Friday the 13th has proven to be the luckiest day for the Belgium sprinter Tom Boonen who finally staged his first tour win since two long years, capturing the green jersey, as well.
Outpacing Spain’s Oscar Freire and German Erik Zabel in the final dash, Boonen cycled through the sixth stage of 125 miles trek from Semur-en-Auxois to Bourg-en-Bresse, with a timing of five hours, twenty minutes and fifty-nine seconds.
The average speed of sprinters for the present tour has been cited low. Just averaging 24.8 miles per hour, so far as compariable to the preceding years that averaged to almost 26.6 to 29.8 mph.
The Swiss rider Fabian Cancellara again seemed to be unsurpassed by retaining the leader’s yellow jersey, yet again, for a seventh straight day. Cancellara now holds a 33-seconds lead over Germany’s Andreas Kloeden, and Filippo Pozzato of Italy being positioned is the third place, 35 seconds behind, the leader.
Before entering the undulating Alps, the seventh stage is conceivably the final chance for the 182 competitors, to make up. The stage is also crucial as riders for the overall title are likely to emerge.
