Before I get into my report on today's final stage at the ToC I just want to address a couple of the comments regarding my post yesterday on my friend Mark Cavendish.
Glenn and Jim, you guys need to lighten up. I am 100 per cent sure that Mark Cavendish couldn't give a rat's ass about what I think of him, so why the heck do you guys care so much?
Look, I agree with Cathy's comment. We all have riders that we like and some that we don't. Cavendish just rubs me the wrong way, that's all. I've never denied that he's an excellent rider. I've even predicted that, before his career is over, he'll probably have many TdF green jerseys hanging in his closet, hell, I may even become a fan one day. But right now he's young, he's green, he's overconfident, he's cocky and I just don't like him.
I joked about being happy that he'd had the stage win taken away from him yesterday but, despite how it may seem at times, I really don't wish the kid any ill will. He won the sprint itself fair and square and good for him, but I called him a cheater because he cheated. I know that everyone does it but that doesn't make it not cheating.
Mark Cavendish has the potential to be one of the best in the world but he still has a lot to learn. And until his legs can start cashing some of the those checks that his mouth has been writing, he's going to continue to bug me.
That being said, let's move on to the events of today because they were Kick Ass!
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Stage Seven: Santa Clarita - Pasadena, 150 km
The roads were wet and there was more rain in the forecast this morning as riders lined up for the seventh and final stage of the 2008 Amgen Tour of California. Jackets and leg warmers were abundant.
The challenging course today would make this final stage far from just ceremonial. Two intermediate sprints meant that the green jersey was still in contention and a final KOM climb, more than 4,800 feet up the Millcreek Summit, would still allow for some shake-up on GC. Six five-mile laps around the Rose Bowl stadium in Pasadena would end today’s stage and this year’s race.
Only 90 of the original 132 started today as that nasty flu bug continued to make its rounds through the peloton.
Team Astana immediately took control of the pack this morning. They were down one rider today after Vladimir Gusev crashed near the end of yesterday’s stage and broke his collarbone.
Right away there was an attack by Doug Ollerenshaw (Rock Racing). He was chased down and more attacks came and were caught. After some back and forth a group of ten riders got away: George Hincapie (High Road), Jason McCartney (CSC), Yannick Talabardon (Credit Agricole), Oliver Zaugg (Gerolsteiner), Dimitri Champion (Bouygues Telecom), Danny Pate (Slipstream), Taylor Tolleson (BMC), Rory Sutherland (Health Net), Tom Zirbel (Bissell) and Michael Creed (Rock Racing).
At the first sprint it was Creed who went through first followed by Talabardon and Pate. The gap was 3.25 back to the peloton.
Coming up to the climb at Millcreek Summit, Quick Step had their entire team on the front chasing down the break. They wanted to make sure that today’s stage ended in a bunch sprint.
As the break made their way up the big climb, with 5 km to the top, Creed broke off the front and opened up a gap of 15 seconds over the rest of the break. He took first place over the last KOM of the race followed by Talabardon and Tolleson.
As the rest of the peloton headed up the climb there was an attack off the front as Victor Hugo Pena Grisales (Rock Racing), Robert Gesink (Rabobank), and Thomas Peterson (Slipstream) tried to get up to the break. Dave Zabriskie (Slipstream) then launched off to join the group heading up to the break.
They were all caught by the field but the attack shook things up in the group and new attacks and counter attacks began. The Astana train was temporarily broken up a bit leaving Levi a little isolated. He managed to get himself back up to the front pretty quickly though.
On the descent after the KOM climb, Creed was caught by the other nine in the break. The gap had come down to 1.35 but started to open up again as the ten-man break was back together and working in unison once again.
With 70 km to go the gap was back up to over three minutes. The rain had returned and riders were bundling up against more cold, wet weather. Increasing fog was making the twisty, winding roads more and more dangerous.
Coming up to the final intermediate sprint of the race McCartney attacked off the break to try to eat up the last intermediate sprint points and keep his teammate JJ Haedo’s position in the green jersey race safe. Hincapie responded and brought him back. McCartney attacked again but again was caught. Then it was Tom Zirbel’s turn to attack. He managed to get away and open up a small 15 second gap over the other leaders. The peloton was still 2.15 back but Quick Step was on the front chasing hard.
With 30 km to go Zirbel’s gap had opened to 30 seconds over the rest of the guys in the original break. Next it was Rory Sutherland (Health Net) who decided to make a move off the front group and try to bridge his way up to Zirbel. He got away from the group but was having a hard time latching onto Zirbel’s wheel.
The rain was pouring down now as Zirbel, Sutherland and then the rest of the break approached the six five-mile laps around the Rose Bowl stadium. Creed, Hincapie and McCartney got away from the break next and managed to get up to Sutherland but Zirbel was still 10 seconds up ahead of them all.
Rabobank had joined Quick Step now and were pulling hard at the front of the peloton trying to reel in the break. The rain was making the roads slick and dangerous. The Astana squad surrounded Levi just working to keep him at the front and safely upright so that he could win this race in just a few miles.
Creed, Hincapie, McCartney and Sutherland were working well together now but having no luck in bringing back Zirbel who was giving it everything he had to stay away and try to take this stage win.
At 14 km to go the remnants of the original break were caught by the charging peloton. Now it was just Creed, Hincapie, McCartney and Sutherland still away with everyone chasing Tom Zirbel who was still the lone man out in front.
Quick Step seemed to be doing all the work now at the front of the peloton getting little to no help from the other teams. Astana was up front but happy to just ride safely in behind Quick Step. They didn’t need to bring back anyone in the break and just needed to deliver Levi safely to the line.
The effort was apparent on Zirbel’s face as he came around the final circuit lap, rain pelting down. He gave an incredible ride, holding off four very strong riders working together behind him for almost five laps of the circuit, but he was caught on the final lap by Hincapie and Sutherland. Zirbel was passed by the two but then gave an extra push and managed to catch onto Sutherland’s wheel. McCartney and Creed lagged back but then made they’re way up to the other three and it was now a five-man break all together hurtling toward the line, preparing for a sprint.
Sutherland attacked, Hincapie answered and McCartney followed. Creed and Zirbel managed to latch on in the last few seconds.
All five sprinted it out in the last 1 km but it was George Hincapie who still had enough in the legs to take the stage win for High Road.
Levi Leipheimer crossed the line safely in the front group of the peloton to win his second consecutive Tour of California. Dominique Rollin (Toyota United) held onto the green sprinter’s jersey, Scott Nydam (BMC) gets the KOM jersey and Robert Gesnik (Rabobank) is the Best Young Rider.