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Boonen wins his fourth as teammate Cretskens wraps up Qatar Tour

by VeloNews.com

• February 02, 2007
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By Agence France Presse

Cretskens takes the yellow jersey

Photo: Graham Watson

Belgian Wilfried Cretskens (Quick Step) was crowned winner of the Tour of Qatar after the sixth and final stage on Friday.

Tom Boonen, Cretskens’s compatriot and teammate, won the 134km stage between Sealine Beach and Doha. Indeed, Boonen won four of the tour’s six stages. But the overall win went to 33-year-old Cretskens, the first tour success of his career.

The one stage the former world champion failed to win, on Thursday, saw Cretskens leapfrog him into the leader’s jersey and maintain a lead of more than two minutes.

“Today was a very special day,” said Cretskens. “The team worked really well for Tom who once again proved to be a fantastic athlete.

“I’ve won but I won’t be changing my habits. My job is that of working for Tom and the other big names in the team and I intend carrying on with this role.”

The bunch smells the barn

Photo: Graham Watson

Friday’s stage featured a breakaway after 15km by Belgian Kenny De Haes (Chocolade Jacques), Dane Glenn Bak (Murphy-Gunn) and Frenchman Emilien-Benoit Berges (Agritubel), who built up a lead of 7:30. But they were pegged back and finally overtaken with just 10km to ride.

In the sprint for the line, Boonen once again outshone great Italian rival Alessandro Petacchi (Milram), who sneaked second ahead of Australian Graeme Brown (Rabobank).

Cretskens finished down the peloton but his performance was enough to keep the race leader’s jersey, 2:09 up on Boonen, with their teammate Steve De Jongh of the Netherlands in third a further 35 seconds down.

Top 10
1. Tom Boonen (B) Quick Step, 134km in 2:56:17
2. Alessandro Petacchi (I), Milram, s.t.
3. Graeme Brown (Aus), Rabobank, s.t.
4. Rene Haselbacher (A), Astana, s.t.
5. Francesco Chicchi (I), Liqugas, s.t.
6. Greg Van Avermaet (B), Predictor-Lotto, s.t.
7. Kenny van Hummel (Ned), Skil-Shimano, s.t.
8. Rieno Stofferis (B), Murphy-Gunn, s.t.
9. Lloyd Mondory (F), Ag2r, s.t.
10. Romain Feillu (F), Agritubel, s.t.

Final overall
1. Wilfried Cretskens (B) Quick Step, 15:50:58
2. Tom Boonen (B), Quick Step, at 2:09
3. Steven De Jongh (Ned), Quick Step, at 2:44
4. Bernhard Eisel (G), T-Mobile, at 2:52
5. Gregory Henderson (NZ), T-Mobile, at 3:01
6. Andreas Klier (G), T-Mobile, at 3:08
7. Leif Hoste (B), Predictor-Lotto, at 3:09
8. Alexandre Pichot (F), Bouygues Telecom, at 3:11
9. Matthew Hayman (Aus), Rabobank, at 3:30
10. Servais Knaven (Ned), T-Mobile, at 3:44

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