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Tour of Britain - 2.1

Great Britain, August 29-September 3, 2006

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Stage 2 - August 30: Blackpool to Liverpool, 163km

Hammond hammers ‘em but Goss goes yellow

Hammond wins
Photo ©: Gerry McManus
(Click for larger image)

Britain’s Roger Hammond (Great Britain) blasted up the last 200 metres into Liverpool to win stage two of the Tour of Britain. The whole field came together in the closing stages after the bunch chased down the two early leaders and it was eyeballs out in a spectacular mass sprint for the line.

Mathew Goss (South Australia.com-AIS) pulled on the coveted yellow jersey after he took five valuable bonus seconds in the sprint primes. Goss made no mistake in the sprints this time beating Martin Pederson (CSC) at the Pilling, Southport and Thornton hot spots on the way to Liverpool. Russell Downing (DFL-cyclingnews.com-Litespeed) followed up his fifth place on the previous stage by finishing third today to take the green points jersey into Yorkshire tomorrow.

The early break happened again when Davitamon-Lotto’s Johan Van Summeren and Bert Roesems went clear as early as the three-mile mark and their lead was over two minutes at the 12-mile mark. CSC kept tempo on the front with Pedersen in the yellow jersey tucked in behind their line. The leaders’ time gap grew again and the Roesems took the first KOM points on the 1st category climb at the Trough of Bowland where the first of many surprisingly large crowds cheered on the riders as they trekked across the county of Lancashire.

The bunch reached the bottom of the climb at the Trough of Bowland and Ben Greenwood (Recycling.co.uk) duly lived up to his nickname ‘Blaster’ by exploding away from the main field. The slick 21-year-old from nearby Lancaster climbed impressively like his life depended on it. There must have been many friends at the summit as he took more KOM points in his pursuit of the leaders and he continued his brave attempt crossing the top of the Waddington Fell climb with a lead of around a minute over the bunch. The 2005 British U23 champion appeared to sit up and wait for the peloton before Clitheroe. The information was that the leading duo were still some five minutes in front.

Summeren and Roesems continued to work well together and it looked like they could stay clear until they reached the flat, wind swept roads leading to Southport. The sand dunes on the sea front at Southport are a testament to the powerful winds that blow in from the sea and the brave duo were brought to heel with the CSC and Mapei teams leading the chase.

The early leaders
Photo ©: Gerry McManus
(Click for larger image)

Goss had taken already taken a bonus second at both the first and second primes and was level on time with Pedersen and his South Australia.com team hit the front to help in the chase. Goss again showed his sprinting prowess by taking the final prime and more importantly the full three seconds at Thornton now that the leaders now safely back in the bunch. He was now the leader on the road. It was now looking like a bunch gallop was inevitable but Robin Sharman (Recycling.co.uk) and Michael Morkov (Denmark) made a late attack and went clear. Morkov had showed his ability in a breakaway group by winning Monday’s Glasgow GP in the same fashion but the bunch were in no mood to let the young upstarts spoil their charge for the line and the two were brought back.

Hammond got onto Tom Boonen’s wheel in the final gallop and powered up to come round the current world champion and he pipped Aart Vierhoten (Skil Shimano) and Russell Downing (DFL-cyclingnews.com-Litespeed) on the line in front of a crowd arguably large enough to suit a visit by the Beatles back in their home city of Liverpool.

Hammond punched air in a victory salute as he repeated his Blackpool stage win of last year but says it was different this time:

“Last year it was more emotional as we had lost all that time on the first stage and we had gone out with something to prove on the next stage. There was a lot of pressure last year but this year I didn’t think of winning until the last 400 metres and you don’t have much time to think about it. It hasn’t really sunk in yet. The team did a mega performance today. We really haven’t ridden together as a team before and we practiced yesterday and again today. I thought that once Mapei started riding for Boonen to win that perhaps we wouldn’t see many of our guys but if you watch the TV coverage our guys were still up there and with 700 metres to go they were still up at the front. When you think they are only 18 and 19 years old it’s a cracking performance. They delivered me on Boonen’s wheel with 400 metres to the finish. I haven’t been given that sort of service in the last two years.”

Goss was pleased to have the yellow jersey. “I was pleased today as it played out perfectly. I thought CSC may have let one more guy go down the road and take all the bonuses. This is the biggest tour I have led. The class of riders here is great and it’s certainly going to tough ask to hold onto it until the end.” But will the South Australia team be able to hold to the lead? “My team are only young and it’s pretty hard to sit on the front all day but we will have talk tonight about what we will do. Tomorrow’s going to be hard. The top of the last climb is only 15km to go and if it all breaks up it’s going to be tough to bring the time back.”

Russell Downing leads the points category with his sixth and third places so far and looks on form. “It’s not something I have aimed for but I have been consistent over the first two days. I will hopefully get up there tomorrow with the race being in my home town.”

“All the lines came right for me in the sprint and I took a chance following the inside line and my low centre of gravity got me round the corner,” he said joking at his fairly diminutive size compared to some of the other riders: “The finish tomorrow is similar. I was third in Sheffield last year and it was the same there – the first into that corner was going to win. I hope it’s better tomorrow.”

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Gerry McManus/www.gerrymcmanus.co.uk

Images by Robin Fanner

  • Mathhew Goss (South Australia.com-AIS) gets in a little texting time from within the peloton

Images by Peter Bentley

  • Bert Roesems and Johan Van Summeren (Davitamon Lotto) broke away early and had a five minute lead over Waddington Fell
  • Team CSC lead the chase

Images by Richard O'Brien

Results

1 Roger Hammond (GBr) Great Britain                    3.54.15
2 Aart Vierhouten (Ned) Skil-Shimano                          
3 Russell Downing (GBr) DFL-Cycling News-Litespeed            
4 Mark Cavendish (GBr) T-Mobile                               
5 James Vanlandschoot (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago           
6 Francesco Chicchi (Ita) QuickStep-Innergetic                
7 Alex Rasmussen (Den) Denmark                                
8 Enrico Degano (Ita) Barloworld                              
9 Rene Weissinger (Ger) Skil-Shimano                          
10 Jeremy Hunt (GBr) Unibet.com                               
11 Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Skil-Shimano                      
12 Iljo Keisse (Bel) Chocolade Jacques-Topsport               
13 Paride Grillo (Ita) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare              
14 Dean Downing (GBr) DFL-Cycling News-Litespeed              
15 Kenny Lisabeth (Bel) Chocolade Jacques-Topsport            
16 Tom Boonen (Bel) QuickStep-Innergetic                      
17 Luis Pasamontes (Spa) Unibet.com                           
18 Andy Cappelle (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago                
19 Nick Gates (Aus) Davitamon Lotto                           
20 Mathew Goss (Aus) South Australia.com-AIS                  
21 Kristan House (GBr) Recycling.co.uk                        
22 Evan Oliphant (GBr) Recycling.co.uk                        
23 Filippo Pozzato (Ita) QuickStep-Innergetic                 
24 Frederik Willems (Bel) Chocolade Jacques-Topsport          
25 Luke Roberts (Aus) CSC                                     
26 Hugo Sabido (Por) Barloworld                               
27 Piet Rooijakkers (Ned) Skil-Shimano                        
28 Bert Roesems (Bel) Davitamon Lotto                         
29 Nico Mattan (Bel) Davitamon Lotto                          
30 Nick Nuyens (Bel) QuickStep-Innergetic                     
31 Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Davitamon Lotto                   
32 Paul Manning (GBr) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago                 
33 Koen Barbe (Bel) Chocolade Jacques-Topsport                
34 Moises Aldape Chavez (Mex) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare       
35 Andy Schleck (Lux) CSC                                     
36 Tom Barras (GBr) DFL-Cycling News-Litespeed                
37 Frederik Veuchulen (Bel) Chocolade Jacques-Topsport        
38 Rob Partridge (GBr) Recycling.co.uk                        
39 Christian Vandevelde (USA) CSC                             
40 Igor Astarloa (Spa) Barloworld                             
41 Martin Pedersen (Den) CSC                                  
42 Andre Steensen (Den) Denmark                               
43 Erwin Thijs (Bel) Unibet.com                               
44 Leon Van Bon (Ned) Davitamon Lotto                         
45 Patrik Sinkewitz (Ger) T-Mobile                            
46 Karsten Kroon (Ned) CSC                                    
47 Jakob Piil (Den) CSC                                       
48 Hidenori Nodera (Jpn) Skil-Shimano                         
49 Mirko Allegrini (Ita) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare            
50 James Meadley (Aus) South Australia.com-AIS                
51 Robert Hunter (RSA) Phonak iShares                         
52 Daniel Kreutzfeldt (Den) Denmark                           
53 Floris Goesinnen (Ned) Skil-Shimano                        
54 Ryan Cox (RSA) Barloworld                                  
55 Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Unibet.com                           
56 Wilfried Cretskens (Bel) QuickStep-Innergetic              
57 Robin Sharman (GBr) Recycling.co.uk                        
58 Johann Tschopp (Swi) Phonak iShares                        
59 Glenn D'Hollander (Bel) Chocolade Jacques-Topsport         
60 Andrew Tennant (GBr) Great Britain                         
61 Axel Merckx (Bel) Phonak iShares                           
62 Casper Jorgensen (Den) Denmark                             
63 Koos Moerenhout (Ned) Phonak iShares                       
64 Ben Greenwood (GBr) Recycling.co.uk                        
65 Alex Coutts (GBr) DFL-Cycling News-Litespeed               
66 Mads Christensen (Den) Barloworld                          
67 Michael Rogers (Aus) T-Mobile                              
68 Michael Morkov (Den) Denmark                               
69 Patrick McCarty (USA) Phonak iShares                       
70 Matthias Kessler (Ger) T-Mobile                            
71 Joeri Clauwaert (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago              
72 Brett Lancaster (Aus) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare            
73 Wim Vansevenant (Bel) Davitamon Lotto                      
74 Jean Claude Lebeau (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago           
75 Juan Manuel Garate (Spa) QuickStep-Innergetic              
76 Christopher Newton (GBr) Recycling.co.uk                   
77 Mathew Lloyd (Aus) South Australia.com-AIS                 
78 Jonathon Clarke (Aus) South Australia.com-AIS              
79 Shaun Higgerson (Aus) South Australia.com-AIS              
80 Jonas Ljungblad (Swe) Unibet.com                           
81 Simon Clarke (Aus) South Australia.com-AIS                 
82 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Great Britain                     0.24
83 Ian Stannard (GBr) Great Britain                       0.50
84 Ben Swift (GBr) Great Britain                              
85 Cameron Jennings (Aus) DFL-Cycling News-Litespeed          
86 Edward Clancy (GBr) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago            1.33
87 Matteo Priamo (Ita) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare          1.39
88 Ross Sander (GBr) Great Britain                        1.41
89 Baden Cooke (Aus) Unibet.com                           1.44
 
Sprints
 
Pilling, 12.2km
1 Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Davitamon Lotto                   5 pts
2 Bert Roesems (Bel) Davitamon Lotto                         3
3 Mathew Goss (Aus) South Australia.com-AIS                  2
4 Martin Pedersen (Den) CSC                                  1
 
Southport, 132km
1 Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Davitamon Lotto                   5 pts
2 Bert Roesems (Bel) Davitamon Lotto                         3
3 Mathew Goss (Aus) South Australia.com-AIS                  2
4 Martin Pedersen (Den) CSC                                  1
 
Thornton, 150.6km
1 Mathew Goss (Aus) South Australia.com-AIS                  5 pts
2 Iljo Keisse (Bel) Chocolade Jacques-Topsport               3
3 Martin Pedersen (Den) CSC                                  2
4 Luke Roberts (Aus) CSC                                     1
 
Mountains
 
Westfield Towers, 36.7km
1 Bert Roesems (Bel) Davitamon Lotto                        10 pts
2 Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Davitamon Lotto                   8
3 Ben Greenwood (GBr) Recycling.co.uk                        6
4 Andy Schleck (Lux) CSC                                     5
5 Jakob Piil (Den) CSC                                       4
6 Karsten Kroon (Ned) CSC                                    3
7 Christian Vandevelde (USA) CSC                             2
8 Martin Pedersen (Den) CSC                                  1
 
Trough of Bowland, 47.1km
1 Bert Roesems (Bel) Davitamon Lotto                         4 pts
2 Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Davitamon Lotto                   3
3 Ben Greenwood (GBr) Recycling.co.uk                        2
4 Jakob Piil (Den) CSC                                       1
 
Waddington Fell, 60.5km
1 Bert Roesems (Bel) Davitamon Lotto                        10 pts
2 Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Davitamon Lotto                   8
3 Ben Greenwood (GBr) Recycling.co.uk                        6
4 Martin Pedersen (Den) CSC                                  5
5 Andy Schleck (Lux) CSC                                     4
6 Christian Vandevelde (USA) CSC                             3
7 Axel Merckx (Bel) Phonak iShares                           2
8 Luke Roberts (Aus) CSC                                     1
 
Most combative
 
1 Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Davitamon Lotto                    
 
General classification after stage two
 
1 Mathew Goss (Aus) South Australia.com-AIS            7.57.35
2 Martin Pedersen (Den) CSC                               0.02
3 Luis Pasamontes (Spa) Unibet.com                        0.08
4 Roger Hammond (GBr) Great Britain                       2.44
5 Aart Vierhouten (Ned) Skil-Shimano                      2.48
6 Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Davitamon Lotto                    
7 Russell Downing (GBr) DFL-Cycling News-Litespeed        2.50
8 Bert Roesems (Bel) Davitamon Lotto                          
9 Iljo Keisse (Bel) Chocolade Jacques-Topsport            2.52
10 Francesco Chicchi (Ita) QuickStep-Innergetic           2.54
11 Mark Cavendish (GBr) T-Mobile                              
12 James Vanlandschoot (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago          
13 Alex Rasmussen (Den) Denmark                               
14 Enrico Degano (Ita) Barloworld                             
15 Jeremy Hunt (GBr) Unibet.com                               
16 Filippo Pozzato (Ita) QuickStep-Innergetic                 
17 Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Skil-Shimano                      
18 Luke Roberts (Aus) CSC                                     
19 Dean Downing (GBr) DFL-Cycling News-Litespeed              
20 Kenny Lisabeth (Bel) Chocolade Jacques-Topsport            
21 Evan Oliphant (GBr) Recycling.co.uk                        
22 Andy Cappelle (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago                
23 Piet Rooijakkers (Ned) Skil-Shimano                        
24 Nick Nuyens (Bel) QuickStep-Innergetic                     
25 Nico Mattan (Bel) Davitamon Lotto                          
26 Frederik Willems (Bel) Chocolade Jacques-Topsport          
27 Kristan House (GBr) Recycling.co.uk                        
28 Hugo Sabido (Por) Barloworld                               
29 Paride Grillo (Ita) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare              
30 Frederik Veuchulen (Bel) Chocolade Jacques-Topsport        
31 Erwin Thijs (Bel) Unibet.com                               
32 Moises Aldape Chavez (Mex) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare       
33 Koen Barbe (Bel) Chocolade Jacques-Topsport                
34 Tom Barras (GBr) DFL-Cycling News-Litespeed                
35 Christian Vandevelde (USA) CSC                             
36 Jakob Piil (Den) CSC                                       
37 Tom Boonen (Bel) QuickStep-Innergetic                      
38 Karsten Kroon (Ned) CSC                                    
39 Patrik Sinkewitz (Ger) T-Mobile                            
40 Nick Gates (Aus) Davitamon Lotto                           
41 Igor Astarloa (Spa) Barloworld                             
42 Rob Partridge (GBr) Recycling.co.uk                        
43 Michael Morkov (Den) Denmark                               
44 Andy Schleck (Lux) CSC                                     
45 Andre Steensen (Den) Denmark                               
46 James Meadley (Aus) South Australia.com-AIS                
47 Robin Sharman (GBr) Recycling.co.uk                        
48 Joeri Clauwaert (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago              
49 Paul Manning (GBr) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago                 
50 Mirko Allegrini (Ita) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare            
51 Ben Greenwood (GBr) Recycling.co.uk                        
52 Ryan Cox (RSA) Barloworld                                  
53 Michael Rogers (Aus) T-Mobile                              
54 Jonas Ljungblad (Swe) Unibet.com                           
55 Axel Merckx (Bel) Phonak iShares                           
56 Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Unibet.com                           
57 Wilfried Cretskens (Bel) QuickStep-Innergetic              
58 Brett Lancaster (Aus) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare            
59 Koos Moerenhout (Ned) Phonak iShares                       
60 Floris Goesinnen (Ned) Skil-Shimano                        
61 Cameron Jennings (Aus) DFL-Cycling News-Litespeed          
62 Johann Tschopp (Swi) Phonak iShares                        
63 Simon Clarke (Aus) South Australia.com-AIS                 
64 Robert Hunter (RSA) Phonak iShares                         
65 Jean Claude Lebeau (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago           
66 Alex Coutts (GBr) DFL-Cycling News-Litespeed               
67 Patrick McCarty (USA) Phonak iShares                       
68 Mathew Lloyd (Aus) South Australia.com-AIS                 
69 Mads Christensen (Den) Barloworld                          
70 Matthias Kessler (Ger) T-Mobile                            
71 Shaun Higgerson (Aus) South Australia.com-AIS              
72 Casper Jorgensen (Den) Denmark                         3.18
73 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Great Britain                         
74 Andrew Tennant (GBr) Great Britain                     3.40
75 Ian Stannard (GBr) Great Britain                       3.44
76 Edward Clancy (GBr) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago            4.27
77 Ben Swift (GBr) Great Britain                          4.30
78 Matteo Priamo (Ita) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare          4.33
79 Baden Cooke (Aus) Unibet.com                           4.38
80 Jonathon Clarke (Aus) South Australia.com-AIS          4.59
81 Ross Sander (GBr) Great Britain                        5.59
82 Juan Manuel Garate (Spa) QuickStep-Innergetic          6.36
83 Leon Van Bon (Ned) Davitamon Lotto                     6.49
84 Christopher Newton (GBr) Recycling.co.uk               8.08
85 Wim Vansevenant (Bel) Davitamon Lotto                  8.20
86 Rene Weissinger (Ger) Skil-Shimano                     9.29
87 Hidenori Nodera (Jpn) Skil-Shimano                         
88 Glenn D'Hollander (Bel) Chocolade Jacques-Topsport    10.03
89 Daniel Kreutzfeldt (Den) Denmark                      11.20
 
Points classification
 
1 Russell Downing (GBr) DFL-Cycling News-Litespeed            
2 Francesco Chicchi (Ita) QuickStep-Innergetic                
3 Mark Cavendish (GBr) T-Mobile                               
4 Roger Hammond (GBr) Great Britain                           
5 James Vanlandschoot (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago           
6 Alex Rasmussen (Den) Denmark                                
7 Martin Pedersen (Den) CSC                                   
8 Luis Pasamontes (Spa) Unibet.com                            
9 Aart Vierhouten (Ned) Skil-Shimano                          
10 Mathew Goss (Aus) South Australia.com-AIS                  
11 Enrico Degano (Ita) Barloworld                             
12 Jeremy Hunt (GBr) Unibet.com                               
13 Filippo Pozzato (Ita) QuickStep-Innergetic                 
14 Rene Weissinger (Ger) Skil-Shimano                         
15 Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Skil-Shimano                      
16 Iljo Keisse (Bel) Chocolade Jacques-Topsport               
17 Luke Roberts (Aus) CSC                                     
18 Paride Grillo (Ita) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare              
19 Dean Downing (GBr) DFL-Cycling News-Litespeed              
20 Kenny Lisabeth (Bel) Chocolade Jacques-Topsport            
21 Nick Nuyens (Bel) QuickStep-Innergetic                     
 
Sprints classification
 
1 Mathew Goss (Aus) South Australia.com-AIS                 24 pts
2 Martin Pedersen (Den) CSC                                 12
3 Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Davitamon Lotto                  10
4 Luis Pasamontes (Spa) Unibet.com                           7
5 Bert Roesems (Bel) Davitamon Lotto                         6
6 Iljo Keisse (Bel) Chocolade Jacques-Topsport               3
7 Luke Roberts (Aus) CSC                                     1
8 Karsten Kroon (Ned) CSC                                    1
9 Floris Goesinnen (Ned) Skil-Shimano                        1
10 Glenn D'Hollander (Bel) Chocolade Jacques-Topsport        1
 
Mountain classification
 
1 Bert Roesems (Bel) Davitamon Lotto                        24 pts
2 Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Davitamon Lotto                  19
3 Martin Pedersen (Den) CSC                                 17
4 Ben Greenwood (GBr) Recycling.co.uk                       14
5 Luis Pasamontes (Spa) Unibet.com                           9
6 Andy Schleck (Lux) CSC                                     9
7 Mathew Goss (Aus) South Australia.com-AIS                  7
8 Christian Vandevelde (USA) CSC                             5
9 Jakob Piil (Den) CSC                                       5
10 Karsten Kroon (Ned) CSC                                   3
11 Axel Merckx (Bel) Phonak iShares                          2
12 Filippo Pozzato (Ita) QuickStep-Innergetic                1
13 Luke Roberts (Aus) CSC                                    1
14 Ryan Cox (RSA) Barloworld                                 1
15 Wilfried Cretskens (Bel) QuickStep-Innergetic             1
 
Teams
 
1 Unibet.com                                          23.58.51
2 CSC                                                         
3 South Australia.com-AIS                                     
4 Skil-Shimano                                            2.36
5 QuickStep-Innergetic                                        
6 Chocolade Jacques-Topsport                                  
7 DFL-Cycling News-Litespeed                                  
8 Landbouwkrediet-Colnago                                     
9 Barloworld                                                  
10 Davitamon Lotto                                            
11 Recycling.co.uk                                            
12 T-Mobile                                                   
13 Denmark                                                    
14 Ceramica Panaria-Navigare                                  
15 Phonak iShares                                             
16 Great Britain                                          3.00

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