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We stopped in at the Specialized booth located in the Lifestyle festival of the Tour of California to check in with Dave Finsthwait and talk to him about some exciting products coming out of Specialized based in Morgan Hill, CA. From the replica Bettini Tarmac SL2 to shoes, helmets, and optics.
Luciano Pagliarini (BRA), First Place, Stage 6
Saunier Duval-Scott
On his win:
“I am very happy for my win, but it is not as good, considering the circumstances. It is good for my overall standings. I am so sorry for (Mark) Cavendish. I know High Road must be very disappointed.”
On today’s race:
“There was a lot of confusion during last kilometer, but during the breakaway, it was easy because I had a teammate in the front. I was ready for the sprint. This win was good for us.”
On representing Brazil:
“I’m so happy for Brazil. We need to show the world that we play more than just soccer; I hope to show them at the Olympics. I carry the Brazilian flag with me because I am proud. Brazil has so many riders and teams, and we are starting to be noticed. This win was very important, not only for me, but my country.”
Levi Leipheimer (USA), General Classification Leader
Astana
On today’s race:
“It’s sweet to be near the prize, but it’s never over until we cross the finish line. I think today’s race went exactly how I imagined it. I was confident that (David) Millar would try to do something in the end. I tried to look for him; I had Chris (Horner) go up to the front to close the gap. It just shows how strong the team really is.”
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| Photo by Ken Conley |
Stage 3 Results:
First Place - Robert Gesink (NED), Rabobank
Second Place - Levi Leipheimer (USA), Astana
Third Place - Jurgen Vandewalle (BEL), QuickStep
Overall Results (General Classification):
First Place - Levi Leipheimer (USA), Astana
Second Place - Fabian Cancellara (ARG), Team CSC
Third Place - Robert Gesink (NED), Rabobank
Stay tuned, full stage recap and photo galleries to come.
Tyler Farrar (USA), General Classification Leader
Slipstream Chipotle Presented by H30
On today’s race:
“Today played out exactly how we hoped it would. We didn’t know what the breakaway situation would be, but we were lucky with the bonuses being late in the stage. The team was amazing today. They delivered me perfectly to every bonus sprint, which made my job really easy.”
On today’s win:
“This win probably tops any win I’ve ever had; it’s a pretty big deal for me. I’m ecstatic to be racing in America, and to be wearing the Amgen Leader Jersey is a big deal for me and for the team; everyone is really happy.”
On tomorrow’s race:
“Tomorrow will be a hard day with the mountain climbs, but we have a few riders who are well positioned. My hope is that I’ll be handing the Amgen Leader Jersey to one of my teammates tomorrow.”
On racing in the rain today:
“I actually don’t mind the rain. I generally excel in these types of conditions. You can’t dwell too much on what can happen; if you do that, you can’t do your job.”
On the level of competition in the race:
“If you look at the field of riders competing in the Amgen Tour of California, it just goes to show that this race is on par with the best races in the world. You can’t get any better than the riders we have here. It’s actually a bit surreal for me to be racing against some of the greatest athletes in cycling. Sometimes I have to pinch myself. To have guys of such high caliber backing me up is a huge encouragement. In particular, getting to race with Mario (Cipollini) is pretty cool. He was my hero when I was a kid, so it’s a little crazy.”
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| Photo by Ken Conley |
Officials Estimate 425,000 Fans Along the Course Over the First Three Days of the Race
SACRAMENTO, CA – The second stage of the 2008 Amgen Tour of California saw the emergence of a young star in Tyler Farrar (USA) of Slipstream Chipotle Presented by H30 and the return of old warrior in Mario Cipollini (ITA) of Rock Racing. But the wet and slippery streets of the State Capitol belonged to 2005 World Champion and Belgian superstar Tom Boonen (BEL) QuickStep, who claimed today’s stage victory. Stage 2, which took cyclists from Santa Rosa to Sacramento, finished in front of record crowds, taking the total attendance number for the first three days of the race to 425,000, with five days left to go. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger was on hand at the official post-race ceremonies to help award the jerseys.
“The Amgen Tour of California is a wonderful experience for California and is great for our tourism,” declared Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger after Stage 2, where he helped present leader jerseys. “The Amgen Tour of California showcases the state, which has some of the most beautiful places in the world. Thank you to the enthusiastic crowd for being here and being such great fans.”
Having spent most of the nearly 116-mile race chasing one rider, Scott Nydam (USA) of Team BMC, the field roared into Sacramento resigned to settle the matter in a bunch sprint. As the peloton poured around the final corner, Gerald Ciolek (GER) of High Road, wearing the Union Bank of California Best Young Rider Jersey, fired off the front and opened a massive gap. Reigning World Champion Paolo Bettini (ITA) of QuickStep charged after Ciolek with Boonen in tow. When Boonen finally broke loose, he focused on the legendary Cipollini, who came out of a three-year retirement to race for the American Rock Racing team.
“Racing in America seems less stressful; people approach the race differently,” said Boonen. “I think we’ll be coming back to the Amgen Tour of California for the next couple of years.”
Despite Boonen’s impressive win, it was U.S. riders Farrar and Nydam that took the limelight on today’s stage. Local rider Nydam, who lives in Santa Rosa, Calif., provided a bright spot on a rainy day for the enthusiastic fans who braved the weather to come out and cheer.
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