Tom Danielson wins the Tour of Utah, Cadel Evans wins the last two stages
Garmin-Sharp’s Tom Danielson has defended his Tour of Utah title, winning the fifth edition of the race off a commanding performance on the stage-ending climb to Powder Mountain on the fourth day of racing.
.@tomdanielson of @Ride_Argyle is your back-to-back Tour of Utah Champion! Congratulations! #tou14 pic.twitter.com/Z4FDTB3xjq
— The Tour of Utah (@theTourofUtah) August 10, 2014
Danielson and 2013 Vuelta a Espana winner Chris Horner (Lampre-Merida) had been at the head of the field on the steep 10km climb to the end of the stage, before Danielson took off, winning the stage by nearly a minute. The time taken on that stage put Danielson into the overall lead ahead of Horner and BMC’s Ben Hermans.
Stage 5 came down to a bunch sprint in Kamas which was won by Eric Young (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies).
Stage 6, the race’s queen stage which ended with the climb to the Snowbird ski resort, was won by Australia’s Cadel Evans (BMC) from a small breakaway. Evans attacked on a climb inside the first hour of racing before bridging over to a small group of riders and helping them to build an advantage.
On the final climb to Snowbird the break’s advantage was eaten away by the peloton (and an attack by Tom Danielson) but they were able to hold on. An attack from Joey Rosskopf (Hincapie Development Team) in the final dash for the line allowed him to distance Evans, but the 2011 Tour de France winner got back on to Rosskopf’s wheel before sprinting to victory.
This morning’s final stage of the race saw an eight-rider breakaway get up the road — Jai Crawford (Drapac), Cristiano Salerno (Cannondale), Maarten Tjallingii (Belkin), Jacob Rathe (Jelly Belly), Matt Cooke (Jamis - Hagens Berman), Joe Lewis (Hincapie Development), Tanner Putt (Bissell Development) and James Oram (Bissell Development).
Towards the top of the day’s first of two climbs the break had an advantage of 4:15 but, predictably, that gap started to drop as the kilometres ticked away. By the bottom of the final climb to Empire Pass the gap was down to 35 seconds, prompting the GC contenders to attack on the climb. The breakaway was caught as Winner Anacona (Lampre-Merida), Chris Horner (Lampre-Merida) and overall leader Tom Danielson got away, being joined by Wilco Kelderman (Belkin) with 12km to go.
After climbing Empire Pass with Carter Jones (Optum-Kelly Benefit Strategies) Cadel Evans bombed away, demonstrating his impressive descending skills over the other side of the climb, joining the then four leaders with 5.5km to go.
In the final sprint Evans proved too quick and too wily, beating Kelderman with Winner Anacona in third. Tom Danielson sealed overall victory by finishing fifth, at the back of the same group. Chris Horner finished second overall ahead of his teammate Winner Anacona.
Click here to read more at VeloNews.
Adam Blythe wins men’s Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic
NTFO’s Adam Blythe has taken victory in a wet Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic, beating his more-fancied rivals in a sprint from a breakaway. Ben Swift (Sky) was second while Omega Pharma-QuickStep’s Julian Alaphilippe was third.
What a weekend @rideLondon! Adam Blythe pips Ben Swift to victory in the men's Classic! http://t.co/evXnXjkRm0 pic.twitter.com/Zg4TUGBds2
— Team GB (@TeamGB) August 10, 2014
The five-rider group came together with roughly 20km left to cover in the 192km race that started and finished in London. An attack from former world champion Philippe Gilbert (BMC) set up the escape group, the Belgian being joined by Blythe, Swift, Alaphilippe and Kristijan Koren (Cannondale). Gilbert attacked again with 15km to go but with a little more than 10km left to race the five riders were back to working together.
With 5km to the finish the leaders had 50 seconds over a four-ride chase group and two-minutes over the peloton — plenty of time to play with. Ben Swift was the one to watch in the sprint but it was Blythe who came from the back of the group to surprise the rest of his breakaway companions and take victory on The Mall.
“I knew it would be a tough sprint with Swifty there,” Blythe said afterward, his face and kit covered in mud. “But I knew if I got the jump it would be close. I got out early and held on. I’m just over the moon with how it went.”
| 1. |  |
BLYTHE Adam
NFTO
|
04:39:53 |
| 2. | |
SWIFT Ben
Team Sky
|
- |
| 3. |  |
ALAPHILIPPE Julian
Omega Pharma - Quick-Step
|
- |
Click here to read more at VeloNews.
Giorgia Bronzini wins Prudential RideLondon Grand Prix
Earlier in the weekend Giorgia Bronzini (Wiggle-Honda) won the Prudential RideLondon Grand Prix on London’s Mall, outsprinting world champion Marianne Vos (Rabo-Liv) with Commonwealth Games gold medallist Lizzie Armitstead (Boels-Dolmans) third.
Image: Wiggle Honda
The race was typically aggressive with attacks coming thick and fast, including from Bronzini’s Wiggle-Honda squad, but no significant breaks managed to get away. The most threatening move came from Amy Roberts (Wiggle-Honda) in the closing kilometre, the Welshwoman almost holding on for victory before being chased down by Marianne Vos.
With the bunch back together, Vos sprinted from the middle of the field but Bronzini was able to get on to the Dutchwoman’s wheel. Bronzini came around Vos at the last moment, pushing ahead into the headwind just before the line.
Image: Wiggle Honda
“It was a really amazing race, right in the centre of the city,” said Bronzini. “For me it was quite exciting because the last time I was there was for the Olympic Games. That day was a little bit unlucky, so today I wanted to replace that day and try to win. That day there was Vos and Armitstead in first and second so I wanted to try to beat them.”
Text adapted from a Wiggle-Honda press release.
Claudia Lichtenberg wins stage 1 at the Route de France
Claudia Lichtenberg (nee Haussler) (Giant-Shimano) has taken her first win of the season on the opening stage of the Route de France, soloing to victory in Mouilleron en Pareds.
#RouteDeFrance | 1ère étape : Victoire en solo de Claudia Lichtenberg @GiantShimano (?Jean-Marc Hecquet) #TwittCyclos pic.twitter.com/kie3DmZIqQ
— VeloNova (@VeloNova) August 10, 2014
Two riders had been away for most of the stage before Lichtenberg and eight other riders bridged up in the latter stages. Lichtenberg then attacked solo with roughly 20km to go, building up an advantage and finishing 29 seconds clear of solo chaser Alena Amialiusik (Astana BePink).
She was followed in by a group of nine riders a further 1:13 behind, including Giorgia Bronzini (Wiggle-Honda) who travelled through the night to be at the race after winning the RideLondon Grand Prix the day before. Australia’s Lizzie Williams was fourth.
Today’s second stage takes the riders 124km from Mouilleron en Pareds to Ligné.
Stage 1: Mouilleron en Pareds > Mouilleron en Pareds - Stage Result
Sunday 10th August 2014
| 1. |  |
LICHTENBERG Claudia
Team Giant-Shimano
|
03:02:21 |
| 2. |  |
AMIALIUSIK Alena
Astana BePink Womens Team
|
0:29 |
| 3. |  |
BRONZINI Giorgia
Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling
|
1:44 |
Lichtenberg
Lichtenberg
StultiensText adapted from a Giant-Shimano press release.
Rafal Majka wins the Tour of Poland
Rafal Majka (Tinkoff-Saxo) has won his home tour, the Tour of Poland, following back-to-back stage victories in the closing stages of the race. Majka won on the mountain-top finish to stage 5 (which ended across the border in Slovakia) before going on to repeat the feat the following day.
A group of eight riders had been away on the hilly stage 6 but the group was caught with 20km to go. Strong riding on the front of the reduced peloton by Majka’s teammate Oliver Zaugg thinned out the bunch even further before Majka attacked with 2km to go.
Movistar’s Ion Izagirre was the only rider able to match the pace of Majka, and even then he was soon distanced. Izagirre was soon joined by his teammate Benat Intxausti who helped pace the Spanish national champion to the summit. Majka won by 10 seconds, ahead of Intxausti and Izagirre, taking the lead in the general classification in the process.
The final stage ITT was won by Kristof Vandewalle (Trek) ahead of Adriano Malori (Movistar) and Stephen Cummings (BMC). Majka’s 13th place, 43 seconds behind Vandewalle, was enough to hold on for overall victory, just eight seconds clear of Izagirre and 22 seconds ahead of Intxausti.
Paterski
Click here to read more at Cycling Weekly.
Michael Valgren takes overall victory in the Tour of Denmark
The Tour of Poland wasn’t the only big win for Tinkoff-Saxo over the weekend — Michael Valgren won the 2.HC Tour of Denmark as well, taking the overall lead on the final stage.
Magnus Cort (Cult Energy Vital Water) had led the race after two stages after his sprint victory on stage 1 before a solo victory to Manuele Boaro (Tinkoff-Saxo) saw the Italian take the overall lead. The Boaro would lead the race until the final stage, as Andrea Guardini (Astana) won stage 4 and Alexey Lutsenko (Astana) won the stage 5 ITT.
Coming into the final stage Boaro held a 10-second lead over Lutsenko and the fight for the GC was wide open. Roughly halfway through the windy stage a group of 14 riders got clear of the peloton, among them a number of threats to the general classification.
The 14 riders managed to stay away for the remainder of the 175km stage, finishing 42 seconds clear of the peloton. Nicola Boem (Bardiani-CSF) won the sprint from the lead group but further back, in 11th place, Michael Valgren had done enough to secure the overall win. The Dane finished the six-stage race 15 seconds ahead of his compatriot Lars Ytting Bak (Lotto-Belisol) and 17 seconds ahead of Manuele Boaro.
Final Classification: > - Stage Result
Sunday 10th August 2014
| 1. |  |
VALGREN ANDERSEN Michael
Tinkoff-Saxo
|
18:52:22 |
| 2. | |
BAK Lars Ytting
Lotto Belisol
|
0:15 |
| 3. | |
BOARO Manuele
Tinkoff-Saxo
|
0:17 |
Tinkoff-SaxoClick here to read more at Cycling Quotes.
Robert Power wins the GP Poggiana
Jayco-AIS WorldTour Academy rider Robert Power has taken a commanding victory at the GP Poggiana over the weekend, winning solo after attacking on the Mostacin climb and opening up a lead of 1:25 by the finish.
English reports from the race are scarse but from what we can tell a group of four (including Power) got clear of the peloton on one of the ascents of the Mostacin, and on a later lap Power attacked solo on the same climb, opening up a considerable lead.
Power’s victory comes just days after also winning the Trofeo Briga Novarese on Thursday.
| 1. |  |
POWER Robert
|
00:00:00 |
Click here to read more at newsciclismo.com. Click here for an interview we did with Robert Power earlier this year.
Horner aiming to take second Vuelta title, promises spectacular racing
by Shane Stokes
He finished 17th overall in the Tour de France but recovery from the illness which dogged him there plus improving sensations in the Tour of Utah – where he finished third on stage four – have given Chris Horner encouragement that he is on the right track towards the defence of his Vuelta a España title.
While the American rider is 42 years of age and will again be the oldest in the Spanish Grand Tour lineup, he believes that it is possible for him to win once again, and is determined to be on the start line in the best possible shape.
Despite a powerful lineup for the race, Horner said that he remains confident about his chances. However he accepts that he will need to make the most of his strong points if he is to once again stand on top of the podium.
“My main concern isn’t who I’ll be racing against,” he said. “I love to race against Chris Froome and Nairo Quintana who are the favourites this year. My problem is time trialing. Because of the time I lose against the clock, I need to make it up in the mountains.”
Fortunately for him, there will be chances to do so. “I love the Vuelta because there’s a lot of space for climbers,” he said. “I love Spain. I love the atmosphere. I’m looking forward to be there again. It’s going to be spectacular. I’m excited.”
Click here to read more at CyclingTips.
Vuelta still possible for Alberto Contador
by Shane Stokes
Following on from some claims that Alberto Contador was seen training on climbs near Lugano at the end of July — just two weeks after he fractured his tibia in the Tour de France — Tinkoff Saxo manager Bjarne Riis said Friday that there is still a chance that the rider could compete in the Vuelta a España.
“He is, after all, not just at home on the couch. He is beginning to cycle a little,” said Riis, speaking to TV2 Sport. “We must still wait and see whether it brings him to the Vuelta.”
Contador’s spokesman Jacinto Vidarte told CyclingTips at the Tour de france that Contador had no interest in riding for riding’s sake. “The injury is not really good,” he told CyclingTips. “The most important [factor] is that he doesn’t know how much time he will need to recover properly and, especially, to start riding the bike again. He has no time to take the start in a good condition, to fight for the victory.
“He doesn’t want to be at the Vuelta just to be there.”
The Vuelta a España begins with a team time trial in Jerez de la Frontera on August 23.
Click here to read more at CyclingTips.
Matthew Lloyd hit by a car in Utah
Former Australian national champion Matthew Lloyd was hit by a car late last week while walking to dinner Cedar City, Utah.
“He got hit by a car in Cedar City, and all we know is that he is in good hands in a hospital in St. George,” Jelly Belly team manager Danny Van Haute told Cyclingnews. “Our thoughts and prayers are with him that he recovers, and the Jelly Belly-Maxxis team is going to continue to race here at the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah. That’s all the team has to say right now.”
Lloyd had hoped to race the Tour of Utah but was forced to withdraw from the race after coming down with an infection.
“He wasn’t even training [when the incident occurred],” Van Haute said. “He wasn’t even on his bike. He was walking across the street. The police report is on file in Cedar City. Anybody can get that. It was hit and run. They caught the guy and he is in jail. That’s all we know.”
The Cedar City Spectrum reported over the weekend that a 22-year-old suspect had been booked into the Iron County Correctional Facility in connection with the incident.
Click here to read more at Cyclingnews.
Roads to ride: Monte Serra
If you haven’t been following The Inner Ring’s ongoing “Roads to Ride” series we recommend you check it out. There are plenty of inspiring roads in there (many of them climbs), including the latest instalment: Monte Serra.
This 6km climb at 8% average is a little like France’s Col de la Madone in that it is better known as a training ground for local cyclists than it is as climb that’s frequently raced. Here’s an excerpt from the article:
“If it’s famous as a testing ground for pro cyclists the reality on a Sunday morning is that it’s one of the most popular cycling routes in Italy with cyclists of all shapes and sizes tackling its slopes.On a Sunday morning there are so many riders a first time visitor might imagine there’s a grand fondo passing through. The climb has an association with pro cycling but on a normal day this is an accessible climb in a region of Italy where cycling is popular. Everyone rides up from racers to silver foxes on team replica bikes to locals in t-shirts and replica football kit.
Click here to read the full article at The Inner Ring.
Spectacular crash at the Tour of Utah
Check out this amazing footage from a crash at the Tour of Utah over the weekend:
The Rocacorba Recap
And finally this morning, here are a few things you might have missed at CyclingTips:
- Fitter Sam Bennett aiming for more successful second half to 2014 season
- Contador welcomes news that Tinkoff-Saxo has signed Peter Sagan
- Evans clocks up important victory prior to Vuelta a España
- An interview with Greg LeMond