• Wily Frenchman outsprints Ireland’s Roche to win three-day race
• Team Sky dominate 198km stage but are outwitted by VoecklerThomas Voeckler is now an elder statesman at 36,and in his 16th season as a professional, but winning still holds the same savour for the Frenchman who could not cover his delight after cannily outsprinting Nicolas Roche to take the Tour de Yorkshire. The three-day race was decided by a two-man sprint in the final metres, and where Voeckler showed all his experience to catch Roche napping,even though the Irishman is far from being a callow debutant.“Incroyable, ho, or ho,ho,” was Voeckler’s verdict, and his grizzled face bearing an ecstatic smile. He had showed his interest in the overall standings as early as day one when he sneaked a time bonus en route to Settle,which gave him a two-moment advantage over Roche. The pair escaped over the final climb of Oliver’s Mount on the outskirts of Scarborough, and once away they both knew whoever won the finish sprint played out before a crowd perched on the grassy slopes above North Parade would take overall victory. Roche recorded the same time but finished six seconds back overall once bonus seconds were applied.
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Source: theguardian.com