Bewley makes solid start in Tour of Luxembourg

Rotorua cyclist Sam Bewley had a solid start to the Tour of Luxembourg, riding alongside his RadioShack teammate Lance Armstrong today.

Bewley finished 30th in the opening 2.6km prologue around the city centre, where Jimmy Engoulvent (Team Saur Sojasun) was fastest and Armstrong fifth.

While a short opener, it was far from an easy course but the New Zealander was pleased with his efforts.

“It was a hard course, twisty and with a steep climb for 500m,” Bewley said. “I rode the climb well and didn’t lose too much time there but did lose a bit on the corners.”

The four-stage tour begins in earnest tomorrow with a 180km stage from Luxembourg to Hesperange in the south.

It’s the second time Bewley has ridden a tour with Armstrong, and he is looking forward to the tour with the Radio Shack team headed by Armstrong and Andreas Kloden.

There are 124 riders from 16 teams competing with favourites including Armstrong, Kloden, Jens Voigt, Kim Kirchen and Frank Schleck.

Results, prologue, Tour of Luxembourg, 2.6km:

Jimmy Engoulvent (FRA) Saur-Sojasun, 3:41.99, 1; Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Saur-Sojasun, at 8.14s, 2; Greg Rast (Swi) RadioShack at 8.23, 3; Jimmy Casper (Fra) Saur-Sojasun at 9.01, 4; Lance Armstrong (UA) RadioShack at 9.110, 5. Also Sam Bewley (NZL) RadioShack at 17.07, 30.

Details: www.bikenz.org.nz