Greipel wins first stage of Eneco Tour 10/08/2011

German sprint specialist Andre Greipel recorded
his seventh win of the season here on Tuesday as the Omega Pharma rider
won the first stage of the Eneco Tour.

German
sprinter Andre Greipel celebrates after winning the 192.1 kms first
stage of the Eneco Tour cycling race, between Oosterhout and Sint
Willibrord.

It wasn't enough for the 29-year-old to take
the overall lead, as young American star Taylor Phinney retained the
lead he took when he won the prologue on Monday.


Greipel, winner
of the Tour of Spain points jersey two years ago, edged out Russian
Denis Galimzyanov, American star Tyler Farrar and Theo Bos of the
Netherlands.


Phinney finished seventh in the final sprint which
involved around 15 riders after the peloton had been split apart when
there was a mass crash 500 metres from the line.


Phinney, who
leads Norwegian Edvald Boasson Hagen in the overall standings, said he
was relieved to have avoided being involved in the crash while Greipel
said the accident was no surprise.


"There wasn't a lot of space
and it was pretty narrow in the final straight," said Greipel, winner of
seven stages on the major Tours in his career.


"However, I
managed to sort myself out. Tomorrow (Wednesday), it will be another
stage for the sprinters. I hope that things work out for me as well as
they did today."


The final crash was one of a series during the
stage which saw French duo Sebastien Minard and Arnaud Labbe forced to
retire from the race, which could see Belgian classics specialist
Philippe Gilbert supplant Australia's Tour de France champion Cadel
Evans as world number one.


Wednesday's second stage is a 173.7km ride in Belgium beginning in Aalter and finishing at Ardooie.