I caught up with some of the riders and Directeur Sportif at the start of the 2008 Tour of Missouri Stage 1 in St Joseph to get their thoughts on the race. Last year, a 20-rider break went up the road in the second stage, and that was it as far as the GC race with George Hincapie taking the overall win. I was curious to get opinions of the possibility of such a break making it again this year.

George Hincapie (Columbia)

About the competition. We don’t race in America that much and even the small teams have everything to prove and nothing to lose, it always more difficult in that sense, we don’t want to underestimate anybody.

About a break getting 15 minutes again and will Columbia chase a break. I doubt it, you never know. Probably.

Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Chipotle)

About the Tour of Missouri. The team plan is come to the finish unscathed today, all at the same time. I think it’s all going to come down to Wednesday. Columbia has a beautiful team here, they’ll be the major competitor for us.

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Making good on his promise to bring home his first American win, top sprinter Mark Cavendish (of Team Columbia surged pass the charging peloton in the final 200 meters to win stage one of the 2008 Tour of Missouri. Cavendish, an emerging international star with four stage wins at the 2008 Tour de France to his credit, finished ahead of Team Garmin-Chipotle H3O’s Tyler Farrar. Francesco Chicchi of Liquigas rounded out the podium in third.

“I was just there. I was on George’s (Hincapie) wheel and Toyota (United) got the jump in the last kilometer,” said Cavendish. “Tyler (Farrar) jumped at 200 meters and I just slotted on his wheel and that gave me an extra two seconds rest. It was just a case of kicking past him and crossing the line.”

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In a brand stinking new Stars & Stripes jersey, US Crit (and Road) Champion Brooke Miller (Tibco) won the bunch sprint at the inaugural Women’s Criterium at the Tour of Missouri. Erica Allar (Aaron’s) was second and Jen McRae (Advil/Chapstick) was third.

The field might have been small with only thirty-something riders at the start line, but the racing was big. In front of an enthusiastic crowds, the women put on a show for 55 minutes (+ 5 laps) in the Country Club Plaza, Kansas City’s premiere entertainment, shopping and dining destination.

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