July 11/08 12:42 pm - Tour of Austria: Stage 5, Barry 12th on GC

Posted by Editoress on 07/11/08
 

Tour of Austria
Report by Martin Roseneder

35 kilometres after the start in Wiener Neustadt René Haselbacher (Astana) and Lampre professional Emanuele Bindi launched their brakeawayand very quickly their lead went up to 11 minutes. In the peloton, Elk Haus took control, and the Columbia team of André Greipel reacted too lateand arrived at the finish with a deficit of 2:33 on the stage winner Haselbacher. The winner of the field sprint was yesterday's stage winner Andre Greipel.

Haselbacher, who finished second at the Algarve-Tour last year and won the Rheinland-Pfalz Tour, had good form today. "Bindi and I harmonized very well and even changed our bottles. Up to the last mountain a few kilometres in front of the finish I tested him and attacked. I wasn't able to break away but noted that he appeared very tired. At the finish sprint, he had no chance." Next Sunday Haselbacher will marry his girlfriend Suzanne from South Africa, they will have a baby in August: "Private things are going very well and I am very pleased to be stage winner even at the Tour of Austria."

Rohregger builds up his lead

Thomas Rohregger takes over the GC : The tyrolean of Elk Haus Simplon built up his lead over Ruslan Pidgornyy (LPR) to 13 seconds, the CSC professional Chris Anker Sörensen is 31 seconds behind the Austrian. René Haselbacher takes over the points classification, Giampaolo Caruso keeps the mountain jersey. It was a very challenging stage for Thomas Rohregger: "It has been very hot and we completed the first hour with an average speed of 52km per hour."

Tomorrow time trial in Podersdorf/Neusiedlersee

Tomorrow the time trial (26,2 km) will take place in Podersdorf and a decisive stage is expected