Cyclingheroes

Tour de Pologne: Van Summeren wins final stage and overall

Home
Contact
Special Coverage Vuelta Espana 2008
Saul's corner
Interviews
Race reports
Peloton TV
Picture gallery
Other stories
Riders diaries
Live coverage
Cyclingheroes Forum
Book reviews
Doping
Special Coverage
Hall of Fame
Cyclingheroes shop
Race calender
Cyclinheroes Flash-news archive
Links

15.09.2007/ Belgian rider Johan Van Summeren (Predictor-Lotto) took the final stage of the Tour de Pologne. Van Summeren also won the overall classification of the Pro-Tour stage race.

Copyright Langteam
(picture: Langteam)

Johan Van Summeren (Predictor-Lotto) was rewarded for his courage in the final lap. He first rode towards two escapees by himself, and took off for an adventure of his own when the lead of the leading group was shrinking quickly during the final climb. In the finale, Van Summeren only had to fear Robert Gesink (Rabobank), who used a steep part to get rid of the other favorites. After that, he quickly closed in on Van Summeren, who did not break and held on to a twenty-second lead on the onrushing Dutchman.

Rabobank sports director Frans Maassen said: "We should be very satisfied. We won the first stage, finished second in the general classification and Robert Gesink is the strongest of them all in the concluding stage. He completely breaks away from guys like Kirchen and Di Luca. Would you believe that? That is fantastic." Maassen had also made peace with the stage and general victory of the Belgian Johan van Summeren. "That guy performed magnificently and certainly did not steal it."

CSC's Luke Roberts finshed third overall. Roberts was eight in the 157-kilometer stage and when one of the riders at the top of the general classification suffered a flat the Australian advanced one spot. He even came close to full bonus points at the end.

"Luke tried to attack towards the end and he almost succeeded in getting away to go on and snatch the overall victory, but unfortunately he didn't quite make it. It was a nice try though. He managed to get a gap of about 50 meters and only needed six seconds to win, but some one, who had no chance whatsoever in the general classification, was chasing him, so he was caught just before the finish line," explained CSC's sports director Scott Sunderland, who all things considered was still pleased with the outcome.

Results
 
Stage 7
 
1 Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Predictor - Lotto                  3.56.58 (37.398 km/h)
2 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank                                   0.23
3 Kim Kirchen (Lux) T-Mobile Team                                0.32
4 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Liquigas                                  0.34
5 Alessandro Ballan (Ita) Lampre - Fondital                         
6 Frank Schleck (Lux) Team CSC                                      
7 Pablo Lastras Garcia (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                       
8 Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Gerolsteiner                                 
9 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Bouygues Telecom                         0.42
10 Jens Voigt (Ger) Team CSC                                     0.46
 
Final General Classification
 
1 Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Predictor - Lotto                  3.52.11
2 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank                                   0.27
3 Kim Kirchen (Lux) T-Mobile Team                                0.38
4 Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Gerolsteiner                              0.39
5 Alessandro Ballan (Ita) Lampre - Fondital                      0.44
6 Pablo Lastras Garcia (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                       
7 Frank Schleck (Lux) Team CSC                                      
8 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Liquigas                                     
9 Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                  0.47
10 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Bouygues Telecom                        0.52

Related stories:

Race reports

Link: New Cyclingheroes Website

Custom Search

By clicking to an outside link from our website, you automatically release us from any and all liability. Cyclingheroes has no control over the content of outside links, or sites linked from there, nor do we endorse anything that may be of a illegal and/or vulgar nature. Cyclingheroes provides outside links only as a free service to our readers.