Cycling News

The 2010 USA Cycling cyclocross nationals in Bend, Oregon, will feature a longer course than last year, with a new bridge/spectator underpass plus some new off-camber corners.

Organizers of the December 8-12 event, held in Bend for the second consecutive year, released a map of the new course and a preliminary event schedule on Thursday.

The new 2010 race course is similar to last year’s, with a staircase run-up and two barriers, and several technical sections. This year the course is approximately 500 yards longer, includes three straight-aways, three off-camber sections, and a ride-over bridge that will also serve as a spectator underpass entrance to the in-field and beer garden.

“The new course will have similar technical challenges as the 2009 course, but now includes long straight-aways and additional off-camber features that will challenge every type of rider and will definitely produce worthy national champions,” said Brad Ross, the race director.

Organizers released an event schedule that includes a variety of competitions, entertainment, cultural and social meet-ups, in addition to five days of racing.

“This year’s ‘cross nats will be a five-day nonstop celebration of the cyclocross lifestyle,” said Doug La Placa, president and CEO of Visit Bend.

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Dear Lennard,

Recently I have been encountering significant crank “creaking.”  I have an Orbea Orca with SRAM Force components (compact cranks with GXP bottom bracket). The bike is about a year old with about 1600 miles. I weigh about 160 lbs.

The creaking started primarily when climbing when more force was put on the cranks. Recently the creaking has become more constant.

When installed, Phil Wood grease was placed in all places recommended by SRAM. Additionally I placed anti-seize on the threads of the bearing cups and crank case.

-Tim

Dear Tim,

As always with a creak that sounds like it’s near the bottom bracket under load, switch shoes and pedals first and ride it hard, to ensure that it’s not a cleat or pedal. Still creaking? Then grease the chainring bolts (threads and heads of both bolts and nuts) and retighten them.

If it’s still creaking and you’re sure that you’re following all of the rules and that it’s not just your bike rebelling because you’re not, then proceed with some of the suggestions below. Otherwise, Obey the Rules.

- Lennard

Dear Lennard,

I have a 2008, 56cm, Lynskey 420 custom.  I weight in at 187 lbs.  Have Shimano Dura-Ace cranks with an Ultegra bottom bracket bearing.

I get a very frequent BB creaking.  I remove the bearing and ALWAYS notice a dry, (no grease), section on the left leg side of the bearing itself, approximately 1/2-inch wide.  I’ll clean and relube the races and the bearing and the creaking will STOP for a couple of days, then, here it comes again, creaking!

Is this an engineering problem with the frame?  A defective bearing, (it’s only two years old)?

Do I weigh too much or what?  My shop tells me that if I keep taking the BB out the taper will be worn out and ruined!!!!

-Gerry

Dear Gerry,

If it keeps clearing away the grease just in that one section, I would venture to guess that the bottom bracket shell is not faced properly (i.e., the ends of the bottom bracket shell are not parallel with each other and perpendicular to the bore of the shell). Get the shell faced by a good bike shop and see if it doesn’t go away.

It sounds like you’re using an old Dura-Ace square-taper crank and loose-bearing Ultegra bottom bracket from the 1990s or earlier. If that’s the case, then yes, continually removing and replacing the crankarms onto the square spindle will wear the hole in the crankarm slightly larger so the arms will move inboard slightly further each time they are brought up to the same torque. The worse problem is if you just once don’t tighten the crank bolt to the recommended torque; in that case, the arm will wobble on the spindle and wallow out the square hole much faster than you ever could taking it off and putting it back on ad infinitum.

-Lennard

Dear Lennard,

I have a 2009 Cannondale CAAD9. I’ve put nearly 2,600 miles on her, and I’m starting to hear a creaking sound around the carbon fork and head tube. I notice it more when I’m out of the saddle, and not as much when not. The bike is wonderful; however, I don’t want something simple to not be addressed if it needs it and turn into something big. I didn’t know if the steering tube needs to be slightly lubed or if this is just what she’ll sound like from now on.

-Randy

Dear Randy,

Sounds to me like you simply need to remove the headset cartridge bearings, slather grease all over them, and replace them. There may be some headset cups supporting the bearings in that integrated headset, and if there are, by all means remove them and grease both sides of them as well.

The chances are high that it is simply movement between the headset parts and the frame that is causing the creak. It could also of course be in the stem, where it clamps to the steerer or the handlebar, or any of a myriad other places throughout the bike. See below.

-Lennard

Dear Readers,

I knew I’d be opening a can of noisy worms again by answering some questions on creaking last week. There have been times in past years where this column could have been renamed “Creak Q &A with Lennard Zinn!” (Editor’s Note: Many of Lennard’s columns that touch upon creaking, mystery noises and other audible annoyances have been collected on one page.)

Since creaking is such a popular subject with cyclists, here is a bunch of additions from readers:

One tool that I have found indispensable for locating the source of annoying creaks, clicks, and rattles on my bikes, is a stethoscope.  I purchased an inexpensive one from a medical supply store.  I replaced the drum that would normally be placed on a patient’s chest with a short section of brass tubing.  By pointing the brass tubing at different locations on the bike, or even touching it to different parts, I can listen for the exact source of the noise.  It is also helpful for listening to wheel bearings by touching the brass tube to the axle while the wheel is spinning, to determine if they need to be overhauled.

Bryan

One creak source not mentioned is a Campy (in my case 10-speed) cassette. Campagnolo cassettes can creak and it is infuriatingly difficult to trace the source.  My titanium frame will make a sound like a seatpost, stem or particularly bottom bracket creak.  My experience is that this creaking occurs when the cassette becomes totally dry, particularly the freehub body.  So, I paint a thin coat of grease on all contact surfaces, freehub, cogs, and spacers.  Quietness.

-John

About creaks, I have another one that might come in handy. I call it the “syncopated pedaling creak,” usually a sign that the locknut on a campy cassette is not tight enough. The creak doesn’t appear on every pedal turn, rather every 2 or 3 depending on the gear (usually larger cogs + small chainring combo).

-Paul

Don’t forget the nipples on the rear spokes …they click in sync with stand up and pedal too!

-Alan

There’s one more. It’s the bolt-on rear derailleur mounts.

-Kev

I had a creak by my bottom bracket; I thought it was my bottom bracket, but as it turns out the frame was not faced properly.

-Paul

I tried everything with no avail… then I removed the rear derailleur hanger and greased the frame where the hanger fit.  Presto, no more noise.

-Bryin

For effort-related creaks, my most common cure is to open up the QR, apply some light grease or chain lube to the contact surfaces with the fork or dropout (inside and outside of the fork/dropout) and then close them fairly tightly.

-RQ

One other item subject to creaking that most people overlook is pedal cleats.  I’ve had it happen a couple of times with Speedplays.   I actually replaced the bearings and bottom bracket on a Campy Ultra Torque crank to only find out it was a loose screw on the cleats.  It sounded just like a creaking bottom bracket!

-Stan

The last two major creaks I have had were 1) from the rear quick release and 2) from the front of the saddle.

The former occurred when I didn’t tighten the QR in the rear dropouts enough with alloy QR closers.  A little WD-40 and slightly tighter tension cleared it right up (this was with vertical dropouts, so the wheel stayed in place, it was just noisy, in time with my pedaling).

The latter was with a new saddle.  I couldn’t find it for a while then realized it came from the front of the saddle, where the resin shell floats over the rails where they enter at the front.  Again, a little WD-40 stopped all the noise.

Look Keo pedals tend to squeak at the cleats after riding in the rain.  A good cleanup and WD-40 on the mating surfaces works wonders.

-Larry

Readers can send brief technical questions directly to Zinn.

Got some mountain bike tech questions? Check out Lennard’s FAQ on Singletrack.com

National champ Daniel Holloway (here at last week's Chris Thater Memorial) is a favorite at the Gateway Cup

The National Racing Calendar closed out last weekend at Chris Thater and USA Crits is on a break until the finale in Dallas on September 16. The women’s season is all but concluded and the men’s U.S. Professional Road Championships are still a couple weeks out. Fall is just around the corner and that means time for quality, regional stage racing in Vermont and Colorado and the Gateway Cup in St. Louis.

The Gateway Cup four-day omnium kicks off Friday night under the lights of the Lafayette district and continues through Labor Day. The favorites in the men’s events include new U.S. crit champ Daniel Holloway (Bissell) and Brad Huff (Jelly Belly-Kenda). The women’s field is packed with Laura Van Gilder (Mellow Mushroom) no doubt hoping to close her season out on an up note over U23 national champ Samantha Schneider (Tibco-To the Top) and Carrie Cash-Wootten (Vera Bradley Foundation).

Day 1: Studio 2108 Tour de Lafayette
September 3 8:30 p.m. (women) / 9:30 p.m. (men)
45 min + 5 laps (women) / 75 min + 5 laps (men)

Day 2: Big Shark Bicycle Co. Tour des Hills
September 4 3:30 p.m. (women) / 4:30 p.m. (men)
45 min + 5 laps (women) / 75 min + 5 laps (men)

Day 3: Giro Della Montagna
September 5 4:15 p.m. (women) / 5:50 p.m. (men)
45 min + 5 laps (women) / 75 min + 5 laps (men)

Day 4: Greenstreet Properties Benton Park Classic
September 6 2:20 p.m. (women) / 3:30 p.m. (men)
50 min + 5 laps (women) / 75 min + 5 laps (men)

The GMSR kicks off Friday in Vermont. Canadian road champion Will Routley (Jelly Belly-Kenda) and Jake Keough (UnitedHealthcare-Maxxis) will be on hand, as will the full Cannondale-Cyclocrossworld.com team of Jamey Driscoll (Jamis-Sutter Home), Tim Johnson (UnitedHealthcare) and Jeremy Powers (Jelly Belly). Irish champ Olivia Dillon (Peanut Butter & Co.-Twenty12), Megan Guarnier (Tibco-To the Top) and Janel Holcomb (Team Danbury Audi-Cyfac) are among the elite women set for the four-stage affair.

Stage 1: Champion System Time Trial
September 3 9:15 a.m. (women) / 10:50 a.m. (men)
5.7 miles

Stage 2: The Bridges Circuit Race
September 4 8:50 a.m. (women) / 1:00 p.m. (men)
53 miles (women) / 72 miles (men)

Stage 3: Mad River Road Race
September 5 8:30 a.m. (men) / 9:50 a.m. (women)

Stage 4: Dealer.com Burlington Criterium
September 6 2:10 p.m. (women) / 3:50 p.m. (men)
25 laps (women) / 50 laps (men)

The second annual event in the ski area town of Steamboat Springs rolls out beneath Mount Werner on Friday. Peter Stetina and Timmy Duggan (Garmin-Transitions) as well as their 2011 teammate Caleb Fairly (Holowesko Partners), and Marc de Maar and Chris Baldwin (UnitedHealthcare-Maxxis) highlight the men’s startlist. Uber veteran and current French TT champion Jeannie Longo (Vital Plus) is the top favorite on the women’s startlist.

Prologue: Aspire Time Trial
September 3 4:07 p.m. (women) / 4:25 p.m. (men)
6.2 miles

Stage 1: Marabou Ranch Circuit Race
September 4 12:30 p.m. (men) / 3:15 p.m. (women)
45 miles (men) / 31.5 miles (women)

Stage 2: Moots Road Race
September 5 8:00 a.m. (men) / 1:00 p.m. (women)
70 miles (men) / 55 miles (women)

Stage 3: Ski and Bike Kare Criterium
September 6 1:45 p.m. (women) / 2:40 p.m. (men)
45 minutes (women) / 60 minutes (men)

Thor Hushovd powers to win in stage 6 of the Tour of Spain 2010 for Cervelo TestTeam; Omega Pharma-Lotto's Philippe Gilbert maintains overall 2010 Vuelta a Espana lead.

For Immediate Release 9-2-10
Contact: Katherine Fuller
IMBA Field Programs Coordinator
katherine [dot] fuller [at] imba [dot] com
303-545-9011 ext. 101

Thanks to generous, ongoing support from Subaru of America, IMBA's professional Trail Care Crews have been on the road since 1997, teaching sustainable trailbuilding, energizing the mountain biking community and bringing together land managers, city officials and trail users.

ETA Boston, 2 minutes. Photo: Ted King

While professional cycling is most certainly an occupation for my colleagues and me, it is work in an entirely different capacity than the majority of jobs out there. Cycling is an all-engrossing profession that consumes so many aspects of our lives, from … well, consuming and therefore what we eat to fuel five-hour training rides, to the amount of rest and downtime that directly influences our performance at work; there’s the virtually non-stop aspect of travel and operating out of a suitcase, as well as the facet of work that results from moving one’s entire life to seemingly the opposite end of the globe to pursue the sport — and job — that we love.

The progression of cycling in my life has been relatively straightforward. First were my days in elementary school riding a bike with friends simply in the pursuit of freedom, then years later I was reintroduced to cycling — this time as a sport — during my time in college. Amateur and then professional racing followed this chapter of my life all across North America, which has segued now into professional cycling at the pinnacle of the sport on a global scale. Throughout this progression, cycling has always brought me a great deal of enjoyment and simple joy.

At the end of the day, I still love my job. The feelings are very similar to the pleasure that was first elicited when I started riding decades ago and then when I began training regularly as a racing cyclist more recently. I still embrace that sense of freedom and love the adventures and world travels that cycling has allowed me. I recognize that my profession is a relatively unique one and it’s something I really embrace and feel privileged to have.

Pardon the randomness of this next statement, but stay with me here. Removing all of the sporting aspects of my life, one of my absolute favorite moments in life are the two-to-three minutes just prior to landing an airplane as I return home from a race or event. All the headaches and banging my head against the wall in the airport are quickly forgotten in these brief seconds. Gazing out the window the ground below is near enough to recognize my favorite training roads, the punchy climbs that I’ve toiled over countless times, and the best coffee shops where I’ve downed my share of unctuous caffeinated goodness.

I can sometimes actually see my house or apartment, I recognize town centers, and see the landmarks that I’ve ridden by time and again. It’s a surreal vantage point — look closely enough and I can see people walking and cars driving, but it’s just far enough away that it somehow seems like a miniature toy village and somehow not real, like watching an episode of the Truman Show.

I’ve lived all over the globe, from New Hampshire to Vermont, North Carolina and Colorado, California, Spain, and Switzerland. I’m spoiled to have experienced this many amazing places, but every single time I’m in a plane in the final approach, I anxiously stare out the window and experience the same nostalgic (or maybe just plain crazy) feeling. I don’t know if you will experience this same wistful sensation that’s elicited when I do this, but I recommend you at least give it a try and request the window seat on your next flight home.

(Related: All Ted’s columns)

This year Ted King is in his sophomore year with the Cervélo TestTeam. After getting a taste for the European peloton with the U.S. espoir national team in 2005, King returned to the United States for three successful years of domestic pro racing. The 27-year-old is a native of New Hampshire and despite his affinity for hearty servings of coffee, he is slowly adapting to the smaller European portions. Slowly. His diaries appear monthly on VeloNews.com; between the scanty portions we serve up, you can follow Ted at www.Cervelo.com/team and www.iamTedKing.MissingSaddle.com. Those of you content with 140 characters or less can track his activities at www.twitter.com/iamtedking.

When was the last time you bought a new pair of road shoes, tinkered with the cleats for a few minutes, and then promptly proceeded to log nearly twelve hours of hard alpine asphalt riding in them over the course of one weekend? For that matter, has someone ever handed you a brand new pair of mountain bike shoes three days before your first one-hundred-mile mountain bike race, and then you went on to win said mountain bike race, wearing said shoes, in record time?

Giro picked one of the world's most beautiful spots to unveil its new shoe lines.

The latter honor goes to Levi Leipheimer, winner of this year’s Leadville 100 race. As the story goes, Giro product managers handed him a brand new pair of Giro Code mountain bike shoes literally in the airport as he was departing California for Colorado and the race. Wearing the brand new shoes, he set a new course record.

And although not entirely planned, the former experience is mine, wearing the new Giro Factor road shoes. Giro marketers chose Livigno, Italy as the venue to introduce to the world their new line of seven shoe models (four road and three mountain). Naturally they mapped out some riding. However, they didn’t plan for unexpectedly long routes, chilly weather, and challenging climbs.

Fortunately it all worked out for the good – I suffered no tingly toes, hotspots, heel lift, blisters, or other symptoms of ill-fitting footwear. From my perspective at least, Giro has clearly done their footwork in terms of fit and features.

It’s no surprise coming from a company that’s already known for class-leading helmets and a relatively new but increasingly popular (and high-performance) line of gloves. Over the course of the weekend it became clear that between Livigno and Levi, the California-based company put a lot of work into cobbling the new kicks.

True, every foot is different. Different folks need different fits. In fact, another editor flatly stated over breakfast that the mountain bike shoes weren’t working for his low-volume, narrow feet. But after twelve hours in the Factors, I’d say Giro is on its way to kicking down the cycling footwear door and their competitors should take note.

In taking the decision to build shoes, Giro designers leveraged every advantage they could find. One advantage was time – with no high-pressure timeline for introduction, they spent a full two years just building the shoe last. A last is the nylon, foot-shaped form around which a shoe is built. After fully sixteen revisions and a range of inputs, they settled on medium-volume lasts for the new shoes. They also made separate, differently shaped lasts for the two women’s shoes in the line (one road and one mountain, with more on the way).

Spending this kind of time just refining a foot model seems silly, especially when stock foot forms can easily be sourced off the shelf. But company designers wanted precise fit, securely molded heel cups for retention, and adequate volume to accommodate a range of foot sizes and a range of insoles.

Part of the insole option comes directly from Giro, who designed a new insole system to go with their new shoes. Called the SuperNatural Fit Kit, the system includes a stock insole that mates via Velcro to any of three different included arch supports. The arch supports dock underneath the insole (keeping the contours under your feet smooth and soft) and come in a range of low, medium and high. They’re made from firm but forgiving foam to conform to different feet.

Furthermore, knowing that many riders are turning to custom orthotics for improved comfort and arch support, Giro shoes are designed to fit with either their stock insoles or with aftermarket or custom orthotic insoles. Normally I can’t stand shoes without installing my own orthotics, but Giro’s high arch supports in the SuperNatural kit actually nearly did the trick for me, making those long hours on the bike comfortable.

The final piece of Giro’s fit puzzle included extensive attention to the carbon fiber soles (or plates) on top of which all the shoes are built. Company designers sought light weight, usable stiffness for power transfer, and sensible fit. To that end, they enlisted help from Easton carbon fiber engineers. Easton and Giro are part of the same sporting goods company. Easton tested a range of competitors’ carbon soles for weight and stiffness, then designed their own to minimize weight yet retain stiffness where it was needed. They even used real time digital foot pressure mapping to understand more clearly the loads exerted on the sole of a cycling shoe.

As a result, Giro’s Easton-branded carbon soles are quite flat across their width and they are very thin at the toe and heel. They’re also competitively light and stiff, and just 6.5mm thick above the cleat, making for a very low stack height. The design contrasts with many shoe makers who have turned to cupped or concave soles with carbon that curves up around the edges and perimeter. Giro feels that designs like this inhibit comfort by confining the wearer’s feet to a rigid, unyielding “tub” of sorts. Giro wanted their soft, pliable upper to extend all the way down to the shoe sole so that any foot volume “spillover” would be free of pressure points.

Also in contrast to certain shoe designs, Giro wanted a neutral platform, free of any built-in varus or valgus wedge or cant. It’s become common for bike fitters to wedge shoes and cleats to correct perceived irregularities in rider’s pedal strokes. Some shoes have this built in. But after consulting with Todd Carver of Retul bike fitting (preferred fitter for RadioShack, Sky, HTC-Columbia, and others), Giro decided to create neutral shoes. They felt that if bike fitters wanted to add wedge correction after the fact, that was their decision but they didn’t want to force a fit on customers that didn’t need it (or didn’t know, or for that matter didn’t care).

Giro’s got four road models and three mountain bike models coming to stores in February 2011.

The Prolight SLX is Giro’s flagship, ultralight road shoe. Claimed weight on a size 42 hovers just over 200 grams, and the retail price will be $350. Levi Leiphiemer already made these shoes famous by taking them on a certain cycling trip through France in July. They feature titanium hardware (including cleat inserts and D-rings for the three Velcro straps). The uppers are made from very light, thin (1.1mm), and supple microfiber called Teijin AG100 that is rarely used for cycling shoes. The sole is Giro’s top of the line, 60-gram Easton EC90 SLX with high-modulus carbon. The SuperNatural Fit Kit footbed system is included.

I rode the Factor, Giro’s fully featured $280 pro-level road shoe. If the Prolight shoes are like Giro’s ultralight Prolight helmet, the Factor shoes equate to their Ionos helmet which features more adjustability, more robust construction, and generally more of an “all-day” piece of gear. The Factor shoes claim roughly 250-gram weight, a ratchet buckle closure plus two Velcro straps, and Giro’s slightly heavier Easton EC90 carbon sole. This shoe comes with the SuperNatural Fit kit.

For $200, you can get all the fit technology of the top-end shoes (minus the SuperNatural Fit kit) in Giro’s Trans shoe. Slightly heavier materials keep the cost down but the shoes are based on the same architecture and patterns as the lighter, most costly models. Even so, the Trans claims a weight of just 270 grams, which for anyone counting, is about 60 grams less than many premium Italian shoes that cost twice as much. The sole is a carbon/glass fiber blend.

For women, there’s the sweet-looking Espada, built on a female-specific foot form (aka, last). It’s a $200 shoe that mimics the Trans in terms of materials. More women’s shoes are in the pipeline.

And on the mountain side, the models are the Code ($280) and Gauge ($200), and the Sica for women ($200). They all feature injection molded outsole lugs, carbon sole plates, scuff-guard armored and more supportive upper material. Their blend of competitive weight (about 350 grams) and features will make them equally at home on the race course or on epic trail rides.

Only time will tell if Giro shoes ultimately live up to their splashy Italian introduction. Company designers pointed repeatedly to Leipheimer’s notoriously finicky involvement with shape, features, and fit. He figures prominently in photography and literature. And nobody will disagree with a pro rider adopting new shoes – it’s a rarity. But who’s to say if his demands align with the needs of average cyclists everywhere? And will the shiny shoes hold up for the long haul?

So far, I’d say Giro did fine work melding magic and performance for super elite racers with comfort and traditional construction for weekend warriors. I for one managed to soldier through a demanding saddle schedule with no discomfort and growing admiration for the fit details. And keep your eyes open – competition on the footwear playing field is only going to get hotter.

Thor Hushovd powers to win in stage 6 of the Tour of Spain 2010 for Cervelo TestTeam; Omega Pharma-Lotto's Philippe Gilbert maintains overall 2010 Vuelta a Espana lead.

• 1. Thor Hushovd, Cervélo TestTeam, in 3h 36′ 20”
• 2. Daniele Bennati, Liquigas-Doimo, at 0
• 3. Grega Bole, Lampre-Farnese Vini, at 0
• 4. Allan Davis, Astana, at 0
• 5. Filippo Pozzato, Team Katusha, at 0
• 6. Philippe Gilbert, Omega Pharma-Lotto, at 0
• 7. Peter Velits, HTC-Columbia, at 0
• 8. Pablo Urtasun, Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 0
• 9. Samuel Dumoulin, Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne, at 0
• 10. Nicholas Roche, Ag2r La Mondiale, at 0
• 11. Assan Bazayev, Astana, at 0
• 12. Rinaldo Nocentini, Ag2r La Mondiale, at 0
• 13. Paul Voss, Milram, at 0
• 14. Dario Cataldo, Quick Step, at 0
• 15. Dmitriy Fofonov, Astana, at 0
• 16. Gianni Meersman, Française des Jeux, at 0
• 17. Mikael Cherel, Française des Jeux, at 0
• 18. Marzio Bruseghin, Caisse D’Epargne, at 0
• 19. Manuele Mori, Lampre-Farnese Vini, at 0
• 20. Daniele Pietropolli, Lampre-Farnese Vini, at 0
• 21. David GarcÍa, Xacobeo Galicia, at 0
• 22. Christophe Le Mevel, Française des Jeux, at 0
• 23. Denis Menchov, Rabobank Cycling Team, at 0
• 24. Vladimir Gusev, Team Katusha, at 0
• 25. Perrig Quemeneur, BBox Bouygues Telecom, at 0
• 26. Gonzalo RabuÑal, Xacobeo Galicia, at 0
• 27. Javier Moreno, Andalucia Cajasur, at 0
• 28. Delio Fernandez, Xacobeo Galicia, at 0
• 29. Josep JufrÉ, Astana, at 0
• 30. Luis León SÁnchez, Caisse D’Epargne, at 0
• 31. Thomas Peterson, Garmin-Transitions, at 0
• 32. Carlos Barredo, Quick Step, at 0
• 33. Jurgen Van Goolen, Omega Pharma-Lotto, at 0
• 34. Markus Fothen, Milram, at 0
• 35. Ruben Plaza, Caisse D’Epargne, at 0
• 36. Juan Manuel Garate, Rabobank Cycling Team, at 0
• 37. Martin Velits, HTC-Columbia, at 0
• 38. Alexandr Kolobnev, Team Katusha, at 0
• 39. Kanstantsin Sivtsov, HTC-Columbia, at 0
• 40. Ludovic Turpin, Ag2r La Mondiale, at 0
• 41. Ezequiel Mosquera, Xacobeo Galicia, at 0
• 42. Enrico Gasparotto, Astana, at 0
• 43. Vladimir Karpets, Team Katusha, at 0
• 44. Thomas Danielson, Garmin-Transitions, at 0
• 45. Vincenzo Nibali, Liquigas-Doimo, at 0
• 46. Mauro Finetto, Liquigas-Doimo, at 0
• 47. Egoi MartÍnez, Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 0
• 48. Tejay Van Garderen, HTC-Columbia, at 0
• 49. Gorka Verdugo, Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 0
• 50. Guillaume Bonnafond, Ag2r La Mondiale, at 0
• 51. Luis Pasamontes, Caisse D’Epargne, at 0
• 52. Andrey Zeits, Astana, at 0
• 53. Frederik Willems, Liquigas-Doimo, at 0
• 54. David Arroyo, Caisse D’Epargne, at 0
• 55. Xavier Tondo, Cervélo TestTeam, at 0
• 56. Daniele Righi, Lampre-Farnese Vini, at 0
• 57. Rigoberto Uran, Caisse D’Epargne, at 0
• 58. Joaquin Rodriguez, Team Katusha, at 0
• 59. Mikel Nieve, Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 0
• 60. Gustav Larsson, Team Saxo Bank, at 0
• 61. Jean-christophe Peraud, Omega Pharma-Lotto, at 0
• 62. Igor Anton, Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 0
• 63. Jan Bakelandts, Omega Pharma-Lotto, at 0
• 64. Xavier Florencio, Cervélo TestTeam, at 0
• 65. Andy Schleck, Team Saxo Bank, at 0
• 66. Frank Schleck, Team Saxo Bank, at 0
• 67. Iñigo Cuesta, Cervélo TestTeam, at 0
• 68. Alexsandr Dyachenko, Astana, at 0
• 69. Andrey Kashechkin, Lampre-Farnese Vini, at 0
• 70. Carlos Sastre, Cervélo TestTeam, at 0
• 71. Greg Van Avermaet, Omega Pharma-Lotto, at 7
• 72. Laurens Ten Dam, Rabobank Cycling Team, at 2:07
• 73. Serafín MartÍnez, Xacobeo Galicia, at 2:07
• 74. Tony Gallopin, Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne, at 2:09
• 75. Andreas Stauff, Quick Step, at 2:09
• 76. Yoann Offredo, Française des Jeux, at 2:09
• 77. Roy Sentjens, Milram, at 2:09
• 78. Björn SchrÖder, Milram, at 2:09
• 79. Larrea Koldo FernÁndez De, Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 2:09
• 80. Alberto BenÍtez, Footon – Servetto – Fuji, at 2:09
• 81. Amets Txurruka, Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 2:09
• 82. Rémy Di Gregorio, Française des Jeux, at 2:09
• 83. Juan Jose Oroz, Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 2:09
• 84. Matteo Tosatto, Quick Step, at 2:09
• 85. Sébastien Hinault, Ag2r La Mondiale, at 2:09
• 86. Marcos Garcia, Xacobeo Galicia, at 2:09
• 87. Marco Marzano, Lampre-Farnese Vini, at 2:09
• 88. Danilo Hondo, Lampre-Farnese Vini, at 2:09
• 89. Johannes FrÖhlinger, Milram, at 2:09
• 90. David LÓpez, Caisse D’Epargne, at 2:09
• 91. Rémi Pauriol, Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne, at 2:09
• 92. Lars Petter Nordhaug, Team Sky, at 2:09
• 93. J. Ángel GÓmez Marchante, Andalucia Cajasur, at 2:09
• 94. Roman Kreuziger, Liquigas-Doimo, at 2:09
• 95. Michel Kreder, Garmin-Transitions, at 2:09
• 96. Oscar Pujol, Cervélo TestTeam, at 2:09
• 97. Joan Horrach, Team Katusha, at 3:35
• 98. Enrique Mata, Footon – Servetto – Fuji, at 4:16
• 99. Manuel A. Leal Cardoso, Footon – Servetto – Fuji, at 4:16
• 100. Manuel Ortega, Andalucia Cajasur, at 4:16
• 101. Giampaolo Caruso, Team Katusha, at 4:16
• 102. Markus Eichler, Milram, at 4:16
• 103. Gustavo Rodrigue Iglesias, Xacobeo Galicia, at 4:16
• 104. Vincent Jerome, BBox Bouygues Telecom, at 4:16
• 105. Sébastien Chavanel, Française des Jeux, at 4:16
• 106. Wouter Weylandt, Quick Step, at 4:16
• 107. Kevin De Weert, Quick Step, at 4:16
• 108. Tyler Farrar, Garmin-Transitions, at 4:16
• 109. David Millar, Garmin-Transitions, at 4:16
• 110. Matthew Harley Goss, HTC-Columbia, at 4:16
• 111. Stuart O’grady, Team Saxo Bank, at 6:37
• 112. Juan Javier Estrada, Andalucia Cajasur, at 8:15
• 113. Freddy Bichot, BBox Bouygues Telecom, at 8:15
• 114. David Zabriskie, Garmin-Transitions, at 8:15
• 115. Ivan Santaromita, Liquigas-Doimo, at 8:15
• 116. Romain Zingle, Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne, at 10:31
• 117. Arthur Vichot, Française des Jeux, at 10:31
• 118. Alessandro Petacchi, Lampre-Farnese Vini, at 10:31
• 119. Angelo Furlan, Lampre-Farnese Vini, at 10:31
• 120. Óscar Freire, Rabobank Cycling Team, at 10:31
• 121. Grischa Niermann, Rabobank Cycling Team, at 10:31
• 122. Imanol Erviti, Caisse D’Epargne, at 10:31
• 123. William Bonnet, BBox Bouygues Telecom, at 10:31
• 124. Pierre Rolland, BBox Bouygues Telecom, at 10:31
• 125. Nicolas Vogondy, BBox Bouygues Telecom, at 10:31
• 126. Thomas LÖvkvist, Team Sky, at 10:31
• 127. Simon Gerrans, Team Sky, at 10:31
• 128. Kjell CarlstrÖm, Team Sky, at 10:31
• 129. Ian Stannard, Team Sky, at 10:31
• 130. Valentin Iglinskiy, Astana, at 10:31
• 131. Vladimir Isaichev, Xacobeo Galicia, at 10:31
• 132. Sergey Renev, Astana, at 10:31
• 133. Matthew Wilson, Garmin-Transitions, at 10:31
• 134. José Luis Arrieta, Ag2r La Mondiale, at 10:31
• 135. Christian Vandevelde, Garmin-Transitions, at 10:31
• 136. Christophe Riblon, Ag2r La Mondiale, at 10:31
• 137. Biel Kadri, Ag2r La Mondiale, at 10:31
• 138. Hubert Dupont, Ag2r La Mondiale, at 10:31
• 139. David Gutierrez Gutierrez, Footon – Servetto – Fuji, at 10:31
• 140. Yauheni Hutarovich, Française des Jeux, at 10:31
• 141. Stefan Denifl, Cervélo TestTeam, at 10:31
• 142. Javier RamÍrez, Andalucia Cajasur, at 10:31
• 143. Hayden Roulston, HTC-Columbia, at 10:31
• 144. Lars Ytting Bak, HTC-Columbia, at 10:31
• 145. Jorge Montenegro, Andalucia Cajasur, at 10:31
• 146. Antonio Piedra, Andalucia Cajasur, at 10:31
• 147. Gustavo CÉsar, Xacobeo Galicia, at 10:31
• 148. Maciej Paterski, Liquigas-Doimo, at 10:31
• 149. Johnnie Walker, Footon – Servetto – Fuji, at 10:31
• 150. Giampaolo Cheula, Footon – Servetto – Fuji, at 10:31
• 151. Mauricio Ardila, Rabobank Cycling Team, at 10:31
• 152. J. Vicente GarcÍa Acosta, Caisse D’Epargne, at 10:31
• 153. Anders Lund, Team Saxo Bank, at 10:31
• 154. Oliver Zaugg, Liquigas-Doimo, at 10:31
• 155. Martin Pedersen, Footon – Servetto – Fuji, at 10:31
• 156. David Vitoria Cano, Footon – Servetto – Fuji, at 10:31
• 157. Sébastien Minard, Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne, at 10:31
• 158. Robert FÖrster, Milram, at 10:31
• 159. David Moncoutie, Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne, at 10:31
• 160. Davide Malacarne, Quick Step, at 10:31
• 161. Jelle Vanendert, Omega Pharma-Lotto, at 10:31
• 162. Niki Terpstra, Milram, at 10:31
• 163. Pierre Cazaux, Française des Jeux, at 12:31
• 164. Mickael Delage, Omega Pharma-Lotto, at 12:31
• 165. Julian Dean, Garmin-Transitions, at 12:31
• 166. Fabian Cancellara, Team Saxo Bank, at 12:31
• 167. Leif Hoste, Omega Pharma-Lotto, at 12:31
• 168. Jacopo Guarnieri, Liquigas-Doimo, at 12:31
• 169. Matthieu Sprick, BBox Bouygues Telecom, at 12:31
• 170. Johann Tschopp, BBox Bouygues Telecom, at 12:31
• 171. Branislau Samoilau, Quick Step, at 12:31
• 172. Mikhail Ignatiev, Team Katusha, at 12:31
• 173. José Vicente Toribio, Andalucia Cajasur, at 12:31
• 174. Sergio Carrasco, Andalucia Cajasur, at 12:31
• 175. Mark Cavendish, HTC-Columbia, at 12:31
• 176. Theo Bos, Cervélo TestTeam, at 12:31
• 177. Denis Galimzyanov, Team Katusha, at 12:31
• 178. Olivier Kaisen, Omega Pharma-Lotto, at 12:31
• 179. Juan Antonio Flecha, Team Sky, at 12:31
• 180. Beñat Intxausti, Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 12:31
• 181. Nikolas Maes, Quick Step, at 12:31
• 182. Nico Sijmens, Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne, at 12:31
• 183. Nick Nuyens, Rabobank Cycling Team, at 12:31
• 184. Dmitry Kozontchuk, Rabobank Cycling Team, at 12:31
• 185. Sebastian Langeveld, Rabobank Cycling Team, at 12:31
• 186. Juan Jose Haedo, Team Saxo Bank, at 12:31
• 187. Philip Deignan, Cervélo TestTeam, at 12:31
• 188. Domenik Klemme, Team Saxo Bank, at 12:31
• 189. Dominik Roels, Milram, at 12:31
• 190. Arnaud Labbe, Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne, at 12:31
• 191. Kasper Klostergaard, Team Saxo Bank, at 12:31
• 192. Alexandre Pichot, BBox Bouygues Telecom, at 12:31
• 193. Peter Kennaugh, Team Sky, at 12:31

• 1. Philippe Gilbert, Omega Pharma-Lotto , in 22h 36′ 26”
• 2. Igor Anton, Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 10
• 3. Joaquin Rodriguez, Team Katusha, at 10
• 4. Vincenzo Nibali, Liquigas-Doimo, at 12
• 5. Peter Velits, HTC-Columbia, at 16
• 6. Tejay Van Garderen, HTC-Columbia, at 29
• 7. Xavier Tondo, Cervélo TestTeam, at 49
• 8. Frank Schleck, Team Saxo Bank, at 50
• 9. Ruben Plaza, Caisse D’Epargne, at 54
• 10. Ezequiel Mosquera, Xacobeo Galicia, at 55
• 11. Nicholas Roche, Ag2r La Mondiale, at 58
• 12. Marzio Bruseghin, Caisse D’Epargne, at 1:01
• 13. David Arroyo, Caisse D’Epargne, at 1:01
• 14. Denis Menchov, Rabobank Cycling Team, at 1:11
• 15. Rigoberto Uran, Caisse D’Epargne, at 1:19
• 16. Thomas Danielson, Garmin-Transitions, at 1:21
• 17. Luis León SÁnchez, Caisse D’Epargne, at 1:24
• 18. Vladimir Karpets, Team Katusha, at 1:24
• 19. Jean-christophe Peraud, Omega Pharma-Lotto, at 1:33
• 20. Mikel Nieve, Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 2:14
• 21. Carlos Sastre, Cervélo TestTeam, at 2:15
• 22. Jan Bakelandts, Omega Pharma-Lotto, at 2:19
• 23. Carlos Barredo, Quick Step, at 2:20
• 24. Greg Van Avermaet, Omega Pharma-Lotto, at 2:24
• 25. Andrey Kashechkin, Lampre-Farnese Vini, at 2:27
• 26. Markus Fothen, Milram, at 2:28
• 27. David GarcÍa, Xacobeo Galicia, at 2:30
• 28. Alexsandr Dyachenko, Astana, at 2:40
• 29. Vladimir Gusev, Team Katusha, at 2:54
• 30. Kanstantsin Sivtsov, HTC-Columbia, at 3:01
• 31. Javier Moreno, Andalucia Cajasur, at 3:09
• 32. Alexandr Kolobnev, Team Katusha, at 3:15
• 33. Gustav Larsson, Team Saxo Bank, at 3:56
• 34. Thomas Peterson, Garmin-Transitions, at 3:59
• 35. Iñigo Cuesta, Cervélo TestTeam, at 4:09
• 36. Laurens Ten Dam, Rabobank Cycling Team, at 4:15
• 37. Mikael Cherel, Française des Jeux, at 4:33
• 38. Christophe Le Mevel, Française des Jeux, at 4:58
• 39. Guillaume Bonnafond, Ag2r La Mondiale, at 5:01
• 40. Luis Pasamontes, Caisse D’Epargne, at 5:03
• 41. David LÓpez, Caisse D’Epargne, at 5:27
• 42. Roman Kreuziger, Liquigas-Doimo, at 5:35
• 43. Marco Marzano, Lampre-Farnese Vini, at 5:42
• 44. Ludovic Turpin, Ag2r La Mondiale, at 5:44
• 45. Lars Petter Nordhaug, Team Sky, at 6:10
• 46. Filippo Pozzato, Team Katusha, at 6:12
• 47. Manuele Mori, Lampre-Farnese Vini, at 6:27
• 48. Josep JufrÉ, Astana, at 6:58
• 49. J. Ángel GÓmez Marchante, Andalucia Cajasur, at 6:59
• 50. Roy Sentjens, Milram, at 7:39
• 51. Rémy Di Gregorio, Française des Jeux, at 9:19
• 52. Marcos Garcia, Xacobeo Galicia, at 10:01
• 53. Alberto BenÍtez, Footon – Servetto – Fuji, at 10:22
• 54. Juan Manuel Garate, Rabobank Cycling Team, at 10:24
• 55. Ivan Santaromita, Liquigas-Doimo, at 11:41
• 56. Egoi MartÍnez, Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 11:54
• 57. Juan Jose Oroz, Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 13:01
• 58. Gorka Verdugo, Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 13:17
• 59. Giampaolo Caruso, Team Katusha, at 13:18
• 60. David Moncoutie, Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne, at 13:48
• 61. Enrico Gasparotto, Astana, at 14:59
• 62. Xavier Florencio, Cervélo TestTeam, at 15:12
• 63. Daniele Bennati, Liquigas-Doimo, at 15:30
• 64. Andrey Zeits, Astana, at 15:40
• 65. Mauro Finetto, Liquigas-Doimo, at 15:57
• 66. Maciej Paterski, Liquigas-Doimo, at 16:02
• 67. Assan Bazayev, Astana, at 16:09
• 68. Jurgen Van Goolen, Omega Pharma-Lotto, at 16:50
• 69. Pierre Rolland, BBox Bouygues Telecom, at 17:04
• 70. Sébastien Minard, Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne, at 17:16
• 71. Oscar Pujol, Cervélo TestTeam, at 18:24
• 72. Serafín MartÍnez, Xacobeo Galicia, at 18:54
• 73. Gonzalo RabuÑal, Xacobeo Galicia, at 19:50
• 74. Johannes FrÖhlinger, Milram, at 19:52
• 75. Dario Cataldo, Quick Step, at 19:53
• 76. Daniele Pietropolli, Lampre-Farnese Vini, at 19:57
• 77. Pablo Urtasun, Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 20:09
• 78. Arthur Vichot, Française des Jeux, at 21:12
• 79. Niki Terpstra, Milram, at 21:14
• 80. Delio Fernandez, Xacobeo Galicia, at 21:15
• 81. Grega Bole, Lampre-Farnese Vini, at 21:50
• 82. Amets Txurruka, Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 22:17
• 83. Tony Gallopin, Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne, at 23:26
• 84. Gustavo CÉsar, Xacobeo Galicia, at 23:44
• 85. Matthieu Sprick, BBox Bouygues Telecom, at 26:09
• 86. Joan Horrach, Team Katusha, at 26:26
• 87. Romain Zingle, Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne, at 27:32
• 88. Sergey Renev, Astana, at 27:32
• 89. Samuel Dumoulin, Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne, at 28:10
• 90. Matteo Tosatto, Quick Step, at 28:11
• 91. Vincent Jerome, BBox Bouygues Telecom, at 28:54
• 92. Andy Schleck, Team Saxo Bank, at 28:58
• 93. Juan Javier Estrada, Andalucia Cajasur, at 29:43
• 94. Johann Tschopp, BBox Bouygues Telecom, at 29:59
• 95. Gustavo Rodriguez Iglesias, Xacobeo Galicia, at 30:03
• 96. Perrig Quemeneur, BBox Bouygues Telecom, at 30:41
• 97. Grischa Niermann, Rabobank Cycling Team, at 31:24
• 98. Imanol Erviti, Caisse D’Epargne, at 31:45
• 99. Dmitriy Fofonov, Astana, at 31:55
• 100. Thomas LÖvkvist, Team Sky, at 32:00
• 101. Björn SchrÖder, Milram, at 33:19
• 102. Biel Kadri, Ag2r La Mondiale, at 33:43
• 103. Paul Voss, Milram, at 33:57
• 104. Manuel Ortega, Andalucia Cajasur, at 33:59
• 105. Danilo Hondo, Lampre-Farnese Vini, at 34:00
• 106. Markus Eichler, Milram, at 34:25
• 107. Davide Malacarne, Quick Step, at 35:16
• 108. Allan Davis, Astana, at 35:33
• 109. Nicolas Vogondy, BBox Bouygues Telecom, at 36:27
• 110. Javier RamÍrez, Andalucia Cajasur, at 36:36
• 111. Hubert Dupont, Ag2r La Mondiale, at 36:38
• 112. Oliver Zaugg, Liquigas-Doimo, at 37:18
• 113. José Luis Arrieta, Ag2r La Mondiale, at 38:04
• 114. Jelle Vanendert, Omega Pharma-Lotto, at 38:12
• 115. Daniele Righi, Lampre-Farnese Vini, at 38:14
• 116. Rinaldo Nocentini, Ag2r La Mondiale, at 38:17
• 117. Sébastien Hinault, Ag2r La Mondiale, at 38:50
• 118. Martin Velits, HTC-Columbia, at 39:13
• 119. Christian Vandevelde, Garmin-Transitions, at 39:32
• 120. Anders Lund, Team Saxo Bank, at 39:57
• 121. Gianni Meersman, Française des Jeux, at 40:10
• 122. Giampaolo Cheula, Footon – Servetto – Fuji, at 40:12
• 123. Antonio Piedra, Andalucia Cajasur, at 40:14
• 124. Frederik Willems, Liquigas-Doimo, at 40:30
• 125. Manuel A. Leal Cardoso, Footon – Servetto – Fuji, at 40:32
• 126. Thor Hushovd, Cervélo TestTeam, at 40:36
• 127. Juan Antonio Flecha, Team Sky, at 41:43
• 128. Dominik Roels, Milram, at 41:48
• 129. Sergio Carrasco, Andalucia Cajasur, at 41:52
• 130. J. Vicente GarcÍa Acosta, Caisse D’Epargne, at 42:11
• 131. Rémi Pauriol, Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne, at 42:14
• 132. Yoann Offredo, Française des Jeux, at 42:19
• 133. Michel Kreder, Garmin-Transitions, at 44:09
• 134. Kevin De Weert, Quick Step, at 44:16
• 135. Alessandro Petacchi, Lampre-Farnese Vini, at 44:24
• 136. Sébastien Chavanel, Française des Jeux, at 44:36
• 137. William Bonnet, BBox Bouygues Telecom, at 44:49
• 138. Enrique Mata, Footon – Servetto – Fuji, at 44:50
• 139. Óscar Freire, Rabobank Cycling Team, at 44:52
• 140. Stuart O’grady, Team Saxo Bank, at 46:28
• 141. Nikolas Maes, Quick Step, at 46:43
• 142. Leif Hoste, Omega Pharma-Lotto, at 47:04
• 143. Larrea Koldo FernÁndez De, Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 47:11
• 144. Alexandre Pichot, BBox Bouygues Telecom, at 47:28
• 145. Andreas Stauff, Quick Step, at 47:32
• 146. David Millar, Garmin-Transitions, at 47:45
• 147. Pierre Cazaux, Française des Jeux, at 47:56
• 148. Kasper Klostergaard, Team Saxo Bank, at 48:10
• 149. Tyler Farrar, Garmin-Transitions, at 48:52
• 150. Nico Sijmens, Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne, at 48:54
• 151. Wouter Weylandt, Quick Step, at 49:26
• 152. Lars Ytting Bak, HTC-Columbia, at 50:08
• 153. Yauheni Hutarovich, Française des Jeux, at 50:21
• 154. Martin Pedersen, Footon – Servetto – Fuji, at 50:25
• 155. Robert FÖrster, Milram, at 50:26
• 156. Stefan Denifl, Cervélo TestTeam, at 50:30
• 157. Vladimir Isaichev, Xacobeo Galicia, at 50:34
• 158. Ian Stannard, Team Sky, at 50:39
• 159. Olivier Kaisen, Omega Pharma-Lotto, at 50:55
• 160. David Gutierrez Gutierrez, Footon – Servetto – Fuji, at 50:59
• 161. Beñat Intxausti, Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 51:05
• 162. Hayden Roulston, HTC-Columbia, at 51:10
• 163. Jacopo Guarnieri, Liquigas-Doimo, at 52:18
• 164. Branislau Samoilau, Quick Step, at 52:31
• 165. Philip Deignan, Cervélo TestTeam, at 53:13
• 166. Matthew Harley Goss, HTC-Columbia, at 53:31
• 167. Sebastian Langeveld, Rabobank Cycling Team, at 54:29
• 168. David Vitoria Cano, Footon – Servetto – Fuji, at 54:41
• 169. Freddy Bichot, BBox Bouygues Telecom, at 55:21
• 170. Simon Gerrans, Team Sky, at 55:46
• 171. Mauricio Ardila, Rabobank Cycling Team, at 56:24
• 172. Angelo Furlan, Lampre-Farnese Vini, at 56:25
• 173. Mikhail Ignatiev, Team Katusha, at 56:25
• 174. Christophe Riblon, Ag2r La Mondiale, at 56:29
• 175. Johnnie Walker, Footon – Servetto – Fuji, at 56:31
• 176. Jorge Montenegro, Andalucia Cajasur, at 56:37
• 177. Mark Cavendish, HTC-Columbia, at 56:58
• 178. Dmitry Kozontchuk, Rabobank Cycling Team, at 57:35
• 179. Juan Jose Haedo, Team Saxo Bank, at 57:54
• 180. Nick Nuyens, Rabobank Cycling Team, at 57:54
• 181. Theo Bos, Cervélo TestTeam, at 57:56
• 182. Matthew Wilson, Garmin-Transitions, at 58:13
• 183. Denis Galimzyanov, Team Katusha, at 58:32
• 184. Domenik Klemme, Team Saxo Bank, at 59:02
• 185. Mickael Delage, Omega Pharma-Lotto, at 1:00:44
• 186. Peter Kennaugh, Team Sky, at 1:02:07
• 187. Fabian Cancellara, Team Saxo Bank, at 1:02:36
• 188. David Zabriskie, Garmin-Transitions, at 1:02:45
• 189. José Vicente Toribio, Andalucia Cajasur, at 1:03:59
• 190. Kjell CarlstrÖm, Team Sky, at 1:05:36
• 191. Valentin Iglinskiy, Astana, at 1:12:03
• 192. Arnaud Labbe, Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne, at 1:12:14
• 193. Julian Dean, Garmin-Transitions, at 1:26:04

Laurent Fignon, 1984 Tour de France

Thor Hushovd thrived on a stage with a tough climb near the end. Graham Watson Photo | GrahamWatson.com

Thor Hushovd (Cervélo TestTeam) concedes he might not be as fast as he used to be in the bunch sprints, but when the race toughens up, the Norwegian national champion knows he has a shot to win.

Hushovd, 32, is honest enough with himself to admit that he’ll likely lose a faceoff with Mark Cavendish or Tyler Farrar, so that’s why he has to look for new opportunities to win. Thursday’s 151km sixth stage from Caravaca de la Cruz to Murcia fit the bill perfectly.

The short but steep Cat. 2 Cresta del Gallo with 10km from the finish line was perfect for the new-look Hushovd. A reduced group of 70 came in for the sprint, and Cavendish and Farrar were not there.

“I knew the climb was good for me and I thought if sprinters like Cavendish and Farrar couldn’t make it over, I would have a good chance to win,” Hushovd explained. “The stage today was perfect for me and I am happy to win.”

That’s exactly what happened. The only true sprinters to make it over the 1,000-foot climb were Daniele Bennati (Liquigas), Grega Bola (Lampre) and Allan Davis (Astana). And that’s the order they finished – all behind Hushovd.

“When I saw Bennati was there, I knew that was the wheel I had to follow,” Hushovd said. “I was in second or third position at the base of the climb. I dropped back a little bit near the top but was able to regain contact on the descent. Then my teammates helped me.”

Philippe Gilbert (Omega Pharma-Lotto) also made it safely over the climb to defend his red leader’s jersey. The gritty Belgian doesn’t want to give up the lead without a fight.

“We drove over the climb this morning so I could look it. I knew it was going to be hard, but I had good legs and got over the top without too much difficulty,” said Gilbert, sixth in the stage. “It was a small group, so I knew I could have a chance to win. I missed one more teammate in the group to help position me for the sprint. I am feeling good and I feel like I can still become stronger before the worlds.”

Despite the fireworks, all the major GC favorites finished in the 70-rider group. The GC stalemate looks to continue for at least another day.

A three-man breakaway hit the base of the short, but steep Cresta del Gallo holding onto a 40-second lead.

Vladimir Karpets leads the peloton on the Cresta del Gallo at the Vuelta a Espana.

The pack was breathing down their neck, with Katusha and Liquigas setting a brutal pace to set up their men. Bichot held on bravely, but when he started looking back and he could see the pack, he was ready to throw in the towel.

Alexander Kolobnev and then Vladimir Karpets led the way for Katusha, keen to spring Rodríguez and position him for the leader’s jersey, but Gilbert was stubbornly hanging on the front.

“We were riding for Rodríguez and for (Filippo) Pozzato. We expected things to break up more, but the GC riders were very cautious to not let anyone get away,” Kolobnev said.

With the GC largely unsettled, there was no way the favorites were going to let stage-hunters make a run for glory. Last year, Simon Gerrans edged Alexander Vinokourov and Ryder Hesjedal, but eventual winner Alejandro Valverde was already in the leader’s jersey.

With Gilbert hanging tough, it was a fight all the way up – and then down the harrowing descent.

Pozzato took the initiative on the descent, drawing out Gilbert. Both are excellent descenders, yet the favorites stayed close, led by Cervélo’s Xavier Tondo, riding to support Hushovd for a reduced bunch sprint. Dimitri Fofonov (Astana) tried his luck on the lower flanks, but the effort was in vain.

Tejay Van Garderen (HTC-Columbia) and Tom Danielson (Garmin-Transitions) both finished in the front group to maintain their solid positions in the GC.

The 65th Vuelta continues Friday with the 187.1km seventh stage from Murcia to Orihuela. The rolling course features a moderate climb at 126km that could give the stage-hunters some hope of fending off the sprinters.

Stage 6 – Top 10

• 1. Thor Hushovd, Cervélo TestTeam, in 3h 36′ 20”
• 2. Daniele Bennati, Liquigas-Doimo, at 0
• 3. Grega Bole, Lampre-Farnese Vini, at 0
• 4. Allan Davis, Astana, at 0
• 5. Filippo Pozzato, Team Katusha, at 0
• 6. Philippe Gilbert, Omega Pharma-Lotto, at 0
• 7. Peter Velits, HTC-Columbia, at 0
• 8. Pablo Urtasun, Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 0
• 9. Samuel Dumoulin, Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne, at 0
• 10. Nicholas Roche, Ag2r La Mondiale, at 0

Full results

Overall standings, after stage 6

• 1. Philippe Gilbert, Omega Pharma-Lotto , in 22h 36′ 26”
• 2. Igor Anton, Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 10
• 3. Joaquin Rodriguez, Team Katusha, at 10
• 4. Vincenzo Nibali, Liquigas-Doimo, at 12
• 5. Peter Velits, HTC-Columbia, at 16
• 6. Tejay Van Garderen, HTC-Columbia, at 29
• 7. Xavier Tondo, Cervélo TestTeam, at 49
• 8. Frank Schleck, Team Saxo Bank, at 50
• 9. Ruben Plaza, Caisse D’Epargne, at 54
• 10. Ezequiel Mosquera, Xacobeo Galicia, at 55

Full results