Prudential Prutour 1999
31-May-1999
| Stage 2b: Portsmouth time trial <Main Page > <Next Stage> Chris Boardman ruled on home ground, racing around a technical and testing time trial course to win the stage by 2.39 seconds and move to third overall. Strong winds blasting off the Solent made life difficult for the riders on the exposed seafront course. They also need technique to negotiate the tricky U-turn halfway round the 4.2-mile route. All the drama came at the end as Erik Dekker (Rabobank) set the target time of 8-18.35, well clear of anything that had gone before. Boardman, starting last but one in the 101-man field always looked in control as he powered round in a big gear to finish in 8-15.96 and push Dekker down to second. Only one man was left, race leader Leon Van Bon. He was under pressure from George Hincapie, who had started the stage three seconds in arrears. But the Dutchman excelled to clock the fourth-fastest time, two seconds faster than Hincapie. Apart from Boardman, the best Briton was Chris Newton (Linda McCartney), ninth-fastest in distinguished company. Local boy Rob Hayles (GB) was 13th and world junior champion Bradley Wiggins (GB) clocked 16th-fastest time. 1. Chris Boardman (Great Britain) Credit Agricole 4.2miles in 8-15.96 |