Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, April 28, 1995 TAG: 9504280055
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WILMINGTON, DEL. LENGTH: Medium
Malcolm Elliott, a Briton now living in California, outmaneuvered a powerful quintet from the world's top-ranked team Thursday to win the first stage of the Tour DuPont cycling race.
Elliott, the leader for three days early in last year's race, scored his seventh victory of the season in the 68-mile ride from Dover to Wilmington.
He finished about three feet ahead of Adriano Baffi of Italy, the prestage favorite, considered one of the world's top sprinters.
Elliott was timed in 2 hours, 24 minutes, 53 seconds.
Massimo Strazzer, another Italian, was third.
Elliott, who was seventh in the prologue, earned a 10-second time bonus for his victory and leads prologue winner Gianluca Bortolami of Italy by three seconds in the overall standings.
``It's great to get confirmation when you're getting on,'' said Elliott, 33, who has been a professional for 11 years. He moved from England to Santa Barbara, Calif., two years ago to race full-time in the United States.
Italy's Andrea Peron, teammate Lance Armstrong and the 1994 overall champion, Viatcheslav Ekimov of Russia, were tied for third, four seconds behind.
Racing with a steady crossing tailwind, the cyclists rode quickly from the start and averaged 28.16 mph, the fastest road race in the Tour's seven-year history.
Djamolidine Abdaujaparov of Uzbekistan, the three-time Tour de France sprinting tiltist, crashed, then had a flat tire as the riders entered Wilmington. Abdaujaparov finished 31/2 minutes behind.
The field of 16 teams will race 88 miles from Fredericksburg to Richmond, Va., in today's second stage.
by CNB