Dutchman Stefan Van Dijk (Mr. Bookmaker) dominated the sprint finish of a 196-kilometer race from St. Truiden to win the sixth and penultimate stage of the Tour of Benelux in Hoogstraten near Brussels on Tuesday.

Van Dijk takes the sprint

Photo: AFP

Belgian Rik Verbrugghe, (QuickStep), retained the race lead going into Wednesday's final stage - a 26.3km individual time trial in Etten-Leur in the Netherlands.

Van Dijk sprinted to victory ahead of Discovery Channel's Max Van Heeswijk - who has already won two stages in the event.
-Agence France Presse

Results in the 195.9km sixth stage of the Tour of Benelux between St.Truiden and Hoogstraten in Belgium
(Agence France Presse)
1. Stefan Van Dijk (Nl), Mr. Bookmaker, 195.9 kilometers in 4:10:37(47kph)
2. Max Van Heeswijk (Nl), Discovery Channel
3. Simone Cadamuro (I), Domina Vacanze
4. Tom Steels (B), Davitamon-Lotto
5. Marco Zanotti (I), Liquigas-Bianchi
6. Erik Zabel (G), T-Mobile
7. Steven De Jongh (Nl), Rabobank
8. Daniele Bennati (I), Lampre-Caffita
9. Allan Davis (Aus), Liberty Seguros
10. André Korff (G), T-Mobile
Full Results

Overall after 6 stages
1. Rik Verbrugghe (B), QuickStep, 28:36:10
2. Allan Davis (Aus), Liberty Seguros, at 0:05
3. Erik Dekker (Nl), Rabobank, at 0:13
4. Michael Blaudzun (Dk), CSC, at 0:15
5. Carlos Barredo Llamazales (Sp), Liberty Seguros 0:17
6. Jurgen Van Den Broeck (B), Discovery Channel, at 0:19
7. Andreas Klier (G), T-Mobile, at 0:21
8. Thomas Dekker (Nl), Rabobank, at 0:26
9. Serguei Ivanov (Rus), T-Mobile, at 0:37
10. Pieter Mertens (B), Chocolade Jacques
FullResults

Freire doubtful for jersey defense
Three-time world champion Oscar Freire is all but certain to miss the 2005 world’s set for Sept. 25 in Madrid.

“I’m still unable to train and it will be impossible for me to go to Madrid,” the Spaniard told the sports daily AS on Tuesday. “I’m really annoyed to be missing out because it was a great opportunity for me. I’m sure a lot of people would have come to see me riding at home.”

Freire - a winner of the rainbow jersey in Verona in 1999, Lisbon in 2001 and for a third time in Verona last year - abandoned the Tour of Switzerland in June and underwent surgery on his ischial tuberosity in his lower hip near the femur.

“The wound has healed but the problem is with the bone,” he said. “It is a very delicate area, with a lot of nerve connections and tendons. When I support the weight of my body on the saddle I get a lot of pain.”

Freire was scheduled to travel to Amsterdam on Tuesday to meet with Rabobank team doctors for further exams. Recovery was expected to take three weeks, but with the world championships just more than a month away, Freire admits time is running out.

“I prefer to go little by little with thinking about when I can come back,” he said. “It’s a little frustrating because you don’t know when you’re going to get well again.”

Theo de Rooij, the manager of Freire's Rabobank team that the diagnosis was not 100-percent certain.

"We can't confirm what has been reported in the Spanish press," De Rooij told Agence France Presse. "It is pure speculation."

Freire was one of the favorites for the Madrid course, well-suited for a sprinter’s finish. The Spanish rider was hoping to become the first racer to win a fourth world title. Alfredo Binda, Rick Van Steenberger and Eddy Merckx have all won three titles as well.

The announcement is further bad news for the Spanish team. Alejandro Valverde is still having trouble recovering from knee problems suffered during the Tour de France and isn’t likely to start the Vuelta a España, though he’s still hopeful to be ready in time for the world’s.

Savoldelli to face surgery
Paolo Savoldelli (Discovery Channel) says his 2005 racing season is over with the prospect of surgery to remove a saddle sore.

“Forced rest,” he told Tutto Bici. “I will be operated on to remove an annoying cyst. I believe my season at the highest level is over.”

Savoldelli’s career has undergone a rebirth since joining Discovery Channel after two frustrating, injury-plagued seasons with T-Mobile. He won his second Giro d’Italia then took a wily stage-win in Revel at the Tour de France.

Nicknamed il Falco for his incredible descending skills, Savoldelli said he was satisfied with his performance at the Tour, where he helped Lance Armstrong win a seventh Tour title.

“My job was to help Lance and I gave everything for him,” he said, before adding it’s too early to think about next year. “Right now I have to rest and recover from the season. What will happen in 2006 is still to be decided.”

Aggiano extends with LPR
Elia Aggiano has signed a contract extension to stay with Italian team LPR through the 2006. A two-year veteran of the team, Aggiano has won 10 races in his career, including a stage win at Sassuolo at Coppi & Bartali.

“Elias has demonstrated a temperament and professionalism. His result in Sassuolo will live in the annals of cycling,” said team manager Oscar Piscina. “He’s giving everything during the entire season and sacrificed himself for the team. There’s always a place for riders with these qualities on our team.”

Cuban rider may have defected
One of the riders from the national Cuba cycling team is missing after competing in the recent Vuelta a León in northern Spain and officials think he may be trying to defect and stay in Europe.

Luis Alberto Romero has been missing since the final stage last weekend when he didn’t show up for a post-race team dinner. The remainder of the team is expected to travel to a race in Germany this week and then stay in Europe to compete in the world championships in Madrid next month.

CSC to race Brit’ tour
Team CSC has confirmed it will race in the Tour of Britain, set for Aug. 30-Sept. 4.

“The team is delighted to be riding the Tour of Britain, and I strongly believe that we have the correct balance to make a serious impact on this year’s race,” said Team CSC boss Bjarne Riis. “We have some great riders who will provide us with a whole host of talents. For now we are going to train hard so we are fully focused for the start.”

Spearheading the CSC attack will be Australian Olympic and double World Pursuit Champion Luke Roberts, who in his first year on the professional road racing tour has shown the cycling world that he can convert his talents to road racing showground.

Supporting Roberts in his challenge for the yellow jersey is a line-up of riders who have all sustained a reputation for attacking the road. Former Norwegian champion, Kurt-Asle Arvessen along with the 2004 Danish National Champion Micheal Blaudzun will provide excellent experience and aggression.

Team CSC for Tour of Britain
Kurk-Asle Arvesen, NOR
Lars Michaelsen, DEN
Michael Blaudzun, DEN
Allan Johansen, DEN
Thomas Bruun Eriksen, DEN
Luke Roberts, AUS