THIS WEEK IN PRO CYCLING
Zabel wins his third Paris-Tours
German sprint king Erik Zabel sensationally brought the curtain down on his career with the T-Mobile team by claiming a record-equallng third victory in Paris-Tours Sunday.
Zabel, riding his last race for the German outfit after 13 stellar seasons, dominated a rare bunch sprint in the one-day classic to beat Italian Daniele Bennati of Lampre by half a wheel.
Australia's Allan Davis (Liberty Seguros) finished third with Australian champion Robbie McEwen (Davitamon-Lotto) fourth.
Zabel, the winner here in 1994 and 2003, produced a powerful burst in the final meters of the 253.5km race to deny Bennati, who had pulled inches ahead of Davis.
| Erik Zabel factfile: Date of birth: July 7, 1970 Place of birth: Berlin Height: 1.76 m Weight: 69 kg Main victories (from an estimated 184) One-day races: Milan-San Remo 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001 Paris-Tours 1994, 2003, 2005 Amstel Gold Race 2000 HEW-Cyclassics 2001 German national championship 1998, 2003 Tour of Berne 1993 Classic Haribo 1994 Tour of Cologne 1996, 2004 Luis-Puig Trophy 1997, 2000, 2001 GP de l'Escaut 1997 Tour of Berlin 1997 Grand Prix of Frankfurt 1999, 2002, 2005 World Cup overall 2000 Major stage races: Tour de France: Winner of 12 stages. Two in 1995 (Charleroi, Bordeaux), two in 1996 (Nogent/Oise, Gap), three in 1997 (Plumelec, Bordeaux, Pau) one in 2000 (Troyes), three in 2001 (Boulogne-sur-Mer, Seraing, Evry), one in 2002 (Alendon) Points classification (green jersey) 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 (record) Wore yellow jersey for two days (one in 1998, one in 2002) Tour of Spain: winner of six stages. Three in 2001, two in 2003, one in 2004 |
Moments earlier, a 50-strong peloton had swallowed up early escapees Philippe Gilbert and Stijn Devolder of Belgium only 150 meters from the finish line.
Gilbert was raging as his bid for victory on the 2400-meter-long Avenue de Grammont came to an end. However, Zabel was positively beaming as he claimed a rare hat-trick of victories on a race which before Sunday had finished in a bunch sprint only once since 1997.
"It's a dream come true," said Zabel. "I wanted to say farewell to T-Mobile by winning here and I'm delighted I could. The sprint was long and difficult, Bennati kept me on my toes all the way to the finish."
Gilbert and Devolder used the Crochu climb, around 27km from the finish line, to leap away from a trio of riders - Dutchman Joost Posthuma, Spaniard Ivan Gutierrez and Frenchman Stephane Berges - who had enjoyed a long breakaway together. But despite building a minute lead on the chasing peloton Gilbert and Devolder failed to make it count.
Zabel, who has been with only one team throughout his hugely successful career, winning the Tour de France green points jersey six times - now shares the Paris-Tours record with Belgian Guido Reybroeck, who won the race three times between 1964 and 1968.
The 35-year-old former East German is set to move to the Italian-German Milram team at the end of the season, where he will join up with fellow sprinter Alessandro Petacchi of Italy, who is leaving Fassa Bortolo.
"It will be difficult to leave after 13 years. I had 12 superb years with the team, a lot of happiness and a lot of great results.
"This last season has perhaps been the most difficult," he added, referring to his non-selection for the Tour de France. "But I don't regret a thing. I also learned a lot this year."
The final race of the Pro Tour is next Saturday's Tour of Lombardy. The inaugural series was wrapped up last weekend by Liquigas-Bianchi all-rounder Danilo Di Luca of Italy, when he finished fourth behind compatriot Paolo Bettini, the reigning Olympic champion.
Paris-Tours
1. Erik Zabel (G), T-Mobile
2. Daniele Bennati (I), Lampre
3. Allan Davis (Aus), Liberty Seguros
4. Robbie Mc Ewen (Aus), Davitamon-Lotto
5. Alberto Ongarato (I), Fassa Bortolo
6. Auralien Clerc (Swi), Phonak
7. Julian Dean (NZl), Credit Agricole
8. Rene Haselbacher (A), Gerolsteiner
9. Uros Murn (SLO), Phonak
10. Enrico Gasparotto (I), Liquigas-Bianchi
FULL RESULTS
ProTour standings - after Paris- Tours
1. Danilo Di Luca (I), 229 pts
2. Tom Boonen (B), 171
3. Jan Ullrich (G), 140
4. Lance Armstrong (USA), 139
5. Alexandre Vinokourov (Kz), 136
6. Levi Leipheimer (USA), 131
7. Bobby Julich (USA), 130
8. George Hincapie (USA), 129
9. Alessandro Petacchi (I), 128
10. Davide Rebellin (I), 126
FULL RESULTS
