May 11/14 19:48 pm - Tour of California: Stage 1 report and results
Posted by Editoress on 05/11/14
Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team tried their luck in the crosswinds, but the 193.3km 1st Stage of AMGEN Tour of California Stage 1 was destined for a group arrival as the wind changed on Sunday with too many kilometers remaining. OPQS switched back to preparation for the bunch sprint, and Mark Cavendish was able to beat John Degenkolb (Giant-Shimano) by mere centimeters for the victory after the team took control of the front at the right time late in the race.
OPQS rider Tom Boonen became the Manx Missile's final leadout man when Mark Renshaw suffered a mechanical with 11km remaining. Thanks to OPQS keeping the pace high in the final kilometers, Cavendish was in the top 6 or 7 positions going into the final stretch.
The British Champion launched off the wheel of Peter Sagan (Cannondale), and was able to catch up to Degenkolb, who launched from the front of the group. Moreno Hofland (Belkin Pro Cycling Team) was 3rd.
Belgian based OPQS looked right at home in the California crosswinds. Boonen, Cavendish, Matteo Trentin, and Mark Renshaw helped split the field with a breakaway already up the road and less than 60 kilometers to go, which formed an approximate 18-rider echelon. The group was down to 15 and eventually caught with 22km to go. Boonen and Taylor Phinney (BMC Racing Team) stayed off the front a bit longer, but decided to focus instead on the bunch sprint finale.
This is the 30th victory for OPQS, in three disciplines, in 2014. Cavendish continues his momentum from Presidential Tour of Turkey — his previous race about a week ago — where he won four stages.
"To be fair, I won Milano - Sanremo by 10 centimeters before," Cavendish said. "I've lost a sprint in the Giro d'Italia by three centimeters. Both of those, I knew the outcome. This is the first time in my career I really had no idea. I had to wait a little bit until they confirmed. So, I'm super happy. It was hard, that line was coming up too fast, and John was strong today. But my Omega Pharma - Quick-Step teammates did a perfect job to keep me up there. There were a lot of trains vying for position. We knew it was going to be windy, but to be honest the wind changed direction on the way back. We thought it was going to be a crosswind in the last 20 miles on the main road on the way to Sacramento. We sensed the move that split the group. Omega Pharma - Quick-Step is a Belgian team. We felt the crosswinds, knew the split was going to happen, and we just went straight to the front. It split and we were there. We were well represented with four guys. But then we turned right and it was a headwind. That's when we thought it was going to be a crosswind. If you've got a small group, that much distance, and a headwind, you're never going to stay away. We sat up and didn't deplete our energy any further. I could feel the work we did earlier in my sprint and I could see it in the guys setting up for the sprint. But they still kept me up there and led me out perfectly. We gave a good show for Omega Pharma - Quick-Step and we got the best result from our effort. I'm really proud of what we did today."
Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team press release
Results from the first stage in California
| Stage 1: Sacramento Overall Start, 193.1 km | |
| 1 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team | 4:44:17 |
| 2 John Degenkolb (Ger) Team Giant-Shimano | |
| 3 Moreno Hofland (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team | |
| 4 Peter Sagan (Svk) Cannondale | |
| 5 Danny van Poppel (Ned) Trek Factory Racing | |
| 6 Guillaume Boivin (Can) Cannondale | |
| 7 Eric Young (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies | |
| 8 Matthew Goss (Aus) Orica GreenEDGE | |
| 9 Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing Team | |
| 10 John Murphy (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team | |
| 11 Nicolai Brochner (Den) Bissell Development Team | |
| 12 Tanner Putt (USA) Bissell Development Team | |
| 13 Marc de Maar (Ned) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team | |
| 14 Ryan Eastman (USA) Bissell Development Team | |
| 15 Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek Factory Racing | |
| 16 Martijn Verschoor (Ned) Team Novo Nordisk | |
| 17 Zakkari Dempster (Aus) Team NetApp-Endura | |
| 18 Juan Jose Haedo (Arg) Jamis - Hagens Berman | |
| 19 Thor Hushovd (Nor) BMC Racing Team | |
| 20 Daan Olivier (Ned) Team Giant-Shimano | |
| 21 Chad Haga (USA) Team Giant-Shimano | |
| 22 George Bennett (NZl) Cannondale | |
| 23 Niki Terpstra (Ned) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team | |
| 24 Lawson Craddock (USA) Team Giant-Shimano | |
| 25 Tiago Machado (Por) Team NetApp-Endura | |
| 26 Markel Irizar Aranburu (Esp) Trek Factory Racing | |
| 27 Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team | |
| 28 Carter Jones (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies | |
| 29 Tom Boonen (Bel) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team | |
| 30 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Team Sky | |
| 31 Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Cannondale | |
| 32 Adam Yates (GBr) Orica GreenEDGE | |
| 33 Eloy Teruel Rovira (Esp) Jamis - Hagens Berman | |
| 34 Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Orica GreenEDGE | |
| 35 Koen de Kort (Ned) Team Giant-Shimano | |
| 36 Mathew Hayman (Aus) Orica GreenEDGE | |
| 37 Peter Stetina (USA) BMC Racing Team | |
| 38 Christopher Jones (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team | |
| 39 Kristijan Koren (Slo) Cannondale | |
| 40 Johan Esteban Chaves Rubio (Col) Orica GreenEDGE | |
| 41 Michael Schar (Sui) BMC Racing Team | |
| 42 Caleb Fairly (USA) Garmin Sharp | |
| 43 Mark Renshaw (Aus) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team | |
| 44 Ted King (USA) Cannondale | |
| 45 Lawrence Warbasse (USA) BMC Racing Team | |
| 46 Martin Kohler (Sui) BMC Racing Team | |
| 47 Leopold König (Cze) Team NetApp-Endura | |
| 48 Javier Megias Leal (Esp) Team Novo Nordisk | |
| 49 Fred Rodriguez (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis | |
| 50 Andrea Peron (Ita) Team Novo Nordisk | |
| 51 Tao Geoghegan Hart (GBr) Bissell Development Team | |
| 52 Amael Moinard (Fra) BMC Racing Team | |
| 53 Clement Chevrier (Fra) Bissell Development Team | |
| 54 Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (RSA) Team Giant-Shimano | |
| 55 Ryan Anderson (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies | |
| 56 Scott Zwizanski (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies | |
| 57 Luis Romero Amaran (Cub) Jamis - Hagens Berman | |
| 58 David De La Cruz Melgarejo (Esp) Team NetApp-Endura | |
| 59 Lars Boom (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team | |
| 60 Haimar Zubeldia (Esp) Trek Factory Racing | |
| 61 Matthew Busche (USA) Trek Factory Racing | |
| 62 Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team | |
| 63 Kirk Carlsen (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis | |
| 64 Lucas Euser (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team | |
| 65 Serghei Tvetcov (Mda) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis | |
| 66 Tom Zirbel (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies | |
| 67 Jesse Sergent (NZl) Trek Factory Racing | |
| 68 Danny Summerhill (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team | |
| 69 Tom Danielson (USA) Garmin Sharp | |
| 70 Ben King (USA) Garmin Sharp | |
| 71 Gregory Obando Brenes (CRc) Jamis - Hagens Berman | |
| 72 Ian Boswell (USA) Team Sky | |
| 73 Ruben Zepuntke (Ger) Bissell Development Team | |
| 74 Janier Acevedo Colle (Col) Garmin Sharp | |
| 75 Scott Thwaites (GBr) Team NetApp-Endura | |
| 76 Nathan Earle (Aus) Team Sky | |
| 77 Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Jamis - Hagens Berman | |
| 78 Bradley Huff (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies | |
| 79 James Oram (NZl) Bissell Development Team | |
| 80 Danny Pate (USA) Team Sky | |
| 81 Phillip Gaimon (USA) Garmin Sharp | |
| 82 Alexander Candelario (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies | |
| 83 Joshua Edmondson (GBr) Team Sky | |
| 84 Daniel Alexander Jaramillo Diez (Col) Jamis - Hagens Berman | |
| 85 Lachlan Morton (Aus) Garmin Sharp | |
| 86 Andreas Schillinger (Ger) Team NetApp-Endura | |
| 87 Joe Dombrowski (USA) Team Sky | |
| 88 Nicolas Lefrancois (Fra) Team Novo Nordisk | |
| 89 Nick Van Der Lijke (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team | |
| 90 Maarten Wynants (Bel) Belkin Pro Cycling Team | |
| 91 Jens Voigt (Ger) Trek Factory Racing | |
| 92 Thomas Damuseau (Fra) Team Giant-Shimano | |
| 93 Damien Howson (Aus) Orica GreenEDGE | all s.t. |
| 94 Rohan Dennis (Aus) Garmin Sharp | 0:19 |
| 95 Dennis Van Winden (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team | 0:22 |
| 96 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team | s.t. |
| 97 Paul Voss (Ger) Team NetApp-Endura | 0:35 |
| 98 Roy Curvers (Ned) Team Giant-Shimano | 0:38 |
| 99 Gregory Daniel (USA) Bissell Development Team | |
| 100 Christopher Williams (Aus) Team Novo Nordisk | |
| 101 Jack Bobridge (Aus) Belkin Pro Cycling Team | |
| 102 Martin Velits (Svk) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team | all s.t. |
| 103 Kiel Reijnen (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team | 0:41 |
| 104 Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Cannondale | 0:54 |
| 105 Charles Planet (Fra) Team Novo Nordisk | s.t. |
| 106 Isaac Bolivar Hernandez (Col) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team | 0:58 |
| 107 Matteo Trentin (Ita) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team | |
| 108 Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team | |
| 109 Luke Rowe (GBr) Team Sky | all s.t. |
| 110 Christian Knees (Ger) Team Sky | 1:11 |
| 111 Jonathan Clarke (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team | 1:18 |
| 112 Simon Yates (GBr) Orica GreenEDGE | 2:48 |
| 113 Luis Davila (Mex) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis | 2:52 |
| 114 David Lozano Riba (Esp) Team Novo Nordisk | 3:40 |
| 115 Joonas Henttala (Fin) Team Novo Nordisk | 4:37 |
| 116 Robbie Squire (USA) Jamis - Hagens Berman | 12:13 |
| 117 Matt Cooke (USA) Jamis - Hagens Berman | |
| 118 Jose Joao Pimenta Costa Mendes (Por) Team NetApp-Endura | both s.t. |
| 119 Cameron Wurf (Aus) Cannondale | 13:58 |
| 120 Jens Mouris (Ned) Orica GreenEDGE | |
| 121 Calvin Watson (Aus) Trek Factory Racing | |
| 122 Matthew Lloyd (Aus) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis | |
| 123 Will Routley (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies | |
| 124 Tom Leezer (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team | |
| 125 Jacob Rathe (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis | |
| 126 Matthew Lloyd (Aus) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis | |
| 127 Sean Mazich (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis | |
| 128 Robert Víctor Squire (USA) Jamis - Hagens Berman | all s.t. |
| Points GC | |
| 1 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team | 15 pts |
| 2 John Degenkolb (Ger) Team Giant-Shimano | 12 |
| 3 Moreno Hofland (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team | 10 |
| 4 Peter Sagan (Svk) Cannondale | 7 |
| 5 Danny Van Poppel (Ned) Trek Factory Racing | 6 |
| 6 Guillaume Boivin (Can) Cannondale | 5 |
| 7 Eric Young (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies | 4 |
| 8 Matthew Goss (Aus) Orica GreenEdge | 3 |
| 9 Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing Team | 2 |
| 10 John Murphy (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team | 1 |
| KOM | |
| 1 Will Routley (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies | 6 pts |
| 2 Matt Cooke (USA) Jamis - Hagens Berman | 5 |
| 3 Isaac Bolivar Hernandez (Col) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team | 4 |
| 4 Tao Geoghegan Hart (GBr) Bissell Development Team | 3 |
| 5 Charles Planet (Fra) Team Novo Nordisk | 1 |
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