Post Stage 7 Quotes - I don’t think this race has been given the credit it deserves. I personally that it has been world-class from the start in 2006
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| Photo by Ken Conley |
Rinaldo Nocentini (ITA), Stage 7 Winner
AG2R-La Mondiale
On the race overall:
“I have definitely been very impressed by the Amgen Tour of California. The mountains have been hard for me. I crashed on the second day and the rain has been hard, but I made good preparations, and for me, this victory was very, very important.”
On his team’s strategy today:
“We had two riders (of the 10) in the front group, so we are really happy how we played our tactics to our advantage. In the final sprint, I didn’t know the other two riders, but the way they played it was to my advantage. They set me up well for the finish that happened.”
“There was an initial attack by a Rabobank rider, but we worked together to keep the breakaway together in the last three kilometers. I was pretty confident I could win, but I didn’t know for sure. I’m very content with how it came out.”
“It was really just by chance we got two riders in there (in the top-10), but I’m happy it came out like that because it made the difference in the end.”
On his team overall:
“We are down to five riders. One guy had a knee problem coming into the race, but with five guys, we are still a good team and we are still ready to race.”
“This is our team’s first victory of the year, so we are happy about that. I’ve had other victories before, but I think the field is much better here, so looking back, I think this victory will be more important because all of the top riders are here.”
Christian Vande Velde (USA), Amgen’s Breakaway from Cancer™ Most Courageous Rider Jersey Leader
Garmin-Slipstream
On today’s race:
“Today was the same stage as last year so we knew the stage, but luckily it wasn’t the same weather. It was freezing cold last year, but this year it was beautiful, so we knew it was going to be aggressive. We just wanted to keep someone in the breakaway since we knew it was going to snap at one point.”
“It was a super hard race; it took almost 40 miles until the breakaway was established. It wasn’t fun getting into it, but once we got away, it was good. Then, when we came into the circuits, it was warm and the fans were unbelievable. Frank Schleck came up to me and said he had goose bumps because the crowd was so amazing. It was a neat feeling to race through a throng of fans. It was just like racing in any one of the big tours.”
On the race overall:
“Astana is a strong team, and they are doing good at controlling the race, but you saw a lot of aggressive racing today. Everyone is getting tired, but that’s what’s so great about cycling, nobody is just going to roll over and let them have it. It’s going to be a great race.”
On his loss of critical time on a previous stage:
“I think that was a blessing in disguise. Sometimes I ride above my level and then pay for it for days to come. My form isn’t as high as it has been in the past, but at the same time, the field is so much stronger. The race was harder, the course had more mountains and, unfortunately, the weather was horrible. It has been fun to support Dave (Zabriskie) and Tom (Peterson). Sometimes I’m more comfortable playing the supporting role; it’s natural for me to ride in support of my team. I know that it will come back to me.”
On the Amgen Tour of California:
“Every year they make comparisons, and I don’t think this race has been given the credit it deserves. I personally that it has been world-class from the start in 2006, so I’m sure what is needs to happen for it to become a great race because it already is. If you look at the top-60 general classification, the names that you see, even the guys in the groupetto, it’s amazing. I mean, you have the reining Tour de France champion, Carlos (Sastre) racing here. They take really good care of us in this race. There are great fans and great racing, so I’m not sure what else it can do to become a better race.”
Floyd Landis (USA), Inaugural Amgen Tour of California Winner
OUCH presented by Maxxis
On the Amgen Tour of California:
“I think every year since the first year in 2006, this race has grown. I’ve always been impressed with the dedication of the fans. It was hard for us to get motivated in the early part of the race when it was cold and raining, but the fans were still there and that helped boost morale. Thankfully the weather has gotten better, but it has still been a very difficult race. I’m hoping we can keep the momentum going. I think if the crowds were any indication today, people were happy to have the race come through Pasadena.”
On how he feels about his performance thus far:
“I haven’t raced in two and a half years, and it’s a difficult race, but we’re doing the best we can. I’m a little disappointed with how things have gone, but I’ve gotten through all of the obstacles. After I fell on my hip, I was fine and I haven’t had any problems as a result of that. After riding around in the rain and snow, you’re going to feel a little under the weather, but I don’t think it is any different than what everyone else is feeling. I think I feel about the same as everyone else.”
On his return to professional cycling:
“I’ve missed racing. It has been a large part of my life, and for the last few years I’ve been gone, so it feels good to be back. I’m really not sure what my long-term goals are at this point. Sometimes, when you are racing, your goals become very shortsighted, so hopefully after this race is over, I can reassess what I want.”
“I never really got into cycling because I wanted attention, I like cycling for the challenges and the experiences that I’ve had. It’s certainly touching to come out and have so many people cheering for not just me, but everyone. To see that in the U.S., and this close to home, is really satisfying.”
On how his hip feels:
“After my surgery, my hip is a lot less affected by temperature. Sometimes the pain would change with the pressure or the weather, but that’s gone now. I’m quite pleased that I can race now without having to think about that.”
On tomorrow’s stage, which includes a climb up Palomar Mountain:
“I’ve never really raced up it before. My experience usually involves a burrito at the bottom (laughing). I’m sure tomorrow will be much faster than I’ve rode it on my own, and there are a few climbs before Palomar. After a week-long stage race, a lot of guys are tired, so the peloton will probably split up easier. The climb is pretty consistent and it goes from a five or six percent grade to an eight percent grade. It’s as hard of a climb as you’ll find anywhere, especially at this stage in the race. Astana has been determined to control the race, and they’ve done a good job, but tomorrow will be difficult. It would be a risk for some guys to try and take the win, but if they have the position, they could do it; I know I would.”
On the possibility of a major attack during tomorrow’s stage:
“Tomorrow’s a good stage for that sort of thing. Hopefully you’ll get to see one; I wish somebody would try it. It’s very close in the general classification, so I would try to get some time back if I were in their shoes. Levi and his team are strong, but they’ve had a hard time controlling the whole race. Whether or not I’ll be there is hard to say. I know the streets pretty well, so we’ll see what happens.”
On tomorrow’s Cole Grade climb:
“When I thought about how the race was going to play out, I didn’t think it (Cole Grade) was going to be that much of a factor. But, the first couple of days, it wasn’t really easy for anybody to get away; it was rainy and the peloton was really split up. When everyone is that tired, and you come to a climb like that, it can do some damage. If somebody wants to get some time there, going full-speed, it’s a 10-minute climb, and after that, it’s a lot of rolling and downhill racing. If there’s a decisive place in the race where someone wants to make up time, that would be it. We’ll just have to wait and see how it plays out; we’ll have to see how the peloton looks when they start the climb. It’s the place to try something if you’re a general classification guy.”
Andrew Messick, President, AEG Sports
On the race overall:
“With eight days of exhilarating racing behind us, we are looking forward to watching the finale of the 2009 Amgen Tour of California unfold in San Diego County tomorrow. The world-class field of riders competing for the overall win will make for a very thrilling conclusion to the most important professional cycling race in the United States.”
Michael Ball, Owner, Rock Racking
On Francisco Mancebo’s condition:
“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 broken hand and elbow. The fact that he is unable to continue the race does not in any way diminish his accomplishments or those of his team. Attrition took its toll and we lost two incredible riders in Paco (Mancebo) 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 have achieved this week.”
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| Photo by Ken Conley |
Ivan Basso (ITA)
Liquigas
On sustaining an injury shortly before the individual time trial on Saturday, February 20:
“I apologize for not commenting sooner, but it was very difficult to communicate what happened yesterday quickly because I got hurt early in the morning. I had been training earlier and I hit my knee on the handlebar of my bike. I started to feel bad during the warm-up; I couldn’t push the pedal.”
“The medical staff was amazing. I had immediate attention yesterday, and they helped me last night and again this morning. I had an MRI to check on my knee and the doctor said that I could possibly do more damage if I continued to race, so it is best if I stop now. Small problems can sometimes turn into big problems, and as a cyclist, I need a clear mind to ride, and I just can’t continue knowing that I could do more damage. I have been given such great attention. I have raced many years as a professional and I can say that the level of the medical staff here is very high.”
“I am very sad to leave here because this is a fantastic race. I did some of my best riding in the first three or four days; I was riding really well in front. I knew I didn’t have the legs to win the race, but my intention was to do my best. I want to thank everyone, including the fans, for their support. For me, I really enjoyed the first part of the week. It is a very important race, but it’s impossible to compete in a race like this with only one good leg.”
“There is a really high level of competition and speed in this race, and you can’t race at only fifty percent. Also, continuing to race might make the injury worse, and in this race, there is really no time to recover. Every day there are sprint and King of the Mountain (KOM) competitions, and the level of competition here is really high. This is one of the best races in the world. All of the best riders are here, and even when people are only going at fifty percent, it’s still a fast race.”
“In the first couple of days, a lot of interesting things were happening; everyone was going full gas the whole time. But in this situation, I can’t continue. I am very sad and I promise to come again next year and do well. I have received so much support from the race staff, the fans, everyone.”
“Again, I want to say thank you to everyone for their support, and congratulations on such a great race. I also want to say thank you to my team and the sponsors for their support. It is a great feeling knowing everyone is there for me”
Luke Wilson, Actor and Ambassador for Stand Up To Cancer
“I’m in awe of the professional cyclists who are taking part in the Amgen Tour of California. Like in cycling, it takes a team to fight cancer, to raise money and raise awareness of the fact that we can make progress against cancer.”
