September 10, 2008 (Branson, Missouri) – Christian Vande Velde (USA) fired the first GC salvo for his Garmin-Chipolte squad by winning the Stage 3 time trial at the 2008 Tour of Missouri. Vande Velde, who’s delivered solid time trial efforts throughout the season, has now officially placed his team in contention for the overall prize with today’s winning ride.

The profile for this year’s 28.8km/18-mile ITT was hilly with an uphill finish. Thankfully the wind did not play quite the factor that it did on Stage 2 and riders were able to focus solely on the terrain they were facing in Branson, Missouri. Once again the state of Missouri did their part to facilitate the event by lining up large construction vehicles out on the highway to buffer the riders from the possibility of a course intrusion from traffic.

With Vande Velde still out on course Canadian Symmetrics rider Svein Tuft sat on the bubble with a time that had already bested three-time US national time trial champion David Zabriskie. Tuft who, had put in the 7th best time during the Beijing Olympic Games was one of the men to watch today, and hopes within the Canadian team were elevated when the 31 year-old turned in the best split time. Tuft’s goal was to put in a solid effort and not succumb to pressure.

“I don’t remember the last 3km being as hard last year as they were today, but I just stayed on top of it,” Tuft said after the race. “My style is very aero, and I feel comfortable pushing it like that. When I stand up I tend to go over my threshold.”

Unfortunately for Tuft, Vande Velde became the first rider to pierce the 40-minute mark on course, coming to the line with a time of 39:51:00 Tuft, who’s had the toughest schedule of the entire Symmetrics squad during the 2008 calendar, just finished outside of that mark with a time of 40:24:00 He now sits third on GC, just 44 seconds out of first place. Tuft sees it as an advantageous position to be in.

“Columbia and Garmin are the two strongest teams in the race and it bodes well for us to do most of the controlling tomorrow. It’s going to be interesting to see how it plays out. For us, everyone’s firing on all cylinders. Pinner (Andrew Pinfold) is just stepping it up every day, so we’ll see how it goes.”

With Garmin-Chipolte now holding the leader’s jersey, the quest for the overall general classification will now begin in earnest. Columbia, who enjoyed two days in yellow thanks to sprinter Mark Cavendish, will now have to redouble their efforts to defend their 2007 title won last year by George Hincapie. Hincapie finished just 1:02 minutes behind Vande Velde at today’s stage, which still leaves the American rider within striking distance.

Stage 4 now takes the riders 152km/95 miles from Lebanon to Rolla. With King of the Mountain points once again an issue (there are 3 KOMs, former Canadian road champion Dominique Rollin (Toyota) will be focused on maintaining possession of that jersey.

“I think we’ll try and hang onto it,” Rollin said of tomorrow’s stage. “The climbs are not too threatening to me, so I think I can do it.” Should Rollin finish the season with the KOM prize, he’s certain to be even more attractive as far as negotiations go for a 2009 contract.

While he wasn’t at liberty to go into details, the Canadian rider feels he has a promising future. “I have a good offer on the table, but I can’t make a statement until thing are a bit closer to being sealed. Right now I just want to focus on the Tour of Missouri.”

Results

1. Christian Vande Velde (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 39:52:00 (43.663 km/h)
2. Michael Rogers (Aus) Team Columbia 0:21
3. Svein Tuft (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team 0:32
4. George Hincapie (USA) Team Columbia 1:03
5. David Zabriskie (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 1:10
6. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas 1:15
7. Darren Lill (RSA) BMC Racing Team 1:22
8. Thomas Danielson (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 1:23
9. Danny Pate (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 1:24
10. Ben Day (Aus) Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team 1:25
11. Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas 1:33
12. Rory Sutherland (Aus) Health Net p/b Maxxis 1:33
13. Christopher Baldwin (USA) Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team 1:50
14. Steven Cozza (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 1:51
15. Tom Zirbel (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 1:54
16. Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 2:05
17. Chris Wherry (USA) Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team 2:24
18. Jeffry Louder (USA) BMC Racing Team 2:25
19. Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team 2:30
20. Luis Amaran (Cub) Colavita Sutter Home p/b CookingLight 2:36
21. Jonathan Garcia (USA) BMC Racing Team 2:38
22. Dominique Rollin (Can) Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team
23. Bernard Van Ulden (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 2:49
24. Dirk Müller (Ger) Team Sparkasse 2:52
25. Martin Kohler (Swi) BMC Racing Team 3:03
26. Scott Zwizanski (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 3:07
27. Antonio Cruz (USA) BMC Racing Team 3:23
28. Roman Kilun (USA) Health Net p/b Maxxis 3:28
29. Michael Creed (USA) Rock Racing 3:28
30. Tyler Farrar (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 3:29
31. Darren Lapthorne (Aus) Team Sparkasse 3:32
32. Edward King (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 3:36
33. Justin Spinelli (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies-Medifast 3:36
34. Michael Barry (Can) Team Columbia 3:38
35. Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC Racing Team 3:46
36. Matej Mugerli (Slo) Liquigas 3:49
37. Rob Ruygh (Ned) Team Sparkasse 3:53
38. Marco Pinotti (Ita) Team Columbia 3:54
39. Craig Lewis (USA) Team Columbia 3:54
40. Bernardo Colex Tepoz (Mex) Tecos de la Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara 4:06
41. Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team Columbia 4:09
42. Will Routley (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team 4:10
43. Andy Bajadali (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies-Medifast 4:14
44. Garrett Peltonen (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
45. Cesar Augusto Grajales (Col) Rock Racing 4:21
46. Frank Pipp (USA) Health Net p/b Maxxis 4:23
47. Daniel Holloway (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 4:26
48. Eric Wohlberg (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team 4:26
49. Anthony Colby (USA) Colavita Sutter Home p/b CookingLight 4:28
50. Thomas Rabou (Ned) Rabobank Continental 4:35
51. Dan Bowman (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies-Medifast 4:37
52. Thomas Berkhout (Ned) Rabobank Continental 4:40
53. Bradley Huff (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 4:43
54. John Murphy (USA) Health Net p/b Maxxis 4:49
55. Kirk O’Bee (USA) Health Net p/b Maxxis 4:55
56. Jeremy Powers (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 5:00
57. Kari Menzies (Aus) Health Net p/b Maxxis 5:02
58. Tim Johnson (USA) Health Net p/b Maxxis 5:03
59. Andrew Randell (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team 5:05
60. Kyle Gritters (USA) Health Net p/b Maxxis 5:09
61. Hilton Clarke (Aus) Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team 5:09
62. Andreas Schillinger (Ger) Team Sparkasse 5:13
63. Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Liquigas 5:16
64. Eric Baumann (Ger) Team Sparkasse 5:16
65. Matt Rice (Aus) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 5:20
66. Carlos Oyarzun (Chi) Tecos de la Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara 5:27
67. Kiel Reijnen (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 5:30
68. Kai Reus (Ned) Rabobank Continental 5:31
69. Marcel Beima (Ned) Rabobank Continental 5:32
70. Francesco Chicchi (Ita) Liquigas 5:33
71. Davide Frattini (Ita) Colavita Sutter Home p/b CookingLight 5:34
72. Cameron Evans (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team 5:37
73. Omer Kem (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 5:45
74. Bryce Mead (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 5:46
75. Gianni Da Ros (Ita) Liquigas 5:55
76. Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team Columbia 5:55
77. Lui Alfredo Gutierrez Colunga (Mex) Tecos de la Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara 5:57
78. Richard England (Aus) Bissell Pro Cycling 5:58
79. Juan Pablo Magallanes Aranda (Mex) Tecos de la Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara 6:02
80. Caleb Manion (Aus) Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team 6:06
81. Boy Van Poppel (Ned) Rabobank Continental 6:09
82. Jos Van Emden (Ned) Rabobank Continental 6:10
83. Ryan Andreson (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team 6:12
84. Reid Mumford (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies-Medifast 6:23
85. Luca Damiani (Ita) Colavita Sutter Home p/b CookingLight 6:24
86. John Devine (USA) Team Columbia 6:31
87. Nicholas Sanderson (Aus) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 6:45
88. Keven Lacombe (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies-Medifast 6:54
89. Jonathan Sundt (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies-Medifast 6:55
90. Omar Cervantes Diaz (Mex) Tecos de la Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara 7:02
91. Jetse Bol (Ned) Rabobank Continental 7:05
92. Michael Van Stayen (Bel) Rabobank Continental 7:09
93. Richard Faltus (Cze) Team Sparkasse 7:09
94. Gustavo Artacho (Arg) Colavita Sutter Home p/b CookingLight 7:10
95. Henk Vogels (Aus) Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team 7:12
96. Mike Sayers (USA) BMC Racing Team 7:13
97. Alejandro Alberto Borrajo (Arg) Colavita Sutter Home p/b CookingLight 7:27
98. Lars Wackernagel (Ger) Team Sparkasse 7:29
99. Andy Guptill (USA) Colavita Sutter Home p/b CookingLight 7:31
100. Luis Fernando Macias Hernandez (Mex) Tecos de la Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara 7:34
101. Alex Candelario (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies-Medifast 7:36
102. Sergio Hernandez (USA) Rock Racing 7:40
103. Nicholas Reistad (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 7:43
104. Andrew Pinfold (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team 7:50
105. Lucas Sebastian Haedo (Arg) Colavita Sutter Home p/b CookingLight 8:00
106. Kayle Leogrande (USA) Rock Racing 8:12
107. Ivan Dominguez (Cub) Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team 8:14
108. Sebastian Frey (Ger) Team Sparkasse 8:34
109. Jeremiah Wiscovitch (USA) Rock Racing 8:42
110. David Veilleux (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies-Medifast 9:54
HD Stirling Magnell (USA) Rock Racing 10:24
HD Elliott Everardo Vazquez Cervantes (Mex) Tecos de la Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara 11:21
HD Justin Williams (USA) Rock Racing 14:01
DNS Blake Caldwell (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30

GC after Stage 3

1. Christian Vande Velde (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 8:48:24
2. Michael Rogers (Aus) Team Columbia 0:21
3. Svein Tuft (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team 0:44
4. George Hincapie (USA) Team Columbia 1:03
5. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas 1:15
6. David Zabriskie (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 1:21
7. Darren Lill (RSA) BMC Racing Team 1:22
8. Thomas Danielson (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 1:24
9. Danny Pate (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30
10. Ben Day (Aus) Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team 1:25
11. Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas 1:33
12. Rory Sutherland (Aus) Health Net p/b Maxxis 1:44
13. Steven Cozza (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 1:51
14. Christopher Baldwin (USA) Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team 2:01
15. Tom Zirbel (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 2:02
16. Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 2:05
17. Jeffry Louder (USA) BMC Racing Team 2:25
18. Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team 2:30
19. Chris Wherry (USA) Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team 2:35
20. Luis Amaran (Cub) Colavita Sutter Home p/b CookingLight 2:36
21. Jonathan Garcia (USA) BMC Racing Team 2:38
22. Dominique Rollin (Can) Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team 2:39
23. Martin Kohler (Swi) BMC Racing Team 2:58
24. Bernard Van Ulden (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 3:00
25. Dirk Müller (Ger) Team Sparkasse 3:03
26. Scott Zwizanski (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 3:18
27. Tyler Farrar (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 3:23
28. Antonio Cruz (USA) BMC Racing Team
29. Edward King (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 3:36
30. Michael Barry (Can) Team Columbia 3:38
31. Roman Kilun (USA) Health Net p/b Maxxis 3:39
32. Michael Creed (USA) Rock Racing
33. Darren Lapthorne (Aus) Team Sparkasse 3:43
34. Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC Racing Team 3:46
35. Justin Spinelli (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies-Medifast 3:47
36. Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team Columbia 3:49
37. Matej Mugerli (Slo) Liquigas
38. Marco Pinotti (Ita) Team Columbia 3:54
39. Rob Ruygh (Ned) Team Sparkasse 4:04
40. Craig Lewis (USA) Team Columbia 4:05
41. Bernardo Colex Tepoz (Mex) Tecos de la Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara 4:17
42. Will Routley (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team 4:21
43. Andy Bajadali (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies-Medifast 4:25
44. Daniel Holloway (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 4:26
45. Eric Wohlberg (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team 4:37
46. Anthony Colby (USA) Colavita Sutter Home p/b CookingLight 4:39
47. Thomas Berkhout (Ned) Rabobank Continental 4:40
48. Bradley Huff (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 4:43
49. Thomas Rabou (Ned) Rabobank Continental 4:46
50. Dan Bowman (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies-Medifast 4:48
51. John Murphy (USA) Health Net p/b Maxxis 4:49
52. Kari Menzies (Aus) Health Net p/b Maxxis 5:02
53. Garrett Peltonen (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 5:04
54. Hilton Clarke (Aus) Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team 5:09
55. Eric Baumann (Ger) Team Sparkasse 5:11
56. Jeremy Powers (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
57. Andreas Schillinger (Ger) Team Sparkasse 5:18
58. Francesco Chicchi (Ita) Liquigas 5:25
59. Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Liquigas 5:27
60. Kiel Reijnen (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 5:30
61. Marcel Beima (Ned) Rabobank Continental 5:32
62. Davide Frattini (Ita) Colavita Sutter Home p/b CookingLight 5:34
63. Cameron Evans (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team 5:37
64. Carlos Oyarzun (Chi) Tecos de la Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara 5:38
65. Kai Reus (Ned) Rabobank Continental 5:42
66. Bryce Mead (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 5:57
67. Richard England (Aus) Bissell Pro Cycling 5:58
68. Matt Rice (Aus) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 6:07
69. Lui Alfredo Gutierrez Colunga (Mex) Tecos de la Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara 6:08
70. Omer Kem (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 6:09
71. Boy Van Poppel (Ned) Rabobank Continental
72. Jos Van Emden (Ned) Rabobank Continental 6:10
73. Juan Pablo Magallanes Aranda (Mex) Tecos de la Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara 6:13
74. Gianni Da Ros (Ita) Liquigas 6:19
75. Kirk O’Bee (USA) Health Net p/b Maxxis 6:22
76. Ryan Andreson (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team 6:23
77. Caleb Manion (Aus) Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team 6:30
78. Nicholas Sanderson (Aus) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 6:56
79. Jetse Bol (Ned) Rabobank Continental 7:05
80. Cesar Augusto Grajales (Col) Rock Racing 7:08
81. Michael Van Stayen (Bel) Rabobank Continental 7:09
82. John Devine (USA) Team Columbia 7:12
83. Omar Cervantes Diaz (Mex) Tecos de la Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara 7:13
84. Richard Faltus (Cze) Team Sparkasse 7:20
85. Gustavo Artacho (Arg) Colavita Sutter Home p/b CookingLight 7:22
86. Tim Johnson (USA) Health Net p/b Maxxis
87. Alejandro Alberto Borrajo (Arg) Colavita Sutter Home p/b CookingLight 7:28
88. Frank Pipp (USA) Health Net p/b Maxxis 7:34
89. Luis Fernando Macias Hernandez (Mex) Tecos de la Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara
90. Nicholas Reistad (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 7:43
91. Andrew Pinfold (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team 7:50
92. Lars Wackernagel (Ger) Team Sparkasse 7:57
93. Kayle Leogrande (USA) Rock Racing 8:12
94. Andrew Randell (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team 8:16
95. Jeremiah Wiscovitch (USA) Rock Racing 8:53
96. Andy Guptill (USA) Colavita Sutter Home p/b CookingLight 9:37
97. Henk Vogels (Aus) Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team 9:46
98. Sebastian Frey (Ger) Team Sparkasse 9:49
99. Mike Sayers (USA) BMC Racing Team 9:56
100. David Veilleux (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies-Medifast 10:06
101. Alex Candelario (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies-Medifast 10:10
102. Ivan Dominguez (Cub) Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team 10:14
103. Reid Mumford (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies-Medifast 10:35
104. Kyle Gritters (USA) Health Net p/b Maxxis 10:38
105. Luca Damiani (Ita) Colavita Sutter Home p/b CookingLight 10:49
106. Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team Columbia 11:33
107. Jonathan Sundt (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies-Medifast 16:51
108. Lucas Sebastian Haedo (Arg) Colavita Sutter Home p/b CookingLight 19:21
109. Sergio Hernandez (USA) Rock Racing 19:39
110. Kevin Lacombe (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies-Medifast 27:22:00