February 14, 2009 (Sacramento, CA) – Beijing gold medallist and former ITT world champ Fabian Cancellara (Saxo Bank) did not disappoint taking the 3.9 km/2.4 mile ITT Prologue in Sacramento over defending AToC champ Levi Leipheimer (Astana) in 2nd and David Zabriskie (Garmin – Slipstream) in 3rd as the third annual Amgen Tour of California began today. Canada’s Svein Tuft (Garmin – Slipstream) in second place for a good part of the day ended up in 9th just ahead of the 7-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong (USA) Astana who finished 10th.

It was a blustery, bleak day in California for the Prologue with side winds, dark clouds, and little rain. It got worse as day went on but huge crowds were on hand for the start of the Tour of California and very excited each time a familiar rider was announced over the loudspeakers. There was huge applause for Floyd Landis (USA) OUCH p/b Maxxis – as big as for Armstrong.

Rider quotes…

“Lance brings the game up, it’s harder but better that way, he’s like a boost I need. Bring it on, dude! Lance is so intense while Levi is quiet, well, Levi is focused inwardly. They are very different but get really similar results… both are exciting and deadly,” said Christopher Horner (USA) Astana.

“Yes, I feel good but it’s windy, we’ll see how it unfolds – I’ll be better as it goes, just watch,” commented Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas before the Prologue on Saturday.

Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana on Armstrong: “He’s like a neo-pro, he’s excited, he’s paying attention to details, he’s got that fire…”

“Hey, I got third place, I’m pretty happy about that. If we can put someone from my team on the podium at the end of this, that’s good,” said David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin-Slipstream

Prologue winner Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team Saxo Bank on defending the leader’s jersey… “I didn’t expect this so we can see what will happen. It’s another day to fight and I love to fight with my friends.” Asked about his climbing improvements for the race he added, “Well today was flat so I don’t know I’m sorry.” (huge laughter from audience).

Results

1. Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team Saxo Bank 04:32.9 (50.294 km/h)
2. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana 1.2
3. David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin-Slipstream 2.7
4. Michael Rogers (Aus) Team Columbia-Highroad 2.8
5. Thor Hushovd (Nor) Cervélo TestTeam 3.1
6. George Hincapie (USA) Team Columbia-Highroad 3.4
7. Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step
8. Mark Renshaw (Aus) Team Columbia-Highroad 4.1
9. Svein Tuft (Can) Garmin-Slipstream 4.2
10. Lance Armstrong (USA) Astana 4.3
11. Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team Columbia-Highroad 4.9
12. Tom Zirbel (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 5
13. Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 5.6
14. Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin-Slipstream 6.5
15. Charles Bradley Huff (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 7.2
16. Oscar Freire (Spa) Rabobank 7.4
17. Hayden Roulston (Nzl) Cervélo TestTeam 7.6
18. John Murphy (USA) OUCH Presented By Maxxis 7.9
19. Peter Latham (Nzl) Bissell Pro Cycling 8.2
20. Christopher Horner (USA) Astana 8.5
21. Jeremy Vennell (Nzl) Bissell Pro Cycling
22. Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin-Slipstream 8.7
23. Andy Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 9.4
24. Dominique Rollin (Can) Cervélo TestTeam 10.0
25. Juan José Haedo (Arg) Team Saxo Bank 10.5
26. Carlos Barredo (Spa) Quick Step 10.7
27. Brett Lancaster (Aus) Cervélo TestTeam 10.9
28. Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank 11.1
29. Stuart O’Grady (Aus) Team Saxo Bank 11.7
30. Edward King (USA) Cervélo TestTeam
31. Jeffry Louder (USA) BMC Racing Team 11.8
32. Enrique Gutierrez (Spa) Rock Racing 12.1
33. Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank
34. Karl Menzies (Aus) OUCH Presented By Maxxis 12.2
35. Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Astana 12.3
36. Thomas Lövkvist (Swe) Team Columbia-Highroad 12.5
37. Adam Hansen (Aus) Team Columbia-Highroad
38. Gustav Larsson (Swe) Team Saxo Bank 12.6
39. Jason McCartney (USA) Team Saxo Bank 12.7
40. Francisco Mancebo (Spa) Rock Racing 12.8
41. José Luis Rubiera (Spa) Astana
42. Bernard Van Ulden (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 12.9
43. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas
44. Luis Romero Amaran (Cub) Colavita / Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light 13.1
45. Ben Day (Aus) Fly V Australia 13.2
46. Steven Cozza (USA) Garmin-Slipstream 13.3
47. Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Astana
48. Kiel Reijnen (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 13.4
49. Darren Lill (RSA) Team Type 1 13.5
50. Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank 13.7
51. Kim Kirchen (Lux) Team Columbia-Highroad 13.8
52. Oscar Sevilla (Spa) Rock Racing
53. Grégory Rast (Swi) Astana 13.9
54. Pedro Horrillo (Spa) Rabobank 14
55. Jens Voigt (Ger) Team Saxo Bank 14.3
56. Marco Velo (Ita) Quick Step
57. Victor Hugo Peña (Col) Rock Racing
58. Steve Morabito (Swi) Astana 14.5
59. Martin Elmiger (Swi) AG2R La Mondiale 14.6
60. Scott Nydam (USA) BMC Racing Team 14.8
61. Alexandre Moos (Swi) BMC Racing Team 15.3
62. Jurgen van de Walle (Bel) Quick Step 15.5
63. Fränk Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank
64. Matthew Crane (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 15.6
65. Markus Zberg (Swi) BMC Racing Team 15.8
66. Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas 16.2
67. Thomas Danielson (USA) Garmin-Slipstream 16.3
68. Michael Barry (Can) Team Columbia-Highroad
69. Chris Baldwin (USA) Rock Racing 16.4
70. Kirk O’Bee (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 16.5
71. Tyler Hamilton (USA) Rock Racing 16.9
72. Bradley White (USA) OUCH Presented By Maxxis 17.2
73. Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 17.3
74. Phil Zajicek (USA) Fly V Australia 17.7
75. Serge Pauwels (Bel) Cervélo TestTeam
76. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank 17.8
77. Ian McKissick (USA) BMC Racing Team 17.9
78. Pieter Weening (Ned) Rabobank 18.1
79. Freddy Rodriguez (USA) Rock Racing 18.3
80. Curtis Gunn (USA) Fly V Australia 18.7
81. Brian Vandborg (Den) Liquigas
82. Alejandro Alberto Borrajo (Arg) Colavita / Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light 19.1
83. Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank
84. Frank Pipp (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 19.2
85. Matthew Wilson (Aus) Team Type 1 19.3
86. Jonathan Clarke (Aus) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
87. Phillip Gaimon (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 19.5
88. Valeriy Kobzarenko (Ukr) Team Type 1 19.9
89. Kevin de Weert (Bel) Quick Step
90. Floyd Landis (USA) OUCH Presented By Maxxis 20.4
91. Iñigo Cuesta (Spa) Cervélo TestTeam 20.8
92. Glen Chadwick (Nzl) Rock Racing 20.9
93. Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale
94. Mauricio Ardila (Col) Rabobank 21.4
95. Rory Sutherland (Aus) OUCH Presented By Maxxis 21.5
96. David Kemp (Aus) Fly V Australia 21.9
97. Cameron Evans (Can) OUCH Presented by Maxxis 22.2
98. Addy Engels (Ned) Quick Step 23.8
99. Nick Reistad (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
100. Jonathan Patrick McCarty (USA) OUCH Presented By Maxxis 24
101. Trent Lowe (Aus) Garmin-Slipstream 24.1
102. Moises Aldape Chavez (Mex) Team Type 1 24.2
103. Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Quick Step 24.3
104. Timothy Johnson (USA) OUCH Presented By Maxxis 24.4
105. Mathias Frank (Swi) BMC Racing Team
106. Tyler Wren (USA) Colavita / Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light 24.5
107. Thomas Frei (Swi) BMC Racing Team 24.6
108. Scott Davis (Aus) Fly V Australia 24.8
109. Michael Grabinger (USA) Fly V Australia 24.9
110. Jonathan Cantwell (Aus) Fly V Australia 25
111. Aaron Olson (USA) Colavita / Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light
112. Kevin Seeldraeyers (Bel) Quick Step 25.2
113. Jonathan Garcia (USA) BMC Racing Team 25.6
114. Carlos Sastre (Spa) Cervélo TestTeam 25.7
115. Anibal Andres Borrajo (Arg) Colavita / Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light 26.3
116. Cyril Dessel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 26.4
117. Christopher Jones (USA) Team Type 1 26.8
118. Daniel Oss (Ita) Liquigas 27
119. Tadej Valjavec (Slo) AG2R La Mondiale 28.9
120. Bernard Sulzberger (Aus) Fly V Australia 29.7
121. Alessandro Vanotti (Ita) Liquigas 31
122. Will Routley (Can) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 31.3
123. Stéphane Goubert (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 31.7
124. Davide Frattini (Ita) Colavita / Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light
125. Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 32.3
126. Omer Kem (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 32.5
127. Francesco Chicchi (Ita) Liquigas 33.9
128. Lucas Sebastian Haedo (Arg) Colavita / Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light 34.6
129. Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Liquigas 34.9
130. Andy Guptill (USA) Colavita / Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light 38.8
131. Ian MacGregor (USA) Team Type 1 39.3
132. Kjell Carlström (Fin) Liquigas 42
133. John Gadret (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 43.3
134. Fabio Calabria (Aus) Team Type 1 45
135. Phil Southerland (USA) Team Type 1 49
136. Thomas Peterson (USA) Garmin-Slipstream 2.02.2

Young Rider Classification

1. Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team Columbia-Highroad 4.37.0
2. Steven Cozza (USA) Garmin-Slipstream 9
3. Kiel Reijnen (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
4. Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank
5. Matthew Crane (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 11
6. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank 13
7. Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank 15
8. Phillip Gaimon (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
9. Mathias Frank (Swi) BMC Racing Team 20
10. Thomas Frei (Swi) BMC Racing Team
11. Kevin Seeldraeyers (Bel) Quick Step 21
12. Daniel Oss (Ita) Liquigas 22
13. Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Liquigas 30
14. Fabio Calabria (Aus) Team Type 1 40
15. Thomas Peterson (USA) Garmin-Slipstream 01:58.0

GC after the Prologue

1. Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team Saxo Bank 4:32
2. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana 0:02
3. David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin-Slipstream 0:03
4. Michael Rogers (Aus) Team Columbia-Highroad
5. Thor Hushovd (Nor) Cervélo TestTeam 0:04
6. George Hincapie (USA) Team Columbia-Highroad
7. Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step
8. Mark Renshaw (Aus) Team Columbia-Highroad
9. Svein Tuft (Can) Garmin-Slipstream 0:05
10. Lance Armstrong (USA) Astana
11. Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team Columbia-Highroad
12. Tom Zirbel (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
13. Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 0:06
14. Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin-Slipstream 0:07
15. Charles Bradley Huff (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 0:08
16. Oscar Freire (Spa) Rabobank
17. Hayden Roulston (Nzl) Cervélo TestTeam
18. John Murphy (USA) OUCH Presented By Maxxis
19. Peter Latham (Nzl) Bissell Pro Cycling 0:09
20. Christopher Horner (USA) Astana
21. Jeremy Vennell (Nzl) Bissell Pro Cycling
22. Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin-Slipstream
23. Andy Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 0:10
24. Dominique Rollin (Can) Cervélo TestTeam
25. Juan José Haedo (Arg) Team Saxo Bank 0:11
26. Carlos Barredo (Spa) Quick Step
27. Brett Lancaster (Aus) Cervélo TestTeam
28. Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank
29. Stuart O’Grady (Aus) Team Saxo Bank 0:12
30. Edward King (USA) Cervélo TestTeam
31. Jeffry Louder (USA) BMC Racing Team
32. Enrique Gutierrez (Spa) Rock Racing 0:13
33. Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank
34. Karl Menzies (Aus) OUCH Presented By Maxxis
35. Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Astana
36. Thomas Lövkvist (Swe) Team Columbia-Highroad
37. Adam Hansen (Aus) Team Columbia-Highroad
38. Gustav Larsson (Swe) Team Saxo Bank
39. Jason Mccartney (USA) Team Saxo Bank
40. Francisco Mancebo (Spa) Rock Racing
41. José Luis Rubiera (Spa) Astana
42. Bernard Van Ulden (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
43. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas
44. Luis Romero Amaran (Cub) Colavita / Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light
45. Ben Day (Aus) Fly V Australia 0:14
46. Steven Cozza (USA) Garmin-Slipstream
47. Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Astana
48. Kiel Reijnen (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
49. Darren Lill (RSA) Team Type 1
50. Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank
51. Kim Kirchen (Lux) Team Columbia-Highroad
52. Oscar Sevilla (Spa) Rock Racing
53. Grégory Rast (Swi) Astana
54. Pedro Horrillo (Spa) Rabobank
55. Jens Voigt (Ger) Team Saxo Bank 0:15
56. Marco Velo (Ita) Quick Step
57. Victor Hugo Peña (Col) Rock Racing
58. Steve Morabito (Swi) Astana
59. Martin Elmiger (Swi) AG2R La Mondiale
60. Scott Nydam (USA) BMC Racing Team
61. Alexandre Moos (Swi) BMC Racing Team 0:16
62. Jurgen van de Walle (Bel) Quick Step
63. Fränk Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank
64. Matthew Crane (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
65. Markus Zberg (Swi) BMC Racing Team
66. Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas 0:17
67. Thomas Danielson (USA) Garmin-Slipstream
68. Michael Barry (Can) Team Columbia-Highroad
69. Chris Baldwin (USA) Rock Racing
70. Kirk O’Bee (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
71. Tyler Hamilton (USA) Rock Racing
72. Bradley White (USA) OUCH Presented By Maxxis 0:18
73. Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
74. Phil Zajicek (USA) Fly V Australia
75. Serge Pauwels (Bel) Cervélo TestTeam
76. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank
77. Ian McKissick (USA) BMC Racing Team
78. Pieter Weening (Ned) Rabobank
79. Freddy Rodriguez (USA) Rock Racing 0:19
80. Robert Gunn (USA) Fly V Australia
81. Brian Vandborg (Den) Liquigas
82. Alejandro Alberto Borrajo (Arg) Colavita / Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light
83. Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank 0:20
84. Frank Pipp (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
85. Matthew Wilson (Aus) Team Type 1
86. Jonathan Clarke (Aus) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
87. Phillip Gaimon (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
88. Valeriy Kobzarenko (Ukr) Team Type 1
89. Weert Kevin De (Bel) Quick Step
90. Floyd Landis (USA) OUCH Presented By Maxxis 0:21
91. Iñigo Cuesta (Spa) Cervélo TestTeam
92. Glen Chadwick (Nzl) Rock Racing
93. Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale
94. Mauricio Ardila (Col) Rabobank 0:22
95. Rory Sutherland (Aus) OUCH Presented By Maxxis
96. David Kemp (Aus) Fly V Australia
97. Cameron Evans (Can) OUCH Presented By Maxxis 0:23
98. Addy Engels (Ned) Quick Step 0:24
99. Nick Reistad (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
100. Jonathan Patrick McCarty (USA) OUCH Presented By Maxxis
101. Trent Lowe (Aus) Garmin-Slipstream 0:25
102. Moises Aldape Chavez (Mex) Team Type 1
103. Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Quick Step
104. Timothy Johnson (USA) OUCH Presented By Maxxis
105. Mathias Frank (Swi) BMC Racing Team
106. Tyler Wren (USA) Colavita / Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light
107. Thomas Frei (Swi) BMC Racing Team
108. Scott Davis (Aus) Fly V Australia
109. Michael Grabinger (USA) Fly V Australia
110. Jonathan Cantwell (Aus) Fly V Australia
111. Aaron Olson (USA) Colavita / Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light
112. Kevin Seeldraeyers (Bel) Quick Step 0:26
113. Jonathan Garcia (USA) BMC Racing Team
114. Carlos Sastre (Spa) Cervélo TestTeam
115. Anibal Andres Borrajo (Arg) Colavita / Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light 0:27
116. Cyril Dessel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
117. Christopher Jones (USA) Team Type 1
118. Daniel Oss (Ita) Liquigas
119. Tadej Valjavec (Slo) AG2R La Mondiale 0:29
120. Bernard Sulzberger (Aus) Fly V Australia 0:30
121. Alessandro Vanotti (Ita) Liquigas 0:31
122. Will Routley (Can) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 0:32
123. Stéphane Goubert (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
124. Davide Frattini (Ita) Colavita / Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light
125. Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:33
126. Omer Kem (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
127. Francesco Chicchi (Ita) Liquigas 0:34
128. Lucas Sebastian Haedo (Arg) Colavita / Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light 0:35
129. Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Liquigas
130. Andy Guptill (USA) Colavita / Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light 0:39
131. Ian MacGregor (USA) Team Type 1 0:40
132. Kjell Carlström (Fin) Liquigas 0:42
133. John Gadret (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:44
134. Fabio Calabria (Aus) Team Type 1 0:45
135. Phil Southerland (USA) Team Type 1 0:49
136. Thomas Peterson (USA) Garmin-Slipstream 2:03

Teams

1. Team Columbia-High Road 13:47
2. Garmin-Slipstream 0:04
3. Astana 0:05
4. Bissell Pro Cycling 0:09
5. Cervelo Test Team 0:11
6. Team Saxo Bank 0:12
7. Quick Step 0:19
8. Rabobank 0:21
9. Jelly Belly Cycling Team 0:24
10. Ouch Presented by Maxxis 0:28
11. Rock Racing 0:29
12. BMC Racing Team 0:32
13. Liquigas 0:38
14. Fly V Australia 0:40
15. Team Type 1 0:43
16. AG2R La Mondiale
17. Colavita / Sutter Home Presented By Cooking Light 0:46