April 16, 2007 – The fifth edition of the Tour De Georgia could not have gotten off on a better footing, particularly if your were one of the underdogs who stole Stage 1. With high winds and rolling terrain on offer, Tinkoff rider Daniele Contrini put that team’s name on the U.S. racing map with a powerful showing right out of the gate and into yellow.

Contrini was a key member of a five-man breakaway that had its origins in a flyer that Viktor Rapinski (Blr) Navigators Insurance took off the front of the peloton. Rapinski was able to hang on to his lead long enough to take the first two sprints of the day, before wisely sitting up and allowing a group of four chasers to jump on about 72 km into the day’s ride.

Together the five, which included Contrini, fellow Navigators rider Ben Day, Mike Sayers (BMC) and Doug Ollerenshaw of the Health Net-Maxxis squad put together a healthy lead over the peloton that reached past the six-minute mark by the time the race was not much more than two hours old. Being that the situation was, by all estimations, easily recoupable by the field, that remained the state of affairs until the peloton decided to start reeling in the escapees. But with Toyota-United’s head honcho Harm Jansen opting to not allow his boys to participate, the efforts of ProTour heavy hitters Saunier-Duval, CSC, and the Discovery Channel were in vain.

The final three circuits around Macon (one of the Tour’s traditional finishing cities…), were then left to the breakaway. Rapinski was dropped first, losing out on his possible grab of the sprinter’s jersey, while Contrini used a combination of smart tactics and brute force to finish off his companions on a short but steep brick-paved hill.

Back in the peloton, however, Canadian strong man Ryder Hesjedal put a tremendous amount of light between himself and fifth place favourite Ivan Dominguez, looking over his shoulder as he crossed the line in fourth.

Back in the race hotel after the day was done Hesjedal acknowledge that the pace was fast because of the prevailing tailwind, but he and his team would be more concerned about the time trial event in Tennessee and the infamous stage finish atop the brutal Brasstown Bald on Friday.

Results

1. Daniele Contrini (Ita) Tinkoff Credit Systems 3.24.26 (46.55 km/h)
2. Doug Ollerenshaw (USA) Health Net p/b Maxxis 0.21
3. Ben Day (Aus) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 0.28
4. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Health Net p/b Maxxis 1.07
5. Ivan Dominguez (Cub) Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team
6. Karl Menzies (Aus) Health Net p/b Maxxis
7. Sergey Lagutin (Uzb) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team
8. Ciaran Power (Irl) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team
9. Juan José Haedo (Arg) Team CSC
10. Alessandro Proni (Ita) Quick Step – Innergetic
11. Danny Pate (USA) Team Slipstream
12. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
13. Fred Rodriguez (USA) Predictor-Lotto
14. Rory Sutherland (Aus) Health Net p/b Maxxis
15. Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Predictor-Lotto
16. Ruggero Marzoli (Ita) Tinkoff Credit Systems
17. Thomas Danielson (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
18. Michael Blaudzun (Den) Team CSC
19. George Hincapie (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
20. Alexandre Moos (Swi) BMC Racing Team
21. Maarten Wynants (Bel) Quick Step – Innergetic
22. Tommy Nankervis (Aus) Jittery Joe’s Pro Cycling Team
23. John Devine (USA) USA National Development Team
24. Charles Dionne (Can) Colavita/Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light
25. Nathan O’Neill (Aus) Health Net p/b Maxxis
26. David Millar (GBr) Saunier Duval – Prodir
27. Jonathan Garcia (USA) BMC Racing Team
28. Austin King (USA) Jittery Joe’s Pro Cycling Team
29. Cesar Augusto Grajales (Col) Jittery Joe’s Pro Cycling Team
30. Thomas Peterson (USA) Team Slipstream
31. Christophe Brandt (Bel) Predictor-Lotto
32. Andrea Tonti (Ita) Quick Step – Innergetic
33. Christian Vandevelde (USA) Team CSC
34. Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Priority Health Cycling Team p/b Bissell
35. David Canada Gracia (Spa) Saunier Duval – Prodir
36. Henk Vogels (Aus) Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team
37. David Zabriskie (USA) Team CSC
38. Valery Kobzarenko (Ukr) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team
39. Jason Donald (USA) Team Slipstream
40. Trent Wilson (Aus) Jittery Joe’s Pro Cycling Team
41. Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Saunier Duval – Prodir
42. Jackson Stewart (USA) BMC Racing Team
43. Sheldon Deeny (USA) USA National Development Team
44. Hubert Schwab (Swi) Quick Step – Innergetic
45. Kevin Seeldrayers (Bel) Quick Step – Innergetic
46. Christophe Rinero (Fra) Saunier Duval – Prodir
47. Anthony Colby (USA) Colavita/Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light
48. Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
49. Pavel Brutt (Rus) Tinkoff Credit Systems
50. David McCann (Irl) Colavita/Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light
51. Peter Hatton (Aus) Colavita/Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light
52. Justin England (USA) Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team
53. Matthew Harley Goss (Aus) Team CSC
54. Gustavo Artacho (Arg) Colavita/Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light
55. Leonardo Scarselli (Ita) Quick Step – Innergetic
56. Tyler Hamilton (USA) Tinkoff Credit Systems
57. Tyler Wren (USA) Colavita/Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light
58. Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor) Team CSC
59. Dominique Cornu (Bel) Predictor-Lotto
60. Mauro Facci (Ita) Quick Step – Innergetic
61. Phil Zajicek (USA) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team
62. Ivan Santaromita (Swi) Quick Step – Innergetic
63. Emile Abraham (Tri) Priority Health Cycling Team p/b Bissell
64. Rubens Bertogliati (Swi) Saunier Duval – Prodir
65. Geert Steurs (Bel) Predictor-Lotto
66. Kirk O’bee (USA) Health Net p/b Maxxis
67. Nick Gates (Aus) Predictor-Lotto
68. Edward King (USA) Priority Health Cycling Team p/b Bissell
69. Davide Frattini (Ita) Colavita/Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light
70. Guido Trentin (Ita) Saunier Duval – Prodir
71. Cody Stevenson (Aus) Jittery Joe’s Pro Cycling Team
72. Brian Vandborg (Den) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
73. Christopher Baldwin (USA) Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team
74. Timothy Duggan (USA) Team Slipstream
75. Benjamin Brooks (Aus) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team
76. Scott Moninger (USA) BMC Racing Team
77. Lucas Euser (USA) Team Slipstream
78. Craig Lewis (USA) Team Slipstream
79. Glen Alan Chadwick (NZl) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team
80. Anders Lund (Den) Team CSC
81. Elio Aggiano (Ita) Tinkoff Credit Systems
82. Jonathan Patrick McCarty (USA) Team Slipstream
83. Ian Mckissick (USA) BMC Racing Team
84. Martin Pedersen (Den) Team CSC
85. Pavel Padrnos (Cze) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
86. Jeffry Louder (USA) Health Net p/b Maxxis
87. Olivier Kaisen (Bel) Predictor-Lotto
88. Michael Lange (USA) Team Slipstream
89. Scott Nydam (USA) BMC Racing Team
90. Cameron Wurf (Aus) Priority Health Cycling Team p/b Bissell
91. Timothy Johnson (USA) Health Net p/b Maxxis
92. Steffen Weigold (Ger) Tinkoff Credit Systems
93. Neil Shirley (USA) Jittery Joe’s Pro Cycling Team
94. Ivan Stevic (SCG) Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team
95. Burke Swindlehurst (USA) Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team
96. Chris Wherry (USA) Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team
97. Jacob Rosenbarger (USA) BMC Racing Team
98. Eric Keim (USA) USA National Development Team 1.49
99. Chad Beyer (USA) USA National Development Team
100. Caleb Manion (Aus) Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team 1.54
101. Viktor Rapinski (Blr) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 2.15
102. Mike Sayers (USA) BMC Racing Team 2.44
103. Eric Riggs (USA) USA National Development Team
104. Scott Zwizanski (USA) Priority Health Cycling Team p/b Bissell 4.56
105. Evan Elken (USA) Jittery Joe’s Pro Cycling Team
106. Brian Dziewa (USA) USA National Development Team
107. Adam Bergman (USA) Colavita/Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light
108. Matt Shriver (USA) Jittery Joe’s Pro Cycling Team
109. Stefano Zanini (Ita) Predictor-Lotto 5.44
110. Nick Reistad (USA) USA National Development Team 6.4
111. Gianni Meersman (Bel) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
112. Caleb Fairly (USA) USA National Development Team
113. Omer Kem (USA) Priority Health Cycling Team p/b Bissell
114. Richard England (Aus) Priority Health Cycling Team p/b Bissell
115. Garrett Peltonen (USA) Priority Health Cycling Team p/b Bissell 7.01
116. Remmert Cornelis Wielinga (Ned) Saunier Duval – Prodir 8.51

GC after Stage 1

1. Daniele Contrini (Ita) Tinkoff Credit Systems 3.24.11
2. Doug Ollerenshaw (USA) Health Net p/b Maxxis 0.29
3. Ben Day (Aus) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 0.38
4. Emile Abraham (Tri) Priority Health Cycling Team p/b Bissell 1.2
5. Andrea Tonti (Ita) Quick Step – Innergetic 1.21
6. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Health Net p/b Maxxis 1.22
7. Ivan Dominguez (Cub) Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team
8. Karl Menzies (Aus) Health Net p/b Maxxis
9. Sergey Lagutin (Uzb) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team
10. Ciaran Power (Irl) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team
11. Juan José Haedo (Arg) Team CSC
12. Alessandro Proni (Ita) Quick Step – Innergetic
13. Danny Pate (USA) Team Slipstream
14. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
15. Fred Rodriguez (USA) Predictor-Lotto
16. Rory Sutherland (Aus) Health Net p/b Maxxis
17. Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Predictor-Lotto
18. Ruggero Marzoli (Ita) Tinkoff Credit Systems
19. Thomas Danielson (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
20. Michael Blaudzun (Den) Team CSC
21. George Hincapie (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
22. Alexandre Moos (Swi) BMC Racing Team
23. Maarten Wynants (Bel) Quick Step – Innergetic
24. Tommy Nankervis (Aus) Jittery Joe’s Pro Cycling Team
25. John Devine (USA) USA National Development Team
26. Charles Dionne (Can) Colavita/Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light
27. Nathan O’neill (Aus) Health Net p/b Maxxis
28. David Millar (GBr) Saunier Duval – Prodir
29. Jonathan Garcia (USA) BMC Racing Team
30. Austin King (USA) Jittery Joe’s Pro Cycling Team
31. Cesar Augusto Grajales (Col) Jittery Joe’s Pro Cycling Team
32. Thomas Peterson (USA) Team Slipstream
33. Christophe Brandt (Bel) Predictor-Lotto
34. Christian Vandevelde (USA) Team CSC
35. Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Priority Health Cycling Team p/b Bissell
36. David Canada Gracia (Spa) Saunier Duval – Prodir
37. Henk Vogels (Aus) Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team
38. David Zabriskie (USA) Team CSC
39. Valery Kobzarenko (Ukr) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team
40. Jason Donald (USA) Team Slipstream
41. Trent Wilson (Aus) Jittery Joe’s Pro Cycling Team
42. Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Saunier Duval – Prodir
43. Jackson Stewart (USA) BMC Racing Team
44. Sheldon Deeny (USA) USA National Development Team
45. Hubert Schwab (Swi) Quick Step – Innergetic
46. Kevin Seeldrayers (Bel) Quick Step – Innergetic
47. Christophe Rinero (Fra) Saunier Duval – Prodir
48. Anthony Colby (USA) Colavita/Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light
49. Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
50. Pavel Brutt (Rus) Tinkoff Credit Systems
51. David Mccann (Irl) Colavita/Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light
52. Peter Hatton (Aus) Colavita/Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light
53. Justin England (USA) Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team
54. Matthew Harley Goss (Aus) Team CSC
55. Gustavo Artacho (Arg) Colavita/Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light
56. Leonardo Scarselli (Ita) Quick Step – Innergetic
57. Tyler Hamilton (USA) Tinkoff Credit Systems
58. Tyler Wren (USA) Colavita/Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light
59. Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor) Team CSC
60. Dominique Cornu (Bel) Predictor-Lotto
61. Mauro Facci (Ita) Quick Step – Innergetic
62. Phil Zajicek (USA) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team
63. Ivan Santaromita (Swi) Quick Step – Innergetic
64. Rubens Bertogliati (Swi) Saunier Duval – Prodir
65. Geert Steurs (Bel) Predictor-Lotto
66. Kirk O’bee (USA) Health Net p/b Maxxis
67. Nick Gates (Aus) Predictor-Lotto
68. Edward King (USA) Priority Health Cycling Team p/b Bissell
69. Davide Frattini (Ita) Colavita/Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light
70. Guido Trentin (Ita) Saunier Duval – Prodir
71. Cody Stevenson (Aus) Jittery Joe’s Pro Cycling Team
72. Brian Vandborg (Den) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
73. Christopher Baldwin (USA) Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team
74. Timothy Duggan (USA) Team Slipstream
75. Benjamin Brooks (Aus) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team
76. Scott Moninger (USA) BMC Racing Team
77. Lucas Euser (USA) Team Slipstream
78. Craig Lewis (USA) Team Slipstream
79. Glen Alan Chadwick (NZl) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team
80. Anders Lund (Den) Team CSC
81. Elio Aggiano (Ita) Tinkoff Credit Systems
82. Jonathan Patrick McCarty (USA) Team Slipstream
83. Ian Mckissick (USA) BMC Racing Team
84. Martin Pedersen (Den) Team CSC
85. Pavel Padrnos (Cze) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
86. Jeffry Louder (USA) Health Net p/b Maxxis
87. Olivier Kaisen (Bel) Predictor-Lotto
88. Michael Lange (USA) Team Slipstream
89. Scott Nydam (USA) BMC Racing Team
90. Cameron Wurf (Aus) Priority Health Cycling Team p/b Bissell
91. Timothy Johnson (USA) Health Net p/b Maxxis
92. Steffen Weigold (Ger) Tinkoff Credit Systems
93. Neil Shirley (USA) Jittery Joe’s Pro Cycling Team
94. Ivan Stevic (SCG) Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team
95. Burke Swindlehurst (USA) Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team
96. Chris Wherry (USA) Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team
97. Jacob Rosenbarger (USA) BMC Racing Team
98. Eric Keim (USA) USA National Development Team 2.04
99. Chad Beyer (USA) USA National Development Team
100. Caleb Manion (Aus) Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team 2.09
101. Viktor Rapinski (Blr) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 2.22
102. Mike Sayers (USA) BMC Racing Team 2.59
103. Eric Riggs (USA) USA National Development Team
104. Scott Zwizanski (USA) Priority Health Cycling Team p/b Bissell 5.11
105. Evan Elken (USA) Jittery Joe’s Pro Cycling Team
106. Brian Dziewa (USA) USA National Development Team
107. Adam Bergman (USA) Colavita/Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light
108. Matt Shriver (USA) Jittery Joe’s Pro Cycling Team
109. Stefano Zanini (Ita) Predictor-Lotto 5.59
110. Nick Reistad (USA) USA National Development Team 6.55
111. Gianni Meersman (Bel) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
112. Caleb Fairly (USA) USA National Development Team
113. Omer Kem (USA) Priority Health Cycling Team p/b Bissell
114. Richard England (Aus) Priority Health Cycling Team p/b Bissell
115. Garrett Peltonen (USA) Priority Health Cycling Team p/b Bissell 7.16
116. Remmert Cornelis Wielinga (Ned) Saunier Duval – Prodir 9.06