Petacchi emerges from chaos in Brussels
Cancellara remains in yellow
The Tour de France hasn't even reached the feared cobblestones and massive crashes have already taken down the majority of the peloton, but one rider who has the well-demonstrated ability to dodge the bullets, Alessandro Petacchi, claimed the stage victory.
The Lampre-Farnese Vini sprinter, who also successfully avoided a dramatic Tour de Suisse crash to win there last month, took his first Tour stage win since his record Grand Tour run of 2003
Petacchi bested HTC-Columbia's Mark Renshaw and Thor Hushovd (Cervelo TestTeam) after a crash stopped several of the top sprinters in the final bend, including Mark Cavendish (HTC-Columbia) and Oscar Freire (Rabobank).
"It was a special finale. In the last turn, everybody came in fast and nobody wanted to brake, so there was a crash and a lot of confusion. I did a very risky sprint. I attacked from far out, despite the head wind and the false-flat road," Petacchi said.
"I think I've done a great sprint. I'm not sure that Cavendish would have beat me if he'd been there at the end because I've really done a great sprint."
The first crash in the run-in to the sprint occurred in a turn with 2km to go, when Freire was taken out by a clash between Cavendish and Cervelo's Jeremy Hunt, disrupting the front of the peloton and creating chaos for the lead-out men.
Just down the road a much larger crash happened inside the final kilometre and stopped many of the general classification contenders including race leader Fabian Cancellara (Saxo Bank) and HTC-Columbia's Michael Rogers. Since it happened inside the protected zone, all riders involved were awarded the same time as Petacchi, and Cancellara is able to hold onto the race lead for another day.
"It was really nervous today, and at the end it was just insane," Cancellara said. "At the end, I couldn't do anything. I was also in the chaos. I hit the ground pretty hard. ... Tomorrow I will feel the asphalt that I found at the end."
Defending champion Alberto Contador (Astana) also fell in the mass pile-up and was helped to the finish line by teammate Alexander Vinokourov, but was later seen smiling and signing autographs. He later stated he had a small bruise to his leg in the fall on Twitter.
Other favourites Lance Armstrong (Radioshack), Cadel Evans (BMC), the Schleck brothers Fränk and Andy (Saxo Bank) and, for once, Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Transitions) escaped injury and will look to the hilly stage two finish, which follows some of the route from Liège - Bastogne - Liège, to try and shake the nerves out of the peloton.
A calm start
The first full stage kicked off under sunny skies, much in contrast to Rotterdam's rain during the prologue, and with a mammoth 223.5km journey down to Brussels it was a welcome sight for the 195 riders remaining in the Tour's peloton. Huge crowds, even larger than the half-million estimated to have attended the prologue, saw the peloton off.
Mathias Frank (BMC) and Manuel Cardoso (Footon-Servetto) joined pre-race abandon Xavier Florencio (Cervelo) on the sidelines after being injured in dramatic crashes during the prologue. Both finished the stage, but Frank broke his thumb, while Cardoso fractured his jaw and shoulder blade and neither started this morning.
Exiting the Dutch port, the riders briefly paused for a ceremony on the iconic Erasmus bridge before embarking on a trip along the North Sea before the drop down into Belgium. Three riders, perhaps looking to get an unobstructed view of the scenery, rode away from the peloton at the very first kilometre. It was Rabobank's Lars Boom who ignited the move, and he was followed by Quick Step's Maarten Wynants and Alan Perez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) for what would be the break of the day.
The trio built up a maximum of lead of over seven minutes as the peloton was delayed by a number of crashes, the first by Adam Hansen (HTC-Columbia) who fractured his collarbone but finished the stage, and then one involving a dog and Ivan Basso (Liquigas) that also took down David Millar (Garmin-Transitions).
As the teams of the sprinters slowly whittled away at the breakaway's advantage, the peloton was kept busy negotiating roundabouts and avoiding "traffic furniture", suffering only one more minor wreck along the way by Thomas Rohregger (Milram).
The lead reshuffled
With 30km to go, the gap was down below the one-minute mark as the leaders took on one of the cobbled avenues of Mechelen, and Wynants rolled away from his two companions as attacks began to come from the peloton.
Alexander Pliuschin (Katusha), the champion of Moldova, bridged up to Wynants as Perez and Boom were re-absorbed by the bunch. The new help pushed the now two-man breakaway's lead up from 16 seconds to half a minute with 25km to go as Garmin-Transitions took responsibility for the chase.
The Rabobank boys were busy pacing Oscar Freire back to the peloton after their sprinter suffered a flat, and the pair pulled out their lead even more, gaining nearly a minute with 20km to go. But once HTC-Columbia began to pitch in with the work, the gap began to fall again.
With 12km to go the gap had been halved, with HTC-Columbia determined to give Mark Cavendish his 11th Tour de France stage victory and vindication after his controversial crash in the Tour de Suisse.
By 8km to go, the pair were caught and the fight for position intensified, with Lampre, Cervelo, Katusha, Milram and Garmin all pushing forward to assemble their lead-out trains.
A chaotic finish
Lampre swamped the HTC-Columbia train with 3km to go, looking to deliver Alessandro Petacchi to his first stage win since 2003. They had Freire tucked in right behind until Cavendish tapped the back wheel of his teammate and veered straight through the peloton, taking Cervelo's Jeremy Hunt, Freire and a Lampre rider down into the barriers and leaving his main lead-out man to assume the role as the team's sprinter.
"After one kilometre and a half the whole race was turned up side down," Renshaw told Cyclingnews. "Once I heard the crash we had to totally rearrange. I moved into the sprinter role and at that stage usually I'm used to going with 500 meters to go and I had to wait. Unfortunately the training I've done isn't going to let me get over Petacchi."
The peloton was further split by a massive crash that happened just inside the final kilometre banner, one that stopped all the GC contenders including race leader Cancellara.
In the ensuring chaos, Garmin-Transitions had a full lead-out train for Farrar, but he got his bike hooked on the fallen machine of AG2R's Lloyd Mondory and had to sit out of the sprint.
"He did a classic Lloyd Mondory move," Farrar told Cyclingnews as he dragged his bike to the team bus. "He decided to try and commit suicide into my back wheel with 300 meters to go when I was with Petacchi and Renshaw."
Caught behind the action, Farrar had to watch as Cervelo's Brett Lancaster launched with 500m to go, too soon for the win and without Hushovd on his wheel, and then Petacchi as he blasted off to the stage win.
Hushovd powered in behind Renshaw to take third, moving him up into the hunt for the green jersey of best sprinter.
"Everyone wants to stay at the front, whether or not you're a sprinter. The roads were very narrow, that's why there were a lot of crashes, but I was able to avoid them and I was still third, so it was OK. It was hard, really hard. I am up there for the green jersey, so I am happy."
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini | 5:09:38 |
2 | Mark Renshaw (Aus) Team HTC - Columbia | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
3 | Thor Hushovd (Nor) Cervelo Test Team | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
4 | Robbie McEwen (Aus) Team Katusha | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
5 | Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) Française des Jeux | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
6 | Daniel Oss (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo | Row 5 - Cell 2 |
7 | Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne | Row 6 - Cell 2 |
8 | Christian Knees (Ger) Team Milram | Row 7 - Cell 2 |
9 | Ruben Perez Moreno (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi | Row 8 - Cell 2 |
10 | Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto | Row 9 - Cell 2 |
11 | Sébastien Turgot (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom | Row 10 - Cell 2 |
12 | Linus Gerdemann (Ger) Team Milram | Row 11 - Cell 2 |
13 | Julien El Farès (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne | Row 12 - Cell 2 |
14 | Luke Roberts (Aus) Team Milram | Row 13 - Cell 2 |
15 | Geraint Thomas (GBr) Sky Professional Cycling Team | Row 14 - Cell 2 |
16 | Kanstantsin Siutsou (Blr) Team HTC - Columbia | Row 15 - Cell 2 |
17 | Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Quick Step | Row 16 - Cell 2 |
18 | Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky Professional Cycling Team | Row 17 - Cell 2 |
19 | Carlos Barredo Llamazales (Spa) Quick Step | Row 18 - Cell 2 |
20 | Michael Barry (Can) Sky Professional Cycling Team | Row 19 - Cell 2 |
21 | Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
22 | Sébastien Minard (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne | Row 21 - Cell 2 |
23 | Kevin De Weert (Bel) Quick Step | Row 22 - Cell 2 |
24 | Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Team Milram | Row 23 - Cell 2 |
25 | Eduard Vorganov (Rus) Team Katusha | Row 24 - Cell 2 |
26 | Brett Lancaster (Aus) Cervelo Test Team | Row 25 - Cell 2 |
27 | Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Team Saxo Bank | Row 26 - Cell 2 |
28 | Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team | Row 27 - Cell 2 |
29 | Stéphane Auge (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne | Row 28 - Cell 2 |
30 | Martin Elmiger (Swi) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 29 - Cell 2 |
31 | Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa) Sky Professional Cycling Team | Row 30 - Cell 2 |
32 | Danilo Hondo (Ger) Lampre-Farnese Vini | Row 31 - Cell 2 |
33 | Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Française des Jeux | Row 32 - Cell 2 |
34 | Jérôme Pineau (Fra) Quick Step | Row 33 - Cell 2 |
35 | Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) Bbox Bouygues Telecom | Row 34 - Cell 2 |
36 | Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus) Team Katusha | Row 35 - Cell 2 |
37 | Mickael Delage (Fra) Omega Pharma-Lotto | Row 36 - Cell 2 |
38 | Alessandro Ballan (Ita) BMC Racing Team | Row 37 - Cell 2 |
39 | Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team HTC - Columbia | Row 38 - Cell 2 |
40 | Robert Hunter (RSA) Garmin - Transitions | Row 39 - Cell 2 |
41 | Julian Dean (NZl) Garmin - Transitions | Row 40 - Cell 2 |
42 | Christophe Kern (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne | Row 41 - Cell 2 |
43 | Kevin Seeldrayers (Bel) Quick Step | Row 42 - Cell 2 |
44 | Mauro Da Dalto (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini | Row 43 - Cell 2 |
45 | Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana | Row 44 - Cell 2 |
46 | Alexander Vinokourov (Kaz) Astana | Row 45 - Cell 2 |
47 | Thomas Löfkvist (Swe) Sky Professional Cycling Team | Row 46 - Cell 2 |
48 | Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana | Row 47 - Cell 2 |
49 | Roger Kluge (Ger) Team Milram | Row 48 - Cell 2 |
50 | Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto | Row 49 - Cell 2 |
51 | Maxime Monfort (Bel) Team HTC - Columbia | Row 50 - Cell 2 |
52 | Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas-Doimo | Row 51 - Cell 2 |
53 | Kristjan Koren (Slo) Liquigas-Doimo | Row 52 - Cell 2 |
54 | Simon Spilak (Slo) Lampre-Farnese Vini | Row 53 - Cell 2 |
55 | Lance Armstrong (USA) Team Radioshack | Row 54 - Cell 2 |
56 | George Hincapie (USA) BMC Racing Team | Row 55 - Cell 2 |
57 | Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Team Radioshack | Row 56 - Cell 2 |
58 | Vasili Kiryienka (Blr) Caisse d'Epargne | Row 57 - Cell 2 |
59 | Grega Bole (Slo) Lampre-Farnese Vini | Row 58 - Cell 2 |
60 | Bert Grabsch (Ger) Team HTC - Columbia | Row 59 - Cell 2 |
61 | Luis León Sánchez Gil (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne | Row 60 - Cell 2 |
62 | David Millar (GBr) Garmin - Transitions | Row 61 - Cell 2 |
63 | Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini | Row 62 - Cell 2 |
64 | Francis De Greef (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto | Row 63 - Cell 2 |
65 | Sebastian Lang (Ger) Omega Pharma-Lotto | Row 64 - Cell 2 |
66 | Alexander Kuschynski (Blr) Liquigas-Doimo | Row 65 - Cell 2 |
67 | Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Team Katusha | Row 66 - Cell 2 |
68 | Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank | Row 67 - Cell 2 |
69 | Pierre Rolland (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom | Row 68 - Cell 2 |
70 | Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank | Row 69 - Cell 2 |
71 | Wesley Sulzberger (Aus) Française des Jeux | Row 70 - Cell 2 |
72 | Daniel Lloyd (GBr) Cervelo Test Team | Row 71 - Cell 2 |
73 | Benjamin Noval Gonzalez (Spa) Astana | Row 72 - Cell 2 |
74 | Inaki Isasi Flores (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi | Row 73 - Cell 2 |
75 | José Ivan Gutierrez Palacios (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne | Row 74 - Cell 2 |
76 | Samuel Sánchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi | Row 75 - Cell 2 |
77 | Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Omega Pharma-Lotto | Row 76 - Cell 2 |
78 | Sandy Casar (Fra) Française des Jeux | Row 77 - Cell 2 |
79 | Simon Gerrans (Aus) Sky Professional Cycling Team | Row 78 - Cell 2 |
80 | Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team | Row 79 - Cell 2 |
81 | Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Sky Professional Cycling Team | Row 80 - Cell 2 |
82 | Serge Pauwels (Bel) Sky Professional Cycling Team | Row 81 - Cell 2 |
83 | Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 82 - Cell 2 |
84 | Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 83 - Cell 2 |
85 | Fabio Felline (Ita) Footon-Servetto | Row 84 - Cell 2 |
86 | Thomas Rohregger (Aut) Team Milram | Row 85 - Cell 2 |
87 | Christophe Moreau (Fra) Caisse d'Epargne | Row 86 - Cell 2 |
88 | Ruben Plaza Molina (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne | Row 87 - Cell 2 |
89 | Rui Alberto Faria da Costa (Por) Caisse d'Epargne | Row 88 - Cell 2 |
90 | Vladimir Karpets (Rus) Team Katusha | Row 89 - Cell 2 |
91 | Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo | Row 90 - Cell 2 |
92 | Manuel Quinziato (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo | Row 91 - Cell 2 |
93 | Rein Taaramae (Est) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne | Row 92 - Cell 2 |
94 | Cyril Gautier (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom | Row 93 - Cell 2 |
95 | Damien Monier (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne | Row 94 - Cell 2 |
96 | Matthieu Sprick (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom | Row 95 - Cell 2 |
97 | Anthony Geslin (Fra) Française des Jeux | Row 96 - Cell 2 |
98 | Pierrick Fedrigo (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom | Row 97 - Cell 2 |
99 | Volodymir Gustov (Ukr) Cervelo Test Team | Row 98 - Cell 2 |
100 | Anthony Charteau (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom | Row 99 - Cell 2 |
101 | Nicki Sörensen (Den) Team Saxo Bank | Row 100 - Cell 2 |
102 | Iban Velasco Murillo (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi | Row 101 - Cell 2 |
103 | John Gadret (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 102 - Cell 2 |
104 | Maxim Iglinskiy (Kaz) Astana | Row 103 - Cell 2 |
105 | Benoït Vaugrenard (Fra) Française des Jeux | Row 104 - Cell 2 |
106 | Mario Aerts (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto | Row 105 - Cell 2 |
107 | Adriano Malori (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini | Row 106 - Cell 2 |
108 | Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank | Row 107 - Cell 2 |
109 | Jose Alberto Benitez Roman (Spa) Footon-Servetto | Row 108 - Cell 2 |
110 | Koos Moerenhout (Ned) Rabobank | Row 109 - Cell 2 |
111 | Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Garmin - Transitions | Row 110 - Cell 2 |
112 | Juan Manuel Gárate Cepa (Spa) Rabobank | Row 111 - Cell 2 |
113 | Mauro Santambrogio (Ita) BMC Racing Team | Row 112 - Cell 2 |
114 | Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Team Saxo Bank | Row 113 - Cell 2 |
115 | Arkaitz Duran Daroca (Spa) Footon-Servetto | Row 114 - Cell 2 |
116 | Sylvester Szmyd (Pol) Liquigas-Doimo | Row 115 - Cell 2 |
117 | Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank | Row 116 - Cell 2 |
118 | Matti Breschel (Den) Team Saxo Bank | Row 117 - Cell 2 |
119 | Fränk Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank | Row 118 - Cell 2 |
120 | Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini | Row 119 - Cell 2 |
121 | Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Transitions | Row 120 - Cell 2 |
122 | Gorka Verdugo Marcotegui (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi |