Joy for Frigo as he sprints to success

DARIO FRIGO may have been the happiest man in Cluses last night after claiming the 17th stage of the Tour de France, but Santiago Botero also had reason to smile.

Frigo prevailed in a three-way sprint involving Belgian Mario Aerts and Italy’s Giuseppe Guerini to win the 142 kilometre run from Aime to Cluses in a time of four hours, two minutes and 27 seconds.

The Tacconi Sport rider, placed 23rd after today’s win, surged past Aerts with just a couple of hundred metres to go, narrowly avoided a spectator’s camera overhanging the security fence, and cruised over the line.