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Hincapie holds lead as Hushovd takes 1st stage at Dauphiné
For six Julys in a row, George Hincapie has been one man Lance Armstrong could always count on. The New Yorker is the only teammate who’s been on the Texan’s record six consecutive Tour de France victories.
But it’s June, Hincapie is in the leader’s jersey at the Dauphiné Libéré, and this time the tables are turned.
In Monday’s long, flat opening road stage pushing west away from the Alps where the real race will be decided later this week, it was Armstrong’s turn to help his ever-loyal lieutenant.
The six-time Tour champion helped chase down a breakaway to set up a mass sprint and keep Hincapie in yellow going into Tuesday’s second stage.
Hincapie -- the winner of Sunday’s opening prologue one second ahead of compatriot Levi Leipheimer (Gerolsteiner) – couldn’t have been more thankful.
“We weren't planning to go out and protect the jersey today, but the stage finished in our favor and we decided we could. It's like a big present for me,” said Hincapie, who finished safely in the main bunch behind winner Thor Hushovd (Credit Agricole).
“The team is really here to prepare for the Tour, so I want to thank them for working for me,” he continued. “This is a really big deal for me and my family. Especially as Lance also has his own preparations for the Tour. For them to do that for me, I say a big thanks to them.”
Breakaway makes for lively day
There were 162 riders lining up in Aix-les-Bains for the start of the 224km rolling stage that pushed southwest toward the Rhone Valley and then turned north to the finish line in Givors just south of Lyon.
It didn’t take long for riders to open hostilities. Sebastien Joly (Credit Agricole), Benoit Vaugrenard (Francaise des Jeux) and Torsten Schimdt (Gerolsteiner) shot away from the main bunch at 14km. They were soon joined by Jimmy Engoulvent (Cofidis), Marcus Ljungqvist (Liquigas), Mauro Bacci (Liquigas) and Constantino Zaballa (Saunier Duval). That was deemed too dangerous and the gap was closed at 36km.
The day’s decisive move snuck away when Francis Mourey (Francaise des Jeux) followed Sylvain Chavanel (Cofidis) and former Tour de France stage-winner Jose Garcia-Acosta (Illes Balears) just as the first break was being checked. Three more riders bridged out -- Oscar Mason (Liquigas), Koos Moerenhout (Davitamon Lotto) and Ukraine’s Andriy Grivko (Domina Vacanze) – and the six quickly opened up nearly six minutes by 50km.
Mourey took the points over the first two climbs of the day, leading the way over the Côte de Bilieu at 81.5km and at the Côte de la Forêt de Chambaran at 120km. He was second behind Chavanel in the Côte de Hauterives at 149km and took the best climber’s jersey for his efforts.
Chavanel won the first intermediate sprint in Anneyron at 166km while Grivko outsprinted his breakaway companions in the second bonus sprint in Champagne at 179km.
With 50km to go, the main bunch sprang back to life led by Credit Agricole and Discovery Channel. The gap quickly dwindled under the concerted effort and the break was caught just four kilometers from the finish in Givors.
Who was leading the charge to erase the final half-minute? None other than Armstrong.
“Lance showed today he’s pretty strong. He closed that 25-second gap practically on his own,” said Hincapie, who will be back to his helper role in July. “But once the Tour gets going it'll be my job to protect him, keep him out of the wind and out of trouble for the first 10 days.”
Spanish phenomenon Alberto Contador (Liberty Seguros) crashed after hitting a sign post 5km to go. A winner of stage at Paris-Nice and the Vuelta a Pais Vasco, Contador was able to finish the stage but was later transported to a local hospital. He suffered relatively light cuts and abrasions to his chest, ribs, arms and knees and is expected to start Tuesday’s stage.
Hushovd takes familiar win
For the sprinters lining up in this week’s Dauphiné Libéré, Monday’s opening stage could well be their only chance to strut their stuff.
With 4km to go and the breakaway duly reeled in, it was time for the sprinters to line up. Without a dominant train to control things on the lead-in, the shoulders were bumping as riders found for position.
Credit Agricole’s Thor Hushovd held off Robert Hunter (Phonak) and Juan Antonio Flecha (Fassa Bortolo) to snatch his third win on the season thanks to a nice lead-out from teammate Damien Nazon.
“There was a lot of movement toward the end,” he said. “It was a bit hard, but Damien was brilliant.”
The victory has become something of a tradition for the big Norwegian, who’s taken the opening road stage at the Dauphiné three years running.
“I started the sprint with about 200 meters to go, which was a bit far from me, but it worked out,” Hushovd said.
Hushovd will be another name looking to shine next month. Unlike Armstrong, who will be chasing the yellow jersey, Hushovd will take aim for the green points jersey. The Norwegian is sure to face heated competition from Tom Boonen (Quick Step) and Aussies Stuart O’Grady (Cofidis) and Robbie McEwen (Davitamon-Lotto).
“Now I'm looking towards the Tour - the green jersey is my main aim, although I would like to win a few stages too,” he said.
Five riders didn’t finish Monday, including Team CSC’s Jakob Piil who’s been plagued with injuries since last year’s Tour de France. Other not finishing included Kanstantsin Siutsou (Fassa Bortolo), Nicola Loda (Liquigas-Bianchi), Bingen Fernandez (Cofidis) and Santiago Gonzalez (Phonak).
Tuesday’s 184km second stage looks to be another stage well-suited for the sprinters, but there’s a punchy Category 4 climb just 14km from the finish that could spring the head-bangers.
Stage 1 Individual
1. Thor Hushovd (Nor), Credit Agricole, 5:10:55
2. Robert Hunter (RSA), Phonak
3. Juan Antonio Flecha (Sp), Fassa Bortolo
4. Luke Roberts (Aus), CSC
5. Manuel Quinziato (I), Saunier Duval
6. Mickael Delage (F), Francaise des Jeux
7. Heinrich Haussler (G), Gerolsteiner
8. Samuel Dumoulin (F), Ag2r Prevoyance
9. Enrico Gasparotto (I), Liquigas-Bianchi
10. Koldo Fernandez (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi
Overall Standings
1. George Hincapie (USA), Discovery Channel, 0:00
2. Levi Leipheimer (USA), Gerolsteiner, 0:01
3. Andrey Kashechkin (Kaz), Credit Agricole, 0:03
4. Floyd Landis (USA), Phonak, 0:05
5. Lance Armstrong (USA), Discovery Channel, 0:06
6. Oscar Pereiro (Sp), Phonak, 0:07
7. Alberto Contador (Sp), Liberty Seguros, 0:09
8. Ivan Gutierrez (Sp), Illes Balears, 0:13
9. Davide Rebellin (I), Gerolsteiner
10. Francisco Lara Ruiz (Sp), T-Mobile, 0:14
