Barclay's Global Investors Grand Prix - 1.HC

USA, September 4, 2005

Live report

Commentary by Kristy Scrymgeour, with additional reporting from Mark Zalewski

09:39 PDT   
Welcome to the Live Coverage of the Barclay's Global Investors Grand Prix, formerly known as the San Francisco Grand Prix or the T-Mobile International. This year there is no women's race so racing begins at 10am with the men. 24 teams are on the start list, four of those teams are from across the pond in Europe including CSC, Gerolsteiner, Saunier Duval, and Lampre.

Two time champion of the race Charles Dionne (Webcor) is back to defend his title and the two other former winners of this race Chris Horner (Saunier Duval) and George Hincapie (Discovery) are also present.

The race course has not changed since last year. Riders will complete three start laps of 6.3km(3.9miles) each, followed by nine main laps of 14.2km (8.8miles) each with takes in the two serious climbs of the race Fillmore and Taylor st. To finish off they'll do five finish laps of 8km each which goes over Taylor Street. The only difference this year is that coming into the finish line riders will come straight in from the last lap and sprint directly to the finish line rather than pass the finish and loop around the finish in the opposite direction.

09:45 PDT   
We have 15 minutes now until the start. Nine riders will be called to the line in this order: Mark McCormack (Colavita Sutter Homes), US Pro Champion Chris Wherry (Health Net), Dave Zabriskie (CSC). Zabriskie has a broken hand right now so may not race the whole race, but he's definitely lining up to start. Next to be called up will be Levi Leipheimer (Gerolsteiner), Fred Rodriguez (Davitamon Lotto). Rodriguez is riding on the US National Team today. Ivan Basso is next from CSC, followed by Chris Horner, George Hincapie and Charles Dionne. The rest of the riders will be called to the line in teams in the race caravan order.

09:49 PDT   
Its a bit overcast as usual in San Francisco this morning and the temperature is 55 degrees. The clouds are supposed to lift later today and the sun supposed to come out. Already quite a few spectators are down on on the Embarcadero to watch the start of the race and up on the two climbs.

10:00 PDT   
The riders are on the start line and have just had a minutes silence for the people in New Orleans. Mo Powers, a Vietnam Veteran is now performing the National Anthem and we are just about set to roll.

10:02 PDT   
Still being a little chilly, most riders are wearing arm warmers and vests for the beginning of the race. And they're off. A Monex rider, Roberto Gaggioli is attacking already!

10:03 PDT   
He has a 20 second gap already. The field is sitting wide on the road. There is no chase.

10:09 PDT    5km/169.1km to go
The gap is dropping. Roberto obviously just wanted to stretch his legs a little. We are two laps into the race. Its now single file as they go through the finish. Devon Vigus and Nathan O'Neill are off the front.

10:10 PDT   
They are joined by Jake Rytleewski (Advantage Benefits), Kirk Albers (Jelly Belly) and Jonathan Page (Colavita Sutter Homes).

10:10 PDT    6km/168.1km to go
Its all comes back together as they cross the finish line for the third time and head out onto the first main lap.

10:11 PDT   
Frank Pipp (Advantage Benefits - Endeavour) has countered and has a slight lead on the peloton which is strung out.

10:12 PDT   
Pipp is fading a little, but there is a TIAA CREF coming up to him. They are now working together and they have a small gap.

10:14 PDT   
Roberto Gaggioli is off the back now! The field is going up the first little incline now and the lead pair, Stefano Barberi (TIAA CREF) and Pipp still have a small gap.

10:16 PDT   
Pipp and Barberi have been caught and Manuel Quinziato (Saunier Duval) has countered them and has about 25 meters. It looks like Discovery chasing. Its Michael Creed on the front and its single file as they turn onto Polk Street, which will be the feed zone later in the race.

10:17 PDT   
Now Quinziato has been caught and Colavita and Navigators are up at the front of the bunch as we head towards Fillmore.

10:22 PDT   
Curtis Gunn from Seasilver had a mechanical but is now back in the field. Its all together as they get closer to the first climb. A Subway rider has a bit of a gap. Its single file with Subway on the front followed by Jittery Joe's.
They make a right onto Fillmore. There's about a block before it gets steep, and then its kicks up to about 8% the second block and then it kicks up to about 20% in parts on the last block.

10:23 PDT   
A couple of riders are slightly off the front on the climb. They are just getting to the top of the climb. A Seasilver rider turns first.

10:24 PDT   
A small group of about 12 riders have 150m on the field.

10:27 PDT    18km/156.1km to go
Its single file and this group. Two Navigators riders are on the front of the break. They are now on the second hard climb - Taylor Street, which is a similar climb to Fillmore.

10:32 PDT   
The are coming down the hill now. In the break is Andy Jacques Mayne (Webcor), Fumiyyuki Beppu (Discovery), Chris Wherry and Doug Ollerenshaw (Health Net), Cesar Grejales and Nathan O'Neill (Navigators), Tyler Wren (Colavita), Glen Mitchell, Ben Jacques Maynes and Dominique Perras (Kodak Sierra Nevada), Chad Hartley (TIAA CREF), Neil Shirley and Adam Livingston (Seasilver) and Tim Johnson (Jittery Joe's).

10:33 PDT    21km/153.1km to go
The race has gone through the finish line after the first main lap. The break has 39 seconds on the field.

10:39 PDT   
There has been a small crash. Zach Walker and Geoff Rapoport (McGuire) went down but they're ok.
The gap for the break is down to 20 seconds now as they head towards the Fillmore climb for the second time. Roberto Gaggioli has been pulled from the race.

10:39 PDT   
The Colavita riders are on the front of the break now.

10:43 PDT   
The field is curb to curb, no real chase but the gap is gradually coming down as they hit Fillmore.

10:44 PDT   
The gap is 15 seconds. Health Net, Navigators and Discovery are on the front of the break on the steepest part of the climb.
They go over the top. Grejales looks like he went over the top first.

10:46 PDT   
The break split up a bit of that climb. John Lieswyn (Health Net) and Ryder Hesjedal (Discovery) are bridging to the break. But the gap is down to 12 seconds.

10:47 PDT   
Hesjedal and Lieswyn made it to the break as they hit the Taylor Street climb. Grejales took the KOM points on Fillmore St, followed by Ollernenshaw and Beppu.

10:49 PDT   
The break is on the steep part of Taylor. The field can see them from the bottom. Its looks like Grejales went over this climb first as well followed by Ollerenshaw again. The pair have a little gap on the rest of the break and its single file trying to make it back to them.

10:51 PDT    34.7km/139.4km to go
Volodymyr Bileka (Discovery) and Mark Walters (Navigators) have also bridged to the break now but the gap is only 15 seconds to the field now. We are on the straight away to the finish. That lap took 23'53".

10:52 PDT   
The field is strung out in the chase as they get closer to catching this break.

10:54 PDT   
The number is riders in the break has increased as quite a few riders have been able to bridge up. The front group is about 34 riders and the gap has gone back up to 20 seconds.

10:55 PDT   
The race is now on Columbus Ave in North Beach.

10:57 PDT   
Riders keep bridging to the break. This time its Jason McCartney (Discovery) and Alex Candelario (Jelly Belly). The break just keeps getting bigger. If this keeps happening, the break will become the peloton!

11:00 PDT   
There is an attack out of the break by Michael Creed (Discovery). He has 150m to the rest of the break. A Kodak rider is chasing.

11:02 PDT   
Samuele Marzoli (Lampre) is now trying to bridge up to Creed. Creed now has 20 seconds on Marzoli and 32 seconds to the field.

11:05 PDT   
Creed is on the middle section of Fillmore heading towards the very steep section. The crowds are pretty good along the side of the climb. The field is at 1'30" to Creed.

11:08 PDT   
Creed's lead is increasing. He has 50" to the break. There is now a group of three guys chasing him. They are in between the break and Creed. Creed is just turning onto Taylor Street for the third time in the race.

11:10 PDT   
Creed is on the steep part of Taylor. The two chasers are Doug Ollerenshaw (Health Net) and Frank Pipp (Advantage Benefits Endeavour). Marzoli no longer there.

11:11 PDT   
The break of 30 riders is now being caught by the field!

11:12 PDT    48.9 km/125.2km to go
Creed has just gone through the finish line after three main laps. He leads solo with Ollerenshaw and Pipp chasing. The rest of the field is all together.

11:16 PDT   
Its now 25" from Creed to the two chasers. A group of six is now attacking out of the peloton.

11:23 PDT   
The peloton has split up slightly and a group of 40 riders are ten seconds ahead of them. Another solo rider has gone ahead to chase. It is Ben Jacques-Maynes (Kodak Sierra Nevada). The group of 40 riders are behind him, 1'35 behind Creed and the peloton are ten seconds behind that.

11:26 PDT   
Moletta has caught Ollerenshaw and Pipp. Behind them is a group of six riders. Creed is on Fillmore for the fourth time. The crowds are about 5 deep half way up and 7 deep near the top. He is out of the saddle. He is laboring but looks ok.

11:29 PDT   
Creed goes over Fillmore and gets back down into the drops as he goes across the top and heads towards Taylor. The three chasers are at 25 second. Jacques-Mayne has been caught by the next group, who are 40 seconds down.

11:30 PDT   
John Lieswyn (Health Net) has just bridged to the Ollerenshaw group.

11:31 PDT   
Creed is climbing really well. He's on the steepest part of Taylor St now and looks good.

11:32 PDT   
The group of five riders has bridge to the group of four, so now Creed is being directly chased by a group of nine riders.

11:34 PDT    63.1km/111km to go
We are at the end of the fourth main lap, just over 60km into the race.

11:37 PDT   
The riders is that second group are: Doug Ollerenshaw (Health Net p/b Maxxis), John Lieswyn (Health Net), Frank Pipp (Advantage Benefits Endeavour), Andrea Moletta (Gerolsteiner), Aaron Olsen and Todd Herriott (Colavita Sutter Homes), Caleb Manion (Jelly Belly PoolGel), and Ben Jacques-Maynes (Kodak Sierra Nevada).

11:39 PDT   
Andy Jacques-Maynes (Webcor) has also made it back up to that group.

11:44 PDT   
Creed is still down on the drops working away. He now has 53 seconds to the first chase group of nine riders as he heads towards Fillmore again. The rest of the field are all together now 2 minutes behind Creed.

11:46 PDT   
This is probably John Lieswyn's last major race as he is retiring at the end of this season. He definitely still has some great form.

11:47 PDT   
Creed just keeps opening up time on the chase groups. He is now over a minute ahead of the group of nine. He is at the bottom of Fillmore now, about to go through the pain again.

11:51 PDT   
This hill is just unbelievably steep. Creed looked like he was going a little bit sideways on that middle section there. The last bit just becomes the part of the race where you are just turning the legs over. After nine laps with two of these steep climbs per lap, the riders legs are just dead, and then they still have to do five shorter laps meaning they go over Taylor another five times.

Andy Jacques-Maynes (Webcor) has just been dropped from the group of nine and is alone now.

11:55 PDT   
Creed is back to Taylor St again. He is out of the saddle on the steep part of the climb. He looks to be going pretty straight. The group of eight riders are now 50 seconds behind him. Creed is over the top and on the descent. Its a pretty fast descent with a flat bit in the middle. When he hits the finish line this time, it will be the end of the 5th main lap.

11:56 PDT    75km/99.1km to go
The gap is down to 42 seconds now between Creed and the chase group.

11:59 PDT    77.3km/96.8km to go
Creed had a bit of a low spot in his season earlier in the year and had to recover from a virus. One good thing about that was that he was able to concentrate on the second part of the season and today he is certainly showing some form.

He is heading back out into the course for the sixth main lap.
Johny Sundt is leading the peloton right now for Jittery Joe's. They are still two minutes behind Creed.

12:02 PDT   
Another group has now bridged up to the first chase group, making that group 17 riders now.

12:06 PDT   
That first chase group is now up to about 40 riders. The commisaire's just told Creed that he has 40 chasers at 45 seconds. He said "What? 40 guys and they can't catch me?". So, he is obviously in good spirits right now. The riders know when they go in these early breaks that they are totally sacrificing themselves for their team. Being out there solo is a tough gig, but it sets up his team and they are able to sit back and relax and put other teams on the defensive.

12:07 PDT   
Todd Herriott (Colavita Sutter Homes) is now attacking out of the chase group adn going after Creed alone. He is very aggressive today.

12:12 PDT   
Back on the Fillmore climb now. The crowds are starting to get bigger. Creed is looking to be doing a bit of Zig-Zagging on this climb now. He is definitely hurting now, but he still has 1'08" on the chase group. The peloton are way back.

Todd Herriott has been caught again by the rest of the chase group.
Creed is getting some food from his team car as he descends down Broadway.

12:16 PDT   
The peloton is now 4'44 seconds behind Creed. With still about 90km left in the race there is no need for them to chase too hard just yet. It is just a matter of keeping the break groups at a safe distance.

12:20 PDT   
Creed is on the Taylor Street climb now. He hits the steep part. Not zig-zagging this time. The chase group has just made the turn onto the climb as Creed makes it to the top of the climb. There is a huge crowd up the top of this climb. He throwing his fist in the air each time he gets to the top of a climb, basically saying. "Hey, I made it to the top of another of these climbs." He has 40 seconds on the chase group now.
He just threw a water bottle ahead of his at a big group of pigeons that were in his way.
He's heading to the finish line now at the end of the sixth main lap. Each lap has been slightly slower than the previous.

12:24 PDT    95km/79.1km to go
The peloton is completely strung out at the moment as they head towards the embarcadero. Each time they go up Fillmore and Taylor, things split up and now the peloton is a series of small groups. The first chase group has also split into groups, the front chase group now down to about 20 riders.

12:32 PDT   
Creed now has one minute to the first chase group of 20 riders. He's looking good and really toughing it out keeping his gap around the minute mark.

12:35 PDT   
Creed going up Fillmore once again. Zig-zagging again! It looks like pain! The group of 20 reach the bottom of the climb. They are 1'04" behind him.

12:40 PDT   
The gap at the top of Fillmore was 38" but its now back up to 45" at the bottom of Taylor. Jason McCartney has been taking second place each time in the KOM sprints. By doing that he is protecting Creed's lead.

12:41 PDT   
Creed is at the top of Taylor now and throws his fist in the air again!

12:42 PDT    102km/72.1km to go
The chase group is at the top of Taylor now and made up some time again. At the top the time gap between the chase and Creed is 33".
They're heading back towards the finish line again. Only two big laps left now and then five smaller laps. But that does mean two more times up Fillmore and seven more times up Taylor!

12:44 PDT    105.7km/68.4km to go
A group of four riders are within 15 meters of Creed now. It looks like McCartney is in that group, so at least he has a teammate there.

12:45 PDT   
Creed is caught and now we have a group of five in the lead. The group has three discovery riders. Creed, Hesjedal and McCartney. Also in the group are Glen Mitchell (Kodak Sierra Nevada) and John Lieswyn (Health Net).

12:48 PDT   
Creed just sat up. He is done but he did his job for the team.
We have a group of five chasers, a few solo riders and then the field.

12:50 PDT   
That first chase group now has Creed in it as well as Todd Herriott (Colavita Sutter Homes), Rubens Bertogliati (Saunier Duval), Caleb Manion (Jelly Belly) and Tim Johnson (Jittery Joe's).

12:52 PDT   
Andrea Moletta has just joined the first chase group making it six riders.
The lead group is being led by McCartney as they head towards Fillmore. Lieswyn takes over to drive the break. The gap is 25" between the lead group of 4 and the chase group of 5. Its now 1'20 to the field, which is not that big anymore.

12:55 PDT   
The lead group is just about to make the right turn onto the Fillmore climb. They have opened up their gap to 40" to the first chase group right now.

12:57 PDT   
McCartney is leading up the climb. Hesjedal looks like he's suffering a bit up this climb. They reach the top and turn the corner. Lieswyn still looking strong too.

12:58 PDT   
Over the top of the climb the gap remained at 40". There is only one more time up this torturous climb in the race. They head to Taylor now.

13:01 PDT   
Lieswyn led onto Taylor and McCartney took over on the climb. Hesjedal suffering again. Glen Mitchell looks good. McCartney is slowing it down a bit to wait for Hesjedal, who is just off the back.

13:03 PDT   
They are over the climb, Hesjedal about 8" off the back of the other three. It doesn't look like he's going to make it back on. The chase group of five has split up into two groups. Bertogliati and Moletta are ahead of the other three. They are 45" behind the lead group.

13:05 PDT    119.9km/54.2km to go
The leaders have just crossed the finish line after the eighth main lap and head onto their final large lap. They have 45 seconds on the first chasers and 1'20" to what is left of the peloton.

13:06 PDT   
Hesjedal didn't get back on. So the lead group is down to three. Back in the field, things are still very strung out as they head to the finish line.

13:08 PDT   
Creed has been caught and dropped by the main field. He has the KOM competition wrapped up but he does have to finish the race to take home that title. That means he has to find a small group or he'll be riding the remaining 50km alone.

13:14 PDT   
The lead group are working well together and still have a good gap. They are heading towards Fillmore again.

13:16 PDT   
Lieswyn's leading the break now. Their Health Net, Kodak and Discovery Team cars have come up to sit behind the break.
Making a right hand turn onto Fillmore now. Mitchell is leading the way.

13:17 PDT   
They have really opened up the gap now. The chase group has been caught by the main field, which is now1'50" behind the leaders.

13:18 PDT   
There is a car stalled on the steepest part of the climb. It is fine for this small group of three, but might cause a problem for the bunch.

13:18 PDT   
McCartney led over the top of the climb. They all looked very solid going over and they are right back in their rhythm over the top.

13:19 PDT   
Liewswyn leads the descent down Broadway.

13:23 PDT   
Back to Taylor with Fillmore over and done with for this year. McCartney leads with Mitchell in second and Lieswyn in third. They are all out of the saddle for the final steep section of the climb. They all still look very strong.

13:24 PDT   
The gap to the bunch is still over a minute.

13:29 PDT    136km/38.1km to go
The riders have now completed all of the nine main laps and are heading out for their first of five 8km finish laps. The gap 1'45".

One rider, Davide Frattini (Colavita) has broken away from the main field and is trying to bridge solo.

13:31 PDT   
The three leaders are still working very well together and hold their lead at 1'50".

13:32 PDT   
1'50" is to Frattini and the gap to the field is 2'05".

13:36 PDT   
Frattini is getting caught by the field now and a group is countering his move now. The leaders have hit Taylor St again and are on the steep part.

13:38 PDT   
Ryder Hesjedal has pulled out of the race after his break away move before. Frank Pipp is also off the back. There are probably about 40 riders left in the main bunch at this point.

13:38 PDT    142.1km/32km to go
We are going through the start finish line at the end of the first finish lap. Four laps to go.

13:40 PDT   
The few rides who tried to get away from the peloton a few minutes ago have been reeled in. The gap between the lead trio and peloton is still 1'55".

13:42 PDT   
Andrea Moletta is attacking again. He has been very persistent this race. He is joined by his Gerolsteiner teammate Fabian Wegmann.

13:46 PDT   
Not far from the Taylor St climb again. The gap is 1'50" from the lead group to the two Gerolsteiner pair. The gap to the peloton is just over two minutes.

13:49 PDT   
Mitchell leads the Taylor St climb. They are half way up heading onto the steep part. The two chasers are also on the climb now and look to be making ground.

13:52 PDT   
Coming up to three small laps to go. The main bunch has split up into a couple of groups now.

Lieswyn, Mitchell and McCartney have 33" to the Gerolsteiner riders now. Another chase group has formed after them.

13:57 PDT   
The peloton is really splitting up now. Chasing the Gerolsteiner pair is another group of two riders - Mike Sayers (Health Net) and Luke Roberts (CSC), and behind them are more assorted groups!!!!

13:58 PDT   
Mark McCormack and Davide Frattini from Colavita have made it up to Sayers and Roberts to make a group of four.

14:01 PDT   
McCartney, Mitchell and Lieswyn are still keeping very good rhythm working together. The Gerolsteiner pair have stopped making up ground on them and still sit at 33 seconds. This next group looks good though.

14:02 PDT   
Mitchell has been droppped from Lieswyn and McCartney on Taylor St. Moletta and Wegmann are now 20" behind.

14:03 PDT    158.1km/16km to go
Turning onto the finishing straight. They will see two laps to go now.

14:04 PDT   
Wegmann and Moletta have caught Mitchell and they are now 20" behind Lieswyn and McCartney.

14:05 PDT   
The chase group of four are 1'45" behind now.

14:06 PDT   
Behind the group of four, the main peloton is only 12 riders now, 2'30" down.

14:09 PDT   
McCartney and Lieswyn are old teammates and are certainly showing that today. They are working very well together holding the gap to the Gerolsteiner riders at 33".

14:10 PDT   
McCartney has his usual tongue hanging out facial expression. He knows how to suffer!

14:14 PDT   
Glen Mitchell has been dropped from the Gerolsteiner pair. Moletta and Wegmann can see the leaders at the top of Taylor St. McCartney looking behind to see what the situation is. One of the Gerolsteiner riders is going ahead now. Its Wegmann. He looks good.

14:15 PDT   
On the descent Wegmann and Moletta come back together. They are still 40 seconds behind McCartney and Lieswyn.

14:16 PDT    166.1km/8km to go
The leaders go through the finish line now and will hear the bell for 1 lap to go. Thats only 8km and they are really holding their gap.

14:16 PDT   
What an amazing ride by these two. If they can hold this it will be very cool.

14:20 PDT   
Creed is still hanging in there. So he will still be in the running for the mountains jersey. Thats if his teammate doesn't overtake him in points.
McCartney is leading up the small climb on Columbus. The gap is still 31".

14:20 PDT   
Its dropping a little now to 27 seconds. We'll see what Wegmann does over this next climb.

14:21 PDT   
The group of four are still a way back and it doesn't look they will be able to catch.

14:24 PDT   
The front pair are doing short 15-20second turns. The Gerolsteiner riders can see them again now as they go through the feed zone on Polk St. McCartney is leading and takes a quick peak back to see whats happening. The gap is falling. Its only 22 seconds now and falling..

14:24 PDT    170.1km/4km to go
Coming up to Taylor St climb for the last time. McCartney still leading here.

14:25 PDT   
Lieswyn is leading going into the climb. They keep looking at each other but they also have to watch out for Wegmann and Moletta who are closing in. Wegmann has attacked and is catching them on the steep part of the climb.

14:26 PDT    171.1km/3km to go
He has caught them and come around them. Wegmann, Lieswyn and McCartney are all together at the top of the climb!

14:27 PDT   
Great ride by Moletta to bring his teammate up to the leaders.
McCartney leads the descent. He looks over at Lieswyn.
Wegmann has jumped!

14:27 PDT   
Lieswyn reacts. McCartney hops on Lieswyn's wheel. Lieswyn catches Wegmann. He goes around.

14:28 PDT   
Lieswyn leads with 350m to go. McCartney on his wheel. Wegmann attacks again.

14:28 PDT   
McCartney jumps on his wheel. Lieswyn tries to come around but he can't. Wegmann takes it.

14:28 PDT   
Liewsyn takes second and McCartney takes third!

14:29 PDT   
Moletta is finishing now in fourth place.

14:30 PDT   
What a great win by Wegmann!! He's young too!

14:30 PDT   
Creed goes through the finish line a lap down.

14:32 PDT   
Basso comes through - but he had already abandonned. Had his backpack on.

Mike Sayers finishes solo in fifth place. Mark McCormack comes in with Luke Roberts to take sixth. Roberts 7th.

Results

Provisional
1 Fabian Wegmann (Gerolsteiner)
2 John Lieswyn (Health Net p/b Maxxis)
3 Jason McCartney (Discovery)
4 Andrea Moletta (Gerolsteiner)
5 Mike Sayers (Health Net p/b Maxxis)
6 Mark McCormack (Colavita Sutter Homes)
7 Luke Roberts (CSC)