Dutchman Gesnik claims California Tour

Dutch cyclist Robert Gesnik won the Tour of California on Sunday after Slovakian Peter Sagan captured his fifth stage victory to close out the eight-day event.

Gesnik kept the 46-second margin he earned by winning the penultimate stage, a rigourous climb on Saturday ending atop Mt Baldy, by finishing in the pack in the final 70km ride ending in downtown Los Angeles.

American David Zabriskie finished second overall, 46 seconds off Rabobank rider Gesnik’s pace, with countryman Thomas Danielson third, another eight seconds adrift.

Liquigas rider Sagan, who won the first four stages, claimed the last as well with a closing charge to edge top-ranked Tom Boonen at the line after the Belgian’s Pharma-QuickStep teammates set up their man for the sprint.

“I don’t know if it could have been better. I’m very happy,” Sagan said. “The last kilometres were really fast. It was good going.”

Sagan hopes to carry the momentum from his US stage victories into the Tour de France.

“I hope I will do it good,” he said of the French race. “I want to win one stage. I hope I do it.”

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