Victory for Belgium's Nuyens in Castle Douglas
Stage 1; Tuesday, August 30, 2005 | Glasgow - Castle Douglas
Unlike last year where all the stages were decided in bunch sprints, the wind and the terrain took it's toll early on as the race split into small groups, with a group of 34 forming and staying away. The winner of the stage was Quickstep's Nick Nuyens who won the two up sprint for the stage just ahead of the bunch. In third was Jeremy Hunt (Mr Bookmaker), one of four British riders who stayed clear of the main peloton which finished over 24 minutes back. There was five, with Russell Downing spotted in the lead group at one stage but he went back to the bunch (reason unknown) and it was to be a bad day for the Recycling team with no-one else in that lead group.
For Great Britain, Keiran Page made the break and was still with it when we left the race to go to the finish around 20 miles out. In that time, Kieran lost several minutes. Perhaps having to chase back after a mechanical when with the break took its toll, but when he crossed the line, his face told the story of
the pain he had gone through. The success of the lead group hung in the balance for a long time, with the gap coming down to 45 seconds at one point.
From the rear of the peloton, I could see the Great Britain team on the front driving the race, as were Recycling from the reports on race radio, but their efforts and those of other teams were
to be in vain and once they knew the lead group wasn't coming back, the peloton 'pianioed' the rest of the stage, rolling across the line lead well over twenty minutes down by Scotland's Evan Oliphant. And so say the judges, only just inside the time limit.
The day started with a flurry of attacks. There was one Eugene Moraity, Dean Downing and Jon Clarke of Australia. They were soon caught and then Tony Bracke of Belgium went up the road, before he too wasn't being allowed any freedom. The most successful rider was the leader of the Bridgestone team who gained 23 seconds in his five mile escape.
It wasn't until after 30 minutes of racing though that the field started to split into groups, that the shape of the race started to take place. The lead group of 36 riders was joined by a further six riders and they dominated the race with a number of that leading group going back to the bunch to leave 34
riders at the front of the race as they entered the final few miles after the king of the mountains at Craignair. In the final, Yanto Barko was reported to have tried several times to get away, as were a number of other riders but it was Nuyens and Blaudzun who got a small gap and Nuyens won the race by several lengths from the Dane.
There was a spell when this was the state of play with the riders lined out and giving it full gas to stay in contention ...
Roger Hammond: Talking to Roger Hammond before the start, he explained that he was looking forward to riding the race with the Under 23 Academy lads who were all riding the race after Matt Brammeier was given a ride for Wales and Tom White who has had two wins recently, came in to ride for GB. "I have spent a few days with them and did a ride with them yesterday and they're good lads. Its like going back 10 years in my career and remembering how keen I used to be when dinner table conversation was all about bike parts and races they have done." Adding with a smile, "It changes as you get older…"
Asked about his role in the race, he explained that "I hope to have some useful information for them on the road. John's team manager and will be relaying information but if there are situations on the road that John can't see then hopefully I'll be able pass on some information. They are though a pretty well
drilled squad and know what bike racing is all about."
"I think there will be more bunch sprints than splits" he said based on last years race. "There are a few stages that look a little easier on paper than they are -- like today." Adding almost mystic meg like because this is what happened today -- "The weather conditions can change and affect what happens, a
crosswind out there and we could be in trouble (it was the winds that caused the splits today with two distinct groups forming from the echelons."
Asked is there any pressure on him here at home, he replied "There's no pressure, from John or from the guys. Its different from when you go into races when you have the hot favourite for the sprint finishes like in a race Max was the favourite for everything which puts a lot of pressure on the whole team. You
have got to do your job perfectly and if you don't, the favourite loses and there are questions asked. Here though, we have nothing to lose and everything to gain so it's a nice situation to be in. Going from Discovery where everywhere you go you're being looked at, to being the underdogs here. So what do we have to lose -nothing - so we might as well go out there and fight."
Talking about his form finally, Roger said "The form is coming. The World Championships is always a motivating factor for the second half of the season and its time for me to get some condition. Germany was one of the first races where I hadn't been with Max (Discovery teammate), on a tour so I was given a
little bit more freedom in the sprints. In the past my sprint has always been 400 metres to go so it looks from the results that I have been performing badly but the reality is if you're working for someone else then you shouldn't be in the results yourself. Germany was one of those races I got more freedom in
Discovery and if I hadn't got boxed in on the last stage when I sat up, then I would have been in the top six on each stage which was good for morale".
Photo Story of Stage 1
Nick Nuyens wins the first stage ...
Jeremy Hunt wins the sprint for 3rd two seconds down on Nuyens...
Kieran Page's face says it all -- this was a tough stage for the GB rider
The peloton roll in well over 24 minutes down...
Yanto Barker concentrates on the wheel of Blaudzun on the run in to the finish
Early on in the break, Kieran Page has a bike problem which meant he had a taxing chase to get back on which he did only to lose contact late in the race ...
Alex Coutts rode well to make the break and finish 24th for Scotland.
Drumlanrig Castle
Jeremy Hunt gets a jersey as the leading British rider ...
The Bridgestone team lead the chase with the Great Britain lads ...
Tom Southam is second in the sprint at Kirkconnell
Eric Baumann from T-Mobile grabs the points and bonus seconds in the hotspot sprint at Dumfries...
Prior to a good day for DFL's Yanto Barker, the team lined up for a team photo...
GB Team manager John Herety gives the Great Britain boys a plan for the day. One of the riders Kieran Page made the break but was dropped late on.
The Scottish flag is raised as the seconds count down for the start of stage 1
A relaxed mood in the neutralised zone out of Glasgow ...
The day was highlighted by many many groups of noisy Scottish children lining the route and cheering long and loud for the riders ...
Results: Glasgow to Castle Douglas (100 miles) 160km
1. Nick Nuyens (Bel) Quick Step 4.24.32
2. Michael Blaudzun (Den) Team CSC 0.02
3. Jeremy Hunt (GBr) Mr Bookmaker 0.03
4. Michael Rogers (Aus) Quick Step 0.04
5. Bert de Waele (Bel) Landbouwkrediet
6. Yanto Barker (GBr) DFL Driving Force
7. Erwin Thijs (Bel) Mr Bookmaker 0.05
8. Bastiaan Giling (Ned) T-Mobile
9. Javier Cherro Molina (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana
10. Peter Mazur (Pol) Navigators Insurance
11. Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Chocolade 0.06
12. Chris Sorensen (Den) Team CSC
13. David George (RSA) Barloworld-Valsir
14. Phil Zajicek (USA) Navigators Insurance 0.07
15. Ben Day (Aus) Mr Bookmaker-Sports Tech
16. Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Landbouwkredie
17. Tom Southam (GBr) Barloworld-Valsir
18. Tobias Steinhauser (Ger) T-Mobile 0.08
19. Juan Gomis Lopez (Spa) Comunidad
20. Iljo Keisse (Bel) Chocolade Jacques 1.10
21. Takehiro Mizutani (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor
22. Eric Baumann (Ger) T-Mobile 1.12
23. Antonio Olmo Menacho (Spa) Comunidad 1.13
24. Alex Coutts (GBr) Scotland
25. Hilton Clarke (Aus) Navigators Insuran 1.14
26. Davide Bramati (Ita) Quick Step-Innerg
27. Wilfried Cretskens (Bel) Quick Step 1.17
28. Alfred Green (RSA) Barloworld-Valsir 2.08
29. Thomas Bruun Eriksen (Den) Team CSC
30. Ciarán Power (Irl) Navigators Insurance 2.09
31. Siro Camponogara (Ita) Navigators
32. Sean Sullivan (Aus) Barloworld-Valsir 2.13
33. Kieran Page (GBr) Great Britain 3.52
34. Manuel Lloret Zaragozi (Spa) Comunidad 4.06
35. Evan Oliphant (GBr) Scotland 22.28
36. Gary Hand (GBr) Scotland
37. Luca Paolini (Ita) Quick Step-Innergetic
38. Enrico Degano (Ita) Barloworld-Valsir
39. Ivan Santaromita (Ita) Quick Step-Innergetic
40. Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor) Team CSC
41. Thierry De Groote (Bel) Landbouwkrediet Colnago
42. James Vanlandschoot (Bel) Landbouwkrediet Colnago
43. Robert Hayles (GBr) Recycling.co.uk/Litespeed
44. Roger Hammond (GBr) Great Britain
45. Frederic Gabriel (Fra) Mr Bookmaker-Sports Tech
46. Tom Vannoppen (Bel) Mr Bookmaker-Sports Tech
47. David Munoz Banon (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana
48. Wesley Van der Linden (Bel) Chocolade Jacques T-Interim
49. Matthew Gilmore (Bel) Chocolade Jacques T-Interim
50. Kevin Van Impe (Bel) Chocolade Jacques T-Interim
51. Phillip Dixon (GBr) DFL Driving Force Logistics
52. Russel Downing (GBr) Recycling.co.uk/Litespeed
53. Jean Claude Lebeau (Bel) Landbouwkrediet Colnago
54. Chris Newton (GBr) Recycling.co.uk/Litespeed
55. Steffen Wesemann (Ger) T-Mobile
56. Lars Michaelsen (Den) Team CSC
57. Bram Schmitz (Ned) T-Mobile
58. Dean Downing (GBr) Recycling.co.uk/Litespeed
59. Mark Cavindish (GBr) Great Britain
60. Junya Sano (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor
61. Serguei Ivanov (Rus) T-Mobile
62. Ryan Cox (RSA) Barloworld-Valsir
63. Jamie Norfolk (GBr) Wales
64. Geraint Thomas (GBr) Great Britain
65. James McCallum (GBr) Scotland
66. Robin Sharman (GBr) Recycling.co.uk/Litespeed
67. Paul Manning (GBr) Recycling.co.uk/Litespeed
68. David McCann (Irl) Ireland
69. Paul Healion (Irl) DFL Driving Force Logistics
70. Steven Roach (GBr) Wales
71. Paudi O'Brien (Irl) Ireland
72. Julian Winn (GBr) Wales
73. Ryan Connor (GBr) DFL Driving Force Logistics
74. Tom White (GBr) Great Britain
75. Robert Partridge (GBr) Wales
76. Paul Griffin (Irl) Ireland
77. Frederik Willems (Bel) Chocolade Jacques T-Interim
78. Ben Hallam (GBr) DFL Driving Force Logistics
79. Eugene Moriarty (Irl) Ireland
80. Roger Aiken (Irl) Ireland
81. Kazuo Inoue (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor
82. Matthew Brammeier (GBr) Wales
83. Dale Appleby (GBr) Wales
84. Duncan Urquhart (GBr) Scotland
85. Takashi Miyazawa (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor
86. Jonathon Clarke (Aus) Navigators Insurance
87. Martin Ford (GBr) DFL Driving Force Logistics
88. Thomas Evans (Irl) Ireland
89. Jose Luis Martinez Jimenez (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana
90. Edward Clancy (GBr) Great Britain
91. Shinichi Fukushima (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor
92. Koji Fukushima (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor
93. Tony Bracke (Bel) Landbouwkrediet Colnago 24.32DNF Christoph Roodhooft (Bel) Mr Bookmaker-Sports Tech
Crashed in the feed zone, severa abrasions and
taken to hospital.
DNF David Smith (GBr) Scotland
T-Mobile Hot Spot Sprints (with time bonuses)
Cumnock
1. Javier Cherro Molina (Spa) Comunidad 3 secs 5 pts
2. Tom Southam (GBr) Barloworld-Valsir 2 3
3. Michael Blaudzun (Den) Team CSC 1 2
4. Nick Nuyens (Bel) Quick Step-Innergeti 1
Kirkconnell
1 Eric Baumann (Ger) T-Mobile 3 5 pts
2 Tom Southam (GBr) Barloworld-Valsir 2 3
3 Nick Nuyens (Bel) Quick Step-Innergetic 1 2
4 Michael Blaudzun (Den) Team CSC 1
Dumfries
1. Eric Baumann (Ger) T-Mobile 3 5 pts
2. Javier Cherro Molina (Spa) Comunidad 2 3
3. Nick Nuyens (Bel) Quick Step-Innergetic1 2
4. Iljo Keisse (Bel) Chocolade Jacques 1
Mountains (no time bonuses)
Clonsehead, Cat 3
1. Bert de Waele (Bel) Landbouwkrediet Colnago 4 pts
2. Antonio Olmo Menacho (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana 3
3. Ben Day (Aus) Mr Bookmaker-Sports Tech 2
4. Tobias Steinhauser (Ger) T-Mobile 1
Craignair, Cat 3
1. Nick Nuyens (Bel) Quick Step-Innergetic 4 pts
2. Michael Blaudzun (Den) Team CSC 3
3. Jeremy Hunt (GBr) Mr Bookmaker-Sports Tech 2
4. Hilton Clarke (Aus) Navigators Insurance 1
Teams
1. Mr Bookmaker-Sp 13.51
2. Quick Step-Inne 1.03
3. T-Mobile 1.10
4. Navigators Insurance 1.11
5. Comunidad Valenciana
6. Team CSC 2.01
7. Barloworld-Vals 2.06
8. Landbouwkrediet 22.24
9. Chocolade Jacqu 23.29
10. DFL Driving For 44.45
11. Bridgestone Anc 45.51
12. Scotland 45.54
1.3 Great Britain 48.33
14. Recycling.co.uk 1.07.09
15. Wales
16. Ireland
Best British rider
1 Jeremy Hunt (GBr) Mr Bookmaker-Sports Tech 4.24.35
2 Yanto Barker (GBr) DFL Driving Force 0.01
3 Tom Southam (GBr) Barloworld-Valsir 0.04
4 Alex Coutts (GBr) Scotland 1.10
5 Kieran Page (GBr) Great Britain 3.49
General classification after stage 1
1. Nick Nuyens (Bel) Quick Step-Innergetic 4.24.20
2. Michael Blaudzun (Den) Team CSC 0.07
3. Jeremy Hunt (GBr) Mr Bookmaker-Sports 0.11
4. Javier Cherro Molina (Spa) Comunidad 0.12
5. Tom Southam (GBr) Barloworld-Valsir 0.15
6. Michael Rogers (Aus) Quick Step-Innergetic 0.16
7. Bert de Waele (Bel) Landbouwkrediet Colnago
8. Yanto Barker (GBr) DFL Driving Force
9. Erwin Thijs (Bel) Mr Bookmaker-Sports 0.17
10. Bastiaan Giling (Ned) T-Mobile
11. Peter Mazur (Pol) Navigators Insurance
12. Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Chocolade Jacques 0.18
13. Chris Sorensen (Den) Team CSC
14. David George (RSA) Barloworld-Valsir
15. Phil Zajicek (USA) Navigators Insurance 0.19
16. Ben Day (Aus) Mr Bookmaker-Sports Tech
17. Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Landbouwkrediet
18. Tobias Steinhauser (Ger) T-Mobile 0.20
19. Juan Gomis Lopez (Spa) Comunidad Valenci
20. Eric Baumann (Ger) T-Mobile 1.18
21. Iljo Keisse (Bel) Chocolade Jacques 1.22
22. Takehiro Mizutani (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor
23. Antonio Olmo Menacho (Spa) Comunidad 1.25
24. Alex Coutts (GBr) Scotland
25. Hilton Clarke (Aus) Navigators Insurance 1.26
26. Davide Bramati (Ita) Quick Step-Innergetic
27. Wilfried Cretskens (Bel) Quick Step 1.29
28. Alfred Green (RSA) Barloworld-Valsir 2.20
29. Thomas Bruun Eriksen (Den) Team CSC
30. Ciarán Power (Irl) Navigators Insurance 2.21
31. Siro Camponogara (Ita) Navigators Insura
32. Sean Sullivan (Aus) Barloworld-Valsir 2.25
33. Kieran Page (GBr) Great Britain 4.04
34. Manuel Lloret Zaragozi (Spa) Comunidad 4.18
35. Evan Oliphant (GBr) Scotland 22.40
36. Gary Hand (GBr) Scotland
37. Luca Paolini (Ita) Quick Step-Innergetic
38. Enrico Degano (Ita) Barloworld-Valsir
39. Ivan Santaromita (Ita) Quick Step-Innergetic
40. Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor) Team CSC
41. Thierry De Groote (Bel) Landbouwkrediet Colnago
42. James Vanlandschoot (Bel) Landbouwkrediet Colnago
43. Robert Hayles (GBr) Recycling.co.uk/Litespeed
44. Roger Hammond (GBr) Great Britain
45. Frederic Gabriel (Fra) Mr Bookmaker-Sports Tech
46. Tom Vannoppen (Bel) Mr Bookmaker-Sports Tech
47. David Munoz Banon (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana
48. Wesley Van der Linden (Bel) Chocolade Jacques T-Interim
49. Matthew Gilmore (Bel) Chocolade Jacques T-Interim
50. Kevin Van Impe (Bel) Chocolade Jacques T-Interim
51. Phillip Dixon (GBr) DFL Driving Force Logistics
52. Russel Downing (GBr) Recycling.co.uk/Litespeed
53. Jean Claude Lebeau (Bel) Landbouwkrediet Colnago
54. Chris Newton (GBr) Recycling.co.uk/Litespeed
55. Steffen Wesemann (Ger) T-Mobile
56. Lars Michaelsen (Den) Team CSC
57. Bram Schmitz (Ned) T-Mobile
58. Dean Downing (GBr) Recycling.co.uk/Litespeed
59. Mark Cavindish (GBr) Great Britain
60. Junya Sano (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor
61. Serguei Ivanov (Rus) T-Mobile
62. Ryan Cox (RSA) Barloworld-Valsir
63. Jamie Norfolk (GBr) Wales
64. Geraint Thomas (GBr) Great Britain
65. James McCallum (GBr) Scotland
66. Robin Sharman (GBr) Recycling.co.uk/Litespeed
67. Paul Manning (GBr) Recycling.co.uk/Litespeed
68. David McCann (Irl) Ireland
69. Paul Healion (Irl) DFL Driving Force Logistics
70. Steven Roach (GBr) Wales
71. Paudi O'Brien (Irl) Ireland
72. Julian Winn (GBr) Wales
73. Ryan Connor (GBr) DFL Driving Force Logistics
74. Tom White (GBr) Great Britain
75. Robert Partridge (GBr) Wales
76. Paul Griffin (Irl) Ireland
77. Frederik Willems (Bel) Chocolade Jacques T-Interim
78. Ben Hallam (GBr) DFL Driving Force Logistics
79. Eugene Moriarty (Irl) Ireland
80. Roger Aiken (Irl) Ireland
81. Kazuo Inoue (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor
82. Matthew Brammeier (GBr) Wales
83. Dale Appleby (GBr) Wales
84. Duncan Urquhart (GBr) Scotland
85. Takashi Miyazawa (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor
86. Jonathon Clarke (Aus) Navigators Insurance
87. Martin Ford (GBr) DFL Driving Force Logistics
88. Thomas Evans (Irl) Ireland
89. Jose Luis Martinez Jimenez (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana
90. Edward Clancy (GBr) Great Britain
91. Shinichi Fukushima (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor
92. Koji Fukushima (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor
93. Tony Bracke (Bel) Landbouwkrediet Colnago 24.44
Points classification
1. Nick Nuyens (Bel) Quick Step-Innergetic 15 pts
2. Michael Blaudzun (Den) Team CSC 14
3. Jeremy Hunt (GBr) Mr Bookmaker-Sports Tech 13
4. Michael Rogers (Aus) Quick Step-Innergetic 12
5. Bert de Waele (Bel) Landbouwkrediet Colnago 11
6. Yanto Barker (GBr) DFL Driving Force Logistics 10
7. Erwin Thijs (Bel) Mr Bookmaker-Sports Tech 9
8. Bastiaan Giling (Ned) T-Mobile 8
9. Javier Cherro Molina (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana 7
10. Peter Mazur (Pol) Navigators Insurance 6
11. Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Chocolade Jacques T-Interim 5
12. Chris Sorensen (Den) Team CSC 4
13. David George (RSA) Barloworld-Valsir 3
14. Phil Zajicek (USA) Navigators Insurance 2
15. Ben Day (Aus) Mr Bookmaker-Sports Tech 1
Mountains classification
1. Nick Nuyens (Bel) Quick Step-Innergetic 4 pts
Bert de Waele (Bel) Landbouwkrediet Colnago 4
3. Michael Blaudzun (Den) Team CSC 3
Antonio Olmo Menacho (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana 3
5. Ben Day (Aus) Mr Bookmaker-Sports Tech 2
Jeremy Hunt (GBr) Mr Bookmaker-Sports Tech 2
7. Tobias Steinhauser (Ger) T-Mobile 1
7. Hilton Clarke (Aus) Navigators Insurance 1
Sprints classification
1. Eric Baumann (Ger) T-Mobile 10 pts
2. Javier Cherro Molina (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana 8
3. Tom Southam (GBr) Barloworld-Valsir 6
4. Nick Nuyens (Bel) Quick Step-Innergetic 5
5. Michael Blaudzun (Den) Team CSC 3
6. Iljo Keisse (Bel) Chocolade Jacques T-Interim 1
Teams classification
1. Mr Bookmaker 13.13.51
2. Quick Step 1.03
3. T-Mobile 1.10
4. Navigator 1.11
5. Comunidad st
6. Team CSC 2.01
7. Barloworld 2.06
8. Landbouwkredit 22.24
9. Chocolade Jaques 23.29
10. DFL 44.45
11. Bridgestone 45.51
12. Scotland 45.54
13. Great Britain 48.33
14. Recycling 1.07.09
15. Wales
16. Ireland