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Sizzling Danish form for Sciandri
Britain's Max Sciandri of the Linda McCartney Pro Cycling Team showed he has
not lost the great form that he ran into during this year's Giro d'Italia
when the team returned to top-flight racing at the Tour of Denmark yesterday.
Max was one of the first stage's big animators, picking up a 3 second bonus
for winning a sprint en route, then forcing a selection as the race ran on to
the tricky cobbled finishing circuit. His formidable riding has left him in
an excellent 9th place overall, just 21 seconds behind stage winner and
leader Denis Zannette of Liquigas.
The Italian was one of three men who kept their noses clear of the bunch at
the finish in Viborg after a testing 215kms. There may be few hills in
Denmark, but there are other considerations: unseasonable weather, small
twisting roads, and when there is a hill it can be as short and steep as some
of Flanders' famous "bergs". The biggest problem for many on the first day
was the virulent outbreak of punctures, caused by rain washing fine, sharp
grit on to the previously dry and clean roads. However, the Linda McCartney
team put great importance on their choice of tyres, and once again the
excellent Vredestein Tri-Comp saw mechanics Craig Geater and Topper Taylor
troubled a good deal less than other teams.
"There were six punctures in the neutralised section alone!" reported manager
Sean Yates from the team car during the stage, as mechanics were called into
action with frightening regularity.
It was a very good day all round for the McCartneys, as five riders finished
in the elite front group of 50 men in Viborg. As a result, Max, Tayeb
Braikia, Pascal Richard, Matt Stephens and Bjornar Vestol all remained within
a few seconds of Zannette.
"I was pleased with the whole performance," said Sean Yates. "You're always
worried after a lay-off like we've had since the end of the Giro, but the
boys are all in excellent shape. We had somebody in every break that went
today, and that's exactly how it should be."
Matt De Canio impressed in what is his biggest race yet with the team,
constantly looking to get involved in the action, and Ciaran Power and David
McKenzie also showed enough to convince their manager that they hold good
form for the rest of the week.
Report by John Deering
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