Chicchi kicks hardest in Modesto
Zabriskie hangs ten on general classification
The fourth stage of the Amgen Tour of California didn't look like a day for the sprinters on paper, but Liquigas' Francesco Chicchi proved the prognosticators wrong by taking out the bunch kick into Modesto.
The Italian took his sixth win of the season by overpowering Saxo Bank's JJ Haedo and points leader Mark Cavendish at the end of the 195.5 kilometre stage.
"I'm proud to win again here in the United States, and I love to race hard and win in America," said Chicchi, a two-time winner at the Tour of Missouri. Beating Cavendish, one of the fastest men in the world, was an added bonus.
"Mark and I are rivals on the bike, but good friends outside the race. Winning is always good, but to beat the number one is even better."
The win adds to his victories in the Tour de San Luis, Tour of Qatar and Coppi Bartali this season. After his successful start, Chicchi took a break and resumed training "with a strong desire to do well in California".
Chicchi's win also adds to the success of the Liquigas-Doimo team in California, where Peter Sagan leads the best young rider classification and sits fourth overall. Despite his high position on GC, Sagan was not above trying to secure a stage win for his teammate.
"Cervélo was pulling for [Theo] Bos on the last kilometre, and with about 300m to go Sagan gave me a nice lead-out. I did as well as I could into the headwind," he said. "I want to dedicate this stage to my teammates who worked all day and all of the season."
General classification leader David Zabriskie (Garmin-Transitions) finished safely in the bunch despite some damp and slippery turns in the finishing circuits which took out several riders in addition to bringing Radioshack's Lance Armstrong to a halt inside the final 3km.
"I was really enjoying wearing the jersey in the great state of California," said Zabriskie of his first stint in the yellow leader's shirt. "This is something I've really wanted, and it's a special time for me.
"I just stay calm, rely on the team - they did great work today. We were all comfortable today and we're all doing our job to keep the jersey."
There were no changes to the lead in the best young rider and points classifications as Peter Sagan (Liquigas), Thomas Rabou (Team Type 1) and Cavendish (HTC-Columbia) maintained their positions in the respective competitions.
The mountains classification moved from the shoulders of Thomas Rabou (Team Type 1) and onto those of Ryan Anderson (Kelly Benefit Strategies) after the latter made the day's breakaway.
"This is a really big result for me," said Anderson. "Keeping the jersey will be important for the team. The Big Bear stage has a ton of KOMs so that can be a big day."
A serve of Sierra sets up the break
Heading out from San Jose the 124 riders left in the peloton enjoyed clear blue skies and mild temperatures, but would see some more light rain before the day was out. After a three-mile neutral roll-out and the day's breakaway went immediately as the official race start got underway.
Three stages have passed so far in the Amgen Tour of California and with bigger gaps forming on the general classification, the ProTour team who have so far been shut out of the glory were keen to get some television time today.
After three days of domestic team-only breakaways, the Rabobank and Quick Step teams managed to put men into the move, with Lars Boom and Jurgen Van de Walle being joined by domestic riders Rob Britton (Bissell), Jeremy Powers (Jelly Belly), Scott Stewart and Davide Frattini (Team Type 1) and Ryan Anderson (Kelly Benefit Strategies).
The most difficult climb of the day up Sierra Road came only 4.4 miles into the race, and while Team Type 1 was keen to add to its tally of mountain points and prevent Anderson from taking the jersey away, both Frattini and Stewart were unable to match the pace of the other breakaway riders on the 5.9km ascent.
The six remaining riders quickly built up a four minute lead on the peloton by the top, putting Boom into the virtual race lead as he began the stage 1:47 behind Zabriskie. Van de Walle was the next best at 3:08.
By the time the leaders hit the first sprint bonus of the day in Livermore, the gap had reached its maxium at 6:30. Boom claimed the sprint ahead of Powers and Anderson.
On the second KOM of the day, Anderson sprinted to the line first over Van de Walle, Britton and Boom before being dropped from the break.
Despite an intimidating profile, the uncategorised climb at the mid-point of the stage did not prove to be decisive in the peloton, and HTC-Columbia's star sprinter and green jersey holder Mark Cavendish was still well-protected in the main peloton.
With Theo Bos and Chicchi also still in the bunch, the Cervélo and Liquigas teams also contributed to the pace-setting and began whittling down the gap to the leading four on the long, gradual descent to Modesto.
It looked like a forumlaic stage, where the sprinters' teams nailed back the gap inside the final few kilometres, but after the second sprint in Patterson, won by Boom, a strong crosswind, a large crash and Radioshack's efforts the peloton was split in two, with Zabriskie missing the front end - a move which could have ended his time in the yellow jersey.
"The team did a good job pulling me up to the split, and that kind of blew the team there, but then we took a left hand turn and it was a block headwind and everything came back together. The team was super-duper," said Zabriskie.
The headwind also drove the leader's advantage down to the one minute range with 17km to go and it seemed destined to be reeled in, but Boom attacked and opened a gap on his breakaway companions. His jump did nothing to help the break stay clear, and after a time solo he was rejoined by the Van de Walle, Powers and Britton with the gap falling to 30 seconds.
Boom attacked again with 10km to go hoping to at least pull off a stage victory if he could not gain the overall lead, and with one lap to go he maintained a slim advantage over his companions with the peloton 20 seconds behind, but HTC-Columbia had assumed full control and Boom was just prolonging his agony. The lights went out with 8km to go.
Rabobank was determined to get its stage, and launched Martijn Tjallingii off the front inside the final three kilometres, but again the effort was futile.
Rain falling on the closing circuit had dampened the roads, making for a sketchy run-in on the 2.8 mile lap, and safe inside the protected zone, Lance Armstrong hit the deck but his position on the general classification was protected by the UCI rules.
HTC-Columbia's train was overtaken by Fly V Australia for Jonathan Cantwell first and then jumped first by Juan Jose Haedo (Saxo Bank) before Liquigas' Francesco Chicchi powered past to claim the stage win.
Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Francesco Chicchi (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo | 4:55:02 |
2 | Juan Jose Haedo (Arg) Team Saxo Bank | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
3 | Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team HTC-Columbia | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
4 | Theo Bos (Ned) Cervelo Test Team | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
5 | Jonathan Cantwell (Aus) Fly V Australia | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
6 | Alexander Kristoff (Nor) BMC Racing Team | Row 5 - Cell 2 |
7 | Ken Hanson (USA) Team Type 1 | Row 6 - Cell 2 |
8 | Andreas Stauff (Ger) Quick Step | Row 7 - Cell 2 |
9 | Alex Candelario (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies | Row 8 - Cell 2 |
10 | Guillaume Boivin (Can) SpiderTech Powered by Planet Energy | Row 9 - Cell 2 |
11 | George Hincapie (USA) BMC Racing Team | Row 10 - Cell 2 |
12 | Heinrich Haussler (Ger) Cervelo Test Team | Row 11 - Cell 2 |
13 | Daniel Holloway (USA) Bissell | Row 12 - Cell 2 |
14 | Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | Row 13 - Cell 2 |
15 | Mark Renshaw (Aus) Team HTC-Columbia | Row 14 - Cell 2 |
16 | Aaron Kemps (Aus) Fly V Australia | Row 15 - Cell 2 |
17 | Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Team Radioshack | Row 16 - Cell 2 |
18 | Martin Gilbert (Can) SpiderTech Powered by Planet Energy | Row 17 - Cell 2 |
19 | Christopher Horner (USA) Team Radioshack | Row 18 - Cell 2 |
20 | Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin-Transitions | Row 19 - Cell 2 |
21 | Elia Viviani (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
22 | Matthew Crane (USA) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis | Row 21 - Cell 2 |
23 | Valeriy Kobzarenko (Ukr) Team Type 1 | Row 22 - Cell 2 |
24 | Zachary Bell (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies | Row 23 - Cell 2 |
25 | Robert Hunter (RSA) Garmin-Transitions | Row 24 - Cell 2 |
26 | Nikolas Maes (Bel) Quick Step | Row 25 - Cell 2 |
27 | Michael Friedman (USA) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda | Row 26 - Cell 2 |
28 | Levi Leipheimer (USA) Team Radioshack | Row 27 - Cell 2 |
29 | David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin-Transitions | Row 28 - Cell 2 |
30 | Thomas Danielson (USA) Garmin-Transitions | Row 29 - Cell 2 |
31 | Neil Shirley (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies | Row 30 - Cell 2 |
32 | Michael Rogers (Aus) Team HTC-Columbia | Row 31 - Cell 2 |
33 | Jens Voigt (Ger) Team Saxo Bank | Row 32 - Cell 2 |
34 | Christopher Jones (USA) Team Type 1 | Row 33 - Cell 2 |
35 | Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank Cycling Team | Row 34 - Cell 2 |
36 | Thomas Peterson (USA) Garmin-Transitions | Row 35 - Cell 2 |
37 | Kurt Hovelynck (Bel) Quick Step | Row 36 - Cell 2 |
38 | Marc De Maar (Ned) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis | Row 37 - Cell 2 |
39 | Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Team HTC-Columbia | Row 38 - Cell 2 |
40 | Lucas Euser (USA) SpiderTech Powered by Planet Energy | Row 39 - Cell 2 |
41 | Benjamin Day (Aus) Fly V Australia | Row 40 - Cell 2 |
42 | Rory Sutherland (Aus) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis | Row 41 - Cell 2 |
43 | Phil Zajicek (USA) Fly V Australia | Row 42 - Cell 2 |
44 | Bert Grabsch (Ger) Team HTC-Columbia | Row 43 - Cell 2 |
45 | Francesco Bellotti (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo | Row 44 - Cell 2 |
46 | Reid Mumford (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies | Row 45 - Cell 2 |
47 | Peter Stetina (USA) Garmin-Transitions | Row 46 - Cell 2 |
48 | Scott Zwizanski (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies | Row 47 - Cell 2 |
49 | Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Team Saxo Bank | Row 48 - Cell 2 |
50 | Kiel Reijnen (USA) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda | Row 49 - Cell 2 |
51 | David Boily (Can) SpiderTech Powered by Planet Energy | Row 50 - Cell 2 |
52 | Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas-Doimo | Row 51 - Cell 2 |
53 | Brian Vandborg (Den) Liquigas-Doimo | Row 52 - Cell 2 |
54 | Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Team Saxo Bank | Row 53 - Cell 2 |
55 | Maarten Wynants (Bel) Quick Step | Row 54 - Cell 2 |
56 | Carlos Barredo Llamazales (Spa) Quick Step | Row 55 - Cell 2 |
57 | Paul Martens (Ger) Rabobank Cycling Team | Row 56 - Cell 2 |
58 | Paul Mach (USA) Bissell | Row 57 - Cell 2 |
59 | Manuel Quinziato (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo | Row 58 - Cell 2 |
60 | Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell | Row 59 - Cell 2 |
61 | Jose Luis Rubiera Vigil (Spa) Team Radioshack | Row 60 - Cell 2 |
62 | Charles Dionne (Can) Fly V Australia | Row 61 - Cell 2 |
63 | Andy Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell | Row 62 - Cell 2 |
64 | Bruno Langlois (Can) SpiderTech Powered by Planet Energy | Row 63 - Cell 2 |
65 | Andrew Randell (Can) SpiderTech Powered by Planet Energy | Row 64 - Cell 2 |
66 | Cody O'Reilly (USA) Bissell | Row 65 - Cell 2 |
67 | Matti Breschel (Den) Team Saxo Bank | Row 66 - Cell 2 |
68 | Francois Parisien (Can) SpiderTech Powered by Planet Energy | Row 67 - Cell 2 |
69 | Jeremy Vennell (NZl) Bissell | Row 68 - Cell 2 |
70 | Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | Row 69 - Cell 2 |
71 | Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Quick Step | Row 70 - Cell 2 |
72 | Chad Beyer (USA) BMC Racing Team | Row 71 - Cell 2 |
73 | Davide Frattini (Ita) Team Type 1 | Row 72 - Cell 2 |
74 | David Veilleux (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies | 0:00:19 |
75 | Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team HTC-Columbia | 0:00:21 |
76 | Matthew Wilson (Aus) Garmin-Transitions | 0:00:23 |
77 | Tony Martin (Ger) Team HTC-Columbia | 0:00:29 |
78 | Davide Cimolai (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo | 0:00:31 |
79 | Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing Team | 0:00:45 |
80 | Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Quick Step | Row 79 - Cell 2 |
81 | Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step | Row 80 - Cell 2 |
82 | Will Routley (Can) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda | 0:00:46 |
83 | Thomas Leezer (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | 0:01:20 |
84 | Jay Robert Thomson (RSA) Fly V Australia | 0:01:24 |
85 | Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | Row 84 - Cell 2 |
86 | Christopher Butler (USA) BMC Racing Team | Row 85 - Cell 2 |
87 | Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank | 0:01:24 |
88 | Christopher Baldwin (USA) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis | Row 87 - Cell 2 |
89 | Jeremy Hunt (GBr) Cervelo Test Team | 0:01:29 |
90 | Dennis Van Winden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | Row 89 - Cell 2 |
91 | Max Jenkins (USA) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis | Row 90 - Cell 2 |
92 | Jackson Stewart (USA) BMC Racing Team | Row 91 - Cell 2 |
93 | Dominique Rollin (Can) Cervelo Test Team | 0:02:09 |
94 | Lance Armstrong (USA) Team Radioshack | Row 93 - Cell 2 |
95 | Jason McCartney (USA) Team Radioshack | 0:02:13 |
96 | Dmitriy Muravyev (Kaz) Team Radioshack | Row 95 - Cell 2 |
97 | Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Team Radioshack | Row 96 - Cell 2 |
98 | Ivan Santaromita (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo | Row 97 - Cell 2 |
99 | Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | Row 98 - Cell 2 |
100 | Tejay Van Garderen (USA) Team HTC-Columbia | Row 99 - Cell 2 |
101 | Bernard Van Ulden (USA) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda | Row 100 - Cell 2 |
102 | Thomas Rabou (Ned) Team Type 1 | Row 101 - Cell 2 |
103 | Darren Lill (RSA) Fly V Australia | Row 102 - Cell 2 |
104 | Philip Deignan (Irl) Cervelo Test Team | Row 103 - Cell 2 |
105 | Bradley White (USA) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis | Row 104 - Cell 2 |
106 | Eric Boily (Can) SpiderTech Powered by Planet Energy | Row 105 - Cell 2 |
107 | Javier Megias Leal (Spa) Team Type 1 | Row 106 - Cell 2 |
108 | Brett Lancaster (Aus) Cervelo Test Team | 0:02:54 |
109 | Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team Saxo Bank | Row 108 - Cell 2 |
110 | Oscar Pujol Munoz (Spa) Cervelo Test Team | Row 109 - Cell 2 |
111 | Robert Britton (Can) Bissell | Row 110 - Cell 2 |
112 | Ryan Anderson (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies | Row 111 - Cell 2 |
113 | Karl Menzies (Aus) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis | Row 112 - Cell 2 |
114 | Simon Zahner (Swi) BMC Racing Team | 0:03:04 |
115 | Steve Morabito (Swi) BMC Racing Team | Row 114 - Cell 2 |
116 | William Dickeson (Aus) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda | 0:03:10 |
117 | Jeremy Powers (USA) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda | Row 116 - Cell 2 |
118 | Peter Latham (NZl) Bissell | Row 117 - Cell 2 |
119 | Bernard Sulzberger (Aus) Fly V Australia | 0:04:18 |
120 | Steven Cozza (USA) Garmin-Transitions | Row 119 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Joao Correia (Por) Cervelo Test Team | Row 120 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Aldo Ino Ilesic (Slo) Team Type 1 | Row 121 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Scott Stewart (USA) Team Type 1 | Row 122 - Cell 2 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | Header Cell - Column 3 |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | 5 | pts |
2 | Jeremy Powers (USA) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda | 3 | Row 1 - Cell 3 |
3 | Ryan Anderson (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies | 1 | Row 2 - Cell 3 |