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April 30/09 18:18 pm - Tour of the Gila: Stage 2 Planet Energy report


Posted by Editoress on 04/30/09
 

Fort Bayard to Fort Bayard 125.5 km Inner Loop Road Race

 

Report by Steve Bauer

 

It did not take long before the race was on for Planet Energy as Keven Lacombe jumped into the first important breakaway with Ben King (Trek Livestrong) and Roman Van Uden (Land Rover). The threesome worked together gaining an advantage quickly. Keven won the bonus sprint at 10km into the race with the lead at 1 min. 10 sec. over the bunch. Mellow Johnny's made a smooth tempo on the front of the peloton unconcerned about the danger to Levi Leipheimer's lead.

At km 20, the race opened up behind the break with a notable attack from Floyd Landis.

Subsequent counter-attacks began to reduce the lead of the breakaway as the race entered the spectacular terrain of Gila National forest. Several riders including Shanwn Milne (Type 1) and Jeremy Vennell (Bissell) bridged across to Keven Lacombe's group

Over the next climbs the peloton never let up and eventually caught the leaders around km 45, just before the notoriously tight and dangerous Sapillo descent.

Racing into the valley Floyd Landis (OUCH), Shawn Milne (Type 1), Caleb Fairly (Felt) and Luis Amaran (Colavita) made a gap and cruised away into the lead. A counter attack of three riders, Ben Jacques Maynes (Bissell), Bradley White (OUCH) and Michael Grabinger (Fly V) attempted to bridge across to join the four leaders. Over the next 50km Mellow Johnnys' Lance Armstrong and Chris Horner set tempo with help from BMC never letting the break achieve more than 4 minutes. The three chasers never merged with the 4 leaders. At 25 km to go the peloton accelerated on the final difficult climb reducing the gap to 2 min 50 sec. Kelly Benefit Strategies decided to aid the chase with Mellow Johnny's to bring the leaders back for a final bunch sprint. Bruno Langlois (Planet Energy) joined the chase as our team hoped Keven Lacombe still had some power in his legs after the early morning breakaway to win the stage. At 8km to go, the chase of 3 were absorbed by the bunch. At 5 km to go, the 4 man lead break were attacking each other and only Landis and Milne remained in front, now in view of the charging peloton. As the Landis and Milne leaders turned right zoning in on the final kilometre, the peloton were at their heels.

A pack sprint follow with Colavita's Lucas Sebastian Haedo winning the stage.

Results
1- Lucas Sebastian Haedo (Colavita)
2-Alex Howes (Felt)
3- Rory Sutherland (OUCH)

Results not confirmed yet:
6-Keven Lacombe
Francois Parisien in the peloton with Andrew Randell and Bruno Langlois
Maxime Vives dropped.
Ryan Roth abandon (Tendinitis)

 

Full results when avaialble

 

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