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Nuyens moves into Swiss Tour lead
Belgium's Nick Nuyens (Quick Step) won the third stage of the Tour of Switzerland at Arlesheim on Monday, also claiming the leader's jersey. Nuyens beat fellow escapees Koldo Gil (Saunier Duval) and Germans Linus (T-Mobile)Gerdemann and Jörg Jaksche (Würth) in a sprint finish. The peloton, led home by Spaniard Oscar Freire (Rabobank), crossed the line 11 seconds behind the lead breakaway.
Thanks to bonus seconds for winning the stage, Nuyens did just enough to overhaul Italy's Daniele Bennati (Lampre-Fondital)to claim the leader's jersey. The breakaway group made their move with 20km to race of the 187.5km stage during a mountainous part of the course.
Until then, Tour de France hopeful Jan Ullrich (T-Mobile) had been riding well at the head of the pack alongside Luxembourg's Frank Schleck. Nuyens, whose team leader is Belgian sprint king Tom Boonen, barely contributed to the breakaway and thus benefited from the freshest legs in the sprint finish.
"I knew I was the quickest of the breakaway group," said Nuyens. "Gil attacked with less than a kilometer to the line, I reacted straight away and caught him, a little too early actually.
"Then I had to launch the sprint straight away. Gerdemann coudln't catch me."
The 26-year-old has already won several classics during his career including Paris-Brussels in 2004 and Het Volk last year. But he was just happy to move out of the shadows of wife Evy Van Damme, a professional cyclist herself for a Belgian team.
When asked who has been the most successful, Nuyens replied: "These last few years, it's her. But she has some injury problems so now it's my turn to win, I guess.”Results – Stage 3
1. Nick Nuyens (B) Quick Step-Innergetic
2. Linus Gerdemann (G) T-Mobile
3. Jörg Jaksche (G) Würth
4. Koldo Gil (Sp) Saunier Duval
5. Oscar Freire (Sp) RabobankOverall, after stage three
1. Nick Nuyens (B) Quick Step-Innergetic
2. Linus Gerdemann (G) T-Mobile
3. Daniele Bennati (I) Lampre-Fondital
4. Jörg Jaksche (G) Würth
5. Tom Boonen (B) Quick Step-Innergetic
