McEwen finally nips Zabel in Majorca

• Results

By VeloNews Interactive wire services, Copyright 2001 AFP

Australian neo-pro Mathew Hayman (Rabobank) won the overall title at the Majorca Challenge, while another Australian, Robbie McEwen (Domo-Farm Frites), finally beat Germany’s Erik Zabel in a field-sprint finish. The final stage was a 153.4km circuit around Palmanova, which the peloton covered in 3:45:04, for an average of 38.104kph.

With Hayman holding a 1:46 lead over Francisco Cabello, the Kelme team was the animator of the race, placing five of its riders into a 15-man break, which rode out to a three minute lead over the day’s three climbs.

Behind, the Rabobank squad organized the chase in support of Hayman, who won the second stage in a solo breakaway to set up his overall victory. With 25km to go, the lead group was brought back, setting up the sprint finish won by McEwen.

With riders free to pick and choose which stages to race, the general classification standings at the Majorca Challenge are not official from day-to-day, but when the final tally was released on Thursday, Hayman took the win, followed by Kelme’s Cabello and Festina’s Felix Garcia Casas.

Results

Stage 5

1. Robbie McEwen (Aus), 153.4km in 3:54:04
2. Erik Zabel (G)
3. Sven Teutenberg (G)
4. Pablo Fernandez (Sp)
5. Remco van der Ven (Nl),
6. Tom Desmet (B),
7. Jens Zemke (G)
8. Ludo Dierckxsens (B)
9. Gerrit Glomser (A)
10. Josu Silloniz (Sp), all s.t.

General classification

1. Mathew Hayman (Aus)
2. Francisco Cabello (Sp), at 1:46
3. Felix Garcia Casas (Sp)
4. Juan Jose de los Angeles (Sp), both s.t.
5. Zabel, at 3:12
6. Teutenberg
7. Desmet
8. Silloniz
9. David Clinger (USA)
10. Javier Pascual Llorente (Sp), all s.t.