2006 Tour of Britain (UCI 2.1)

 

Stage 1, Glasgow to Castle Douglas
Tuesday, 29th August | www.tourofbritain.com
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STAGE EXTRA: The stage in images with captions >>>>

 

STAGE REPORT

Martin Pederson of the CSC team took the first stage of the 2006 Tour of Britain, which began in Glasgow and ended in Castle Douglas. Pederson was part of a three man break which went away at approximately the 30 mile point of the stage.

 

The instigator of the crucial break was Luis Pasamontes of the Unibet team. Larry Hickmott saw the break form from the back of his press motorcycle - "they were going up a nondescript climb when suddenly Pasamontes came up to us and Goss and Pederson soon followed."

 

The Spanish Unibet rider Luis Pasamontes starts the crucial move

 

The trio drove home their advantage in tricky conditions with heavy rain interspersed with sunny spells and some pretty fierce cross-winds. At one stage the gap to the main field had grown to a dangerous 11 and a half minutes, but after the final sprint at Kirkcudbright, the main field wound up the chase.

 

The break works hard for 100 kilometres to seal their grasp on the overall and the stage

The lead then began to come down quite rapidly, though the final stages of the chase were derailed somewhat by a crash on a muddy stretch of road in the closing miles which we didn't see, but which doesn't appear to have produced any dramatic injuries.

 

The leading trio came into the finish with over 2 and a half minutes advantage over the field and Martin Pederson won a very tight sprint from Pasamontes. Francesco Chicchi of QuickStep won the bunch sprint for fourth place, with the majority of the field coming in on the same time. Leading British riders were Russell Downing in 6th and Mark Cavendish in 7th.

 

Martin Pederson wins the stage

 

The break was probably more successful than the main field intended, perhaps aided by that crash. A two and a half minute gap is a useful buffer in a one-week race without major mountains and the leading trio, in particular Pasamontes and Pederson, who are both backed by strong teams, may be difficult to dislodge at the top of the leaderboard.

 

British star Roger Hammond (12th) said: "The chase was none existent really, noone wanted to do it. The big teams didn't seem to want to attack until a couple of Barloworld guys took it on. It's a much smaller gap than last year so anything is possible."

 

Martin Pederson, centre, enjoys being the race's first yellow jersey wearer

Stage winner Pedersen commented: "I was pleased to get in the break so early and all three of us worked really hard. The gap got bigger and bigger and once it built to 10mins 40secs I knew we could take the stage. It was a great performance for me and the team. I am extremely delighted to take the yellow jersey at the start of the Tour of Britain."

 

Other News: T-Mobile's Tour de france star Andreas Kloden lasted only about 75 miles of the stage before climbing off and retiring.

 

PRE & POST-STAGE REACTION

Rod Ellingworth (GB manager): "We have to remember where we are with these guys and they are all at different levels. The biggest goal for these riders is the World championships and everything is building up to that and some of these riders are not selected for it as yet, so they are fighting for selection. Geraint Thomas is in good form and will put himself in and about in this bike race and Roger has come here to race. All of them except one has improved since the Track Worlds. We do this test up a climb in Italy and they all improved and people like Geraint and Ben Greenwood, have improved really well with some fantastic times. We have done four one day races since the European Track Championships and three top 10s with Ben Greenwood and it was very much a team effort."

Andy Tennant before the race: "Glad to be home and can't wait to get off and see what we can do and how the form is. This is the first road race for me in Britain and it?s the biggest one we have so it feels a bit weird. My favourite stage has got to be Wolverhampton to Birmingham, my home stage. I have ridden of the roads where I trained quite a lot so hopefully local knowledge may help me."

 

Paul Manning (Landbouwkredit-Colnago): "I been recovering from a knee operation for the last month and so I've just been trying to get fit. I don't know whether I am there yet but enjoying the races regardless."

 

Ed Clancy (new pro for Landbouwkredit-Colnago): "The racing we do is definitely a step up as all we seem to do are 1.1s or pro kermesses and they are all pretty savage. This will be my fifth race I have done with the team as a stageier but I think they want me back next year, we'll have to wait and see." On needing this type of racing for his track results: "There is no way you can push yourself this hard in training and get the big numbers you get in this sort of racing and its got to be done and I enjoy it."

Mark Cavendish on being part of t-Mobile: "This is my second time, life is great. It?s a big motivation being in Britain and also in this jersey. I have been able to fit into the team okay. They are all really sound and it?s an English speaking team and I;m rooming with Michael Rogers and there is no-one better to do that with that so its been good. Every bike race I go into I want to do well and so we?ll see how it goes."

 

Matt Goss: On the sprint, "I'm still young and still learning. I went with 200 or so to go but after 150k my legs were a bit tired and they caught me out. I have three or four races this year in bunch sprints and also won a few from small groups and although I may have made a mistake going early today in the break, but still happy it proved to be a good result for me. I was bit surprised by the gap we got. Maybe with 80 or 90 k to go that they would still bring us back with a lead of 11 minutes but when we had 10 minutes with 50k to go, I thought we had a very good chance of staying away. I will see how the next few days go. My main objective is to get a result on a stage and GC may be a bit hard but I'll certainly be trying for a stage result."

 

Roger Hammond "to be honest the chase was non-existent. That?s why they stayed out there for such a long time. Because there was only CSC in the front, everyone else was leaving it to the others and nobody wanted to chase. Quickstep rode for a while to see if somebody would help them and nobody did so they stopped. The only reason it got going was those two Barloworld guys who got away on a sharp corner, got 10 metres and carried on riding. That was it. Then 11 guys went after them and the bunch really started riding after them but as soon we caught them, the bunch sat up again.

 

"I think we took back 4 minutes over that 20k stretch and then lost 3 of them again. So it was a really bizarre race. The chase didn't start until 20k to go when they still had nine minutes. The young guys were pretty race wise and the year in Italy paid dividends. Last year, the older riders were very experience in domestic racing yet in the Tour of Britain they were all over the place and didn't know when to ride hard or ride easy. These guys, I didn't see a lot of them all day which is a good thing because I didn't see them until it counted and when it counted, they were in the front of the bunch. I was very impressed."

On the GC Changing "I don't think it should be possible but then I would never have said three guys would stay away by three minutes on the first day. In a normal world, it shouldn?t be possible especially now as there is no time trial and the hilly stage and I don't think its as taxing as it was last year."

STAGE EXTRA - MORE PICTURES >>>>

 

Results

Stage 1

1 Pedersen, Martin CSC 4h03'38"
2 Pasamontes, Luis Unibet.com @ s/t
3 Goss, Mathew South Australia.com-AIS @ s/t
4 Chicchi, Francesco QuickStep-Innergetic @ 02'36"
5 Pozzato, Filippo QuickStep-Innergetic @ s/t
6 Downing, Russell DFL-Cycling News-Litespeed @ s/t
7 Cavendish, Mark T-Mobile @ s/t
8 Vanlandschoot, James Landbouwkrediet-Colnago @ s/t
9 Rasmussen, Alex Denmark @ s/t
10 Hunt, Jeremy Unibet.com @ s/t
11 Hammond, Roger Great Britain @ s/t
12 Degano, Enrico Barloworld @ s/t
13 Roberts, Luke CSC @ s/t
14 Bonomi, Giosuχarloworld @ s/t
15 Nuyens, Nick QuickStep-Innergetic @ s/t
16 Rooijakkers, Piet Skil-Shimano @ s/t
17 Thijs, Erwin Unibet.com @ s/t
18 Oliphant, Evan Recycling.co.uk @ s/t
19 Morkov, Michael Denmark @ s/t
20 Mattan, Nico Davitamon Lotto @ s/t
21 Veuchulen, Frederik Chocolade Jacques-Topsport @ s/t
22 Tjallingii, Maarten Skil-Shimano @ s/t
23 Cappelle, Andy Landbouwkrediet-Colnago @ s/t
24 Lisabeth, Kenny Chocolade Jacques-Topsport @ s/t
25 Downing, Dean DFL-Cycling News-Litespeed @ s/t
26 Sabido, Hugo Barloworld @ s/t
27 Willems, Frederik Chocolade Jacques-Topsport @ s/t
28 Piil, Jakob CSC @ s/t
29 Aldape Chavez, Moises Ceramica Panaria-Navigare @ s/t
30 Kroon, Karsten CSC @ s/t
31 House, Kristan Recycling.co.uk @ s/t
32 Cooke, Baden Unibet.com @ s/t
33 Clauwaert, Joeri Landbouwkrediet-Colnago @ s/t
34 Sinkewitz, Patrik T-Mobile @ s/t
35 Pollack, Olaf T-Mobile @ s/t
36 Vandevelde, Christian CSC @ s/t
37 Barbe, Koen Chocolade Jacques-Topsport @ s/t
38 Barras, Tom DFL-Cycling News-Litespeed @ s/t
39 Ljungblad, Jonas Unibet.com @ s/t
40 Roesems, Bert Davitamon Lotto @ s/t
41 Jennings, Cameron DFL-Cycling News-Litespeed @ s/t
42 Astarloa, Igor Barloworld @ s/t
43 Van Summeren, Johan Davitamon Lotto @ s/t
44 Grillo, Paride Ceramica Panaria-Navigare @ s/t
45 Partridge, Rob Recycling.co.uk @ s/t
46 Sharman, Robin Recycling.co.uk @ s/t
47 Clarke, Simon South Australia.com-AIS @ s/t
48 Greenwood, Ben Recycling.co.uk @ s/t
49 Keisse, Iljo Chocolade Jacques-Topsport @ s/t
50 Lancaster, Brett Ceramica Panaria-Navigare @ s/t
51 Steensen, Andre Denmark @ s/t
52 Rogers, Michael T-Mobile @ s/t
53 Meadley, James South Australia.com-AIS @ s/t
54 Priamo, Matteo Ceramica Panaria-Navigare @ s/t
55 Clancy, Edward Landbouwkrediet-Colnago @ s/t
56 Allegrini, Mirko Ceramica Panaria-Navigare @ s/t
57 Lebeau, Jean Claude Landbouwkrediet-Colnago @ s/t
58 Schleck, Andy CSC @ s/t
59 Merckx, Axel Phonak iShares @ s/t
60 Boonen, Tom QuickStep-Innergetic @ s/t
61 Moerenhout, Koos Phonak iShares @ s/t
62 Lloyd, Mathew South Australia.com-AIS @ s/t
63 Gates, Nick Davitamon Lotto @ s/t
64 Cox, Ryan Barloworld @ s/t
65 Cretskens, Wilfried QuickStep-Innergetic @ s/t
66 Ten Dam, Laurens Unibet.com @ s/t
67 Vierhouten, Aart Skil-Shimano @ s/t
68 McCarty, Patrick Phonak iShares @ s/t
69 Tschopp, Johann Phonak iShares @ s/t
70 Coutts, Alex DFL-Cycling News-Litespeed @ s/t
71 Galdos, Aitor Ceramica Panaria-Navigare @ s/t
72 Goesinnen, Floris Skil-Shimano @ s/t
73 Manning, Paul Landbouwkrediet-Colnago @ s/t
74 Thomas, Geraint Great Britain @ s/t
75 Kessler, Matthias T-Mobile @ s/t
76 Higgerson, Shaun South Australia.com-AIS @ s/t
77 Stannard, Ian Great Britain @ s/t
78 Hunter, Robert Phonak iShares @ s/t
79 Christensen, Mads Barloworld @ s/t
80 Jorgensen, Casper Denmark @ 03'00"
81 Swift, Ben Great Britain @ 03'22"
82 Tennant, Andrew Great Britain @ s/t
83 Sander, Ross Great Britain @ 04'00"
84 Clarke, Jonathon South Australia.com-AIS @ 04'41"
85 Garate, Juan Manuel QuickStep-Innergetic @ 06'18"
86 Oakley, Kane DFL-Cycling News-Litespeed @ 06'31"
87 Van Bon, Leon Davitamon Lotto @ s/t
88 Newton, Christopher Recycling.co.uk @ 07'50"
89 Vansevenant, Wim Davitamon Lotto @ 08'02"
90 Weissinger, Rene Skil-Shimano @ 09'11"
91 Nodera, Hidenori Skil-Shimano @ s/t
92 D'Hollander, Glenn Chocolade Jacques-Topsport @ 09'45"
93 Kreutzfeldt, Daniel Denmark @ 10'42

Points Competition
1 Pedersen M CSC 15
2 Pasamontes L UNI 14
3 Goss M SAI 13
4 Chicchi F QSI 12
5 Pozzato F QSI 11
6 Downing R DFL 10
7 Cavendish M TMO 9
8 Vanlandschoot J LAN 8
9 Rasmussen A DEN 7
10 Hunt J UNI 6
11 Hammond R GBR 5
12 Degano E BAR 4
13 Roberts L CSC 3
14 Bonomi G BAR 2
15 Nuyens N QSI 1

T-Mobile Sprints Competition
1 Goss M SAI 15
2 Pedersen M CSC 8
3 Pasamontes L UNI 7
4 Kroon K CSC 1
5 Goesinnen F SKS 1
6 D'Hollander G JAC 1

E.oN King of the Mountains Competition
1 Pedersen M CSC 11
2 Pasamontes L UNI 9
3 Goss M SAI 7
4 Pozzato F QSI 1
5 Cox R BAR 1
6 Cretskens W QSI 1

 

 

 

 

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