Renshaw saves face for French team - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Renshaw saves face for French team

By Roger Vaughan 21/01/2004 05:40:00 AM Comments (0)

Mark Renshaw's two jerseys made a bright end to a dirty day for French team FDJeux.com at the Tour Down Under cycling race.

Renshaw finished third in the controversial opening stage and his efforts during the 50km race earned him the jerseys for leading the sprint and best under-23 rider classifications.

He will start the 157km second stage from Norwood to Kapunda wearing the sprint jersey, with second-placed under-23 rider Peter Dawson wearing that category's jersey.

FDJeux.com came into this race as the leading team, with top rider Bradley McGee one of the favourites for the overall win.

It also boasts fellow top Australians, Tour de France green jersey winner Baden Cooke and newly-crowned national champion Matthew Wilson.

But McGee was a late withdrawal from the race Tuesday afternoon when he came down with a bout of food poisoning.

After eating fish at lunch, McGee suffered vomiting and diarrhoea.

A race spokesperson said that McGee's condition was improving and he would be reassessed.

While FDJeux.com had Renshaw and team-mate Nicolas Vogondy of France in the key break of 12 riders during Tuesday night's stage, the team probably would have also wanted Cooke to be up the front.

The lead group lapped the main bunch towards the end of the final lap and that made for a confusing finish.

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