Andre Greipel has stormed to his eighth win of the season in the opening road stage of the Ster-ElektroToer in Holland.  Greipel was the fastest on a 175-kilometre stage from Eindhoven to Sittard, beating Danilo Napolitano of Italy and Tom Boonen of Belgium in a bunch sprint.

“We kept the situation under control so well.  There were still three Columbia-Highroad riders ahead of Andre in the final kilometre, waiting to ease him through to the sprint,” commented team sports director Tristan Hoffman.  “In the run-in to the finish, all I could hear on the race radio was ‘Columbia, Columbia, Columbia’, and then we won.  Yesterday in the opening prologue of the race we were a bit disappointed because all our guys did very well but they weren’t quite up there with the top names.  Today was a really different story.  Andre got the perfect lead-out and we made sure we got our sporting revenge.”

“[Team-mate] Marcel Sieberg brought things up to speed in the last kilometre, then Mark Renshaw made it even faster and finally Greg Henderson gave me a perfect lead-out in the last 200 metres,” added Greipel.  “Every time I win, it’s also a team win, and today was no exception to the rule. I really appreciate what they’re doing for me.  The next two stages aren’t so easy, more lke Amstel or Liege, but we’ve got Vicente Reynes and Frankie Rabon for the overall and I’m sure they’ll make sure they’re up there.  Then after that on Sunday I should have another opportunity for a win.  And if I can, I’ll go for the points jersey just like I did in the Bayern Rundfahrt stage race as well.”

In another great day of racing for Columbia-Highroad, Greipel’s victory came less than an hour before yet another stage win for Mark Cavendish -  in the Tour de Suisse. Columbia-Highroad men’s team have now racked up 40 wins this season.