Saturday, April 26, 2008

2008 Tour de Georgia - Brasstown Bald


I totally stole this from Blacknell's photostream. He popped it on PC this morning and I just loved it!!!

Oh my... what a day?!? The coverage bit the big one at the end once again from WCSN. Nothing on the peloton for the longest damn time and then to not cover Trent and Levi finishing? WTF?!?! I was on the edge of my chair at the end way more than I should've been but man-o-man... what happened? Trent was doing awesome (and damn if he didn't do a great job today!) and then Sivtsov attacks and Levi didn't go? Trent was on his wheel with every move and the kid just rocked today. Brian over at PC called Sivtsov early on in the day and he did it, he won the stage - and got the yellow jersey - poop!

I can't even begin to imagine what is going through heads tonight or what the team atmosphere is. There are time bonuses tomorrow but Trent isn't a sprinter. I'm almost forcing myself to think that they thought Levi was going to go with a kick and that's why Trent didn't go with him. Just don't know. Today was a hard as hell climb and with reading that Levi didn't have it to go, Trent might not have either. I'm waiting for more interviews and comments before I jump on some of the woulda shoulda fires.

I delayed calling John as I was almost afraid. I don't see away to win the overall now and I'm just bummed for the team. It is SO easy for those of us not there and not in the moment to say the woulda, coulda, shoulda stuff but ouch, this was a bummer. I seriously hope you have that drink John! All those miles the past few days and then for today. Make it two John and have one for me after that!!! Hopefully tomorrow's call will be better.

One really enjoyable highlight of the finish I have to comment on is Mr. Rory Sutherland! Race camera coverage sucked so bad we had no idea who was where and it was like out of absolutely nowhere, there was Rory! He finished 4th! I wish I wasn't so in awe as Rory is a great rider but wow, that just was like - where the hell did he come from?!? So huge congrats to that boy tonight! I still encourage you to drop him an email as he deserves as much loving as he can get! His blogs are great and his friendly duty of trying to hook up Matt is hilarious. Great ride today Rory!!!

Last thing before I post this and head off to read up on Liege-Bastogne-Liege for tomorrow morning. I hope you check out the pics on CN today. The "Push me up the hill PLEASE" signs were pretty funny on Ivan Dominguez and JJ Haedo!


Rory Sutherland: Missed by that much
VN TV:
Post race Stage 5 Rory Sutherland & Tim Johnson
VN TV: Post race Stage 5 Danny Pate
VN TV:
Post race Stage 5 Levi Leipheimer

ROAD: Pre-race Tom Danielson, Pre-race Dave Zabriskie, Pre-race Levi Leipheimer
VN TV: Pre-race Stage 6 Tyler Hamilton
VN TV:
Pre-race Stage 6 Chris Horner
VN TV:
Pre-race Stage 6 Trent Lowe

Live Chats: CN, PC, VN

Stage 6 - April 26: Blairsvill/Union County - Brasstown Bald/Towns County, 88.4mi/142.3km
Results
1 Kanstantin Siutsou (Blr) Team High Road 3.47.16 (37.568 km/h)
2 Trent Lowe (Aus) Slipstream Chipotle p/b H30 0.10
3 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana 0.16
4 Rory Sutherland (Aus) Health Net p/b Maxxis 0.33
9 Christian Vande Velde (USA) Slipstream Chipotle p/b H30 1.38
11 Scott Nydam (USA) BMC Racing Team 2.24
12 Bobby Julich (USA) Team CSC
24 George Hincapie (USA) Team High Road 3.19
35 Chris Horner (USA) Astana 5.35
47 David Zabriskie (USA) Slipstream Chipotle p/b H30 8.57
50 Jason McCartney (USA) Team CSC 9.38
52 Tyler Hamilton (USA) Rock Racing 11.02
55 Thomas Danielson (USA) Slipstream Chipotle p/b H30 11.27
61 Fred Rodriguez (USA) Rock Racing 21.25
77 Lucas Euser (USA) Slipstream Chipotle p/b H30 21.43
91 Tyler Farrar (USA) Slipstream Chipotle p/b H30 22.16
102 Bryce Mead (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 23.19
106 Danny Pate (USA) Slipstream Chipotle p/b H30 24.03
DSQ Michael Creed (USA) Rock Racing
General classification after stage 6
1 Kanstantin Siutsou (Blr) Team High Road 20.20.51
2 Trent Lowe (Aus) Slipstream Chipotle p/b H30 0.04
3 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana 0.14
7 Christian Vande Velde (USA) Slipstream Chipotle p/b H30 1.32
9 Rory Sutherland (Aus) Health Net p/b Maxxis 2.08
10 Bobby Julich (USA) Team CSC 2.31
12 Scott Nydam (USA) BMC Racing Team 2.49
13 George Hincapie (USA) Team High Road 3.19
29 Chris Horner (USA) Astana 5.33
40 David Zabriskie (USA) Slipstream Chipotle p/b H30 8.51
42 Jason McCartney (USA) Team CSC 10.02
45 Thomas Danielson (USA) Slipstream Chipotle p/b H30 11.38
70 Fred Rodriguez (USA) Rock Racing 24.21
72 Danny Pate (USA) Slipstream Chipotle p/b H30 24.56
95 Tyler Farrar (USA) Slipstream Chipotle p/b H30 39.05
98 Tyler Hamilton (USA) Rock Racing 41.32
99 Lucas Euser (USA) Slipstream Chipotle p/b H30 41.58
106 Bryce Mead (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 1.14.44


Slipstream: Lowe 2nd on Brasstown; 1st BYR; 2nd overall
VN: Sivts-who? A primer on Kanstantin Sivtsov
DP: Stage 6
Julie: Tunnel Vision

TBR: Rory Sutherland (how awesome was that!) and Kanstantin Sivtsov

Slipstream Twitter - summing up the day: #*$@!!!!!!! (posted just after 6:30)

7 comments:

Julie said...

Thanks once again, this time for the TBR heads-up. I love Frankie, and he does great with the riders, keeping it simple for Koste, and giving Rory the props he deserves. Koste was so cute, and hearing how much George helped him, can't help but be happy for them!

Woody and JV need to compare notes, mixed messages over there tonight (I'm sure JV's is more accurate, Woody just got a little too spin-happy it seems).

Nikki said...

I just read JV's note. We chatted about it on PC this morning too. To have missed the 6 sec thing seemed a stretch but I feared Trent was just too fixed on Levi's wheel. Sounds like they were both just cooked.

It will be interesting to read and hear more as the night and morning come around. Still big kudo's to Trent though, what a ride. And then Rory - sweet ride!

If you get a few minutes, check out PC from this morning. Great pics sent over. :-)

Julie said...

Yes, I saw those pics, so nice and clear compared to the video we were getting! :p

Nikki said...

Hey - Are you watching LBL in the morning? I'm reading up on things tonight. Can't wait for real coverage again. WCSN just sucks. They have no clue how to air cycling!

Julie said...

OMG, get thee to Steephill. They have 10 min of last year's Brasstown (Levi, C, Jani), with no commentating, but full sound on the scene, it's heaven! Great closure on the day!

Told myself I was going grocery shopping in the AM, sacrifice live LBL and watch later on Vs, but heaven knows I probably won't be able to resist!

Nikki said...

Can you send a direct link? I can't seem to get the link to open for me. Not sure why...

Nikki said...

Okay, couldn't get it there but found it on YouTube! Sweet indeed!

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=VHXPQtttMFw