Canadian Cyclist Tour de Georgia: Stage7

Daily News

April 25/04 7:19 am - Tour de Georgia: Stage7

Posted by Editoress on 04/25/04

Tour de Georgia Georgia, USA

This report made possible by Human Kinetics Publishers

Stage 7: Dawsonville to Alpharetta - 142.3km

Gord Fraser (Health Net) finished the Tour de Georgia the same way he started, with a stage win. By doing so, he clinched the Points Jersey, ahead of Ivan Dominguez (Colavita-Bolla Wines). Despite Fraser's impressive win, all eyes were on yellow jersey wearer Lance Armstrong (US Postal), who finished safely in the peloton, surrounded by his team mates.

The final stage wound its way south from Dawsonville to the Atlanta suburb of Alpharetta, over 145 kilometres of lightly rolling terrain, and finishing on a 5.9 kilometre circuit which the riders covered 4 times. Fraser took both intermediate sprints, effectively locking up the overall Points title before the finish.

The finish was hard after six days and 1048 kilometres of racing, with the riders facing an uphill run for the final 250 metres, out of a gentle right hand curve. Navigators started the wind-up for the finish for Vassili Davidenko, with Domina Vacanze taking over over for Cipollini in the final two kilometres. But Cipo came up short on the hill, finishing third behind Fraser and Juan Jose Haedo (Colavita-Bolla Wines).

Fraser described the finish:

"Navigators was doing a good job for Davidenko, and then Domina Vacanze took over with one kilometre to go. It was a little more chaotic than the usual flat finish. I was on a Colavita rider, who I assumed was Ivan, but it was Juan. Juan is pretty fast himself, and he was on Cipollini's wheel, so it was a good place to be. I just had to come by them at the end, about 50 metres out."

Cipollini stayed left, on the slightly steeper (but shorter) side of the climb, while Fraser and Haedo swung to the shallower right side, going longer, but picking up enough speed for both to get by Cipollini.

Race Notes

- Mario Cipollini did not show up for the awards ceremony, and was fined 200 CHF (Swiss francs), plus forfeiting Stage 7 prize money.

- The announcers were saying the crowds were over 50,000 on the finishing circuit.

- In the post-race press conference, Armstrong was asked about the Tour de Georgia and his Tour de France preparation. "I was surprised how many people there were - thousands, tens of thousands, it was fantastic. It's always nice to win, but it is even better to meet objectives like having a good time trial. I wish we could have more races like this, so we could come over here, and get the Euros to come, and we could use it for preparation for races like the Tour de France. For my prep for the Tour, things might be running a little hot right now, and we'll have to back it off a little."

He also said, regarding his plans for next season: "If the team continues, I'll continue", referring to the announcement by US Postal on Friday that they would not be sponsoring the team after this year.

- Davis Phinney, Olympic bronze medalist, Tour de France stage winner, and winner of over 300 career victories, came up on stage. Phinney is suffering from Parkinson's Disease, and has launched a Foundation to raise money to fight this disease. You can visit his website at www.davisphinneyfoundation.com.

1. Gord Fraser (Can) Health Net/Maxxis

3:20:15

2. Juan Jose Haedo (Arg) Colavita Olive Oil

3. Mario Cipollini (Ita) Domina Vacanze

4. Enrico Degano (Ita) Team Barloworld

5. Ivan Dominguez (Cub) Colavita Olive Oil

6. Yuri Metlushenko (Ukr) Landbouwkrediet - Colnago

7. Chris Horner (USA) Webcor

8. Kirk Albers (USA) Jelly Belly

9. Benjamin Brooks (Aus) Jelly Belly

10. Russell Hamby (USA) Sierra Nevada

11. Alex Candelario (USA) Jelly Belly

12. Jackson Stewart (USA) Ofoto/Lombardi Sports

13. Nicola Gavazzi (Ita) Saeco-Prodir-Saunier Duval

14. Chad Hartley (USA) Jittery Joe's Coffee

15. Doug Ollerenshaw (USA) Jelly Belly

16. Vassili Davidenko (Rus) Navigators Insurance

17. Gustavo Artacho (Arg) Colavita Olive Oil

18. Mikhail Timochine (Rus) Landbouwkrediet - Colnago

19. Scott Zwizanski (USA) Ofoto/Lombardi Sports

20. George Hincapie (USA) US Postal Service - Berry Floor

21. Salvatore Commesso (Ita) Saeco-Prodir-Saunier Duval

22. Maximilian Sciandri (GBr) CSC

23. Blake Caldwell (USA) U23 National Team

24. Thomas Bruun Eriksen (Den) CSC

25. Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Sierra Nevada

26. Jimmi Madsen (Den) CSC

27. Jens Voigt (Ger) CSC

28. Sergey Lagutin (Uzb) Landbouwkrediet - Colnago

29. Imanol Ayestaran Odriozola (Esp) Webcor

30. Charles Dionne (Can) Webcor

31. Giovanni Lombardi (Ita) Domina Vacanze

32. Ivan Ravaioli (Ita) Team Barloworld

33. Jason Bausch (USA) Ofoto/Lombardi Sports

34. Francesco Bellotti (Ita) Team Barloworld

35. Daniel Bowman (USA) U23 National Team

36. Sergio Marinangeli (Ita) Domina Vacanze

37. Henk Vogels (Aus) Navigators Insurance

38. Caleb Manion (Aus) Jelly Belly

39. Ernesto Lechuga (Mex) Jelly Belly

40. Christopher Baldwin (USA) Navigators Insurance

41. Timothy Duggan (USA) U23 National Team

42. Damon Kluck (USA) US Postal Service - Berry Floor

43. Jason Klikna (USA) Sierra Nevada

44. William Frischkorn (USA) Colavita Olive Oil

45. Bobby Julich (USA) CSC

46. James Mattis (USA) Webcor

47. Paul Ellis (USA) Jelly Belly

48. Jeff Louder (USA) Navigators Insurance

49. Mark Walters (Can) Navigators Insurance

50. Cesar Grajales Calle (Col) Jittery Joe's Coffee

51. Jesse Lawler (USA) Jittery Joe's Coffee

52. Eric Wohlberg (Can) Sierra Nevada

53. Tim Larkin (USA) Ofoto/Lombardi Sports

54. Scott Moninger (USA) Health Net/Maxxis

55. Chris Wherry (USA) Health Net/Maxxis

56. Benjamin Haldeman (USA) Webcor

57. Tim Johnson (USA) Saeco-Prodir-Saunier Duval

58. Phil Zajicek (USA) Navigators Insurance

59. Dominique Perras (Can) Ofoto/Lombardi Sports

60. David George (RSA) Team Barloworld

61. Justin England (USA) Webcor

62. Pavel Padrnos (Cze) US Postal Service - Berry Floor

63. Ludovic Capelle (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Colnago

64. Stefan Adamsson (Swe) Team Barloworld

65. Antonio Cruz (USA) US Postal Service - Berry Floor

66. Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal Service - Berry Floor

67. Viatcheslav Ekimov (Rus) US Postal Service - Berry Floor

68. Tyler Wren (USA) Colavita Olive Oil

69. Adam Bergman (USA) Jelly Belly

70. Danny Pate (USA) Health Net/Maxxis

71. Brian Vandborg (Den) CSC

72. Jakob Piil (Den) CSC

73. Thad Dulin (USA) Colavita Olive Oil

74. Kevin Bouchard-Hall (USA) U23 National Team

75. Todd Herriott (USA) Colavita Olive Oil

76. John Lieswyn (USA) Health Net/Maxxis

all s.t.

77. Stuart Gillespie (USA) U23 National Team

0:12

78. Daniel Rincon (Col) US Postal Service - Berry Floor

79. Erik Saunders (USA) Ofoto/Lombardi Sports

80. Jacky Durand (Fra) Landbouwkrediet - Colnago

81. Francesco Secchiari (Ita) Domina Vacanze

all s.t.

82. Michael Creed (USA) US Postal Service - Berry Floor

0:19

83. Mario Scirea (Ita) Domina Vacanze

84. Alessio Galletti (Ita) Domina Vacanze

85. Sean Sullivan (Aus) Team Barloworld

86. Mori Massimiliano (Ita) Domina Vacanze

87. Gregory Henderson (NZl) Health Net/Maxxis

all s.t.

88. Jason McCartney (USA) Health Net/Maxxis

0:39

89. Ciaran Power (Irl) Navigators Insurance

s.t.

90. David Clinger (USA) Domina Vacanze

0:51

91. Mike Sayers (USA) Health Net/Maxxis

1:05

92. Aaron Olson (USA) Colavita Olive Oil

4:33

93. James Schneider (USA) Jittery Joe's Coffee

s.t.

Final GC

1. Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal Service - Berry Floor

25:39:20

2. Jens Voigt (Ger) CSC

at 0:24

3. Chris Horner (USA) Webcor