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23.02.2007/ Tour of California: Paolo Bettini takes stage four, Tour of California
quotes, Bernhard Eisel gives T-Mobile first win of the season, Ruta Del Sol: Freire wins final stage and overall, Ullrich:
more speculation
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A Day in the Life of a Soigneur
Ullrich with Klöden and Kessler at Mallorca
New: Ullrich: More speculation - Puerto investigators accused of forgery
Tour of California: Bettini takes stage 4
Olympic and World Champion Paolo Bettini (ITA), riding for Quick Step-Innergetic, made cycling history when
he edged out T-Mobile Team's Gerald Ciolek (GER) in a dramatic photo finish to win Stage 4 of the 2007 Amgen Tour of California.
For the first time ever, a reigning Olympic and World Champion won a race held on U.S. soil.
"Day by day, I am discovering
California on this course and it is beautiful," said Bettini. "Here in California the courses are good for me. They are difficult,
but not too difficult... The fans here are incredible, just incredible."
Levi Leipheimer of the Discovery Channel Pro
Cycling Team finished the longest stage of the eight-day race, at 132.6 miles (213.4km), in 36th place, which was enough for
the Santa Rosa, Calif., resident to retain the overall leader jersey. "Today was the postcard of the Amgen Tour of California.
Riding down Highway 1 through Big Sur… pretty amazing, very beautiful," said Leipheimer following the stage.
Under
clear skies and roaring crowds who packed the finish in downtown San Luis Obispo, Bettini outsprinted T-Mobile's Gerald Ciolek
(GER) and Team CSC's Juan Jose "J.J." Haedo (ARG), who finished second and third respectively, to take his first stage win
in America.
The ride from Seaside to San Luis Obispo was punctuated by two brief rain showers and some of the most
striking scenery yet as the cyclists rode hard down the Highway 1 coastline. The average speed was 25.8 mph (41.5 kph), with
the leaders completing the course in 5:05:47.
Leipheimer, the overall leader since the Prologue in San Francisco, was
upbeat about keeping the Amgen Leader Jersey until the finish in Long Beach.
“I’m pretty confident. I
feel good. I feel like I'm the best rider in the race,” said Leipheimer at a post-race press conference.
After
a very active opening few miles today in which Colavita/Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light's Alejandro Acton (ARG) launched
repeated attacks, three riders broke away from the peloton after 18 miles, including Acton, T-Mobile's Aaron Olsen (USA) and
Health Net Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis' Kirk O’Bee (USA).
Credit Agricole's Christophe Laurent (FRA)
soon bridged the gap to join the breakaway and was followed two miles later by Navigators Insurance Cycling Team's Hilton
Clarke (AUS), San Luis Obispo hometown favorite Lucas Euser of Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle and Toyota-United Pro Cycling
Team's Sean Sullivan (AUS).
This group of seven stayed clear of the peloton until about ten miles from the finish.
Fulfilling his declaration to claim the California Travel and Tourism King of the Mountains (KOM) competition after an 80-mile
breakaway on Stage 2, Laurent pulled on the ‘sunshine jersey’ today as the race’s most consistent climber
after winning two of the three KOMs today. “The King of the Mountains Jersey was not in the front my mind before the
race, but it is always in the back of my mind. After the first day I had decided it would be my goal,” said Laurent
at the end of today’s stage.
In the Herbalife Sprint competition, Team CSC's J.J. Haedo (ARG) leapfrogged Rabobank's
Graeme Brown (AUS) to take the lead with 28 points. Predictor-Lotto's Matthew Lloyd (AUS) maintained his lead over Rabobank's
Robert Gesink (NED) as Union Bank's Best Young Rider by seven seconds.
Colavita/Sutter Home's Alejandro Acton (ARG)
was voted as the Adobe Most Aggressive Rider.
Results stage 4
1 Paolo Bettini (Ita) Quick Step
5.05.47
2 Gerald Ciolek (Ger) T-mobile
3 Juan José Haedo (Arg) Team CSC
4 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Credit Agricole
5 Graeme Brown (Aus) Rabobank
6 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Team CSC
7 Henk Vogels (Aus) Toyota United Pro
8 Robert Förster (Ger) Gerolsteiner
9 Mathew Hayman (Aus) Rabobank
10 Fred Rodriguez (USA) Predictor-Lotto
11 Luca Paolini (Ita) Liquigas
12 Alexander Candelario (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
13 Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Liquigas
14 Russell Downing (GBr) Health Net Presented By Maxxis
15 Viktar Rapinski (Blr) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team
16 Brice Jones (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
17 Jackson Stewart (USA) BMC
18 Josep Jufre Pou (Spa) Predictor-Lotto
19 Sergey Lagutin (Uzb) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team
20 Dimitri Fofonov (Kaz) Credit Agricole
21 Kyle Gritters (USA) Health Net Presented By Maxxis
22 Veleriy Kobzarenko (Ukr) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team
23 Mauricio Alberto Ardila Cano (Col) Rabobank
24 Antonio Cruz (USA) Discovery Channel
25 Nicolas Gates (Aus) Predictor-Lotto
General classification after stage 4
1 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Discovery Channel 17.52.12
2
Jens Voigt (Ger) Team CSC
0.03
3 Rory Sutherland (Aus) Health Net Presented By Maxxis
0.15
4 Christopher Horner (USA) Predictor-Lotto
0.16
5 Mauricio Alberto Ardila Cano (Col) Rabobank
0.17
6 Ben Day (Aus) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team
0.18
7 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Health Net Presented By Maxxis
0.19
8 Michael Rogers (Aus) T-mobile
9 Sergey Lagutin (Uzb) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team
0.20
10 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Team CSC
11 Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Liquigas
0.23
12 Veleriy Kobzarenko (Ukr) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team
13 Bobby Julich (USA) Team CSC
0.24
14 Christopher Baldwin (USA) Toyota United Pro
15 Kim Kirchen (Lux) T-mobile
0.25
16 Christian Vandevelde (USA) Team CSC
0.27
17 Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Liquigas
18 Danny Pate (USA) Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle
0.28
19 Matthew Lloyd (Aus) Predictor-Lotto
0.29
20 Jason McCartney (USA) Discovery Channel
21 Mads Kaggestad (Nor) Credit Agricole
22 Justin England (USA) Toyota United Pro
0.30
23 Anthony Colby (USA) Colavita Sutter Home
24 Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Gerolsteiner
0.31
25 Josep Jufre Pou (Spa) Predictor-Lotto
0.34
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| Paolo Bettini (picture : Cyclingheroes) |
Tour of California quotes
Levi Leipheimer (Discovery Channel)
In general
“We only had one shower. One shower in two years in the Amgen Tour of
California isn’t bad. Today was a stark contrast to yesterday’s stage, which was very aggressive and hyperactive
and smooth sailing for the Discovery Channel team.”
On the time trial
“I’ve
been thinking about it for a year, and I feel pretty confident. I’ve seen the course, I’ve worked a lot on my
time trialing, and I feel it’s a lot better. I feel like I’m the best rider in the race, and I’m going to
give it everything tomorrow.”
On the Amgen Tour of California
“I
think this race is great. It’s indescribable. Look, we have the world champion, Paolo Bettini winning here in San Luis
Obispo, Calif., in the Amgen Tour of California. It’s beautiful. We have an awesome field, all the riders are still
raving from last year, and they’ll be looking forward to 2008.
One step closer to
overall?
“I would have liked to get to the finish with a minute over that group, but from the sounds of
it they were pretty close to us. I’m a long way from the overall victory. I’ve always said I would love to win
here. I’m going to give it everything.”
Paolo Bettini (Quickstep)
Comparing the Amgen Tour of California to European racing and overall impressions of the race
“The
roads are all different, the landscape changes, but the riders and the competition are the same… Day by day, I am discovering
California on this course and it is beautiful… I am very happy to be here… Here in California the courses are
good for me. They are difficult, but not too difficult. The fans here are incredible, just incredible.”
On his win today
“Yesterday in the final part of the stage I was tested by the conditions,
but I saw I had some strength. Today was a very up day. To win the stage was very, very good.”
Christophe Laurent (Credit Agricole)
On taking over the lead
“I was third in the competition starting today’s stage,
and when I got into the break I realized I had a good chance… The King of the Mountains jersey was not in the front
my mind before the race, but it is always in the back of my mind. After the first day I had decided it would be my goal.”
On the race
“I am very impressed by the race and very, very impressed by the organization.
I have been really enjoying the spectator turnout, particularly on Stage One. I was impressed by how many people were on the
climb.”
Lucas Euser (Team Slipstream)
On finishing the stage in his hometown.
“Last year (when the Amgen Tour of California
finished here) I could read the signs with my name. Today I was a little bit cross-eyed coming into the finish. It was a long
day out there, and I was definitely not looking out for those. I was looking at the wheel in front., but it feels really good
knowing that there are a lot of people out there yelling my name, and I heard that. I know there’s a ton of support
out there -- a lot of my friends and close friends came to watch, and came up to me after the race and congratulated me. Everybody’d
watched it on the big screen. I could feel it out there.”
Bernhard Eisel gives T-Mobile first win of the season
Bernhard Eisel overjoyed after Algarve stage win: The Austrian celebrates not just his first win in magenta
colors, but also the first win of the season for the Bonn-based T-Mobile Team.
After covering the 177 km course from
Castro Marim to Tavira on Thursday's second stage in the Algarve, the 26-year-old T-Mobile newcomer beats Frenchman Jimmy
Casper (Unibet.com) and Fabrizio Guidi (Barloworld) in the mass sprint. David Kopp from Gerolsteiner was fourth. Sprinting
star Alessandro Petacchi takes sixth place.
In the general classification Eisel is now just three seconds behind Gert
Steegmans from Belgien (Quick Step), the winner of the first stage. "After the some good results in the first races it was
really just a matter of time when he would get our first podium win", said Sporting Manager Tristan Hoffman.
A mass
sprint had not been forecast: "If there's a possibility of a breakaway group escaping, we will try to have one of our riders
up with the leader", had been the Dutchman's final words before the race.
Hectic finale
The Milram team with Petacchi
was always at the back of his mind. But Milram didn't click together in this "hectic and daring finale" (Eisel). "Milram went
for it in the last curve, risking everything. Pettachi got caught along the way", explained Bernhard Eisel, and suddenly there
was a good ten meters between Petacchi and his team colleagues, he said. "This gap was never going to be closed".
The
T-Mobile pro grabbed his opportunity: "The finale was perfect for me", said Eisel. David Kopp "was the right person to support
him", he said. Then 200 meters before the finishing line he overtakes a Gerolsteiner sprinter giving him a clear path to victory.
Business
as usual for Eisel
Last year Eisel won the second stage in Portugal, one of four wins in the Algarve. "It appears to be
a really good patch for me", said the Austrian -- happy but starting to feel a bit of pain in his legs after the strenuous
ride.
There were two category 2 climbs (km 66 / km 121) on Thursday's stage with similar terrain to the previous day's
race.From Castro Marim the large peloton took off towards the coast and then made a loop inland before heading for the finale
on the Algarve. es im Finale zurück an die Algarve ging. Allerdings standen diesmal zwei Anstiege der dritten Kategorie an
(km 66 / km 121).
"We did have any flat the whole day", said Eisel. "It was just up and down the mountains. There was
practically no time to take a breather." The magenta team even had to cope with two crashes -- first Australian Scott Davis,
who injured his knee, and then sprinter André Korff who hurt his arm.
"Those were two nasty moments for us", said Tristan
Hoffman, who optimistic that the two injured cyclists will be back in the saddle again on Friday. "The vicotory will provided
the right motivation I'm sure. Anyway we Stefan Prettin with us, he's a good doctor."
The "roof" of the tour on Friday
On
Friday the peloton are faced with their next challenge -- a 208-km race, the longest in the five-day tour (UCI Category 2.1).
They start off from Lagoa and ride along the Algarve to Vila do Bispo, Europe's westernmost point, along the Atlantic coast
to Sao Teotonio in the North.
On their way back to the port city of Lagos the peloton will cross Monchique mountains.
The riders will reach a height of 880 meters (Climb cat. 2 / km 159) the summit of this year's tour.
Source: T-Mobile team
Ruta Del Sol: Freire wins final stage and overall
Oscar Freire again showed great form yesterday. The former world champion won the final stage and the general
classification of the Ruta Del Sol.
The last stage of Ruta del Sol linked Ecija to Antequera over a distance of 170 km with five 3rd category
hills.
The peloton exploded in the hilly terrain, and a group of 40 riders sprinted at Antequera for the stage win.
Oscar Freire was the fastes man of the leading group.
Results stage 5 Ruta Del Sol
1. Oscar Freire (Spa) Rabobank
2. Koldo Fernandez (Spa) Euskatel-Euskadi at 2"
3. Manuele Mori
(Ita) Saunier Duval
4. Francisco Ventoso (Spa) Saunier Duval
5. Tadej Valjavec (Slo) Lampre-Fondital
Final general classification Ruta Del Sol 2007
1. Oscar Freire (Spa) Rabobank
2. Dario Cioni (Ita) Predictor-Lotto at 1"
3. Tadej Valjavec (Slo)
Lampre-Fondital
4. Francisco Ventoso (Spa) Saunier Duval
5. Koldo Fernandez (Spa) Euskatel-Euskadi
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| Oscar Freire (picture: Cyclingheroes |
Ullrich: more speculation
As reported German media speculated on Wednesday that Jan Ullrich will announce his retirement at a press conference
on Monday February 26. But yesterday sportbild.de opened with the headline: "Ullrich is moving to Austria. The sensation is
complete!" and although some media published denials of Volksbank team manager Thomas Kofler yesterday, the story could be
true. Asked about the sportbild.de story, Kofler told Cyclingheroes this morning: "As Jan already announced we will know
more on Monday. It is no secret that we are in contact for a long time now. But nothing is signed yet."
More at:
Ullrich: More speculation - Puerto investigators accused of forgery
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