Wauters by a whisker
By Martin Ayres, Lionel Birnie and Marguerite Lazell. Pictures by
Phil O’Connor
MARC
Waughters, the 30 year-old Rabobank rider, successfully defended the two-second
lead he had gained on stage six, from Liverpool to Blackpool, on the penultimate
day of the week-long Prutour.
Rabobank's strength in depth proved decisive; despite losing top man Leon Van Bon after a fifth stage crash, the Dutch squad rode with impeccable discipline to take and then defend the red jersey, and were fully committed to achieving overall victory - unlike US Postal squad, who had Benoit Joachim in second place, only two seconds in arrears.
First-year
pro Joachim, who won the decisive stage into Bristol, missed out to Wauters
in the scramble for sprint bonuses. While Wauters enjoyed powerful lead-outs
from his Rabobank team, Joachim's team-mates were more intent on grabbing
stage wins, as could be seen on the day Joachim lost the leader's jersey,
when team-mate George Hincapie took the stage at Blackpool.
Race previews may have focused on the Welsh mountain stage as being the toughest ever in a British tour, but it was the previous day's battle into Bristol that shaped the final outcome.
Wauters
and Joachim were in the key breakaway that romped up Cheddar Gorge while
the leading contenders were recovering from a hectic chase through the
lanes of Wiltshire and Somerset. The Belgian and the Luxembourger stayed
locked together all the way to Edinburgh, where Wauters clinched the best
win of his career.
For the second year running Chris Newton (Linda McCartney) was the best British-based finisher, 12th overall at 3-54 - three places ahead of Matt Stephens (HarrodsSixt). Chris Lillywhite was runnerup in the sprints contest and Men's Health placed fifth in the teams' classification.
Prudential are to be applauded for their massive financial commitment to the Prutour. Lessons were learned from last year and the race passed off smoothly, with bigger crowds and growing media recognition.
Stage 2b: Portsmouth time trial
Final overall
1. Marc Wauters (Belgium) Rabobank 28-35-41
2. B. Joachim (US Postal) at 2sec
3. B. Vestol (Acceptcard) at 1-22
4. J. Voigt (Credit Agricole) at 1-37
5. R. Rumsas (MROZ) at 1-42
6. P Jonker (Rabobank) at 157
7. J. Vaughters (US Postal) at 1-59
8. L. Lebreton (Bigmat at 2-34
9. N. Larsen (Team Home-Jack and Jones) at 2-35
10. M. Gimondi (Amore e Vita) at 3-15
11. E. Dekker (Rabobank) at 3-37
12. C. Newton (Linda McCartney) at 3-54
13. J. Rasmussen (Acceptcard) at 3-57
14. F Przydzial (MROZ) at 4 31
15. M. Stephens (Harrods-Sixt) at 4-42
16. P Esposti (Men's Health) at 4 53
17. C. Power (Ireland) at 5-12
18. J. Silovs (Jack and Jones) at 5-44
19. G. Butler (Men's Health) at 5-50
20. M. Puglioli (Amore e Vita) at 6-09
Mountains
1. Silovs 78
2. J. Sweet (Bigmat) 58
3. Voigt 48
4. Rumsas 44
5. Lebreton 30.
Sprints
1. Jay Sweet (Aus) Bigmat) 28
2. Lillywhite 20
3. M. Backstedt (Credit Agricole) 13
4. Wauters 12
5. M. Gebka (MROZ) 10.
Team
1. Bigmat 88-40-55
2. Rabobank at 2-00
3. US Postal at 2-25
4. Acceptcard at 3-06
5. Men's Health at 16-33.
Starters.- 105. Finishers.- 74. Total distance.- 729 miles (1,172km).
Average speed.- 24.85mph (39.96kph).