Gerdemann grabs GC glory
Romain Feillu won the final stage of the Tour de Luxembourg as Linus Gerdemann claimed the overall glory.
By Jonathan Turner
Last Updated: 05/06/11 4:41pm
Romain Feillu just got the better of local favourite Frank Schleck to win the final stage of the Tour de Luxembourg on Sunday, with Schleck's Leopard Trek teammate Linus Gerdemann taking the overall glory.
Vacansoleil rider Feillu proved strongest in the sprint at the end of the 152.1 kilometres route from Mersch to Luxembourg, holding off Schleck by around half a bike length, with the pair well clear of Pieter Vanspeybrouck (Topsport Vlaanderen) in third.
Tony Gallopin (Cofidis) was fourth and Team Sky's Davide Appollonio - winner of stage three on Saturday - finished fifth, which was good enough for him to land the points jersey.
And while Luxembourg-based Leopard Trek just missed out on the stage win, they lifted the overall prize thanks to Gerdemann.
The German rider finished safely inside the front group to top the GC by two seconds from Alexandre Geniez (Skil - Shimano), with Gallopin rounding off the podium places in third.
Efforts rewarded
Leopard Trek had worked hard all day for Gerdemann, setting the tempo after four riders broke clear of the peloton soon after the first climb of the day at the Cote de Steinsel.
Arkimedes Arguelyes (Katusha), Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Team Sky), Anthony Delaplace (Saur - Sojasun) and Antonio Piedra (Andalucia) were the quartet in question but their advantage was never allowed to exceed three minutes and 20 seconds.
And by the time the field started the five 7.7km laps around Luxembourg City, which rounded off the race, the gap was coming down rapidly. The break was caught with 30km remaining, though by that point the front group was down to around 60 riders and missing one of the leading sprint hopes in the shape of stage one winner Denis Galimzyanov (Katusha) who had been vying with Appollonio for the points jersey.
From then on Fabian Cancellara was among the Leopard Trek riders driving it on the front to prevent any further escape bids and Vacansoleil were also prominent as they tried to tee up the sprint for Feillu, with both teams reaping their rewards on the finish line.
