April 20/07 11:05 am - Tour de Georgia: Stage 5 report, results & photos

Posted by Editoress on 04/20/07
 

Tour de Georgia Georgia USA

Coverage sponsored by: Maxxis

Photos by Jonathan Devich

Report by Amy Smolens



When you last heard from me from the Tour de Georgia, Ryder Hesjedal had kept his and Team HealthNet's plans close to the chest for today, the race's Queen Stage up the mountain called Brasstown Bald.

Well, Ryder didn't disappoint. He was one of the initiators of the day's main breakaway that began 20 miles into the 107 mile stage, finished 7th on the day, and earned the United Community Bank King of the Mountains Jersey on the most mountainous stage of the race. There were 3 KOMs, with the final one being to the finish at Brasstown Bald. Brasstown Bald climbs 1650 feet in 3 miles... the average grade is 10.84%, with the steepest section having a grade of 24%, just before the 2km to go mark... the final kilometer has a 400 meter section with a 20% grade which "flattens out" (yeah, right) to 15 to 17% for the finish. I walked that final K, and with a backpack full of paperwork and other stuff while eating a barbecue sandwich it was quite a challenge. Even with a triple, riding up it would be misery for any tourist!

I spoke to a tired, but happy, Ryder Hesjedal while he was waiting in the "green room" tent for the podium presentations to begin.

AS: You were so secretive yesterday about your plan - was this the perfect
plan for HealthNet?

RH: Yeah, I don't know the total outcome of the results with our GC and stuff at the moment, but I just wanted to have a day like today and for sure needed to have a head start on the climb to have something close to a win or something like that. A long, hard day for the break and the first time up that climb, definitely steep and I was feeling it. I'm skinny but I'm still 70+ kilos, so I wasn't surprised to see the little guys come from behind and a with few K to go it was just kinda damage control.

AS: You raced in Europe last year, how tough is this climb, how does this compare?

RH: Pretty hard, I mean normally I haven't been in the aggressive position in trying to get to the base of a big climb finish via breakaway so you know it was kind of the first time with that experience. Usually it's be quiet and try and start fresh with the big guys. It was nice to be able to have hope with just a few guys going up there and just try to hang on.

AS: You stayed with every acceleration and then Alexandre Moos attacked - what happened there?

RH: That one was (shakes his head)...in my mind I said he could do that? We still had a couple of guys together and, that was just the difference on those steep, steep grades. I couldn't quite hold with a few other guys and the last couple Ks are just sort of a blur.

AS: You picked up the KOM from your teammate Jeff Louder, how big is that for you and Team HealthNet?

RH: Yeah it's always good to be on the podium and be representing. It was clear that if I was in the break I was going to try and get those points on a big day like today, a consolation prize.

A pretty good consolation prize! I've sent a photo of Ryder on the podium. It's a nice jersey, a variation on the usual KOM jersey, with Georgia's state fruit, peaches, instead of the traditional polka dots.

Stages 6 and 7 are flat with no KOM points available, so Ryder is guaranteed to wear the jersey on the final podium Sunday in Atlanta.

I've also sent a photo of Victoria's Mike Shea, the UCI's Chief Commissaire of this race, giving pre-race instructions to two of his fellow Comms, Matt Moses and Dot Abbott. He's done a great job here, and the moto cameramen and drivers I'm working with on the Versus show really like working with him. He doled out quite a few fines today to riders and directors, and four riders were even disqualfied - on a tough stage like this that tends to happen.

FYI, I didn't run into our friends from yesterday, Canmore's Tom Omstead and Scott Mortimer, today up on the mountain so I don't know if they fulfilled their promise of riding up, down and up Brasstown Bald today... Guys, if you read this come find me in the next few days!