Greipel makes it two-in-a-row

Team Columbia-Highroad's André Greipel sprinted to his second consecutive victory at the Ster Elektrotoer, besting Borut Bozic (Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team) and Allan Davis (Quick Step) in the bunch gallop deciding stage three. Time bonuses earned by Greipel for his victory in the hilly, 179-kilometre stage moved the German sprinter into the race lead, six seconds ahead of overnight leader Niki Terpstra (Team Milram).

"The stage looked tougher in the route book than it actually was," said Greipel. "But in any case the team did a brilliant job of controlling the race on each of the stage's climbs, marking a steady tempo all the way on each ascent so there were never really any dangerous moves.

"We caught a break of six riders with about five kilometres to go, and then after that it was all about going for the bunch sprint. With 3 kilometres to go I still had five teammates in front of me, so we were in a dominating position. Then Mark Renshaw gave me a perfect lead-out, and really all I had to do was give it everything in the final 200 metres."

In addition to his two stage wins, Greipel leads both the general classification and the points competition. "Whether I can win both depends on how I recover from today's stage. It was very windy and I used up a lot of energy getting through. The overall will be harder for me to defend, particularly on Saturday's stage, but I'll do my best to keep it."

The Ster Elektrotoer's third stage was dominated by a race-long break which formed after 30 kilometres. Marcel Beima (Krolstone Continental Team) attacked and was soon joined by Oleg Chuzhda (Contentpolis-Ampo), Ronan Van Zandbeek (Van Vliet EBH Elshof) and Dirk Bellemakers (Landbouwkrediet-Colnago). The leading quartet soon found themselves five minutes ahead of the peloton on the hilly parcours with Chuzhda making his intentions clear about taking over the mountains classification lead. The Ukrainian won five of the six classified climbs on the stage to earn the climbers' jersey at the stage's conclusion.

After 80 kilometres of racing two more riders attacked the peloton, Dutchmen Jos Van Emden (Rabobank) and Joost Van Leijen (Van Vliet EBH Elshof). The duo had their work cut out for them, facing a 5:30 deficit to the break, but they made steady progress and joined the leaders several kilometres before the day's second ascent of the Eyserbosweg.

With 35 kilometres remaining in the stage, Team Columbia-Highroad took over the pace-making at the front of the peloton and quickly ate into the lead of the six escapees. Four kilometres from the finish, the break was absorbed as Team Columbia-Highroad began its lead-out of Greipel for potentially a second straight stage win.

At 500 metres to go, Silence-Lotto's Philippe Gilbert made his bid for a solo victory, but the Team Columbia-Highroad train neutralised his attack setting the stage for Greipel's unmatched finishing kick.