Home

Recently on Cyclingnews.com


Giro finale
Photo ©: Bettini

Tour of California - 2.HC

USA, February 17-24, 2008

Main Page    Results   Overall standings    Stage Details       Live report     Next Stage

Prologue - February 17: Palo Alto ITT, 2.1 mi / 3.4 km

Cancellara burns through California prologue

First non-American ever in leader's jersey

Mark Zalewski, North American Editor with Kirsten Robbins in Palo Alto

Fabian Cancellara powers to victory.
Photo ©: Jon Devich
(Click for larger image)

Having the world champion's rainbow jersey on your shoulders often gives a little extra motivation to perform, particularly in a specialty discipline such as the time trial. For Fabian Cancellara, the current world champion, that motivation resulted in a blistering 51kph average speed, putting four seconds into the next fastest rider over a short 3.4km prologue course.

Cancellara said he was only nervous in terms of it being the first race of the year and not about his preparation. "I wasn't nervous about my fitness going into the time trial today - but when you go for the first time to the first race, especially the Tour of California because it's a great race... that's why I felt a lot of nervousness today. I think that is normal but in the end to be with the rainbow jersey and with a great team like CSC, it is very beautiful to have been able to win."

The win by Cancellara means that a non-American will wear the leader's jersey for the first time in the race's three year history. Another world champion (and European), Great Britain's Bradley Wiggins (High Road) joined Cancellara on the podium in second place. The current world pursuit champion rode the flat prologue course like he was on the track, besting the top American Tyler Farrar (Slipstream-Chipotle) who sat in the top spot for much of the day.

"I think its coincidence more than anything," said Wiggins about the strong showing both Slipstream and his own High Road team had. "Perhaps it's really that we are the new teams that are leading the way to change everything that happened in this sport last year. It's kind of a fresh start for everyone. Slipstream and High Road are a new team in many respects so it's great that these three teams could perform well today."

As for his own performance, Wiggins had mixed emotions - understanding that while second place is not the top spot, second to the current world champ is respectable. "I'm pleased in some respects but disappointed in others because we still go out there to win. But to lose [only] a few seconds to Fabian is great - because he is just so awesome! But we all try to race hard."

CSC's director sportif Bjarne Riis was motivated, not only by his team's performance, but the fact that the top three teams of today are all leading the way in anti-doping measures. "Having the three riders on the podium being the top three teams aggressive in their own anti-doping programs proves that you can ride clean and still be the best," he said. "Our guys are world-class cyclists, the best in the world and they can perform in any style of race with their natural ability."

Tyler Farrar, a sprinter by trade, ended up in third with his strong ride and was rather happy with the result. But even more, Slipstream has a lot to be happy about, with five of its eight riders in the top twelve and all five within ten seconds of the leader. "This is an important race for us and you can see that [most of the team] was up in the top ten or fifteen of the prologue," said Farrar. "We are all super motivated and on form for this - probably a sign of good things to come this week. I think everyone is really on form and they will be taking a crack at the field sprints and aiming at the GC and can really do good things."

Defending prologue and overall champion Levi Leipheimer (Astana) finished a respectable fourth, sitting only six seconds behind the leader with a lot of racing to come.

In a way, today's stage was a race within a race, as a lot of fans were curious to see how the recently un-retired Mario Cipollini would fare in his first race with the Rock Racing team. The 41 year-old former world champion put in a respectable ride, finishing in the top fifty, just 17 seconds from the winner as the top finisher for his short-handed team.

"The size of the crowd was amazing and caught me off guard," Cipollini said. "It was great to hear so many people cheering my name and shouting encouragement. I was very pleased with my form today."

On the domestic side, Ben Jacques-Maynes (Bissell) had the best result, finishing eleventh. John Murphy (Health Net-Maxxis) led early on and for a long time with an impressive ride, only to be eclipsed by Slipstream's Dave Zabriskie. "I was hoping for a good result here," said Murphy. "I was working a lot and when it is flat like this I can go a lot faster. I knew this course was for me, so I have been trying to hone my power."

The racing begins in earnest tomorrow with the first stage from Sausalito to Levi Leipheimer's hometown of Santa Rosa, the same first stage as the first two editions of the race. Tune into Cyclingnews at 11:00 a.m. PST for up-to-the-minute live coverage, direct from the race course.

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Jonathan Devich/

Images by Emory Ball/Cyclingnews.com

Images by Steve Medcroft/Cyclingnews.com

Images by Luca Bettini/www.bettiniphoto.net

Images by Mitch Clinton/www.clintonphoto.com

Images by John Pierce/Photosport International

Images by Mark Johnson/ironstring.com

Images by Len Ramirez/www.altapix.blogspot.com

Images by Peter Krutzik/PKPhotoVision.com

Images by David Wood/www.coolbikepics.com

Results

1 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team CSC                                      3.51.21 (51.43 km/h)

2 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) High Road                                       0.04
3 Tyler Farrar (USA) Slipstream Chipotle Presented by H30               0.05
4 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana                                          0.06
5 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) High Road                                  0.07
6 Gustav Larsson (Swe) Team CSC                                         0.08
7 David Zabriskie (USA) Slipstream Chipotle Presented by H30
8 Mark Cavendish (GBr) High Road
9 David Millar (GBr) Slipstream Chipotle Presented by H30
10 Steven Cozza (USA) Slipstream Chipotle Presented by H30              0.09
11 Benjamin Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
12 Christian Vande Velde (USA) Slipstream Chipotle Presented by H30     0.10
13 George Hincapie (USA) High Road
14 Thomas Lövkvist (Swe) High Road                                      0.11
15 Karl Menzies (Aus) Health Net presented by Maxxis
16 Christopher Horner (USA) Astana                                      0.12
17 Vladimir Gusev (Rus) Astana                                          0.13
18 Stuart O’Grady (Aus) Team CSC
19 Dmytro Grabovskyy (Ukr) Quick Step
20 John Murphy (USA) Health Net presented by Maxxis
21 Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step
22 Adam Hansen (Aus) High Road                                          0.14
23 Kim Kirchen (Lux) High Road
24 Dominique Rollin (Can) Toyota - United Pro Cycling Team
25 Tom Zirbel (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
26 Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Quick Step
27 Jeff Louder (USA) BMC Racing Team
28 Bobby Julich (USA) Team CSC                                          0.15
29 Gerald Ciolek (Ger) High Road
30 Garrett Peltonen (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
31 Ignatas Konovalovas (Ltu) Crédit Agricole
32 Jens Voigt (Ger) Team CSC
33 Benjamin Day (Aus) Toyota - United Pro Cycling Team                  0.16
34 Andrey Mizurov (Kaz) Astana
35 Matthew Crane (USA) Health Net presented by Maxxis
36 Jonathan Mumford (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies / Medifast
37 Alexandre Moos (Swi) BMC Racing Team
38 Edward King (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
39 Scott Zwizanski (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
40 Danny Pate (USA) Slipstream Chipotle Presented by H30
41 Aaron Kemps (Aus) Astana                                             0.17
42 Roman Kilun (USA) Health Net presented by Maxxis
43 Rubens Bertogliati (Swi) Saunier Duval-Scott
44 Mario Cipollini (Ita) Rock Racing
45 Darren Lill (RSA) BMC Racing Team
46 Sergey Ivanov (Rus) Astana                                           0.18
47 Victor Hugo Pena Grisales (Col) Rock Racing
48 Mark Renshaw (Aus) Crédit Agricole
49 Raivis Belohvosciks (Lat) Saunier Duval-Scott
50 Scott Nydam (USA) BMC Racing Team
51 Freddie Rodriguez (USA) Rock Racing
52 David Canada Gracia (Spa) Saunier Duval-Scott                        0.19
53 Jason Mccartney (USA) Team CSC
54 Rory Sutherland (Aus) Health Net presented by Maxxis
55 Jurgen Vandewalle (Bel) Quick Step                                   0.20
56 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
57 Bernard Van Ulden (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
58 Paul Martens (Ger) Rabobank
59 Mathew Hayman (Aus) Rabobank
60 Thomas Danielson (USA) Slipstream Chipotle Presented by H30
61 Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Gerolsteiner
62 Thomas Peterson (USA) Slipstream Chipotle Presented by H30
63 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank                                         0.21
64 Karsten Kroon (Ned) Team CSC
65 Philip Zajicek (USA) Health Net presented by Maxxis
66 Alexandre Pichot (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
67 Andrea Tonti (Ita) Quick Step
68 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Astana
69 Ivan Dominguez (Cub) Toyota - United Pro Cycling Team
70 Heath Blackgrove (NZl) Toyota - United Pro Cycling Team
71 Antonio Cruz (USA) BMC Racing Team
72 Nicholas Reistad (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
73 Dimitri Champion (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
74 Jackson Stewart (USA) BMC Racing Team
75 Sébastien Turgot (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
76 Timothy Johnson (USA) Health Net presented by Maxxis                 0.22
77 Juan Jose Haedo (Arg) Team CSC
78 Aaron Olson (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
79 Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Quick Step
80 Aaron Barry Tuckerman (NZl) Jelly Belly Cycling Team                 0.23
81 Paolo Bettini (Ita) Quick Step
82 José Luis Rubiera Vigil (Spa) Astana
83 Iker Camano Ortuzar (Spa) Saunier Duval-Scott
84 Eros Capecchi (Ita) Saunier Duval-Scott
85 Nicholas Sanderson (Aus) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
86 Mauricio Alberto Ardila Cano (Col) Rabobank
87 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank                                         0.24
88 Hilton Clarke (Aus) Toyota - United Pro Cycling Team
89 Perrig Quemeneur (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
90 Jonathan Clarke (Aus) Toyota - United Pro Cycling Team
91 Richard England (Aus) Bissell Pro Cycling
92 Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Crédit Agricole
93 Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Crédit Agricole                                  0.25
94 Pedro Horrillo Munoz (Spa) Rabobank
95 Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa) Rabobank
96 Kevin Lacombe (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies / Medifast
97 Ermanno Capelli (Ita) Saunier Duval-Scott
98 Dan Bowman (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies / Medifast
99 Taylor Tolleson (USA) BMC Racing Team
100 Justin Spinelli (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies / Medifast           0.26
101 Julien Simon (Fra) Crédit Agricole
102 Heinrich Haussler (Ger) Gerolsteiner
103 Bryce Mead (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
104 Vincent Jerome (Fra) Bouygues Telecom                               0.27
105 Jonathan Sundt (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies / Medifast
106 Julien Belgy (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
107 Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC Racing Team
108 Hendricus Vogels (Aus) Toyota - United Pro Cycling Team             0.28
109 Bernhard Kohl (Aut) Gerolsteiner
110 Doug Ollerenshaw (USA) Rock Racing                                  0.29
111 Burke Swindlehurst (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
112 Pipp K Frank (USA) Health Net presented by Maxxis
113 Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Gerolsteiner                              0.30
114 Scott Tietzel (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
115 Michael Lange (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
116 Yannick Talabardon (Fra) Crédit Agricole
117 Kevin Seeldraeyers (Bel) Quick Step
118 Patrice Halgand (Fra) Crédit Agricole
119 Alexander Candelario (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies / Medifast      0.31
120 Luciano André Pagliarini Mendonca (Bra) Saunier Duval-Scott
121 Michael Creed (USA) Rock Racing                                     0.32
122 Peter Wrolich (Aut) Gerolsteiner
123 Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Crédit Agricole                           0.33
124 Markus Zberg (Swi) Gerolsteiner
125 Caleb Manion (Aus) Toyota - United Pro Cycling Team
126 Andrew Bajadali (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies / Medifast
127 Matthew Rice (Aus) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
128 Oliver Zaugg (Swi) Gerolsteiner                                     0.34
129 Laurent Lefevre (Fra) Bouygues Telecom                              0.35
130 Nicholas Waite (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies / Medifast
131 Angel Gomez Gomez (Spa) Saunier Duval-Scott                         0.37
132 Mathias Frank (Swi) Gerolsteiner                                    0.44
 
Teams
 
1 High Road
2 Slipstream Chipotle Presented By H30
3 Team CSC
4 Astana
5 Bissell Pro Cycling
6 Quick Step
7 Health Net Presented by Maxxis
8 BMC Racing Team
9 Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team
10 Rock Racing
11 Saunier Duval-Scott
12 Crédit Agricole
13 Rabobank
14 Bouygues Telecom
15 Jelly Belly Cycling Team
16 Kelly Benefit Strategies-Medifast
17 Gerolsteiner
 
General classification after prologue
 
1 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team CSC                                      3.51
2 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) High Road                                       0.04
3 Tyler Farrar (USA) Slipstream Chipotle Presented by H30               0.05
4 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana                                          0.06
5 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) High Road                                  0.07
6 Gustav Larsson (Swe) Team CSC                                         0.08
7 David Zabriskie (USA) Slipstream Chipotle Presented by H30
8 Mark Cavendish (GBr) High Road
9 David Millar (GBr) Slipstream Chipotle Presented by H30
10 Steven Cozza (USA) Slipstream Chipotle Presented by H30              0.09
11 Benjamin Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
12 Christian Vande Velde (USA) Slipstream Chipotle Presented by H30     0.10
13 George Hincapie (USA) High Road
14 Thomas Lövkvist (Swe) High Road                                      0.11
15 Karl Menzies (Aus) Health Net presented by Maxxis
16 Christopher Horner (USA) Astana                                      0.12
17 Vladimir Gusev (Rus) Astana                                          0.13
18 Stuart O’Grady (Aus) Team CSC
19 Dmytro Grabovskyy (Ukr) Quick Step
20 John Murphy (USA) Health Net presented by Maxxis
21 Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step
22 Adam Hansen (Aus) High Road                                          0.14
23 Kim Kirchen (Lux) High Road
24 Dominique Rollin (Can) Toyota - United Pro Cycling Team
25 Tom Zirbel (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
26 Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Quick Step
27 Jeff Louder (USA) BMC Racing Team
28 Bobby Julich (USA) Team CSC                                          0.15
29 Gerald Ciolek (Ger) High Road
30 Garrett Peltonen (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
31 Ignatas Konovalovas (Ltu) Crédit Agricole
32 Jens Voigt (Ger) Team CSC
33 Benjamin Day (Aus) Toyota - United Pro Cycling Team                  0.16
34 Andrey Mizurov (Kaz) Astana
35 Matthew Crane (USA) Health Net presented by Maxxis
36 Jonathan Mumford (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies / Medifast
37 Alexandre Moos (Swi) BMC Racing Team
38 Edward King (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
39 Scott Zwizanski (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
40 Danny Pate (USA) Slipstream Chipotle Presented by H30
41 Aaron Kemps (Aus) Astana                                             0.17
42 Roman Kilun (USA) Health Net presented by Maxxis
43 Rubens Bertogliati (Swi) Saunier Duval-Scott
44 Mario Cipollini (Ita) Rock Racing
45 Darren Lill (RSA) BMC Racing Team
46 Sergey Ivanov (Rus) Astana                                           0.18
47 Victor Hugo Pena Grisales (Col) Rock Racing
48 Mark Renshaw (Aus) Crédit Agricole
49 Raivis Belohvosciks (Lat) Saunier Duval-Scott
50 Scott Nydam (USA) BMC Racing Team
51 Freddie Rodriguez (USA) Rock Racing
52 David Canada Gracia (Spa) Saunier Duval-Scott                        0.19
53 Jason Mccartney (USA) Team CSC
54 Rory Sutherland (Aus) Health Net presented by Maxxis
55 Jurgen Vandewalle (Bel) Quick Step                                   0.20
56 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
57 Bernard Van Ulden (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
58 Paul Martens (Ger) Rabobank
59 Mathew Hayman (Aus) Rabobank
60 Thomas Danielson (USA) Slipstream Chipotle Presented by H30
61 Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Gerolsteiner
62 Thomas Peterson (USA) Slipstream Chipotle Presented by H30
63 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank                                         0.21
64 Karsten Kroon (Ned) Team CSC
65 Philip Zajicek (USA) Health Net presented by Maxxis
66 Alexandre Pichot (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
67 Andrea Tonti (Ita) Quick Step
68 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Astana
69 Ivan Dominguez (Cub) Toyota - United Pro Cycling Team
70 Heath Blackgrove (NZl) Toyota - United Pro Cycling Team
71 Antonio Cruz (USA) BMC Racing Team
72 Nicholas Reistad (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
73 Dimitri Champion (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
74 Jackson Stewart (USA) BMC Racing Team
75 Sébastien Turgot (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
76 Timothy Johnson (USA) Health Net presented by Maxxis                 0.22
77 Juan Jose Haedo (Arg) Team CSC
78 Aaron Olson (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
79 Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Quick Step
80 Aaron Barry Tuckerman (NZl) Jelly Belly Cycling Team                 0.23
81 Paolo Bettini (Ita) Quick Step
82 José Luis Rubiera Vigil (Spa) Astana
83 Iker Camano Ortuzar (Spa) Saunier Duval-Scott
84 Eros Capecchi (Ita) Saunier Duval-Scott
85 Nicholas Sanderson (Aus) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
86 Mauricio Alberto Ardila Cano (Col) Rabobank
87 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank                                         0.24
88 Hilton Clarke (Aus) Toyota - United Pro Cycling Team
89 Perrig Quemeneur (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
90 Jonathan Clarke (Aus) Toyota - United Pro Cycling Team
91 Richard England (Aus) Bissell Pro Cycling
92 Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Crédit Agricole
93 Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Crédit Agricole                                  0.25
94 Pedro Horrillo Munoz (Spa) Rabobank
95 Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa) Rabobank
96 Kevin Lacombe (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies / Medifast
97 Ermanno Capelli (Ita) Saunier Duval-Scott
98 Dan Bowman (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies / Medifast
99 Taylor Tolleson (USA) BMC Racing Team
100 Justin Spinelli (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies / Medifast           0.26
101 Julien Simon (Fra) Crédit Agricole
102 Heinrich Haussler (Ger) Gerolsteiner
103 Bryce Mead (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
104 Vincent Jerome (Fra) Bouygues Telecom                               0.27
105 Jonathan Sundt (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies / Medifast
106 Julien Belgy (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
107 Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC Racing Team
108 Hendricus Vogels (Aus) Toyota - United Pro Cycling Team             0.28
109 Bernhard Kohl (Aut) Gerolsteiner
110 Doug Ollerenshaw (USA) Rock Racing                                  0.29
111 Burke Swindlehurst (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
112 Pipp K Frank (USA) Health Net presented by Maxxis
113 Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Gerolsteiner                              0.30
114 Scott Tietzel (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
115 Michael Lange (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
116 Yannick Talabardon (Fra) Crédit Agricole
117 Kevin Seeldraeyers (Bel) Quick Step
118 Patrice Halgand (Fra) Crédit Agricole
119 Alexander Candelario (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies / Medifast      0.31
120 Luciano André Pagliarini Mendonca (Bra) Saunier Duval-Scott
121 Michael Creed (USA) Rock Racing                                     0.32
122 Peter Wrolich (Aut) Gerolsteiner
123 Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Crédit Agricole                           0.33
124 Markus Zberg (Swi) Gerolsteiner
125 Caleb Manion (Aus) Toyota - United Pro Cycling Team
126 Andrew Bajadali (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies / Medifast
127 Matthew Rice (Aus) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
128 Oliver Zaugg (Swi) Gerolsteiner                                     0.34
129 Laurent Lefevre (Fra) Bouygues Telecom                              0.35
130 Nicholas Waite (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies / Medifast
131 Angel Gomez Gomez (Spa) Saunier Duval-Scott                         0.37
132 Mathias Frank (Swi) Gerolsteiner                                    0.44
 
Young rider classification
 
1 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) High Road                                  3.58
2 Mark Cavendish (GBr) High Road                                        0.01
3 Steven Cozza (USA) Slipstream Chipotle Presented by H30               0.02
4 Dmytro Grabovskyy (Ukr) Quick Step                                    0.06
5 Gerald Ciolek (Ger) High Road                                         0.08
6 Ignatas Konovalovas (Ltu) Crédit Agricole
7 Matthew Crane (USA) Health Net presented by Maxxis                    0.09
8 Thomas Peterson (USA) Slipstream Chipotle Presented by H30            0.13
9 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank                                          0.14
10 Eros Capecchi (Ita) Saunier Duval-Scott                              0.16
11 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank                                         0.17
12 Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Crédit Agricole
13 Kevin Lacombe (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies / Medifast              0.18
14 Ermanno Capelli (Ita) Saunier Duval-Scott
15 Taylor Tolleson (USA) BMC Racing Team
16 Julien Simon (Fra) Crédit Agricole                                   0.19
17 Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC Racing Team                                    0.20
18 Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Gerolsteiner                               0.23
19 Kevin Seeldraeyers (Bel) Quick Step
20 Mathias Frank (Swi) Gerolsteiner                                     0.37
 
Teams classification
 
1 High Road                                                            11.52
2 Slipstream Chipotle Presented By H30                                  0.02
3 Team CSC
4 Astana                                                                0.12
5 Bissell Pro Cycling                                                   0.19
6 Quick Step                                                            0.21
7 Health Net Presented by Maxxis
8 BMC Racing Team                                                       0.28
9 Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team                                        0.32
10 Rock Racing                                                          0.34
11 Saunier Duval-Scott                                                  0.35
12 Crédit Agricole                                                      0.38
13 Rabobank                                                             0.42
14 Bouygues Telecom                                                     0.43
15 Jelly Belly Cycling Team                                             0.45
16 Kelly Benefit Strategies-Medifast                                    0.47
17 Gerolsteiner                                                         0.55

Back to top