Canuck wrapup: Rollin 3rd, Tuft misses break, Hesjedal heads to Nice

An early breakaway in the final stage of the Dreidaagse Van West-Vlaanderen ended Svein Tuft’s hopes of a high overall ranking Sunday but landed another Canadian on the podium.

The move, which contained most of the top-ranked riders in the race, went clear 30km into the 195-km stage from Niewpoort to Ichtegem.

Team Spidertech p/b C10’s Tuft, who had been in fourth place overall after Friday’s prologue, missed the move, but the gap remained small until 40 km to go when the peloton eased up. Tuft finished in the main field 5 minutes and 35 seconds back and wound up 21st overall.

Fellow Canuck Dominique Rollin, riding for his new Francaise des Jeux squad, did make the crucial move and finished third in the sprint to the line, behind Belgian Nicko Eeckhout and Frenchman Jimmy Casper.

New Zealand’s Jesse Sergent of Team Radioshack held on for the overall win.

Meanwhile, a little to the south, Team Garmin Cervelo’s Ryder Hesjedal finished in the peloton in Houdan Sunday in the 154-km first stage of Paris-Nice, the first major stage race of the season, a day after finishing 12th in the Monte Paschi Strade Bianche. Hesjedal has made the Strade Bianche — a 190-km trek through the dirt roads of Tuscany — an annual objective, finishing 5th in 2010 and 10th in 2009.

Monday’s Stage 2 of Paris-Nice takes the riders 199 km from Montfort l’Amaury – Amilly.

In Spain, Christian Meier of UnitedHealthCare Pro Cycling ended up 41st overall in the Vuelta Ciclista a la Region de Murcia, a three day race that wrapped up Sunday. Three-time Tour de France winner Alberto Contador of Spain took the overall victory.

Finally, Rob Britton of Victoria B.C., riding for Bissell Pro Cycling, held on to second place overall at the MERCO Classic stage race in California, which wrapped up Sunday.