eight seconds behind. (Full results are now posted.)
As well as dominating the podium after the 8.3km time trial, it was also CSC's second victory in the race in as many years after Voigt's win last year.
The big German, who had been hoping for his third victory here after those of last year and 1999, could only finish in fifth place this time.
Jaksche, who with Julich and Voigt had been aiming for overall victory, finished third overall at 23secs.
It was the 33-year-old Julich's second victory in the Critérium International, having won it back in 1998 when he rode for the Cofidis team. That was also the year the American finished third overall in the Tour de France.
Julich may be reaching some great form in what is the pre-twilight of his career, but the talent of Dekker looks promising for Dutch cycling. His audacious victory in the second stage, when he played a perfect tactical game with Jaksche, Julich and CSC rider Ivan Basso, showed he has more than just the legs for success in the sport. Dekker last year won the Tour of Normandy and the prestigious GP Eddy Merckx two-man time trial (with Koen de Kort).
During the second stage half of the peloton (72 riders) were disqualified after they finished outside the permitted time limit, including Australia's Bradley McGee who finished 13min 36secdown.
FULLRESULTS ARE POSTED
