Terpstra takes Dutch title

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Niki Terpstra of Team Milram overcame the strength of the Rabobank team to take the men's Elite Netherlands national road title on Sunday. He outsprinted Rabobank's Pieter Weening, with Lars Boom finishing third.

Milram had only three riders in the race and knew it would be tough to go up against the 19 from Rabobank, a team which had won the title the last four years.   Weening's and Boom's anger and frustration were evident on the podium.

Terpstra and Weening got away on the final lap of the circuit course, with Boom and last year's winner Koos Moerenhout giving chase.

With 30km to go, there were four Rabo riders in the eight-man leading group.  Weening attacked out of the group and Terpstra went with him. Going into the finale, Boom and Moorenhout were very close behind them.  But insead of waiting for his teammates, Weening attacked again.  “A beginner's mistake,” said  Rabobank directeur sportif Adri Van Houwelingen.

Terpstra went with him and won the two-man sprint. “I had great confidence that I was fastest,” he said.  “The sprint final was easier than I expected.''

The 26-year-old said he was “very happy, very proud” over his win, and looked forward to wearing his new jersey in the Tour de France.  “So gorgeous, one year long to show you are the best in the country."

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