Eneco Tour (st. 3)

Dowsett, Gutiérrez unable to clinch own expectations at Eneco Tour TT, stay within top 20 overall before demanding stages in the weekend

Dutchman Lars Boom (BEL) is the new leader of the Eneco Tour after a 9.6km individual time trial in Breda, third and last day for the moment in the Netherlands -the race will be back on Sunday- as well as prelude of the demanding, hilly stages in the weekend. The former international CX specialist held off his countryman and stage winner Tom Dumoulin (GIA) by barely four seconds, in a day where the Movistar Team riders took a small step back in their aspirations for a good overall finish.

Alex Dowsett -riding the Canyon Speedmax TT bike for the first time since becoming Commonwealth Games champion- could only manage to be 15th, 24″ behind Boom, while Iván Gutiérrez did not find his best pace and finished just over fourth seconds in arrears of the Belkin rider. Both are still into the top-20 overall, the standings likely to stay the same tomorrow in a flat stage -193km from Koksijde to Ardooie- in Flemish turf.