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Tour of Georgia - 2.3
Georgia, USA, April 20-25, 2004
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Stage 3 : April 22 - Carrollton - Rome, 126.2 km
The Emperor returns to Rome
Armstrong sprints to stage win in Georgia
By Tim Maloney in Rome
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Today in Rome, Lance Armstrong demonstrated the presence of mind and sangfroid that's made him the emperor of the Tour De France. With a surprise, opportunistic sprint that won him Stage 3 in Rome, Armstrong grabbed the winner's 6" time bonus, propelling him into fourth place on GC. The win turned the tables on Lance's CSC adversaries in Georgia, Bobby Julich and Jens Voigt, in tonight's 30km individual time trial. No one expected the five time Tour winner to contest the fast downhill finish, but Lance told Cyclingnews post-race that, "Those finishing circuits were hard! I was up front on the last lap with Chris Horner, Bobby Julich and Ivan Dominguez...there weren't many other guys left. I had George (Hincapie) with me and what the heck, I just went for the sprint."
"In the last climb I was up front and then I found myself in a good position. I was fifth over the climb...we were marking each other and had I been in tenth I wouldn't have gone for it."
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When we asked Armstrong if the Rome circuits reminded him of his criterium days, back 15 years ago, he chuckled and said, "Here (America) it's a whole different art. You can tell the guys here are used to racing differently. You have no friends, you have no allies, you have no breaks...in Europe, it's very different. There's a different hierarchy in the European peloton."
Was he concerned that he may have made too many efforts before the evening time trial? "I didn't make any efforts today...I followed, followed, followed and then sprinted. That was it!" As for tonight, Armstrong's intentions are clear. "Oh yeah, full on....I don't know what that means yet, though."
Emerging star Ivan Dominguez (Colavita-Bolla) was runner-up for the second day in row: yesterday to Cipollini and today to Lance Armstrong. The Cuban rider used his 4" time bonus to grab the Yellow Jersey from veteran Canadian sprinter Gord Fraser, who found the testing circuits too much and ended up in 11th place. Dominguez also took the lead in the Sprinter's jersey classification on what is certainly the biggest day in his cycling career to date.
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"When I looked over and saw Armstrong today in the sprint, I said holy sheesh...then after the race when I congratulated him, Lance said 'I was on the right wheel'. I knew he was fast in the past but with his Tour riding, I wasn't sure about him. Now I have to worry about him in the sprints," joked Dominguez.
New Tour de Georgia leader "Papa" Dominguez likes hilly finishes more than most sprinters. "Most sprinters don't like this kind of a race, but I do. I'm not a climber, but I don't like flat races and criteriums. Coming to the last climb, I was behind Horner. He went at the bottom of the hill, but I got passed by Julich and Hincapie. I stayed on George's wheel and then Lance passed me."
Papa will start this evening's time trial in Yellow, but his battle with the speedy Fraser and his tenacious Health Net team is still to play out across the mountains of North Georgia. "It's gonna be OK. We'll see...one day at a time," Dominguez told Cyclingnews.
How it unfolded
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After a fast and furious start in Carrolton on the road to Rome with multiple attacks, mostly by duelling Northern California teams Ofoto and Sierra Nevada, the enterprising Ofoto squad managed to gain full exposure via the solo effort of their Jackson Stewart.
Powered by a strong tailwind, Stewart moved away from the Health Net led peloton in Tallapoosa after 32km. Although USA Cycling's Stuart Gillespie got halfway to Stewart in his attempt to bridge, the Ofoto pro's pace was too much for the U23 American to bridge. After 65km, Stewart's lead was at its maximum of 2'30" and by the sprint in Cedartown, his lead was 1'30" and falling.
Off the main highway and onto twisty Burkhalter Road for the run-in to Rome, Domina Vacanze joined the chase and eventually just outside the city limits, Stewart was reeled in after 75km. Current World U23 champ Sergey Lagutin made a counter attack, but the sprinters' trains were a-rollin' towards Rome and Lagu got sucked up almost immediately. Once on the circuits, Domina Vacanze and Health Net controlled the action until the last laps, when Chris Horner tried to upset the applecart with a few moves, but Armstrong took the winner's bouquet in the rapid average speed of 46.827 km/h.
Stage 4 - April 22: Rome Individual Time Trial, 30km
The afternoon's time test is on a testing, out and back course that starts in downtown Rome and heads west out of town to the difficult 4km climb up Radio Springs Rd. to 432m. Mt. Alto. Stage 4 will certainly shake up the overall general classification of the Dodge Tour De Georgia and Thursday's test shapes up as a battle between Armstrong, Julich and his CSC teammate Voigt. With Lance now riding behind the two CSC riders, expect Armstrong's onslaught to show no mercy.
Photography
Images by Jonathan Devich/Cyclingnews.com/www.epicimages.us
- The peloton rolls through the winding roads of rural Georgia
- The crowds are out in force to watch the race go by
- George Hincapie (USPS) concentrating on the climb
- A CLOSE sprint finish between Armstrong and Dominguez
- Ivan Dominguez (Colavita) happy to be in the leader's jersey
- Podium (L to R): Ivan Dominguez (Colavita), Lance Armstrong (USPS), Ben Brooks (Jelly Belly)
Images by Mark Zalewski/Cyclingnews.com
- “Hey, check out my tan.” Chris Wherry (Health Net) talks with Bobby Julich (CSC) and Chris Horner (Webcor) before the start of stage 3 in Carrolton, GA.
- The locals call it “Heart Attack Hill,” for a good reason
- Alessio Galletti (Domina Vicanze) and Michael Sayers (Health Net) power up the KOM climb. Only three more times up for everyone.
- Two to go and over the climb go Ben Brooks (Jelly Belly) followed by Julich, Lance and Cyclingnews diarist John Lieswyn, who will probably have a few choice words about today’s climb.
- Why do you think they call it Clock Tower Hill?
- Just under the 1km banner with two downhill left turns to go and it’s Horner leading Julich with George Hincapie ready to launch Lance to the line. Ben Brooks (Jelly Belly) is glued to Lance’s wheel.
- Big cheers and lots of camera-ready fans greeted the man of the hour as he rolled back to the finish.
Images by Bob Badalucco/www.bbactionphoto.com
- Lance Armstrong (US Postal) beats Ivan Dominguez (Colavita) and Ben Brooks (Jelly Belly) in the finish sprint.
Results
1 Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 2.41.42 2 Ivan Dominguez (Cub) Colavita Olive Oil, presented by Bolla Wines 3 Benjamin Brooks (Aus) Jelly Belly/Aramark 4 George Hincapie (USA) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 5 Massimiliano Mori (Ita) Domina Vacanze 6 Bobby Julich (USA) Team CSC 7 Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Sierra Nevada Cycling 8 Doug Ollerenshaw (USA) Jelly Belly/Aramark 9 Chris Horner (USA) Webcor Builders 10 Charles Dionne (Can) Webcor Builders 11 Gordon Fraser (Can) Health Net Presented by Maxxis 12 Ciaran Power (Irl) Navigators Insurance 13 Glen Mitchell (NZl) Sierra Nevada Cycling 14 David Clinger (USA) Domina Vacanze 15 Jens Voigt (Ger) Team CSC 16 Ivan Ravaioli (Ita) Barloworld-Androni Giocattoli 17 John Lieswyn (USA) Health Net Presented by Maxxis 18 Christopher Baldwin (USA) Navigators Insurance 19 Viatcheslav Ekimov (Rus) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 20 Tim Larkin (USA) Ofoto/Lombardi Sports 21 Antonio Bucciero (Ita) Saeco-Saunier Duval 22 Mikhail Timochine (Rus) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago 23 Mario Cipollini (Ita) Domina Vacanze 24 Nieko Biskner (USA) Ofoto/Lombardi Sports 25 Chris Wherry (USA) Health Net Presented by Maxxis 26 Imanol Ayestaran Odriozola (Spa) Webcor Builders 27 Juan Jose Haedo (Arg) Colavita Olive Oil, presented by Bolla Wines 28 Kirk O'Bee (USA) Navigators Insurance 29 William Frischkorn (USA) Colavita Olive Oil, presented by Bolla Wines 30 Dominique Perras (Can) Ofoto/Lombardi Sports 31 Kirk Albers (USA) Jelly Belly/Aramark 32 Thomas Bruun Eriksen (Den) Team CSC 33 Eric Wohlberg (Can) Sierra Nevada Cycling 34 Sergio Marinangeli (Ita) Domina Vacanze 35 Danny Pate (USA) Health Net Presented by Maxxis 36 Russell Hamby (USA) Sierra Nevada Cycling 37 Vassili Davidenko (Rus) Navigators Insurance 38 Scott Moninger (USA) Health Net Presented by Maxxis 39 Phil Zajicek (USA) Navigators Insurance 40 Antonio Cruz (USA) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 41 Daniel Rincon (Col) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 42 Lorenzo Bernucci (Ita) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago 43 Pavel Padrnos (Cze) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 44 Yuri Metlushenko (Ukr) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago 45 Damon Kluck (USA) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 46 Chad Hartley (USA) Jittery Joe’s Coffee 47 Salvatore Commesso (Ita) Saeco-Saunier Duval 48 Jimmi Madsen (Den) Team CSC 49 Francesco Bellotti (Ita) Barloworld-Androni Giocattoli 50 Cesar Grajales Calle (Col) Jittery Joe’s Coffee 51 Juan Jose Cobo Acebo (Spa) Saeco-Saunier Duval 52 Kevin Bouchard-Hall (USA) USA National 53 Adam Bergman (USA) Jelly Belly/Aramark 54 Craig Lewis (USA) USA National 55 Brian Vandborg (Den) Team CSC 56 Gregory Henderson (NZl) Health Net Presented by Maxxis 57 Ernesto Lechuga (Mex) Jelly Belly/Aramark 58 Mario Scirea (Ita) Domina Vacanze 59 Aaron Olson (USA) Colavita Olive Oil, presented by Bolla Wines 60 Stefan Adamsson (Swe) Barloworld-Androni Giocattoli 61 Mark Walters (Can) Navigators Insurance 62 Timothy Duggan (USA) USA National 63 Michael Creed (USA) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 64 Jacob Rosenbarger (USA) Jittery Joe’s Coffee 65 Thad Dulin (USA) Colavita Olive Oil, presented by Bolla Wines 66 Daniel Bowman (USA) USA National 67 Justin England (USA) Webcor Builders 68 James Mattis (USA) Webcor Builders 69 Tim Johnson (USA) Saeco-Saunier Duval 70 Sergey Lagutin (Uzb) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago 71 Jason Klikna (USA) Sierra Nevada Cycling 72 John Murphy (USA) Jittery Joe’s Coffee 0.25 73 Caleb Manion (Aus) Jelly Belly/Aramark 74 David George (RSA) Barloworld-Androni Giocattoli 75 Jason Bausch (USA) Ofoto/Lombardi Sports 76 Marc Hagenlocher (USA) Webcor Builders 77 Tyler Wren (USA) Colavita Olive Oil, presented by Bolla Wines 78 Colby Pearce (USA) USA National 79 Todd Herriott (USA) Colavita Olive Oil, presented by Bolla Wines 80 Scott Zwizanski (USA) Ofoto/Lombardi Sports 81 Maximilian Sciandri (GBr) Team CSC 82 Benjamin Haldeman (USA) Webcor Builders 83 Gustavo Artacho (Arg) Colavita Olive Oil, presented by Bolla Wines 84 Mike Sayers (USA) Health Net Presented by Maxxis 85 James Schneider (USA) Jittery Joe’s Coffee 86 Sean Sullivan (Aus) Barloworld-Androni Giocattoli 87 Alessio Galletti (Ita) Domina Vacanze 88 Jacky Durand (Fra) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago 0.40 89 Giovanni Lombardi (Ita) Domina Vacanze 90 Henk Vogels (Aus) Navigators Insurance 91 Ludovic Capelle (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago 92 Jeff Louder (USA) Navigators Insurance 93 Erik Saunders (USA) Ofoto/Lombardi Sports 94 Stuart Gillespie (USA) USA National 95 Blake Caldwell (USA) USA National 0.52 96 Peter Lopinto (USA) Ofoto/Lombardi Sports 1.00 97 Matt Dubberley (USA) Sierra Nevada Cycling 98 Sterling Magnell (USA) Sierra Nevada Cycling 1.07 99 Paul Ellis (USA) Jelly Belly/Aramark 100 Alex Candelario (USA) Jelly Belly/Aramark 1.40 101 Nicola Gavazzi (Ita) Saeco-Saunier Duval 3.08 102 Enrico Degano (Ita) Barloworld-Androni Giocattoli 103 Ben Stafford (USA) Webcor Builders 104 Jakob Piil (Den) Team CSC 105 Francesco Secchiari (Ita) Domina Vacanze 106 Jason McCartney (USA) Health Net Presented by Maxxis 107 James Lewis Perry (RSA) Barloworld-Androni Giocattoli 108 Jonathan Sundt (USA) Jittery Joe’s Coffee 3.59 109 Jesse Lawler (USA) Jittery Joe’s Coffee 4.23 110 Christopher Pic (USA) Jittery Joe’s Coffee 111 Ian Macgregor (USA) USA National 5.52 112 Jackson Stewart (USA) Ofoto/Lombardi Sports General classification after stage 3 1 Ivan Dominguez (Cub) Colavita Olive Oil, presented by Bolla Wines 10.41.09 2 Gordon Fraser (Can) Health Net Presented by Maxxis 0.01 3 Mario Cipollini (Ita) Domina Vacanze 0.06 4 Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 0.10 5 Jens Voigt (Ger) Team CSC 0.12 6 Benjamin Brooks (Aus) Jelly Belly/Aramark 0.14 7 George Hincapie (USA) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 0.16 8 Bobby Julich (USA) Team CSC 9 Charles Dionne (Can) Webcor Builders 10 Nieko Biskner (USA) Ofoto/Lombardi Sports 11 David Clinger (USA) Domina Vacanze 12 Doug Ollerenshaw (USA) Jelly Belly/Aramark 13 Kirk Albers (USA) Jelly Belly/Aramark 14 Vassili Davidenko (Rus) Navigators Insurance 15 Yuri Metlushenko (Ukr) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago 16 Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Sierra Nevada Cycling 17 Viatcheslav Ekimov (Rus) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 18 Salvatore Commesso (Ita) Saeco-Saunier Duval 19 Chris Horner (USA) Webcor Builders 20 Russell Hamby (USA) Sierra Nevada Cycling 21 Imanol Ayestaran Odriozola (Spa) Webcor Builders 22 Antonio Bucciero (Ita) Saeco-Saunier Duval 23 Christopher Baldwin (USA) Navigators Insurance 24 Gregory Henderson (NZl) Health Net Presented by Maxxis 25 Thomas Bruun Eriksen (Den) Team CSC 26 Ciaran Power (Irl) Navigators Insurance 27 Antonio Cruz (USA) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 28 Cesar Grajales Calle (Col) Jittery Joe’s Coffee 29 Ivan Ravaioli (Ita) Barloworld-Androni Giocattoli 30 Pavel Padrnos (Cze) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 31 Chris Wherry (USA) Health Net Presented by Maxxis 32 Lorenzo Bernucci (Ita) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago 33 William Frischkorn (USA) Colavita Olive Oil, presented by Bolla Wines 34 John Lieswyn (USA) Health Net Presented by Maxxis 35 Eric Wohlberg (Can) Sierra Nevada Cycling 36 Damon Kluck (USA) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 37 Dominique Perras (Can) Ofoto/Lombardi Sports 38 Adam Bergman (USA) Jelly Belly/Aramark 39 Jimmi Madsen (Den) Team CSC 40 Aaron Olson (USA) Colavita Olive Oil, presented by Bolla Wines 41 Massimiliano Mori (Ita) Domina Vacanze 42 Juan Jose Cobo Acebo (Spa) Saeco-Saunier Duval 43 Brian Vandborg (Den) Team CSC 44 Sergio Marinangeli (Ita) Domina Vacanze 45 Francesco Bellotti (Ita) Barloworld-Androni Giocattoli 46 Jacob Rosenbarger (USA) Jittery Joe’s Coffee 47 Phil Zajicek (USA) Navigators Insurance 48 Daniel Rincon (Col) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 49 Danny Pate (USA) Health Net Presented by Maxxis 50 Tim Johnson (USA) Saeco-Saunier Duval 51 Mark Walters (Can) Navigators Insurance 52 Michael Creed (USA) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 53 Timothy Duggan (USA) USA National 54 Jason Klikna (USA) Sierra Nevada Cycling 55 Ernesto Lechuga (Mex) Jelly Belly/Aramark 56 James Mattis (USA) Webcor Builders 57 Thad Dulin (USA) Colavita Olive Oil, presented by Bolla Wines 58 Mario Scirea (Ita) Domina Vacanze 59 Caleb Manion (Aus) Jelly Belly/Aramark 0.41 60 Maximilian Sciandri (GBr) Team CSC 61 Tyler Wren (USA) Colavita Olive Oil, presented by Bolla Wines 62 David George (RSA) Barloworld-Androni Giocattoli 63 Colby Pearce (USA) USA National 64 Mike Sayers (USA) Health Net Presented by Maxxis 65 Todd Herriott (USA) Colavita Olive Oil, presented by Bolla Wines 66 Alessio Galletti (Ita) Domina Vacanze 67 Juan Jose Haedo (Arg) Colavita Olive Oil, presented by Bolla Wines 0.45 68 Chad Hartley (USA) Jittery Joe’s Coffee 69 Stefan Adamsson (Swe) Barloworld-Androni Giocattoli 70 Scott Moninger (USA) Health Net Presented by Maxxis 71 Giovanni Lombardi (Ita) Domina Vacanze 0.56 72 Erik Saunders (USA) Ofoto/Lombardi Sports 73 Stuart Gillespie (USA) USA National 74 Justin England (USA) Webcor Builders 0.58 75 Daniel Bowman (USA) USA National 1.02 76 Kevin Bouchard-Hall (USA) USA National 77 Gustavo Artacho (Arg) Colavita Olive Oil, presented by Bolla Wines 1.10 78 Mikhail Timochine (Rus) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago 1.21 79 Jacky Durand (Fra) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago 1.25 80 Jeff Louder (USA) Navigators Insurance 81 James Schneider (USA) Jittery Joe’s Coffee 1.27 82 Craig Lewis (USA) USA National 1.31 83 Glen Mitchell (NZl) Sierra Nevada Cycling 1.41 84 Kirk O'Bee (USA) Navigators Insurance 85 Marc Hagenlocher (USA) Webcor Builders 1.44 86 Benjamin Haldeman (USA) Webcor Builders 1.46 87 Scott Zwizanski (USA) Ofoto/Lombardi Sports 88 Sean Sullivan (Aus) Barloworld-Androni Giocattoli 89 Paul Ellis (USA) Jelly Belly/Aramark 1.52 90 Matt Dubberley (USA) Sierra Nevada Cycling 2.02 91 Blake Caldwell (USA) USA National 2.13 92 Sergey Lagutin (Uzb) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago 2.24 93 Alex Candelario (USA) Jelly Belly/Aramark 2.25 94 John Murphy (USA) Jittery Joe’s Coffee 2.41 95 Henk Vogels (Aus) Navigators Insurance 96 Jason Bausch (USA) Ofoto/Lombardi Sports 2.49 97 Ludovic Capelle (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago 3.04 98 Peter Lopinto (USA) Ofoto/Lombardi Sports 3.16 99 Enrico Degano (Ita) Barloworld-Androni Giocattoli 3.24 100 Sterling Magnell (USA) Sierra Nevada Cycling 3.48 101 Nicola Gavazzi (Ita) Saeco-Saunier Duval 4.20 102 Ben Stafford (USA) Webcor Builders 4.29 103 Christopher Pic (USA) Jittery Joe’s Coffee 4.39 104 Tim Larkin (USA) Ofoto/Lombardi Sports 5.02 105 Francesco Secchiari (Ita) Domina Vacanze 5.32 106 James Lewis Perry (RSA) Barloworld-Androni Giocattoli 107 Jackson Stewart (USA) Ofoto/Lombardi Sports 6.08 108 Jesse Lawler (USA) Jittery Joe’s Coffee 6.13 109 Jakob Piil (Den) Team CSC 110 Jason McCartney (USA) Health Net Presented by Maxxis 8.48 111 Jonathan Sundt (USA) Jittery Joe’s Coffee 10.30 112 Ian Macgregor (USA) USA National 15.24 Points classification 1 Ivan Dominguez (Cub) Colavita Olive Oil, presented by Bolla Wines King of the Mountain classification 1 Mark Walters (Can Navigators Insurance Young riders classification 1 Nieko Biskner (USA) Ofoto/Lombardi Sports Teams classification 1 Jelly Belly-Aramark 32.04.15 2 Domina Vacanze 3 Team CSC 4 Health Net Pro Cycling Team presented by Maxxis 5 Colavita Olive Oil presented by Bolla Wines 6 Ofoto Cycling Team 7 Us Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 8 Sierra Nevada Cycling 9 Webcor Cycling Team 10 Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 11 Team Barloworld - Androni Giocattoli 12 The Jittery Joe's Cycling Team 13 Saeco-Saunier Duval-Prodir/Mixed Team 14 USA National Team 15 Landbouwkrediet - Colnago 0.29
