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Stage 7
Four
in a row for chirpy Cipollini
By Francois Thomazeau
Mario Cipollini of Italy raises his
arms as he crosses the finish line to win on sprint the seventh stage of the Tour de France
cycling race from Avesnes-sur-Helpe to Thionville, northern France July
10. Cipollini won his fourth stage in a row and is second placed in
the overall standings. cp/Photo by Jean-Paul Pelissier REUTERS |
THIONVILLE, France, April
10 - Mario Cipollini filled a 69-year gap in Tour de France
history on Saturday when he clinched his fourth consecutive stage
victory in Thionville on Saturday.
The 32-year-old Italian beat
the other sprinters in the pack at the end of the 227-kms seventh
stage from Avesnes-sur-Helpe to become the first rider since 1930 to
win four stages in succession.
The last rider to have
achieved the feat was Frenchman Charles Pelissier, who won the last
four stages of the 1930 Tour, won by Andre Leducq.
Asked if he had heard about
Pelissier before this win, Cipollini said: "Like many other
riders, I have books at home and I think I saw a picture of him. But
to win four consecutive stages in modern cycling is something
else."
Cipollini is still one win
short of the record of consecutive stage wins in the Tour held by
Luxembourg's Francois Faber, who won five consecutive stages in the
1909 Tour, which he won.
Interestingly both Faber and
Pelissier started their series in the eastern city of Metz, only 20
kms away from Thionville.
"I feel the same as if
I had won the Tour," said Cipollini who beat second-placed
Australian Stuart O'Grady and third-placed Estonian Jaan Kirsipuu to
the line.
Kirsipuu retained his
overall lead on the eve of a 56.5-kms time trial which should
reshuffle the standings on Sunday. Cipollini lies second, 14 seconds
behind.
Cipollini thanked his Saeco
teammates -- he may part with them next season since his sponsor told
him before the Tour to look for another team.
He received precious help in
this fourth sprint from Gian Matteo Fagnini, who led him to the front
until the very last turn.
Then, with 250 metres left,
"Cipo" made his move and was never in serious trouble
especially as German Erik Zabel, who looked his only real contender,
lost his pedal and was lucky not to crash.
"It would not have
changed a lot because I don't think Zabel was strong enough to beat
me," he said.
"Zabel was unlucky
because he also fell during the stage but I would rather have had a
man-to-man fight with (Belgian) Tom Steels," he said.
Steels was stripped of his
victory in the previous stage for dangerous sprinting and he was never
in contention on Saturday, finishing 29th.
Like in previous stages, a
long breakaway took place and failed.
This time, Paris-Tours
winner Jacky Durand of France and compatriot Lylian Lebreton were the
ones who tried their luck. They stayed in the lead for nearly 200 kms
before being caught with four kilometres left in the stage.
Tour
de France seventh stage placings/overall standings
THIONVILLE, France, July 10 -
Leading placings in the seventh stage of the Tour de France over 227
kms from Avesnes-sur-Helpe on Saturday:
1. Mario Cipollini (Italy) Saeco 5 hours 26 minutes 59 seconds
2. Stuart O'Grady (Australia) Credit Agricole
3. Jaan Kirsipuu (Estonia) Casino
4. Henk Vogels (Australia) Credit Agricole
5. Jan Svorada (Slovakia) Lampre
6. Damien Nazon (France) La Francaise
de Jeux
7. Christophe Capelle (France) Big Mat
8. Jimmy Casper (France) La Francaise de Jeux
9. George Hincapie (U.S.) U.S. Postal
10. Francois Simon (France) Credit Agricole
11. Lars Michaelsen (Denmark) La
Francaise de Jeux
12. Nicola Minali (Italy) Cantina Tollo
13. Elio Aggiano (Italy) Vitalicio Seguros
14. Robbie McEwen (Australia) Rabobank
15. Sebastien Hinault (France) Credit Agricole
16. Ludo Dierckxsens (Belgium) Lampre
17. Silvio Martinello (Italy) Polti
18. Christophe Moreau (France) Festina
19. Christophe Mengin (France) La Francaise de Jeux
20. Carlos da Cruz (France) Big Mat all same time as winner
Leading overall standings:
1. Kirsipuu
32 hours 24 minutes 46 seconds
2. Cipollini
14 seconds behind
3.
O'Grady
34
4. Erik Zabel (Germany) Telekom
44
5. Lance Armstrong (U.S.) U.S.
Postal 54
6. Abraham Olano (Spain)
ONCE
1:05
7. Hincapie
1:06
8. Tom Steels (Belgium) Mapei
1:09
9.
Moreau
same time
10.
Simon
1:12
11. Alexandre Vinokourov (Kazakhstan) Casino 1:15
12. Santos Gonzalez (Spain) ONCE same time
13. Stephane Heulot (France) La Francaise de Jeux 1:17
14. Andrea Peron (Italy) ONCE
15. Christian Vandevelde (U.S.) U.S. Postal
16. Laurent Dufaux (Switzerland) Saeco
all same time
17. Angel Casero (Spain) Vitalicio Seguros 1:20
18. Pavel Tonkov (Russia) Mapei
1:22
19. Jens Voigt (Germany) Credit Agricole
20. Bobby Julich (U.S.) Cofidis
both same time
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