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19.08.2007/Bram De Groot won the Pijnacker crit yesterday. De Groot outsprinted fellow escapee Stef Clement. Stefan Van Dijk
came in third at the criterium where Michael Rasmussen was welcomed by thousands of spectators cheering his name.
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| Stef Clement (2), Bram de Groot (1) & Stefan Van Dijk (3) (picture: Cyclingheroes) |
Picture gallery: Pijnacker Crit, Netherlands, August 18 (3 pages)
Chaos broke out before the start of the race as Michael Rasmussen rode to the starting line. The Danish rider had to sign
many autographs and photographers stormed the starting line to take pictures of Michael Rasmussen in a neutral yellow kit
of the Dutch AGU company who is sponsoring the Rabobank team.
The race itself was an animating crit with many attacks of Rasmussen and other riders. The race was won by Bram De Groot
(Rabobank). De Groot outsprinted his fellow escapee Stef Clement (Bouygues Telecom). Stefan Van Dijk (Wiesenhof-Felt) won
the sprint of a chasing group with Michael Rasmussen.
De Groot and Clement attacked from a leading group with Max Van Heeswijk (Rabobank), Michael Rasmussen and six other riders.
After the race De Groot said he had an tactical advantage because he had two teammates in that group. "Well
for me personally Michael [Rasmussen] is still a teammate," De Groot said.
Steffen Clement who won the Dutch national individual time trail title for the second year in a row, said after the race:
"Well just like last Wednesday you have to know where your chances are. If you have won on Wednesday you know that there
is still something possible. You have try to get into the right group. So you have to watch closely and join the decisive
attack." Clement knows he can't sprint very well: "I am a good time trialer but I can't sprint very well."
Clement is laughing as he continued with: "I tried to get rid of Bram [De Groot]but he is a good wheelsucker, so he's
not the kind of guy who is easily dropped."
Stefan van Dijk said after the race: "I tried to close the gap [to De Groot and Clement] as it was only about 50
meters but they were really fast. In the final lap I gave up and decided to concentrate on the sprint so I could at least
grab the final podium spot."
Womens race
At the womens race Mirjam Melchers (Flexpoint) won after a she attacked out of a group with 5 riders. Andrea Bosman (DSB-Bank)
outsprinted the chasing group. Iris Slappendel (Flexpoint) came in third.
Related stories:
Race reports
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