The closing 150-kilometer stage did not shake up the final classification at all. Roman crossed the finish line in Geneva with the same time as the Spanish winner Freire who won the bunch sprint. he kept his lead of 18 seconds ahead of Russian Karpec which built up on Saturday.
"I am really happy. The team started to control the race right from the beginning. Around halfway through the stage the Rabobank began to prepare the position for Freire which suited us well. Freire triumphed in the sprint but we had the only goal: keep my leading. I have to thank to everybody. The team did perfectly its job and I am glad to prove the position of a leader for this race. The victory is great encouragement for anyone. We have done great job throughout this spring but hardly anyone has won. Now thanks to Basso we managed to succeed in the Trentino and I was able to win the Romandie Tour which is terrific ahead of the Giro and the Tour, "Roman revealed from Switzerland.
Results of the 4th stage
Estavayer le Lac – Sainte Croix (158 km):
1 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas 04:11:44
2 Rein Taaramae (Est) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne
3 Vladimir Karpets (Rus) Team Katusha 0.07
4 Fredrik Kessiakoff (Swe) Fuji-Servetto 0.17
5 Mikel Astarloza (Spa) Euskaltel – Euskadi 0.45
6 R?my Di Gregorio (Fra) Fran?aise Des Jeux 0.51
7 Dario Cataldo (Ita) Quick Step
8 Mathias Frank (Swi) BMC Racing Team
9 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Caisse d’Epargne
10 Cadel Evans (Aus) Silence-Lotto
Freire Strikes Again at the 2009 Tour de Romandie
Rabobank rider Oscar Freire took his second stage win of the 2009 Tour de Romandie on Sunday, sprinting to victory in the 150-kilometer final stage in Geneva, Switzerland.
Freire stayed with the front group over the Category 1 Col du Marchairuz climb at the midpoint of the stage, then powered past American Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Slipstream) and Spaniard Koldo Fernandez (Euskatel-Euskadi) to earn the win.
In addition to Freire’s two stage wins, Rabobank’s Laurens Ten Dam won the mountains classification.
Freire’s two stage wins at the prestigious Tour de Romandie marked a return to form for the three-time world champion, who was injured in a February crash in at the Amgen Tour of California. Forced to sit out for nearly two months with two fractured ribs, Freire returned to racing just three weeks ago.
Freire is eyeing the Tour de France in July as one of his major goals of the season. He plans to skip the Giro d’Italia in May so he can focus on other races and his preparations for the Tour.
Results of the 5th stage (150.5 km):
1. Oscar Freire (Sp./Rabobank) 3:29:49,
2. Tyler Farrar (USA/Garmin-Slipstream),
3. Koldo Fernandez (Sp./Euskaltel-Euskadi),
4. Philippe Gilbert (Bel./Lotto),
5. Nico Sijmens (Bel./Cofidis), …
Overall classification
1. Roman Kreuziger 14:20:13,
2. Vladimir Karpec (Rus./Katusha) +18,
3. Rein Taaramae (Est./Cofidis) +25,
4. Alejandro Valverde (Sp./Caisse d?Epargne) +46,
5. Rigoberto Uran (Kol./Caisse d?Epargne) +48,
6. Lars Bak (Den./Saxo Bank) +1:01,
7. Cadel Evans (Austr./Lotto) +1:07,
8. Tony Martin (Ger./Columbia-Highroad), …
9. Akoff Fredrik (SUE) FUJI – SERVETTO +01’16"
10. Siutsou Kanstantsin (BLR) TEAM COLUMBIA – HIGH ROAD
photo: ? Cor Vos
