February 17, 2008 (Palo Alto, CA) – It was supposed to be another Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana day, but the US star didn’t win today’s short prologue, 3.4km (2.1 miles), at Stanford University’s palm-lined straightaway.

It was a day of passing the torch to the younger riders as four of the top ten were under 25, with the winner, Fabian Cancellara (Sui) CSC barely 26 years old. Of course Cancellara was a top favourite today as the reigning 2007 World TT champ (he won in 2006 as well).

The prologue was also the day for Jonathan Vaughters’ Team Slipstream Chipotle p/b H30, who placed five riders in the top 12 today, some well-known names, and some younger riders who proved themselves in this world-class field. Slipstream’s Steven Cozza, another local cyclist from Leipheimer’s town, Santa Rosa, also training in Belgium, came in less than a second from his famous teammate, David Millar, to round out the top ten spots.

But Cozza’s friend and teammate who doesn’t even clock in at 24 years was the unexpected buzz. Who is this kid? Another West Coast rider who wasn’t even on the list as “those to watch under-25”. Enter 23-year-old Tyler Farrar, out of Washington State, who beat Leipheimer by a second to place third on the podium.

Now living in Ghent, Belgium — and enthused about his 1st Amgen ToC result, Farrar enthused, “It’s nice, as an American, to finally do the race. I am pleasantly surprised — I knew the course and my form were good. It was a fantastic way to start the week! Everyone in Europe wants to come ride it. Beautiful weather, beautiful roads, great fans!” Farrar grew up with BMX and mountain biking near Seattle. Both of his parents are recreational cyclists. He started racing at age 12 and came up through the US National Team system, racing on the track. Now he uses the track a few times a year for training — it obviously paid off.

The predicted winner and and one of the favorites to win the time trial, Cancellara’s form was on as he came out muscling the pack with a blazing 3:51.6 seconds, and holding off Bradley Wiggins (Gbr) High Road by 0.04 seconds. Commenting that the CSC team was fitter this year than last year, he said that he felt better this year because he was calm, not sick, and not stressed.

Cancellara’s strategy for today’s ride was not to just “kick ass” as some people did. “The problem is that some go out too hard off the ramp and use it up. You need to prepare for the last kilometer — it’s the longest, because of the acid in your legs. You really have pain and when you reach the finish line, and you’re really tired. You have to use your energy in another way. It’s especially hard for the first race of the year.” He takes the Prologue event seriously. “It’s like an obligation to me with a short course. I feel I have to win.”

Wiggins was not unhappy at being second, although his strategy misfired. “I didn’t think I’d beat Cancellara. He’s phenomenal and he’s the best in the world, but I was not happy with my performance. I misjudged my ride and didn’t go hard enough the first kilometer. The main thing is — I’m gaining on him,” said Wiggins at the press conference

Another well-known named suited up – and this time in a normal team jersey, no bling – and not even sure his papers would come through in time to race today – Super Mario Cipollini came in a respectable top third (44th) of the pack, 17 seconds behind the leader: “I am very happy to be here, but it is strange because here are all the best competing, and its like a small Tour, like a flashback of other times, and I still feel not a part of it, like a spectator almost – but that will change after I race today.”

When asked about living and competing here instead of in Europe Cipollini sounded pensive and jubilant that his retirement of three years is over. “I’m very happy to make my comeback in the US. and I plan to stay for a while.”

When asked at over 40-years-old how well he expected to do here, he smiled with his rock-star mane swaggering, and said, “Ma, chissa? (Who knows?) – for me its about feeling the emotion, the results are not important now.”

And that’s what the huge crowd felt as he and many other world champions whipped past on this picture postcard day in the biggest bike race in California.

Results

1. Fabian Cancellara (Swi) CSC 3.51.21 (51.43 km/h)
2. Bradley Wiggins (Gbr ) High Road 0.04
3. Tyler Farrar (USA) Slipstream Chipotle p/b H30 0.05
4. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana 0.06
5. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) High Road 0.07
6. Gustav Larsson (Swe) CSC 0.08
7. David Zabriskie (USA) Slipstream Chipotle p/b H30
8. Mark Cavendish (Gbr ) High Road
9. David Millar (Gbr ) Slipstream Chipotle p/b H30
10. Steven Cozza (USA) Slipstream Chipotle p/b H30 0.09
11. Benjamin Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
12. Christian Vandevelde (USA) Slipstream Chipotle p/b H30 0.1
13. George Hincapie (USA) High Road
14. Thomas Lövkvist (Swe) High Road 0.11
15. Karl Menzies (Aus) Health Net p/b Maxxis
16. Christopher Horner (USA) Astana 0.12
17. Vladimir Gusev (Rus) Astana 0.13
18. Stuart O’Grady (Aus) CSC
19. Dmytro Grabovskyy (Ukr) Quick Step
20. John Murphy (USA) Health Net p/b Maxxis
21. Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step
22. Adam Hansen (Aus) High Road 0.14
23. Kim Kirchen (Lux) High Road
24. Dominique Rollin (Can) Toyota – United Pro Cycling Team
25. Tom Zirbel (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
26. Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Quick Step
27. Jeff Louder (USA) BMC Racing Team
28. Bobby Julich (USA) CSC 0.15
29. Gerald Ciolek (Ger) High Road
30. Garrett Peltonen (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
31. Ignatas Konovalovas (Ltu) Credit Agricole
32. Jens Voigt (Ger) CSC
33. Benjamin Day (Aus) Toyota – United Pro Cycling Team 0.16
34. Andrey Mizurov (Kaz) Astana
35. Matthew Crane (USA) Health Net p/b Maxxis
36. Jonathan Mumford (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast
37. Alexandre Moos (Swi) BMC Racing Team
38. Edward King (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
39. Scott Zwizanski (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
40. Danny Pate (USA) Slipstream Chipotle p/b H30
41. Aaron Kemps (Aus) Astana 0.17
42. Roman Kilun (USA) Health Net p/b Maxxis
43. Rubens Bertogliati (Swi) Saunier Duval-Scott
44. Mario Cipollini (Ita) Rock Racing
45. Darren Lill (RSA) BMC Racing Team
46. Sergey Ivanov (Rus) Astana 0.18
47. Victor Hugo Pena Grisales (Col) Rock Racing
48. Mark Renshaw (Aus) Credit Agricole
49. Raivis Belohvosciks (Lat) Saunier Duval-Scott
50. Scott Nydam (USA) BMC Racing Team
51. Freddie Rodriguez (USA) Rock Racing
52. David Canada Gracia (Spa) Saunier Duval-Scott 0.19
53. Jason Mccartney (USA) Team CSC
54. Rory Sutherland (Aus) Health Net p/b Maxxis
55. Jurgen Vandewalle (Bel) Quick Step 0.2
56. Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
57. Bernard Van Ulden (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
58. Paul Martens (Ger) Rabobank
59. Mathew Hayman (Aus) Rabobank
60. Thomas Danielson (USA) Slipstream Chipotle p/b H30
61. Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Gerolsteiner
62. Thomas Peterson (USA) Slipstream Chipotle p/b H30
63. Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank 0.21
64. Karsten Kroon (Ned) CSC
65. Philip Zajicek (USA) Health Net p/b Maxxis
66. Alexandre Pichot (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
67. Andrea Tonti (Ita) Quick Step
68. Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Astana
69. Ivan Dominguez (Cub) Toyota – United Pro Cycling Team
70. Heath Blackgrove (NZl) Toyota – United Pro Cycling Team
71. Antonio Cruz (USA) BMC Racing Team
72. Nicholas Reistad (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
73. Dimitri Champion (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
74. Jackson Stewart (USA) BMC Racing Team
75. Sébastien Turgot (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
76. Timothy Johnson (USA) Health Net p/b Maxxis 0.22
77. Juan Jose Haedo (Arg) CSC
78. Aaron Olson (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
79. Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Quick Step
80. Aaron Barry Tuckerman (NZl) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 0.23
81. Paolo Bettini (Ita) Quick Step
82. José Luis Rubiera Vigil (Spa) Astana
83. Iker Camano Ortuzar (Spa) Saunier Duval-Scott
84. Eros Capecchi (Ita) Saunier Duval-Scott
85. Nicholas Sanderson (Aus) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
86. Mauricio Alberto Ardila Cano (Col) Rabobank
87. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank 0.24
88. Hilton Clarke (Aus) Toyota – United Pro Cycling Team
89. Perrig Quemeneur (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
90. Jonathan Clarke (Aus) Toyota – United Pro Cycling Team
91. Richard England (Aus) Bissell Pro Cycling
92. Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Credit Agricole
93. Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Credit Agricole 0.25
94. Pedro Horrillo Munoz (Spa) Rabobank
95. Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa) Rabobank
96. Kevin Lacombe (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast
97. Ermanno Capelli (Ita) Saunier Duval-Scott
98. Dan Bowman (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast
99. Taylor Tolleson (USA) BMC Racing Team
100. Justin Spinelli (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast 0.26
101. Julien Simon (Fra) Credit Agricole
102. Heinrich Haussler (Ger) Gerolsteiner
103. Bryce Mead (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
104. Vincent Jerome (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 0.27
105. Jonathan Sundt (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast
106. Julien Belgy (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
107. Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC Racing Team
108. Hendricus Vogels (Aus) Toyota – United Pro Cycling Team 0.28
109. Bernhard Kohl (Aut) Gerolsteiner
110. Doug Ollerenshaw (USA) Rock Racing 0.29
111. Burke Swindlehurst (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
112. Pipp K Frank (USA) Health Net p/b Maxxis
113. Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Gerolsteiner 0.3
114. Scott Tietzel (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
115. Michael Lange (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
116. Yannick Talabardon (Fra) Credit Agricole
117. Kevin Seeldraeyers (Bel) Quick Step
118. Patrice Halgand (Fra) Credit Agricole
119. Alexander Candelario (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast 0.31
120. Luciano André Pagliarini Mendonca (Bra) Saunier Duval-Scott
121. Michael Creed (USA) Rock Racing 0.32
122. Peter Wrolich (Aut) Gerolsteiner
123. Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Credit Agricole 0.33
124. Markus Zberg (Swi) Gerolsteiner
125. Caleb Manion (Aus) Toyota – United Pro Cycling Team
126. Andrew Bajadali (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast
127. Matthew Rice (Aus) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
128. Oliver Zaugg (Swi) Gerolsteiner 0.34
129. Laurent Lefevre (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 0.35
130. Nicholas Waite (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast
131. Angel Gomez Gomez (Spa) Saunier Duval-Scott 0.37
132. Mathias Frank (Swi) Gerolsteiner 0.44

GC after Prologue

1. Fabian Cancellara (Swi) CSC 3.51
2. Bradley Wiggins (Gbr ) High Road 0.04
3. Tyler Farrar (USA) Slipstream Chipotle p/b H30 0.05
4. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana 0.06
5. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) High Road 0.07
6. Gustav Larsson (Swe) CSC 0.08
7. David Zabriskie (USA) Slipstream Chipotle p/b H30
8. Mark Cavendish (Gbr ) High Road
9. David Millar (Gbr ) Slipstream Chipotle p/b H30
10. Steven Cozza (USA) Slipstream Chipotle p/b H30 0.09
11. Benjamin Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
12. Christian Vandevelde (USA) Slipstream Chipotle p/b H30 0.1
13. George Hincapie (USA) High Road
14. Thomas Lövkvist (Swe) High Road 0.11
15. Karl Menzies (Aus) Health Net p/b Maxxis
16. Christopher Horner (USA) Astana 0.12
17. Vladimir Gusev (Rus) Astana 0.13
18. Stuart O’Grady (Aus) CSC
19. Dmytro Grabovskyy (Ukr) Quick Step
20. John Murphy (USA) Health Net p/b Maxxis
21. Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step
22. Adam Hansen (Aus) High Road 0.14
23. Kim Kirchen (Lux) High Road
24. Dominique Rollin (Can) Toyota – United Pro Cycling Team
25. Tom Zirbel (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
26. Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Quick Step
27. Jeff Louder (USA) BMC Racing Team
28. Bobby Julich (USA) CSC 0.15
29. Gerald Ciolek (Ger) High Road
30. Garrett Peltonen (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
31. Ignatas Konovalovas (Ltu) Credit Agricole
32. Jens Voigt (Ger) CSC
33. Benjamin Day (Aus) Toyota – United Pro Cycling Team 0.16
34. Andrey Mizurov (Kaz) Astana
35. Matthew Crane (USA) Health Net p/b Maxxis
36. Jonathan Mumford (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast
37. Alexandre Moos (Swi) BMC Racing Team
38. Edward King (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
39. Scott Zwizanski (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
40. Danny Pate (USA) Slipstream Chipotle p/b H30
41. Aaron Kemps (Aus) Astana 0.17
42. Roman Kilun (USA) Health Net p/b Maxxis
43. Rubens Bertogliati (Swi) Saunier Duval-Scott
44. Mario Cipollini (Ita) Rock Racing
45. Darren Lill (RSA) BMC Racing Team
46. Sergey Ivanov (Rus) Astana 0.18
47. Victor Hugo Pena Grisales (Col) Rock Racing
48. Mark Renshaw (Aus) Credit Agricole
49. Raivis Belohvosciks (Lat) Saunier Duval-Scott
50. Scott Nydam (USA) BMC Racing Team
51. Freddie Rodriguez (USA) Rock Racing
52. David Canada Gracia (Spa) Saunier Duval-Scott 0.19
53. Jason Mccartney (USA) CSC
54. Rory Sutherland (Aus) Health Net p/b Maxxis
55. Jurgen Vandewalle (Bel) Quick Step 0.2
56. Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
57. Bernard Van Ulden (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
58. Paul Martens (Ger) Rabobank
59. Mathew Hayman (Aus) Rabobank
60. Thomas Danielson (USA) Slipstream Chipotle p/b H30
61. Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Gerolsteiner
62. Thomas Peterson (USA) Slipstream Chipotle p/b H30
63. Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank 0.21
64. Karsten Kroon (Ned) CSC
65. Philip Zajicek (USA) Health Net p/b Maxxis
66. Alexandre Pichot (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
67. Andrea Tonti (Ita) Quick Step
68. Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Astana
69. Ivan Dominguez (Cub) Toyota – United Pro Cycling Team
70. Heath Blackgrove (NZl) Toyota – United Pro Cycling Team
71. Antonio Cruz (USA) BMC Racing Team
72. Nicholas Reistad (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
73. Dimitri Champion (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
74. Jackson Stewart (USA) BMC Racing Team
75. Sébastien Turgot (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
76. Timothy Johnson (USA) Health Net p/b Maxxis 0.22
77. Juan Jose Haedo (Arg) CSC
78. Aaron Olson (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
79. Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Quick Step
80. Aaron Barry Tuckerman (NZl) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 0.23
81. Paolo Bettini (Ita) Quick Step
82. José Luis Rubiera Vigil (Spa) Astana
83. Iker Camano Ortuzar (Spa) Saunier Duval-Scott
84. Eros Capecchi (Ita) Saunier Duval-Scott
85. Nicholas Sanderson (Aus) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
86. Mauricio Alberto Ardila Cano (Col) Rabobank
87. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank 0.24
88. Hilton Clarke (Aus) Toyota – United Pro Cycling Team
89. Perrig Quemeneur (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
90. Jonathan Clarke (Aus) Toyota – United Pro Cycling Team
91. Richard England (Aus) Bissell Pro Cycling
92. Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Credit Agricole
93. Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Credit Agricole 0.25
94. Pedro Horrillo Munoz (Spa) Rabobank
95. Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa) Rabobank
96. Kevin Lacombe (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast
97. Ermanno Capelli (Ita) Saunier Duval-Scott
98. Dan Bowman (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast
99. Taylor Tolleson (USA) BMC Racing Team
100. Justin Spinelli (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast 0.26
101. Julien Simon (Fra) Credit Agricole
102. Heinrich Haussler (Ger) Gerolsteiner
103. Bryce Mead (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
104. Vincent Jerome (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 0.27
105. Jonathan Sundt (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast
106. Julien Belgy (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
107. Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC Racing Team
108. Hendricus Vogels (Aus) Toyota – United Pro Cycling Team 0.28
109. Bernhard Kohl (Aut) Gerolsteiner
110. Doug Ollerenshaw (USA) Rock Racing 0.29
111. Burke Swindlehurst (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
112. Pipp K Frank (USA) Health Net p/b Maxxis
113. Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Gerolsteiner 0.3
114. Scott Tietzel (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
115. Michael Lange (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
116. Yannick Talabardon (Fra) Credit Agricole
117. Kevin Seeldraeyers (Bel) Quick Step
118. Patrice Halgand (Fra) Credit Agricole
119. Alexander Candelario (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast 0.31
120. Luciano André Pagliarini Mendonca (Bra) Saunier Duval-Scott
121. Michael Creed (USA) Rock Racing 0.32
122. Peter Wrolich (Aut) Gerolsteiner
123. Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Credit Agricole 0.33
124. Markus Zberg (Swi) Gerolsteiner
125. Caleb Manion (Aus) Toyota – United Pro Cycling Team
126. Andrew Bajadali (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast
127. Matthew Rice (Aus) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
128. Oliver Zaugg (Swi) Gerolsteiner 0.34
129. Laurent Lefevre (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 0.35
130. Nicholas Waite (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast
131. Angel Gomez Gomez (Spa) Saunier Duval-Scott 0.37
132. Mathias Frank (Swi) Gerolsteiner 0.44

Young Rider Classification

1. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) High Road 3.58
2. Mark Cavendish (Gbr ) High Road 0.01
3. Steven Cozza (USA) Slipstream Chipotle p/b H30 0.02
4. Dmytro Grabovskyy (Ukr) Quick Step 0.06
5. Gerald Ciolek (Ger) High Road 0.08
6. Ignatas Konovalovas (Ltu) Credit Agricole
7. Matthew Crane (USA) Health Net p/b Maxxis 0.09
8. Thomas Peterson (USA) Slipstream Chipotle p/b H30 0.13
9. Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank 0.14
10. Eros Capecchi (Ita) Saunier Duval-Scott 0.16
11. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank 0.17
12. Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Credit Agricole
13. Kevin Lacombe (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast 0.18
14. Ermanno Capelli (Ita) Saunier Duval-Scott
15. Taylor Tolleson (USA) BMC Racing Team
16. Julien Simon (Fra) Credit Agricole 0.19
17. Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC Racing Team 0.2
18. Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Gerolsteiner 0.23
19. Kevin Seeldraeyers (Bel) Quick Step
20. Mathias Frank (Swi) Gerolsteiner 0.37

Teams Classification

1. High Road 11.52
2. Slipstream Chipotle p/b H30 0.02
3. CSC
4. Astana 0.12
5. Bissell Pro Cycling 0.19
6. Quick Step 0.21
7. Health Net P/b Maxxis
8. BMC Racing Team 0.28
9. Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team 0.32
10. Rock Racing 0.34
11. Saunier Duval-Scott 0.35
12. Crédit Agricole 0.38
13. Rabobank 0.42
14. Bouygues Telecom 0.43
15. Jelly Belly Cycling Team 0.45
16. Kelly Benefit Strategies-Medifast 0.47
17. Gerolsteiner 0.55