Farrar sprints to Tour de France stage 4 win

Added by admin on July 4, 2011

Tyler Farrar sprinted first across the stage three finish line at the Tour de France on Monday. Farrar, a favoured sprinter, is a member of the American team Garmin-Cervelo. This is the team’s second win in as many days.

Farrar participates in the Tour de France for the third time yet this is his first stage win. Farrar was unsure about participating in this year’s race after the recent passing of his training partner Wouter Weylandt. Farrar did not train for about two weeks after his training partner died suddenly in a racing-related accident during the Giro d’Italia, a long distance bicycle race held each year in Italy. Farrar started training again after about two weeks, without any pressure from his team or trainers.

The third stage of the Tour de France favours sprinters like Farrar because it is mostly flat terrain, covering 198km. The stage was dominated by a group of five riders which had a seven minute lead at one point during the race. A rated category four climb over a bridge spanning the Loire Estuary changed the situation – the peloton steadily closed the gap and got ready for the sprint to the finish.

The stage’s final seconds saw Cavendish leading yet they were passed by Farrar and second place finisher Romain Feillu of team Vacansoleil-DCM. Thor Hushovd finished sixth yet retains the yellow jersey. Cadel Evans is in third place overall.

Tomorrow’s stage four is 172.5km long and features category three and category four climbs. The final five kilometres include several climbs totalling a rise of about 179m.