Sprinter Alessandro Petacchi won a frenetic bunch sprint in the 101st Paris-Tours. Behind the Milram rider, Francesco Chicchi (Liquigas) was second, while Rabobank?s Oscar Freire was third. Freire lost ground when he bounced off Robbie McEwen, who had pulled his foot out of his pedal and swerved across the Spanish rider.
The Italian?s victory came after a late escape by Philippe Gilbert (FDJ), Karsten Kroon (CSC) and Filippo Pozzato (Liquigas) was closed down with 800 metres to go on the finishing straight of the Avenue de Grammont. Petacchi took advantage of a perfect lead-out from team mate Erik Zabel, crossing the line a length in front of Chicchi.
The leading trio gained an advantage of eight minutes, but the sprinters? teams were in no mood to repeat their mistake of last year, when winner Frédéric Guesdon and Kurt-Asle Arvesen were allowed to stay away. With 80 kilometres to go, the gap started to erode, and with 40 kilometres to go, Quinziato decided to go it alone.
Juan Antonio Flecha, José Gutierrez and Kroon?s team mate Fabian Cancellara made a desperate attempt to bridge the gap, but were brought to heel by a raging peloton. Gilbert, Kroon and Pozzato led by 15 seconds as they turned onto the two-kilometre long finishing straight, but with the sprinters scenting the chance of victory, the leading trio?s advantage was cut to nothing.
8 Thor Hushovd (Crédit Agricole)
9 Aurélien Clerc (Bouygues Telecom)
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