CHRIS Boardman gave British cycling a massive boost yester-day when he notched up his second win in two days in
the Prutour stage race and strengthened his grip on the red jersey for leading rider.
There was a moment of drama when the 29-year-old raised his arms aloft about 15 metres short of the Newcastle finishing line but, after a roar from the large crowd, he held off the challenge from German Andre Korff of Festina.
Boardman, who won Satur-day's opening prologue time trial in Stirling by two seconds, has now increased his lead over nearest challenger, George Hincapie of the US Postal team, to nine seconds.
Boardman said later: ''I thought I had blown my chances in the closing circuit, but when I got away on the final lap I knew the others were not going to see me again.''
The victory was only his second stage win in four years, the last coming during the 1994 Dauphine Libere in France.
Boardman also wears the green jersey of points leader with 13 points.
Luckless young Scot Steve Russell was fined 100 Swiss francs and disqualified for holding on to a vehicle which was not a team car.
Stage result - 1, C Boardman, Gan, 5hr 6min 26sec; 2, A Korff, Festina, one second behind; 3, S OGrady, Gan, same time; 4, G.Hincapie, US Postal, same time; 5, L Lefevre, Festina, same time; 6, C Dacruz, Bigmat Auber, three seconds behind.
Overall: 1, C Boardman, 5hr 12min 24sec; 2, G.Hincapie, US Postal, nine seconds behind; 3, S OGrady, Gan, 10 seconds behind.
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