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."