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Tour de France stage 2: Hushovd gets the win
Thor Hushovd (Crédit Agricole) shot out of a chaotic bunch dash to win stage 2 of the 2008 Tour de France on Sunday. Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d’Epargne) finished safely near the front of the peloton to retain the overall lead. “Yesterday was not a great finish for me,” said Hushovd. “I felt stronger today in the final today. I like Brittany; it's a bit like Norway, always windy and rainy. Maybe I'm not a pure sprinter like Mark Cavendish, but after some hard climbs like today, I usually have some strength left, so maybe that's why I was able to win today."
Hekman, McCaughey win Iron Hill Twilight Criterium
Toshiba-Santo strongman Mark Hekman showed the form he displayed in 2007 by winning Saturday’s fourth annual Iron Hill Twilight Criterium in West Chester, Pennsylvania. Hekman, who held the lead in the 2007 USA CRITS Series until a crash at Downers Grove ended his pursuit of the title, lapped this year’s Iron Hill field with 20 laps remaining in the 60-lap event, run on a 1km course. “I got away on the 10th lap and just crushed it." Hekman said. "This is a really technical course with the hill on the back side and I thought I was going to die.”
It’s the wind (and the hill), stupid!
Anyone who follows American politics knows that in the build-up to the 1992 presidential elections, Arkansas governor Bill Clinton had the message “It’s the economy, stupid!” pinned to a wall in his campaign headquarters. By keeping that mantra in mind, Clinton came from behind to win the Democratic nomination, and then the Presidency. In these opening days of the 2008 Tour de France, the message to would-be winners is: “It’s the wind, stupid!”
A violent rain storm forced officials to stop the Tour of Austria prologue mid-race on Sunday
A violent thunderstorm forced officials to cancel the prologue of the Tour of Austria on Sunday. Officials decided to stop the race soon after Quick Step's Tom Boonen finished his effort on the 1.5km prologue course in Chisua. Boonen is competing in Austria after Tour de France organizers barred him from competing in the Tour because of a recent out-of-competition positive test for cocaine.
Andrew Hood’s Tour de France Notebook, stage 2
A SECOND IS A MILE: Alejandro Valverde’s one-second grip on the yellow jersey might seem slim, but it should keep him in the maillot jaune going into Tuesday’s first time trial. Because the Tour eliminated time bonuses in this year’s race, Valverde simply had to follow the wheels in Sunday’s rush to the line into Saint-Brieuc. Monday’s easier profile should assure another bunch sprint and another day in yellow for Valverde.
Will Frischkorn’s Tour de France diary, stage 2
This part of France, Brittany, is a cycling-mad area. I could write again about the crowds, as they were just as impressive as yesterday, if not more so, and still blowing my mind.
Tour de France leader Alejandro Valverde’s custom Pinarello Prince
When Caisse D’Epargne superstar Alejandro Valverde stormed past Columbia’s Kim Kircken in the last 200 meters of the opening stage of the 2008 Tour de France he did it on a brand new bike. The winning bike wasn’t new in the sense of a new design — it is the same bike as his teammates ride, a Pinarello Prince — but it was new to Valverde. In fact, it was his first ride on the new bike.
Stage 2, by the numbers
Stage 2, Auray to Saint-Brieuc, 164.5km
Speed 43.7 kmh (27.2 mph) Weather Mostly cloudy skies, strong southwest, westerly winds, gusts up to 60kph, intermittent showers, highs in mid-70s. Stage winner Thor Hushovd (Credit Agricole) made up for the absence of an opening prologue thanks to a great lead-out from Mark Crenshaw. The Thunder God held off the fast-charging Columbia duo of Kim Kirchen and Gerald Ciolek to claim his sixth Tour victory in six Tour starts.How do Tour de France teams deal with rainy stages?
The first four stages of this year’s Tour take place on the windy, often rain-soaked roads of [nid:79435]northwestern France. The riders don’t truly escape it until the first time trial in Cholet. Because of the conditions, many teams, or individual riders, take special measures to ensure their safety and ability to perform in the less than perfect weather on less than perfect roads. [nid:79433]
Lalonde brothers dominate WORS
Jesse Lalonde (Gary Fisher 29er/BKB/T6) and Abigail Strigel (Polska/Fond du Lac Cyclery) won the Chippewa Valley Firecracker on Sunday. The race at Eau Claire’s Lowes Creek Park was the sixth event of the Wisconsin Off Road Series. Lalonde held off his teammate and brother Marko Lalonde to take the Elite Men's win. The brothers, each on singlespeeds, were followed by Mike Phillips (Adventure 212 / Specialized).
U.S. Road Nationals Schedule released
The 2008 USA Cycling U.S. Elite, U-23, and Junior National Championships of Road Cycling will host over 1500 participants in the disciplines of the Time Trial, Road Cycling and the Criterium, August 5 – 10, 2008hr. This event will bring together the top cycling talent from coast to coast, as well as the nation’s best future prospects. Additionally, we are proud to showcase Orange County for our event, and invite you to be a part of this exciting cycling adventure that will attract more than 10,000 spectators and participants.
2008 Tour de France, Stage 2: Live Updates
- 01:02 PM: Good day and welcome
to VeloNews.com's Live Coverage of the second stage of the 95th edition of the Tour de France, covering 164.5km from Auray to St. Brieuc.
A conversation with Greg LeMond at the Tour on Sunday
American legend Greg LeMond believes there have been enough positive changes in cycling that he can believe in the winner of the Tour de France. LeMond, 47, returned to the Tour this week for the first since the late 1990s, when he become so disillusioned with cycling’s doping problems that he refused to even attend the race that he won three times.