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Pagliarini is the new winner as Cavendish is relegated; Levi still in control

by VeloNews.com

• February 23, 2008
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Astana works with sprinters’ teams to pull back Millar’s bid in the final kilometers

• Photos
• Results

By Fred Dreier

Pagliarini was finally able to give a victory salute.

Photo: Casey B. Gibson

The tears in Mark Cavendish’s eyes at the podium presentation for stage 6 of the Amgen Tour of California on Saturday were not from joy, but frustration.

While the 22-year old High Road rider won the bunch kick in downtown Santa Clarita after the 105.4-mile journey from Santa Barbara, shortly before the ceremony race officials told the Brit he had been relegated to last place. His foul? Hanging onto a team car a few miles from the finish, while his bike was being fixed after a crash.

Cavendish celebrated his win, but would later be relegated.

Photo: Casey B. Gibson

Officials awarded the win to Saunier Duval’s Luciano Pagliarini, the second man across the line. Race leader Levi Leipheimer retained his yellow jersey heading into Sunday’s final stage.

Cavendish, who quickly hustled off to the High Road team bus, earned a 20-second penalty, a 50 Swiss Franc fine and an afternoon to forget.

As for Pagliarini, after he learned of the ruling he grabbed his Brazil flag for the podium ceremony. It will go in the books as his 11th career victory; his most recent coming at stage 5 of last year’s Tour of Missouri.

“I’m very happy, but it’s not like a win with your hands up,” he said. “I’m not so happy as I would like to be.”

Astana rules the day

The break rolls on toward Santa Clarita.

Photo: Graham Watson

The Golden State tour’s penultimate stage opened under sunny skies, with Leipheimer’s Astana team charged with defending his jersey against riders from Slipstream-Chipotle and CSC.

With three team riders within two minutes of Leipheimer, Slipstream-Chipotle looked to be in the best position to challenge his lead.

But the argyle team kept its big guns — David Millar, Christian Vande Velde and Dave Zabriskie — below decks, at least until the final kilometers

As the peloton stretched its legs with a roll through the swanky Montecito neighborhood of Santa Barbara, the team sent Danny Pate and U23 rider Steven Cozza on the attack.

The escapees worked well together.

Photo: Graham Watson

Soon Cozza got himself in with Rory Sutherland (Health Net-Maxxis), Alexandre Pichot (Bouyges Telecom), Karsten Kroon (CSC), David Cañada (Saunier Duval-Scott) and Christophe LeMevel (Credit Agricole). The group separated themselves on the second rated climb, 20 miles in.

“Astana’s riding so strong right now we didn’t think they’d let a breakaway with one of us in it stay away,” Vande Velde said after the stage.

With Cañada, at 10.08 down, the biggest threat to Leipheimer’s lead, Astana allowed the break a seven-minute leash for nearly 80 miles. The six worked together admirably, crossing Southern California’s Transverse mountain range intact. But with 15 miles remaining, Quick Step-Innergetic, High Road and Rabobank decided to bring them back so the team’s sprinters could have a go. By the time the break entered the city and started in on three 1.8 mile finishing circuits, they had just over a minute on the stretched out peloton.

A view from the other side of the race.

Photo: Graham Watson

Sutherland, whose efforts earned him the day’s most aggressive jersey, continued to push forward as the margin shrunk.

“I think if you stop believing you can make it, you might as well pull over and stop,” he said after the stage.

Heartbroken breakaway

On the final lap, after nearly 80 miles off the front, the breakaway was caught.

The break hits the finishing circuit.

Photo: Graham Watson

Slipstream-Chipotle then played its only remaining hand, launching David Millar — in second pace overall, 49 seconds behind Leipheimer — in a blazing counterattack, joined by Iker Camano (Saunier Duval-Scott) and Thomas Voeckler (Bouygues Telecom).

“It was an on-the-spot decision,” Millar admitted later.

The British champion put his time trial prowess to work, but the Quick Step-Innergetic squad shut the gap with less than a mile remaining, hoping to position Tom Boonen to lead out Paolo Bettini for the stage win.

Boonen jumped, spurring green jersey Dominique Rollin to fire his rockets as well. Cavendish, who was delivered to the front by a determined High Road squad, timed his kick best, passing Rollin with 100 meters to go and crossing the line with a solid gap.

Heartbroken sprinter

But an adrenaline-fueled incident in the hectic final laps returned to haunt Cavendish.

On the first of the circuits, Cavendish was at the front of the peloton, chasing down the break, when he swerved into Rock Racing’s Mario Cipollini. The collision brought down Cavendish, Cipollini and Cipo’s teammates Fred Rodriguez and Doug Ollerenshaw.

“I had nowhere to go,” said Rodriguez, who suffered extensive road rash and obliterated his rear wheel. “I basically T-boned Mario and went head-first into the pavement.”

Cavendish mounted a spare rig and chased behind his team car in the race caravan. He pulled alongside his car, holding on while a mechanic worked on his bike.

“I got on my spare bike but it had an 11-23 and it was adjusted for a 12 so I had it adjusted on the way back up,” he said.

Commssaires didn’t like what they saw. Cipollini was charged with a similar penalty.

“These are the rules that we all live by,” said Jim Birrell, head of Medalist Sports, the race’s production team.

Team High Road director Bob Stapleton did not agree.

“If you ask all of the athletes here, I think they’d agree that [Cavendish] won fair and square,” said “His team killed themselves to get him to the line and he showed a lot of heart and ability.”

The tour concludes Sunday with a 93-mile trip from Santa Clarita to Pasadena, where the 8-stage event will conclude with five laps around the Rose Bowl.

- The 2008 edition will undoubtedly be remembered for its high attrition. Saturday saw another 11 riders exit the race.

Jelly Belly’s Bernard Van Ulden crashed on a descent in Santa Barbara, breaking his collarbone. BMC rider Antonio Cruz dropped out sick after the first King of the Mountains climb.

Breakaway rider Kim Kirchen of CSC dropped out after the peloton reeled the breakaway in.

And Astana’s Vladimir Gusev broke his right collar bone in a crash about 26km from the finish when he hit one of the so-called Bott’s dots, the raised pavement markers that separate lanes. Three hours after the race Gusev underwent surgery to insert a plate and screws to stabilize the fracture. The team said Gusev, a team classics leader, is expected to resume training in ten days and return to competition in 3-4 weeks.

Photo Gallery

Results

Stage 6 results

1. Luciano Pagliarini (BRA), Saunier Duval, 4:18:31

2. Juan Jose Haedo (ARG), CSC

3. Paolo Bettini (I), Quickstep

4. Gerald Ciolek * (G), Team High Road

5. Oscar Freire (Sp), Rabobank

6. Dominique Rollin (CAN), Toyota-United

7. Alexander Candelario (USA), Kelly Benefit Strategies-Medifast

8. Markus Zberg (Swi), Gerolsteiner

9. Danilo Wyss * (Swi), BMC

10. Pedro Horrillo Munoz (Sp), Rabobank

11. Nicholas Sanderson (Aus), Jelly Belly

12. John Murphy (USA), Health Net Maxxis

13. Angel Gomez Gomez (Sp), Saunier Duval

14. Sébastien Turgot (F), Bouygues Telecom

15. Frank Pipp K (USA), Health Net Maxxis

16. Garrett Peltonen (USA), Bissell Pro Cycling

17. David Millar (GB), Slipstream-Chipotle

18. Taylor Tolleson * (USA), BMC

19. Christian Vandevelde (USA), Slipstream-Chipotle

20. Levi Leipheimer (USA), Astana

21. Mathew Hayman (Aus), Rabobank

22. Bobby Julich (USA), CSC

23. Bernhard Kohl (A), Gerolsteiner

24. Victor Hugo Pena (Col), Rock Racing

25. Benjamin Jaques-Maynes (USA), Bissell Pro Cycling

26. Jurgen Vandewalle (B), Quickstep

27. Oliver Zaugg (Swi), Gerolsteiner

28. Iker Camano (Sp), Saunier Duval

29. Gustav Larsson (Swe), CSC

30. Ignatas Konovalovas * (Lit), Credit Agricole

31. Christopher Horner (USA), Astana

32. Hendricus Vogels (Aus), Toyota-United

33. Ermanno Capelli * (I), Saunier Duval

34. Alexandre Moos (Swi), BMC

35. George Hincapie (USA), Team High Road

36. Nicholas Reistad (USA), Jelly Belly

37. Raivis Belohvosciks (Lat), Saunier Duval

38. Tom Boonen (B), Quickstep

39. Gesink Robert* (Nl), Rabobank

40. Aaron Kemps (Aus), Astana

41. Fabian Cancellara (Swi), CSC

42. Kevin Seeldraeyers * (B), Quickstep

43. Yannick Talabardon (F), Credit Agricole

44. Janez Brajkovic (SLO), Astana

45. David Canada Gracia (Sp), Saunier Duval

46. Perrig Quemeneur (F), Bouygues Telecom

47. Christophe Le Mevel (F), Credit Agricole

48. Julien Simon * (F), Credit Agricole

49. David Zabriskie (USA), Slipstream-Chipotle

50. Mauricio Alberto Ardila Cano (Col), Rabobank

51. Thomas Peterson * (USA), Slipstream-Chipotle

52. Michael Lange (USA), Jelly Belly

53. Stuart O’Grady (Aus), CSC

54. Nicholas Waite (USA), Kelly Benefit Strategies-Medifast

55. Jeff Louder (USA), BMC

56. Rubens Bertogliati (Swi), Saunier Duval

57. Scott Nydam (USA), BMC

58. Barry Aaron Barry (NZl), Jelly Belly

59. Timothy Johnson (USA), Health Net Maxxis

60. Tom Zirbel (USA), Bissell Pro Cycling

61. Matteo Tosatto (I), Quickstep

62. Jason Mccartney (USA), CSC

63. Jens Voigt (G), CSC

64. Sergey Ivanov (Rus), Astana

65. Aaron Olson (USA), Bissell Pro Cycling

66. Edward King (USA), Bissell Pro Cycling

67. Karsten Kroon (Nl), CSC

68. Andrey Mizurov (Kaz), Astana

69. Heath Blackgrove (NZl), Toyota-United

70. Jonathan Mumford (USA), Kelly Benefit Strategies-Medifast

71. Danny Pate (USA), Slipstream-Chipotle

72. Andrea Tonti (I), Quickstep

73. Kevin Hulsmans (B), Quickstep

74. Mark Cavendish * (GB), Team High Road, 0:20

75. Mario Cipollini (I), Rock Racing

76. Dimitri Champion (F), Bouygues Telecom, 0:22

77. José Luis Rubiera (Sp), Astana, 0:43

78. Rory Sutherland (Aus), Health Net Maxxis, 1:13

79. Thomas Voeckler (F), Bouygues Telecom

80. Bauke Mollema * (Nl), Rabobank, 2:05

81. Steven Cozza * (USA), Slipstream-Chipotle, 2:44

82. Alexandre Pichot (F), Bouygues Telecom

83. Paul Martens (G), Rabobank, 5:00

84. Michael Creed (USA), Rock Racing

85. Dan Bowman (USA), Kelly Benefit Strategies-Medifast

86. Scott Zwizanski (USA), Bissell Pro Cycling

87. Doug Ollerenshaw (USA), Rock Racing

88. Thomas LÖvkvist (Swe), Team High Road, 5:36

89. Bradley Wiggins (GB), Team High Road

90. Justin Spinelli (USA), Kelly Benefit Strategies-Medifast, 7:31

91. Freddie Rodriguez (USA), Rock Racing, 12:10

Overall, after stage 6

1. Levi Leipheimer (USA), Astana, 25:33:23

2. David Millar (GB), Slipstream-Chipotle, 0:49

3. Christian Vandevelde (USA), Slipstream-Chipotle, 1:08

4. Fabian Cancellara (Swi), CSC, 1:18

5. Gustav Larsson (Swe), CSC, 1:19

6. David Zabriskie (USA), Slipstream-Chipotle, 1:36

7. Christopher Horner (USA), Astana, 2:07

8. Jurgen Vandewalle (B), Quickstep, 2:11

9. Robert Gesink* (Nl), Rabobank, 2:18

10. Alexandre Moos (Swi), BMC, 2:27

11. Thomas Peterson* (USA), Slipstream-Chipotle, 2:58

12. Victor Hugo Pena (Col), Rock Racing, 3:17

13. Kohl Bernhard (A), Gerolsteiner, 3:34

14. Kevin Seeldraeyers* (B), Quickstep, 3:40

15. Iker Camano (Sp), Saunier Duval, 5:06

16. Benjamin Jaques-Maynes (USA), Bissell Pro Cycling, 5:48

17. Matteo Tosatto (I), Quickstep, 6:49

18. George Hincapie (USA), Team High Road, 7:30

19. Mauricio Alberto Ardila Cano (Col), Rabobank, 7:48

20. Oscar Freire (Sp), Rabobank, 8:08

21. Ignatas Konovalovas* (Lit), Credit Agricole, 8:50

22. Oliver Zaugg (Swi), Gerolsteiner, 9:24

23. Janez Brajkovic (SLO), Astana, 9:58

24. David Canada (Sp), Saunier Duval, 10:05

25. Jeff Louder (USA), BMC, 10:46

26. Jens Voigt (G), CSC, 11:11

27. Bobby Julich (USA), CSC, 11:49

28. Rubens Bertogliati (Swi), Saunier Duval, 12:02

29. Yannick Talabardon (F), Credit Agricole, 15:01

30. Karsten Kroon (Nl), CSC, 15:41

31. Christophe Le Mevel (F), Credit Agricole, 15:47

32. Jason Mccartney (USA), CSC

33. José Luis Rubiera (Sp), Astana, 18:21

34. Aaron Olson (USA), Bissell Pro Cycling, 18:45

35. Michael Lange (USA), Jelly Belly, 19:22

36. Rory Sutherland (Aus), Health Net Maxxis, 19:32

37. Heath Blackgrove (NZl), Toyota-United, 19:33

38. Thomas LÖvkvist (Swe), Team High Road, 20:05

39. Doug Ollerenshaw (USA), Rock Racing, 20:16

40. Angel Gomez (Sp), Saunier Duval, 20:46

41. Tom Zirbel (USA), Bissell Pro Cycling, 22:39

42. Paolo Bettini (I), Quickstep, 24:14

43. Dominique Rollin (CAN), Toyota-United, 26:10

44. Gerald Ciolek* (G), Team High Road, 26:57

45. Andrey Mizurov (Kaz), Astana, 28:29

46. Pedro Horrillo Munoz (Sp), Rabobank, 28:34

47. Juan Jose Haedo (ARG), CSC, 28:47

48. Bauke Mollema* (Nl), Rabobank, 29:08

49. Dimitri Champion (F), Bouygues Telecom, 31:43

50. Danny Pate (USA), Slipstream-Chipotle, 31:51

51. Mathew Hayman (Aus), Rabobank, 32:06

52. Stuart O’Grady (Aus), CSC, 32:10

53. Tom Boonen (B), Quickstep, 32:11

54. Markus Zberg (Swi), Gerolsteiner, 32:36

55. Aaron Kemps (Aus), Astana, 32:44

56. Kevin Hulsmans (B), Quickstep, 32:52

57. Perrig Quemeneur (F), Bouygues Telecom, 33:28

58. Simon Julien* (F), Credit Agricole, 33:30

59. Mark Cavendish* (GB), Team High Road, 33:37

60. Timothy Johnson (USA), Health Net Maxxis, 33:47

61. Alexandre Pichot (F), Bouygues Telecom, 34:22

62. Mario Cipollini (I), Rock Racing, 35:05

63. Alexander Candelario (USA), Kelly Benefit Strategies-Medifast, 35:15

64. Sébastien Turgot (F), Bouygues Telecom, 35:23

65. Bradley Wiggins (GB), Team High Road, 35:29

66. Luciano Pagliarini (BRA), Saunier Duval, 35:44

67. Raivis Belohvosciks (Lat), Saunier Duval, 35:53

68. Garrett Peltonen (USA), Bissell Pro Cycling, 36:14

69. John Murphy (USA), Health Net Maxxis, 37:49

70. Edward King (USA), Bissell Pro Cycling, 37:51

71. Paul Martens (G), Rabobank, 38:03

72. Capelli Ermanno* (I), Saunier Duval, 38:06

73. Sergey Ivanov (Rus), Astana, 38:17

74. Frank Pipp (USA), Health Net Maxxis, 38:26

75. Steven Cozza* (USA), Slipstream-Chipotle, 38:52

76. Nicholas Reistad (USA), Jelly Belly

77. Taylor Tolleson* (USA), BMC, 39:11

78. Justin Spinelli (USA), Kelly Benefit Strategies-Medifast, 39:19

79. Andrea Tonti (I), Quickstep, 39:45

80. Nicholas Sanderson (Aus), Jelly Belly, 39:59

81. Freddie Rodriguez (USA), Rock Racing, 40:06

82. Hendricus Vogels (Aus), Toyota-United, 40:19

83. Thomas Voeckler (F), Bouygues Telecom, 41:04

84. Scott Zwizanski (USA), Bissell Pro Cycling, 41:58

85. Jonathan Mumford (USA), Kelly Benefit Strategies-Medifast, 42:27

86. Danilo Wyss* (Swi), BMC, 44:08

87. Dan Bowman (USA), Kelly Benefit Strategies-Medifast, 44:22

88. Barry Aaron Barry (NZl), Jelly Belly, 44:25

89. Nicholas Waite (USA), Kelly Benefit Strategies-Medifast, 45:08

90. Scott Nydam (USA), BMC, 45:54

91. Michael Creed (USA), Rock Racing, 52:29

Points after stage 6

1. Dominique Rollin (CAN), Toyota-United, 41 Pts.

2. Juan Jose Haedo (ARG), CSC, 38 Pts.

3. Gerald Ciolek* (G), Team High Road, 32 Pts.

4. Mark Cavendish* (GB), Team High Road, 19 Pts.

5. Luciano Pagliarini (BRA), Saunier Duval, 15 Pts.

6. Robert Gesink* (Nl), Rabobank, 15 Pts.

7. Tom Boonen (B), Quickstep, 15 Pts.

8. George Hincapie (USA), Team High Road, 13 Pts.

9. Levi Leipheimer (USA), Astana, 12 Pts.

10. Mario Cipollini (I), Rock Racing, 12 Pts.

11. Scott Nydam (USA), BMC, 11 Pts.

12. Paolo Bettini (I), Quickstep, 10 Pts.

13. Jurgen Vandewalle (B), Quickstep, 10 Pts.

14. Iker Camano (Sp), Saunier Duval, 10 Pts.

15. Rory Sutherland (Aus), Health Net Maxxis, 8 Pts.

16. Kevin Seeldraeyers* (B), Quickstep, 7 Pts.

17. Oscar Freire (Sp), Rabobank, 7 Pts.

18. Alexander Candelario (USA), Kelly Benefit Strategies-Medifast, 7 Pts.

19. Matteo Tosatto (I), Quickstep, 6 Pts.

20. José Luis Rubiera (Sp), Astana, 6 Pts.

21. Freddie Rodriguez (USA), Rock Racing, 6 Pts.

22. Danilo Wyss* (Swi), BMC, 6 Pts.

23. Alexandre Pichot (F), Bouygues Telecom, 6 Pts.

24. Thomas Peterson* (USA), Slipstream-Chipotle, 5 Pts.

25. David Canada (Sp), Saunier Duval, 5 Pts.

26. Paul Martens (G), Rabobank, 5 Pts.

27. Christopher Horner (USA), Astana, 4 Pts.

28. Mauricio Alberto Ardila Cano (Col), Rabobank, 3 Pts.

29. Markus Zberg (Swi), Gerolsteiner, 3 Pts.

30. Alexandre Moos (Swi), BMC, 2 Pts.

31. Turgot Sébastien (F), Bouygues Telecom, 2 Pts.

32. David Millar (GB), Slipstream-Chipotle, 1 Pts.

33. Pedro Horrillo Munoz (Sp), Rabobank, 1 Pts.

34. Pena Grisales Victor Hugo (Col), Rock Racing, 1 Pts.

35. Mathew Hayman (Aus), Rabobank, 1 Pts.

36. Steven Cozza* (USA), Slipstream-Chipotle, 1 Pts.

37. Christophe Le Mevel (F), Credit Agricole, 1 Pts.

K.O.M. after stage 6

1. Scott Nydam (USA), BMC, 26 Pts.

2. Jurgen Vandewalle (B), Quickstep, 19 Pts.

3. Gesink Robert* (Nl), Rabobank, 17 Pts.

4. Alexandre Moos (Swi), BMC, 15 Pts.

5. Levi Leipheimer (USA), Astana, 12 Pts.

6. Ardila Cano Mauricio Alberto (Col), Rabobank, 12 Pts.

7. Rubiera Vigil José Luis (Sp), Astana, 12 Pts.

8. Cozza Steven* (USA), Slipstream-Chipotle, 12 Pts.

9. Iker Camano Ortuzar (Sp), Saunier Duval, 11 Pts.

10. Christopher Horner (USA), Astana, 11 Pts.

11. Christophe Le Mevel (F), Credit Agricole, 11 Pts.

12. Jens Voigt (G), CSC, 9 Pts.

13. Rory Sutherland (Aus), Health Net Maxxis, 8 Pts.

14. Paul Martens (G), Rabobank, 8 Pts.

15. David Zabriskie (USA), Slipstream-Chipotle, 7 Pts.

16. Wyss Danilo* (Swi), BMC, 6 Pts.

17. Edward King (USA), Bissell Pro Cycling, 6 Pts.

18. Alexandre Pichot (F), Bouygues Telecom, 6 Pts.

19. Seeldraeyers Kevin* (B), Quickstep, 5 Pts.

20. Gustav Larsson (Swe), CSC, 4 Pts.

21. David Canada Gracia (Sp), Saunier Duval, 4 Pts.

22. George Hincapie (USA), Team High Road, 2 Pts.

23. Peterson Thomas* (USA), Slipstream-Chipotle, 2 Pts.

24. Jeff Louder (USA), BMC, 2 Pts.

25. Karsten Kroon (Nl), CSC, 2 Pts.

26. Dominique Rollin (CAN), Toyota-United, 1 Pts.

27. David Millar (GB), Slipstream-Chipotle, 1 Pts.

Best young rider after stage 6

1. Robert Gesink* (Nl), Rabobank, 25:35:41

2. Thomas Peterson* (USA), Slipstream-Chipotle, 0:40

3. Kevin Seeldraeyers* (B), Quickstep, 1:22

4. Ignatas Konovalovas* (Lit), Credit Agricole, 6:32

5. Gerald Ciolek* (G), Team High Road, 24:39

6. Bauke Mollema* (Nl), Rabobank, 26:50

7. Julien Simon* (F), Credit Agricole, 31:12

8. Mark Cavendish* (GB), Team High Road, 31:19

9. Ermanno Capelli* (I), Saunier Duval, 35:48

10. Steven Cozza* (USA), Slipstream-Chipotle, 36:34

11. Taylor Tolleson* (USA), BMC, 36:53

12. Danilo Wyss* (Swi), BMC, 41:50

Teams after stage 6

1. Slipstream Chipotle Presented By H30, 76:43:38

2. Astana, 0:16

3. Quick Step, 8:47

4. Team Csc, 8:56

5. Rabobank, 10:02

6. Team Racing Team, 19:11

7. Saunier Duval-Scott, 22:59

8. High Road, 23:36

9. Crédit Agricole, 24:28

10. Gerolsteiner, 29:02

11. Bissell Pro Cycling, 36:52

12. Health Net Presented By Maxxis, 44:20

13. Rock Racing, 48:08

14. Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team, 52:15

15. Bouygues Telecom, 1:03:48

16. Jelly Belly Cycling Team, 1:30:04

17. Kelly Benefit Strategies-Medifast, 1:40:18