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Champagne moment McEwen takes third stage, Zabel wins yellow jerseyPosted: Tuesday July 09, 2002 11:33 AMUpdated: Tuesday July 09, 2002 2:34 PM
REIMS, France (Reuters) -- Australian champion Robbie McEwen snatched his second Tour de France stage victory in the capital of champagne on Tuesday, denying German sprint king Erik Zabel his first win in the 174.5-kilometer third stage. Zabel, second in the first stage and third Monday in his native Germany, had to be content with second place again ahead of McEwen's compatriot Baden Cooke. But the Telekom team leader in the absence of 1997 Tour winner Jan Ullrich, also earned a reason to crack open a bottle in his Reims hotel by taking the leader's yellow jersey. "The greatest day of my career was on the Champs-Elysees in 1999, but this is my greatest win this season," said the 30-year-old McEwen, who won his only other Tour stage on the final day in Paris three years ago. "I had already beaten (Italian sprint specialist) Mario Cipollini in the Giro but to beat Zabel here is almost as great," added McEwen, who also has two Giro wins to his name. The victory was all the sweeter for the Brisbane rider as it took place in front of his Belgian wife and their baby, born during the Tour of Italy. "I wouldn't go as far as to say I'm the best sprinter in the world because it changes every day," added McEwen, who has now beaten all the best specialists. "But today I'm the best in the world," he said. Overshadowed three times in the past three days, by Swiss Rubens Bertogliati, Spaniard Oscar Freire and now by McEwen, Zabel did not sound too disappointed about not adding an 11th stage win to his record. "Because of the sad situation with Ullrich at the start in Luxembourg, the team motivation was so so," he said. Ullrich confessed to taking amphetamines Sunday after failing a dope test in training. "This yellow jersey is a great morale booster for the team. I thank them all," added Zabel, who held the leader's jersey for one day in 1998. The day belonged to Australia, whose riders have now won six stages in the Tour's history. Cooke's third place was proof that he could soon add his name to the list but there was less good news for another Australian, Credit Agricole's Stuart O'Grady. Winner of two Tour stages in the past, O'Grady was hit by an attack of tachycardia which caused a racing heartbeat and he had to receive treatment from the Tour doctor. Health scare O'Grady's health scare was all the more worrying as he had heart surgery in March, only returning to competition in May. It was yet another setback for the Credit Agricole team, whose French leader Christophe Moreau crashed twice in the first stage before Norwegian Thor Hushovd struggled badly with leg cramps in Germany on Monday. The team won last year's team time trial but are currently last in the team standings and look unlikely to be a threat in Wednesday's 67.5-kms team effort between Epernay and Chateau-Thierry. Lance Armstrong, who finished 33rd on the third stage and is fifth overall, will be looking for his US Postal team to help him make his first move of the Tour although the Spanish Once-Eroski will be a threat. Before the sprinters had the final say on Tuesday's stage, Frenchmen Jacky Durand and Franck Renier embarked on a long breakaway, staying in front for 160 kms and at one stage held an 11-minute lead. But they were caught seven kilometers from the finish line as the peloton sped across the flat approaches to Reims. Durand is known as a specialist for long breakaways and has
won three Tour stages in the past by attacking early. The stage
was seven kilometers too long for him this time though.
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. |
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