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Lawless delivers victory for Team Ineos in Yorkshire

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Chris Lawless of Team Ineos celebrates winning the Tour de Yorkshire after a thrilling final stage from Halifax to Leeds.

LONDON: Britain’s Chris Lawless delivered a first race success for Team Ineos as he sealed overall victory in the Tour de Yorkshire on Sunday.

Greg Van Avermaet, last year’s overall winner, took the win on stage four from Halifax to Leeds, but had Lawless, in the race leader’s blue jersey, on his wheel as the 23-year-old celebrated the first stage-race victory of his career.

Chris Lawless of Team Ineos celebrates winning the Tour de Yorkshire after a thrilling final stage from Halifax to Leeds.

It was also a first win for Ineos, the new-look Team Sky following billionaire businessman Jim Ratcliffe’s buyout, with the team only officially relaunched on Wednesday ahead of the race.

Lawless’s final margin of victory was just two seconds over Olympic champion Van Avermaet.

Ineos had brought the 175-kilometre stage through the Yorkshire Dales to life with a double attack.

Four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome went first, drawing out Van Avermaet and Alexander Kamp, who started the day level on time with Lawless, before Eddie Dunbar moved again.

The Irishman was in position to win the race himself as they moved into the final five kilometres before Van Avermaet stepped up the chase.

Lawless followed, however, meaning Van Avermaet had to make do with a stage win while the blue jersey stayed on Lawless’s shoulders.

“I can’t believe it,” Lawless told ITV 4. “If someone had told me I’d win this race before it started I’d have called them a liar.”

“I knew I could follow Greg van Avermaet when he went,” he added. “Greg was someone I looked up to when I first started riding so to beat him is special.

“I’ve got to thank the team for backing me because I don’t have a good history on stages like this but they said they’d give me a chance.” – AFP

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