TOUR OF LUXEMBOURG: Andy Schleck and Matti Breschel stage winners - Fränk Schleck took the overall win in!
Category: Global News
It was an active Team Saxo Bank-squad that did Fridays 187 kilometer-long second stage of the race, Tour de Luxembourg, between Schifflange and Differdange. The entire team was at the front to catch the first breakaway and when it was inhaled, several team riders tried to go. But when Andy Schleck launched a counter-attack no one could follow the pace of the winner of Liege-Bastogne-Liege and he won a beautiful victory. Matti Breschel underlined Team Saxo Bank's power by finishing second.
On Saturdays 185 kilometer long stage between Wiltz and Diekirch a four-man group got away early on the course but as they had obtained a lead of five minutes Team Saxo Bank fired up the coal boilers and blasted away at the front of the peloton where a group of sixteen riders escaped - including six riders from the Danish squad, Matti Breschel, Chris Anker Sørensen, Gustav Larsson, Kurt-Asle Arvesen and the home favorites Andy and Fränk Schleck. However, the leading riders of the GC were also a part of the pursuing group and now everything was set for an exciting finale which in reality began with ten kilometres to go as the front groups emerged.
Team Saxo Bank was in control at the end of the stage where the team riders increased the pace leaving the leader's jersey behind on their way to the finish line in Diekirch.
On the very last kilometres Fränk Schleck created a gap with three other riders including Astana rider, Andreas Klöden and number two in the GC, Marco Marcato.
With two kilometres to go Fränk Schleck launched an attack no one was able to respond to and crossed the finish line alone and took yet another victory as the crowd was going wild.
On the final stage a group of riders was allowed to escape early but shortly after Team Saxo Bank went to the head of the field to take control of the events among the favorites between Mersch and Luxembourg.
On the final laps of the circular route in the capital of Luxembourg where the riders climbed the steep hill of Clausen with the finish line on the top three times the consensus in the front group was over and alternately they tried to get away from the breakaway while Team Saxo Bank kept a constant distance to the front at about 2 ½ minutes.
Finally, the Team Saxo Bank-riders turned up the throttle and caught the riders from the front groups and made ready for the sprint where Fränk Schleck shot the field to pieces with an attack and soon after Team Saxo Bank's Matti Breschel fired a sprint so powerful that he crossed the line first.
Team Saxo Bank rider Fränk Schleck won the race overall.