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| Erik Zabel celebrated his 13th stage win at the Deutschland-Tour |
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| The MILRAM-men of the day: Niki Terpstra and Erik Zabel - Photos (2): Roth |
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Zabel wins, Terpstra in climb jersey
Offenburg: 12/08/2007
Big day for Team MILRAM: On the third stage of the Deutschland-Tour from Pforzheim to Offenburg Niki Terpstra first secured himself the best climber's jersey, then, after 181 kilometers, Erik Zabel sprinted to his 13th stage win at this tour.
Niki Terpstra was rewarded for his long escape over 156 kilometers: After 15 kilometers he broke away with Christian Leben (Wiesenhof-Felt) and established a gap of up to 6:25 minutes. Starting into the Allerheiligen, a climb of first category, after 113 kilometers Christian Leben dropped back and was caught by the bunch. Niki Terpstra remained in the front alone and won the first climb classification. At the second climb classification over eight kilometres with a rise up to 18 percent, the MILRAM-pro was still in lead and took over the best climber's jersey.
Little later he was caught by three pursuers with Matthias Russ of Team Gerolsteiner. The quartet defended a gap of one minute before the last little climb ten kilometres to the finish. There, Niki Terpstra dropped back when Matthias Russ attacked. Some riders including overall leader Jens Voigt (CSC) closed the gap and remained in front until the last three kilometers. Then they were caught by the bunch where the Team T-Mobile prepared the sprint for Gerald Ciolek.
=> Impressions
Erik Zabel eventually won the sprint sovereignly before José Joaquin Rojas (Caisse d’Epargne) and Bradley McGee (FDJ). With his victory MILRAM’ pro took over the best sprinter's red jersey. “It is a good feeling,” Zabel smiled. “In the finale I tried to find the right way and was in front the last 200 meters.”
“I really wanted to try today. First I was alone, then I heard that another rider came from beind and I waited. Eventually it was still a long way,” said Niki Terpstra. “But I didn’t make myself any illusions to win the stage. I knew that Team CSC controlled the race. So I tried to win best climber's jersey. This I want to defend in the next days, but Erik's sprint jersey is more important,” continued Terpstra. “It was a perfect day for Team MILRAM.”
=> quotes of Niki Terpstra
„It was a very good day, I felt well on the way. On the last two, three kilometers I oriented on Gerald Ciolek because I had the feeling that T-Mobile was able to prepare the sprint with ist four, five riders. Finally, I was quite fortunate and I had the right feeling, so that it worked out. 250 meters before the finish I thought I was still caught between some other riders. I was at Caisse d’Epargne’s Jose Joaquin Roja’s wheel and I just tried to get my front wheel free and looked for a gap, because I felt good and I thought I might have the speed to get through. The points jersey is a great thing of course. Sure I wouldn’t object wearing the red jersey in Hannover and to win in the end. But there’s still a week of hard work to come. We should think from day to day. If it was my 199th or 200th win in my carreer? I don’t really think that matters – it’s rather a personal thing.“
„I have to say that in the team’s one and a half years we found ourselves very well, also interpersonally. The question of a rider’s nationality doesn’t play a decisive role, if hi’s Italian, Dutch or German is secondary. What matters is that the team works and it’s good to have these guys at my side, that they’re there. And you see our jerseys, flags or slogans for us on the roadside again and again. There are the fans of T-Mobile and Gerolsteiner, but meanwhile we’re there as well, despite the fact that we’re riding with an Italian license. I think people meanwhile realised that with our sponsor Nordmilch we’re based in Bremen as well, so that we’re accepted as a German team. This shows that our work makes sense.“ (rp/sts)
Results 3rd stage from Pforzheim to Offenburg over 181 km:
1. Erik Zabel – Team MILRAM 4:49:25
2. José Joaquin Rojas – Caisse d’Epargne
3. Bradley McGee – Francaise des Jeux
4. Manuele Mori – Saunier Duval
5. Patrick Calcagni – Liquigas
6. René Weissinger – Volksbank
7. Björn Leukemans – Predictor-Lotto
8. Gerald Ciolek – T-Mobile
9. René Mandri – AG2r
10. Martin Elmiger – Ag2r
The selection:
Erik Zabel, Enrico Poitschke, Sebastian Siedler, Fabio Sacchi, Ralf Grabsch, Martin Mueller, Bjoern Schroeder, Niki Terpstra
The stages:
4 stage - Monday, 13 August: Singen - Sonthofen 183.8 km
5 stage - Tuesday, 14 August: Sonthofen - Sölden 157.6 km
6 stage - Wednesday, 15 August: Längenfeld - Kufstein 175 km
7 stage - Thursday, 16 August: Kufstein - Regensburg 192.2 km
8 stage - Friday, 17 August: time trial in Fürth 33.1 km
9 stage - Saturday, 18 August: Einbeck - Hannover 143.1 km
more on this topic:
=> Website of the vent
=> Team MILRAM ninth of the team time trial
=> Finally it always pain
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