Tour of Missouri 2009: Stage 1

Welcome to Cyclingnews' live coverage of the Tour of Missouri.  Today, we'll be bringing you all the action from the 75 mile / 120.7 km circuit race in St. Louis.  Coverage will begin near the 2:30 PM local (US / Central Daylight Time) race start time.

It's sunny today, with lows in the 80s (degrees Fahrenheit).  The riders are lining up on the streets of downtown St. Louis.  They're facing the famous arch which pays tribute to the countless American pioneers who went west.

We're moments away from the start, and the riders are getting called up and introduced.  The crowds are large on the homestretch.  Levi Leipheimer (Astana) gets his named called.

Racers will complete 10 laps of a 7.5-mile circuit today.  It's mostly flat, but they will still contest a King of the Mountain (KOM) several times as well as several sprints.

Just after the first turn, the crowds are six deep.  Missouri cycling fans have come out en force to show their support for the race.  Although it's a Monday, it's also a national holiday - Labor Day - so many works will have the day off to come watch the race.

Just past the first turn is Busch Stadium, home of the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team.  We've got a delay on the start thanks to someone's flat tire.  At least it went flat before the start, so he won't have to chase.

We don't know which rider had the flat, but it must be all taken care of because, they're off...!  The race has begun.

The peloton is racing at 24 mph early in lap one.

As far as we know, all 148 starters took to the line.  One of them was Thor Hushovd (Cervelo Test Team).  We're passing a bunch of Norwegian flags with fans alongside the road.  He must have brought his cheering crew.  Many of you will recognize his name as one of the top sprinters at the Tour de France.  He won the battle for the Green Jersey when the dust settled on the Champs Elysee.

As we pass by the Anheuser-Busch brewery, there is a strong smell of hops.  The peloton is only going 22mph, so we're thinking maybe we should stop and have a beer?

Two riders have decided - no beer, it's time to race!  They attack.

Today's stage is generally flat, and we're expecting it to end in a field sprint.  There are a lot of talented sprinters at the race, and they will be hungry for stage wins.  Team BMC's Tony Cruz agrees about the likely outcome.  He said to Cyclingnews' Peter Hymas before the start, "I'm looking forward to a field sprint. There are too many teams of sprinters for it to be anything but a bunch finish."

The two riders in the break, with 10 seconds on the peloton are Frank Pipp (Bissell Pro Cycling) and Jeremy Powers (Jelly Belly Cycling Team).
 

They've got 1km to go until the end of lap one, and they are flying.  There is lots of jockeying for position even though this lap doesn't count for the sprints.

108km remaining from 120km

Bradley White (OUCH Presented By Maxxis) attacks from the field as they pass by the start finish. He and everyone else sees nine laps to go.

White is reabsorbed into the field while Pipp and Powers have just five seconds.  Pipp told Cyclingnews' Peter Hymas before the start, "We'll let Saxo Bank and Columbia control things. In the sprint, I may key off someone other than Cavendish."  Of course, he didn't tell us who that lucky sprinter might be so as not to give away too much of his game plan!

The peloton is flying along at 32mph.  Two more riders have bridged up to Pipp and Powers.  It looks like Dario Cataldo (Quck Step) and Jeremy Hunt (Cervelo Test Team).

The four from the break are caught by the peloton.  Jeremy Hunt (Cervelo Test Team) gives it a go solo instead.

There's no love for Hunt.  Three riders counterattack after he is caught: Tomas Vaitkus (Astana), Chris Anker Sorensen (Team Saxo Bank), and Moises Aldape Chavez (Team Type 1) break off the front.  They'll be interested in the intermediate sprint at the end of lap two.  We understand that the riders are not sprinting for points today but for time bonuses - which in a race like this, could play a role in determining who wears yellow each day.
 

Scott Wizanski (Kelly Benefit Strategies) gets a front flat.

That must have given Florian Stalder (BMC Racing Team) some ideas because now he has a front flat, too.

100km remaining from 120km

Our three leaders have gotten 40 seconds.    Today's sprints will happen at the end of lap 2, lap 5 and lap 8.

Yikes, Mississippi Avenue has cobbles up the right side of the road - taking up maybe a quarter of the road.  Of course, many of these guys have plenty of experience on cobbles racing in Europe, but we wouldn't recommend taking the line over these.  Better to stay to the other side of the road.

96km remaining from 120km

David Veilleux (Kelly Benefit Strategies) throws his hat in the ring. He attacks the peloton and now sits between it and the three leaders with one kilometre to go until the end of the second lap.

Francesco Chicchi of Team Liquigas won the stage in St. Louis last year.  He wasn't counting on another win and said, "It's always hard to beat (Mark) Cavendish and (Thor) Hushovd, but we're ready and we'll see how it plays out."

This year, the Tour of Missouri is starting in St. Louis instead of finishing in St. Louis.  In general the route is travelling in the opposite direction around the state - relative to previous years.

Our two riders with front flats a little while ago, Scott Wizanski (Kelly Benefit Strategies) and Florian Stalder (BMC Racing Team), are back in the peloton.
 

96km remaining from 120km

Our three leaders and one chaser cross the line.  They see eight laps to go.  We'll get you the official sprint results shortly.

Intermediate sprint #1 results are
1 Tomas Vaitkus (Astana)
2 Moises Aldape Chavez (Team Type 1)
3 Chris Anker Sorensen (Team Saxo Bank)

Meanwhile, Veilleux is reabsorbed by the peloton.

Jeffry Louder (BMC Racing Team) has a mechanical.

99km remaining from 120km

Providing added motivation in the pening stage today, the winner will receive a Buell 1125R motorcycle valued at USD $15,000.  This was news to both Cavendish and Hushovd at the press conference yesterday. "I probably shouldn't share that with my teammates," said Cavendish. "They'll probably go harder and try to drop me."

Never one to shy away from speaking his mind at a press conference, Saxo Bank's Jens Voigt quipped, "How about he wins the first stage tomorrow, takes the motorbike, jumps on it and keeps riding down Route 66. How about that?"

The two fast men spent some time drooling over the machine, which was at the press conference for racers to check out.

Our three leaders, Tomas Vaitkus (Astana), Chris Anker Sorensen (Team Saxo Bank) and Moises Aldape Chavez (Team Type 1) have 55 seconds on the peloton.  They are trading off turns at the front.  All three look pretty comfortable.
 

On this lap, they will go for the first of two KOMs.  What, a KOM in St. Louis you might ask?  In fact, the hill is not all that big or long, and we don't anticipate that any of the racers will need to get out of their big chainrings.

One way the racers will know they are at the KOM line will be by the presence of some spectators playing the drums there.  We're not sure how good the drummers are, but we understand they're trying to motivate the riders.

The course goes right through Lafayette Park and the racers are passing through an area with some lovely brick townhouses that surround the park.

87km remaining from 120km

Vaitkus, Ander Sorensen and Aldape have one minute over the peloton as they approach the end of lap 3.  They'll see 7 laps to go.

Vaitkus is teammates with Levi Leipheimer on Astana.  Leipheimer was all set to race when we spoke with him this morning.  "I'm anxious and ready to go," he said. "I'm looking forward to getting started and start the race across the great state (of Missouri)."  He's know sitting safely in the peloton while Vaitkus does his job off the front.

Some of you may recall that Leipheimer had to pull out of the Tour de France early after breaking his wrist.  Prior to his withdrawal, he was working for teammates Lance Armstrong and Alberto Contador, who eventually finished third and first respectively.

72km remaining from 120km

The break sits at 1:00 minute advantage on lap four. 

This past July, federal authorities broke up the largest dog-fighting ring in US history. The Humane Society of Missouri took in over 400 dogs rescued from the ring. Knowing he was going to be in Missouri for the Tour this week, our photographer Jon Devich set up a fundraising initiative called MODogs, through which he is raffling off cycling memorabilia related to this week's Tour of Missouri. He is also donating proceeds from any prints he sells from shooting the Tour of Missouri. All money raised will go to the HSMO Animal Cruelty Fund.

Raffle tickets are just $5 each and can be purchased through Devich's website, www.epicimages.us.

80km remaining from 120km

We're on the lap where riders will contest the first KOM.  Given their current margin, the points will likely go to our break riders.  With more than a minute advantage, the riders' team cars have been summoned up from behind the peloton as they race down Arsenal Street.

Time for a nature break for the peloton, that's kind of interesting considering we are in downtown St. Louis.  In any case, the peloton is not too interested in chasing the break yet.  It's too early.  There is plenty of time to set up for a bunch sprint.

The break is about to turn left on Russell Street for the KOM.  200m to go...

Moises Aldape is from Mexico, and he's a climber, so we'll have to watch him in the KOM today. He won a stage of the Cascade Classic earlier this summer.

First KOM results are:

1 Chris Anker Sorensen (Team Saxo Bank)
2 Moises Aldape Chavez (Team Type 1)
3 Tomas Vaitkus (Astana)
4 David Veilleux (Kelly Benefit Strategies)
5 Andy Jacques-Maynes (Bissell Pro Cycling)

The break is approaching the end of lap four.

Our driver today, and for the rest of the week is Steve Hegg.  You might know him.  He's a retired former track and road pro.  He won two Olympic medals on the track in 1984 - gold in the individual pursuit and silver in the team pursuit.  He was pro from 1988 to 2000.

Hegg speculates that the Astana rider in the break, Vaitkus, isn't doing much work.  "He's here to help someone else win," he said.  However, his being in the break lets Astana sit back and relax for awhile during today's stage.

Heinrich Haussler (Cervelo Test Team) had a wheel change, but he appears to be back in the field.

60km remaining from 120km

The peloton has just ridden through the feed zone and is about to start on lap five.  They see five laps to go, which means they're at the halfway point of the race.

We may see some more action on this lap since at the end of it is another sprint.  The lead trio's gap is 55 seconds - certainly very manageable.  The peloton could decide to bring them back any time.

71km remaining from 120km

The break can look up and see a huge Budweiser sign on the factory roof dead ahead.  They won't have to stop for a beverage though - riders are now allowed to feed from the team cars.

Columbia-HTC is lined up one after another and setting tempo at the front of the field.  Seven of them are there and the eighth team member, Mark Cavendish, is sitting mid-pack socializing!

It's a real coup to have Cavendish at this race.  He won six stages including the last stage in Paris during the Tour de France in July.  However, it was Hushovd who took the green jersey.

Marcus Ljungqvist (Team Saxo Bank) has a rear flat.  While he is getting his wheel change, maybe he'll have a second to check out the Clydesdales, who are out in front of the Bud factory, oblivious to the race and munching on some grass.

As we approach the KOM, we notice the crowds here are building.  Many have come armed with cowbells and they're not afraid to ring them. 

Taking our unofficial measurement (with our eyes), we estimate the gradient to be about 3 percent.

Ljungqvist regains contact with the field after his mechanical.

Kelly Benefits and Cervelo are called up further to the front of the caravan to feed their riders.  It's 86 degrees here - very warm.  The racers will go through plenty of fluids.

Jens Voigt (Saxo Bank) is back racing at the Tour of Missouri after a hideous crash during the Tour de France when he slid along the pavement face down on a high speed descent in the Alps.  When he walked up to sign in before today's stage, the crowd roared its support.  "The crowds are great here," said Voigt. "I haven't even won yet and I get all this support. It's my first race back from my crash and I don't know how I will be. I just have to wait and see."

"People know me here probably becauase I suffer a lot. I try to start my own luck in races. I keep going and going and I never give up. I think that is what people admire," he said.  Voigt is indeed famous for his heroic breakaway efforts, and we wouldn't be surprised if we see him off the front sometime this week.

Today is expected to be a sprint finish and one not-so-obvious person to watch will be Jeremy Hunt (Cervelo Test Team). While everyone has their eyes on Cavendish and Hushovd, it could be someone like Hunt who gets in there for a stage-ending sprint win.

Hunt is a lead-out man for Hushovd, and every now and then, one of the big sprinters' lead-out men gets his day in the limelight.

60km remaining from 120km

Our break, including Tomas Vaitkus (Astana), Chris Anker Sorensen (Team Saxo Bank) and Moises Aldape Chavez (Team Type 1), crosses the start finish line at the end of lap five. They've just started out on lap six. We'll get you the results of the sprint they just contended.
 

Results from the sprint at the end of lap 5 - which is the second of three for the day - are as follows:

1 Moises Aldape Chavez (Team Type 1)
2 Chris Anker Sorensen (Team Saxo Bank)
3 Tomas Vaitkus (Astana)

The break, now at 45 seconds' advantage, has four laps to go.
 

Jelly Belly is the team that can boast the only Missouri native in the field this year.  That's Brad Huff.

54km remaining from 120km

The field is rather complacent, and it's allowed the gap to grow back to 1:05. The peloton is being led by Columbia, then a rider from Cervelo rider, then Planet Energy. Yaroslav Popovych (Astana) is bringing up the tail end of the peloton - occupying the tail gunner position.

Wow, the fans are blowing us kisses on the KOM hill, as we pass by in the media car.  It sure does make us feel welcome!

The crowd recognizes our driver, Steve Hegg.  We mentioned his track accomplishments earlier, but let us tell you about his road achievements.   Hegg won the US national time trial championships three times (1990, 1995 and 1996) and the road championships in 1994.

51km remaining from 120km

The riders in the break are taking even pulls and riding steadily.  They're not gaining any significant ground, nor are they losing any yet.  The break sees 1km to go until the end of this sixth lap.

48km remaining from 120km

As the break approaches the start, finish, we get a good look at the finish.  There is one right-hand turn before the finish - maybe 400m from the line.  The street is very wide, with many lanes, so there will be lots of room to pass.  It's slightly uphill to the line, but probably not enough to make a big difference in the outcome.  As Cavendish proved in the Tour de France, he can sprint on uphill finishes, too.

The riders will contest the second of the two KOMs on this lap.  Unless the peloton gets busy quickly, it will probably be decided among one of our three leaders.

Dominique Cornu (Quick Step) has a flat.  Fortunately, the field is sitting up and spread across the road, so he should be able to catch up pretty easily.

43km remaining from 120km

Colavitta and OUCH teams get the call up to come forward and feed their riders.  The 85-degree temperatures are fairly warm for September, especially with today's humidity.

Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Slipstream) and George Hincapie (Columbia-HTC) are the two previous winners of the Tour of Missouri.  Both are here today racing although we haven't mentioned them yet today.  They're unlikely to go for a sprint win today as they'll be more interested in the overall.  Plus Hincapie will be expected to help bring the team's sprinter, Mark Cavendish, to the line for victory.

Last weekend, Hincapie won the US National pro road race championships held near his home in Greenville, South Carolina.  So you will see him in his brand new stars and stripes kit for the first time here in Missouri.  Hincapie's win was especially noteworthy given that he broke his collarbone at the Tour de France and still finished!

The break is approaching the final KOM.  Anker Sorensen looks like he might have taken it.

The second KOM results are
1 Chris Anker Sorensen (Team Saxo Bank)
2 Moises Aldape Chavez (Team Type 1)
3 Tomas Vaitkus (Astana)
4 Francois Parisien (Planet Energy)
5 Andy Jacques-Maynes (Bissell Pro Cycling)

That's the final KOM for today, although we still have one more intermediate sprint to go.

Chris Anker Sorensen (Team Saxo Bank) will wear the KOM jersey for tomorrow's stage two.

Four riders have attacked from the field.

The chase group includes Ben Jacques-Maynes (Bissell Pro Cycling), David Veilleux (Kelly Benefit Strategies), Kiel Reijnen (Jelly Belly Cycling Team) and Francois Parisien (Planet Energy).

36km remaining from 120km

The break is going to pass through the start finish again soon.  It'll be the end of its seventh lap, and the riders will see three laps to go.

The peloton doesn't give the impression of going very hard.  It's almost all white at the front, with Columbia-HTC at the forefront.  With noone in the break and with the obvious favorite Mark Cavendish, the team will be expected to do the work to chase down the break and set the race up for a sprint finish.

Cavendish is sitting on Big George Hincapie's wheel in the peloton.  Looks like Cavendish, who must be several inches shorter, is getting a pretty handy draft off the American champion.

The Tour of Missouri could be one of the last times Hincapie and Cavendish race together.  Hincapie is leaving Columbia next year.  In 2010, he'll ride for Team BMC.

The four who attacked from the peloton have been reabsorbed - so quickly, we weren't able to figure out who they were.

Cervelo Test Team is taking a turn at the front now.  They seem more motivated, and the gap to the three leaders is down to 30 seconds.

The Tour of Missouri was in danger of being cancelled earlier this summer when the governor froze funds.  However, the response was loud and clear, and the funds were released, allowing the race to go forward for 2009.  It's a good thing for the spectators, who are enjoying the chance to see seven ProTour teams in action.

We have word that Jason McCartney (Team Saxo Bank) has returned to the field after a front flat.

Dario Cataldo (Quick Step) also gets a quick wheel change and returns to the peloton.

If you've ever done a mountain bike race, you've probably gotten the warning to please not throw away your gel wrappers on the trails.  Now these roadies are being warned not to throw bottles away as they ride overpasses!  Officials don't want any surprises for the people below.

We saw Chris Anker Sorensen in the Tour de France this year.  He finished third on stage four.  This year, he also finished second at the Rundt om Lunden in Denmark.

24km remaining from 120km

The riders are approaching the final intermediate sprint at the end of lap eight.  The riders can still get feeds from their cars - at least until mile 63.  Two laps to go.

We have results from that last sprint - the final intermediate sprint of the day: 

1 Moises Aldape Chavez (Team Type 1)
2 Tomas Vaitkus (Astana)
3 Chris Anker Sorensen (Team Saxo Bank)
 

Moises Aldape Chavez (Team Type 1) has attacked the break. He's aware that they'll be caught soon by the field and doesn't want to give up yet.

The other two break riders are absorbed.  They put in a good effort.  That's the end of the day for Vaitkus and Anker Sorensen.

21km remaining from 120km

The field is just 15 seconds behind Aldape.  His time is running out.  With these wide streets, he's in sight and now a moving target.

20km remaining from 120km

Aldape is caught, and a rider from Jelly Belly counters.

Matthew Crane (Jelly Belly Cycling Team) is on his own off the front. He's managed to gain about 10 seconds over the field.

It's time for a new wheel for Cody O'Reilly (Bissell Pro Cycling).  Hopefully, he'll be able to get back on, but the pace is high.

Riders get the word that there is no more feeding from the cars - from now through the end of the race.

Matthew Crane (Jelly Belly) is pedalling hard, head down, hands in the drops.  He's got 15 seconds.  We can see the peloton back behind him on the wide boulevards.  It's got to be lonely out there.

The chasing peloton is strung out - almost single file at the front.  Crane is at the front, riding on his hoods, but still in an aero position.  Cavendish, in his green sunglasses, looks relaxed back in the field.  He'll have had plenty of times around this course, so he'll know the approach to the finish very well by the time we get to the final lap.

12km remaining from 120km

The field is one kilometer to go from one lap to go.  That means 7.5 miles left to race.

Matthew Crane's time is almost up.  The field is closing quickly.

We took a close look at the finishing straight on that last pass through.  It narrows form 6 lanes at 500m to go to 3 lanes at the finish. 

Crane is caught by a peloton led by Cervelo and Columbia.

Two riders counter.  It's Bradley White (OUCH Presented By Maxxis) and Shawn Milne (Team Type 1).  They're trying to mess up the game of the ProTour Teams.

 Ben Jacques-Maynes (Bissell Pro Cycling) has a rear flat.

White and Milne and pedalling hard and trading leads with fairly short pulls and occasional glances back.

White's OUCH teammate Floyd Landis told us at the start, "The crowds are great and I really appreciate it. We want to get a stage finish in the sprints. But we aren't the only ones and we want to give thema run for their money. We will put the whole team on the front today for a stage win."
 

Milne and White have a 10-second gap.  We wonder if they're thinking about that motorcycle they would win if they take the stage.

9km remaining from 120km

The two leaders are on a slight downhill - where the peloton is likely to gain back some more ground.

The gap is down to five seconds. Milne and White aren't giving up easily.

We see Landis in the field, mixed in with all the Columbia guys.  Landish isn't a sprinter, but may be trying to stall the peloton's chase efforts to give his teammate White a better chance.

6km remaining from 120km

The break is about to go up the KOM hill, but there are no points up for grab on this final lap.

The two are caught and the peloton is all together.  In fact, it's rather bunched up.

The peloton is stringing out a bit.  There are four Columbia riders at the front.  Competition for Cavendish's wheel must be fierce.  We can't see the Cervelo guys at the very front, but they are likely not far behind as Hushovd will be looking for a stage win.

A Saxo Bank rider attacks.

Saxo Bank is trying to string things out and set up its JJ Haedo.

3km remaining from 120km

Peloton is all together and now Columbia is back at the front.

It's five Columbia riders in a row.  The Haedo brothers are in there, too.

1km remaining from 120km

A Cervelo racer inserts himself into the Columbia train.

Into the final bend, Cervelo leads.

Cervelo is leading out Hushovd.  There's a crash at the back end.

Cavendish is in there, too.

Cavendish comes around for the win. 

Cavendish came around Hushovd, who got the better lead out. 

Heinrich Haussler (Cervelo Test Team) and Tom Zirbel (Bissell Pro Cycling) were involved in the crash. It was near the back of the peloton. Both are up again.
 

Unofficially, JJ Haedo was second and Thor Hushovd was third.

Cavendish will also wear the leader's jersey for Stage 2.

That wraps up our live coverage for stage 1 of the Tour of Missouri.  Please join us tomorrow, for stage 2's live coverage.  Stage 2 will run from Ste. Genevieve to Cape Girardeau over 112.4 miles.  Coverage will begin at noon local time (US Central Daylight Savings Time).