Chavanel wins ENECO Tour prologue

>>>Gallery of photo's from the Eneco prologue

Frenchman Sylvain Chavanel won the prologue time-trial of the ENECO Tour of the Benelux, tearing round the streets of Rotterdam in a time of 4-55.

Former French national time-trial champion Chavanel averaged over 53km/h on the 4.4-kilometre route, thought to be a dry run for the 2010 Tour de France prologue.

Having gone off in the middle of the pack, the Quick Step man had a nervous wait, as Vattenfall Cyclassics winner Tyler Farrar and team-mate Tom Boonen both came within a second of bettering his mark.

Back in the saddle and racing competitively again after a three-week break, Bradley Wiggins finished in fourth place, just two seconds down on Chavanel. Though his condition is unknown, this eight-day stage race undoubtedly suits the Garmin rider.

Defending champion and last man off Jose Ivan Gutierrez (Caisse d'Epargne) clocked 5-01 to finish just outside of the top ten.

Results

ENECO Tour Prologue: Rotterdam-Rotterdam, 4.4km

1. Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Quick Step 4-55

2. Tyler Farrar (Usa) Garmin-Slipstream at 1sec

3. Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step

4. Bradley Wiggins (Gbr) Garmin-Slipstream at 2secs

5. Joost Posthuma (Ned) Rabobank

6. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas at 4secs

7. Juan Antonio Flecha (Spa) Rabobank

8. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Team Columbia-HTC at 5secs

9. Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Rabobank

10. Nikolas Maes (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator at same time

RELATED LINKS

Wiggins to ride ENECO Tour