Kirsipuu's treble

ESTONIAN Jaan Kirsipuu won the GP Cholet in north-western France on Sunday - his third consecutive win in the race - but the Linda McCartney team, riding their first European event of the year, found it to be a baptism of fire.

Chris Newton, who finished in the 40-strong main group, was the only McCartney man to complete the 202-kilometre race, which was blighted by intermittent rain.

Team manager Sean Yates was not dispirited: "It was a very tough debut for the guys."

Yates' pre-race strategy was for his men to ride near the front of the peloton and be in the thick of things at the finale and try to get into some moves. Unfortunately, it didn't quite work out like that. "Eventually my guys got popped off one by one," said Yates. "Newton did well to hang on because it was very hard."

Britain's David Millar climbed off when the heavy rain came. "I think everyone found it hard," Millar said. "I've been struggling with illness for a week or so. I had to force myself to go out and ride. Cholet was hard but I was going well. When the sky got dark I climbed off and got in the team car. I wasn't going to risk getting sick with the Criterium International coming up this week."

1. Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) Casino 202 km in 5.03.32 (39.925 kmh)
2. Juris Silovs (Lat) Team Home Jack & Jones 0.01
3. Rik Verbrugghe (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar 0.01
4. Jean-Cyril Robin (Fra) La Française des Jeux 0.19
5. Stephane Heulot (Fra) La Française des Jeux 0.27
6. Steve Vermaut (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002 0.27

37. Christopher Newton (GB) Linda McCartney Racing Team 4.52
38. Bobby Julich (USA) Cofidis 4.52