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Tour of Georgia - 2.3
Georgia, USA, April 20-25, 2004
Main Page Live report Results Next stage
Stage 1 : April 20 - Macon - Macon, 132.2 km
Fraser flashes to win in Macon
By Tim Maloney in Macon, Georgia
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On a hot, muggy late spring day, 35 year old Canadian sprinter Gord "Flash Gordon" Fraser (Health Net) rocketed to victory on Macon's Cherry Street, proving that an old dog can still ride to victory when the moment presents. Although many thought super sprinter Mario Cipollini (Domina Vacanze) would be the man to beat in Macon, Fraser's criterium expertise gave him the decisive advantage on the four 3.4km finishing circuits. With Canadian Olympic selector Pierre Hutesbaut looking on, Fraser bested Cuban Ivan Dominguez (Colavita) and Jens Voigt in the mad dash to the line this afternoon.
"This bodes well for me," said Fraser. "To beat one of the top sprinters in the world [Cipollini] is great." Fraser also spoke of his Olympic ambitions for Athens, where the speedy Canadian may be a contender on the hot, urban streets next August. With his one second intermediate sprint bonus points and a ten second bonus at the line, Fraser is now atop the general classification at the Dodge Tour de Georgia.
Just behind Fraser in today's rush to the line was Cuban missile Dominguez. "I'm happy with the way things went today; I was just behind Gord, but he was too fast today," said Dominguez. Dominguez was happy to have finished ahead of Cipo as well, but seemed a little perplexed at what happened to the Domina man. "[Cipo] was there for the first two laps, but I didn't see him at the end."
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Third on the stage was CSC's multi-purpose German Jens Voigt, who isn't usually known as a sprinter. "On my old team [Credit Agricole] we had two good sprinters [O'Grady and Hushhovd] but at CSC we really don't have a specialist," Voigt said. "I can sprint a little too; I can climb and time-trial... like a multi-purpose rider. Already this year at Majorca, I was getting some good top ten finishes."
Voigt's four second time bonus puts the powerhouse German in a great position for Thursday's time trial, where he may be able to ride behind Armstrong's split times. "Today I'm happy that I was able to gain four seconds on Lance; it's better that way from having to get the time back from him!" As for Armstrong, the 132km stage was his first competition in three weeks. "Everything went well today and it's nice to be racing in the States again," he said. "I feel strong and everything is on course for me."
How it unfolded
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Starting in Macon at 12:30, the peloton rolled due east out of town across the Ocmulgee River. It was like the first day of summer; hot and muggy, so the peloton took it easy for a while until the attacks started a few kilometers out of town. After move by Chris Horner (Webcor Builders) was quickly covered, Ofoto's Tim Larkin made a counter-move after 10km, and was joined by Marc Hagenlocher (Webcor). On the hot afternoon across the verdant heart of Georgia, the duo were not pursued and at the Millidgeville sprint after 57km, the time gap was almost eight minutes. Larkin took the three second bonus and was virtual race leader, while Fraser took the sprint for third and a one second bonus.
After the feed zone on the other side of Millidgeville, Domina Vacanze hit the front and were joined by Landbouwkrediet-Colnago and Health Net in the chase across the wide-open central Georgia rollers. Just outside Macon with 20km to go, Larkin and Hagenlocher were brought to heel and it was showtime as the peloton hit downtown Macon for almost four laps of the tough 3.4km finishing circuit. After a few tentative moves by Trent Klasna (Sierra Nevada), Mikhail Timochine (Landbouwkrediet-Colnago) and Juan Jose Cobo (Saeco/Saunier Duval-Prodir), Eric Wohlberg (Sierra Nevada) made a gutsy last-lap move on the brick climb of High Street. Wohlberg's attack blew things apart and cooked Cipo and company, who were just not used to the American style criterium finishing circuits.
Stage 2 - April 21: Thomaston-Columbus, 189km
This stage heads west from Thomaston across the red clay and pine festooned rollers of western Georgia, passing through Warm Springs and Callaway Gardens before running south to Columbus. With one sprint and two KOM's on the stage, plus three 3.4km finishing circuits on the bumpy bricks of downtown Columbus, Stage 2 could be another good day for a mass sprint finish, but watch enterprising attackers like Colnago's Ludo Capelle to try and get away.
Photography
Images by Jon Devich/Cyclingnews.com/www.epicimages.us
- Jacky Durand looking happy to be racing stateside.
- Sprinter extraordinaire Mario Cipollini takes to the start line in Macon.
- The streets were full at the line-up in Macon.
- Young Lance fans were out to cheer on their favorite guy.
- Riders leave the start line.
- Breakaway riders Marc Hagenlocher and Tim Larkin on their way back into town.
- Landbouwkrediet-Colnago riders come to the front to chase the two away.
- Team Health Net rides safely in the bunch before winding it up for the win.
- The bunch meanders through the very green Georgia countryside.
- Gord Fraser pulls ahead of Ivan Dominguez to take the win with 100 meters still to go.
Images by Mark Zalewski/Cyclingnews.com
- David Clinger's new carbon and E5 Aerotec aluminium Specialized Tarmac - just delivered today!
- The Lion King rolls into Macon to excited crowds.
- The man of the hour then arrives and the crowd goes wild.
- George Hincapie had a strong spring campaign. Can he translate that in the warm Georgia weather?
- Mario Cipollini waits to be called up to the front of the start as a few American domestic riders try not to look nervous.
- A local cancer survivor was invited to start today's stage. Here he meets and shares a few words with his hero.
- The Navigator's mechanic makes some unorthodox adjustments to Chris Baldwin¹s time trial brake levers - every gram shaved helps.
- Local Bobby Julich supporters pulled out all the stops in supporting their favorite rider.
- Everyone was asking, "Where's Lance?" Here he is, riding next to eventual second-place finisher Ivan Dominguez (Colavita-Bolla). When asked by a non-cycling journalist if he was worried about Lance in the finish, he simply replied, "I don't care about him." (meaning he knew th
- Rounding the corner for the first of three laps around downtown Macon, the pack remained tightly bunched.
- This unlucky rider flatted with one lap to go, but was able to get a quick change thanks to the fast hands of the boys in yellow.
- The Health Net mini-train led by John Lieswyn delivered Gord Fraser (second) to the stage win and the leader's jersey.
- Cipo had an uneventful day in the saddle. He was able to avoid a last-lap crash and finish in the group.
Images by Beth Seliga/www.3catsphoto.com
- Nathan O'Neill lends some expert commentary to announcers Dave Towle and Jeff Roake.
- A CSC rider chillin' before the start.
- Going Postal.
- Gord Fraser dons the yellow jersey of race leader.
- Over here, it's George Hincapie!
- Chris Horner safely tucked away in the peloton.
- Chris Horner is called to the line.
- Don't get your Chris' crossed - Chris Horner (L) and Chris Baldwin.
- Jelly Belly on the front.
- Doing the Jitter-bug - Some Jittery Joes fans.
- Road art.
- LANCE!
- Lance is my hero!
- Local schoolchildren get the afternoon off.
- Super Mario Cipollini.
- The stage podium.
- Eric Wohlberg makes some last-minute adjustments.
Images of the TIAA-CREF/5280 team by Beth Seliga/www.3catsphoto.com
- Blake Caldwell and Craig Lewis sign in.
- Dan Bowman.
- Kevin Brouchard-Hall.
- Someone's gotta do it.
- Colby Pearce.
- Craig Lewis.
- Ian McGregor.
- Team mechanic Kevin Grove.
- Signing autographs.
- Stuart Gillespie.
Results
1 Gordon Fraser (Can) Health Net Presented by Maxxis 3.18.59 2 Ivan Dominguez (Cub) Colavita Olive Oil, presented by Bolla Wines 3 Jens Voigt (Ger) Team CSC 4 Gregory Henderson (NZl) Health Net Presented by Maxxis 5 Yuri Metlushenko (Ukr) Landbouwkrediet – Colnago 6 Enrico Degano (Ita) Barloworld-Androni Giocattoli 7 Nieko Biskner (USA) Ofoto/Lombardi Sports 8 Vassili Davidenko (Rus) Navigators Insurance 9 Benjamin Brooks (Aus) Jelly Belly/Aramark 10 Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Sierra Nevada Cycling 11 Charles Dionne (Can) Webcor Builders 12 Doug Ollerenshaw (USA) Jelly Belly/Aramark 13 Sergio Marinangeli (Ita) Domina Vacanze 14 Kirk Albers (USA) Jelly Belly/Aramark 15 George Hincapie (USA) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 16 Caleb Manion (Aus) Jelly Belly/Aramark 17 Aaron Olson (USA) Colavita Olive Oil, presented by Bolla Wines 18 Ivan Ravaioli (Ita) Barloworld-Androni Giocattoli 19 Bobby Julich (USA) Team CSC 20 Chris Horner (USA) Webcor Builders 21 Jackson Stewart (USA) Ofoto/Lombardi Sports 22 Jacob Rosenbarger (USA) Jittery Joe’s Coffee 23 David Clinger (USA) Domina Vacanze 24 Russell Hamby (USA) Sierra Nevada Cycling 25 Damon Kluck (USA) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 26 Eric Wohlberg (Can) Sierra Nevada Cycling 27 Chris Wherry (USA) Health Net Presented by Maxxis 28 Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 29 Dominique Perras (Can) Ofoto/Lombardi Sports 30 Mario Cipollini (Ita) Domina Vacanze 31 Giovanni Lombardi (Ita) Domina Vacanze 32 Brian Vandborg (Den) Team CSC 33 Maximilian Sciandri (GBr) Team CSC 34 Pavel Padrnos (Cze) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 35 Phil Zajicek (USA) Navigators Insurance 36 Cesar Grajales Calle (Col) Jittery Joe’s Coffee 37 Massimiliano Mori (Ita) Domina Vacanze 38 Jimmi Madsen (Den) Team CSC 39 David George (RSA) Barloworld-Androni Giocattoli 40 James Mattis (USA) Webcor Builders 41 William Frischkorn (USA) Colavita Olive Oil, presented by Bolla Wines 42 Thomas Bruun Eriksen (Den) Team CSC 43 Mario Scirea (Ita) Domina Vacanze 44 Ciaran Power (Irl) Navigators Insurance 45 Viatcheslav Ekimov (Rus) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 46 Tim Johnson (USA) Saeco-Saunier Duval 47 Adam Bergman (USA) Jelly Belly/Aramark 48 Mark Walters (Can) Navigators Insurance 49 Francesco Bellotti (Ita) Barloworld-Androni Giocattoli 50 Ernesto Lechuga (Mex) Jelly Belly/Aramark 51 Imanol Ayestaran Odriozola (Spa) Webcor Builders 52 John Lieswyn (USA) Health Net Presented by Maxxis 53 Christopher Pic (USA) Jittery Joe’s Coffee 54 Salvatore Commesso (Ita) Saeco-Saunier Duval 55 Erik Saunders (USA) Ofoto/Lombardi Sports 56 Juan Jose Cobo Acebo (Spa) Saeco-Saunier Duval 57 Daniel Rincon (Col) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 58 Michael Creed (USA) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 59 Antonio Cruz (USA) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 60 Danny Pate (USA) Health Net Presented by Maxxis 61 Jason Klikna (USA) Sierra Nevada Cycling 62 Christopher Baldwin (USA) Navigators Insurance 63 Timothy Duggan (USA) USA National 64 Lorenzo Bernucci (Ita) Landbouwkrediet – Colnago 65 Mike Sayers (USA) Health Net Presented by Maxxis 66 Colby Pearce (USA) USA National 67 Antonio Bucciero (Ita) Saeco-Saunier Duval 68 Alessio Galletti (Ita) Domina Vacanze 69 Tyler Wren (USA) Colavita Olive Oil, presented by Bolla Wines 70 Todd Herriott (USA) Colavita Olive Oil, presented by Bolla Wines 71 Stuart Gillespie (USA) USA National 72 Thad Dulin (USA) Colavita Olive Oil, presented by Bolla Wines 73 Chad Hartley (USA) Jittery Joe’s Coffee 0.29 74 Jason McCartney (USA) Health Net Presented by Maxxis 75 Jeff Louder (USA) Navigators Insurance 76 Stefan Adamsson (Swe) Barloworld-Androni Giocattoli 77 Paul Ellis (USA) Jelly Belly/Aramark 78 Scott Moninger (USA) Health Net Presented by Maxxis 79 Alex Candelario (USA) Jelly Belly/Aramark 80 Jacky Durand (Fra) Landbouwkrediet – Colnago 81 Gustavo Artacho (Arg) Colavita Olive Oil, presented by Bolla Wines 82 Juan Jose Haedo (Arg) Colavita Olive Oil, presented by Bolla Wines 83 Justin England (USA) Webcor Builders 0.42 84 Matt Dubberley (USA) Sierra Nevada Cycling 0.46 85 James Schneider (USA) Jittery Joe’s Coffee 86 Kevin Bouchard-Hall (USA) USA National 87 Daniel Bowman (USA) USA National 88 Trent Klasna (USA) Sierra Nevada Cycling 89 Jonathan Sundt (USA) Jittery Joe’s Coffee 0.51 90 Nicola Gavazzi (Ita) Saeco-Saunier Duval 0.56 91 Scott Zwizanski (USA) Ofoto/Lombardi Sports 1.05 92 Marc Hagenlocher (USA) Webcor Builders 93 Benjamin Haldeman (USA) Webcor Builders 94 Blake Caldwell (USA) USA National 95 Mikhail Timochine (Rus) Landbouwkrediet – Colnago 96 Sean Sullivan (Aus) Barloworld-Androni Giocattoli 97 Jakob Piil (Den) Team CSC 98 Ben Stafford (USA) Webcor Builders 99 Craig Lewis (USA) USA National 1.15 100 Glen Mitchell (NZl) Sierra Nevada Cycling 1.25 101 Henk Vogels (Aus) Navigators Insurance 102 Kirk O'Bee (USA) Navigators Insurance 103 Jesse Lawler (USA) Jittery Joe’s Coffee 1.34 104 Peter Lopinto (USA) Ofoto/Lombardi Sports 2.00 105 John Murphy (USA) Jittery Joe’s Coffee 106 James Lewis Perry (RSA) Barloworld-Androni Giocattoli 2.08 107 Sergey Lagutin (Uzb) Landbouwkrediet – Colnago 108 Jason Bausch (USA) Ofoto/Lombardi Sports 109 Ludovic Capelle (Bel) Landbouwkrediet – Colnago 110 Francesco Secchiari (Ita) Domina Vacanze 111 Sterling Magnell (USA) Sierra Nevada Cycling 2.25 112 Tim Larkin (USA) Ofoto/Lombardi Sports 4.49 113 Ian Macgregor (USA) USA National 6.55 Teams 1 Health Net Presented By Maxxis 9.56.57 2 Jelly Belly-Aramark 3 Team CSC 4 Ofoto Cycling Team 5 Colavita Olive Oil Presented By Bolla Wines 6 Sierra Nevada Cycling 7 Team Barloworld - Androni Giocattoli 8 Domina Vacanze 9 US Postal Service Presented By Berry Floor 10 Webcor Cycling Team 11 Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 12 Jittery Joe's Cycling Team 13 Saeco-Saunier Duval-Prodir/Mixed Team 14 USA National 15 Landbouwkrediet – Colnago 0.29 General classification after stage 1 1 Gordon Fraser (Can) Health Net Presented by Maxxis 3.18.48 2 Ivan Dominguez (Cub) Colavita Olive Oil, presented by Bolla Wines 0.05 3 Jens Voigt (Ger) Team CSC 0.07 4 Gregory Henderson (NZl) Health Net Presented by Maxxis 0.11 5 Yuri Metlushenko (Ukr) Landbouwkrediet – Colnago 6 Enrico Degano (Ita) Barloworld-Androni Giocattoli 7 Nieko Biskner (USA) Ofoto/Lombardi Sports 8 Vassili Davidenko (Rus) Navigators Insurance 9 Benjamin Brooks (Aus) Jelly Belly/Aramark 10 Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Sierra Nevada Cycling 11 Charles Dionne (Can) Webcor Builders 12 Doug Ollerenshaw (USA) Jelly Belly/Aramark 13 Sergio Marinangeli (Ita) Domina Vacanze 14 Kirk Albers (USA) Jelly Belly/Aramark 15 George Hincapie (USA) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 16 Caleb Manion (Aus) Jelly Belly/Aramark 17 Aaron Olson (USA) Colavita Olive Oil, presented by Bolla Wines 18 Ivan Ravaioli (Ita) Barloworld-Androni Giocattoli 19 Bobby Julich (USA) Team CSC 20 Chris Horner (USA) Webcor Builders 21 Jackson Stewart (USA) Ofoto/Lombardi Sports 22 Jacob Rosenbarger (USA) Jittery Joe’s Coffee 23 David Clinger (USA) Domina Vacanze 24 Russell Hamby (USA) Sierra Nevada Cycling 25 Damon Kluck (USA) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 26 Eric Wohlberg (Can) Sierra Nevada Cycling 27 Chris Wherry (USA) Health Net Presented by Maxxis 28 Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 29 Dominique Perras (Can) Ofoto/Lombardi Sports 30 Mario Cipollini (Ita) Domina Vacanze 31 Giovanni Lombardi (Ita) Domina Vacanze 32 Brian Vandborg (Den) Team CSC 33 Maximilian Sciandri (GBr) Team CSC 34 Pavel Padrnos (Cze) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 35 Phil Zajicek (USA) Navigators Insurance 36 Cesar Grajales Calle (Col) Jittery Joe’s Coffee 37 Massimiliano Mori (Ita) Domina Vacanze 38 Jimmi Madsen (Den) Team CSC 39 David George (RSA) Barloworld-Androni Giocattoli 40 James Mattis (USA) Webcor Builders 41 William Frischkorn (USA) Colavita Olive Oil, presented by Bolla Wines 42 Thomas Bruun Eriksen (Den) Team CSC 43 Mario Scirea (Ita) Domina Vacanze 44 Ciaran Power (Irl) Navigators Insurance 45 Viatcheslav Ekimov (Rus) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 46 Tim Johnson (USA) Saeco-Saunier Duval 47 Adam Bergman (USA) Jelly Belly/Aramark 48 Mark Walters (Can) Navigators Insurance 49 Francesco Bellotti (Ita) Barloworld-Androni Giocattoli 50 Ernesto Lechuga (Mex) Jelly Belly/Aramark 51 Imanol Ayestaran Odriozola (Spa) Webcor Builders 52 John Lieswyn (USA) Health Net Presented by Maxxis 53 Christopher Pic (USA) Jittery Joe’s Coffee 54 Salvatore Commesso (Ita) Saeco-Saunier Duval 55 Erik Saunders (USA) Ofoto/Lombardi Sports 56 Juan Jose Cobo Acebo (Spa) Saeco-Saunier Duval 57 Daniel Rincon (Col) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 58 Michael Creed (USA) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 59 Antonio Cruz (USA) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 60 Danny Pate (USA) Health Net Presented by Maxxis 61 Jason Klikna (USA) Sierra Nevada Cycling 62 Christopher Baldwin (USA) Navigators Insurance 63 Timothy Duggan (USA) USA National 64 Lorenzo Bernucci (Ita) Landbouwkrediet – Colnago 65 Mike Sayers (USA) Health Net Presented by Maxxis 66 Colby Pearce (USA) USA National 67 Antonio Bucciero (Ita) Saeco-Saunier Duval 68 Alessio Galletti (Ita) Domina Vacanze 69 Tyler Wren (USA) Colavita Olive Oil, presented by Bolla Wines 70 Todd Herriott (USA) Colavita Olive Oil, presented by Bolla Wines 71 Stuart Gillespie (USA) USA National 72 Thad Dulin (USA) Colavita Olive Oil, presented by Bolla Wines 73 Chad Hartley (USA) Jittery Joe’s Coffee 0.40 74 Jason McCartney (USA) Health Net Presented by Maxxis 75 Jeff Louder (USA) Navigators Insurance 76 Stefan Adamsson (Swe) Barloworld-Androni Giocattoli 77 Paul Ellis (USA) Jelly Belly/Aramark 78 Scott Moninger (USA) Health Net Presented by Maxxis 79 Alex Candelario (USA) Jelly Belly/Aramark 80 Jacky Durand (Fra) Landbouwkrediet – Colnago 81 Gustavo Artacho (Arg) Colavita Olive Oil, presented by Bolla Wines 82 Juan Jose Haedo (Arg) Colavita Olive Oil, presented by Bolla Wines 83 Justin England (USA) Webcor Builders 0.53 84 Matt Dubberley (USA) Sierra Nevada Cycling 0.57 85 James Schneider (USA) Jittery Joe’s Coffee 86 Kevin Bouchard-Hall (USA) USA National 87 Daniel Bowman (USA) USA National 88 Trent Klasna (USA) Sierra Nevada Cycling 89 Jonathan Sundt (USA) Jittery Joe’s Coffee 1.02 90 Nicola Gavazzi (Ita) Saeco-Saunier Duval 1.07 91 Marc Hagenlocher (USA) Webcor Builders 1.14 92 Scott Zwizanski (USA) Ofoto/Lombardi Sports 1.16 93 Benjamin Haldeman (USA) Webcor Builders 94 Blake Caldwell (USA) USA National 95 Mikhail Timochine (Rus) Landbouwkrediet – Colnago 96 Sean Sullivan (Aus) Barloworld-Androni Giocattoli 97 Jakob Piil (Den) Team CSC 98 Ben Stafford (USA) Webcor Builders 99 Craig Lewis (USA) USA National 1.26 100 Glen Mitchell (NZl) Sierra Nevada Cycling 1.36 101 Henk Vogels (Aus) Navigators Insurance 102 Kirk O'Bee (USA) Navigators Insurance 103 Jesse Lawler (USA) Jittery Joe’s Coffee 1.45 104 Peter Lopinto (USA) Ofoto/Lombardi Sports 2.11 105 John Murphy (USA) Jittery Joe’s Coffee 106 James Lewis Perry (RSA) Barloworld-Androni Giocattoli 2.19 107 Sergey Lagutin (Uzb) Landbouwkrediet – Colnago 108 Jason Bausch (USA) Ofoto/Lombardi Sports 109 Ludovic Capelle (Bel) Landbouwkrediet – Colnago 110 Francesco Secchiari (Ita) Domina Vacanze 111 Sterling Magnell (USA) Sierra Nevada Cycling 2.36 112 Tim Larkin (USA) Ofoto/Lombardi Sports 4.57 113 Ian Macgregor (USA) USA National 7.06
