HAEDO TAKES STAGE, HIGH ROAD’S CIOLEK SECOND

February 18, 2008

CANCELLARA HOLDS YELLOW JERSEY WITH HIGH ROAD’S WIGGINS IN THIRD

(Santa Rosa, CA) The end of Stage 1 of the Amgen Tour of California saw a furious sprint to the finish in Santa Rosa. CSC’s Juan Jose Haedo won the stage, followed close behind by Gerald Ciolek of Team High Road, riding the Giant TCR Advanced SL Team prototype bicycle. Third was Heinrich Haussler of Gerolsteiner.

At the start of today’s 97-mile stage, Team High Road was first among the 17 teams taking part, by virtue of the team’s terrific performance in the opening Prologue. High Road’s Bradley Wiggins, who was second in the Prologue Time Trial behind leader Fabian Cancellara, wore the Herbalife Sprinter’s jersey. Edvald Boasson Hagen, the youngest competitor on the High Road Team, traded in his Norwegian Time Trial Champions’ jersey to wear the jersey of the Best Young Rider, by virtue of his 5th place finish in the Prologue.

At the end of the day, the names in the top three places of the GC were the same, but in a slightly different order. Cancellara still holds the yellow, :02 ahead of Tyler Farrar of Slipstream. Bradley Wiggins is now third, :04 behind Cancellara.

Gerald Ciolek is now 9th in the GC, with George Hincapie in 11th place, and Thomas Lovkvist of Sweden as the next best placed High Road rider in 12th.

Team High Road will keep the Best Young Rider jersey one more day, but on a different rider. Gerald Ciolek now leads that competition.

High Road still leads the overall Team Classification, ahead of powerhouse CSC by :02 seconds.

Team High Road’s most experienced pro, George Hincapie, crashed in the final 300 meters of the stage, but got back up and rode across the finish line. Under race rules, since the crash happened within 1 km of the finish line, he will receive the same time as the leaders. He appeared to have only suffered road rash, and is expected to start stage 2 on Tuesday.

With his win today, J. J. Haedo has racked up a total of 5 stage victories over the 3 years off the Amgen Tour of California.

Rain is forecast for Tuesday’s Stage 2, a 115-mile course that climbs the tough Trinity Grade of the California wine country within a dozen miles after departing Santa Rosa on the way to the finish in Sacramento.

FIRST EVER TOUR OF CA WOMEN’S CRITERIUM RACED IN SANTA ROSA

A criterium women’s race was held in downtown Santa Rosa prior to the arrival of the TOC stage. Brooke Miller of Team TIBCO took first place, Laura Van Gilder of Cheerwine took second, and Team High Road rider Emilia Fahlin placed third.