February 21, 2009 (Pasadena, CA) РFollowing numerous attacks on the penultimate Stage 7 from Santa Clarita to Pasadena, 143 km/88.9 miles,a break with 10 riders finally got away building a 3+ minute lead with Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale taking the sprint over Hayden Roulston (Nzl) Cerv̩lo TestTeam in 2nd with Pieter Weening (Ned) Rabobank in 3rd. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana continues to lead overall with David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin РSlipstream in 2nd and Michael Rogers (Aus) Team Columbia РHighroad in 3rd.

Amgen Tour of California Report
Fans in Pasadena came out in droves to witness the finish to Stage 7 of the 2009 Amgen Tour of California, which included five, five-mile laps on a very demanding circuit through the area surrounding the Rose Bowl. After a challenging day of cycling, Rinaldo Nocentini (ITA) of AG2R-La Mondiale crossed the finish line to take the stage, followed closely by Hayden Roulston (NZL) of Cervelo Test Team and Pieter Weening (NED) of Rabobank.  Levi Leipheimer (USA) of Astana retained the overall lead heading into the final stage of the race, which will take riders into San Diego County for the first time, as they race from Rancho Bernardo to Escondido tomorrow.

“The Rose Bowl had a ton of people on the floor today,” said Leipheimer. “When we rode in, there was so much noise from the crowd. All of the guys were really motivated by that.”

Hollywood celebrities, including actor Luke Wilson, who is an ambassador for Amgen’s Breakaway from Cancerâ„¢ initiative and Stand Up To Cancer, came out to support the Los Angeles leg of the race. “I’m in awe of the professional cyclists who are taking part in the Amgen Tour of California,” said Wilson.

The penultimate day of the 2009 Amgen Tour of California featured the same difficult, hilly and technical terrain that was used in the final day of the 2008 race. The stage opened with a gradual 25-mile climb out of Santa Clarita, through Acton, to the intersection of Angeles Forest Road. Showcasing the breathtaking beauty of the San Gabriel Mountains, the course continued uphill to the massive Millcreek Summit, which at 4,906 ft. is the second-highest elevation ever reached in the race. The riders then headed down a 15-mile trek to Angeles Crest Highway before dropping precipitously to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. Surrounded by mountains and the legendary stadium, the field concluded the stage with five challenging laps on a rolling five-mile circuit around the picturesque Rose Bowl.

Stage 7 of the Amgen Tour of California began with the launch of several attacks and counter-attacks to try and get a break going. It was a day characterized by very aggressive riding that left 16 riders behind the peloton. An hour and a half into the stage, a successful attack was launched led by Saxo Bank rider Frank Schleck (LUX) and George Hincapie (USA) of Team Columbia-Highroad, along five additional riders, with Astana at the front of the peloton setting the pace for the chase.

As the riders approached the only King of the Mountain (KOM) of the stage Millcreek Summit, team managers were urged to warn their riders about the enormous crowds lining the turns on the descent. A similar warning was issued as the pack headed into the finishing circuits at the Rose Bowl, a testament to the huge crowds that have turned out to watch the race throughout the past eight days.

At 48 miles into the race, three more riders joined the break to make it 10 strong, including Chris Baldwin (USA) of Rock Racing, Pieter Weening (NED) of Rabobank, Addy Engels (NED) of Quick Step, Martin Elmiger (SUI) of AG2R-La Mondiale, Markus Zberg (SUI) of Team BMC, Christian Vande Velde (USA) of Garmin-Slipstream, Schleck, Roulston, Hincapie and Nocentini.

After a series of attacks on the final two laps, Weening, Nocentini and Roulston opened up a gap that proved to be the winning move. The trio dueled to the finish with Nocentini beating out Roulston on the line.  Leipheimer retained his overall lead with 36 seconds over David Zabriskie (USA) of Garmin-Slipstream heading in the final stage of the race tomorrow.

“This was a hard stage in the beginning,” added Leipheimer. “There were a lot of attacks with riders dangerous for the overall general classification. It took a while before there was a breakaway with which we could agree.”

Stage 8 of the 2009 Amgen Tour of California will feature a KOM competition up Mount Palomar, the highest point ever reached in the Amgen Tour of California.  Floyd Landis (USA) of Ouch Presented by Maxxis trains on the mountain and provided a glimpse into what the riders can expect tomorrow.

“The climb is pretty consistent and it goes from a five or six percent grade to an eight percent grade,” said Landis. “It’s as hard of a climb as you’ll find anywhere, especially at this stage in the race. After a week-long stage race, a lot of guys are tired, so the peloton will probably split up easier.”

Francisco Mancebo (ESP) of Rock Racing who was previously the KOM leader crashed late in the stage and had to abandon due to medical needs.

Stage 7 Jersey Winners
– Amgen Race Leader Jersey – Levi Leipheimer (USA), Astana
– Amgen’s Breakaway from Cancer Most Courageous Rider Jersey – Christian VendeVelde (USA), Garmin-Slipstream
– Herbalife Sprint Jersey – Mark Cavendish (GBR), Team Columbia-High Road
– Best Young Rider Jersey – Robert Gesink (NED), Rabobank
– California Travel & Tourism Commission King of the Mountain (KOM) Jersey – Jason McCartney (USA), Team Saxo Bank

Results

1. Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale 3:24:43
2. Hayden Roulston (NZl) Cervélo TestTeam
3. Pieter Weening (Ned) Rabobank
4. Markus Zberg (Swi) BMC Racing Team 0:07
5. Martin Elmiger (Swi) AG2R La Mondiale
6. Chris Baldwin (USA) Rock Racing
7. George Hincapie (USA) Team Columbia-Highroad
8. Fränk Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank
9. Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin-Slipstream
10. Addy Engels (Ned) Quick Step
11. Thor Hushovd (Nor) Cervélo TestTeam 2:19
12. Pedro Horrillo (Spa) Rabobank
13. Nick Reistad (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
14. Kiel Reijnen (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
15. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank
16. Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Astana
17. Dominique Rollin (Can) Cervélo TestTeam
18. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana
19. David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin-Slipstream
20. Thomas Danielson (USA) Garmin-Slipstream
21. Mathias Frank (Swi) BMC Racing Team
22. Steven Cozza (USA) Garmin-Slipstream
23. Jeremy Vennell (NZl) Bissell Pro Cycling
24. Daniel Oss (Ita) Liquigas
25. Jens Voigt (Ger) Team Saxo Bank
26. Glen Chadwick (NZl) Rock Racing
27. Timothy Johnson (USA) OUCH Presented By Maxxis
28. Freddy Rodriguez (USA) Rock Racing
29. Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin-Slipstream
30. Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
31. Enrique Gutierrez (Spa) Rock Racing
32. Jurgen van de Walle (Bel) Quick Step
33. Christopher Horner (USA) Astana
34. Thomas Lövkvist (Swe) Team Columbia-Highroad
35. Michael Barry (Can) Team Columbia-Highroad
36. Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step
37. Ben Day (Aus) Fly V Australia
38. Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank
39. Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank
40. Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team Columbia-Highroad
41. Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank
42. Kevin Seeldraeyers (Bel) Quick Step
43. Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Quick Step
44. Lance Armstrong (USA) Astana
45. Jeffry Louder (USA) BMC Racing Team
46. Michael Rogers (Aus) Team Columbia-Highroad
47. Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Astana
48. Oscar Sevilla (Spa) Rock Racing
49. Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
50. Thomas Peterson (USA) Garmin-Slipstream
51. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas
52. Frank Pipp (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
53. Brian Vandborg (Den) Liquigas
54. Valeriy Kobzarenko (Ukr) Team Type 1
55. Karl Menzies (Aus) OUCH Presented By Maxxis
56. Alessandro Vanotti (Ita) Liquigas
57. Mauricio Ardila (Col) Rabobank
58. Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
59. Lucas Sebastian Haedo (Arg) Colavita / Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light
60. Matthew Wilson (Aus) Team Type 1
61. Bradley White (USA) OUCH Presented By Maxxis
62. Weert Kevin De (Bel) Quick Step
63. Gustav Larsson (Swe) Team Saxo Bank
64. Cameron Evans (Can) OUCH Presented By Maxxis
65. Adam Hansen (Aus) Team Columbia-Highroad
66. Alexandre Moos (Swi) BMC Racing Team
67. Floyd Landis (USA) OUCH Presented By Maxxis
68. Juan José Haedo (Arg) Team Saxo Bank
69. Brett Lancaster (Aus) Cervélo TestTeam
70. Carlos Barredo (Spa) Quick Step
71. Rory Sutherland (Aus) OUCH Presented By Maxxis
72. Kjell Carlström (Fin) Liquigas
73. Marco Velo (Ita) Quick Step
74. Jonathan Patrick McCarty (USA) OUCH Presented By Maxxis
75. Stuart O’Grady (Aus) Team Saxo Bank
76. Jason Mccartney (USA) Team Saxo Bank
77. Iñigo Cuesta (Spa) Cervélo TestTeam
78. Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank
79. Serge Pauwels (Bel) Cervélo TestTeam
80. Christopher Jones (USA) Team Type 1
81. José Luis Rubiera (Spa) Astana
82. Carlos Sastre (Spa) Cervélo TestTeam
83. Grégory Rast (Swi) Astana 3:44
84. Steve Morabito (Swi) Astana
85. Bernard Van Ulden (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 16:06
86. Tyler Hamilton (USA) Rock Racing
87. Ian McKissick (USA) BMC Racing Team
88. Andy Guptill (USA) Colavita / Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light
89. Davide Frattini (Ita) Colavita / Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light
90. Tyler Wren (USA) Colavita / Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light
91. Aaron Olson (USA) Colavita / Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light
92. Robert Gunn (USA) Fly V Australia
93. Matthew Crane (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
94. Will Routley (Can) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
95. Svein Tuft (Can) Garmin-Slipstream 8:09
96. Tom Zirbel (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
97. Trent Lowe (Aus) Garmin-Slipstream 8:10
DNF Mark Renshaw (Aus) Team Columbia-Highroad
DNF Francesco Chicchi (Ita) Liquigas
DNF Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Liquigas
DNF Stéphane Goubert (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF Thomas Frei (Swi) BMC Racing Team
DNF Peter Latham (NZl) Bissell Pro Cycling
DNF Luis Romero Amaran (Cub) Colavita / Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light
DNF Phillip Gaimon (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
DNF Francisco Mancebo (Spa) Rock Racing

GC after Stage 7

1. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana 27:39:02
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. Lance Armstrong (USA) Astana 1:46
7. Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank 1:54
8. Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Astana 1:59
9. Christopher Horner (USA) Astana 2:13
10. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas 2:21
11. Thomas Danielson (USA) Garmin-Slipstream 2:24
12. José Luis Rubiera (Spa) Astana 2:48
13. Kevin Seeldraeyers (Bel) Quick Step 2:57
14. Oscar Sevilla (Spa) Rock Racing 3:37
15. Fränk Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank 4:09
16. Jurgen van de Walle (Bel) Quick Step 4:15
17. George Hincapie (USA) Team Columbia-Highroad 4:23
18. Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin-Slipstream 5:01
19. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank 5:44
20. Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank 6:08
21. Hayden Roulston (NZl) Cervélo TestTeam 6:20
22. Gustav Larsson (Swe) Team Saxo Bank 6:25
23. Iñigo Cuesta (Spa) Cervélo TestTeam 6:56
24. Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
25. Carlos Barredo (Spa) Quick Step 7:18
26. Enrique Gutierrez (Spa) Rock Racing 7:55
27. Pieter Weening (Ned) Rabobank
28. Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Astana 8:16
29. Thomas Peterson (USA) Garmin-Slipstream 8:52
30. Martin Elmiger (Swi) AG2R La Mondiale 9:17
31. Weert Kevin De (Bel) Quick Step 9:56
32. Floyd Landis (USA) OUCH Presented By Maxxis 10:26
33. Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 10:47
34. Dominique Rollin (Can) Cervélo TestTeam 11:14
35. Jeremy Vennell (NZl) Bissell Pro Cycling 12:22
36. Frank Pipp (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 12:25
37. Steven Cozza (USA) Garmin-Slipstream 13:04
38. Tom Zirbel (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 13:22
39. Stuart O’Grady (Aus) Team Saxo Bank 15:55
40. Jason Mccartney (USA) Team Saxo Bank 16:17
41. Glen Chadwick (NZl) Rock Racing 18:44
42. Cameron Evans (Can) OUCH Presented By Maxxis 19:04
43. Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank 19:12
44. Jonathan Patrick McCarty (USA) OUCH Presented By Maxxis 19:22
45. Rory Sutherland (Aus) OUCH Presented By Maxxis 20:11
46. Alexandre Moos (Swi) BMC Racing Team 20:31
47. Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale 21:52
48. Ian McKissick (USA) BMC Racing Team 22:19
49. Svein Tuft (Can) Garmin-Slipstream 22:26
50. Markus Zberg (Swi) BMC Racing Team 22:56
51. Valeriy Kobzarenko (Ukr) Team Type 1 23:46
52. Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step 24:14
53. Thor Hushovd (Nor) Cervélo TestTeam 24:37
54. Timothy Johnson (USA) OUCH Presented By Maxxis 26:05
55. Grégory Rast (Swi) Astana 26:21
56. Addy Engels (Ned) Quick Step 26:48
57. Will Routley (Can) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 27:12
58. Mauricio Ardila (Col) Rabobank 27:53
59. Lucas Sebastian Haedo (Arg) Colavita / Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light 27:54
60. Matthew Wilson (Aus) Team Type 1 28:20
61. Steve Morabito (Swi) Astana 28:52
62. Mathias Frank (Swi) BMC Racing Team 28:54
63. Christopher Jones (USA) Team Type 1 29:03
64. Bradley White (USA) OUCH Presented By Maxxis 29:17
65. Brian Vandborg (Den) Liquigas 29:32
66. Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank 30:41
67. Serge Pauwels (Bel) Cervélo TestTeam 31:21
68. Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team Columbia-Highroad 31:58
69. Chris Baldwin (USA) Rock Racing 32:14
70. Michael Barry (Can) Team Columbia-Highroad 32:29
71. Brett Lancaster (Aus) Cervélo TestTeam 32:46
72. Pedro Horrillo (Spa) Rabobank 32:53
73. Nick Reistad (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 33:01
74. Davide Frattini (Ita) Colavita / Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light 33:14
75. Juan José Haedo (Arg) Team Saxo Bank 33:17
76. Marco Velo (Ita) Quick Step
77. Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 33:44
78. Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin-Slipstream 33:46
79. Matthew Crane (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 34:39
80. Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Quick Step 34:50
81. Kiel Reijnen (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 35:01
82. Kjell Carlström (Fin) Liquigas 35:13
83. Ben Day (Aus) Fly V Australia 36:16
84. Adam Hansen (Aus) Team Columbia-Highroad 36:28
85. Jeffry Louder (USA) BMC Racing Team 36:42
86. Carlos Sastre (Spa) Cervélo TestTeam 37:09
87. Karl Menzies (Aus) OUCH Presented By Maxxis 37:28
88. Trent Lowe (Aus) Garmin-Slipstream 37:42
89. Daniel Oss (Ita) Liquigas 39:09
90. Tyler Wren (USA) Colavita / Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light 39:24
91. Alessandro Vanotti (Ita) Liquigas 41:58
92. Freddy Rodriguez (USA) Rock Racing 42:12
93. Bernard Van Ulden (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 46:04
94. Aaron Olson (USA) Colavita / Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light 46:52
95. Tyler Hamilton (USA) Rock Racing 49:25
96. Robert Gunn (USA) Fly V Australia 50:15
97. Andy Guptill (USA) Colavita / Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light 55:15