Nuyens best in break-away

ByEurosport

Published 12/06/2006 at 15:28 GMT

Belgian's Nick Nuyens (Quick Step) bested three break-away companions in a sprint to win Stage 3 of the Tour of Switzerland and claim the yellow jersey on Monday. Linus Gerdemann finished second in the four-man break, in front of German compatriot Jörg Ja

The 26-year-old was congratulated after he dominated Gerdemann in the finale by star sprinters and Quick Step team-mates Tom Boonen and Paolo Bettini, respectively the World and Olympic champions.

Nuyens takes the yellow jersey from Daniele Bennati, whose Lampre team did much of the work at the front of the peloton to reign in an earlier failed break-away by Swiss rider Marcell Strauss (Gerolsteiner).

But it was at the final climb that the four riders pulled away, and though their lead never got above 40 seconds, the four worked together to hold off a determined Lampre.

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Three-time world champion Oscar Freire beat out Bettini in the final sprint after the peloton arrived 11 seconds behind the eventual winner.

It was Quick Step's second win of the race after world champion and team leader Tom Boonen took the opening stage in Baden on Saturday.

"It's good to win because I was disappointed to finish second in the recent GP Gippingen race in Switzerland," Nuyens told reporters.

"I went with the attack to be up there for Tom if the race came back together and with him behind in the chasing peloton I knew I could wait for the sprint."

"When we managed to open a good gap I started thinking about my own race and knew I had a chance. I chased after Koldo Gil when he attacked in the final 500 metres and then, after catching my breath, I launched my own sprint.

"I was tired but luckily Gerdemann couldn't get past me."

The young sprinter won the general classification in the 2005 Tour of Britain, and the victory on Monday was his second of the season after he claimed the Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne in front of compatriots Leif Hoste and Tom Boonen.

CYCLING 2006 Tour of Switzerland Nick Nuyens yellow jersey Quick Step

Image credit: Reuters

Nuyens is considered one of the most talented young Belgian riders and has won the prestigious Paris-Brussels and Het Volk one-day races.

He will not likely be able to retain his overall lead heading into a rough week in the Alps, and Nuyens conceded as much.

"It'll be nice to wear the leader's yellow jersey during stage four but I don't know how long I can keep it for," he said.

"We'll see what happens because the fourth stage isn't too tough but after that the big mountains start."

Follow LIVE coverage of the Tour of Switzerland all week on www.eurosport.com.

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