Stage 3 Results

1 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank                                      4.28.29 (36.94 km/h)
2 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana
3 Jurgen Vandewalle (Bel) Quick Step                                   0.19
4 Kevin Seeldraeyers (Bel) Quick Step
5 José Luis Rubiera Vigil (Spa) Astana
6 Thomas Peterson (USA) Slipstream Chipotle Presented by H30
7 Christopher Horner (USA) Astana
8 Mauricio Alberto Ardila Cano (Col) Rabobank
9 Alexandre Moos (Swi) BMC Racing Team
10 Victor Hugo Pena Grisales (Col) Rock Racing
11 Oliver Zaugg (Swi) Gerolsteiner
12 Christian Vande Velde (USA) Slipstream Chipotle Presented by H30
13 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team CSC
14 David Millar (GBr) Slipstream Chipotle Presented by H30
15 Gustav Larsson (Swe) Team CSC
16 David Zabriskie (USA) Slipstream Chipotle Presented by H30
17 Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Quick Step                                     4.20
18 Darren Lill (RSA) BMC Racing Team
19 Bernhard Kohl (Aut) Gerolsteiner
20 Benjamin Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling

(more…)

Photo by Tim De Waele

If one speaks to any young American-based cycling team which is about to race in a field heavily weighted with European Pro Tour teams, it would be likely that the team’s goal would be to finish well placed among the elite, international group. Indeed at the beginning of the Tour of California, Alex Moos represented the BMC racing team’s best chance at matching the Pro Tour teams over the week of racing.

Today’s Stage 3 from Modesto to San José posed the first substantial road block in every team’s path for classification success in the 2008 Tour of California. Overcoming the hilly challenges, Moos finished the stage in ninth place, only 20 seconds behind the stage winner. Team Manager, Gavin Chilcott was pleased with Moos’ performance today, and upbeat about his chances in the upcoming Time Trial, “It’s hard to predict just what we can expect from Alex and the time trial. We haven’t seen the revised course, but since a hill has been added to last year’s course, that should play to our advantage,” Chilcott said.

Alex, were you happy with your performance today?

Alexander Moos: Oh, well it was a very difficult day with several extremely challenging climbs. But the team had a strategy and for the most part, all went according to plan. With the climbs I just went all out, and held on for the finishing chase. I am very content with the stage result.

Do you feel you have a good chance to keep your position with the coming time trial?

AM: Well, we will have to see. It is not a specialty of mine and I have not had a chance to preview the new bits to the course. But I will do my best and hope that will be enough to keep me in contention.

Do you have your sights set on trying to win a particular stage this week?

AM: It is very difficult to predict. There are so many riders who also want to win here, and we are already half way through the event. One has always to believe that it will be possible, but we will see. On verra.

Ben Jacques-Maynes Keeps Company with Worlds Best Following Grueling Mountain Romp

BISSELL Pro Cycling’s Ben Jaques-Maynes showed again that his 2007 ‘coming out party’ was no fluke, keeping company again today in the front two groups with some of the world’s most accomplished cyclists. Jacques-Maynes finished 20th for the day and is ranked 16th on GC after Stage three. While BPC slipped a few places in the overall team GC after a tough day of climbing, they again held strong as the highest ranked US Continental team.

On a day that saw race leader Tyler Farrar abandon due to a stomach virus and saw five others DNF, the eight-man BISSELL Pro Cycling team made all three time cuts making it to the finish line in tact. Commented Director Sportiff Glen Mitchell, “We really didn’t want the guys to be completely blown apart after today’s stage as there are still four tough days ahead and we do intend to make our mark.” He added, “We didn’t want to strike all our matches too early and for that reason today was a complete success.”

Team Manager Mark Olson added, “These guys are definitely a solid group. They’re working really well together and they’re all feeling strong even after today’s showdown. We’re looking forward to the next few days.”

RANDOM TEAM NOTES: Team BISSELL’S Head Mechanic, Ben Oliver, is still recovering from an unforgiving virus but is miraculously managing to hang tough with the team. Making things easier on Ben was the simple fact that the team suffered zero mechanicals today.

The word on the street is that Tyler Farrar had the misfortune of spending some time in the Bissell Clean Sweep Wagon today. We have not been able to get a confirmation on that report, however,

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.

ROUTE DETAILS
Day: Wed., Feb 20
Start: Modesto
Finish: San José
Start Time: 10:00 AM
Miles: 102.7
End ETA: 1:49-2:52 PM

The riders are certain to remember the difficulty of the significantly revamped stage 3, which departs revitalized downtown Modesto migrating south through scenic California farmlands. After pedaling through Patterson, the peloton will be put under serious duress during a 26-mile section of climbs and descents traversing technical, twisty roads that travel past the pristine beauty of the Frank Raines Regional Park before facing the daunting climb to the 4360-foot summit of Mt. Hamilton, one of the highest peaks ever encountered in the Amgen Tour of California. With legs and lungs burning from being pushed to the limit, the racers will fearlessly let it rip down a fast descent before the road again tilts skyward on the epic ascent of Sierra Road, a climb that decisively shattered the peloton in last year’s race. Finally the riders will flock to the finish line in San Jose after a fast 18-mile run-in. Someone might not win the general classification on this day, but many hopefuls will lose hope of finishing high up in the overall standings if they don’t have a strong performance as some riders will lose heaps of time on the incessant hill assaults thrown at them during this stage.

(stage description courtesy of the official Amgen Tour of California website: http://www.amgentourofcalifornia.com/ )