Tuft tries long-range break in Circuit Sarthe

Svein Tuft of SpiderTech p/b C10 was an early aggressor in the fourth stage of the Circuit Cycliste de la Sarthe Thursday when he broke away after just 14 km of the 181-km race.

Riding with one breakaway companion — former teammate David Zabriskie of Team Garmin Cervelo — Tuft’s lead stretched to a maximum of more than seven minutes. But part way through the stage the heat and sun were too much for Zabriskie, who left Tuft to forge on alone. Tuft was finally caught about 25km from the finish.

SpiderTech has been enjoying good results in the French stage race, which began Tuesday and wraps up Friday. Keven Lacombe was fifth in the 100-km stage 2a, and Tuft was 10th in the 6.8-km stage 2b time trial — despite covering half the distance with one of his carbon aero bars snapped off, forcing him to ride one-handed as he tried to use the electronic gear shift buttons still attached to the broken bar.

“I could not believe Svein kept it together” said SpiderTech directeur sportif Steve Bauer after the stage.  “He was entering technical turns, with one arm, trying to get his shift right and the entire time trying to keep his top speed — which was impossible.”

In the circumstances, finishing 23 seconds behind the winner — and just seven seconds behind second-placed David Millar — was remarkable.

The team’s best-placed rider going into the final day is Will Routely in 18th.

Frenchman Anthony Roux of Francaise des Jeux is leading the overall with one stage to go.