Late birthday present for Team Sky’s Italian sprinter
Davide Appollonio (Team Sky) won the third stage of the Tour of Luxembourg, between Eschweiler and Roost, in a bunch sprint. The Italian, who turned 22 years old on Thursday, took his first win of the season in front of stage one winner Denis Galimzyanov (Katusha) and Mickael Delage (FDJ) at the end of the 185km stage.
“I’m so happy to get my first victory this year for the team. I’ve had a few seconds and thirds so I was really hoping for a win and today it happened,” said Appollonio after the stage.
“After the Giro I had a little bit of a rest but I kept my condition and then the team called me into the Luxembourg squad; I’m pleased to reward their faith in me and tomorrow we’ll do everything we can to try and get the victory again.”
Anthony Geslin (FDJ) and Johannes Fröhlinger (Skil-Shimano) attacked from a larger group in the opening kilometres of the stage, and were soon joined by Matthias Brändle (Geox-TMC). The three riders worked well together and managed to build a lead of 3’40” by the stage’s mid point; the Leopard Trek team of race leader Linus Gerdemann always had them under control though and the gap began to steadily fall as the race made its way towards the three undulating, 9km finishing circuits.
Joining Leopard Trek at the front of the peloton were Vacansoleil-DCM, Katusha and Liquigas-Cannondale and, as they approached the finish line for the first time, the three breakaways saw their advantage cut to less than a minute.
With the peloton closing in, Geslin attacked the other two in an attempt to take the stage alone. He managed to cross the line for the penultimate time, to take the rush prize, marginally ahead; he was caught soon afterwards though and the peloton approached the final sprint all together.
A brief shower of rain fell on the race in the final lap, threatening to complicate the finish, but it stopped in time for the sprinters to hit the line.
Having taken places two, three, four and six behind Galimzyanov on stage one, Team Sky made no mistake this time and delivered Appollonio to the line to take his second professional win; his first in Team Sky colours.
As the peloton finished all together, Gerdemann holds on to his race lead, a slim two seconds ahead of Alexandre Geniez (Skil-Shimano).
Result stage 3
1. Davide Appollonio (Ita) Team Sky
2. Denis Galimzyanov (Rus) Katusha Team
3. Mickael Delage (Fra) FDJ
4. Romain Feillu (Fra) Vacansoleil-DCM
5. Pieter Vanspeybroeck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator
Standings after stage 3
1. Gerdemann (LEO)
2. Alexandre Geniez (Fra) Skil-Shimano @ 2s
3. Tony Gallopin (Fra) Cofidis @ 3s
4. Maxime Monfort (Bel) Leopard Trek @ 5s
5. Mickael Delage (Fra) FDJ @ 8s