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Tour of Beijing Stage 4 Report, Results – Haller Surprises with Sprint Win, Rollin 10th

release by Tour of Beijing
October 12, 2012 (Beijing, China) – Austria’s rising talent Marco Haller (Katusha Team) created a surprise by taking stage four of the Tour of Beijing in a chaotic sprint on Friday. He out-sprinted famed Italian fastmen Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre-ISD) and Elia Viviani (Liquigas-Cannondale) after a 165.5 kilometre stage from Yanqing to Changping Stadium.

“I am unbelievably happy to win today, on an UCI WorldTour event,” Haller said. “I never expected to beat riders like Viviani, Petacchi or Boasson Hagen.”

In the last hundred meters Petacchi was passed by Haller, who explained: “I had a high speed and felt quite easy. I was thinking: ‘My God! It’s possible to win! It’s really possible!’ And I won!”

Just 21-years-old, Haller is a novice at UCI WorldTour level as he signed for Katusha Team last winter. He says he likes Classics even more than mass sprints. In the road race of the UCI World Championships he came third as a junior in 2009 and fifth as an under-23 last year.

Boasson Hagen was fighting for a top three placing in the sprint, which would have allocated him a time bonus and thus helped him to a spot on the podium of the general classification. Led by his Sky team-mate Luke Rowe in the final kilometre, the Norwegian crossed the line ninth, to leave him 4th overall.

For his part Haller had support from Rüdiger Sellig and he then took Petacchi’s wheel with 300 meters to go.

The Italian veteran admitted that he launched his sprint too early. “It was too far but this is because I wanted to win so much! Hopefully I will do better tomorrow.”

Before taking part in the bunch sprint, Boasson Hagen expected to grab some seconds in the first intermediate sprint, on kilometre 24. However Dan Martin (Garmin-Sharp) who was just ahead of him in the general classification sent a team-mate Alex Howes up the road at about kilometre 17.

The breakaway took shape with Howes, Australia’s Mitch Docker (Orica-GreenEdge), Russia’s Timofeiy Ktitskiy (Katusha), France’s Jérémy Roy (FDJ-BigMat), and Alex Dowsett (Team Sky).

The gap went up to six minutes and thirty seconds but the men in front were facing two issues.

Firstly, Omega Pharma-Quick Step was receiving strong support from sprinters’ squads Liquigas, Lampre and RadioShack-Nissan at the front of the chasing peloton.

The men in front didn’t work together perfectly either with Dowsett, acting as a sentinel for Boasson Hagen, and thus unable to take strong turns.

“I put in a lot of work to get into this breakaway, this is why I felt like I was on the back foot most of the time,” explained Dowsett.

Instructed to go into the leading group not soon after it had gone, the British rouleur showed his sense of the sacrifice once again by stopping his effort while the peloton was coming back, in order to support Boasson Hagen.

France’s Roy thought Dowsett was sent in front in order to sabotage the group and favour a bunch sprint.

“If Dowsett had have given everything, we perhaps could have won,” Roy said.

The FDJ-Big Mat rider was obviously stronger than his escape companions on the category three climb after a 113 kilometre ride. His team manager Marc Madiot advised him to attack on the last hill but Roy anticipated by dropping his rivals on the descent just before, with about 35 kilometres to go to the finish.

“It was easier to manage my effort alone,” he explained. “Riding in the technical downhill, I was thinking I had a good chance to win, but then I struggled on the false flat sections while the peloton was wild behind me.”

With 15 remaining kilometres, Roy was 1’36” ahead of the bunch and his escape companions had just been caught.

The Frenchman was riding through the tombs of the emperors of the Ming Dynasty, when the peloton absorbed him with five kilometres to go.

Improving as an individual time triallist, Roy will wrap up his season with the Chrono des Herbiers on October 21st, and his 30-kilometer solo attempt awarded him the most aggressive rider’s prize for the stage.

Andy Schleck (RadioShack-Nissan) had a difficult day and, as he is still recovering from a hip injury, he crossed the line 17’03” down on Haller.

Stage five on Saturday brings the Tour of Beijing to a close, with a 182.5 kilometre undulating route from Changping Stadium to Pinggu. The main hill (5.4km at 5.9%) doesn’t seem strong enough to overturn the rankings but, contrary to last year’s conclusion, the riders won’t leave China after a criterium dedicated to pure sprinters.

The finish is potentially dangerous for Tony Martin: the top of the main climb is 28.5 kilometres away from the finish, the same distance as it was on Wednesday when he took control with a solo attack. The hill is twice as long as it was that day, however, and is made more difficult by a ramp positioned just before its foot, 3.1km long with a an average gradient of 6.7%.

Boasson Hagen, however, doesn’t think he can dislodge Martin.

“It’s not possible to win the general classification, the gap is too big,” he said.

The Norwegian strong man, ranked fourth in GC, stays 52 seconds down on Tony Martin, two seconds behind the third overall, Dan Martin (Garmin-Sharp) and a further 10 seconds behind second placed Francesco Gavazzi (Astana).

Asked if he is targeting the stage victory or a place on the final podium Saturday, Boasson Hagen said: “If possible, I will go for both.”

The final stage will be a great opportunity to say goodbye to the northern area of Beijing and its jewels like the Great Wall, the tombs of the Ming Dynasty and the green ecological barrier of the Pinggu District.

Results

1. Marco Haller (Aut) Katusha Team 3:35:39
2. Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Lampre – ISD
3. Elia Viviani (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
4. Lucas Sebastian Haedo (Arg) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank
5. Daniele Bennati (Ita) RadioShack-Nissan
6. Francesco Chicchi (Ita) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
7. Klaas Lodewyck (Bel) BMC Racing Team
8. Allan Davis (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team
9. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky Procycling
10. Dominique Rollin (Can) FDJ-Big Mat
11. Barry Markus (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
12. Kenny Robert Van Hummel (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
13. Andrew Fenn (Gbr) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
14. Valentin Iglinskiy (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
15. Theo Bos (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
16. Lloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
17. Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale
18. Greg Henderson (Nzl) Lotto Belisol Team
19. Rui Alberto Faria Da Costa (Por) Movistar Team
20. Alexey Tsatevich (Rus) Katusha Team
21. Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Esp) Euskaltel – Euskadi
22. Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team
23. Ivan Velasco Murillo (Esp) Euskaltel – Euskadi
24. Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
25. Clinton Robert Avery (Nzl) Champion System Pro Cycling Team
26. Aaron Kemps (Aus) Champion System Pro Cycling Team
27. Christian Meier (Can) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team
28. Pengda Jiao (Chn) Champion System Pro Cycling Team
29. Rafal Majka (Pol) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank
30. Heinrich Haussler (Aus) Garmin – Sharp
31. Anthony Roux (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat
32. Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Astana Pro Team
33. Peio Bilbao (Esp) Euskaltel – Euskadi
34. Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Astana Pro Team
35. Tanel Kangert (Est) Astana Pro Team
36. Tomasz Marczynski (Pol) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
37. Rudiger Selig (Ger) Katusha Team
38. Mathias Frank (Sui) BMC Racing Team
39. Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin – Sharp
40. Mads Christensen (Den) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank
41. Tom Jelte Slagter (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
42. Enrique Sanz (Esp) Movistar Team
43. Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
44. Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing Team
45. Mikael Cherel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
46. Tony Martin (Ger) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
47. Javier Iriarte (Esp) Movistar Team
48. Moreno Moser (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
49. Simon Clarke (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team
50. Benjamin King (USA) RadioShack-Nissan
51. Daniele Pietropolli (Ita) Lampre – ISD
52. Johan Vansummeren (Bel) Garmin – Sharp
53. Mikel Landa Meana (Esp) Euskaltel – Euskadi
54. Eros Capecchi (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
55. Thomas Dekker (Ned) Garmin – Sharp
56. Mehdi Sohrabi (IRI) Lotto Belisol Team
57. Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
58. Jussi Veikkanen (Fin) FDJ-Big Mat
59. Mikel Nieve Ituralde (Esp) Euskaltel – Euskadi
60. Mauro Da Dalto (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
61. Cristiano Salerno (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
62. Jesse Sergent (Nzl) RadioShack-Nissan
63. Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
64. Maciej Paterski (Pol) Liquigas-Cannondale
65. Anthony Geslin (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat
66. Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
67. Gorka Verdugo Marcotegui (Esp) Euskaltel – Euskadi
68. Juan Jose Cobo Acebo (Esp) Movistar Team
69. Dario Cataldo (Ita) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
70. Pablo Lastras Garcia (Esp) Movistar Team
71. Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Garmin – Sharp
72. Vladimir Gusev (Rus) Katusha Team
73. Ignatas Konovalovas (Ltu) Movistar Team
74. Juan Manuel Garate (Esp) Rabobank Cycling Team
75. José Ivan Gutierrez Palacios (Esp) Movistar Team
76. Timofey Kritskiy (Rus) Katusha Team
77. Danilo Wyss (Sui) BMC Racing Team
78. Manuele Mori (Ita) Lampre – ISD
79. Maxim Belkov (Rus) Katusha Team
80. Chris Butler (USA) Champion System Pro Cycling Team
81. George Bennett (Nzl) RadioShack-Nissan
82. Haimar Zubeldia Agirre (Esp) RadioShack-Nissan
82. Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat
84. Jos Van Emden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
85. Jesus Herrada Lopez (Esp) Movistar Team
86. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin – Sharp
87. Petr Ignatenko (Rus) Katusha Team
88. Gang Xu (Chn) Champion System Pro Cycling Team
89. Johnny Hoogerland (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
90. Salvatore Puccio (Ita) Sky Procycling
91. Christopher Sutton (Aus) Sky Procycling
92. Stephen Cummings (Gbr) BMC Racing Team
93. Igor Anton Hernandez (Esp) Euskaltel – Euskadi
94. Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana Pro Team
95. Gert Dockx (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team
96. Maxim Iglinskiy (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
97. Craig Lewis (USA) Champion System Pro Cycling Team
98. Anders Lund (Den) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank
99. Leigh Howard (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team
100. Luke Rowe (Gbr) Sky Procycling
101. Mikhail Ignatyev (Rus) Katusha Team
102. Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Garmin – Sharp
103. Hayden Roulston (Nzl) RadioShack-Nissan
104. Maarten Wynants (Bel) Rabobank Cycling Team
105. Sylvain Georges (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
106. Adam Hansen (Aus) Lotto Belisol Team
107. Kenny De Haes (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team
108. Manuele Boaro (Ita) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank
109. Daniele Ratto (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
110. Tiziano Dall’antonia (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
111. Jetse Bol (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:16
112. Davide Vigano (Ita) Lampre – ISD
113. Julien Vermote (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 0:19
114. Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:21
115. Maarten Neyens (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team
116. Morris Possoni (Ita) Lampre – ISD
117. Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team
118. Wesley Sulzberger (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team
119. Alex Dowsett (Gbr) Sky Procycling 0:24
120. Iljo Keisse (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 0:29
121. Frantisek Rabon (Cze) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
122. Adriano Malori (Ita) Lampre – ISD 0:52
123. Mitchell Docker (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team
124. Pim Ligthart (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team 1:00
125. Grega Bole (Slo) Lampre – ISD
126. Martin Kohler (Sui) BMC Racing Team
127. David Tanner (Aus) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank 1:19
128. Jaroslaw Marycz (Pol) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank
129. Kun Jiang (Chn) Champion System Pro Cycling Team 1:46
130. Davide Cimolai (Ita) Lampre – ISD 2:24
131. Joost Van Leijen (Ned) Lotto Belisol Team 2:35
132. Jérémy Roy (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat 3:30
133. Alex Howes (USA) Garmin – Sharp 4:04
134. Jan Bakelants (Bel) RadioShack-Nissan 4:22
135. Marco Bandiera (Ita) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
136. Biao Liu (Chn) Champion System Pro Cycling Team 5:32
137. Andy Schleck (Lux) RadioShack-Nissan 17:03

GC after Stage 4

1. Tony Martin (Ger) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 13:11:31
2. Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Astana Pro Team 0:40
3. Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin – Sharp 0:50
4. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky Procycling 0:52
5. Eros Capecchi (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
6. Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale 0:56
7. Tomasz Marczynski (Pol) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
8. Rafal Majka (Pol) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank
9. Rui Alberto Faria Da Costa (Por) Movistar Team 1:00
10. Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team
11. Ivan Velasco Murillo (Esp) Euskaltel – Euskadi
12. Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Esp) Euskaltel – Euskadi
13. Tanel Kangert (Est) Astana Pro Team
14. Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
15. Tom Jelte Slagter (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 1:05
16. Mathias Frank (Sui) BMC Racing Team 1:06
17. Simon Clarke (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team 1:09
18. Moreno Moser (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
19. Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 1:16
20. Haimar Zubeldia Agirre (Esp) RadioShack-Nissan 1:25
21. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin – Sharp 1:30
22. José Ivan Gutierrez Palacios (Esp) Movistar Team 2:28
23. Daniele Pietropolli (Ita) Lampre – ISD 3:06
24. Manuele Mori (Ita) Lampre – ISD 3:14
25. Stephen Cummings (Gbr) BMC Racing Team 3:15
26. Daniele Bennati (Ita) RadioShack-Nissan 3:24
27. Chris Butler (USA) Champion System Pro Cycling Team 3:31
28. Allan Davis (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team 3:32
29. Jussi Veikkanen (Fin) FDJ-Big Mat 3:42
30. Maciej Paterski (Pol) Liquigas-Cannondale 3:43
31. Pablo Lastras Garcia (Esp) Movistar Team 3:45
32. Igor Anton Hernandez (Esp) Euskaltel – Euskadi
33. Leigh Howard (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team 3:49
34. Ignatas Konovalovas (Ltu) Movistar Team 4:02
35. Vladimir Gusev (Rus) Katusha Team 4:25
36. Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing Team 4:31
37. Danilo Wyss (Sui) BMC Racing Team 4:34
38. Petr Ignatenko (Rus) Katusha Team
39. Adam Hansen (Aus) Lotto Belisol Team
40. Craig Lewis (USA) Champion System Pro Cycling Team 4:36
41. Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 5:01
42. Mikael Cherel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
43. Maxim Belkov (Rus) Katusha Team 5:37
44. Gorka Verdugo Marcotegui (Esp) Euskaltel – Euskadi 5:38
45. Salvatore Puccio (Ita) Sky Procycling 5:45
46. Jan Bakelants (Bel) RadioShack-Nissan 6:34
47. David Tanner (Aus) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank 6:44
48. Anthony Roux (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat 7:30
49. Jaroslaw Marycz (Pol) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank 8:40
50. Johnny Hoogerland (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team 8:52
51. Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana Pro Team 9:30
52. Juan Manuel Garate (Esp) Rabobank Cycling Team 9:35
53. Dario Cataldo (Ita) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 9:44
54. Valentin Iglinskiy (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 9:57
55. Peio Bilbao (Esp) Euskaltel – Euskadi 10:18
56. Javier Iriarte (Esp) Movistar Team 10:44
57. Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat 11:20
58. Christian Meier (Can) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team 11:38
59. Mikel Nieve Ituralde (Esp) Euskaltel – Euskadi 11:40
60. Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Garmin – Sharp
61. Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 12:33
62. Jesse Sergent (Nzl) RadioShack-Nissan 13:25
63. Mads Christensen (Den) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank 13:34
64. Hayden Roulston (Nzl) RadioShack-Nissan
65. Klaas Lodewyck (Bel) BMC Racing Team 13:35
66. Adriano Malori (Ita) Lampre – ISD 14:18
67. Juan Jose Cobo Acebo (Esp) Movistar Team 14:19
68. Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team 14:40
69. Dominique Rollin (Can) FDJ-Big Mat 14:42
70. Morris Possoni (Ita) Lampre – ISD 14:46
71. Pengda Jiao (Chn) Champion System Pro Cycling Team 14:51
72. Benjamin King (USA) RadioShack-Nissan 15:08
73. Sylvain Georges (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 15:09
74. George Bennett (Nzl) RadioShack-Nissan 15:59
75. Gang Xu (Chn) Champion System Pro Cycling Team 16:32
76. Mikhail Ignatyev (Rus) Katusha Team 17:19
77. Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Lampre – ISD 17:26
78. Alexey Tsatevich (Rus) Katusha Team 17:32
79. Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team 17:41
80. Gert Dockx (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team
81. Anthony Geslin (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat
82. Jérémy Roy (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat 17:44
83. Jos Van Emden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 17:50
84. Anders Lund (Den) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank
85. Wesley Sulzberger (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team 18:02
86. Johan Vansummeren (Bel) Garmin – Sharp 18:58
87. Marco Haller (Aut) Katusha Team 19:26
88. Kenny Robert Van Hummel (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team 19:52
89. Lloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
90. Aaron Kemps (Aus) Champion System Pro Cycling Team
91. Clinton Robert Avery (Nzl) Champion System Pro Cycling Team
92. Heinrich Haussler (Aus) Garmin – Sharp
93. Jesus Herrada Lopez (Esp) Movistar Team
94. Mehdi Sohrabi (IRI) Lotto Belisol Team 20:01
95. Maxim Iglinskiy (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
96. Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Garmin – Sharp 20:26
97. Pim Ligthart (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team 20:33
98. Julien Vermote (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 20:45
99. Kenny De Haes (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team 20:58
100. Martin Kohler (Sui) BMC Racing Team 21:01
101. Timofey Kritskiy (Rus) Katusha Team 21:45
102. Barry Markus (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team 21:48
103. Greg Henderson (Nzl) Lotto Belisol Team
104. Lucas Sebastian Haedo (Arg) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank
105. Enrique Sanz (Esp) Movistar Team
106. Rudiger Selig (Ger) Katusha Team
107. Tiziano Dall’antonia (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
108. Maarten Wynants (Bel) Rabobank Cycling Team 21:57
109. Luke Rowe (Gbr) Sky Procycling
110. Davide Vigano (Ita) Lampre – ISD 22:04
111. Cristiano Salerno (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 22:09
112. Alex Dowsett (Gbr) Sky Procycling 22:33
113. Mikel Landa Meana (Esp) Euskaltel – Euskadi 22:45
114. Grega Bole (Slo) Lampre – ISD 22:57
115. Mitchell Docker (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team 23:25
116. Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 23:42
117. Christopher Sutton (Aus) Sky Procycling 24:24
118. Mauro Da Dalto (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 24:33
119. Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Astana Pro Team
120. Maarten Neyens (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team 24:54
121. Thomas Dekker (Ned) Garmin – Sharp 25:08
122. Manuele Boaro (Ita) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank 25:34
123. Elia Viviani (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 25:53
124. Andrew Fenn (Gbr) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 26:01
125. Theo Bos (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 26:07
126. Francesco Chicchi (Ita) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
127. Alex Howes (USA) Garmin – Sharp 26:09
128. Jetse Bol (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 26:32
129. Joost Van Leijen (Ned) Lotto Belisol Team 26:59
130. Daniele Ratto (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 27:39
131. Davide Cimolai (Ita) Lampre – ISD 28:40
132. Frantisek Rabon (Cze) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 29:44
133. Iljo Keisse (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 30:41
134. Kun Jiang (Chn) Champion System Pro Cycling Team 34:35
135. Marco Bandiera (Ita) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 35:21
136. Biao Liu (Chn) Champion System Pro Cycling Team 39:24
137. Andy Schleck (Lux) RadioShack-Nissan 48:58





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