Greipel on top again

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Andrè Greipel (Team Columbia-Highroad) sprinted to his eighth win of the season in the opening road stage of the Ster Elektrotoer in the Netherlands on Thursday. Greipel was the fastest on a 175-kilometre stage from Eindhoven to Sittard, beating Danilo Napolitano (Team Katusha) and Tom Boonen (Quick Step) in a field sprint.

"[Teammate] Marcel Sieberg brought things up to speed in the last kilometre, then Mark Renshaw made it even faster and finally Greg Henderson gave me a perfect lead-out in the last 200 metres," said Greipel. "Every time I win, it's also a team win, and today was no exception to the rule. I really appreciate what they're doing for me.

"The next two stages aren't so easy, more lke Amstel or Liege, but we've got Vicente Reynes and Frankie Rabon for the overall and I'm sure they'll make sure they're up there. Then after that on Sunday I should have another opportunity for a win. And if I can, I'll go for the points jersey just like I did in the Bayern Rundfahrt stage race."

Danilo Napolitano (Team Katusha), second place on the stage, had no answer for Greipel's acceleration. "Unfortunately I used a lot of energy to position myself for the sprint. It was very nervous," said Napolitano. "The Highroad men led-out Greipel and to get on his wheel was very hard. In the last metres I was in Boonen's slipstream and he was on Greipel's wheel. The sprint was a little bit uphill and I was able to pass Boonen but not Greipel. That’s a pity because my form is good but the second position list increases."

Team Columbia-Highroad directeur sportif Tristan Hoffman was pleased with the outcome of today's stage after the team came up short in the prologue. "Yesterday in the prologue we were a bit disappointed because all our guys did very well but they weren't quite up there with the top names. Today was a really different story. Andre got the perfect lead-out and we made sure we got our sporting revenge."

Niki Terpstra (Team Milram), winner of the prologue, remains in the overall lead with a two second advantage over both Lieuwe Westra (Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team) and Tom Boonen (Quick Step).

"We had to do all the work today. Our team caught all the breakaways single handedly and defended the yellow jersey," said former race winner Ralf Grabsch, Team Milram directeur sportif. "The next days won't be easy. On Saturday there is a difficult stage in the Ardennes but we will do all we can to bring in the overall win."

Tomorrow's stage is a 179-kilometre circuit starting and finishing in Nuth (Schimmert). The riders face a hilly parcours consisting of six categorised climbs.