Norway’s Edvald Boasson Hagen of the Columbia team won the Eneco Tour on Tuesday after dominating the final stage, a 13km individual time-trial.
The 22-year-old finished ahead of France’s Sylvain Chavanel in the overall standings after the Frenchman clocked the fourth fastest time in the time-trial in the seven-stage ProTour race through Belgium and the Netherlands.
Dutch riders Sebastian Langeveld and Maarten Tjallingii finished second and third respectively in the technically difficult final run made even more challenging by the rain.
“It’s a fantastic achievement, my first in an important stage race. I’m very, very happy,” said Boasson Hagen.
“On this wet road you had to be careful but I had to take some risks all the same to win.
“I was really confident because I was supported by a very strong Columbia team.”
It was the eighth success this season for the Norwegian, including a stage of the Tour of Italy. However, he will not compete in the start of the Tour of Spain on Saturday in order to rest for the final races of the season.
Stage
1. Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR) Columbia 16min 07sec, 2. Sebastian Langeveld (NED) at 4sec, 3. Maarten Tjallingii (NED) 5, 4. Sylvain Chavanel (FRA) 14, 5. Jurgen Van den Broeck (BEL) 16, 6. Maxime Monfort (BEL) 19, 7. Andrey Amador (CRC) 20, 8. Juan Antonio Flecha (ESP) 23, 9. Thomas De Gendt (BEL) 25, 10. Laszlo Bodrogi (FRA) 27
General classification
1. Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR) Columbia 26hr 49min 40sec, 2. Sylvain Chavanel (FRA) at 45sec, 3. Sebastian Langeveld (NED) 47, 4. Jurgen Van den Broeck (BEL) 58, 5. Maxime Monfort (BEL) s.t., 6. Juan Antonio Flecha (ESP) s.t., 7. Lars Bak (NED) s.t., 8. Maarten Tjallingii (NED) 1:07, 9. Jan Bakelants (BEL) 1:12, 10. Francesco Gavazzi (ITA) 1:20