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Photo ©: Sirotti

 UCI codes explained

Tour de Gruene - NE

Texas, USA, November 1-2, 2008

Main Page    Results   Overall standings     Next Day

Day 1 - November 1: Individual time trial, 16miles (25.6km)

Armstrong sets off on 2009 comeback trail with time trial win

By Mike Gladu

Armstrong now only looks ahead
Photo ©: Mike Gladu
(Click for larger image)

The Tour de Gruene is well-established as the traditional end-of-season road cycling weekend for racers in Texas. Deep in the Central "Hill Country" beside the clear waters of the Guadalupe River, and run during the annual Fall "Wurstfest" - a celebration of the German heritage of the local settlers of nearby New Braunfels, the TdG has had a successful 25 year run as the last road event of the year in a state that really doesn't have an "off-season".

Add to that the unusual format (two rider TT, solo or tandem bike) and categories (self-categorized by pace and age), many racers use this event as an opportunity to pair up with their friends, family and 'significant others' and share their love of competition.

Pairings run the gamut from low-key to all out, so three categories are offered - Schnellgruppe (fast), Blitzgruppe (faster) and Ubergruppe (fastest) to keep traffic separated, and age groups to even the competition out a bit. Most of the two-rider single and tandem teams are there for the weekend celebration of the locals German heritage, but there are always a few carrying some speed and fitness into the late season who vie for the last win of the year.

Add to that a new twist - the late entry by a retired pro looking to test the waters for a comeback.

Will the shadow of Lance Armstrong prove to be too big
Photo ©: Mike Gladu
(Click for larger image)

With a new 16.6 Mile individual time trial added to the weekends usual tour and team time trial, there would be two opportunities to gather data, and with a little luck, a few respectable adversaries to shoot at.

Lance Armstrong's entourage (four vehicles and 12 people, including his mechanic, coach, manager, teammate, personal assistant, aero guru photographer, videographer, and all four kids) rolled in, found places to hide for their preparations, and when they were found, were gracious to the fans while they readied their rider.

Scheduled to pair with long-time friend and business partner John Korioth in the TTT on Sunday, it was decided "College" would sit out the ITT on Saturday and let Armstrong focus on the job at hand. Korioth was pressed into duty as the pilot for the follow-scooter bearing spare wheels and wheel-maven Steve Hed - there to get a close-up look at new position changes under race conditions.

Race day weather couldn't have been better for everyone - with sunny late afternoon skies and temps rising into the 80s (degrees Fahrenheit), the limestone cliffs and tall cedar along the banks of the Guadalupe River offered a shady, cool, undulating and fast course to play on.

Going last of 135 riders, two minutes behind the current state road TT champ Eric Benz, Armstrong fought a bit to get into a rhythm, and didn't totally get comfortable in the new position, but as he approached the finish and the cheering crowd lining the road from a quarter mile out, he would come within 13 seconds of catching Benz in a time of 33:14, establishing the record for the new event.

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Mike Gladu/Photosport International

Results

Overall results
 
1 Lance Armstrong                33.14 (46.489 km/h)
2 Erick Benz                      1.43
3 Stefan Rothe                    1.54
4 Cord Offermann                  2.20
5 John Coppin                     2.50
6 Justin Wolfe                    2.51
7 Jason Bentley                   3.11
8 Ron Huijsman                    3.45
9 Kurt Bickel                     3.49
10 David Hoffman                  3.52
11 Philip Wikoff                  4.01
12 Kurt Joseph                    4.32
13 Joshua Barton                  4.33
14 George Heagerty                4.52
15 Leighton Adams                 5.27
16 Scott Munroe                   5.30
17 Jeremey Thomson                5.36
18 Jose Gonzalez                  5.44
19 Eric Pendland                  5.45
20 Jon Huibregtse                 5.51
21 Mike Adams                     5.59
22 Christina Wolfe                6.04
23 Gregory Simmons                6.17
24 Johng Myhre                    6.23
25 Steven Bigby                   6.32
26 Robert Mercado                 6.50
27 Dan Perkins                        
28 Bryan Carlson                  7.05
29 Will Stokes                    7.11
30 Jorge Alvarado                 7.21
31 Sean Sullivan                  7.24
32 JIm Alsup                      7.32
33 David Dohnal                   7.42
34 Mark Goldstein                 7.52
35 Norberto Valdes                8.01
36 Kyle Odom                          
37 Barbara Kuhlemeier             8.10
38 David Felsing                      
39 Michael Braden                 8.19
40 Edward Kennedy                 8.21
41 Diann Sweeney                  8.30
42 Thomas Carter                  8.35
43 Annick Beaudet                     
44 Bill Neale                     8.38
45 Dan Lundeen                    8.41
46 Brian Meelbusch                8.47
47 Bill Lyons                     8.55
48 Robert Briscoe                 9.00
49 David Svahn                    9.06
50 Craig Ayers                    9.11
51 Marc Gonzales                  9.14
52 Pierre Filardi                 9.30
53 Ray Botello                    9.42
54 Vince Rosetta                  9.44
55 Kelly Sell                     9.46
56 Jim Hayes                      9.48
57 Dawn English                       
58 David Gill                     9.51
59 Edward Robinson               10.02
60 David Harris                  10.03
61 Steve Heise                        
62 Jose Farina                   10.08
63 Robert Dole                        
64 Maurice East                       
65 Connor Penland                10.09
66 Drew Hochstatter              10.12
67 Mario Valaperta               10.16
68 Erik Kwiecienski              10.20
69 Aimee Gould                   10.28
70 Jerry Hanke                   10.38
71 Greg Koehnle                  10.51
72 Mark Anderson                      
73 David Droege                  11.03
74 Richard Kinsey                11.06
75 Michael Wynne, Jr             11.15
76 Laryn Mumm                    11.23
77 Arthur Shultz                 11.24
78 John Hertel                   11.27
79 Sheri Rothe                   11.31
80 Chris Vaughn                  11.32
81 Marc Crozier                  11.41
82 Jens Hess                     11.44
83 Allan de Jong                 11.51
84 Brian Young                   11.55
85 Bruce Lantry                  12.04
86 David Rilling                 12.09
87 Doug Lyle                     12.18
88 Ed Allbritton                 12.31
89 Howie Hobbs                   12.33
90 Jeffery Dixon                 12.35
91 Edmund Beaudet                12.42
92 Thomas Lago                        
93 Ryan Campos                   12.56
94 Daniel Munoa                  12.57
95 Jim McTee                     12.59
96 Melissa Kuliska               13.02
97 Edwin Lacson                  13.10
98 Abel Gonzales                 13.13
99 Charlotte Morris              13.23
100 Joaquin Oronoz Jr            13.25
101 Sherman Krause               13.29
102 Enrique Varela               13.30
103 John Wilmeth                      
104 Alan Goss                    13.40
105 David Stephenson             13.50
106 Jill Hall                    14.15
107 James Russell                14.25
108 Mike Bufler                  14.44
109 Rebecca Alanis               14.48
110 Dustin Strickland            14.54
111 Kim Coley                    15.11
112 James Compton                15.12
113 Mark Rowe                    15.14
114 Sean Tipton                  15.48
115 Robert Rivard                15.50
116 Ashley Specia                15.54
117 Norine Gill                  16.02
118 Rebecca Lujan                16.03
119 Kimberley Raymond            16.08
120 Brad Phelan                       
121 Ashley Mayo                  16.29
122 Lisa Reeve                   16.50
123 Rolando Vera                 17.13
124 Joy Allison                  17.18
125 Naji Kayruz                  17.48
126 Hunter Jackson               18.37
127 Charles Schneider            19.24
128 Lucas Conder                 21.01
129 Nick Logan                   21.46
130 William Hicks                22.22
131 Miles Vandewalle             22.34
132 Jeff Harston                 22.44
133 William Harrell              23.01
134 Nick Bannon                1.09.32
 
By category

Ubergruppe ITT, under 35
1 Stefan Rothe                   35.08
2 John Coppin                     0.56
3 Philip Wikoff                   2.07
4 Jeremey Thomson                 3.42
5 Ryan Campos                    11.02
 
Ubergruppe ITT, 35-39
1 Lance Armstrong                33.14
2 Justin Wolfe                    2.51
3 Jason Bentley                   3.11
4 Joshua Barton                   4.33
5 David Dohnal                    7.42
 
Ubergruppe ITT, 40+
1 Erick Benz                     34.57
2 Cord Offermann                  0.37
3 Ron Huijsman                    2.02
4 Kurt Bickel                     2.06
5 George Heagerty                 3.09
 
Ubergruppe ITT Women, under 35
1 Christina Wolfe                39.18
2 Sheri Rothe                     5.27
 
Ubergruppe ITT - Women, 35+
1 Annick Beaudet                 41.49
2 Aimee Gould                     1.53
 
Blitzgruppe ITT, under 18
1 Brad Phelan                    49.22
 
Blitzgruppe ITT, 18-34
1 Drew Hochstatter               43.26
2 Chris Vaughn                    1.20
 
Blitzgruppe ITT, 35-44
1 Kurt Joseph                    37.46
2 Eric Pendland                   1.13
3 Bryan Carlson                   2.33
4 David Felsing                   3.38
5 Brian Meelbusch                 4.15
6 Kelly Sell                      5.14
 
Blitzgruppe ITT, 45-54
1 David Hoffman                  37.06
2 Scott Munroe                    1.38
3 Jose Gonzalez                   1.52
4 Jon Huibregtse                  1.59
5 Gregory Simmons                 2.25
6 John Myhre                      2.31
7 Norberto Valdes                 4.09
8 Robert Briscoe                  5.08
9 Ray Botello                     5.50
10 Laryn Mumm                     7.31
11 Abel Gonzales                  9.21
 
Blitzgruppe ITT, 55+
1 JIm Alsup                      40.46
2 Arthur Shultz                   3.52
3 Jim McTee                       5.27
 
Blitzgruppe ITT Women, 35-44
1 Diann Sweeney                  41.44
2 Dawn English                    1.18
3 Kim Coley                       6.41
 
Blitzgruppe ITT Women, 45+
1 Barbara Kuhlemeier             41.24
 
Schnellgruppe ITT, under 18
1 Connor Penland                 43.23
2 Hunter Jackson                  8.28
 
Schnellgruppe ITT, 18-34
1 Leighton Adams                 38.41
2 Vince Rosetta                   4.17
3 David Droege                    5.36
4 Michael Wynne, Jr               5.48
5 Marc Crozier                    6.14
6 Daniel Munoa                    7.30
7 John Wilmeth                    8.03
8 James Russell                   8.58
9 Dustin Strickland               9.27
10 Charles Schneider             13.57
11 Lucas Conder                  15.34
12 Miles Vandewalle              17.07
13 Orlando Villegas DNF               
 
Schnellgruppe ITT, 35-39
1 Dan Perkins                    40.04
2 Willg Stokes                    0.21
3 Mark Goldstein                  1.02
4 Kyle Odom                       1.11
5 Edward Kennedy                  1.31
6 Marc Gonzales                   2.24
7 John Hertel                     4.37
8 Jens Hess                       4.54
9 Howie Hobbs                     5.43
10 Edwin Lacson                   6.20
11 Enrique Varela                 6.40
 
Schnellgruppe ITT, 40-44
1 Robert Mercado                 40.04
2 Sean Sullivan                   0.34
3 Michael Braden                  1.29
4 Bill Lyons                      2.05
5 David Svahn                     2.16
6 Craig Ayers                     2.21
7 Edward Robinson                 3.12
8 Robert Dole                     3.18
9 Mark Anderson                   4.01
10 Richard Kinsey                 4.16
11 Allan de Jong                  5.01
12 Bruce Lantry                   5.14
13 Doug Lyle                      5.28
14 Jeffery Dixon                  5.45
15 Joaquin Oronoz Jr              6.35
16 James Compton                  8.22
17 Sean Tipton                    8.58
18 Rolando Vera                  10.23
19 William Hicks                 15.32
20 Jeff Harston                  15.54
21 William Harrell               16.11
22 Nick Bannon                 1.02.42
 
Schnellgruppe ITT, 45-49
1 Thomas Carter                  41.49
2 Jim Hayes                       1.13
3 Maurice East                    1.33
4 Jerry Hanke                     2.03
5 Brian Young                     3.20
6 Sherman Krause                  4.54
7 Ashley Specia                   7.19
8 Naji Kayruz                     9.13
 
Schnellgruppe ITT, 50+
1 Mike Adams                     39.13
2 Steven Bigby                    0.33
3 Jorge Alvarado                  1.22
4 Bill Neale                      2.39
5 Dan Lundeen                     2.42
6 Pierre Filardi                  3.31
7 David Gill                      3.52
8 David Harris                    4.04
9 Steve Heise                         
10 Jose Farina                    4.09
11 Mario Valaperta                4.17
12 Erik Kwiecienski               4.21
13 Greg Koehnle                   4.52
14 David Rilling                  6.10
15 Ed Allbritton                  6.32
16 Edmund Beaudet                 6.43
17 Thomas Lago                        
18 Alan Goss                      7.41
19 David Stephenson               7.51
20 Mike Bufler                    8.45
21 Mark Rowe                      9.15
22 Robert Rivard                  9.51
23 Nick Logan                    15.47
 
Schnellgruppe ITT Women, under 35
1 Rebecca Alanis                 48.02
2 Joy Allison                     2.30
 
Schnellgruppe ITT Women, 35-44
1 Melissa Kuliska                46.16
2 Jill Hall                       1.13
3 Rebecca Lujan                   3.01
4 Ashley Mayo                     3.27
5 Lisa Reeve                      3.48
 
Schnellgruppe ITT Women, 45+
1 Charlotte Morris               46.37
2 Norine Gill                     2.39
3 Kimberley Raymond               2.45