BAR-LE-DUC - New Zealand cyclist Chris Jenner has earned the right to call himself a Tour de France stage winner, as his Credit Agricole team yesterday scored an upset team time-trial win in the elite race.
Credit Agricole, who have Australian Stuart O'Grady in the tour leader's yellow jersey and lead
the team's race, were expected to be overpowered in the 67km time-trial.
Instead, they turned in their ride of the season, with all nine men working together superbly for 1h 21m 32s to tighten their grip on the race.
Team workhorse Jenner, aged 26, was there all the way as the Credit Agricole squad won the fifth stage in pouring rain.
They left the US Postal Service squad, containing mighty American Lance Armstrong, in fourth place, battling home 1m 26s in their wake. The upset shot three Credit Agricole riders to the top of the individual standings.
German Jens Voigt trails O'Grady by 26s, with American Bobby Julich a further second back in third.
O'Grady paid tribute to his team-mates after the stage finish.
"To win a stage in yellow with your team, that's perfect," he said.
"Everyone's just great friends, it's just a good group of guys. Everyone works hard, everyone puts in, everyone sacrifices 100 per cent for each other. That's the grand final won right there."
US Postal slowed down for several minutes on the haul from Verdun to Bar-le-Duc after Roberto Heras and Christian Vandevelde fell in heavy rain.
They got back on their bikes and caught up with the rest of the team, but the squad lost valuable time.
Armstrong, twice Tour champion, dropped to 15th in the overall standings after the stage. Although nearly two minutes behind O'Grady, he is expected to exert his influence on the mountain stages.
Spanish team Once were second in the time-trial and French squad Festina were third.
- NZPA
