Ciolek eclipses Zabel

ByEurosport

Published 04/08/2006 at 12:19 GMT

Germany's 19-year-old Gerald Ciolek overtook legendary compatriot Erik Zabel in a mass sprint to win Stage 3 at the Tour of Germany on Friday. Ciolek was too powerful for the 36-year-old seven-time Tour de France green jersey, signalling an opening passin

The win was Ciolek's first in a Pro Tour event, and his tenth win in the past two years.

Turning 20-years-old on September 19th, Ciolek (Wiesenhof-Akud) overpowered Zabel and T-Mobile's André Greipel after 203-km of racing from Witzenhausen to Schweinfurt.

The teenage German national champion is rumoured to be headed to T-Mobile next season to boost the Magenta"s sprinting.

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"Unfortunately, we couldn't keep hold of him, even though it would definitely better if he stayed with us another year," said Wiesenhof team manager Raphael Schweda. "I think he is going to T-Mobile."

After a Tour without a stage-win for the once dominant sprinter, Zabel again had to watch a rider more than ten years his junior climb in front of him on the podium at his home Tour.

CYCLING 2006 Deutschland-Tour Milram Erik Zabel

Image credit: dpa

In the race's first full stage, 25-year-old Kazakh Assan Bazayev beat out Zabel, who ultimately finished third in the final sprint.

Turning 36 during the Tour de France, Zabel is coming to the twilight of his career.

Zabel's young compatriot has begun his own cycling life in the fashion of a phenom.

This year he has already won a one-day race in Kleinmachnow, as well as stage three at the Croation tour Jadranska Magistrala.

On Sunday, Ciolek proved he could ride with the world's best, finishing fifth place in a sprint in the Cyclassics at Hamburg behind triple-world champion Oscar Freire, Zabel, Milan Sanremo winner Filippo Pozzato, and top sprinter Nick Nuyens.

On Friday, however, it was Ciolek's turn to impose his will on some of the Pro Tour's finest sprinters.

Russian Vladimir Gusev (Discovery Channel) retained his yellow leader's jersey, but as a consolation Zabel moved to dead-even with him in the general classification after taking bonus seconds during the day's three intermediate sprints.

Marco Pinotti won all those intermediate sprints on a solo break-away, but Zabel was the fastest man in the peloton during the sprint sessions, helping him to come just within grasp of the yellow jersey.

Saturday's fourth stage is similar to third travelling 203-km from Heidenheim to Bad Tölz, with only one Cat. 3 climb.

Follow LIVE coverage of the 2006 Tour of Germany all week on www.eurosport.com continuing with Saturday's fourth stage at 15:00 CET.

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