Sastre, CSC-Saxo Bank deliver Tour de France win for new Bell Volt

PARIS, France – Bell Rider Carlos Sastre of Team CSC-Saxo Bank powered to the 2008 Tour de France title with a perfect combination of race-long teamwork, as well as a gritty solo effort in Saturday’s individual time trial. As he stood atop the final podium on the Champs Élysées in Paris Sunday—his young children at his feet—a smile of satisfaction crossed the 33-year-old Spaniard’s face, the culmination of years of hard work that saw him hover near the top of the standings at prior grand tours, but never at the top. Until now.

Sastre’s win is the first Tour de France title for Bell and the first for the new Bell Volt helmet which debuted at the race on the riders from the CSC-Saxo Bank and Credit Agricole teams.

Finishing with the yellow jersey in Paris was the fitting result to Sastre’s Tour that saw his CSC-Saxo Bank execute a perfect strategy with young phenoms Andy and Frank Schleck controlling the pace in the high mountains while super domestiques Jens Voigt, Fabian Cancellara, Stuart O’Grady, Nicki Sorensen, Kurt-Asle Arvesen and Volodimir Gustov all sacrificed opportunities at individual glory to control the race on behalf of their leader—though Arvesen did manage to grab a bit of glitz with a cheeky win on stage 12. Andy Schleck also won the white jersey for the tour’s best young rider while elder brother Frank wore the race leader’s jersey for two days in the mountains before ceding it to Sastre, whose solo victory up l’Alpe d’Huez proved to be decisive. The team also captured the best team title with a commanding gap of more than 15 minutes over second place Team AG2R.

Credit Agricole managed some impressive results as well with two hard-fought stage wins. Norwegian sensation Thor Hushovd took the honors in a bunch sprint on stage two, while Australian Simon Gerrans dispatched his breakaway partner to take the win on stage 15.

Tour de France Champion

Yellow Jersey – Carlos Sastre – CSC-Saxo Bank

#1 Overall Team

Team CSC-Saxo Bank

Best Young Rider

White Jersey – Andy Schleck – CSC-Saxo Bank

Yellow Jersey Wearer

Stages 17-21 – Carlos Sastre – CSC-Saxo Bank

Yellow Jersey Wearer

Stages 15-16 – Frank Schleck – CSC-Saxo Bank

Stage Wins

Thor Husovd – Credit Agricole – Stage 2

Kurt-Asle Arvesen – CSC-Saxo Bank – Stage 12

Simon Gerrans – Credit Agricole – Stage 15

Carlos Sastre – CSC- Saxo Bank – Stage 17

AVAILABILITY NOTE:

The new Bell Volt will be available at a Bell dealer near you in October of 2008.