Boost for Petacchi as Dekker takes Tirreno
PIC BY TDWSPORT.COM
After a number of second places at Tirreno-Adriatico, Team Milram finally led the race home on Tuesday's final stage of the Italian ProTour event, as Alessandro Petacchi won in Viale Buozzi, beating Robbie McEwen and Paride Grillo into second and third places. Despite a puncture late on in the stage, Rabobank's young tyro Thomas Dekker retained his overall lead to take the most significant win of his increasingly hyped career.
The stage started at an easy pace, allowing lone breakaway Joseba Albizu (Euskaltel) to build a six-minute lead by halfway. But the Basque's lead was rapidly rubbed out once Milram and Crdit Agricole began to up the pace on the finishing circuit.
Stage 7, San Benedetto Del Tronto circuit
1 Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Team Milram 166km in 4.22.50 (37.89kph)
2 Robbie McEwen (Aus) Davitamon-Lotto
3 Paride Grillo (Ita) Panaria
4 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Crdit Agricole
5 Erik Zabel (Ger) Milram
6 Steven de Jongh (Hol) Quick Step
7 Mikhaylo Khalilov (Ukr) LPR
8 Jimmy Casper (Fra) Cofidis
9 Uros Murn (Slo) Phonak
10 Murilo Fischer (Bra) Naturino
Final overall standings
1 Thomas Dekker (Hol) Rabobank 27.32.14
2 Jrg Jaksche (Ger) Liberty Seguros 0.14
3 Alessandro Ballan (Ita) Lampre 0.20
4 Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) Discovery Channel 0.40
5 Michael Boogerd (Hol) Rabobank 0.46
6 Leonardo Bertagnolli (Ita) Cofidis 0.54
7 Ivan Basso (Ita) CSC
8 George Hincapie (USA) Discovery Channel 0.56
9 Karsten Kroon (Hol) CSC 0.58
10 Tom Danielson (USA) Discovery Channel 0.59
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