Hondo announces return in style
NST, 13/2/2008

DANILO Hondo celebrated his long awaited return to pro cycling with an emphatic win in a bunch sprint in Stage Four of Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) from Port Dickson to Batu Pahat yesterday.

The 35-year-old German Serramenti Diquigiovanni rider showed that he was back on top of his game despite a two-year suspension for doping as he overpowered the challenges of CSF-Navigare's Argentine Mauro Richeze and NGC-Medical's Italian Marco Corsini to mark his official return to the pro peloton.

Not just that, Hondo was even part of several breakaway attempts in the 169km stage, which also saw overall leader Matthieu Sprick of Bouygues Telecom under some pressure with Drapac-Porsche's Mitchell Docker taking a two-second time bonus through a second spot in the second intermediate sprint in Melaka Raya yesterday, which cut the lead to a mere second.

The stage also brought about the Tour's first bunch sprint after the first three days were conquered by successful breakaways.

"I'm in good condition and in the first days of the Tour we saw some interesting and incredible racing.

"This (yesterday) morning I felt good and thought that I had the possibility to go for a win," said Hondo, whose anticipated clash with Tinkoff Credit Systems' Alberto Loddo, last year's five-stage winner, didn't materialise as the Italian finished a poor ninth.

"In the finish, it was always the Tinkoff team pulling because of Loddo, but I could prepare myself well for the sprint finish. The difference between me and Loddo is that I am able to go hard and still have the possibility to win, which happened today (yesterday)."

After a harsh beginning which comprised the Tour's longest stages and three consecutive three-hour transfers, the LTdL organisation gives it's entourage some reprieve with a shorter 140km Stage Five from Johor Baru to Bandar Penawar today, with a short transfer to the overnight base in Desaru.

<< BACK