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54th Tour de la Guadeloupe - 2.6
Guadeloupe, August 6-15, 2004
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Stage 3 - August 9: Capesterre Belle-Eau, 141,9 km
Stage for Morin, Saint-Laurent holds jersey
By Hedwig Kröner in Capesterre Belle-Eau
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The "great escape" of today's stage left the bunch at km 20, with Anthony Morin (Sarre-Moselle) and Stéphane Bélicaud (France) taking a 1 minute lead. Fifteen riders, including the second leader behind Peńa Peńa at LOFT/UVN, Régis Maréchaux, went out on the chase. They took about 25 km to reach the two front riders and had to set a serious pace.
The first climb of the day was reached 2'30" before the peloton, and on the hilly roads that followed, Nicolas Crosbie (France Métropole) left this group of 17 and was the first to get on a circuit of three loops with one difficult hill. At km 87, Anthony Morin and Rémilien Bédard (Orange) joined forces with him, but he got dropped soon after. Meanwhile, 4 other riders from the dispersed chase group reached the front riders at km 107, forming a group of six which made it to the finish line together.
In the sprint, the ex-pro from Crédit Agricole Anthony Morin (Sarre-Moselle) was still strong enough for an effortless-looking victory, although he had been up front for 120 km. The Canadian Martin Saint-Laurent came in with the bunch 52" later. Despite a crash in the last kilometre, he will wear the yellow jersey again tomorrow.
The other story of this Tour de la Guadeloupe unfortunately is a despicable one. More and more details emerge of the two doping product findings at the airport before the race began. EPO ampoules were even hidden in a bike's frame, but when asked, the rider denied having anything to do with it, although his signature is on a statement. The other one claims innocence due to a prescription of his doctor for anaemia. Circumstantial evidence is no proof, and at least there were doping controls today at the finish. But suspicion remains... and the riders concerned are still on the race.
Photography
Images by Hedwig Kröner
- The field line up in Capesterre Belle-Eau for the start of Stage 3.
- Overnight leader Martin Saint-Laurent (Canada) held onto his yellow jersey for another day from Belgian Rik Kavsek.
- Stage winner Anthony Morin (Sarre-Moselle) crosses the line.
- Anthony Morin (Sarre-Moselle) on the podium.
Results
1 Anthony Morin (Fra) Sarre-Moselle 3.30.33 (40.437 km/h) 2 Philippe Palmiste (Gua) LOFT 3 Dominique Donnat (Gua) VCS 4 Ilya Chernetsky (Rus) Russia 5 Laury Bédard-Rélimien (Gua) Orange 6 Christophe Cospar (Gua) Orange 7 Daniel Musiol (Ger) Germany 8 Juan Murillo (Ven) Venezuela 9 Cyril Noel (Fra) France 10 David Eugčne (Fra) Euro Mutuelle UCC General classification after stage 3 1 Martin Saint-Laurent (Can) Canada 10.40.44 2 Rik Kavsek (Bel) Belgium/Team Bianchi Diametal 0.05 3 Alexandre Lecoq (Fra) UVMG 0.06 4 Tony Linares (Ven) Venezuela 0.22 5 Christophe Cospar (Gua) Orange 0.50 6 Flober Pena Pena (Col) LOFT 1.13 7 Daniel Bernal (Col) USL 1.19 8 Miguel Ubeto (Ven) EDS 1.20 9 Jan Deutschmann (Ger) Sarre-Moselle 1.33 10 Jean-Marc Dollin (Gua) Orange 1.34
