Haselbacher wins after long break in Austrian tour

Astana’s René Haselbacher outsprinted his breakaway companion at the end of the fifth stage of the Tour of Austria Friday, winning the 185 kilometer race from Neustadt to Bad Vöslau and grabbing the points jersey for his efforts as well.

Haselbacher broke away from the main field with Emanuele Bindi (Lampre) at the 35km mark and quickly built up a formidable 11-minute lead over a peloton largely under the control of the regional Elk House team of race leader Thomas Rohregger. Rohregger maintained his grip on the overall, despite riding in with the main field more than seven minutes behind the day’s stage winner.

Haselbacher said he and Bindi took advantage of the opportunity and worked to extend their lead on Friday.

“Bindi and I cooperated very nicely and even shared water bottles,” he said. “I did put in a small attack on the last mountain, a few kilometers in front of the finish. I wasn’t able to shake him, but I did sense that he was beginning to tire. I saved my strength for the finish and that I got very easily.”

By the time the Columbia team moved to the front of the peloton in an effort to produce a second stage win for André Greipel, the leader’s advantage had grown too large. Even with the additional effort of the sprinter’s team, the chase succeeded only in reducing the margin to 7:10 at the finish.

Greipel, winner of a mass sprint in Thursday’s stage 4, took the field sprint, but Haselbacher’s stage victory moved the Astana rider into the lead in the points competition.

Haselbacher, who finished second at the Algarve-Tour last year and won the Rheinland-Pfalz Tour, will take time off of the bike after the Austrian tour and marry his girlfriend Suzanne this Sunday. The couple is expecting a child in August.

“Life is good,” said Haselbacher. “I’m going to be a father, I am going to be married and today’s win just adds to all of that.”

Race leader Rohregger said the chase effort took a toll on him and his teammates, but he expects to be ready to defend his jersey in Saturday’s 26.2km individual time trial in Podersdorf.

“It was hot out there and we had to fight off attacks from the start,” he said. “That first hour was very intense and we covered 52km. I will still do my best tomorrow and I expect that protecting the jersey will give me extra motivation.”
Stage results
1 HASELBACHER, René (A), ASTANA, 185km in 3:22:36
2 BINDI, Emanuele (I), LAMPRE, s.t.
3 GREIPEL, André (G), COLUMBia, at 7:10
4 ANGELONI, Adriano (I), CERAMICA FL, at 7:10
5 KNAVEN, Servais (Nl), COLUMBIA, at 7:10
6 VALACH, Jan (Slv), ELK HAUS, at 7:12
7 MURER, Wolfgang, (A), ELK HAUS, at 7:12
8 FANKHAUSER, Clemens (A), ELK HAUS, at 7:12
9 MARCZYNSKI, Tomasz (Pol), CERAMICA FL, at 7:12
10 EIBEGGER, Markus (A), ELK HAUS, at 7:12