Friday 23 January 2015 - 06:29

Santos Tour Down Under: Serry attacks, Meersman 8th

Santos Tour Down Under: Serry attacks, Meersman 8th

Several riders tried their luck during the 4th stage of the Santos Tour Down Under. Etixx - Quick-Step rider Pieter Serry was one of them. In the final kilometres all came back together for a bunch sprint.

Just like in the other stages a group riders attacked early in the stage. This time the peloton didn`t let them animate the whole stage, but reeled them with 70 kilometres to go. After an intermediate sprint - where Mark Renshaw got 3rd - a new attack was launched. Etixx - Quick-Step rider Pieter Serry was involved in the breakaway together with Maxim Belkov (Katusha) and Ruslan Tleubayev (Astana). They opened up a 2 minutes gap with 40 kilometres to go.

Movistar led the chase in the peloton and the gap dropped to under one minute. Tleubayev was caught with 25 killometres to go. With 10 kilometres to go Belkov and Serry were also caught. Despite new attacks in the final kilometres the peloton stayed together for a sprint.

At 150 metres to go there was a massive crash in the peloton. Etixx - Quick-Step riders Maxime Bouet en Renshaw were involved, but could get back on their bikes without serious injuries. Steele von Hoff (UniSa-Australia) took the stagewin in front of Daryl Impey (Orica - GreenEDGE) and Wouter Wippert (Drapac). Gianni Meersman finished 8th. 





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