Lithuanian rider Gediminas Bagdonas seized the biggest win of his career today at the Tour of Britain, winning head of five other breakaway riders into Sandringham. After the sextet succeeded in building a winning advantage over the main field, the An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly rider outsprinted Ian Wilkinson (Endura), Mathieu Claude (Europcar) plus the rest of the break.
“I am very happy today. I won a big race and my team did really well,” he beamed afterwards. “It is very important for me to win today and for the people at home in Lithuania. The support today was very good and I am very happy.
“Tomorrow I will be going for the time trial. Today I had good legs so I will go for it tomorrow.”
The result is a considerable success for the Continental team, which relied on an invitation from the race organisers to be able to compete against the bigger WorldTour teams, but has ridden aggressively through the week. Another of its riders, the Belgian Pieter Ghyllebert, is the leader and likely winner of the sprints classification.
Bagdonas got clear early on with Wilkinson, Mathieu Claude (Europcar), Wouter Sybrandy (Sigma Sport - Specialized) Richard Handley (Raleigh), and Stijn Neirynck (Topsport), building a lead of over seven minutes along the 200 kilometre route from Bury St Edmunds.
Battling wet conditions, the lead was whittled down by the Rabobank and HTC teams, but the chase was too little, too late. The bunch was led across the line by Mark Cavendish, one minute 23 seconds behind.
Wilkinson was disappointed not to pick up the stage win, but had a nice consolation prize in winning the most aggressive rider award. He talked about the finish and how he tried to hit the line first. “It certainly wasn’t flat out there today, up and down all the time like a Belgian stage,” he said. “Raleigh [Handley – ed.] went early from the corner and that set me up perfectly. I saw the gantry but misjudged it and went too soon. I eased up into the head wind and they fought back. I came back at them but it was too late. It’s great to win the combativity prize, though.
“I was happy in the break, I stiffened up a bit, as most of us do at some point, around the 40 kilometre mark but I got fired up again for the finish. With a bit more practice I’ll come back and win a stage next year. It’s a big criterium tomorrow so we’ll give it a good shot.”
Race leader Boom finished in the main bunch and remains 28 seconds clear of closest rival Leopold Koenig (Team Netapp) and is a further second ahead of Garmin-Cervélo’s Dan Lloyd.
He’s looking more and more likely to win the race, and his comments reflected that. “Another long day tomorrow but I am confident for the time trial and criterium,” he said, referring to the two stages ahead. “This is a lovely place, it’s my first time in the UK and I think it’s great.
“The conditions were perfect for me and the team. Similar to what we ride in Holland and Belgium. I am trying to win The Tour of Britain and will do my best tomorrow.”
The race concludes tomorrow with two stages; an 8.8 kilometre time trial and an 88.8 kilometre road race. Both are based in London.
Break times things perfectly to contest win:
Today’s stage would once again see a move go clear early on but, unlike the other such breaks this week, it would go all the way to the finish. The six man move clipped away inside the first five kilometres and comprised Bagdonas, Wilkinson, Claude, plus Stijn Enrick (Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator), Richard Handley (Team Raleigh) and Wouter Sybrandy (Sigma Sport-Specialized).
Bagdonas led the riders over the top of the category 3 Lavenham Hill, 12.2 kilometres after the start, with Wilkinson and Neirynck second and third. The next line to contest was the first Yodel sprint, which came at Ipswich (km 44.3). Bagdonas was again first there, ahead of Handley while 2.6 kilometres later, Neirynck and Sybrandy were the first two riders at the Category two climb of Christchurch Park.
The gap was climbing and would go out to a maximum of over seven minutes before the pendulum would swing the other way and things would begin tightening up.
Handley was first over the line at the category three climb of Framsden (km 63.1). That left just two Yodel intermediate sprints to contest, at Diss (km 89.9) and Wymodham (km 116.8) would both go to Bagdonas ahead of Neirynck.
With 25 kilometres remaining the leaders still had an advantage of three minutes 26 seconds, and so it was almost certain they would remain clear until the line. That’s how things played out, with Bagdonas’ win ahead of Wilkinson and the others coming one minutes and 23 seconds before Mark Cavendish (HTC Highroad) beat Andy Fenn (An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly) for seventh place.
The latter’s team-mate Pieter Ghyllebert didn’t have to do any intermediate sprints and ended the day with a very healthy lead over Bagdonas. The difference between his 36 points and the latter’s 15 meant that he now can’t be caught in the competition, and must simply finish tomorrow’s final stage to win the Yodel sprints jersey.
“We did a good job today as a team,” he said, referring to his grip on the jersey plus Bagdonas’ stage success. “I have taken a big lead in the Yodel Sprints jersey and my team mates defended well so it’s good. Tomorrow, I am going to go easy on the time trial I think and then going to give everything I have for the last stage.”
His performances plus the stage win achieved by the team have more than ensured that it earned its wildcard invite to the race. He’s enjoyed his time on the various podiums since last Sunday. “It is a big Tour and I have the jersey since stage one. I think for me to hold it for seven days it is very nice,” he smiled.
Another jersey winner was also confirmed, pending his finish in London tomorrow. Jon Tiernan Locke (Rapha Condor Sharp) ended the day with 71 points to Russell Hampton’s (Sigma Sport - Specialized) 48. “Winning the Skoda King of the Mountains jersey wasn’t an objective at the start of the race but I saw an opportunity and thought why not?” he said. “I know my climbing is good so just went for it.
“It means a lot to the team to have this jersey. I don’t think a British team has won it in a long time and it gets us on the podium so it’s cool. I am lying around eighth on general classification but only four seconds off second place so it’s all to play for on the Time Trial. I want to do a good time trial and then take the criterium as it comes.”