September 11/09 11:32 am - Tour of Missouri: Stage 4 results, report and interviews

Posted by Editoress on 09/11/09
 

A fourth day and a fourth time on the podium, but today Argentina's Juan Jose Haedo (Saxo Bank) stands on the top spot with the win at Stage 4, presented by Missouri Farm Bureau, at the Tour of Missouri. He finished the 109.2-mile (175.7 km) stage in 4.07'55". Yesterday's stage winner, Thor Hushovd (Cervelo Test Team), finished second today, and Italy's Dario Cataldo (Quick Step) repeated again in third. In the general classification (G.C.), J.J. Haedo will wear the Missouri Tourism Leader's Jersey going into tomorrow's Individual Time Trial in Sedalia.

"It was my first year ever (to wear yellow jersey). I'll be processing it all night. Today I reached the right energy level at the right moment ," said Haedo, who has won many individual races, but has never worn a leader's jersey in a stage race until today.

Today's Stage 4, presented by Missouri Farm Bureau, started in St. James to the sounds of the Grape & Fall Festival. The field of 115 pro riders traversed the scenic ridges and spring-fed river valleys for a total of 109.2 miles (175.7 km), finishing in central Missouri at the state capital. This stage, the only repeat stage from 2008, was capped by three climbs up the "Capitol Wall", a steep section in front of the capitol building adjacent to the Missouri River.

Just before the afternoon start in St. James, Team Columbia-HTC announced that consecutive stage winner Mark Cavendish had to withdraw from the race and would not continue. "Mark has been fighting an infection since traveling to the USA, which has spread to his lungs. He has had a long and successful season, and it is a team priority that his general health be protected. He is on antibiotics and will rest here in Missouri for a few days prior to returning to Europe," state Columbia-HTC team owner Bob Stapleton.

The first attack of the day was launched by American Brad White (OUCH presented by Maxxis) just 10 miles into the race. He was joined a few miles later by three more Americans, Michael Creed (Team Type I), Jeff Louder (BMC Racing), and Bernard Van Ulden (Jelly Belly Cycling). They stayed away for almost 90 miles, being caught by a serious peloton in Jefferson City. And on the final three-mile circuit, close to two dozen riders went down in crash with 1500 meters to go, but all were able to finish.

"I had to stop because of the crash," said Slovenian rider Jani Brajkovic (Astana), who won the 2007 Tour de Georgia and is riding his first Tour of Missouri. "Any time there are circuits it is a bit stressful."

With the Stage 4 win today, J.J. Haedo wears the yellow jersey, and was also awarded the Edward Jones Sprint jersey. Dario Cataldo (QuickStep) will wear the 180 Energy/Icelandic Glacial Water Best Young Rider jersey. And White was awarded the Drury Hotels Most Aggressive Rider jersey tomorrow. Moises Aldape (Team Type I) of Mexico continues to wear the Michelob Ultra KOM jersey.

New to the Top 10 in the G.C. today are Creed, who moved from 35th to 7th overall, and Louder, who moved from 55th to 8th overall. Three significant riders who will be watched closely in the time trial are all 26 seconds off the lead, 2007 Tour of Missouri champion George Hincapie (Columbia-HTC) in 21st place, 2009 Amgen Tour of California champion Levi Leipheimer (Team Astana) in 41st place, and four-time U.S. Professional Time Trial champion David Zabriskie (Garmin-Slipstream), who moved from 65th to 56th place today.

"I wasn't sure we could top anything in Jefferson City (from 2008), but unlike last year we did it today. As good as 2008 was, it boasted a wonderful field of competitors. This is an event that has bi-partisan support, and the top competitors are here at the Tour of Missouri," said Missouri Lt. Governor Peter Kinder.

Tour of Missouri prerss release


Interviews by Amy Smolens

Pre-race, Charly Vives - Planet Energy - Celebrating 23rd birthday today

Amy Smolens: I hear today's your birthday, what do you have planned for a celebration?

Charly Vives: I would like to be in the break today for sure. I've been feeling that a bit since the beginning of the week, since I saw that my birthday was going to happen during the race so I'd like to be in the break today and see how it goes from then.

AS: What did John (Adams, team soigneur) just tell you the plan for the day was?

CV: (Laughs) he said "win the race and I'll take care of you afterwards!" So I'll try to follow his thought and we'll see how it goes in the end. Either for me or for the team if it comes down to a sprint, Keven got third last year in this stage so he knows the finish. We're going to talk a lot in the race for sure.

AS: This is a good way to spend your birthday, isn't it?

CV: Yeah, for sure. Last year I was at Tour de l'Avenir for my birthday and it didn't go that well on my birthday so I want to do change that today and hopefully I'll make it into the break if the luck is on my side also because you never know.

AS: Bon anniversaire and bonne chance!

CV: Thank you very much!

Post-race, Keven Lacombe - Planet Energy

Amy Smolens: Did you hear the news about Mark Cavendish pulling out?

Keven Lacombe: Yeah, we just got the news, I don't know what's happened. We just came here and we are trying to get organized before the race so I don't know if it's true or not...

AS: Yes, it's true. So how does that change the tactics for you and Martin Gilbert, and how does it change the possibility for you to win a stage?

KL: Sure, it changes the strategy of the race. Columbia doesn't have any more the rule to chase all the breaks back and come to a field sprint. So sure the race will change but it's hard to say right now what it's going to be.

AS: This is the exact same stage in which you finished third last year. Could this be an opportunity to finish on the podium today?

KL: Yeah, I think it's one of the good finishes, we can do well. Sure, we're going to try to organize at the end and be there but like I said it's hard to know at the beginning if it's going to come to a field sprint. We're going to try to do a breakaway and if it comes to a field sprint we'll have a good chance to do well.

AS: So tell me, what is this that I just saw being put onto your legs?

KL: It's called SpiderTech and it's a new product to improve performance and reduce pain and help recovery so it's really helpful for cyclists and we use it each day.

AS: Does it work?

KL: Yeah, it works really good and we really appreciate it and this is why everybody uses it.

AS: Thanks, good luck.

KL: Thanks.


Post-race, Guillaume Boivin - Planet Energy - 19th place in Stage 4

Amy Smolens: Talk about today's sprint, how that set up, your director, Steve Bauer, told me that you ended up on Thor Hushovd's wheel at one point during the sprint.

Guillaume Boivin: Yeah, there was a crash, I was caught behind the crash and I found a way to come back. It took me a lot of matches to come back but I finally came back and then I went to protect my sprinter Keven Lacombe and in the last 2k I was right on Hushovd's wheel and I think that Keven was right behind me. We tried to do something but with a sprint like that a bit uphill it's all about power and these guys are pretty fast but we're going to keep trying in the next stages to try to do a podium.

AS: Yeah, these guys are fast. You're used to racing U23, you sign on as a Stagiaire with Planet Energy and now you find yourself the next level up racing against guys who've won stages in the Tour de France - what's that change been like?

GB: Ah, it's definitely a big step but I like good challenges and I always like to compete against strong guys. I'm just enjoying the week, having a lot of fun - I'm not scared to battle with these guys in the sprints and stuff, it's actually pretty fun! So hopefully I'll improve and one day I'll be able to beat those guys or do something good in such races!

AS: Is it also fun and a learning experience to be directed by a guy like Steve Bauer?

GB: Oh, definitely. Steve's probably the most famous and the best Canadian cyclist of all-time so it's a pretty cool experience to be managed by such a legend!

Post-race, Keven Lacombe - Planet Energy - 7th place in Stage 4

Amy Smolens: How did the final sprint set up today?
Keven Lacombe: It was really hard, with all the climbing and the laps, we tried to organize everybody together and it was really hard with the crash. Each team was fighting, at the end I think we did 7th so it's not that bad. The plan was to win the race and we didn't win so we're going to try to win a race - we have two more chances.

AS: You were on Guillaume's wheel and then what happened?

KL: Yeah, we tried to work together but we lost each other with one corner to go so we just tried to do our best but like I said, it's very hard. Sometimes you do just one error and it makes the race harder but we just did our best. There's two more stages to try to win.

AS: Tomorrow's TT you can take a bit of a rest?

KL: Yeah. (Laughs) It's still going to be hard, the people go fast and we're going to do our best.

Post-race, David Veilleux - Kelly Benefit Strategies - 38th place in Stage 4, tied for 3rd in Best Young Rider's competition

Amy Smolens: There was a crash with about 3k to go - do you know what happened there?

David Veilleux: No, I have no idea. I just saw a couple guys go down. I was actually pretty lucky because I was on the inside and I just went around and I found myself on the wheel of George Hincapie so I just stayed there and we took the outside all on the last kilometre and we came back to the bottom of the climb pretty well placed but I didn't have the legs to do it but I just went with everyone else.

AS: Our moto driver and cameraman told me that you did a little bit of off-roading yesterday, they were impressed by your off-road skills...

DV: Oh, yeah (laughs.) With like 5k to go there was a big swarm on the left and I had nowhere to go so I had to go in the dirt and I was maybe 30th and then I was put back to the very back of the pack so I had to climb back up.

AS: So how are you feeling going into tomorrow's Time Trial?

DV: Well, it's going to be a good test for myself. I want to see what I can do against all these guys for the Best Young Rider, see where I'm going to be against the European guys, I'm pretty sure there are some that go pretty fast. We have other guys who can go pretty well, too, so it's going to be a good day for us.

AS: Have you looked specifically at who your competition for Best Young Rider might be?

DV: Well, not really. Most of the Europeans I don't know them so I'll see how they go.

AS: And will it be a good gauge heading into the World Championships, too?

DV: Yeah, exactly.

AS: How have you felt in general going up against the ProTour riders here at the Tour of Missouri?

DV: Yeah, it's pretty good. I mean it's different. We really see the difference going into the sprints, they have this extra speed that we don't necessarily have. But it's good, it's fun and it's really good training and preparation for the Worlds and it helps you grow and be stronger.

AS: Have you been impressed with the crowds at the race?

DV: Yeah, yeah, it's pretty good. I mean a lot of people show up and it's nice.

AS: Ok, good luck tomorrow.

DV: Thanks.