Boonen makes it two wins in Tour third stage

By Francois Thomazeau

TOURS, France (Reuters) – Belgian Tom Boonen confirmed hewas the fastest sprinter in the Tour de France this year withhis second stage victory in succession Monday.

The Paris-Roubaix and Tour of Flanders winner surged aheadwith 50 meters left to beat Austrian Peter Wrolich andAustralian Stuart O’Grady at the finish of the 212.5-km thirdstage between La Chataigneraie and Tours.

American David Zabriskie retained his two-second overalllead over six-times champion Lance Armstrong, who could claimback his favored yellow jersey in Tuesday’s team time trial toBlois.

Zabriskie was seen chatting with his former team bossArmstrong in the peloton.

“He asked me if I enjoyed it and I said ‘yes’ and he askedif I would let him have his turn and I said ‘why not’,” hesaid.

Winner of two stages last year, Boonen has already done aswell after only three days in the Tour and will be hard to beatfor the points classification green jersey.

Boonen appeared to be badly positioned when Estonian JaanKirsipuu and Norway’s Thor Hushovd launched the final battle,especially as he had no Quick Step team mates with him.

But there was no competition when he moved up a gear toscore his 13th victory of the season.

Last year’s green jersey winner Robbie McEwen, seen asBoonen’s main rival in the sprints, could not do any betterthan third and was later stripped of the position forheadbutting O’Grady in frustration — a decision which couldprove crucial in the battle for the points classification.

SCORE POINTS

“Last year, I had to wait for the Champs Elysees to win mysecond stage. Now I’ve done as well after only three days. It’sreally good for the green jersey.” said Boonen.

“Tomorrow will be a hard day, but afterwards there will befour or five days that should suit me and allow me to scorepoints,” the 24-year-old added.

Like the previous day between Challans and Les Essarts,three men again tried their luck and broke clear after 25 km.

Dutchman Erik Dekker, winner of the Paris-Tours classiclast year, Swiss Rubens Bertogliati, who had won a Tour stagein Luxembourg in 2002, and France’s Nicolas Portal held amaximum lead of five minutes and 20 seconds.

But teams with good sprinters chased hard to catch thebreakaways and Bertogliati first lost ground before they joinedDekker and Portal three kilometers from the finish line.

The Tour hierarchy could undergo its first upheaval afterTuesday’s 67.5-km team time trial in which Armstrong’s teammates will hope to repeat their success of last year.