# Stage 1 spoiler



## bigpinkt (Jul 20, 2006)

They are saying Fabian Cancellara just dropped out. Sick with the flu


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## MJH2 (Feb 26, 2007)

bigpinkt said:


> They are saying Fabian Cancellara just dropped out. Sick with the flu


And that Lance flatted... and then hit the deck. 

EDIT:

Flatted, got back in, and then hit the deck... two different incidents.


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## fleck (Mar 25, 2005)

wow, nice finish by mancebo!
glad he kept those guys off him


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## Jwiffle (Mar 18, 2005)

fleck said:


> wow, nice finish by mancebo!
> glad he kept those guys off him


My five year old was chanting for mancebo at the finish. Awesome race.


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## ZoSoSwiM (Mar 7, 2008)

Nice finish holding those guys off.. I'm a little sad that a bigger effort wasn't given chasing down mancebo.. Hopefully it doesn't bite levi in the ass!


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## FondriestFan (May 19, 2005)

Mancebo was absolutely spectacular today. He has all the jerseys at this point.
Absolutely magnificent piece of riding from him today.

Rock Racing has a strong team here, and has Sevilla in the wings. Astana might have their hands full.


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## spookyload (Jan 30, 2004)

Great race by Mancebo. Terrible broadcast on the internet. Pitiful.


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## nrs-air (Jan 23, 2007)

Landis is gone too. Sucks...I was hoping he would provide some drama.


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## vandalbob (Dec 13, 2001)

*Always great to see a breakaway succeed.*

Mancebo was definitely da' man today. What a fantastic effort to be out front, get caught, and sprint for the win. Surprised to see Astana let the time gap grow during the final circuits. Perhaps we'll see some drama in the next stages. Can Rock Racing keep the jersey?


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## 180 (Jan 10, 2009)

Grabbed these at the finish...


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## davidka (Dec 12, 2001)

He's got far more time than this race is usually won by. While I expect that Rock will be put under a lot of pressure I can see an alliance being made with Liqiuigas and Quick Step, they will want to bring Tom in for a sprint win here or there in addition to protecting their GC guy. This could be bad for Astana and Columbia.


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## function (Jun 20, 2008)

How could Liquigas help Quickstep?


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## husonfirst (Jul 15, 2006)

nrs-air said:


> Landis is gone too. Sucks...I was hoping he would provide some drama.


Landis dropped out?


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## Doctor Who (Feb 22, 2005)

Landis went down in a crash in training a few days ago and I think that may have something to do with him dropping out and his mediocre time in yesterday's prologue.


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## Creakyknees (Sep 21, 2003)

I just find it hard to believe that FOUR Astana guys including LA, Levi, Horner and (Chechu?) couldn't bring back one rider who'd been out on the break in the rain since km 1.

W. T. F. ??

I bet it's an uncomfortable silence at the Astana table at dinner tonight.


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## Oldteen (Sep 7, 2005)

Enjoy seeing a break succeed.
BTW- did anyone else catch the few choppy scenes that Versus had of Mancebo out on the road (before reaching the city) from the motorcycle cam? Seemed to me the Rock Racing support car (black Caddie CTS) spent a lot of time too close to Mancebo for those wet roads. Could have risked a crash, or perhaps even been accused of protecting him from that 15mph wind. The car then cut off the motorbike cam- which Liggett commented on. Support cars in Europe seem more careful.


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## ProRoad (Oct 13, 2008)

Oldteen said:


> Enjoy seeing a break succeed.
> BTW- did anyone else catch the few choppy scenes that Versus had of Mancebo out on the road (before reaching the city) from the motorcycle cam? Seemed to me the Rock Racing support car (black Caddie CTS) spent a lot of time too close to Mancebo for those wet roads. Could have risked a crash, or perhaps even been accused of protecting him from that 15mph wind. The car then cut off the motorbike cam- which Liggett commented on. Support cars in Europe seem more careful.



I didn't see it that way. looked like good driving. It is the race officials job to make sure they are appropriate. Ligget commented on the splash of water that the car launched at camera. I saw no cutoff. 

Awesome race, terrible work from versus, to sabotage their big coverage expenditure.


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## Miiles (Oct 25, 2008)

Creakyknees said:


> I bet it's an uncomfortable silence at the Astana table at dinner tonight.


Seriously. The only reason I could think of for them not being able to catch him is that they didn't want to.


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## ZoSoSwiM (Mar 7, 2008)

I thought that was only for if a crash happened...


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## Don Duende (Sep 13, 2007)

The Astana boys in the chase group definitely eased their pace while cycling around Santa Rosa. Two riders from the chase group easily bridged up to Mancebo from the chase group. The chase group narrowed the gap from 12 minutes to 1 1/2 when they entered Santa Rosa. So, it seems like a tactical decision on Bruyneel's part to hold back. Seems strange but if the weather tomorrow is like today those guys, who stood on the podium today, may not even finish tomorrow.


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## Creakyknees (Sep 21, 2003)

ok, so GC taken at the entry to the circuits, that's why the chase sat up. So Mancebo has a 1:05 or so, plus bonus. Still a nice gap to have.


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## FondriestFan (May 19, 2005)

Mancebo owned Festana today. Well done.


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## VoodooCadillac (Jun 15, 2008)

I followed the Stage on Cycling News, Velonews, and the ToC web page at various times. I to read (at some point) that race referees decided to take the GC time upon entering the circuit - which does explain the group sitting up. We'll see if that's true as soon as results are posted. 

I'm curious to see how many DNF's there were.


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## SRV (Dec 26, 2006)

Anyone else think Mancebo looks a little chubby compared to his Tour days? Gutsy win BTW.


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## stevesbike (Jun 3, 2002)

there's still no posting of today's results on any sites - wondering if there's some arguing going on. If the time is taken on entering the circuit wouldn't that mean Landis will still have the same time as Levi's group?


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## davidka (Dec 12, 2001)

function said:


> How could Liquigas help Quickstep?


I was thinking they would help each other because they both had men with more than an minute's advantage on Astana's riders. By sharing the work they could chase/control and still hopefully have some firepower to bring in Tom for a win. This thought was before the talk of the GC being frozen on the first lap of the finishing circuits.


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## bikesarethenewblack (Dec 30, 2008)

it's a well known fact that kestrels work better in the rain than trek. Back in 90s when trek made a carbon copy of a kestrel (no pun, but it is good) they figured only a dentist would buy a carbon bike and dentists don't ride in the rain, so why not save a buck, make some more profit and make a bike that doesn't work well in the rain. Go read about it in harvard business review if yo don't beleive me. It's simple business.

I'm not kidding. I can recall at least two times in the tour that it rained and a group got like half an hour on Armstrong. Anyone who has ever had an OCLV frame can attest to the water logging that occurs when it rains. Armstrong et al gave chase and put out mad wattage, go see for yourself, it just wasn't going to get shut down with the subtle kestrel that performs well in the rain.

My prediction, if it keeps raining, Astana will switch to single speed, belt driven aluminum treks.


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## ftmsb (Jul 15, 2008)

husonfirst said:


> Landis dropped out?


I was interpreting the "Landis is gone" as being Landis is out of contention. Velonews had the following to say:

American Floyd Landis was in the chase group, but then flatted and lost contact. (http://www.velonews.com/article/87894/rock-racing-s-francisco-mancebo-wins-after-a-long-soggy-day). Other than the comments in this thread, I haven't seen any other reference to his dropping out.

I was hoping for some drama from Floyd too. Ah well.


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## zosocane (Aug 29, 2004)

PACO!!!! Great ride by Paco Mancebo -- he must feel redeemed after "retiring" from his little Puerto slip-up. This should help him get re-signed with a European team again, hopefully.


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

so, how are the officials gonna help levi out this year...


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## Wborgers (Oct 6, 2008)

Great Stage- well done Mancebo. Really hope the officials don't have another fiasco on their hands- the Euros are watching and we don't need another homer ruling if we want this race to be taken seriously.


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## honkinunit (Feb 13, 2005)

*Shortened?*

Velonews is reporting that the race was shortened somehow, also.

Very strange that there are no results yet. There must be some serious protests going on.

I had to laugh at the reports that the time checks were screwed up because the communications aircraft couldn't fly. Do cell phones quit working in the rain in CA?


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## jorgy (Oct 21, 2005)

VoodooCadillac said:


> I followed the Stage on Cycling News, Velonews, and the ToC web page at various times. I to read (at some point) that race referees decided to take the GC time upon entering the circuit - which does explain the group sitting up. We'll see if that's true as soon as results are posted.
> 
> I'm curious to see how many DNF's there were.


During their live coverage VeloNews reported the 'Levi Rule' was being invoked (time based on entering the circuits), and then they took it back and said the officials had changed their mind.


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## jd3 (Oct 8, 2004)

The late night Verses rebroadcast is confirming that the time was taken at the first crossing through the finish line. They were showing Levi in second, 1:02 down for GC.


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## Old_school_nik (May 21, 2002)

*wow, so they dogged Mancebo and his GC time?*

[edited] never mind!! the race commissar's told peleton and mancebo that times would be taken at the beginning of circuits - which explains why chase shut down so dramatically I

.


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## desmo13 (Jun 28, 2006)

I was positioned where they closed the gates after the lead rider, and the chase group came in. I was also by an official and he was feeding us the reports from the road. He said they are taking the time from when the crossed us.


Oh, interesting info. Once the lead rider and the lead chase group came in, they closed the gates. When the peloton came up they just about stopped (the gates were closed), and were re-routed a block down to enter the circuit.


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## teffisk (Mar 24, 2006)

How is Nibali and Van de Walle (or whatever his name is) not right behind Mancebo in the GC? They finished like 5 seconds back? I think I missed something


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## jd3 (Oct 8, 2004)

teffisk said:


> How is Nibali and Van de Walle (or whatever his name is) not right behind Mancebo in the GC? They finished like 5 seconds back? I think I missed something


GC time was taken at the first crossing of the finish line. The laps did not count toward GC, only stage placing. The riders were informed of this before they reached the finishing circuits. That's why the chase group shut down. Otherwise the chase would have caught Mancebo and would most likely have been a sprint finish ( or a big crash ).


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