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STAGE 11: CSC'S ARVESEN TAKES STAGE 11 OF THE TOUR DE FRANCE
AFP & Road Bike Action
July 16, 2008
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Kurt-Asle Arvesen of Norway, riding for CSC, won the 11th stage of the Tour de France here on Wednesday, 167.5km of racing between Lannemezan and Foix, crossing the line in 3hr 58min 13sec in a sprint finish. The 2008 National Road Race Champion of Norway can now add a Tour de France stage win to go with his two Giro d'Italia stage victories.
Australian Cadel Evans retained the leader's yellow jersey after Arvesen edged out Swiss rider Martin Elmiger and Alessandro Ballan of Italy as the 33-year-old gave his team their first win of this year's edition. Evans, riding for Silence, came in with the peloton some 15 minutes behind the lead group but that was enough to stay in yellow.
Arvesen admitted though that he will soon be expected to stand back in
line for his normal duties of protecting and helping the riders that
are hoping to take possession of the race's big prize - the yellow
jersey.
CSC teammate Frank Schleck, also wearing a red, white and slightly lighter blue as the Luxembourg national champion, finished the day still one second behid race leader Cadel Evans of Australia. Carlos Sastre, another of CSC's leading contenders, remained sixth at 1:28 behind Evans.
With little yellow jersey action expected on the final, but easiest day in the Pyrenees, Arvesen was given a rare chance to get in an early breakaway. And he repaid team boss Bjarne Riis's generosity with a performance that give him his maiden Tour win by the width of a wheel rim. "I got my chance to go in the break, and I took it with both hands," said Arvesen, the second Norwegian to win since the start following Thor Hushovd's victory on stage two.
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