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T-Mobile International - 1.3
San Francisco, USA, September 14, 2003
Main Page Results Women's Results Live Report
Horner escapes to crush best-ever San Fran field
Huge crowds for truly International T-Mobile
By Tim Maloney in San Francisco
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The City By The Bay welcomed the best field ever assembled for an American race with spectacular weather and huge, enthusiastic crowds of perhaps 500,000 people that lined the streets of San Francisco to cheer five-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong, 2003 Giro d'Italia winner Gilberto Simoni, 2003 Tour de France podium man Alexandre Vinokourov and 2003 Giro d'Italia runner-up Stefano Garzelli.
But in the final stages of the T-Mobile race, it was Saturn's Chris Horner who brought home the victory bouquet along San Francisco's Embarcadero. Horner has dominated the US racing scene in 2003 since the spring and won the inaugural edition of the Tour de Georgia stage race in April. With the Saturn team sponsorship renewal on the line for 2004, Horner wanted to go out with a bang, not a whimper and so the friendly freckle-faced rider from Bend, Oregon took matters into his own hands for his biggest single day win of his career.
As Horner crossed the finish line today after almost four and a half hours of racing, he wasn't certain that he had actually won the race and just kept on riding, missing his chance for a solo victory salute. "I didn't hear the bell the crowd was so noisy," explained the loquacious Saturn rider, "so I just kept on going. You don't want to take a chance in a race as important as this one!"
Horner's audacious solo move on the final finishing laps came after he had bridged up to a five-man group that escaped on the final ascent of the wall of Fillmore St. hill. Horner was ready for the challenge as he had specially prepared for this race in a tough three-week training camp with his Saturn teammate and friend Trent Klasna. "I'm away from my family a lot, but I asked them for the time for this race because I thought I could win it; and it worked out," said a delighted Horner. "This may be the last time our Saturn team races together and I wanted it to be something special."
For Horner's Saturn teammate and runner-up, USPRO champ Mark McCormack, San Francisco was doubly sweet. Not only did he win $5,000, Marky Mark also picked up a cool twenty grand prize for winning the season long Pro Cycling Tour points competition. Crafty old pro Viatcheslav Ekimov (USPS-Berry Floor) grabbed the final podium spot by sneaking away in the last 800m for third place. "Yeah, I'm still here," joked the 38 year old Russian evergreen. And like two years ago, Eki's boss, five-time Tour de France champ Lance Armstrong found himself debilitated by a stomach bug and was forced to abandon today. "I knew that I didn't have great legs from the start," a disappointed Armstrong told KGO-TV after retiring. Look for an exclusive interview with Lance later this week on Cyclingnews.
Although he finally ended up 42nd, Telekom's lanky Rolf Aldag animated the race for much of the day. Fourteen years ago, Aldag raced well in the first edition of the Tour de Trump on a German amateur squad and once again, the consummate German pro proved that he is still a solid rider at 35. "It was kind of strange for me from a tactical point of view," Aldag told Cyclingnews. "I mean, I don't know the riders and wasn't sure if they were sprinters or climbers or what. It was really windy today too when we headed towards the [Golden Gate] bridge. But this was a really good race today; I enjoyed it a lot. But I wish I had a 27 on the hills today!" His Telekom teammate Alexander Vinokourov echoed Aldag's appreciation of the race, telling Cyclingnews, "that hill (Fillmore) was almost too hard, but the race was good. I'm glad I came."
Formaggio Pinzolo Fiave's talented Slovenian Uros Murn, who will ride for Tyler Hamilton's new Phonak team next season missed his chance to win the PCT title due to the Saturn onslaught was satisfied in his fifth place performance today. "Yes I wanted to win the PCT, but I gave it my best effort," said Murn. "We had a good break on the last big lap but when Horner came across, he and McCormack started attacking. I tried to cover them but it was too hard; the other guys weren't chasing much. But I'm not too disappointed."
How it unfolded
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Right from the get-go, Saturn was racing hard today in SF, with rangy Trent Klasna charging off the front as soon as the first three laps around the Embarcadero were concluded. Eight big laps of the tough 19km parcours were ahead, but Saturn was not intimidated by the presence of Lance or the big Euro names. Chris Wherry (Navigators) made the first move of the day that stuck and was joined by Aldag, Jason Lokkesmoe and Gord Fraser (Healthnet) and Columbian climber Cesar Grajales (Jittery Joes). With big motors like the rejuvenated Wherry and Aldag powering away and the peloton playing piano behind, after three large laps, the break had 1.50 on a Prime Alliance and Saturn powered chase group and five minutes on the peloton.
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It was 30 year old Colombian Grajales that animated the climbing today, taking the KOM's on Fillmore and Taylor almost every lap. Jittery Joes's director Micah Rice told Cyclingnews, "last year, Grajales just hooked up with the bean team as an amateur rider, but when the Colombian mountain bike champion showed he could climb with the best American riders in the Tour of the Gila, we signed him up." Grajales was in an early break at last year's SF race and ended up third in the 2002 KOM competition, but he had an extra gear today and dominated the ascents.
Halfway through the eight large laps, with 100km to go, the front quintet was 1.30 up on the chasers, the peloton at 4.45 and the average speed was 39.5km/h. After five climbs up Fillmore, Fraser began to crack. Although he did get back on after a maladroit feeding episode with his inexperienced team car, two laps later, Gord was history. The now four-man break had a minute on the chasers and 3.25 on the Saeco-led peloton, and Aldag was beginning to get antsy as Wherry and Grajales tired.
Climbing up the steep ramp of Broadway from Embarcadero as the penultimate large lap began, Aldag launched a withering attack that dumped the Navigators and Jittery Joe's riders for good. Lokkesmoe managed to stay with Aldag, but was taking few pulls. Perhaps the inexperienced 25 year old Health Net man didn't trust Aldag, but he clung to the big Telekom man's rear wheel like a mad lamprey, occasionally taking a tiny turn at the front. Aldag tried to dump Lokkesmoe a few times, but his lack of a low-enough bottom gear made it tough.
As the break began the final large lap of the day, the front duo was 2.15 ahead of the slowing chase group. Prime Alliance's Dave Clinger was working hard in this group to get across but to no avail as his chase-mates couldn't collaborate well enough. As the break hit the Fillmore wall for the final time, the peloton - led by Saeco and 7-Up - had caught the chase and was only two minutes behind the break. Lokkesmoe tried to turn the tables on Aldag, but Rolf zig-zagged up Fillmore and Taylor to hang tough.
Despite being in the chase group all day, Clinger made a great move the last time up Fillmore and attacked the peloton. This drew US champ Mark McCormack (Saturn) and Uros Murn out of the peloton, who caught Lokkesmoe. Aldag was dropped, and when Murn and McCormack came up, the now five leaders had 1.15 to the peloton as the four laps of the 8km finishing circuits commenced.
But trouble was brewing behind the break, as Chris Horner attacked hard with Aussie Ben Brooks (Jelly Belly) from the peloton. Horner flatted but got a quick service from the mavic neutral service car and got back on. His surge brought him up the front group and with Horner on the rampage, there was nothing much the other riders could do. First Horner attacked, then his teammate McCormack, then Horner again with two laps to go. This time, it was the winning move and his final gap was 49 seconds over McCormack in second, and 1.04 over the peloton, led in by German speedster Danilo Hondo.
Photography
Images by Jonathan Devich/Cyclingnews.com, epicimages.us
- Schroeder Iron rider and New Zealand national champion Gordon McCauley pushes through the pain
- Chris Horner feels so good after winning he keeps going for another lap
- Lorenzo Cardellini crests the top of Fillmore Street with Gilberto Simoni on his wheel
- Chris Horner on the way to his win
- Mark McCormack controls the chase group as teammate Horner goes up the road
- The peloton heads up to Fillmore through the mist
- Nicole Cooke breaks up the field on the Fillmore Street climb
Images by Bob Wilson/www.wilsonsphotography.com
- The women's race ready for the off
- Tania Duff-Miller (Diet Rite) gets her bike back from neutral support
- Nicole Cooke powers out of the mist
- The ubiquitous Mavic neutral spares vehicle.
- Yes, it's really THAT steep.
- Anyone wanna lift?
- The effort shows
- The Clif Bar chook.
- Hans Rey jumps yet another willing victim
- Team Saturn finished up where they started - at the head of the pack.
- The men's race gets underway
- Single file action.
- Positioning was everything at the SFGP.
- Sugar rush - the Jelly Belly team car.
- Top of the town.
- The peloton crests yet another climb
- Jonas Carney (Prime Alliance) ponders the slope
- A sea of spectators.
- Looks like this is a good spot.
- Yaaaaaaaay... oh - it's only a team car.
- Karen Brems (Webcor Alto Velo) warms up
- Spectators mingle around the course to get the best position.
- Not as flash as Jean-Marie Leblanc's Alfa 156, but at least it's red.
- We're not cold, really! The Verizon team grins and bears it.
- Horner and McCormack celebrate their one-two with manager Tom Schuler
- Ekimov and Mark McCormak discuss the race
- Last minute adjustments
- The Ashmead King 5 team gets ready in the dawn light - or lack of
- The men's podium: McCormack, Horner and Ekimov celebrate
- Diana Ziliute (Acca Due O) and Mari Holden (T-Mobile) before the start
- Pre-race chat
- Nicole Cooke looks relaxed and confident at the start
- You're on the big screen now
- It'll be ready! A Mavic mechanic in action
- Nicole Cooke leads the peloton out of the early morning mist
- Warming up and time to let the arm-warmers slip down
- You can't hide the hurt in the gloom
- Blonde ambition
- The women's field toils up one of Those Climbs
- Nicole Cooke gets mobbed at the finish
- Modesta Vzesniauskaite (Ausra Grodis) rolls home for fourth place
- A delighted Katie Mactier after the finish
- Nicole Cooke gets a big hug from a team-mate
- That cheque's bigger than she is! Nicole Cooke accepts the victor's spoils.
- Big smiles on the women's podum: Katie Mactier (Saturn), Nicole Cooke (Ausra Grodis) & Judith Arndt (Nurnberger)
- Hans Rey was on hand to provide crowd entertainment and gurning
- Lance Armstrong (US Postal) shares a joke with team support
- Alexandre Vinokourov (Telekom) enjoys the sunshine
- Can ya fix the lactic in my legs while you're at it?
- Now don't topple over your laptop...
- Better to look down than ahead.
- Where's my Mom?
- With crowds up to 10 people deep, it became a case of spot the rider.
- The peloton fly by in the closing laps of the race.
- Goooood Mornin' San Fran! Robin Williams did a little guest commentary today.
- Horner down on the hoods as he crosses the line with a winning time of 4.24.33.
- Chris Horner (Saturn) pounds through the finish, not realising he's won
- The media had a little trouble slowing Horner down after he thought there was still a lap to go.
Images by Mitchell Clinton/www.clintonphoto.com
- Jonas Carney coming over Taylor St.
- The peloton starting up Taylor St.
- A small portion of the spectators on Taylor St.
- Cesar Grajales with Rolf Aldag and Jason Lokkesmoe in tow
- Rolf Aldag with his eye on the top of the climb
- Tyler Farrar a young fast rider near the top of Taylor St.
- Eric Saunders shows a very aggressive climbing style
- Christian Vandevelde (USPS) puts the effort in
- Pavel Padrnos (USPS) on the climb
- Gord Fraser (Health Net) in a fast downhill turn onto Columbus St.
- Chris Wherry (Navigators) up the hill one more time
- Gilberto Simoni (Saeco) found the climb up Taylor St. a good challenge
- The soon to be winner of the T-Mobile international Chris Horner, flies up Taylor St.
- A US Postal rider climbing with the pack
- Chris Horner with 2 laps to go seems to know his fate.
- Chris Horner last lap and all is well
- The legs of Andy Jacques Maynes and the rest of the pack crest Taylor street for the last time
Images by Celia Cole/www.sportsshooter.com/celiacole
- The Man, Lance Armstrong, at ease before the race start.
- A Healthnet rider stamps his way up the climb.
- Here comes the Lancemobile.
- Gaps start opening at the back of the bunch.
- A Prime Alliance rider attempts to forge an early break on the Taylor St climb.
- Three more riders bridge across, making a handy half-dozen.
- Rear Window - the residents of Taylor St had a cracking view of the race.
- Downtown San Francisco just a few minutes' walk away.
- The zig-zag climbing technique was the only option going up Taylor Street.
- The peloton defaults to a serpent-like formation as the riders begin the climb.
- It's a long road to the top if you wanna rock 'n' roll.
- Well it went like this, see… Chris Horner (Saturn) tells the media how the race was won.
Images by Michael Murphy/www.whileseated.org
- Lance Armstrong (USPS) follows Alexandre Vinokourov (Telekom)
- Cesar Grajales (Jittery Joe's) impressed on the climbs and bagged the King of the Mountains
- Trent Klasna (Saturn) in an early attack
- It really is a darn big hill
- Pavel Pardnos (USPS) leads team captain Lance Armstrong
- Jonas Carney (Prime Alliance) struggles on on of the many climbs
- Uros Murn (Vini Caldriola/Formaggi Pinzolo) leads mark McCormack (Saturn)
- Chris Horner (Saturn) attacks past some unimpressed San Fran shoppers
- Chris Horner strikes out solo
- Eric Wohlberg (Saturn) rolls to a halt
- The men's podium: Mark McCormack (Saturn), Chris Horner (Saturn) and Viatcheslav Ekimov (USPS)
Images by Richard Brockie
- Playing on the Cyberbikes.
- The women's podium: Katie Mactier (Saturn), Nicole Cooke (Ausra Grodis) and Judith Arndt (Nurnberger)
- Rolf Aldag (Telekom) and Jason Lokkesmoe (Health net) in the break
- Rolf Aldag demonstrates that big guys CAN climb
- Gord Fraser (Health Net) used a triple chainset for the course's brutal climbs
- Gilberto Simoni (Saeco) leads the bunch.
- Struggling up Taylor Street.
- Ben Jaques Maynes (Sierra Nevada) being treated by the medics.
- Chris Horner (Saturn) solos to victory.
- Would the last man up Taylor Street please tell the crowd they can go home.
Images by Emory Ball
- Rolf Aldag (Telekom) drives the longest break of the day.
- Back in the field, Ekimov and Horner among others.
- The media were out in full force, surrounding Aldag.
- The pressure to bring back the break is evident on this Sierra Nevada rider's face.
- Former US Elite road race champion Scottie Weiss (West Virginia) works it.
- Mark McCormack (Saturn) escapes with a Formaggi rider in the short laps.
- After his teammate is caught, Horner breaks free and goes into time trial mode.
- Saturn dominates late in the race as McCormack breaks free and solos in for second.
- John Leiswyn (7-Up) drills it to try and bring back the Saturns, but it's too late.
- Attacks fly for the rest of the money spots.
Results - 173 km
1 Chris Horner (USA) Saturn Cycling Team 4.24.33 2 Mark McCormack (USA) Saturn Cycling Team 0.49 3 Viatcheslav Ekimov (Rus) US Postal presented by Berry Floor 1.02 4 Danilo Hondo (Ger) Team Telekom 1.04 5 Uros Murn (Slo) Formaggi Pinzolo Fiavé-Mix 1 6 Vassili Davidenko (Rus) Navigators Cycling Team 7 Massimo Giunti (Ita) Domina Vacanze-Elitron 8 Massimiliano Mori (Ita) Formaggi Pinzolo Fiavé-Mix 1 9 Lorenzo Cardellini (Ita) Domina Vacanze-Elitron 10 Eric Wohlberg (Can) Saturn Cycling Team 11 Mike Sayers (USA) Health Net Cycling Team 12 Ted Huang (USA) Webcor Cycling Team 13 Serguei Yakovlev (Kaz) Team Telekom 14 Andy Bajadali (USA) Ofoto-Lombardi Sports 15 Alex Candelario (USA) Prime Alliance Cycling Team 16 Mark Walters (Can) Navigators Cycling Team 17 Gordon McCauley (NZl) Schroeder Iron Cycling Team 18 Damon Kluck (USA) US Postal presented by Berry Floor 19 Leonardo Bertagnolli (Ita) Team Saeco 20 Cameron Hughes (Aus) LeMond - Capt Cra-Z 21 James Mattis (USA) Webcor Cycling Team 22 Tim Johnson (USA) Saturn Cycling Team 23 Ruben Elvira Lobato (Spa) Domina Vacanze-Elitron 1.14 24 Kai Hundertmarck (Ger) Team Telekom 1.17 25 John Lieswyn (USA) 7UP / Maxxis 1.19 26 Ryan Barrett (USA) Schroeder Iron Cycling Team 27 Nathan Russell (Aus) Collavita Bolla 28 Alexandr Kozlov (Blr) Health Net Cycling Team 29 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Team Saeco 30 Viktor Rapinski (Blr) Saturn Cycling Team 31 Marc Hagenlocher (USA) Webcor Cycling Team 32 Christian Vandevelde (USA) US Postal presented by Berry Floor 33 Ciaran Power (Irl) Navigators Cycling Team 34 John Hunt (USA) Health Net Cycling Team 35 Ivan Dominguez (Cub) Saturn Cycling Team 36 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Team Saeco 37 Rigoberto Meza (Mex) Schroeder Iron Cycling Team 1.26 38 Scottie Weiss (USA) West Virginia Cycling Team 1.31 39 Tim Larkin (USA) Ofoto-Lombardi Sports 1.41 40 Andy Jacques-Maynes (USA) Sierra Nevada-Clif Bar 1.46 41 Paul Martin (USA) West Virginia Cycling Team 2.00 42 Rolf Aldag (Ger) Team Telekom 43 John Peters (USA) Prime Alliance Cycling Team 2.29 44 Brice Jones (USA) 7UP / Maxxis 2.42 45 David Clinger (USA) Prime Alliance Cycling Team 2.47 46 Adam Bergman (USA) Jelly Belly 2.52 47 Benjamin Brooks (Aus) Jelly Belly 48 Jason Lokkesmoe (USA) Health Net Cycling Team 3.45 49 Kevin Monahan (USA) 7UP / Maxxis 4.28 50 Steve Zampieri (Swi) Sidermec-Mix 1 51 Jesus Ramirez Torres (Spa) Mix 1 52 Burke Swindlehurst (USA) Navigators Cycling Team 53 Doug Ollerenshaw (USA) Health Net Cycling Team 8.58 54 Cesar Augusto Grajales (Col) Jittery Joe's 9.21
