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Tour of California - 2.HC
USA, February 14-22, 2009
Main Page Results Overall standings Stage Details Live report Previous Stage
Stage 8 - February 22: Rancho Bernardo - Escondido, 155.8 km/96.8 mi
Leipheimer's triple tour triumph
Schleck delivers Saxo Bank stage win
By Laura Weislo and Kirsten Robbins in Escondido
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Astana's Levi Leipheimer proved himself to be the king of the Tour of California and withstood an onslaught of attacks by the other contenders to secure his third consecutive victory in the longest, most difficult and most popular edition in the history of the race. Leipheimer finished the stage safely in a group 40 seconds behind stage winner Fränk Schleck (Saxo Bank) to hold on to his winning margin ahead of David Zabriskie (Garmin-Slipstream) and Michael Rogers (Columbia-Highroad).
Mark Cavendish completed the final stage to bring home the green Herbalife Sprinter's jersey, while Saxo Bank completed its success with the mountains classification for Jason McCartney. Robert Gesink (Rabobank) held onto the title of best young rider, while Schleck was awarded the "most courageous" designation for the stage.
Leipheimer was thrilled to achieve his early season's goal. "To win it the first time was huge, the second time, I felt like I was lucky and to win it three times... it's the sweetest victory of the three and it's hard to describe."
The final stage was a far cry from the parade-like circuit races of the past, and with four classified climbs and one hors categorie ascent mid-stage, the teams of the other GC contenders showed early on they were not about to lie down and give the race to the Astana team.
Leipheimer was put into pressure on the climb of Mt. Palomar at the mid-point of the stage when he found himself isolated in a group which contained GC threats David Zabriskei (Garmin-Slipstream), Michael Rogers (Columbia-Highroad) and Jens Voigt (Saxo Bank), all of whom had teammates.
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Although the OUCH Pro Cycling team of the only other man ever to win this race, Floyd Landis, vowed to light up the race today, it turned out to be the Saxo Bank team which made all the moves, and they were paid off with a stage win by Schleck.
"I'm happy - the way our team was riding today was just amazing, and taking the win on the last stage is always nice," Schleck said as he tried to catch his breath after the sprint.
The Luxembourger said the team had meant to conserve him for the final stage, but he slipped into the stage seven breakaway by luck. He was unhappy to have been denied the win yesterday when he was defeated by AG2R's tactics, and wanted another shot today. "I was furious," Schleck said of losing out in Pasadena. "I wanted to go again. Of course the way the whole Saxo team played it today it was really impressive. It is how we are used to racing."
"The win is going to the team because without those guys it would have never worked out."
Astana feels the heat
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Schleck escaped at the top of the day's hors categorie climb on Mt. Palomar along with Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas), Glen Chadwick (Rock Racing) and Bauke Mollema (Rabobank) after hard work on the climb from his Saxo Bank team.
The squad had Fränk's brother Andy and KOM leader Jason McCartney in the early breakaway at the base of the climb, and as the peloton drew closer to the leaders, Fränk attacked, pulling away an elite group which contained all of the GC contenders.
"We put Andy [Schleck] Jason [McCartney] and Jens [Voigt] out there, and then I attacked behind so we could catch up with those guys," Schleck explained. "I got up to Andy, and he set a really hard pace and I was almost ready to kick him off the bike. If thought 'if he is not going to slow down I'm just going to throw a [snow] ball at him!'"
The younger Schleck's brisk tempo put the Astana team on the defensive when Leipheimer found himself in the group alone.
"One moment today Levi was in the front with three riders from Saxo and two riders from Garmin," Astana manager Johan Bruyneel said. "I didn't feel in the car that he was in trouble. But, he didn't have teammates on Palomar. I could see that he was comfortable and not a lot was going to happen. But if he were to get a flat tire, he would have not teammates to help him and those guys were not going to wait for him."
Once the elder Schleck, who was over four minutes behind on the overall classification, attacked, Astana was able to regroup and bring the race back under control for Leipheimer.
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Schleck was determined to deliver the stage win, but with almost 50 miles (80km) left to ride, the going was tough. He followed Nibali as he surged up the final climb, yet even after taking the last mountain points at the top of Cole Grade, there was still more than 40km to cover to the finish.
"I think the whole valley was very hard for a guy like me. I don't like the flat that much and the wind, so that was a big effort for me," Schleck said.
"But I won a race now and I'm looking forward to having a nice bottle of wine tonight."
Schleck wasn't the only rider who had a sample of the local California vintages in mind for the evening, as Leipheimer was also looking forward to having a party before focusing on the rest of the season.
"I'm going to have a party and relax. That's the first thing on my mind," said Leipheimer. "I think there's a different role for me in the future. More opportunity, but we have such a strong team and I need to pay these guys back for the help they did."
"It's been a long hard road to get to this point and I've been training really hard over the course of my career.
"I've dreamt many days on the about this when I'm training. When I'm pushing alone and suffering alone, I dream about moments like I had on Bonny Doon [on stage two]. We were a long way from the finish, under horrendous conditions. But I was went for it and was feeling great. To be able to pull that off and have Lance Armstrong have your back the entire way was a life long dream for me."
How it unfolded
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What was left of the Tour of California peloton rolled out of Rancho Bernardo with a daunting 96.8 mile stage ahead of them. The race departed without sprinters Tom Boonen (Quick Step), Thor Hushovd (Cervelo TestTeam) and Juan José Haedo (Saxo Bank).
The riders faced the first classified climb just 5km from the start, and as the group hit the turn off of the main road, it became clear that Saxo Bank was not going to let Astana roll through for the overall victory without a fight. Jason Mccartney (Team Saxo Bank) attacked with Steven Cozza (Garmin-Slipstream) in search of points to secure his jersey in the mountains classification, but he was joined on the climb by his teammate Andy Schleck.
By the top of the climb, the lead group was eight strong, with Thomas Peterson (Garmin - Slipstream), Bauke Mollema (Rabobank), Christophe Riblon (AG2R La Mondiale), Serge Pauwels (Cervélo TestTeam), Alexandre Moos (BMC Racing Team) and Ben Jacques-Maynes (Bissell Pro Cycling) tagging along with McCartney, Cozza and Schleck.
The breakaway built up a lead of 50 seconds on the way to the second climb of the day at Lake Wohlford. The breakaway split in two on the climb, while pressure from the OUCH Pro Cycling team succeeded in splitting a group off of the front of the peloton.
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Andy Schleck, McCartney, Pauwels and Jacques-Maynes made up the front group, while the rest were absorbed by the chase from behind. From the OUCH Pro Cycling-led peloton, Floyd Landis and Rory Sutherland succeeded in splitting from the bunch, pulling along Fränk Schleck (Team Saxo Bank), Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas) and Mathias Frank (BMC Racing Team).
McCartney, Jacques-Maynes and Pauwels crested the category three climb in that order, with Andy Schleck and Cozza taking the final points over the top. After some reshuffling of the breakaway on the climb, a new lead group developed on the rolling plateau that followed. That group included those five riders plus Stef Clement (Rabobank), Carlos Barredo (Quick Step) and Mathias Frank (BMC Racing Team).
The furious pace caused a few riders to throw their hands up and quit the race. Kjell Carlström and Daniel Oss (Liquigas) and Curtis Gunn (Fly V Australia) went back to the hotel to pack their bags.
The breakaway built up a two minute advantage as they hit the lower slopes of the ascent to the first feed zone, and as the peloton took time to grab some lunch they enjoyed their maximum lead of the day. But the fireworks were about to begin as the course turned onto the South Grade road to begin the long climb up Mount Palomar.
Riders began to struggle to stay with the pace of Andy Schleck, and Pauwels was the first rider to lose contact with the front group. Barredo and Jacques-Maynes also lost touch as attacks flew from the field. Oscar Sevilla (Rock Racing) put in a move which drew the counter-attack of eventual stage winner Fränk Schleck.
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The racing heated up and the crowds grew thicker and wilder as the summit approached. The front group became a who's who of this years Tour of California: Overall leader Levi Leipheimer was never caught off guard. Also present was McCartney, the Schleck brothers, David Zabriskie and Tom Danielson (Garmin-Slipstream), Michael Rogers (Columbia-Highroad), Jens Voigt (Saxo Bank), Clement from the break was joined by best young rider Robert Gesink (Rabobank) and Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas).
Voigt took the top honors on the hors categorie climb, with Leipheimer, Gesink, Rogers and Zabriskie following, but the elder Schleck went on the attack after the sprint, taking Nibali with him in what would become the winning move.
The two were joined by Glen Chadwick (Rock Racing) from the 35-rider peloton, with Bauke Mollema (Rabobank) also making it across on the long descent. Chadwick had a dig on the long descent to the final climb, but his lead did not last long.
The foursome wasn't allowed much leeway by the Astana-led peloton, with Lance Armstrong driving the chase on the day's final climb up Cole Grade and pegging it back to just over one minute.
Nibali set a strong tempo on the climb, pulling Schleck away. The Luxembourger took the points at the top ahead of Nibali, with Chadwick and Mollema surviving long enough to take the rest of the points before being swallowed up by the chase.
Nibali drove the pace to the line, but was unable to prevent Schleck from jumping around in the final metres to take the stage win for Saxo Bank.
The battle for the final podium spot was a near repeat of last year's stage seven finish, with George Hincapie (Columbia-Highroad) denying Rory Sutherland the sprint for third. Leipheimer rolled across in ninth place to the huge cheers of the dense crowds in Escondido.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by
Jonathan Devich/
- Riders climb to the first KOM.
- The first break of the day gets going.
- Liquigas comes to the front to bring back the break.
- Tom Peterson (Garmin-Slipstream) driving the break.
- Jason McCartney (Saxo Bank) goes after KOM points to hold onto the jersey.
- Thomas Lövkvist (Columbia-Slipstream) riding in the bunch.
- Lance Armstrong (Astana) gets to the front to go after the break.
- Heading back down after the Palomar climb.
- The field on its way to the last KOM.
- Jersey wearers and stage winners line up in Rancho Bernardo.
- Jason McCartney (Saxo Bank) and Steven Cozza (Garmin - Slipstream) fight it out for the first KOM points.
- Glen Chadwick (Rock Racing) leads another attack.
- Glen Chadwick (Rock Racing) spends a little time off the front by himself.
- Yaroslav Popovych (Astana) gets some extra water from Johan Bruyneel.
- Cam Evans (OUCH) heads up through the bunch.
- Astana leads the chase heading up to Palomar.
- Lance Armstrong (Astana) did lots of work later in the race.
- Martin Elmiger (AG2R La Mondiale) looks up to the next switchback on the Palomar climb.
- Janez Brajkovic (Astana) leads another group up the climb.
- Saxo Bank's Andy Schleck and Jens Voigt lead the yellow jersey group near the top of Palomar.
- Jens Voigt (Saxo Bank) on the front and going hard.
- Glen Chadwick (Rock Racing) heads down the back side of Palomar.
- Levi Leipheimer (Astana) on the gas coming down the Palomar descent.
- Floyd Landis (OUCH) launches an attack on the climb.
- The break and a chase group make their way up the scenic Palomar Mountain climb.
- Looking down on one of the chase groups.
- Levi Leipheimer (Astana) gets up into the main chase group.
- Fränk Schleck (Saxo Bank) puts pressure on the break.
- Crowds on one of the switchbacks cheer on the chase.
- The bunch descends back down towards the valley heading towards the Coal Grade climb.
- Batman and the bat beetle were out to support the riders for the last KOM.
- Fränk Schleck (Saxo Bank) gets a feed from the team car with about 25 kilometres to go.
- Fränk Schleck (Saxo Bank) rolls back towards the podium after his amazing ride.
- Rory Sutherland (OUCH) almost gets George Hincapie (Columbia - Highroad) on the line for a podium spot.
- Levi Leipheimer (Astana) uses his iPhone to get some photos form the podium.
Images by Emory Ball/www.emoryball.com
- George Hincapie looked focused ahead of the final stage.
- Tyler Hamilton signs autographs for the fans.
- Tyler was looking pretty rad and the fans loved it.
- It's the Lance and Levi show... The pride of California.
- If Levi was worried he wasn't showing it
- Fränk Schleck drives the pace over Cole Grade, followed by Vincenzo Nibali.
- The peloton, or what's left of it crests Cole Grade.
- The effort shows on the last climb of the day.
- Christian Vande Velde crested the climb a bit off the pace.
- George Hincapie was third on the day and active all race.
- The ladies love Frank especially when he's the winner.
- Hincapie, Schleck and Nibali were the top three on the day.
- Levi gets some kisses too as he celebrates his third Tour of California crown.
- Lance and his crew looked a happy unit with their man Levi getting the spoils.
- Astana won the team classification and Popovych lets fly with the champers.
- Lance didn't get a bottle but Levi gladly offered up his.
- Lance reminds us all who was the man of the hour.
- The 2009 Tour of California podium (l-r): Michael Rogers, Levi Leipheimer and David Zabriskie.
- Now the real battle begins once the race is done.
- Dave Z is never happier than when he's giving someone a good dousing.
- Jens tells us all how he would like it to go down today.
- Tim Johnson was ready to lay it all on the line for Landis.
- Dave Z looks a bit pensive
- JJ Haedo helps Andy Schleck pin on his number.
- Christian Vande Velde looked calm and relaxed.
- Jens Voigt (Saxo Bank) looks like he might have a plan for the day.
Images by Mitch Clinton/www.clintonphoto.com
- Fränk Schleck rode so well today that he netted himself a stage win.
- And didn't he like it?
- Yaroslav Popovych was back in the winner's circle with Astana.
- Lance and Levi celebrate what was a commanding performance in California.
- The final podium is all smiles (l-r): Michael Rogers, Levi Leipheimer and David Zabriskie.
- Serge Pauwels (Cervélo TestTeam) powers up the first climb of the day.
- Garmin-Slipstream's Steven Cozza appears to be grinning as he takes on the first ascent.
- Race leader Levi Leipheimer stayed calm all day.
- Columbia gave Mark Cavendish full support up the first climb of the stage.
Images by Mark Johnson/www.Ironstring.com
- Helicopters herald the arrival of the race at Palomar Mountain with San Diego's Point Loma and the Pacific Ocean in the distance.
- Astana leads the chase heading up to Palomar.
- There were big crowds at the top of Palomar.
- Tom Zirbel (Bissell) rides over Palomar with some friends.
- Local boy Chris Horner (Astana) was a big hit with fans on Palomar.
- Cam Evans (OUCH p/b Maxxis) takes on newspapers for the long ride down from Palomar.
- The Cole Grade looms and is lined with spectators across the valley from Palomar Mountain.
- Lance Armstrong (Astana) on the Cole Grade.
- Jason McCartney (Saxo Bank) tackles the steeps of Cole Grade.
- Chris Baldwin (Rock Racing) and Dominique Rollin (Cervélo TestTeam) are minutes from wrapping up a tough week of racing.
- That's it boys, just pedal!
- Tom Peterson (Garmin - Slipstream) rides up Cole Grade, where spring flowers are always in bloom.
- Christian Vande Velde (Garmin - Slipstream) and Stuart O'Grady (Saxo Bank) on their way to Escondido.
Images by John Pierce/Photosport International UK USA ASIA
- Fränk Schleck (Saxo Bank) takes his first win of the 2009 season in the Tour of California's final stage.
- Fränk Schleck (Saxo Bank) celebrates his stage win over Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas).
- Astana teammates Levi Leipheimer and Lance Armstrong face the press.
Results
1 Fränk Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank 3.48.39 (41.334 km/h) 2 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas 0.02 3 George Hincapie (USA) Team Columbia - Highroad 0.40 4 Rory Sutherland (Aus) OUCH Presented By Maxxis 5 Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank 6 José Luis Rubiera (Spa) Astana 7 Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Astana 8 Jens Voigt (Ger) Team Saxo Bank 9 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana 10 Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 11 David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin - Slipstream 12 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank 13 Valeriy Kobzarenko (Ukr) Team Type 1 14 Mathias Frank (Swi) BMC Racing Team 15 Glen Chadwick (NZl) Rock Racing 16 Michael Rogers (Aus) Team Columbia - Highroad 17 Kevin Seeldraeyers (Bel) Quick Step 18 Gustav Larsson (Swe) Team Saxo Bank 19 Jeremy Vennell (NZl) Bissell Pro Cycling 20 Thomas Lövkvist (Swe) Team Columbia - Highroad 21 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank 22 Jurgen van de Walle (Bel) Quick Step 23 Ińigo Cuesta (Spa) Cervélo TestTeam 24 Trent Lowe (Aus) Garmin - Slipstream 25 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank 26 Oscar Sevilla (Spa) Rock Racing 27 Thomas Danielson (USA) Garmin - Slipstream 28 Enrique Gutierrez (Spa) Rock Racing 29 Floyd Landis (USA) OUCH Presented By Maxxis 30 Addy Engels (Ned) Quick Step 31 Lance Armstrong (USA) Astana 32 Pieter Weening (Ned) Rabobank 3.54 33 Serge Pauwels (Bel) Cervélo TestTeam 8.41 34 Dominique Rollin (Can) Cervélo TestTeam 35 Will Routley (Can) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 36 Weert Kevin De (Bel) Quick Step 37 Martin Elmiger (Swi) AG2R La Mondiale 38 Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank 39 Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin - Slipstream 40 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Team Saxo Bank 41 Tom Zirbel (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 42 Ian McKissick (USA) BMC Racing Team 43 Christopher Horner (USA) Astana 44 Jason Mccartney (USA) Team Saxo Bank 45 Steve Morabito (Swi) Astana 46 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale 47 Brian Vandborg (Den) Liquigas 48 Chris Baldwin (USA) Rock Racing 49 Markus Zberg (Swi) BMC Racing Team 50 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team Columbia - Highroad 15.11 51 Michael Barry (Can) Team Columbia - Highroad 52 Marco Velo (Ita) Quick Step 53 Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Quick Step 54 Nick Reistad (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 55 Steven Cozza (USA) Garmin - Slipstream 56 Bernard Van Ulden (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 57 Karl Menzies (Aus) OUCH Presented By Maxxis 58 Tyler Hamilton (USA) Rock Racing 59 Kiel Reijnen (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 60 Timothy Johnson (USA) OUCH Presented By Maxxis 61 Frank Pipp (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 62 Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin - Slipstream 63 Tyler Wren (USA) Colavita / Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light 64 Lucas Sebastian Haedo (Arg) Colavita / Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light 65 Pedro Horrillo (Spa) Rabobank 66 Brett Lancaster (Aus) Cervélo TestTeam 67 Carlos Barredo (Spa) Quick Step 68 Bradley White (USA) OUCH Presented By Maxxis 69 Alessandro Vanotti (Ita) Liquigas 70 Ben Day (Aus) Fly V Australia 71 Mauricio Ardila (Col) Rabobank 72 Matthew Wilson (Aus) Team Type 1 73 Matthew Crane (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 74 Andy Guptill (USA) Colavita / Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light 75 Thomas Peterson (USA) Garmin - Slipstream 76 Hayden Roulston (NZl) Cervélo TestTeam 77 Davide Frattini (Ita) Colavita / Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light 78 Christopher Jones (USA) Team Type 1 79 Aaron Olson (USA) Colavita / Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light 80 Jeffry Louder (USA) BMC Racing Team 81 Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 82 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Astana 83 Grégory Rast (Swi) Astana 84 Alexandre Moos (Swi) BMC Racing Team DNF Juan José Haedo (Arg) Team Saxo Bank DNF Adam Hansen (Aus) Team Columbia - Highroad DNF Svein Tuft (Can) Garmin - Slipstream DNF Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step DNF Kjell Carlström (Fin) Liquigas DNF Daniel Oss (Ita) Liquigas DNF Carlos Sastre (Spa) Cervélo TestTeam DNF Thor Hushovd (Nor) Cervélo TestTeam DNF Cameron Evans (Can) OUCH Presented By Maxxis DNF Jonathan Patrick McCarty (USA) OUCH Presented By Maxxis DNF Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling DNF Robert Gunn (USA) Fly V Australia DNF Freddy Rodriguez (USA) Rock Racing Sprints Sprint 1 1 Carlos Barredo (Spa) Quick Step 5 pts 2 Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 3 3 Mathias Frank (Swi) BMC Racing Team 1 Sprint 2 (Final) 1 Fränk Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank 15 pts 2 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas 12 3 George Hincapie (USA) Team Columbia - Highroad 10 4 Rory Sutherland (Aus) OUCH Presented By Maxxis 7 5 Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank 6 6 José Luis Rubiera (Spa) Astana 5 7 Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Astana 4 8 Jens Voigt (Ger) Team Saxo Bank 3 9 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana 2 10 Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 1 Mountains Mountain 1 - Highland Valley Road 1 Jason Mccartney (USA) Team Saxo Bank 4 pts 2 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank 3 3 Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 2 4 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank 1 Mountain 2 - Lake Wohlford Road 1 Jason Mccartney (USA) Team Saxo Bank 6 pts 2 Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 5 3 Serge Pauwels (Bel) Cervélo TestTeam 4 4 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank 3 5 Steven Cozza (USA) Garmin - Slipstream 1 Mountain 3 - Palomar Mt. 1 Jens Voigt (Ger) Team Saxo Bank 12 pts 2 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana 10 3 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank 8 4 Michael Rogers (Aus) Team Columbia - Highroad 7 5 David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin - Slipstream 6 6 Thomas Danielson (USA) Garmin - Slipstream 5 7 Fränk Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank 4 8 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas 3 9 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank 2 10 Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank 1 Mountain 4 - Cole Grade 1 Fränk Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank 4 pts 2 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas 3 3 Glen Chadwick (NZl) Rock Racing 2 4 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank 1 Teams 1 Team Saxo Bank 11.27.17 2 Astana 0.40 3 Rabobank 4 Team Columbia-High Road 5 Garmin-Slipstream 6 Rock Racing 7 Quick Step 8 Ouch Presented By Maxxis 15.11 9 Cervelo Test Team 16.42 10 AG2R La Mondiale 11 BMC Racing Team 12 Liquigas 22.34 13 Bissell Pro Cycling 23.12 14 Team Type 1 29.42 15 Jelly Belly Cycling Team 37.43 16 Colavita/Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light 44.13 Final general classification 1 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana 31.28.21 2 David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin - Slipstream 0.36 3 Michael Rogers (Aus) Team Columbia - Highroad 0.45 4 Jens Voigt (Ger) Team Saxo Bank 1.10 5 Thomas Lövkvist (Swe) Team Columbia - Highroad 1.29 6 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas 1.37 7 Lance Armstrong (USA) Astana 1.46 8 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank 1.54 9 Thomas Danielson (USA) Garmin - Slipstream 2.24 10 José Luis Rubiera (Spa) Astana 2.48 11 Kevin Seeldraeyers (Bel) Quick Step 2.57 12 Fränk Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank 3.19 13 Oscar Sevilla (Spa) Rock Racing 3.37 14 Jurgen van de Walle (Bel) Quick Step 4.15 15 George Hincapie (USA) Team Columbia - Highroad 4.19 16 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank 5.44 17 Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank 6.08 18 Gustav Larsson (Swe) Team Saxo Bank 6.25 19 Ińigo Cuesta (Spa) Cervélo TestTeam 6.56 20 Enrique Gutierrez (Spa) Rock Racing 7.55 21 Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Astana 8.16 22 Christopher Horner (USA) Astana 10.14 23 Floyd Landis (USA) OUCH Presented By Maxxis 10.26 24 Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 10.47 25 Pieter Weening (Ned) Rabobank 11.09 26 Jeremy Vennell (NZl) Bissell Pro Cycling 12.22 27 Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin - Slipstream 13.02 28 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Astana 16.30 29 Martin Elmiger (Swi) AG2R La Mondiale 17.18 30 Weert Kevin De (Bel) Quick Step 17.57 31 Glen Chadwick (NZl) Rock Racing 18.44 32 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank 19.12 33 Dominique Rollin (Can) Cervélo TestTeam 19.15 34 Rory Sutherland (Aus) OUCH Presented By Maxxis 20.11 35 Hayden Roulston (NZl) Cervélo TestTeam 20.51 36 Tom Zirbel (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 21.23 37 Carlos Barredo (Spa) Quick Step 21.46 38 Thomas Peterson (USA) Garmin - Slipstream 23.23 39 Valeriy Kobzarenko (Ukr) Team Type 1 23.46 40 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Team Saxo Bank 23.56 41 Jason Mccartney (USA) Team Saxo Bank 24.18 42 Addy Engels (Ned) Quick Step 26.48 43 Frank Pipp (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 26.56 44 Steven Cozza (USA) Garmin - Slipstream 27.35 45 Mathias Frank (Swi) BMC Racing Team 28.53 46 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale 29.53 47 Ian McKissick (USA) BMC Racing Team 30.20 48 Markus Zberg (Swi) BMC Racing Team 30.57 49 Alexandre Moos (Swi) BMC Racing Team 35.02 50 Will Routley (Can) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 35.13 51 Steve Morabito (Swi) Astana 36.53 52 Brian Vandborg (Den) Liquigas 37.33 53 Trent Lowe (Aus) Garmin - Slipstream 37.42 54 Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank 38.42 55 Serge Pauwels (Bel) Cervélo TestTeam 39.22 56 Chris Baldwin (USA) Rock Racing 40.15 57 Timothy Johnson (USA) OUCH Presented By Maxxis 40.36 58 Grégory Rast (Swi) Astana 40.52 59 Mauricio Ardila (Col) Rabobank 42.24 60 Lucas Sebastian Haedo (Arg) Colavita / Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light 42.25 61 Matthew Wilson (Aus) Team Type 1 42.51 62 Christopher Jones (USA) Team Type 1 43.34 63 Bradley White (USA) OUCH Presented By Maxxis 43.48 64 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team Columbia - Highroad 46.29 65 Michael Barry (Can) Team Columbia - Highroad 47.00 66 Brett Lancaster (Aus) Cervélo TestTeam 47.17 67 Pedro Horrillo (Spa) Rabobank 47.24 68 Nick Reistad (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 47.32 69 Davide Frattini (Ita) Colavita / Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light 47.45 70 Marco Velo (Ita) Quick Step 47.48 71 Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 48.15 72 Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin - Slipstream 48.17 73 Matthew Crane (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 49.10 74 Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Quick Step 49.21 75 Kiel Reijnen (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 49.32 76 Ben Day (Aus) Fly V Australia 50.47 77 Jeffry Louder (USA) BMC Racing Team 51.13 78 Karl Menzies (Aus) OUCH Presented By Maxxis 51.59 79 Tyler Wren (USA) Colavita / Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light 53.55 80 Alessandro Vanotti (Ita) Liquigas 56.29 81 Bernard Van Ulden (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 1.00.35 82 Aaron Olson (USA) Colavita / Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light 1.01.23 83 Tyler Hamilton (USA) Rock Racing 1.03.56 84 Andy Guptill (USA) Colavita / Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light 1.09.46 Sprint classification 1 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team Columbia - Highroad 36 pts 2 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas 22 3 Fränk Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank 19 4 Pieter Weening (Ned) Rabobank 18 5 Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin - Slipstream 16 6 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale 15 7 Thomas Peterson (USA) Garmin - Slipstream 15 8 Markus Zberg (Swi) BMC Racing Team 15 9 Martin Elmiger (Swi) AG2R La Mondiale 15 10 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana 14 11 George Hincapie (USA) Team Columbia - Highroad 14 12 Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank 13 13 Jurgen van de Walle (Bel) Quick Step 12 14 Hayden Roulston (NZl) Cervélo TestTeam 12 15 Lucas Sebastian Haedo (Arg) Colavita / Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light 12 16 Michael Rogers (Aus) Team Columbia - Highroad 11 17 Pedro Horrillo (Spa) Rabobank 11 18 Christopher Horner (USA) Astana 10 19 Carlos Barredo (Spa) Quick Step 10 20 Kevin Seeldraeyers (Bel) Quick Step 9 21 Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Astana 9 22 Jason Mccartney (USA) Team Saxo Bank 9 23 Oscar Sevilla (Spa) Rock Racing 8 24 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Astana 7 25 Rory Sutherland (Aus) OUCH Presented By Maxxis 7 26 Lance Armstrong (USA) Astana 6 27 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank 6 28 Serge Pauwels (Bel) Cervélo TestTeam 6 29 Tyler Hamilton (USA) Rock Racing 6 30 José Luis Rubiera (Spa) Astana 5 31 Brett Lancaster (Aus) Cervélo TestTeam 5 32 Chris Baldwin (USA) Rock Racing 5 33 Jeffry Louder (USA) BMC Racing Team 5 34 Brian Vandborg (Den) Liquigas 5 35 Thomas Danielson (USA) Garmin - Slipstream 4 36 Addy Engels (Ned) Quick Step 4 37 Valeriy Kobzarenko (Ukr) Team Type 1 4 38 Timothy Johnson (USA) OUCH Presented By Maxxis 4 39 Jens Voigt (Ger) Team Saxo Bank 3 40 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank 3 41 Bradley White (USA) OUCH Presented By Maxxis 3 42 Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin - Slipstream 2 43 David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin - Slipstream 1 44 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank 1 45 Karl Menzies (Aus) OUCH Presented By Maxxis 1 46 Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 1 47 Mathias Frank (Swi) BMC Racing Team 1 Mountain classification 1 Jason Mccartney (USA) Team Saxo Bank 39 pts 2 Tyler Hamilton (USA) Rock Racing 22 3 Serge Pauwels (Bel) Cervélo TestTeam 21 4 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana 20 5 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank 15 6 Jens Voigt (Ger) Team Saxo Bank 12 7 Timothy Johnson (USA) OUCH Presented By Maxxis 10 8 Fränk Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank 9 9 Steven Cozza (USA) Garmin - Slipstream 9 10 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank 8 11 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank 8 12 Brian Vandborg (Den) Liquigas 8 13 Bradley White (USA) OUCH Presented By Maxxis 8 14 Jeffry Louder (USA) BMC Racing Team 8 15 Michael Rogers (Aus) Team Columbia - Highroad 7 16 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas 7 17 José Luis Rubiera (Spa) Astana 7 18 Christopher Horner (USA) Astana 7 19 David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin - Slipstream 6 20 Carlos Barredo (Spa) Quick Step 6 21 Valeriy Kobzarenko (Ukr) Team Type 1 6 22 Chris Baldwin (USA) Rock Racing 6 23 Thomas Danielson (USA) Garmin - Slipstream 5 24 Hayden Roulston (NZl) Cervélo TestTeam 5 25 Thomas Peterson (USA) Garmin - Slipstream 5 26 George Hincapie (USA) Team Columbia - Highroad 4 27 Pieter Weening (Ned) Rabobank 3 28 Glen Chadwick (NZl) Rock Racing 3 29 Lance Armstrong (USA) Astana 2 30 Michael Barry (Can) Team Columbia - Highroad 2 31 Thomas Lövkvist (Swe) Team Columbia - Highroad 1 32 Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank 1 Best young rider 1 Robert Gesink (Rabobank) 31.30.15 2 Kevin Seeldraeyers (Quick Step) 1.03 3 Bauke Mollema (Rabobank) 3.50 4 Andy Schleck (Team Saxo Bank) 17.18 5 Thomas Peterson (Garmin - Slipstream) 21.29 6 Steven Cozza (Garmin - Slipstream) 25.41 7 Mathias Frank (BMC Racing Team) 26.59 8 Mark Cavendish (Team Columbia - Highroad) 44.35 9 Matthew Crane (Jelly Belly Cycling Team) 47.16 10 Kiel Reijnen (Jelly Belly Cycling Team) 47.38 Team classification 1 Astana 94.28.50 2 Team Saxo Bank 1.40 3 Garmin-Slipstream 1.49 4 Team Columbia-High Road 2.46 5 Rabobank 4.45 6 Quick Step 7.18 7 Rock Racing 7.54 8 Cervelo Test Team 34.55 9 AG2R La Mondiale 36.22 10 Ouch Presented By Maxxis 39.50 11 BMC Racing Team 40.22 12 Bissell Pro Cycling 44.29 13 Liquigas 51.20 14 Team Type 1 1.40.59 15 Jelly Belly Cycling Team 1.46.59 16 Colavita/Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light 1.52.37
