TdG Press Release - November 14, 2008 (Atlanta, GA) Following the conclusion of a very successful 2008 Tour de Georgia presented by AT&T, the Board of Directors of the Tour de Georgia Foundation, Inc., announced today their plans for the future of the Tour.
The Tour de Georgia will not be held next year, but the race's backers say it will be back in 2010. The race's board of directors announced Friday that they will use 2009 to "plan ahead and properly position" the race for 2010. "We believe that this unique and exciting event will endure," said Tom Saddlemire, a member of the board and recently retired CFO of GE Energy. The race backers said that by many measures the event has been wildly successful.
Final Overall 1. Kanstantsin Siutsou (Blr), Team High Road, 22.44'44" 2. Trent Lowe* (Aus), Slipstream-Chipotle, 0:04 3. Levi Leipheimer (USA), Astana, 0:14 4. Antonio Colom (Sp), Astana, 1:02 5. Inigo Cuesta (Sp), CSC, 1:11 6. Oscar Sevilla (Sp), Rock Racing, 1:25 7. Christian Vande Velde (USA), Slipstream-Chipotle, 1:32 8. Moises Aldape (MEX), TT1, 1:37 9. Rory Sutherland (Aus), Health Net Maxxis, 2:08 10. Bobby Julich (USA), CSC, 2:31 11. Rubiera Vigil José Luis (Sp), Astana, 2:39 12. Scott Nydam (USA), BMC, 2:49 13. George Hincapie (USA), Team High Road, 3:19
Coach Frank Overton has been keeping VeloNews.com readers up to speed on Health Net-Maxxis rider Frank Pipp's wattage output for the entire Tour de Georgia. On Sunday, Pipp finished off a successful week by riding stage 7 at 324 normalized watts or 86 percent of his threshold power for 2 hours and 19 minutes. "Considering how tired he was, 86 percent sometimes feels like 150 percent after over 900 kilometers racing," Overton said.
The final stage didn't bring any major changes to the standings, but it was still certainly fun to watch. Here are some photos of the 2008 Tour de Georgia finale from Casey Gibson.
Race starts at 1:00 p.m. ET
The 2008 Tour de Georgia couldn’t have ended better for Team High Road on Sunday, as Kiwi sprinter Greg Henderson won the final stage and Belarusian Kanstantin Sivtsov secured his overall race lead by four seconds ahead of Slipstream-Chipotle’s Trent Lowe.
Casey Gibson shares his images from an epic day that saw Kanstantin Sivtsov take a big win in front of the race favorites.
“In professional cycling, success is all about picking battles you can win," said Frank Overton, who coaches Health Net-Maxxis rider Frank Pipp, who is competing in the Tour de Georgia this week. On Saturday's stage 6, which ended with the brutal Brasstown Bald climb, the numbers don't lie, Overton said. "The men who can make greater than 6.3 watts/kg choose to come to the front of the race on the winner-take-all Brasstown Bald. They knew they could climb that fast and therefore they conserved their precious energy in four previous stages for one climb.
First of all, it's pronounced “Sweets-off.” If you can't get the last name, you can go with “Koste,” which is short for Kanstantin. But whatever you call him, Kanstantin Sivtsov left his stamp on American racing Saturday with a commanding win atop Brasstop Bald. The stage win, which also moved him into the leader's jersey by four seconds over Slipstream-Chipotle's Trent Lowe, has put him on the map for many cycling fans.
Race starts at 11:00 a.m. ET
And welcome to VeloNews.com's Live coverage of the 2008 Tour de Georgia.
Today's stage 6 is the one we've all been waiting for: the 88.4-mile charge from Blairsville to the top of Brasstown Bald, the highest point in Georgia.
Kanstantin Sivtsov (High Road) attacked Levi Leipheimer (Astana) and race leader Trent Lowe (Slipstream-Chipotle) in the final 500 meters to win the sixth stage of the Tour de Georgia and move into the overall lead on Saturday. Sivtsov, the under-23 world champion in 2005, started the day six seconds down on Lowe in eighth place, but well off most people’s radars.
At the Tour de Georgia, mechanics spent the night before Saturday’s decisive Brasstown Bald stage switching cassettes on wheels. In place of 10-speed units with a 21, 23 or 25 as the lowest gear, riders’ rear wheels for today have 26, 27 and even 28 teeth. Unfortunately for most riders, adding that metaphoric “extra gear” isn’t quite so easy — either you have it or you don’t to make it up Brasstown near the front. [nid:75387]
Race starts at 10:00 a.m. ET
Stage 5 is the longest stage of the 2008 Tour de Georgia. It will include three major climbs: Burnt Mountain, Woody Gap and Crown Mountain. The 133.4-mile route starts in Suwanee and passes through 10 counties before finishing in Dahlonega.
Frank Overton, who is Health Net-Maxxis rider Frank Pipp's coach, says he has a simple recipe if you want to duplicate the 4,520 kJ's that Pipp put out in Friday's 133-mile stage 5 of the Tour de Georgia.
After sitting behind a ProTour engine over 133 hilly miles, Bissell’s Richard England timed his sprint right to take stage 5 of the 2008 Tour de Georgia on Friday. Slipstream-Chipotle’s Trent Lowe finished in the select front group of 22 riders to take the yellow jersey from High Road’s Greg Henderson, who had a hard day and came off the group on the second KOM climb.
Stage 4's team time trial featured a short, hilly, twisty course. Although race officials banned the use of time trial bikes, disc wheels and aero helmets, equipment choice was still a factor. The teams used their standard road bikes, though many used the deepest-section wheels in their inventory. Race winner Slipstream-Chipotle pushed the limits the furthest, using deep section Zipp wheels and even trying to sneak aero helmet covers past the commissaires.
Starting the day one man down after Timmy Duggan’s frightful crash on Wednesday, an inspired Slipstream-Chipotle won the Tour de Georgia’s stage 4 team time trial Thursday at the Road Atlanta automotive raceway. Slipstream rode four laps of Road Atlanta’s rolling 2.5-mile racetrack in 19:36, 3.41 seconds faster than Astana, at an average speed of 29.14 miles per hour.
Health-Net-Maxxis rider has been front and center for this Tour de Georgia, grabbing the KOM lead on stage 1 and figuring in a long four-man breakaway on Wednesday's stage 3. Pipp's coach Frank Overton has been sharing Pipp's wattage readings and providing VeloNews readers with some analysis after every stage. He's tickled pink that Pipp has been playing such a central role in the race.
Casey Gibson was back at work during Stage 3 of the 2008 Tour de Georgia. Here's the action from his point of view.
Highroad’s Greg Henderson went pretty quick to win Wednesday’s stage 3 sprint — 81.3 kph to be exact; that’s more than 50 mph. We were able to take a look at the maximum values on Hendy’s SRM after the stage. Assuming he was putting out his hardest effort of the race in the final sprint it took 1250 watts to win.
J.J. Haedo isn’t the only rider toughing it out at this year’s Tour of Georgia. Team Type 1’s Matt Wilson, too, has a broken wrist and is racing in a soft cast. While pain isn’t too much of a problem, the cast on his right hand and wrist doesn’t allow him enough freedom of movement to easily operate his right Double Tap shifter.
After two slight misfires, High Road’s heavy artillery got its coordinates dialed Wednesday, firing Greg Henderson into the yellow jersey with an explosive win on stage 3 of the Tour de Georgia. Toyota-United’s Ivan Dominguez, winner of stage 1, lost the leader’s jersey when he came off the group in the hilly closing circuits of Gainesville.
Eyebrows, and a few voices, were raised at the conclusion of stage 2 of the Tour de Georgia Tuesday when race officials announced that they had awarded the day’s most aggressive rider prize to G.E.-Marco Polo’s Rhys Pollock rather than Toyota-United’s Justin England.
What kind of power did it take for Health Net-Maxxis rider Frank Pipp to win the KOM jersey in stage 2 of the Tour of Georgia? According to his coach, Frank Overton, it took 874 watts or 12.5 watts/kg for 30 seconds. "Pipp jumped 100 meters before a 90-degree left hand turn (12 secs @ 948w) then gave it full gas for 873 watts for the next 15 seconds, accelerating all the way to the line, " Overton said.
Our man on the ground, Casey Gibson, was following stage two of the 2008 Tour de Georgia. Here's what he saw.
You don’t need to tell J.J. Haedo to harden up — he’s tough enough; he’s racing in Georgia with a broken wrist. He’s got a little extra tape on his bars to soften the ride as well as on his wrist as a brace, but that’s it. He’s a tough guy. As for his bike, it’s a pretty standard issue. VeloNewsTechnical Editor Matt Pacocha checked it out Tuesday.
Domestic team Bissell opened up its caravan vehicle passenger seat to VeloNews during stage 2 of the Tour de Georgia. And with four and a half hours of racing, there was plenty of time for small talk with team director Glen Mitchell. Mitchell, a two-time member of New Zealand Olympic teams, spent much of his career riding for North American teams, including Navigators Insurance, Sierra Nevada and Priority Health, before retiring in 2006. Last year he took a position behind the wheel at Priority Health, which became Bissell in 2008.
Four weeks ago J.J. Haedo was out motorpacing in Girona when a dog darted in front of his friend’s motorcycle. The driver hit the brakes; Haedo hit the motorcycle and broke his hand. After an initial X-ray failed to reveal any breakage, Haedo continued to ride for a week, even starting Castilla y Leon. “I tried to race,” he said. “I did the prologue, but on the next day I had to pull out because there was too much pain.”
Today we have a 115.7-mile stage -- that's 186.2km for the rest of the world -- from Statesboro to Augusta. It's a fairly flat ride, although there are a few rollers, unlike yesterday's course, which was as flat as they come.
Today's only categorized climb, where the race's first KOM points will be rewarded, is on the finishing circuit in Augusta.
A tender hand didn’t slow CSC’s J.J. Haedo in the sprint finale of the second stage of the Tour de Georgia. Haedo took a convincing win in Augusta ahead of High Road’s Greg Henderson, stage 1 winner Ivan Dominguez (Toyota-United) and Tyler Farrar (Slipstream-Chipotle). Just a week out of a cast, Haedo is riding Georgia with his left hand heavily taped. Tuesday’s flat to rolling stage from Statesboro concluded after two, 5-mile laps of Augusta that ventured across the Savannah River into South Carolina.
Health Net-Maxxis rider Phil Zajicek was unable to return to racing that the Tour de Georgia this week because the UCI has yet to approve his use of the medications he takes to treat Crohn's disease. The medications that Zajicek is taking to help control his Crohn’s are approved for use outside of competition, according to his team. However, they require an exception from the UCI for in-competition use. His roster spot for the Tour de Georgia will be taken by veteran Kirk O’Bee.
A fast start to the 2008 Tour de Georgia saw Ivan Dominguez take the first stage sprint into Savannah. Casey Gibson was there to catch the riders en route.
One of the most interesting moments of the Tour de Georgia’s opening stage developed midway through the race, when two former overall winners, Chris Horner and Tom Danielson, jumped into a 13-man breakaway following the second intermediate sprint. Also in the breakaway were CSC’s Bobby Julich and Rock Racing’s Victor Hugo Peña. And while Horner is clearly in Georgia to ride for Astana team leader Levi Leipheimer, Danielson, who has been nursing a herniated L5 vertebra tracing back to the opening stage of the 2007 Vuelta España, entered the race as an unknown factor.
Ivan Dominguez won stage 1 of the 2008 Tour of Georgia on a unique bike, built with Fuji’s Aloha CF1 carbon fiber time-trial frame mated to the brand’s standard FC-330 road fork. VeloNews technical editor Matt Pacocha managed to check out the bike before Dominguez launched it to victory.
for live updates from the 2008 Tour de Georgia
to VeloNews.com's Live Coverage of the opening stage of the 2008 Tour de Georgia., from Tybee Island to Savannah.
The sixth Tour de Georgia began Monday with a short and — for Toyota-United — sweet stage from Tybee Island into Savannah. Ivan Dominguez battled his way through the well-orchestrated lead-outs of Gerolsteiner and High Road to take a commanding sprint win on the 70.4-mile flat stage ahead of Jelly Belly’s Nic Sanderson and Gerolsteiner’s Robert Förster.
This week coach Frank Overton will be analyzing the power readings from Health Net-Maxxis rider Frank Pipp, as he competes in the Tour de Georgia. VeloNews will be sharing Pipp's SRM power files and Overton's analysis after each stage. Those interested in seeing the complete power files can download them from Fascatcoaching.com. What follows is Overton's preview of the race. -- Editor
Racers, dignitaries and the media mingled on Sunday during the kickoff press conference for the 2008 Tour de Georgia, held at The Mulberry Inn in downtown Savannah. Our man Casey Gibson was there with cameras clicking; here's what he sent home.
Team Type 1 Sets Sights On A Stage Win In Georgia Tybee Island, Ga. — Team Type 1 brings an arsenal to the Tour de Georgia presented by AT&T that is equipped to deliver a stage win during the seven-day, 590-mile (949.5 km) race that begins Monday. Team Type 1’s roster for the race will be Emile Abraham (TRI), Moises Aldape (MEX), Fabio Calabria (AUS), Glen Chadwick (AUS), Chris Jones (USA), Valeriy Kobzarenko (UKR), Ian MacGregor (USA) and Matt Wilson (AUS).
With no individual time trial and a trip planned up the steep Brasstown Bald mountain, the seven-day 2008 Tour de Georgia presented by AT&T, appears to be a climber’s race. Odds-on race favorites include 2006 overall winner Tom Danielson (Slipstream-Chipotle), Astana’s U.S. national champion Levi Leipheimer and Rock Racing’s Spanish climbing sensation Oscar Sevilla.
Rock Racing team owner Michael Ball said Friday that his team earned an invite to the Tour de Georgia based on just one simple condition. "They said, 'can you conduct yourselves in a way that doesn't freak us out?' " Ball said in a conference call with reporters. He said that at Georgia he will not be accompanied by the Hollywood-style entourage that followed him at the Amgen Tour of California. He also said the team would not bring podium girl models to Georgia, although he said that's because the models were unavailable, not because of his promise to avoid freaking anyone out.
Click here for complete Tour de Georgia coverage Monday, April 21, stage 1 — The race will make its first ever visit to the seacoast when it starts at Tybee Island. The 71.8-mile stage passes through the coastal lowcountry, with several intermediate sprints before the finish in Savannah. The race has not visited the historic city since it hosted the prologue in 2003.
In addition to race reports, analysis and video clips from the start and finish of each stage, VeloNews.com will provide daily Live coverage from the Tour de Georgia. The Tour de Georgia Web site will host an Adobe Tour Tracker for live GPS tracking, standings, photo galleries, and chat during each stage. Additionally, video coverage will be webcast daily, on wcsn.com in the United States and cycling.tv outside the United States. Steve Schlanger and Nathan O'Neil will commentate the webcasts.
Click here for full Tour de Georgia Coverage Astana (Luxembourg) 2. Chris Horner (USA) 3. Levi Leipheimer (USA) 4. Antonio Colom (Sp) 5. Roman Kireyev (Kaz) 6. Michael Schar (Swi) 7. Aaron Kemps (Aus) 8. Andrey Mizurov (Kaz) 9. José Luis Rubiera (Sp) Team directors: Viatcheslav Ekimov, Alexandr Shefer Team CSC (Denmark) 11. Bobby Julich (USA) 12. Bradley McGee (Aus) 13. Iñigo Cuesta (Sp) 14. Jason McCartney (USA) 15. Anders Lund (Dk) 16. Juan Jose Haedo (Arg) 17. Lasse Bochman (Dk)
The line-up for the upcoming Tour de Georgia changed Tuesday when ProTour team Saunier Duval-Scott announced that it would not be able to attend the race. Replacing the Spanish ProTour team is domestic squad Rock Racing, which had filed a lawsuit last week seeking a court-ordered injunction to be invited to the race based on what the team said was an oral agreement with organizer Medalist Sports.
Organizers on Thursday announced the 15, 8-rider teams that will compete in next month's Tour de Georgia. A total of 120 professional cyclists will compete in the 600-mile, seven-day event to be held April 21-27. The final field:
Tour de Georgia organizers on Wednesday released details of one of the most anticipated stages at this year's race — stage 4's 10-mile team time trial, to be held at Road Atlanta, a race car track 50 miles outside Atlanta. At a media event at the track, race organizers spelled out the logistics for the event: four circuits on the hilly, 12-turn track for each 8-man team. Two teams will be on the track at at a time and the team's time will be taken from the fifth team member across the line.
With a surge in the number of teams requesting invitations to race in Georgia in April, the management company for the Tour de Georgia presented by AT&T, Medalist Sports, has announced the elite field of 15 teams. With eight riders on each team, a total of 120 professional cyclists will compete in the 600-mile, seven-day event (April 21-27, 2008), beginning just 31 days from today.
The Tour de Georgia is still hunting a title sponsor for 2008, but with five new host cities, a team time trial on Braselton’s Road Atlanta motorsports track and the enthusiastic backing of Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, race director Jim Birrell was optimistic on Wednesday as organizers announced the route for next year’s race. The 2008 race will include five new host cities and feature a team time trial on Braselton’s Road Atlanta speedway. “We’re in a much better situation than we were last year,” said Birrell of Medalist Sports during a press conference at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at
When Tom Danielson joined VeloNews for a cup of coffee in an Athens java shop on the Monday following the Tour de Georgia’s final stage, it was evident that he felt a touch of remorse over failing to repeat his 2005 victory. “I love Tour de Georgia and I love Georgia. Every time I come here I tell my wife, Kristen, ‘Man, we should get a house up here in the Brasstown area.’ It’s just so beautiful and the climbs are amazing and the pavement is nice,” said the 29-year-old Discovery Channel rider, who was in town for a fun ride out of The Hub bicycle shop. “I love to fish and I see these lakes
Final Overall Standings
1. Janez Brajkovic (SLO), Discovery Channel, 1058.9km in 25:26:33 (41.619kph)
2. Christian Vande Velde (USA) CSC, at 0:12
3. David Canada Gracia (Sp) Saunier Duval, at 3:04
4. Rubens Bertogliati (Swi) Saunier Duval, at 3:06
5. Kevin Seeldraeyers (B) Quick Step-Innergetic, at 4:22
6. Scott Nydam (USA) BMC, at 5:35
7. Jeff Louder (USA) Health Net Maxxis, at 6:00
8. Timothy Johnson (USA) Health Net Maxxis, at 6:59
9. Lucas Euser (USA) Slipstream-Chipotle, at 10:08
Discovery’s Janez Brajkovic cruised across the line at the end of the 66.8-mile circuit race that capped off the fifth edition of the Tour de Georgia, comfortably ensconced in the overall leader’s jersey as the sprinters in the peloton battled for the day’s stage honors and points.
It’s been a long dry spell for the man they call “Fast” Freddie Rodriguez. But on Saturday the American blazed back into the winner’s column, taking a blistering bunch sprint that concluded the Tour de Georgia’s stage 6 run from the Lake Lanier Islands to Stone Mountain Park. The win was Rodriguez’s first since stage 4 at this same race exactly a year ago to the day. The victory also moved the Predictor-Lotto rider out of a first place tie with Canadian Gord Fraser on the race’s all time stage wins list. Rodriguez now stands alone with four.
It was a long day in the saddle on the way to the Confederate Memorial at Stone Mountain, near Atlanta in Georgia. Our man Casey Gibson was, as always there from start to finish. Here's what he sent home.
Lest any doubt remain about Discovery Channel’s Tour de Georgia dominance after the team took the stage win and the race lead on Thursday, the team repeated the feat Friday atop Brasstown Bald. Storming away from the peloton on the heels of an all-day breakaway, Levi Leipheimer and then Tom Danielson roared up the mountain to finish one-two. And the mountain roared back. Throngs of fans created a wall of sound up the steepest parts of the hors categorie climb to Georgia’s highest point, Brasstown Bald, at 4784 feet.
While it was another Discovery Channel dominated day at the Tour de Georgia, Colavita-Sutter Home rider Anthony Colby earned a measure of respect for the domestic ranks Friday, placing third on stage 5’s run to the top of Brasstown Bald. The climbing specialist from Durango, Colorado, made it into the day’s prominent breakaway, then held his ground while the rest of that eight-rider move were pushed out of the top five. “Honestly, I did something different,” said the 28-year-old Colby who won a pair of collegiate mountain bike racing titles in 2003 before making his move to the road. “I
It was a tough day in the saddle on Brasstown Bald – not just for the racers, but for the shooters, like our man Casey Gibson, who once again was there from start to finish. Here's what he sent home.
The Discovery Channel juggernaut continued its rampage through the 2007 race season on Thursday, with American Levi Leipheimer taking victory in the Tour de Georgia’s stage 4 time trial, while teammate Janez Brajkovic moved into the overall race lead. Now, with massive climbing horsepower behind him in the form of Leipheimer and Tom Danielson, it’s all but assured that the lithe, 23-year-old Slovenian will be wearing yellow three days from now when this seven-day race finishes up in downtown Atlanta.
[nid:38252]Janez Brajkovic wasn’t even supposed to be at the Tour de Georgia. Originally the lithe Slovenian climber was slotted to race Pays Basque for Discovery Channel, while Tour de France veteran Jose Rubiera was coming to America.
After a frustrating finish to Monday’s opener, Toyota-United was rejoicing on Tuesday as Ivan Stevic sprinted to victory in stage 2 of the 2007 Tour de Georgia. J.J. Haedo (Team CSC) and Freddie Rodriguez (Predictor-Lotto) crossed second and third, while Daniele Contrini (Tinkoff Credit Systems) retained the leader’s jersey after a 135-mile day filled with crosswinds, crashes and a long, three-man break that wasn’t mopped until the peloton began marching on Rome. Complete results
Stage 2 of the Tour de Georgia was a long one, and Casey Gibson was there from start to finish. Here's a sampler of what he saw in the middle.
As the countdown to the fifth edition of the Tour de Georgia hit its final hours, riders in need of a one last spin had to endure a blustery, damp Sunday in Peachtree City. But Monday’s forecast calls for clearing skies and temperatures in mid 60s, good news considering that already the event’s team presentation had to be scrapped because of rain. They did manage to hold a pre-race conference Saturday, where a mix of media, VIPs and team officials were treated to video presentation featuring marquee moments from the race’s first four years. Highlights included Mario Cipollini strutting his
Daniele Contrini (Tinkoff Credit Systems) won stage 1 of the 2007 Tour de Georgia on Monday, leaping away from a breakaway to cross the line alone in downtown Macon. The 33-year-old Italian made his move during a series of finishing circuits, using a brick climb to spring away from Ben Day (Navigators Insurance), Doug Ollerenshaw (Health Net-Maxxis) and Mike Sayers (BMC) to win the 98.5-mile stage from Peachtree City to Macon. Full results
Tyler Hamilton’s long absence from top-level racing in the U.S. finally came to an end Monday during the first stage of the Tour de Georgia. Following a five-plus year absence from UCI racing in the States, the 36-year-old finished safely in the bunch (56th for the record) on the 98.5-mile run from Peachtree City to Macon. Afterwards, Hamilton, who recently finished a two-year ban for blood doping, said it was an extraordinary day for him. “It was really emotional seeing [Daniele] Contrini there at the finish line,” said Hamilton of his Tinkoff teammate who took the stage 1 victory. “It was
It’s hard to believe that a strike by firefighters and security personnel on another continent could be mucking up race director Jim Birrell’s day. But that was just the case Friday — the 13th — as Birrell worked from his office, dealing with the final i’s and t’s ahead of Monday's start of the Tour de Georgia. A 10-hour work stoppage at the Brussels International Airport forced the delay or cancellation of almost every arriving and departing flight Friday. That meant major headaches for holiday travelers, and scrambled plans for members of the CSC, Quick Step-Innergetic and
Tour de Georgia organizers unveiled the 2007 route, which will include a time trial to the top of Lookout Mountain, a stage ending in Stone Mountain Park and the finish at Centennial Olympic Park. The 965.6-kilometer event, announced Tuesday, will begin April 16 in the Atlanta suburb of Peachtree City. Expanding from six to seven days, the race finishes April 22 at the downtown Atlanta park built for the 1996 Olympics. It is uncertain whether defending champion Floyd Landis will participate. He failed a drug test after winning the Tour de France, but denied any wrongdoing and will go before
Final Overall 1. Floyd Landis (USA), Phonak, 24:00:54 2. Thomas Danielson (USA), Discovery Channel Pro Cycling, 00:04 3. Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr), Discovery Channel Pro Cycling, 01:55 4. Gutierrez Cataluna José Enrique (Sp), Phonak, 02:11 5. Janez Brajkovic (SLO), Discovery Channel Pro Cycling, 02:15 6. David Zabriskie (USA), CSC, 02:31 7. Nathan O'Neill (Aus), Health Net Maxxis, 03:45 8. Marco Pinotti (I), Saunier Duval, 03:54 9. Christopher Baldwin (USA), Toyota-United, 04:01 10. Augusto Cesar Augusto (Col), Navigators Insurance, 04:20
Chalk one up for the little guys. Following a five-day shutout in which domestic teams failed to win a single stage and only managed two top-three finishes against their ProTour foes, Toyota-United speedster Juan Jose Haedo earned a measure of redemption for the U.S.-based squads at the Ford Tour de Georgia, taking a bunch-sprint win on the final day of racing. The Argentine finished half a bike length ahead of Canadian Gord Fraser (Health Net-Maxxis), with Phonak’s Aurelien Clerc third at the finish of Sunday’s 118.2-mile stage from Cumming to Alpharetta.
The amazing spring run of Floyd Landis continued on Saturday, as the American stared down a stiff challenge from Tom Danielson and the Discovery Channel team during the brutal Stage 5 climb up Brasstown Bald at the 2006 Ford Tour de Georgia.
Fred Rodriguez must like it in Dahlonega. For the second time in thefour-year history of the Tour de Georgia, the American speedstersprinted to a stage win in this small college town at the base of theBlue Ridge Mountains. Rodriguez burst across the line ahead of Italian Matteo Tosatto (QuickStep-Innergetic) and Discovery’s Yaroslav Popovych to grab victory inthe 118.9-mile stage that begin in Dalton.
For the second time in two years the battle for supremacy at the Tour de Georgia is setting up as a showdown between Americans Floyd Landis and Tom Danielson after they vaulted into the top two places in the overall standings by finishing 1-2 in the Stage 3 individual time trial on Thursday.
Yaroslav Popovych sure knows how to impress the boss. With Discovery Channel’s Lance Armstrong looking on for the first time here in Georgia, the rising star from the Ukraine made a late-race escape to win Stage 2 of the 2006 Ford Tour de Georgia on Wednesday.
Check out all the videos from the Tour de Georgia. Exclusive race highlights and interviews. Check out https://www.velonews.com/vntv/
The U.S. Postal Service ain't got nothin' on Casey Gibson when it comes to the "neither rain nor . . . " bit. He was out there on a rainy day in Georgia, bringing it all back home to you. Here it is.
Like a good real-estate agent, Lars Michaelsen knows that location is everything – especially when it comes to the waning moments of a bunch sprint. While some of the race's top sprinters were missing from the end game, the longtime CSC pro outgunned American Fred Rodriguez (Davitamon-Lotto) and Aussie Caleb Manion (Jelly Belly) on Tuesday to win the 128.9-mile gallop from Augusta to Macon on day one of the 2006 Ford Tour de Georgia.
Final overall standings
1. Tom Danielson (USA) Discovery Channel 26:53:44
2. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Gerolsteiner at 4sec
3. Floyd Landis (USA) Phonak 9sec
4. Bobby Julich (USA) Team CSC 1min 10sec
5. Lance Armstrong (USA) Discovery Channel 1min 41sec
6. David Zabriskie (USA) Team CSC 3min 4sec
7. Marco Pinotti (ITA) Prodir-Saunier Duval 3min 11sec
8. Nathan O'Neill (AUS) Navigators Insurance 3min 14sec
9. Michael Blaudzun (DEN) Team CSC 3min 51sec
10. Jose Azevedo (POR) Discovery Channel 3min 58sec
Tom Danielson isn't all that interested in hearing the talk, but it is the inevitability that every great up and coming athlete must face. Following his overall victory at the 2005 Dodge Tour de Georgia, the young American cyclist who can climb and time trial with the best of them, must endure the reality that will come with riding for a Discovery Channel team that is about to lose its No. 1 rider. Whether Danielson likes it or not, the comparisons to Lance Armstrong begin now.
[nid:30845]On a day of high drama, riveting plot twists and an outcome that was literally undecided until the last second, the most telling moment may well have come during the ascent of the category 1 Hogpen Gap climb, 96 miles into stage 5 of the Dodge Tour de Georgia. It was there that the world’s most famous bike racer went to the front of a four-rider break and started hammering away for one of his teammates, American Tom Danielson.
It was a long day in the saddle at Brasstown Bald, and not just for the riders. We asked ace shooter Casey Gibson if he'd stick around a little longer than usual to provide us with a photo gallery, and he indulged us. Here's what he sent .