Olaf 2nd win. Floyd Takes Overall
Redondo Beach, CA, February 26, 2006 – With the finale of the eight-day Amgen Tour of California cycling road race continuing to draw fans in droves to Redondo Beach to total more than 1.3 million spectators for the week, California resident Floyd Landis of the Phonak Hearing Systems Team was crowned the overall winner of the first-annual event with a total time of 22.46’46”. Fellow Americans David Zabriskie and Bobby Julich, both of Team CSC, finished second and third, respectively.
For the second day in a row, T-Mobile Team’s Olaf Pollack (GER) won the stage, which consisted of 10 laps at 7.56 miles each. Juan Jose Haedo (ARG) of Toyota-United Pro Cycling capped a successful race with second place in the final stage. Pollack’s teammate Andre Greipel from Austria rounded out the podium placing third in today’s stage.
An early breakaway of four riders escaped on the first of ten laps. Davide Frattini (ITA) from Colavita Olive Oil – Sutter Home, Aaron Olsen (USA) of Prodir-Saunier Duval, Scott Zwizanski (USA) of KodakGallery.com/Sierra Nevada Pro Cycling Team and Glen Chadwick (AUS) from Navigators Insurance Cycling Team gained an advantage of 2′20” with nine laps remaining. The field followed, spread across the road and content to let the group of four show their strength to the estimated 200,000 Southern Californians who stood several-deep to watch.
The gap grew to almost 8′, the largest gap of any of the stages, with eight laps to go until Chris Horner (USA) of Davitamon-Lotto went to the front and began to single-handedly bring the group back. With the time gap allowed to the breakaway, Chadwick became the race leader on the road. Horner then brought his entire Davitamon-Lotto team to the front. Halfway through the race, the gap was reduced to 4′40″. With approximately three miles left in the race, Team CSC led the chase to bring back the four riders who had been at the head of the race for more than 70 of the stage’s 76.5 miles. CSC’s efforts benefited Pollack, who enjoyed the honor of winning the final stage of the inaugural race.
Landis finished safely in 24th place to secure his overall victory and the Amgen Leader Jersey.
Courtesy of Amgen Tour of California
February 27th, 2006 at 9:32 am
Hey Skiles!
Your site is looking sweet. The pics you have are freaking awesome! Rock on! I’m totally jiggy about this. If you want an exclusive with the notorious B-O-B let me know. I have a super personal interview with him - thought maybe you would want it. Drop me an email.
Word.
Jessi
July 25th, 2006 at 8:58 am
Well well at first I thougt this Tour was going to be booooring….
But then Floyd had a bad day and the very next stage he attack’s early in the stage and takes up to 9 minutes….
The journalist on Belgian television were sure he wasn’t gonna make it and that he’ll only win the stage and would have only a few minutes left….
I was hoping he was gonna make it and had it my way when he crossed the line and got back in the race for yellow !!!!
But Floyd didn’t slow down at all and in the Joux-Plane he was going as fast as all the other opponents only Sastre managed to make up a little bit uphill to loose some of it back downhill.
Landis was the strongest in this Tour and his victory was well deserved !!!
I hope the man come’s back after his hip replacement surgery …. Just as did the first American ever to win the Tour Greg Lemond ( the phoenix rising out of his ashes…..) !!
Then years later another American racer comes back after cancer, Lance Armstrong …. and makes a incredible 7 in a row of Tour Victories !!!!
That would be something if Floyd Landis would become the third American racer to make a come-back while everybody thinks his racing day’s are surely over….
If one thing is certain then it is the fact that the US is providing in some excellent bike-racers and have become a true bicycle racing nation.
Way to go USA !!!!!