Linda McCartney Foods Pro Cycling Team - Vodacom Rapport Toer Stage 4

Vodacom Rapport Toer (South Africa) - 1014km

Stages P - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8

Results

Stage 4

Racing

Maurizio Wins Again!

Maurizio De Pasquale

As if one stage win wasn't enough to boost team morale, Linda McCartney Pro Cycling Team's Maurizio De Pasquale won his and the team's second stage of the Vodacom Rapport Toer in South Africa today. He completed a unique and rare double, winning back-to-back road stages in a quality field containing many Tour de France stars, including German winner Jan Ullrich. To add to an already excellent race for the team so far, Maurizio also collected the Points jersey and team-mate British star Max Sciandri slipped into the King of the Mountains jersey.

The 155km stage from George to Oudtshoorn contained a vicious bite 90km into the stage with an ascent 1000 metres high and 10km long. Before this the German Gerolsteiner team contained things for their race leader Tobias Steinhauser.

The race split to pieces on the climb with another McCartney rider Olympic Champion Pascal Richard the main aggressor. A group of thirty went clear which contained every McCartney rider. Ten more riders joined on the rapid descent.

As the race neared the finish on the flat run-in, eight riders escaped the front group initiated by McCartney's Danish strongman Tayeb Braikia. De Pasquale joined his team-mate at the front where their lead over the chasing pack slowly increased.

With the finish in sight, and with the chasers unlikely to catch up, De Pasquale made his winning move joined by Dane Soren Peterson of the German Cologne team. De Pasquale easily out-sprinted his companion for his second stage win in three days with Braikia coming in 4th.

Team Manager Sean Yates said at the finish "Once again we controlled the race when it really mattered, another excellent day for the team."

15.02.00: George - Oudtshoorn - 155km

 1. Maurizio De Pasquale           4.13.52
 2. S Petersen (Cologne)         @    0.00
 3. B Cooke (Australia)          @    0.32
 4. Tayeb Braikia
27. Bjornar Vestol               @    2.23
30. Pascal Richard
43. Maximilian Sciandri
46. Ciaran Power


Stage 'Hotspot' Sprints:

Finish Line at 140.1km:               Time
 1. S Petersen (Cologne)         5pts 0.03
 2. Maurizio De Pasquale         3pts 0.02


Stage Mountains:

Cat' 3 at 78.1km:
 1. Maximilian Sciandri               5pts

Cat' 1 at 99.1km:
 1. D Spence (IBM/Lotus)             10pts
 2. Pascal Richard                    8pts
 4. Maximilian Sciandri               6pts
 6. Maurizio De Pasquale              4pts


Overall:

 1. T Steinhauser (Gerolsteiner)  13.03.30
 2. A Elli (Telekom)             @    1.42
 3. S Cammeso (Saeco)            @    2.52
18. Ciaran Power                 @   26.01
22. Maurizio De Pasquale         @   30.05
24. Pascal Richard               @   30.47
35. Tayeb Braikia                @   33.01
51. Bjornar Vestol               @   38.00
59. Maximilian Sciandri          @   44.53


Points Overall:

 1. Maurizio De Pasquale             30pts
 5. Pascal Richard                   12pts
11. Tayeb Braikia                     8pts


'Hotspot' Sprints Overall:

 1. R Hunter (Pro Mix)               23pts
 5. Maurizio De Pasquale              3pts


Mountains Overall:

 1. Maximilian Sciandri              25pts
 6. Pascal Richard                    9pts
14. Maurizio De Pasquale              5pts


Teams Overall:

 1. HSBC                          39.31.33
 9. Linda McCartney Foods        @ 1.00.41



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