Tiernan-Locke wins Tour Alsace

Jonathan Tiernan-Locke (Endura) won the 2012 Tour Alsace stage race in France on Sunday.

Tiernan-Locke moved into the overall lead of the race after winning stage two of the race. A further stage win on Saturday morning stretched his lead which he defended in Saturday afternoon’s time trial, where he placed seventh.

Sunday’s mountainous stage that finished atop Ballon d’Alsace posed little problems as Endura marked any dangerous attacks by Locke’s rivals, and the British rider came away with the overall win, as well as the points and King of the Mountains classifications.

Tiernan-Locke finished 26 seconds ahead of Moldovian Alexandr Pliuschin (Leopard-Trek) and 2-17 ahead of Frenchman Warren Barguil in the general classification.

Tiernan-Locke’s Endura team-mate and fellow Brit Erick Rowsell placed sixth overall, and Endura also secured the overall team prize.

It’s the Devon man’s first win since breaking his collarbone in the Lincoln Grand Prix in May. Earlier this season he won the Tour of the Mediterranean and Tour du Haut Var, and placed second in the Tour of Murcia.

The UCI 2.2-ranked Tour Alsace comprised six stages.

Tour Alsace 2012
Final overall classification
1. Jonathan Tiernan-Locke (GBr) Endura
2. Alexandr Pliuschin (Mol) Leopard-Trek at 26 secs
3. Warren Barguil (Fra) at 2-17
4. Ilnur Zakarin (Rus) Itera-Katusha at 3-35
5. Dimitri Le Boulch (Fra) Auber at 4-59
6. Erick Rowsell (GBr) Endura at 9-42
7. Damien Howson (Aus) Jayco-AIS at 10-09
8. Daan Olivier (Ned) Rabobank Continental at 14-47
9. Nikita Umerbekov (Kaz) Astana Continental at 14-54
10. Mirco Saggiorato (Swi) at 15-12