April 24, 2005 — The final 220 km Stage 6 of the Dodge Tour de Georgia (Blairsville to Alpharetta, GA) ended with a bang as Gord Fraser (Health Net/Maxxis) delivered his first stage win at the 2005 Dodge Tour de Georgia. Canada’s second stellar performance went to Dominique Perras (Kodak Easyshare-Sierra Nevada), who took the first bonus sprint and the $2,500 prime.

The pace throughout the entire stage was hot due to strong winds and the fact that the Discovery team seemed to have something to prove by setting hard tempo throughout the race. They did allow a small break of four men including Andrea Tafi (Saunier Duval — Prodir), Danny Pate (Jelly Belly), Canada’s Dominique Perras (Kodak EasyShare — Sierra Nevada) and Peter Wrolich (Gerolsteiner) to make it all the way to the finishing circuits.

With two laps remaining the Healthnet-Maxxis team and Phonak were looking to bring things back together so they could deliver their sprinters to the line and with one lap remaining the peloton was back together which played into the hands of Fraser and the Health Net train. “We definitely were looking for a field sprint. Greg (Henderson) held the points jersey and we had two strong sprinters that could deliver,” said Gord Fraser at an evening press conference. The final sprint was exciting, with Canada’s Gord Fraser easily outracing the rest of the large group. In the end, Tom Danielson (Discovery) was the overall winner of the Tour de Georgia, followed by Levi Leiphemmer (Gerolsteiner), and Floyd Landis (Phonak). The sprinter’s jersey went to Greg Henderson (Health Net), the King of the Mountain jersey to Jose Rubiera (Discovery Channel), and Trent Lowe (Jittery Joe’s) as Best Young Rider.

Symmetrics Cycling finished up the day with a 15th (Svein Tuft) and 16th (Andrew Pinfold) place and a 42nd overall (Jacob Erker) and 45th Overall (Eric Wohlberg)

Jeff Kabush (Jittery Joe’s) brought home 41st on the day and 31st overall while Dominique Perras (Kodak EasyShare — Sierra Nevada) rolled in 53rd today and 28th overall.

Andrea Tafi, a legendary cyclist, ended his career with verve, grace, and humour. Tafi, named most aggressive rider in today’s stage, was the life of the party at the awards presentation, spraying champagne and donating his winning Paris-Roubaix jersey for auction to benefit the Georgia Cancer Coalition. Winner Tom Danielson gave credit and paid homage to Lance Armstrong, and Discovery Director Sportif, Johan Bruyneel. Danielson painted Bruyneel as a benevolent puppet-master, telling the riders what and when to eat, and how to behave in the peloton.

Which partly explains the mechanistic manner in which Discovery controlled the race. It also highlights the fact that there is still a difference between European Pro teams and domestic pro teams. Although Health Net garnered some nice wins in today’s stage, most of the North American teams came up short. “The European teams really crank up the pace,” said Canadian Eric Wohlberg, “even an additional 3 km/hr on the hills can make a huge difference for a team’s performance.”

The racing here has been interesting, if not overly exciting, and there was some great mountain riding. The best part is that the European Pro Tour teams don’t come to America for a vacation anymore. They come to race and they raced very hard. It is great for the North American teams to compete against the best in the world.

Results
1 Gordon Fraser (Can) Health Net pb Maxxis 4.59.00
2 Gregory Henderson (NZl) Health Net pb Maxxis
3 Aurélien Clerc (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems
4 Danilo Napolitano (Ita) Team L.P.R.
5 Geoffroy Lequatre (Fra) Credit Agricole
6 René Haselbacher (Aut) Gerolsteiner
7 Christian Müller (Ger) Team CSC
8 Manuel Quinziato (Ita) Prodir – Saunier Duval
9 David O’Loughlin (Irl) Navigators Insurance
10 Christian Vandevelde (USA) Team CSC
11 Portal Sébastien (Fra) Credit Agricole
12 Vassili Davidenko (Rus) Navigators Insurance
13 Jackson Stewart (USA) Kodak Gallery – Sierra Nevada
14 Brice Jones (USA) Jelly Belly – Pool Gel
15 Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Team CSC
16 Svein Tuft (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team
17 Andrew Pinfold (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team
18 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Gerolsteiner
19 Sascha Urweider (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems
20 Bobby Julich (USA) Team CSC
21 Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Credit Agricole
22 Lance Armstrong (USA) Discovery Channel
23 Peter Wrolich (Aut) Gerolsteiner
24 Michael Blaudzun (Den) Team CSC
25 Phil Zajicek (USA) Navigators Insurance
26 Viatcheslav Ekimov (Rus) Discovery Channel
27 Nick Waite (USA) USA National Team
28 Michele Maccanti (Ita) Team L.P.R.
29 Tom Danielson (USA) Discovery Channel
30 Sven Krauss (Ger) Gerolsteiner
31 Matthias Russ (Ger) Gerolsteiner
32 Mads Kaggestad (Nor) Credit Agricole
33 Nicolas Fritsch (Fra) Prodir – Saunier Duval
34 Jeremy Powers (USA) Jelly Belly – Pool Gel
35 Timothy Johnson (USA) Jittery Joe’s – Kalahari
36 Daniele Masolino (Ita) Team L.P.R.
37 Davide Frattini (Ita) Colavita Olive Oil – Sutter Home
38 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team CSC
39 David Canada Gracia (Spa) Prodir – Saunier Duval
40 Eric Wohlberg (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team
41 Geoff Kabush (Can) Jittery Joe’s – Kalahari
42 Juan Jose Cobo Acebo (Spa) Prodir – Saunier Duval
43 Trent Lowe (Aus) Jittery Joe’s – Kalahari
44 David Zabriskie (USA) Team CSC
45 Saul Raisin (USA) Credit Agricole
46 Brian Vandborg (Den) Team CSC
47 Michael Lange (USA) Team TIAA – CREF
48 Chris Wherry (USA) Health Net pb Maxxis
49 Timothy Duggan (USA) Team TIAA – CREF
50 Michael Rich (Ger) Gerolsteiner
51 José Azevedo (Por) Discovery Channel
52 Andy Guptill (USA) USA National Team
53 Dominique Perras (Can) Kodak Gallery – Sierra Nevada
54 Tomasz Nose (Slo) Phonak Hearing Systems
55 Marco Pinotti (Ita) Prodir – Saunier Duval
56 Floyd Landis (USA) Phonak Hearing Systems
57 Aaron Olsen (USA) Colavita Olive Oil – Sutter Home
58 John Devine (USA) USA National Team
59 Jacob Erker (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team
60 Alessandro Maserati (Ita) Team L.P.R.
61 John Lieswyn (USA) Health Net pb Maxxis
62 Danny Pate (USA) Jelly Belly – Pool Gel
63 Daniele Contrini (Ita) Team L.P.R.
64 Justin England (USA) Health Net pb Maxxis
65 Mike Sayers (USA) Health Net pb Maxxis
66 Andrea Tafi (Ita) Prodir – Saunier Duval
67 Cesar Augusto Grajales (Col) Navigators Insurance
68 Nathan O’Neill (Aus) Navigators Insurance
69 Christopher Baldwin (USA) Navigators Insurance
70 Jason McCartney (USA) Discovery Channel
71 José Luis Rubiera Vigil (Spa) Discovery Channel
72 Craig Lewis (USA) Team TIAA – CREF
73 Scott Moninger (USA) Health Net pb Maxxis
74 Niki Aebersold (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems
75 Caleb Manion (Aus) Jelly Belly – Pool Gel
76 Matthew Rice (Aus) Jelly Belly – Pool Gel 0.21
77 Ivan Fanelli (Ita) Team L.P.R. 0.49
78 Cory Lange (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team
79 Mauro Santambrogio (Ita) Team L.P.R. 3.13
80 Elia Aggiano (Ita) Team L.P.R.
81 Jonathan Page (USA) Colavita Olive Oil – Sutter Home
DNF Robert Hunter (RSA) Phonak Hearing Systems
DNF Derek Wilkerson (USA) Colavita Olive Oil – Sutter Home

Sprints

Sprint 1

1 Dominique Perras (Can) Kodak Gallery – Sierra Nevada 5 pts
2 Danny Pate (USA) Jelly Belly – Pool Gel 3
3 Sven Krauss (Ger) Gerolsteiner 1

Sprint 2

1 Danny Pate (USA) Jelly Belly – Pool Gel 5 pts
2 Dominique Perras (Can) Kodak Gallery – Sierra Nevada 3
3 Andrea Tafi (Ita) Prodir – Saunier Duval 1

Teams

1 Team CSC 14.57.00
2 Credit Agricole
3 Navigators Insurance Cycling Team
4 Gerolsteiner
5 Health Net Presented by Maxxis
6 Team L.P.R.
7 Symmetrics Cycling Team
8 Phonak Hearing Systems
9 Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
10 Prodir – Saunier Duval
11 Jelly Belly – Pool Gel
12 Jittery Joe’s – Kalahari Pro Cycling Team
13 USA National Team
14 Team TIAA – CREF
15 Colavita Olive Oil – Sutter Home Pro Cycling Team 3.13

Final General classification

1 Tom Danielson (USA) Discovery Channel 26.53.44
2 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Gerolsteiner 0.04
3 Floyd Landis (USA) Phonak Hearing Systems 0.09
4 Bobby Julich (USA) Team CSC 1.10
5 Lance Armstrong (USA) Discovery Channel 1.41
6 David Zabriskie (USA) Team CSC 3.04
7 Marco Pinotti (Ita) Prodir – Saunier Duval 3.11
8 Nathan O’Neill (Aus) Navigators Insurance 3.14
9 Michael Blaudzun (Den) Team CSC 3.51
10 José Azevedo (Por) Discovery Channel 3.58
11 Trent Lowe (Aus) Jittery Joe’s – Kalahari 4.12
12 Christian Vandevelde (USA) Team CSC 4.19
13 Saul Raisin (USA) Credit Agricole 4.43
14 Justin England (USA) Health Net pb Maxxis 6.45
15 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team CSC 6.54
16 Nicolas Fritsch (Fra) Prodir – Saunier Duval 6.59
17 Brian Vandborg (Den) Team CSC 8.19
18 Danny Pate (USA) Jelly Belly – Pool Gel 8.59
19 Viatcheslav Ekimov (Rus) Discovery Channel 11.01
20 Scott Moninger (USA) Health Net pb Maxxis 11.58
21 José Luis Rubiera Vigil (Spa) Discovery Channel 13.06
22 David Canada Gracia (Spa) Prodir – Saunier Duval 14.09
23 Daniele Contrini (Ita) Team L.P.R. 14.27
24 Sven Krauss (Ger) Gerolsteiner 14.37
25 Jason McCartney (USA) Discovery Channel 16.40
26 Mauro Santambrogio (Ita) Team L.P.R. 18.46
27 Christopher Baldwin (USA) Navigators Insurance 19.58
28 Dominique Perras (Can) Kodak Gallery – Sierra Nevada 20.10
29 Michele Maccanti (Ita) Team L.P.R. 20.50
30 Juan Jose Cobo Acebo (Spa) Prodir – Saunier Duval 20.53
31 Geoff Kabush (Can) Jittery Joe’s – Kalahari 21.53
32 Chris Wherry (USA) Health Net pb Maxxis 22.50
33 Michael Lange (USA) Team TIAA – CREF 23.20
34 Manuel Quinziato (Ita) Prodir – Saunier Duval 26.13
35 Mads Kaggestad (Nor) Credit Agricole 27.44
36 Matthias Russ (Ger) Gerolsteiner 29.27
37 Phil Zajicek (USA) Navigators Insurance 29.36
38 Tomasz Nose (Slo) Phonak Hearing Systems 31.38
39 Portal Sébastien (Fra) Credit Agricole 32.15
40 Matthew Rice (Aus) Jelly Belly – Pool Gel 32.45
41 Daniele Masolino (Ita) Team L.P.R. 32.47
42 Jacob Erker (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team 34.17
43 Davide Frattini (Ita) Colavita Olive Oil – Sutter Home 35.09
44 Elia Aggiano (Ita) Team L.P.R. 38.02
45 Eric Wohlberg (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team 38.32
46 Michael Rich (Ger) Gerolsteiner 40.11
47 Brice Jones (USA) Jelly Belly – Pool Gel 40.28
48 Peter Wrolich (Aut) Gerolsteiner 40.42
49 Timothy Johnson (USA) Jittery Joe’s – Kalahari 40.53
50 Jackson Stewart (USA) Kodak Gallery – Sierra Nevada 42.32
51 Ivan Fanelli (Ita) Team L.P.R. 43.55
52 Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Team CSC 45.34
53 Nick Waite (USA) USA National Team 45.47
54 Craig Lewis (USA) Team TIAA – CREF 46.46
55 Christian Müller (Ger) Team CSC 47.01
56 Andrea Tafi (Ita) Prodir – Saunier Duval 47.21
57 Niki Aebersold (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems 49.14
58 David O’Loughlin (Irl) Navigators Insurance 49.30
59 Timothy Duggan (USA) Team TIAA – CREF 49.48
60 Jeremy Powers (USA) Jelly Belly – Pool Gel 50.15
61 Geoffroy Lequatre (Fra) Credit Agricole 50.29
62 Gregory Henderson (NZl) Health Net pb Maxxis 50.35
63 John Devine (USA) USA National Team 50.52
64 Caleb Manion (Aus) Jelly Belly – Pool Gel 50.53
65 Sascha Urweider (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems 51.51
66 Cory Lange (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team 52.31
67 Cesar Augusto Grajales (Col) Navigators Insurance 53.58
68 John Lieswyn (USA) Health Net pb Maxxis 54.45
69 René Haselbacher (Aut) Gerolsteiner 55.34
70 Svein Tuft (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team 1.01.17
71 Gordon Fraser (Can) Health Net pb Maxxis 1.02.32
72 Aaron Olsen (USA) Colavita Olive Oil – Sutter Home 1.03.16
73 Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Credit Agricole 1.03.52
74 Alessandro Maserati (Ita) Team L.P.R. 1.04.48
75 Mike Sayers (USA) Health Net pb Maxxis 1.04.53
76 Vassili Davidenko (Rus) Navigators Insurance 1.04.54
77 Danilo Napolitano (Ita) Team L.P.R. 1.05.31
78 Aurélien Clerc (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems 1.07.12
79 Andy Guptill (USA) USA National Team 1.08.15
80 Andrew Pinfold (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team 1.08.21
81 Jonathan Page (USA) Colavita Olive Oil – Sutter Home 1.19.49

Sprint classification

1 Gregory Henderson (NZl) Health Net pb Maxxis 40 pts
2 Lance Armstrong (USA) Discovery Channel 24
3 Gordon Fraser (Can) Health Net pb Maxxis 21
4 Bobby Julich (USA) Team CSC 21
5 Tom Danielson (USA) Discovery Channel 19
6 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Gerolsteiner 17
7 Danilo Napolitano (Ita) Team L.P.R. 16
8 Marco Pinotti (Ita) Prodir – Saunier Duval 16
9 Brian Vandborg (Den) Team CSC 15
10 Peter Wrolich (Aut) Gerolsteiner 15
11 Aurélien Clerc (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems 13
12 Viatcheslav Ekimov (Rus) Discovery Channel 12
13 Manuel Quinziato (Ita) Prodir – Saunier Duval 12
14 Floyd Landis (USA) Phonak Hearing Systems 10
15 Michele Maccanti (Ita) Team L.P.R. 10
16 René Haselbacher (Aut) Gerolsteiner 9
17 Danny Pate (USA) Jelly Belly – Pool Gel 8
18 Dominique Perras (Can) Kodak Gallery – Sierra Nevada 8
19 Sven Krauss (Ger) Gerolsteiner 8
20 David Canada Gracia (Spa) Prodir – Saunier Duval 8
21 Jason McCartney (USA) Discovery Channel 7
22 Ivan Fanelli (Ita) Team L.P.R. 7
23 Andrea Tafi (Ita) Prodir – Saunier Duval 6
24 Mauro Santambrogio (Ita) Team L.P.R. 6
25 Geoffroy Lequatre (Fra) Credit Agricole 6
26 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team CSC 4
27 Christian Müller (Ger) Team CSC 4
28 Trent Lowe (Aus) Jittery Joe’s – Kalahari 4
29 Caleb Manion (Aus) Jelly Belly – Pool Gel 4
30 Juan Jose Cobo Acebo (Spa) Prodir – Saunier Duval 3
31 Saul Raisin (USA) Credit Agricole 3
32 Michael Blaudzun (Den) Team CSC 2
33 David O’Loughlin (Irl) Navigators Insurance 2
34 Vassili Davidenko (Rus) Navigators Insurance 1
35 Brice Jones (USA) Jelly Belly – Pool Gel 1
36 Christian Vandevelde (USA) Team CSC 1
37 Daniele Contrini (Ita) Team L.P.R. 1

Mountain classification

1 José Luis Rubiera Vigil (Spa) Discovery Channel 46 pts
2 Sven Krauss (Ger) Gerolsteiner 30
3 Marco Pinotti (Ita) Prodir – Saunier Duval 23
4 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team CSC 23
5 Tom Danielson (USA) Discovery Channel 19
6 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Gerolsteiner 19
7 Lance Armstrong (USA) Discovery Channel 18
8 Jason McCartney (USA) Discovery Channel 14
9 Floyd Landis (USA) Phonak Hearing Systems 13
10 Timothy Johnson (USA) Jittery Joe’s – Kalahari 13
11 Michael Blaudzun (Den) Team CSC 12
12 Saul Raisin (USA) Credit Agricole 7
13 Bobby Julich (USA) Team CSC 6
14 Matthias Russ (Ger) Gerolsteiner 6
15 David Canada Gracia (Spa) Prodir – Saunier Duval 5
16 Trent Lowe (Aus) Jittery Joe’s – Kalahari 4
17 Nicolas Fritsch (Fra) Prodir – Saunier Duval 4
18 Andrea Tafi (Ita) Prodir – Saunier Duval 4
19 José Azevedo (Por) Discovery Channel 3
20 Elia Aggiano (Ita) Team L.P.R. 3
21 Viatcheslav Ekimov (Rus) Discovery Channel 2
22 David Zabriskie (USA) Team CSC 1
23 Sascha Urweider (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems 1
24 Christian Müller (Ger) Team CSC 1
25 Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Team CSC 1

Best young rider

1 Trent Lowe (Aus) Jittery Joe’s – Kalahari 26.57.56
2 Saul Raisin (USA) Credit Agricole 0.31
3 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team CSC 2.42
4 Sven Krauss (Ger) Gerolsteiner 10.25
5 Mauro Santambrogio (Ita) Team L.P.R. 14.34
6 Michael Lange (USA) Team TIAA – CREF 19.08
7 Matthias Russ (Ger) Gerolsteiner 25.15
8 Nick Waite (USA) USA National Team 41.35
9 Craig Lewis (USA) Team TIAA – CREF 42.34
10 Jeremy Powers (USA) Jelly Belly – Pool Gel 46.03
11 John Devine (USA) USA National Team 46.40
12 Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Credit Agricole 59.40
13 Andy Guptill (USA) USA National Team 1.04.03

Team classification

1 Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 80.46.15
2 Team CSC 1.11
3 Prodir – Saunier Duval 18.38
4 Gerolsteiner 26.09
5 Health Net Presented by Maxxis 34.27
6 Team L.P.R. 45.14
7 Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 45.44
8 Credit Agricole 59.15
9 Jittery Joe’s – Kalahari Pro Cycling Team 1.01.47
10 Phonak Hearing Systems 1.04.29
11 Jelly Belly – Pool Gel 1.14.39
12 Team TIAA – CREF 1.49.01
13 Symmetrics Cycling Team 1.53.34
14 Colavita Olive Oil – Sutter Home Pro Cycling Team 2.26.02
15 USA National Team 2.32.18

April 25, 2004 – The long awaited showdown of the GC contenders played out today during the 128-mile stage-6 from Athens to the top of Brasstown Bald. The fans lucky enough to have a space near the final kilometer were treated to a great finish.

The race started out fast, and stayed that way for some time. At mile-18 a group of nine escaped, and were shortly joined by a 10th. With the team of race leader Lance Armstrong controlling the front of the peloton, the escapees gained an advantage that only made it to 4:15. The break of Jeff Louder (Navigators), Alessio Galetti (Domina Vacanze), Ivan Ravaioli (Barloworld), James Mattis (Webcor), Thomas Brunn (CSC), Russ Hamby (Sierra Nevada), Gord Fraser (Health Net), Jacky Durand (Lanbouwkredit-Colnago), Erik Saunders (Ofoto), and Paul Ellis (Jelly Belly), worked together over the roads that went up more than down. The move of the day came at mile-88 as Galetti went out on his own. While the remainder of the break disintegrated behind him, he continued on in pursuit of victory. The US Postal squad displayed perfect timing by reeling him in just 4-km from the summit of the 4,679' finishing climb.

After several attacks from the main pack of just 30 riders, including Navigators' Louder, Chris Baldwin and Phil Zajicek, the lead group was whittled down substantially. The first major attack came from Jens Voigt (CSC) to create another selection. The leading group was now just Armstrong, Chris Horner (Webcor), Voigt and Cesar Grajales (Jittery Joes). An attack by Grajales opened a gap on the other 3 that continued to grow. The three GC contenders continued through the final few hundred meters with Horner slipping back by about 25-meters. At the finish it was Armstrong going over the line in 2nd.

Stage-6 (Unofficial):
1. Cesar Grajales (Jittery Joes Coffee)
2. Lance Armstrong (US Postal Service)
3. Jens Voigt (CSC)

Overall GC: (Unofficial)
1. Lance Armstrong
2. Jens Voigt
3. Chris Horner