Perfect timing as sprint king Petacchi claims third stage win

ITALY’S Alessandro Petacchi confirmed his reputation as the new sprint king of the Tour de France as he recorded his third stage win in five days in the centenary running of the most famous cycling race in the world.

The Fassa Bortolo rider produced another perfectly-timed dash to edge Estonian veteran Jaan Kirsipuu and Australian Baden Cooke to honours on the day after an exciting 196.5km run from Troyes.

However, Colombian Victor Hugo Pena, a member of Lance Armstrong's powerful US Postal outfit, retained the leader's yellow jersey he had taken 24 hours earlier by virtue of the awesome performance by "the postmen" in Wednesday's team time-trial.

Pena, presented with his own weight in champagne at the start of the day by the deputy mayor of Troyes a town in France's champagne-making region, had become a national hero by winning his country's first ever yellow jersey.

He retained it with ease on his 29th birthday although this time his team kept a relatively low profile after their express performance yesterday.

Pena himself admits he is only keeping the jersey warm for 31-year-old Texan Armstrong who is bidding for a record-equalling fifth consecutive Tour win and who is expected to come into his own this weekend as the race reaches the mountains for the first time.

Petacchi, however, was the hero on the day and he held three fingers aloft in triumph as he crossed the line.

It has been a memorable season for Petacchi who also won six stages in the 2003 Giro d'Italia. His exploits have gone a long way to establishing himself as the long-term successor to Italy's popular world champion sprinter Mario Cipollini whose exclusion from this year's Tour had caused outrage in Italy.

The closing kilometres of the race had been marred by a fall for Angel Vicioso who looked in some discomfort as he finished. Vicioso is a team-mate of Spanish rider Joseba Beloki who is seen as the biggest threat to Armstrong this year.

Britain's David Millar came in 137th on the day but like Armstrong and Pena ahead of him was given the same time as Petacchi as the peloton finished together.

With Armstrong's team in charge of the overall standings it is already looking ominously good for the US Postal team leader whose team have been nicknamed "The Blue Train" for their capacity to stay in close formation even on the onerous climbs in the Alps and the Pyrenees.

Today's sixth stage is a 230.5km run from Nevers to Lyon.