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February 21/09 22:00 pm - Tour of California: Stage 7 photos and report


Posted by Editoress on 02/21/09
 

Our coverage of the Amgen Tour of California made possible with the support of Shimano

Photos

Stage 7 of the Amgen Tour of California worked out perfectly for race leader Levi Leipheimer and his Astana team. With a group of 10 up the road from 9 different teams being carefully monitored, there was little incentive for the other teams to put pressure on Astana, and they were able to set a steady tempo while conserving energy for tomorrow's final stage. Rinaldo Nocentini (Ag2r) gave his team their first win of the season in a three-up sprint against Hayden Roulston (Cervelo) and Pieter Weening (Rabobank).

The 43 kilometre stage meandered east out Santa Clarita before hitting the Millcreek climb which, at 1500 metres, is the second highest point of the race. From this point there was a long, fast and tricky descent into Pasadena, where the riders finished the stage with five laps of a 7.5 kilometre circuit around the Rose Bowl stadium.

The descent proved to be particularly treacherous, with Climber's Jersey holder Francisco Mancebo (Rock Racing) crashing hard, sustaining a concussion and possible broken bones, and abandoning the race. Jason McCartney (Saxo Bank) inherited the Jersey, and is unlikely to be challenged.

A second crash took down seven riders, including Svein Tuft (Garmin-Slipstream). Tuft was able to continue, and chased for the remainder of the race with team mate Trent Lowe and Tom Zirbel (Bissell), eventually finishing eight minutes down on the peloton. Tuft landed on his right shoulder and hip, but the team says that he should be fine to start the final stage.

The front group of ten - Nocentini, Roulston, Weening, Frank Schleck (Saxo Bank), Markus Zberg (BMC), George Hincapie (Team Columbia - High Road), Chris Baldwin (Rock Racing), Addy Engels (Quick Step), Martin Elmiger (Ag2r) and Christian Vande Velde (Garmin - Slipstream) - formed just before the feedzone, with Ag2r the only team to have more than one rider, a fact that worked to their advantage when the attacks started happening in the finishing circuit.

Coming into the finishing circuit the group had an advantage of three and a half minutes, putting both Schleck and Hincapie less than three minutes behind Leipheimer. This was a little too close for comfort, and Astana pulled them back to a more acceptable 2:19 by the finish.

By the second lap, when it looked like the break was going to stay clear, the former allies began attacking each other, with both Schleck and Hincapie particularly active. However, it was Roulston and Weening who finally managed to make a break stick on the final lap, joined by Nocentini. The rest of the chase couldn't get organized to begin with, letting the trio get a 15 second advantage, before pulling them back to seven seconds at the finish line.

Roulston and Weening both took turns trying to drop Nocentini - the best sprinter among the three - but to no avail. In the final 200 metres Roulston tried attacking down the left side, but Nocentini accelerated effortlessly to burn Weening off his wheel and claim the stage.

Race Notes

- The race lost nine more riders today, so the final stage will begin tomorrow with 97 on the start line. The 156 kilometre stage is likely to see considerable attrition, with four KoM climbs, including the highest ever included in the race, over Palomar Mountain at 1561.5 metres (5123 feet). The climb is 18.8 kilometres long with 21 switchbacks, and averages 7%. There was snow on the climb a week ago, but at this point it has been cleared and the climb will be included. Expect to see a number of last ditch efforts to put Astana and Leipheimer into difficulty, but most riders are acknowledging that Astana is the strongest team in the race, and should hold onto the lead.

- Rock Racing Team statement regarding Francesco Mancebo:
"Following his unfortunate crash during today's stage, Francisco Mancebo is currently receiving medical attention at Huntington Memorial hospital in Pasadena. While we are still awaiting confirmation, we believe he has suffered a concussion as well as a broken hand and elbow. The fact he is unable to continue the race does not in any way diminish his accomplishments or those of the team. Attrition took its toll and we lost two incredible riders in Paco today and Victor Hugo Pena after Stage 4, but that's bike racing. This is such an exciting team and I am incredibly proud of everything we've achieved this week."

Stage 7: Santa Clarita to Pasadena, 143 km
1 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale3:24:43
2 Hayden Roulston (NZl) Cervelo Test Team
3 Pieter Weening (Ned) Rabobankboth s.t.
4 Markus Zberg (Sui) BMC Racing Team0:07
5 Martin Elmiger (Sui) AG2R La Mondiale
6 Chris Baldwin (USA) Rock Racing
7 George Hincapie (USA) Team Columbia-Highroad
8 Frank Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank
9 Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin-Slipstream
10 Addy Engels (Ned) Quick Stepall s.t.
11 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Cervelo Test Team2:19
12 Pedro Horrillo Munoz (Esp) Rabobank
13 Nick Reistad (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
14 Kiel Reijnen (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
15 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank
16 Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Astana
17 Dominique Rollin (Can) Cervelo Test Team
18 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana
19 David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin-Slipstream
20 Thomas Danielson (USA) Garmin-Slipstream
21 Mathias Frank (Sui) BMC Racing Team
22 Steven Cozza (USA) Garmin-Slipstream
23 Jeremy Vennell (NZl) Bissell Pro Cycling
24 Daniel Oss (Ita) Liquigas
25 Jens Voigt (Ger) Team Saxo Bank
26 Glen Chadwick (NZl) Rock Racing
27 Timothy Johnson (USA) Ouch Presented By Maxxis
28 Freddy Rodriguez (USA) Rock Racing
29 Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin-Slipstream
30 Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
31 Enrique Gutierrez (Esp) Rock Racing
32 Jurgen van de Walle (Bel) Quick Step
33 Christopher Horner (USA) Astana
34 Thomas Lovkvist (Swe) Team Columbia-Highroad
35 Michael Barry (Can) Team Columbia-Highroad
36 Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step
37 Ben Day (Aus) Fly V Australia
38 Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank
39 Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank
40 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team Columbia-Highroad
41 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank
42 Kevin Seeldraeyers (Bel) Quick Step
43 Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Quick Step
44 Lance Armstrong (USA) Astana
45 Jeffry Louder (USA) BMC Racing Team
46 Michael Rogers (Aus) Team Columbia-Highroad
47 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Astana
48 Oscar Sevilla (Esp) Rock Racing
49 Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
50 Thomas Peterson (USA) Garmin-Slipstream
51 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas
52 Frank Pipp (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
53 Brian Vandborg (Den) Liquigas
54 Valeriy Kobzarenko (Ukr) Team Type 1
55 Karl Menzies (Aus) Ouch Presented By Maxxis
56 Alessandro Vanotti (Ita) Liquigas
57 Mauricio Ardila (Col) Rabobank
58 Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
59 Lucas Sebastian Haedo (Arg) Colavita/Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light
60 Matthew Wilson (Aus) Team Type 1
61 Bradley White (USA) Ouch Presented By Maxxis
62 Weert Kevin De (Bel) Quick Step
63 Gustav Larsson (Swe) Team Saxo Bank
64 Cameron Evans (Can) Ouch Presented By Maxxis
65 Adam Hansen (Aus) Team Columbia-Highroad
66 Alexandre Moos (Sui) BMC Racing Team
67 Floyd Landis (USA) Ouch Presented By Maxxis
68 Juan Jose Haedo (Arg) Team Saxo Bank
69 Brett Lancaster (Aus) Cervelo Test Team
70 Carlos Barredo (Esp) Quick Step
71 Rory Sutherland (Aus) Ouch Presented By Maxxis
72 Kjell Carlstrom (Fin) Liquigas
73 Marco Velo (Ita) Quick Step
74 Jonathan Patrick McCarty (USA) Ouch Presented By Maxxis
75 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Team Saxo Bank
76 Jason McCartney (USA) Team Saxo Bank
77 Inigo Cuesta Lopez de Castro (Esp) Cervelo Test Team
78 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank
79 Serge Pauwels (Bel) Cervelo Test Team
80 Christopher Jones (USA) Team Type 1
81 Jose Luis Rubiera (Esp) Astana
82 Carlos Sastre (Esp) Cervelo Test Teamall s.t.
83 Gregory Rast (Sui) Astana3:44
84 Steve Morabito (Sui) Astanas.t.
85 Bernard Van Ulden (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team16:06
86 Tyler Hamilton (USA) Rock Racing
87 Ian McKissick (USA) BMC Racing Team
88 Andy Guptill (USA) Colavita/Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light
89 Davide Frattini (Ita) Colavita/Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light
90 Tyler Wren (USA) Colavita/Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light
91 Aaron Olson (USA) Colavita/Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light
92 Robert Gunn (USA) Fly V Australia
93 Matthew Crane (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
94 Will Routley (Can) Jelly Belly Cycling Teamall s.t.
95 Svein Tuft (Can) Garmin-Slipstream8:09
96 Tom Zirbel (USA) Bissell Pro Cyclings.t.
97 Trent Lowe (Aus) Garmin-Slipstream8:10
DNF Mark Renshaw (Aus) Team Columbia-Highroad
DNF Francesco Chicchi (Ita) Liquigas
DNF Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Liquigas
DNF Stephane Goubert (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF Thomas Frei (Sui) BMC Racing Team
DNF Peter Latham (NZl) Bissell Pro Cycling
DNF Luis Romero Amaran (Cub) Colavita/Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light
DNF Phillip Gaimon (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
DNF Francisco Mancebo (Esp) Rock Racing
GC
1 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana27:39:02
2 David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin-Slipstreamat 0:36
3 Michael Rogers (Aus) Team Columbia-Highroad0:45
4 Jens Voigt (Ger) Team Saxo Bank1:10
5 Thomas Lovkvist (Swe) Team Columbia-Highroad1:29
6 Lance Armstrong (USA) Astana1:46
7 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank1:54
8 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Astana1:59
9 Christopher Horner (USA) Astana2:13
10 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas2:21
11 Thomas Danielson (USA) Garmin-Slipstream2:24
12 Jose Luis Rubiera (Esp) Astana2:48
13 Kevin Seeldraeyers (Bel) Quick Step2:57
14 Oscar Sevilla (Esp) Rock Racing3:37
15 Frank Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank4:09
16 Jurgen van de Walle (Bel) Quick Step4:15
17 George Hincapie (USA) Team Columbia-Highroad4:23
18 Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin-Slipstream5:01
19 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank5:44
20 Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank6:08
21 Hayden Roulston (NZl) Cervelo Test Team6:20
22 Gustav Larsson (Swe) Team Saxo Bank6:25
23 Inigo Cuesta Lopez de Castro (Esp) Cervelo Test Team6:56
24 Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell Pro Cyclings.t.
25 Carlos Barredo (Esp) Quick Step7:18
26 Enrique Gutierrez (Esp) Rock Racing7:55
27 Pieter Weening (Ned) Rabobanks.t.
28 Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Astana8:16
29 Thomas Peterson (USA) Garmin-Slipstream8:52
30 Martin Elmiger (Sui) AG2R La Mondiale9:17
31 Weert Kevin De (Bel) Quick Step9:56
32 Floyd Landis (USA) Ouch Presented By Maxxis10:26
33 Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale10:47
34 Dominique Rollin (Can) Cervelo Test Team11:14
35 Jeremy Vennell (NZl) Bissell Pro Cycling12:22
36 Frank Pipp (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling12:25
37 Steven Cozza (USA) Garmin-Slipstream13:04
38 Tom Zirbel (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling13:22
39 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Team Saxo Bank15:55
40 Jason McCartney (USA) Team Saxo Bank16:17
41 Glen Chadwick (NZl) Rock Racing18:44
42 Cameron Evans (Can) Ouch Presented By Maxxis19:04
43 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank19:12
44 Jonathan Patrick McCarty (USA) Ouch Presented By Maxxis19:22
45 Rory Sutherland (Aus) Ouch Presented By Maxxis20:11
46 Alexandre Moos (Sui) BMC Racing Team20:31
47 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale21:52
48 Ian McKissick (USA) BMC Racing Team22:19
49 Svein Tuft (Can) Garmin-Slipstream22:26
50 Markus Zberg (Sui) BMC Racing Team22:56
51 Valeriy Kobzarenko (Ukr) Team Type 123:46
52 Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step24:14
53 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Cervelo Test Team24:37
54 Timothy Johnson (USA) Ouch Presented By Maxxis26:05
55 Gregory Rast (Sui) Astana26:21
56 Addy Engels (Ned) Quick Step26:48
57 Will Routley (Can) Jelly Belly Cycling Team27:12
58 Mauricio Ardila (Col) Rabobank27:53
59 Lucas Sebastian Haedo (Arg) Colavita/Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light27:54
60 Matthew Wilson (Aus) Team Type 128:20
61 Steve Morabito (Sui) Astana28:52
62 Mathias Frank (Sui) BMC Racing Team28:54
63 Christopher Jones (USA) Team Type 129:03
64 Bradley White (USA) Ouch Presented By Maxxis29:17
65 Brian Vandborg (Den) Liquigas29:32
66 Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank30:41
67 Serge Pauwels (Bel) Cervelo Test Team31:21
68 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team Columbia-Highroad31:58
69 Chris Baldwin (USA) Rock Racing32:14
70 Michael Barry (Can) Team Columbia-Highroad32:29
71 Brett Lancaster (Aus) Cervelo Test Team32:46
72 Pedro Horrillo Munoz (Esp) Rabobank32:53
73 Nick Reistad (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team33:01
74 Davide Frattini (Ita) Colavita/Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light33:14
75 Juan Jose Haedo (Arg) Team Saxo Bank33:17
76 Marco Velo (Ita) Quick Step
77 Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale33:44
78 Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin-Slipstream33:46
79 Matthew Crane (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team34:39
80 Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Quick Step34:50
81 Kiel Reijnen (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team35:01
82 Kjell Carlstrom (Fin) Liquigas35:13
83 Ben Day (Aus) Fly V Australia36:16
84 Adam Hansen (Aus) Team Columbia-Highroad36:28
85 Jeffry Louder (USA) BMC Racing Team36:42
86 Carlos Sastre (Esp) Cervelo Test Team37:09
87 Karl Menzies (Aus) Ouch Presented By Maxxis37:28
88 Trent Lowe (Aus) Garmin-Slipstream37:42
89 Daniel Oss (Ita) Liquigas39:09
90 Tyler Wren (USA) Colavita/Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light39:24
91 Alessandro Vanotti (Ita) Liquigas41:58
92 Freddy Rodriguez (USA) Rock Racing42:12
93 Bernard Van Ulden (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team46:04
94 Aaron Olson (USA) Colavita/Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light46:52
95 Tyler Hamilton (USA) Rock Racing49:25
96 Robert Gunn (USA) Fly V Australia50:15
97 Andy Guptill (USA) Colavita/Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light55:15
Sprint GC
1 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team Columbia-Highroad36 pts
2 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Cervelo Test Team28
3 Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step24
4 Pieter Weening (Ned) Rabobank18
5 Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin-Slipstream16
6 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale15
7 Thomas Peterson (USA) Garmin-Slipstream15
8 Markus Zberg (Sui) BMC Racing Team15
9 Martin Elmiger (Sui) AG2R La Mondiale15
10 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana12
11 Jurgen van de Walle (Bel) Quick Step12
12 Hayden Roulston (NZl) Cervelo Test Team12
13 Lucas Sebastian Haedo (Arg) Colavita/Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light12
14 Michael Rogers (Aus) Team Columbia-Highroad11
15 Pedro Horrillo Munoz (Esp) Rabobank11
16 Freddy Rodriguez (USA) Rock Racing11
17 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas10
18 Juan Jose Haedo (Arg) Team Saxo Bank10
19 Christopher Horner (USA) Astana10
20 Kevin Seeldraeyers (Bel) Quick Step9
21 Jason McCartney (USA) Team Saxo Bank9
22 Oscar Sevilla (Esp) Rock Racing8
23 Cameron Evans (Can) Ouch Presented By Maxxis8
24 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Astana7
25 Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank7
26 Lance Armstrong (USA) Astana6
27 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank6
28 Serge Pauwels (Bel) Cervelo Test Team6
29 Tyler Hamilton (USA) Rock Racing6
30 Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Astana5
31 Brett Lancaster (Aus) Cervelo Test Team5
32 Chris Baldwin (USA) Rock Racing5
33 Carlos Barredo (Esp) Quick Step5
34 Jeffry Louder (USA) BMC Racing Team5
35 Brian Vandborg (Den) Liquigas5
36 George Hincapie (USA) Team Columbia-Highroad4
37 Thomas Danielson (USA) Garmin-Slipstream4
38 Frank Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank4
39 Addy Engels (Ned) Quick Step4
40 Valeriy Kobzarenko (Ukr) Team Type 14
41 Timothy Johnson (USA) Ouch Presented By Maxxis4
42 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank3
43 Bradley White (USA) Ouch Presented By Maxxis3
44 Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin-Slipstream2
45 David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin-Slipstream1
46 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank1
47 Karl Menzies (Aus) Ouch Presented By Maxxis1
48 Robert Gunn (USA) Fly V Australia1
Mountains GC
1 Jason McCartney (USA) Team Saxo Bank29 pts
2 Tyler Hamilton (USA) Rock Racing22
3 Serge Pauwels (Bel) Cervelo Test Team17
4 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank13
5 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana10
6 Timothy Johnson (USA) Ouch Presented By Maxxis10
7 Steven Cozza (USA) Garmin-Slipstream8
8 Bradley White (USA) Ouch Presented By Maxxis8
9 Brian Vandborg (Den) Liquigas8
10 Jeffry Louder (USA) BMC Racing Team8
11 Christopher Horner (USA) Astana7
12 Jose Luis Rubiera (Esp) Astana7
13 Carlos Barredo (Esp) Quick Step6
14 Valeriy Kobzarenko (Ukr) Team Type 16
15 Chris Baldwin (USA) Rock Racing6
16 Hayden Roulston (NZl) Cervelo Test Team5
17 Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling5
18 Thomas Peterson (USA) Garmin-Slipstream5
19 George Hincapie (USA) Team Columbia-Highroad4
20 Pieter Weening (Ned) Rabobank3
21 Lance Armstrong (USA) Astana2
22 Michael Barry (Can) Team Columbia-Highroad2
23 Thomas Lovkvist (Swe) Team Columbia-Highroad1
24 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas1
25 Frank Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank1
26 Glen Chadwick (NZl) Rock Racing1
Young Rider GC
1 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank27:40:56
2 Kevin Seeldraeyers (Bel) Quick Stepat 1:03
3 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank3:50
4 Thomas Peterson (USA) Garmin-Slipstream6:58
5 Steven Cozza (USA) Garmin-Slipstream11:10
6 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank17:18
7 Mathias Frank (Sui) BMC Racing Team27:00
8 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team Columbia-Highroad30:04
9 Matthew Crane (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team32:45
10 Kiel Reijnen (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team33:07
11 Daniel Oss (Ita) Liquigas37:15
Team GC
1 Astana83:00:53
2 Garmin-Slipstreamat 1:49
3 Team Saxo Bank2:20
4 Team Columbia-High Road2:46
5 Rabobank4:45
6 Quick Step7:18
7 Rock Racing7:54
8 Cervelo Test Team18:53
9 AG2R La Mondiale20:20
10 Bissell Pro Cycling21:57
11 BMC Racing Team24:20
12 Ouch Presented By Maxxis25:19
13 Liquigas29:26
14 Colavita/Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light1:09:04
15 Jelly Belly Cycling Team1:09:56
16 Team Type 11:11:57


 

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