His look is not that of the average marathon winners or long distance runners whose tradition is now firmly established in the sporting histry of his country. He is white skin , and looks more like an English gentleman or such. And lives in South-Africa. But he is a proud Kenyan, and made the headlines on Monday by becoming the first ever stage winner from that African nation at Giro delle Regioni. Chris Froome, wearing the jersey of the multinational team based in Aigle, Switzerland, and sponsored by the International Cycling Union - aimed at promoting this sport in places like the same Kenya, Algeria, China etc. – had already come close to clinch stage victory a few days earlier. But nobody could stop the Kenyan this time, not even a guy like Cyril Gautier, from a country with a strong cycling tradition like France.

Gautier and Froome made to the line together at the end of a very hectic stage (from Chianciano Terme to Montepulciano over 149 km up and down the Tuscan hills not far from Siena) with attacks going almost from beginning to end. Kristijan Koren of Slovenia won the first KOM prime at Radicofani, where Simone Stortoni took third. The young Italian later broke away along with Simon Clarke and Frances Julien El Fares. The Australian was overall race leader on the road for some 40 kilometres, while El Fares came first atop the Colle Cetona first category climb and Stortoni took revenge by claiming the Hot Spot Sprints both at Sarteano (km 92.4) and Chianciano (km. 103).

They were caught soon later, but skirmishes continued big style, with a move from 18 riders going nowhere, and Froome and Gautier next on the attack as the finishing line was 20 km away. The South-African Kristoff Van Heerden was with them, and so were another English-speaker, Cameron Meyer of Australia, Belgium's Tim Vermeersch and Detlef Moerman, and Claudio Apolo (Por). Van Heerden won the Valiano sprint, but Moerman and Meyer forced the pace and went clear after a short time. It was just too bad - for them - that the two guys got reeled in by six more riders (Froome and Gautier included of course) three kilometres from the finish.

Froome and Gautier powered away from the other frontrunners with 2,000 metres left, and you know the rest of the story: the Kenyan cyclist, who started racing at the age of 18, and does a lot of MTB racing too, took the honours. Gautier took second. And Rui Costa of Portugal benefited from Niki Ostergaard's misfortunes (the Dane fell and dropped to eighth on the GC) to move atop the overall, with a small lead of three seconds over Dennis Van Winden and Gasper Svab. An advantage he is likely to keep in Tuesday's sixth and final stage, that consists of nine laps of a circuit of 14.5 kilometres (totalling 130.5 km) around the hamlet of Artena, with no major difficulties on the menu. The parcours suits the Portuguese holder of the GC lead, but it's the riders that make the race, you know …

Stage 5 (Chianciano Terme to Montepulciano, 146 km)
Top 10 Places
1. Chris Froome (Kenya / UCI Mixed Team) - 03h41'26" (39.56 kph)
2. Cyril Gautier (France) - s.t.
3. Andrey Zeits (Kazakhstan) - at 04"
4. Bauke Mollema (Holland) - at 06"
5. Dimitri Claeys (Belgium) - at 14"
6. Alexander Gottfried (Germany) - at 14"
7. Rui Costa (Portugal) - at 14"
8. Anton Reshetnikov (Russia) - at 17"
9. Biel Kadri (France) - at 17"
10. Gasper Svab (Slovenia) - at 17"

32nd Giro delle Regioni - GC after Stage 5: Top 10 Places
1. Rui Costa (Portugal) - 19h38'33"
2. Dennis Van Winden (Holland) - at 03"
3. Gasper Svab (Slovenia) - at 03"
4. Alexandre Gottfried (Germany) - at 04"
5. Dimitri Claeys (Belgium) - at 04"
6. Francis Degreef (Belgium) - at 13"
7. Biel Kadri (France) - at 15"
8. Niki Ostergaard (Denmark) - at 23"
9. Andrey Zeits (Kazakhstan) - at 39"
10. Anton Reshetnikov (Russia) - at 50"

Points: 1. Grega Bole (Slovenia)
Mountains: 1. Ben Swift (Great Britain)
Hot Spot Sprints: 1. Kristoff Van Heerden (South Africa)
Best U21 Rider: Dennis Van Winden (Holland)

We used to refer to the guy as "the next Thor Hushovd", but now we can call him also ... the next Pedro Delgado! Do you remember when the legendary "Perico" kicked off his "defence" of the 1988 TdF title in a tragicomic fashion, missing his start time at the 1989 edition prologue and losing 02'40" before the race had even begun? Well, Mr. Edvald Boasson-Hagen of Norway did basically the same in Monday's 24-km ITT around Missillac town. Even if his pre-stage gap turned out to be less than half of Delgado's (01'13") the Team Maxbo-Bianchi sprinter also missed his start time and messed everything up before even getting in the saddle. He eventually finished the stage in 33rd place at 02'18". Sure he did not have luck on his side in this race, as the Norse was coming from an(other) unfortunate stage that saw him puncture at the wrong time Sunday, and some other GC contenders immediately (and a bit unfairly) attack him, resulting in Edvald losing the overall lead.

But maybe, regardless of all his misfortunes, he could have done little or nothing to stop the unstoppable. "Unstoppable" as in "Lars Boom": the winner of the Jersey Island prologue a few days ago put in yet another stunning performance against the clock and despite adverse weather conditions, despite consequently pullin' the brake a little bit in the turns, he just crushed any kind of "opposition". His nearest challenger (so to speak), once more Alex Rasmussen of Denmark, lost by 34 seconds, and the advantage over the third place getter, the Belgian Kristof Vandewalle, was far more impressive: one minute and eleven seconds.

Best "home finisher" was David De Lay, but he didn't get higher than fourth: Bretagne-Armor Lux may rock the field in local and national events on Breton soil, but when they're up against a star-studded field like this, not even running on home roads is much of help in getting a victory. Sebastièn Turgot was dealt a huge morale blow by Boom as the flying Dutchboy caught him soon into the ride, a blow he never recovered from, such that the French had a lousy performance and dramatically dropped to sixth place overall.

Le Tour de Bretagne ends Tuesday with the last journey taking the field from Ploëren to Josselin. Lars Boom can boast a solid lead on teammate Maaskant, David Lelay and the rest of the peloton, and has got a very strong team around to help, but with the demanding Côte de Cadoudal at Plumelec on the menu, and the spectacular final circuit around the finish town, it may be a little too early to call the white jersey holder eventual winner of the race even before the start.

Stage 5 (Missillac ITT – 24.2 km): Top 10 Places
1. Lars Boom (Hol - Rabobank Espoirs)
2. Alex Rasmussen (Den - Team Odense Energi)
3. Kristof Vandewalle (Bel - Wielergroep Beveren 2000-Quick Step)
4. David Lelay (Fra - Bretagne-Armor Lux)
5. Perrig Quémeneur (Fra - Vendée U)
6. Petr Lazar (Cze - ASC Dukla Praha)
7. Casper Jorgensen (Den - Team Odense Energi)
8. Martijn Maaskant (Hol - Rabobank Espoirs)
9. Fabrice Jeandebosz (Fra - Vendée U)
10. Juan-José Abril (Spa - Viña Magna-Cropu)

Tour de Bretagne / Trophée des Granitiers - GC after Stage 5
Top 10 Places
1. Lars Boom (Hol - Rabobank Espoirs) - 16h05'38"
2. Martijn Maaskant (Hol - Rabobank Espoirs) - at 02'05"
3. David Lelay (Fra - Bretagne-Armor Lux) - at 02'11"
4. Perrig Quémeneur (Fra - Vendée U) - at 02'13"
5. Alex Rasmussen (Den - Team Odense Energi) - at 02'17"
6. Sébastien Turgot (Fra - Vendée U) - at 02'23"
7. Jonathan Dayus (GBR - U Nantes-Atlantique) - at 02'41"
8. Jurgen Roelandts (Bel - Beveren 2000-Quick Step) - at 02'45"
9. Olivier Grammaire (Fra - SCO Dijon) m.t.
10. Kristof Vandewalle (Bel - Beveren 2000-Quick Step) - at 02'46"

Races and Winners

Young Guns News Roundup #1 (02/20/2007)

Boucles Catalanes Alexandre Blain

Circuit Méditerranéen Benjamin Giraud

Route de l'Atlantique Giovanni Carini

Boucles de la Soule Charles Guilbert

Plages Vendéennes #1 (Perrier) Mathieu Drujon

La Tramontane Jérémie Dérangère

Ronde du Canigou Jérémie Dérangère

Circuit de la Nive David Le Lay

Plages Vendéennes #2 (Luçon) Mathieu Drujon

Grand Prix de Peymeinade Julien Antomarchi

41st Circuito del Guadiana Pedro José Vera

Young Guns News Roundup #2 (02/23/2007)

Plages Vendéennes #3 (Saint-Urbain) Jérémie Galland

Ronde du Pays-Basque Stéphane Bonsergent

Plages Vendéennes #4 (Saint-Julien-des-Landes) Bastien Delrot

Le Tour du Labourd Stephane Petilleau

Young Guns News Roundup #3 (02/27/2007)

Coppa San Geo Hrvoje Miholijevic

Memorial Giuseppe Polese Mauro Abel Richeze

GP Firenze-Empoli Cristian Benenati

Trofeo Caduti di Soprazocco Salvatore Mancuso

GP Brefer Edoardo Costanzi

GP Lavi (Circuito di Paderno) Marcello Pavarin

GP La Torre Fucecchio Uladzimir Autka

Gran Premio d'Apertura Fermo Davide D'Angelo

Souvenir Vietto-Gianello Thierry Hupont

Plages Vendéennes #5 (Chantonnay) Bastien Delrot

GP Souvenir Jean Masse Ruslan Sambris

Plages Vendéennes #6 (Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie) Gert Joeaar

Trophée de l'Essor Basque Yuri Trofimov (Overall)

Trofeo Guerrita Jesús Buendia

Subida a la Sierra de los Califas José Luis Roldan

GP Inauguració Memorial Joaquim Sabaté Àlex Mollà

Gran Premio Caja Cantabria Mikel Olano

Young Guns News Roundup #4 (03/03/2007)

Plages Vendéennes #7 (Saint Maixent sur Vie) Guillaume Blot

Plages Vendéennes #8 (Moutiers) Franck Vermeulen

Trofeo ZSSDI Unione Circoli Sportivi Sloveni in Italia - PREVIEW

Young Guns News Roundup #5 (03/06/2007)

Trofeo ZSSDI Unione Circoli Sportivi Sloveni in Italia Simone Ponzi

Coppa Città di Melzo Edoardo Costanzi

Coppa Belricetto / Memorial Gualandi Matteo Busato

Gran Premio Apertura Città di Pescara Sante Di Nizio

Trofeo Colline Capannoresi Francesco Ginanni

Gran Premio Ceda Jacopo Guarnieri

Trois Jours du Vaucluse Sébastien Turgot (Overall)

Circuit de la Vallée de la Loire Jonathan Thiré

GP de Carqueiranne Gatis Smukulis

GP d'Ouverture Pierre Pinel Ivan Seledkov

Tour des Communes de la Vallée du Bedat Jean Christophe Péraud

Paris-Ezy Franck Perque

Route Bretonne / Souvenir Loïc Le Flohic Piotr Zielinski

Melrandaise Salva Jésus Vilchez

Grand Prix d'Ouverture Saint-Hilaire du Harcouët Gaylord Cumont

Aiztondo Klasikoa Óscar Puyol

Trofeo Diputación Alicante José Belda (Overall)

Young Guns News Roundup #6 (03/13/2007)

Giro delle Tre Province Jacopo Guarnieri

Circuito di San Urbano Jacopo Guarnieri

Piccola Coppa Agostoni Luca Zanderigo

Trofeo Balestra Simone Ponzi

Coppa San Bernardino Sacha Modolo

Trofeo Gruppo Meccaniche Luciani Corridonia Anton Sintsov

GP Ville de Lillers / Souvenir Bruno Comini Benoît Daeninck

Circuit des 4 Cantons Nikolas Cotret

GP de la ville de Villefranche / Mathias Nomblot Gatis Smukulis

Manche Atlantique Sébastien Duret

Paris-Evreux Jérémie Galland

Vienne Classic Espoirs Damien Gaudin

GP Ayuntamiento Camargo / Mem. Tinin Castañera David Gutiérrez

GP San José / Memorial Echevarría Juan José Lobato

Gran Premio Ciclista Chiclanero Jorge Martín Montenegro

Porec Trophy Marko Kump

Young Guns News Roundup #7A (03/21/2007)

Bordeaux-Saintes Evgeny Sokolov (Overall)

Vuelta a Alicante / GP San Antonio Rafael Rodríguez (Overall)

Vuelta Ciclista a Valladolid José Angel Rodríguez (Overall)

Istrian Spring Trophy Edvald Boasson Hagen (Overall)

Young Guns News Roundup #7B (03/21/2007)

Trofeo Memorial Fratelli Gandolfi Cristiano Fumagalli

Trofeo Edilizia Mogetta Francesco Lasca

GP San Giuseppe Montecassiano Andrey Solomennikov

Popolarissima Mauro Abel Richeze

Trofeo Antonietto Rancilio Matteo Scaroni

Trofeo Cesab Francesco Ginanni

GP Calzifici e Calzaturifici Stabbiesi Enrico Montanari

Souvenir Louison Bobet Nikolas Cotret

Paris-Troyes Yuri Trofimov

Nantes-Segré Kévin Cherruault

Maillot des Jeunes #1 (Montfort-sur-Risle) Guillaume Malle

Circuit du Morbihan / Trophée Jean Floc'h Guillaume Le Floc'h

Trofeo Iberdrola Andrés Avelino Antuña

Memorial Pedro Zamora / GP Bahía Mazarrón Jaume Rovira

Giro del Mendrisiotto Andreas Dietziker

Young Guns News Roundup #8A (03/27/2007)

Milano-Busseto / Trofeo Auto Boreri Jan Stannard

Piccola Sanremo Luca Zanderigo

GP Artigiani Sediai e Mobilieri di Grosso Alessandro Raisoni

Coppa Caduti Buscatesi Alessandro Formentelli

Coppa del Grano Enrico Magazzini

Circuito di Orsago / Memorial Fratelli Mion Federico Masiero

GP San Giuseppe Marane di Sulmona Francesco De Bonis

Bolghera Simone Stortoni

Young Guns News Roundup #8B (03/27/2007)

Classic Loire-Atlantique Nicolas Jalabert

Boucles du Sud Ardèche Evgeny Sokolov

Roue Tourangelle Yury Trofimov

Troyes-Dijon Cédric Pineau

Flèche de Locminé Cyrille Noël

Trophée des Bastides Blel Kadri

Grand Prix de Buxerolles Perrig Quémeneur

Prix de la Municipalité de Saint Savin Sylvain Georges

Ontur-Ontur José Angel Rodríguez

Gran Premio Macario Francisco Torrella

Trofeu Joan Escolà Flavien Chipault

Campionat de Sabadell Leonid Krasnov

Vuelta a Cartagena Jesús Buendia Romero (Overall)

Young Guns News Roundup #9 (03/29/2007)

Trofeo Mario Zanchi Francesco Ginanni

Gran Premio della Possenta Edoardo Costanzi

Gran Premio Liberazione - PREVIEW

Giro delle Regioni - PREVIEW

Tour de Normandie - Stage 1 Lars Boom

Tour de Normandie - Stage 2 Mattia Gavazzi

Tour de Normandie - Stage 3 Mattia Gavazzi

Tour de Normandie - Stage 4 Mattia Gavazzi

GP Waregem Enrico Montanari

Young Guns News Roundup #10A (04/03/2007)

Trofeo Edil C Paolo Tomaselli

Trofeo Banca Popolare di Vicenza Manuel Belletti

Trofeo Alta Valle del Tevere Marco Stefani

Trofeo FPT Tapparo Sergey Rudaskov

Coppa Caduti di Reda Federico Vitali

Coppa Fiera di Mercatale Francesco Ginanni

Giro Valle d’Aosta - PREVIEW

Tour of Friuli Venezia Giulia - PREVIEW

Young Guns News Roundup #10B (04/03/2007)

Tour de Normandie - Stage 5 Andrey Klyuev

Tour de Normandie - Stage 6 Kristof De Zutter

Tour de Normandie - Stage 7 Noan Lelarge

Tour de Normandie - Stage 8 Edvald Boasson Hagen

Tour de Normandie - Overall Martijn Maaskant

GP de Saint-Etienne Loire Jérémie Dérangère

Prix Gilbert Bousquet Piotr Zielinski

Boucles Guégonnaises Stéphane Bonsergent

Tour du Canton de Saint-Ciers - Stage 1 Yury Trofimov

Tour du Canton de Saint-Ciers - Stage 2 Gilles Canouet

Tour du Canton de Saint-Ciers - Overall Yury Trofimov

Boucles du Canton de Picquigny Franck Perque

Maillot des Jeunes #2 (Torigni-sur-Vire) Tomasz Olejnik

Annemasse-Bellegarde et Retour Jérémie Dérangère

GP Fêtes de Cénac & Saint-Julien Jean-Luc Delpech

Young Guns News Roundup #10C (04/03/2007)

Memorial Valenciaga Mikel Nieve

GP Primavera Amorebieta Salvador Guardiola

GP Portugal / Taças das Nações - Stage 1 Francesco Ginanni

GP Portugal / Taças das Nações - Stage 2 Jonas Jörgensen

GP Portugal / Taças das Nações - Stage 3 Victor Rodrigues

GP Portugal / Taças das Nações - Overall Victor Rodrigues

GP Valloton Sven Schelling

Young Guns News Roundup #11 (04/05/2007)

Grand Prix U Mikaël Chérel

2 Jours Leclerc des Olonnes - Stage 1 Alexandre Bousseau

2 Jours Leclerc des Olonnes - Stage 2 (TTT) Vendée U

2 Jours Leclerc des Olonnes - Stage 3 Sylvain Georges

2 Jours Leclerc des Olonnes - Overall Alexandre Bousseau

Triptyques des Monts & Chateaux - PREVIEW

Young Guns News Roundup #12A (04/16/2007)

Circuit des Ardennes - Stage 1 Bert Oegema

Circuit des Ardennes - Stage 2 Tomas Buchacek

Circuit des Ardennes - Stage 3 Tony Martin

Circuit des Ardennes - Stage 4 Rein Taaramae

Circuit des Ardennes - Overall Jérôme Coppel

Volta a A Coruña - Stage 1 Sergio Domínguez

Volta a A Coruña - Stage 2 José A. Carrasco

Volta a A Coruña - Stage 3 José Luís Ruiz Cubillo

Volta a A Coruña - Overall Alexandre Paleo

Ronda al Maestrazgo - Stage 1 Francisco José González

Ronda al Maestrazgo - Stage 2 (TTT) Comunidad Valenciana-CCN

Ronda al Maestrazgo - Stage 3 David Gutiérrez

Ronda al Maestrazgo - Overall Francisco José González

Young Guns News Roundup #12B (04/17/2007)

Tour du Charolais Thierry Hupond

Dijon-Auxonne-Dijon Alexandr Pliuschin

GP Fêtes de Coux et Bigaroque Grzegorz Kwiatkowski

Redon-Redon Guillaume Judas

Paris-Roubaix Junior Fabien Taillefer

Gran Premio Cuéllar Carlos Capitán

Trofeo Monjardín Villatuerta Andrey Amador

Trofeo Eusebio Vélez Fabricio Ferrari

Gran Cursa Ciclista Les Corts Eric de Miguel

Young Guns News Roundup #12C (04/18/2007)

M.O. Bottecchia / GP Italimm Daniele Fabio Casotto

Coppa Romano Ballerini Ashley Humbert

Milano-Tortona Marco Cattaneo

Memorial Danilo Furlan Manuel Belletti

GP Fratelli Bagnoli Trigonon Roberto Cesaro

Gran Premio Camon Federico Vitali

GP Madonna delle Grazie Fabio Taborre

Trofeo Pizzeria Rosalpina Ashley Humbert

Gran Premio Montanino Federico Vitali

Young Guns News Roundup #13 (04/20/2007)

Côte Picarde Simon Spilak

Tour du Loir-et-Cher - Stage 1 Alain Lauener

Tour du Loir-et-Cher - Stage 2 Tomas Buchacek

Rhône Alpes Isère Tour - Stage 1 Hakan Nilsson

Cinturón Mallorca - Stage 1 Bram Schmitz

Cinturón Mallorca - Stage 2 Marcel Fischer

Vuelta a Castellón - Stage 1 Fabien Fraissignes

Young Guns News Roundup #14A (04/25/2007)

Memorial Gasparotto Gianluca Brambilla

Coppa Comune di Piubega Edoardo Costanzi

Trofeo Cittá di San Vincenzo Roberto Cesaro

Trofeo Giacomo Larghi Bruno Rizzi

Vicenza-Bionde Fabrizio Amerighi

Circuito di Puglia Cristian Benenati

Memorial Gigi Pezzoni Massimo Pirrera

Liege-Bastogne-Liege Espoirs Grega Bole

La Gainsbarre Cyrille Noël

Tour canton Dun-le-Palestel Loïc Herbreteau

GP Meubles Rapp Atlas Maxime Beney

Maillot des Jeunes #4 (S.Sauveur-Lendelin) Arnaud Girard

Grand Prix de Nogent-sur-Aube Benoit Drujon

GP Cycliste du Canton de Bourmont Michal Ladosz

Memorial Rodríguez Iguanzo Francisco Torrella

GP Nuestra Señora de Valverde Rafael Rodríguez

Trofeo Santiago / Memorial Yenes Rafael Rodríguez

Trofeo Hotel Irache Jonathan Castroviejo

Gran Premi Vila de Piera Radoslav Konstantinov

Gran Premi Odena Luis Maldonado

Young Guns News Roundup #14B (04/25/2007)

Tour du Loir-et-Cher - Stage 3 Mitja Mahoric

Tour du Loir-et-Cher - Stage 4 Jaroslaw Marycz

Tour du Loir-et-Cher - Overall Alexandre Blain

Rhône Alpes Isère Tour - Stage 2 Nicolas Vogondy

Rhône Alpes Isère Tour - Stage 3 Gabriel Rasch

Rhône Alpes Isère Tour - Stage 4 Sébastien Gredy

Rhône Alpes Isère Tour - Overall Gabriel Rasch

Cinturón Mallorca - Stage 3 Bram Schmitz

Cinturón Mallorca - Stage 4 Jesús J. Ramírez

Cinturón Mallorca - Stage 5 Diego Gallego

Cinturón Mallorca - Overall Richard Faltus

Vuelta a Castellón - Stage 2 Fabien Fraissignes

Vuelta a Castellón - Stage 3A David Gutiérrez

Vuelta a Castellón - Stage 3B Juan José Ballesta

Vuelta a Castellón - Stage 4 Antonio García

Vuelta a Castellón - Overall Fabien Fraissignes

Young Guns News Roundup #15 (04/26/2007)

GP Liberazione U23 (Rome) Manuele Boaro

GP Liberazione U21 (Cava Manara) Davide Bonomi

Coppa Caduti di Nerviano Andriy Buchko

Trofeo Città di Venezia Bernardo Riccio

Coppa Ardigò Fabio Casotto

Giro del Pratomagno Davide D'Angelo

GP Liberazione U21 Photo Gallery (Cava Manara)

Young Guns News Roundup #16A (04/27/2007)

Giro delle Regioni - Stage 1 Alexandre Gottfried

Tour de Bretagne - Prologue Lars Boom

Tour de Bretagne - Stage 1 Edvald Boasson Hagen

Circuit Saône-et-Loire - Prologue Jean Eudes Demaret

Vuelta a Extremadura - Stage 1 André Moreira Vital

Vuelta a Extremadura - Stage 2 Joaquim Sampaio

Young Guns News Roundup #16B (04/29/2007)

Giro delle Regioni - Stage 2 Grega Bole

Giro delle Regioni - Stage 3 Stefano Pirazzi

Tour de Bretagne - Stage 2 Jos Pronk

Tour de Bretagne - Stage 3 Olivier Grammaire

Circuit Saône-et-Loire - Stage 1 Nicolas Inaudi

Circuit Saône-et-Loire - Stage 2 Jérémie Derangere

Circuit Saône-et-Loire - Stage 3 Nicolas Inaudi

Vuelta a Extremadura - Stage 3 Nuno Marta

Vuelta a Extremadura - Stage 4 Manuel Antonio Cardoso

Young Guns News Roundup #16C (04/30/2007)

Giro delle Regioni - Stage 4 Pavel Kotchekov

Tour de Bretagne - Stage 4 Sébastien Turgot

Circuit Saône-et-Loire - Stage 4 Jean-Christophe Peraud

Circuit Saône-et-Loire - Overall Nicolas Fritsch

Vuelta a Extremadura - Stage 5 Manuel Antonio Cardoso

Vuelta a Extremadura - Overall Nuno Marta