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Sergent takes time trial to set up overall victory in Poitou-Charentes

By Daniel Simms

published 26 August 2011

New Zealander enjoying outstanding neo-pro year

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Sergent hot a big bear hug(Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)

Jesse Sergent (Radioshack)(Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)

Sergent also got the kisses(Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)

(Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)

Sergent also took the white jersey(Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)

Yauheni Hutarovich (FDJ) was happy despite losing the race lead(Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)

Yauheni Hutarovich (FDJ)(Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)

Yauheni Hutarovich (FDJ) got the flowers(Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)

Yauheni Hutarovich (FDJ) took the green jersey(Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)

Jesse Sergent (Radioshack) on the podium(Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)

(Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)

Christophe Riblon (Ag2r-La Mondiale)(Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)

Jesse Sergent (RadioShack)(Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)

Jesse Sergent (RadioShack) close up(Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)

Jesse Sergent (RadioShack)(Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)

Jean-Christophe Peraud (Ag2r-La Mondiale) finished third(Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)

Cyril Lemoine (Saur-Sojasun)(Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)

Yauheni Hutarovich (FDJ) in action(Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)

(Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)

Jesse Sergent (Radioshack) collected an aray of jerseys after his win(Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)

Levi Leipheimer’s success at the USA Pro Cycling Challenge was Team RadioShack’s second victory of the day on Thursday, after Kiwi Jesse Sergent won the stage four time trial and took the lead at the Tour du Poitou-Charentes race in France.

Sergent powers to victory in Roermond

Hutarovich tops Rojas for stage 2 victory

Sergent leads RadioShack 1-2 in time trial

Ravard out-sprints Hutarovich on stage 3

Sergent, a 23 year-old neo-pro with RadioShack posted a time of 25:10 on the 20.5 kilometre course around Chatelleraut, to take his fourth victory of the season, and with it the race lead. He now holds a 18 second lead over teammate Michal Kwiatkowski, ahead of the race's final stage to Poitiers.

"It was a pretty hard TT," said Sergent after the stage. "It was harder than I thought after seeing it on [reconnaissance]. It was up and down constantly. The climbs always took you out of your rhythm but I received such good direction from [Dirk] Demol and I had really good legs today."

RadioShack have high hopes for Sergent, with the New Zealander already posting a number of impressive results in 2011. At the recent Eneco Tour, Sergent beat David Millar (Garmin-Cervelo), Bert Grabsh (HTC-Highroad) and Edvald Boasson Hagen (Team Sky) to win the time trial stage.

Team Director Dirk Demol affirmed his confidence in the 23-year-old, commenting that he was never in any doubt that Sergent had the goods to win.

"It was no surprise to me," said Demol. "Jesse can do all TT courses. Today was not technical but demanding all the time with the up and down. Now tomorrow we will be defending this jersey for Jesse."

"It’s a tough finish tomorrow with a climb we have to do three times, but we have a strong team here. Our TT result shows that. I think we are ready to take what comes."