Amgen Tour of California 2008 - Stage One

Stage One: Sausalito to Santa Rosa, 156 km

It was cool and overcast in Sausalito this morning as riders lined up for Stage One which was fairly flat; a stage designed for the sprinters. The riders had three intermediate sprints along the course today and the first classified climb of the race at Coleman road before heading into Santa Rosa, hometown of last year’s race winner, Levi Leipheimer.

About 15 km into the stage Jackson Stewart (BMC) broke away and managed to open up a gap. In 2006 Stewart took the title of most aggressive rider on this same stage.

In the town of Point Reyes about 44 kms into the stage, Stewart sailed through the first intermediate sprint picking up a three second time bonus. The rest of the peloton was nine minutes behind but when they reached the sprint it was a textbook set up by Team High Road as Bradley Wiggins and Boassen Hagen launched Mark Cavendish who took second place and snagged the two second time bonus. Marco Cipollini was third.

With 100 km to go race leader Fabian Cancellara suffered a flat tire slowing the pace of the peloton a bit and opening the gap to almost 13 minutes.

In the small town of Tomales, Stewart passed through the second intermediate sprint still 11 minutes ahead of the group. As the rest of the peloton came up to the sprint the pace quickened and the same High Road train of Wiggins and Hagen led Cavendish out yet again to take second through the sprint and pick up another two second time bonus. Tyler Farrar (Slipstream) was third.

Stewart tucked in and put everything he had into staying away from the pack as the third and final intermediate sprint lay ahead in Bodega Bay. Stewart was 21 seconds behind Cancellara when he set out today. Nine seconds in time bonuses could give him a bump up the GC board into the top 20.

Stewart took the third sprint but as he headed towards the day’s only climb the peloton was closing in fast and his gap had narrowed to 10 minutes. Tyler Farrar and David Millar from Slipstream took second and third at the last intermediate sprint giving Tyler Farrar three seconds in time bonuses for the day and moving him into second on GC.

Over the Coleman Valley road climb, Stewart was still nine minutes ahead but by the time the peloton crested the hill the gap was down to just over seven minutes and closing.

Heading towards Santa Rosa the Quick Step squad was on the front pushing the pace in an effort to pull back Stewart and get Tom Boonen in place for the stage win. And with just under 30 kms to go Stewart was eaten up by the peloton as the blue train of Quick Step flew past him.

As the peloton, now back together, raced on the flat roads towards Santa Rosa the sprinter’s teams were pulling hard at the front in an attempt to get their guys up into position for the final bunch sprint to the line. Quick Step, High Road, CSC and Slipstream were in front doing most of the work. CSC also had a big group of riders up at the front protecting the yellow jersey and hoping to get their sprinter JJ Haedo in place for the win.

Coming into the line it was total chaos as each of the sprinter’s teams jockeyed to get in front and set up their guy. CSC’s Bobby Julich was pulling JJ Haedo, Slipstream’s David Millar had Tyler Farrar on his wheel, Bettini was bringing Boonen up. But, despite Quick Step’s hard work all day, at the end it was JJ Haedo who took the win.

Cameras at the finish line caught Fabian Cancellara a few bike lengths behind with arms raised in the air as he watched his teammate take the stage win. Cancellara can also celebrate another day in yellow as he stayed safely in the front of the pack and maintained his overall lead. It was a good day for CSC!

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