September 24, 2006 (Salzburg, Austria) — It’s another beautiful day in Salzburg with massive crowds on hand for the Elite Men’s road race already underway. The race began at 10:30 am local time, 4:30 am EDT with 198 starters who will complete 265.8 kms – 12 laps of the 22.2-km course. The lone entrant for Canada is Ryder Hesjedal (BC). We pick up the race near the end the second lap.

Laps 1-2

About 1/2 way through the first lap Colombian rider Alex Ardila Cano got away and almost immediately the USA’s Tyler Farrar went after him. The peloton is chasing behind keeping an eye on things but content to leave the two riders out there. Lap 1 time was 30.03.

Near the end of the second climb on Lap 2 Cano has a 45-second lead on Farrar and the pack is 1:30 behind.

Lap 2 time was 32:01

Lap 3

As the riders head into the third lap things are stringing out as Cano is still in the lead but now a group of 11 is chasing him at 1 min behind. Following this chase group is Robert Radosz (Poland) at 2:51, then Jose Antonio Ramos Querales (Venezuela) at 3:45 followed by the pack at 4:09. Canada’s Hesjedal in near the back of the rear group.

The 11 riders have caught Cano and now have about 6 minutes on the main pack with 3 riders in between – the leaders are.

– Jurgen Van Goolen (Belgium)
– Luis Perez Rodriguez (Spain)
– Thomas Voeckler (France)
– Stephan Schreck (Germany)
– Ronaldo Nocentini (Italy)
– Matteo Tossato (Italy)
– Bram De Groot (Netherlands)
– Tyler Farrar (USA)
– Aliaksandr Kychinski (Belarus)
– Nicolas Roche (Ireland)
– Daniel Andonov Petrov (Bulgaria)
– Alex Ardila Cano (Colombia)

Lap 3 time was 31:49

Lap 4

The leaders have started Lap 4 with Poland’s Robert Radosz and Frantisek Rabon (Czech Republic) at 3:47 – Jose Antonio Ramos Querales (Venezuela) is about 5 min behind and the main pack had not come through yet.

The main pack is a whopping 9:56 behind the leaders who will soon finish the first climb.

At the end of the second climb the main pack is losing ground and is now 12:24 behind the leaders.

Lap time was 32:04

Lap 5

The lead group of 12 riders has started the fifth lap – we are 1/3 of the way through the race. Radosz and Rabon are about 5 min. down with Querales still on his own behind them. The main pack continues to dawdle behind and is almost 1/2 a lap down on the leaders.

The main pack has come thru at 14:57 behind – Radosz and Rabon are at 5:20 – Querales is at 11:47.

The leaders are 1/2-way thru the fifth lap.

Lap time 33:05

Lap 6

The leaders have started the sixth lap. The pack which is strung out in a long line has now speeded up and is being lead by the Austrian and Dutch teams with Spain also moving up – the pack has caught Querales.

The pack started Lap 6 at 11:29 down – Canada’s Hesjedal remains near the back of the main group with the Austrians and the Swiss at the front.

The leaders are just finishing the second big climb and have dropped Cano (Colombia) who is 2 min back.

Lap time was 33:01

Lap 7

We’re at the 1/2-way mark as the leaders begin the seventh lap. The pack was still gaining and as they finished the second big climb on lap 6 the gap was down to 9:20.

The pack has come thru at 7:55 and is gaining fast with Austria and Switzerland continuing to lead the group along with Joost Posthuma (Netherlands). Alex Ardila Cano (Colombia) is at 4:29.

The leaders will soon complete the second major climb.

The pack is now at 6 min. over the second climb as the Italians started attacking but the group is now back together. Voeckler (France) looks like he’s struggling.

Lap time 32:56

Lap 8

The leaders have just come through spurred on by the cheering and boisterous crowd as they begin the eighth lap.

The pack has come thru at 4:41 lead by Peter Wrolich (Austria) with numerous Spanish riders just behind him helping with the chase.

The leaders have passed the feed zone and will soon tackle the first major climb.

The pack seemed to lose some momentum but has regained its composure as they finish the second major climb the gap from the leaders is 3:10.

Lap time 32:59

Lap 9

We are 2/3 of the way thru the race – 88.8 kms to go.

The pack is now at 2:50 behind the leaders as the Austrian team has faded. There’s a group of 10 riders from Slovenia, Spain and Norway a few metres ahead of the main pack at the start of the ninth lap. Canada’s Ryder Hesjedal is at the back of the main pack.

The Italians are now at the front of the pack leading the chase as the leaders approach the second climb – the leaders are as follows:

– Tyler Farrar (USA)
– Nicolas Roche (Ireland)
– Matteo Tosatto (Italy)
– Rinaldo Nocentini (Italy)
– Jurgen Van Goolen (Belgium)
– Bram De Groot (Netherlands)
– Daniel Andonov Petrov (Bulgaria)
– Luis Perez Rodriguez (Spain)
– Stephan Schreck (Germany)
– Aliaksandr Kychinski (Belarus)
– Thomas Voeckler (France)

Rodriguez is at the front of the lead group who have dropped Bram De Groot (Netherlands), Tyler Farrar (USA) and Aliaksandr Kychinski (Belarus).

In the chase group there were lots of attacks over the second climb and the pack is at 2 min.

A group of about 14 riders has broken away from the pack and caught the leaders near the end of this lap.

Lap time was 31:51

Lap 10

The new lead group of 25 riders has a slim 40-second gap over the pack which is bearing down on them with Holland and Spain at the front leading the chase. Canada’s Hesjedal was trailing the main pack by about a minute at the start of lap ten.

The Italians now have 4 riders in the lead-25 group adding Danilo Di Luca and Filippo Pozzato and are pushing.

Some of the other newcomers to this group include Stijn Devolder (Belgium), Samuel Sanchez (Spain), Carlos Sastre Candil (Spain), Fabian Cancellara (Switzerland), Vladimir Efimkin (Russia), Philippe Gilbert (Belgium), Nicki Sorensen (Denmark), Stuart O’Grady (Australia), Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Norway), Marcus Ljungqvist (Sweden), Andrey Kashechkin (Kazakhstan) and Raivis Belohvosciks (Latvia).

After the second climb the Italians continue to push in the lead group which has a minute on the pack – the Spanish and Dutch teams are leading the main pack as they chase the leaders.

Lap time 29:51

Lap 11

The pack has caught the leaders as we begin the second to last lap.

There are numerous sporadic attacks by the Italians and the Colombians but everything is being marked by the Belgians.

At the first climb 3 riders have gotten away – David Loosli (Switzerland), Freddie Rodriquez (USA), and Kanstantsin Siutsou (Belarus).

Canada’s Ryder Hesjedal has DNF’d.

The group has come together again as they’ve completed the climbs and are heading back to the start finish for the final lap. And now Loosli (Switzerland) and Davide Rebbelin (Italy) have taken a small lead.

Sylvain Chavanel (France) has bridged to the 2 leaders who have 100 metres on the peloton.

Lap time was 28:45

Lap 12 Final

As we begin the final lap Loosli (Switzerland), Rebbelin (Italy) and Chavanel (France) have small 10-second lead on the main pack.

The leaders approach the first main climb as the Italians are at the front of the pack leading the chase.

The pack has caught the 3 leaders and now riders are attacking at will – Vinokurov, Cancellara and others – as they begin the first climb.

Paolo Bettini (Italy) has attacked on the second climb and has a 200 metre lead.

There are 5 chasers Karsten Kroon (Netherlands), Michael Boogerd (Netherlands), Fabian Wegmann (Germany), Alexandre Vinokurov (Kazakhstan), and David Millar (Great Britain).

Bettini’s been caught and now the leaders have swelled to a larger group of about 35 riders who have taken charge and are bearing down on the final stretch with about 8 kms to go.

With 2 kms to go this lead group is still together – it’s coming down to a bunch sprint.

Paolo Bettini (Italy) has won a very exciting sprint finish over Erik Zabel (Germany) and Alessandro Valverde (Spain).

Unofficial

1. Paolo Bettini (Italy)
2. Erik Zabel (Germany)
3. Alessandro Valverde (Spain)