Bennett, Lavelle on top in L.A.

Story and photos by Jay Prasuhn

Sept. 6, 2008 -- It was business as usual for Australian Greg Bennett and American Becky Lavelle, as the two extended their LifeTime Fitness Triathlon Series leads by winning the Los Angeles Triathlon today.

The morning grey at Venice Beach gave way to a sunny, warm day in Los Angeles. But under the cool cloud layer, the men commenced with burning up the road.

After American Andy Potts ripped out of the Pacific first in 18:29 with a group including Canadian XTERRA star Brent McMahon, Stuart Hayes of Great Britain and Australian Paul Matthews in tow, he went to work distancing himself from his chasers.

Conspicuously missing from the lead group was LifeTime Series leader Greg Bennett. “I was on someone’s feet, and he got gapped,” he said. “By the time I looked up, it was 10 meters, and I couldn’t close it.”

Out of the water a minute behind the leaders, Bennett would be forced to chase his way to the front—not the best situation, especially considering that he was making the start despite a cold that his wife Laura brought back from her trip to the Olympics. “The last 10 days I had to back the training off, taking Robitussin,” he said. “I didn’t know how I would go.”

But chase he did. With his SRM reading an average of 360 watts, a coughing Bennett cut a fast path to the front. “Coming into the race, I had to make it a strength race, and made the bike really important," Bennett said.

Bennett tore through the field to move past Matthews, then Potts 25k into the bike, to move into the lead. “That was one of the best rides I’ve had in a long time,” the Aussie said. His final bike split, 53:57, was best by over a minute and a half.

By T2 Bennett had a 25-second lead on Potts. With his Hawaii Ironman debut to come next month, Potts found he simply missed his speed. “I’ve been putting in more miles, and it kinda saps that speed,” Potts said. “I definitely didn’t have dead legs—I could keep going at my pace, but I couldn’t you know, 'click-click' into that next gear and hit it.”

Both Bennett and Potts split the run within one second of one another (31:19 and 31:18, respectively), leaving the Aussie cruising across the finish with another big win. Potts earned second, while Matthews held off Hayes for third.

While the LifeTime finale in Dallas is of key importance to Potts’ season, his Hawaii Ironman debut, one week after Dallas, has him excited. “Normally I’d be done and just catch a cab back, but for sure I’m gonna ride back to the hotel, then maybe go for another dip. More training!”

On his debut in Kona, he added “My expectations are realistic. I know what Kona stands for, but I don’t know the experereince. I’m going there to feel that magic that everyone talks about. It’s triathlon’s biggest day, and I want to be a part of it.”

The women’s race was equally electrifying, even despite the absence of Olympic gold medalist Emma Snowsill, who missed the race due to other obligations. But today’s race saw a select group—Beijing Olympian Julie Swail, Lavelle, Mary Beth Ellis and Pip Taylor—land on Venice Beach within a few seconds of one another. Left out of the mix nearly two minutes down out of the water was reigning Ironman 70.3 World Champ Mirinda Carfrae.

Lavelle put her stamp of authority on the race during the bike, riding clear of her chasers. “That’s my goal during all these races, is to hammer the bike,” Lavelle said. While all others fell off pace, Ellis was able to stay within five to 10 seconds of Lavelle throughout the relatively flat bike from Venice Beach to Downtown Los Angeles. She in fact took the lead from Lavelle on a steep descent during the final mile of the bike, but Lavelle re-assumed the lead as the two dove into T2.

From there, it was early pressure during the run that dropped Ellis from Lavelle's heels. “ I just had to hammer the first three miles on the first loop,” Lavelle said. “It worked out great.”

A 36:17 run took Lavelle across the finish first with a comfortable 1:26 gap to runner-up Ellis. Swail had the fastest run of the day (35:50) to take third.

With just the finale left in Dallas on October 5, both Bennett and Lavelle extended their The LifeTime Triathlon Series Race to the Toyota Cup. With Britons Liz Blatchford and Jodie Swallow as no-shows here in Los Angeles, Lavelle is all but assured a series win with her L.A. victory, while Bennett gained further ground on Potts and Stuart Hayes of Great Britain.


2008 Los Angeles Triathlon
Sept. 7, 2008
Los Angeles, Calif.
1.5k swim, 40k bike, 10k run

Men
1. Greg Bennett (AUS) 1:46:04
2. Andy Potts (USA) 1:46:47
3. Paul Matthews (AUS) 1:48:09
4. Stuart Hayes (GBR) 1:49:01
5. Brent McMahon (CAN) 1:49:17

Women
1. Becky Lavelle (USA) 1:59:46
2. Mary Beth Ellis (USA) 2:01:12
3. Julie Swail (USA) 2:03:10
4. Rebeccah Wassner (USA) 2:03:44
5. Mirinda Carfrae (AUS) 2:06:50

Vuelta a España - Leipheimer back in overall lead

France's David Moncoutié of Team Cofidis launched an early escape bid that garnered him victory in the eighth stage of the Vuelta a España – 151 kilometres from Andorra to Pla de Beret – his first win in three years. While the 33 year-old enjoyed solo success, Spaniard Alberto Contador of Team Astana led the classification battle behind. His moves dropped favourite Carlos Sastre of Team CSC-Saxo Bank by five seconds and helped team-mate Levi Leipheimer move back into the race lead.

USA's Leipheimer, 34, holds 21 seconds over Contador and 49 seconds over Spaniard Alejandro Valverde of Team Caisse d'Epargne.

Results

1 David Moncoutié (Fra) Cofidis
2 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
3 Alberto Contador (Spa) Astana
4 Igor Antón (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
5 John Gadret (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale

General classification after stage 8

1 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana
2 Alberto Contador (Spa) Astana
3 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
4 Carlos Sastre (Spa) CSC-Saxo Bank
5 Ezequiel Mosquera (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia

Vuelta a España - Stage 7

Better known for his status in the Spring Classics, Alessandro Ballan claimed victory and the overall race lead the first high-mountain stage of the Vuelta a España – 223.2 kilometres from Barbastro to Andorra. The 28 year-old Italian formed part of the day's escape group 18 kilometres into the day that was marked with four categorised climbs, including the mountain top arrival on La Rabassa.

"I started the day thinking to go tranquilo and to prepare for the Worlds. But then, I was in the break. With 30 kilometres to go I still didn't know if I could win. I am satisfied with the victory," said Ballan.

Ballan – 2'30" down at the start of the day – ensured the day's winnings with a solo bid at kilometre 209. He left behind Marc De Maar (Rabobank), part of an early escape that also included Gianni Meersman (Française des Jeux), Iñigo Landaluze (Euskaltel-Euskadi) and Xabier Zandio (Caisse d'Epargne).

The overall favourites were hot on Ballan's heels. Giro d'Italia winner Alberto Contador of Team Astana was the first to play his cards in the final two kilometres. Ezequiel Mosquera of Team Xacobeo Galicia closed down his fellow Spaniard for second on the stage, but Contador gained a precious five seconds on competitors like Spain's Carlos Sastre of Team CSC-Saxo Bank.

So Now The Real Fun Starts

by Graham Watson

After a team time trial, an individual tesT and four sprinters’ stages, the Vuelta hits the high mountains Saturday to
complete a busy and highly entertaining week. Yet, despite the variety of the stages, nothing has really been proved or settled: all we know is that Team Astana’s boys are in really great shape to dictate the way the rest of this Vuelta shall be raced. Levi Leipheimer’s victory in Wednesday’s time trial will have set the tone for his teammates to mimic, for it was surely one of his greatest performances in a long career famous for such time trialing prowess. Judging by the enthusiasm with which Levi sprayed the podium girls with Cava’champagne, that victory meant an awful lot more than the American will ever admit to. Yet his honesty and professionalism in stating that Alberto Contador is the sole leader of Team Astana in this race was at least as impressive as his actions on the bike. Astana gracefully allowed Sylvain Chavanel to take the race-lead yesterday, while giving themselves a day or two to plan their next move.

The problem with having two timed stages in one week is that it obliges the overall favourites to ride near their maximum to keep their rivals in check, which in turn forces them towards the top of the G.C. earlier than they’d prefer. The same logic is extended to this weekend’s double thrust into the mountains, for in reality neither Team Astana, Caisse d’Epargne or CSC wants to assume the responsibility of having the race-leader so soon. Yet I cannot see how it can be avoided, for the competitive nature of the Vuelta ensures that its top riders perform at their best on the biggest stages. This is no longer a sport where you let a rival team take the race-lead in the belief that their man will weaken in the last week. The primitive plan these days is to climb as fast as your rivals and let the mathematics do the rest. In other words, the time differences from Wednesday’s TT should see Leipheimer leading the Vuelta again on Sunday evening, just in front of Valverde or Contador, with Sastre not too far away.

Team Astana is probably the one team capable of defending the race-lead for two whole weeks, and it would be great to see Leipheimer enjoying leadership status until El Angliru, one week further into the race, where Contador can work his magic at the expense of all others in this marathon. It may not work out this way. Perhaps, just maybe, an escape will gain enough time tomorrow to propel some unsung hero into the race lead for a week and relieve the favourites of excessive worry. But I do not think so. Tomorrow’s stage is not just the longest of the Vuelta at 223-kilometres, it is also one of the hardest, ending with two nasty, identical climbs in Andorra. To compound the difficulty is to realize that the first day in the high mountains is often the most decisive, with legs and bodies not yet adjusting to the demands being made and in this sense I can see trouble coming for Valverde who still cannot decide whether he is a dynamo-sprinter for short, uphill finishes, or a grand tour contender who needs to control his energy levels a little better. Valverde’s time trial around Ciudad Real was brilliant, but can he now climb with sufficient fluidity and power?

While Team Astana is playing its cards this weekend, and deciding whether to put Leipheimer back into the gold leader’s jersey, or launch a missile called Contador up the final ascents, keep an eye on Carlos Sastre. The modest little fellow is not here for fun, nor to appease his team sponsor: he did that in the Tour de France. He would dearly love to win the Vuelta for his fans, or at least secure a podium finish for them to savour. Sastre always starts a three-week race with caution, and he has been doubly quiet here because of ongoing negotiations with his new Cervelo team for 2009. Additionally, he’s had so little training time between post-Tour obligations, it is a wonder he is even in the race at all. Please note therefore, that although Sastre lost about 50-seconds to Contador on Wednesday, he is very much a contender in this race. I don’t think Sastre has the engine to out-climb Contador when the racing is full-on, but the attacks he will make as the Vuelta progresses will be enough to shake most of the others off. Sastre has nothing to lose by attacking, and everything to gain. He may be the one man who can separate Contador and Leipheimer on that final podium in Madrid.

Q & A with alberto contador, rest day at the vuelta

Q: How is the rest day going and how do you think the first week of racing went?

A: I am well enough and I believe that physically I haven’t pushed too hard. These days, I hope, have been good for me, just to fine tune my form for the
key stages that arrive now. I hope to be able to do something good tomorrow.

Q: What do you think we’ll see in the Pyrenees?

A: I think that we will see some favorite riders that will not do too well and other riders who we don’t think of being overall contenders who can become protagonists. Riders like Igor Antón, Damiano Cunego or Robert Gesink. And of course I am curious to find out what Alejandro Valverde, Carlos Sastre and my teammate Levi will do.

Q: Will we see things that the time trial did not reveal?

A: Yes, but tomorrow's last climb is not too hard. It is necessary to be vigilant for an attack because there are many kilometers and the percentage of steepness is not very high. An organized group can take a lot of time.

Q: How does the rest day affect you?

A: I think I’ll be okay and so will everybody else. But it is also true that one of my characteristics is that I recover very well, so maybe it would have suited me
better if there was no rest day just before the mountains. Anyway, I hope to be very well.

Q: And the second stage of Pyrenees?

A: It will be completely different. It is harder, because the Cantó is decisive and then there will be the Bonaigua, which is very long and very steep. On the contrary, it is a much shorter stage, with final in Pla de Beret, which is not so hard, but it will come after many climbs. Between the two stages we will see which GC riders have lost contention.

Q: How do you see Valverde?

A: I see Alejandro as doing very well. He’s very motivated, adding seconds here and there and making a good time trial. He is fighting for stages victories and I think he has won many points for the overall.

Q: Do you believe him when he says that he is not racing for the overall GC?

A: That is a good way of looking at the race, but I believe that he hopes for the overall. When he appears to not be doing so well, then maybe he will stop.

Q: Carlos Sastre?

A: Carlos is a rider with a lot of experience and I believe that he is thinking about the long stages. He has goals in this race and he did a good time trial in relation to the best rivals. Levi has a good advantage over him and Sastre should be one of those in charge of attacking the race.

Q: Who do you fear more?

A: I don't really name names. At the end it is a little of everyone. It will be a difficult race but I don't see anybody more dangerous than another.

Q: What will the strategy of Astana be?

A: We have not spoken yet, but it will depend on the sensations in race. Anyway it is not necessary to attack the race lead. We have the advantage and we have
to ride to counterattack. Leipheimer will also play his role and, in summary, there will be enough options for us.

Q: And are you optimistic about all of it?

A: Yes, certainly. If someone had told me at the beginning that I would be in this situation, I would have been very happy. I believe that we can take
advantage of the situation.

Q: Are you also happy with your team?

A: Yes, everyone is doing very well. We’re very motivated and attentive at all times. There is an extraordinary atmosphere among us. Each one knows
what their responsibility is and because of that we have a very good situation.

Ivan Basso's New Bike - Raleigh One-Way

Ivan Basso requested a Raleigh One-Way to get around on. While he could've procured almost any bike out there, the classic steel bikes Raleigh is putting out grabbed his attention. Vintage good looks with modern appeal. One gear to keep things simple and maintenance free, cantilever brakes for solid breaking, full fenders for those random rain days, and a Brooks saddle, all attached to a classic steel frame. Any way you look at it, the One Way is pure classic Raleigh.

Pro racing returns to San Francisco with twilight race

San Francisco's hills will once again be the focus of a major professional bicycle race when the San Francisco Twilight Criterium takes place Saturday, September 13. More than 400 of the best male and female cyclists in the country will line up as the sun sets over the Golden Gate Bridge. The race is round ten in the USA Crits series.

The six-tenths-of-a-mile course around Cow Hollow will provide the backdrop for drama and spectator entertainment. San Francisco's Union Streets and Fillmore Streets will be transformed as part of an eight-block course that will be covered almost once a minute for an hour. A fast plunge down Fillmore Street, technically tricky corners and a false flat around the final turn means fantastic viewing points on almost every corner.

The star cyclists in the peloton – Olympians, national champions, and series leaders – will be called to the line first and set the scene for an adrenalin-laced evening. An athlete village will offer the opportunity for fans to walk up to the riders and get autographs minutes before the races.

"We are very pleased to host this exciting race after the incredible display of athleticism and sportsmanship at the Beijing Olympics," said Mayor Gavin Newsom. "It is very important to support an event like this, which allows members of our local community to compete against the best professional racers in the country, and inspires our youngest to participate in sports and group activities."

For more information, visit www.sftwilight.com.

Vuelta a España - Paolo Bettini Is Back!

Paolo Bettini won the last stage before the first rest day on a finale that suited the punchy Italian perfectly. Sylvain Chavanel used two intermediate sprints and his entire Cofidis team to reverse his two-second deficit in the overall against Levi Leipheimer. Chavanel gained a total of 12 seconds and leads Leipheimer by 10 seconds now.

A hill just five kilometres from the finish splintered the peloton. While some fast men, notably Daniele Bennati (Liquigas), were still around, they were voided of their strengths in the hilly run-in. Bettini on the other hand, who likes these kinds of finishes, showed he is in great form ahead of the Worlds in Varese, Italy.

Results

1 Paolo Bettini (Ita) Quick Step
2 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Française des Jeux
3 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
4 Oscar Freire (Spa) Rabobank
5 Daniele Bennati (Ita) Liquigas
6 Davide Rebellin (Ita) Gerolsteiner
7 Sébastien Hinault (Fra) Crédit Agricole
8 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) Silence-Lotto
9 Karsten Kroon (Ned) CSC-Saxo Bank
10 Matti Breschel (Den) CSC-Saxo Bank

General classification after stage 6

1 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Cofidis
2 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana 0.10
3 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 0.26
4 Alberto Contador (Spa) Astana 0.57
5 Carlos Sastre (Spa) CSC-Saxo Bank
6 Daniele Bennati (Ita) Liquigas
7 Juan Antonio Flecha (Spa) Rabobank

Double success for Leipheimer

Astana's Levi Leipheimer has shown strong form in the first individual time trial of this year's Vuelta, winning the 42.4-kilometre Ciudad Real time trial and snatching the gold leader's jersey.

The Olympic bronze medallist started slowly but accelerated through the race against the clock, overhauling long-time leader Manuel Quinziato (Liquigas) by 33 seconds and fending off French time trial champion Sylvain Chavanel, who was twelve seconds slower.

This proved crucial for the American as he ended the day just two seconds ahead of the Cofidis rider in the general classification. Alejandro Valverde had a solid time trial, placing fifth, and remained third overall. He ended the day 59 seconds behind Astana rider Leipheimer.

General classification contenders Alberto Contador (Astana) and Carlos Sastre (CSC) also performed well. The former was fifth in the test, 49 seconds off the winning pace, and is now fifth overall.

Sastre, the 2008 Tour de France champion, was 15th, 1'30” back, and is seventh in the general classification. He will start tomorrow's stage 1'27” behind the new race leader, who was third overall in the 2001 Vuelta.

Race leader Daniele Bennati was 50th in the time trial and dropped away from the top of the general classification.

Results

Finish - 42.5km

1 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana 50.57 (50.049 km/h)
2 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Cofidis 51.09
3 Manuel Quinziato (Ita) Liquigas 51.30
4 Alberto Contador (Spa) Astana 51.46
5 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 51.56
6 Jurgen Van Goolen (Bel) CSC-Saxo Bank 52.03
7 Michael Blaudzun (Den) CSC-Saxo Bank 52.04
8 Martin Velits (Svk) Team Milram 52.12
9 Dominique Cornu (Bel) Silence-Lotto 52.16
10 Sebastian Lang (Ger) Gerolsteiner 52.16

General classification after stage 5

1 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana 14.16.11
2 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Cofidis 0.02
3 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 0.30
4 Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step 0.32
5 Alberto Contador (Spa) Astana 0.47
6 Jurgen Van Goolen (Bel) CSC-Saxo Bank 1.26
7 Carlos Sastre (Spa) CSC-Saxo Bank 1.27
8 Daniele Bennati (Ita) Liquigas 1.38
9 Dominique Cornu (Bel) Silence-Lotto 1.48
10 Juan Antonio Flecha (Spa) Rabobank 1.51

Vuelta a España - Stage 4

Italian Daniele Bennati from Liquigas team celebrates as he crosses the finish line of the fourth stage of the Tour of Spain (La Vuelta), a 170.3 km ride from Cordoba to Puertollano, on September 2, 2008 in Puertollano. Several riders, including one of the favourites, Spain's Carlos Sastre, the winner of this year's Tour de France, suffered a fall just a few kilometres before the finish line

Hamilton Moves On with National Title

Tyler Hamilton (Rock Racing) took a step towards putting his darkened past behind him on Sunday when he narrowly edged out Blake Caldwell (Garmin-Chipotle) to win the US professional road championship. Hamilton is making the most of a second chance in his cycling career, like many of his teammates, when the owner of Rock & Republic clothing, Michael Ball, gave him a spot on his squad – even as he pondered hanging up his wheels.

"Last year I thought the race in Greenville was the last of my career," he said. "Fortunately for me I got another chance. Michael Ball gave me another chance with Rock Racing and here I am. It's really special and a pretty emotional feeling for me."

But even that chance was a challenge at first, as he and some of his embattled teammates found racing difficult when they were not allowed to start the Tour of California. Hamilton's name was involved with the Operación Puerto investigation. Hamilton also served a two year suspension for a positive test at the 2004 Vuelta a España, though he still professes his innocence in the matter.

Though not allowed to race in California he kept riding and racing, eventually finding success at the Tour of Qinghai Lake in July. He kept enough of that form rolling into Greenville, and saving himself for the road race.

"I knew I had a chance, that's why I took yesterday off with the time trial," he said. "I am an Olympic champion in time trial but I decided to save my energy for today. I wanted to be a strong helper for Fred Rodriguez who has won this before or take a chance myself."

"I thought I could be in the mix, and once you are it just takes a little luck."

Vuelta a España - Bennati takes over maillot oro

Tom Boonen has shown that he is back on top sprinting form after his cocaine positive earlier this summer by winning stage three of the Vuelta a España into Córdoba. He beat Daniele Bennati (Liquigas) and Erik Zabel (Team Milram) to the line, with Koldo Fernandez De Larrea (Euskaltel – Euskadi) and Nicolas Roche (Crédit Agricole) netting fourth and fifth in the mass bunch gallop.

Bennati had picked up seconds in two bonus sprints, and his runner-up placing on the stage lifted him clear of today's leader Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne) in the general classification. He ended the day seven seconds ahead of the Spaniard and ten up on Boonen. His team-mate Filippo Pozzato and Egoi Martinez De Esteban are next in line in the overall standings.

The sunny stage took the riders 168.6 kilometres from Jaén to Córdoba. Andalucia Cajasur rider Manuel Ortega Ocana attacked almost immediately after the start in his hometown, making the most of early lethargy on the part of the peloton to pull over fifteen minutes clear. He had a lead of six minutes 49 seconds when he hit the start of the day's lone categorised climb, the third cat Puerto de San Jerónimo, but a big solo attack by Paolo Bettini saw the Italian close to within one minute and 45 seconds by the summit.

The World Champion then caught and dropped him soon afterwards, only to be himself recaptured with fifteen kilometres remaining.

Sylvain Chavanel (Cofidis) had been active in chasing Bettini and then went again three kilometres from the line. He was hauled back a kilometre later and, in the ensuing bunch sprint, Boonen overpowered Bennati as well as the other fastmen in the race.

Previous race leader Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne) finished 29th in the gallop for the line, thus enabling Bennati to take over the maillot oro.

Results

1 Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step
2 Daniele Bennati (Ita) Liquigas
3 Erik Zabel (Ger) Team Milram
4 Koldo Fernandez De Larrea (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
5 Nicolas Roche (Irl) Crédit Agricole
6 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) Silence - Lotto
7 Leonardo Duque (Col) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone
8 Sébastien Hinault (Fra) Crédit Agricole
9 Tom Stamsnijder (Ned) Gerolsteiner
10 Lloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale

General classification after stage three

1 Daniele Bennati (Ita) Liquigas 8.56.27
2 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 0.07
3 Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step 0.10
4 Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Liquigas 0.20
5 Egoi Martinez De Esteban (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 0.22

Photo Finish Ends US Pro Championships

In an exciting photo finish, Tyler Hamilton (Rock Racing) defeated Blake Caldwell (Team Garmin - Chipotle p/b H3O) for top honors as the new American professional champion.

Garmin-Chipotle dominated much of the race, putting the most riders in all of the day's breaks, but in the end, the team's Caldwell was outsprinted by Hamilton. In the final break, Hamilton and Caldwell were joined by Danny Pate (Team Garmin-Chipotle), Lucas Euser (Team Garmin Chipotle) and Jeff Louder (BMC Racing Team).

Pate was the first to try his hand at getting off the front with a solo effort in the final miles, but was reeled back in. The last attack to stick was that of Hamilton and Caldwell. The two played cat and mouse as much as they could with their 13-second margin over their three chasers. Although Hamilton had to do much of the work in the final half lap to keep the duo away, he managed to come around Caldwell after the Garmin racer made his final bid for the sprint.

1 Tyler Hamilton (Rock Racing)
2 Blake Caldwell (Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30)
3 Danny Pate (Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30)
4 Lucas Euser (Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30)
5 Jeff Louder (BMC Racing Team)

Vuelta a España - Stage 2

Sapinsh team cyclist Astana Alberto Contador (L) signs autographs after the second stage of the Tour of Spain, on August 31, 2008 in Granada. Spain's Alejandro Valverde, of the Caisse d'Epargne team, took the overall race lead after winning the second stage, a 176.3 kilometre run from Granada to Jaen.

La Vuelta Overall After Stage 2
1 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Caisse d' Epargne 4hrs 31' 10”
2 Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Liquigas + 13”
3 Daniele Bennati (Ita) Liquigas same time
4 Egoi Martinez (Spa) Euskaltel + 15”
5 Inigo Landaluze (Spa) Euskaltel + 19”
6 Davide Rebellin (Ita) Gerolsteiner same time
7 Mauricio Ardila (Col) Rabobank + 20”
8 Igor Anton (Spa) Euskaltel + 21”
9 Ruben Perez (Spa) Euskaltel
10 Mikel Astarloza (Spa) Euskaltel same time

Zabriskie wins US pro time trial championship

A new course and a season of injury stood in front of Dave Zabriskie (Garmin-Chipotle) as he tried to defend his time trial national championship in Greenville. Despite having an off-year he targeted this race as a way to prove he is still the fastest – both to himself and to everyone else. And he did just that, riding aggressively over the fast course to beat domestic sensation Tom Zirbel (Bissell) by just five seconds.

"I didn't care what the conditions were going to be like, what the course was, I came to win!" Zabriskie told Cyclingnews after the race. "Coming back from injury this is really just my third race back," he said. "Cycling is full of ups and downs and my career has been up and down. I've had numerous injuries so I have to say thanks to all the people who stand behind me and keep believing in me."

While this result reaffirms his status as a top time trialist, he does not think it salvages his season – particularly with only 35 starters. "It feels great to have this win, but it's not like it saves my season or anything. It's me with something to prove time and time again... that I am Dave Zabriskie!"

Giving Zabriskie a run for his money was Zirbel, who started out slow but came on steadily over the three laps of the TT course. "I knew Zabriskie was going to bring his A game and he is one of the best in the world," said Zirbel. "I knew I was going to have to have a good ride and take some chances. I just came up short."

His second place finish did spoil the sweep for Garmin-Chipotle, who still took four out of the top five with Christian Vande Velde in third, just five more seconds back. Tom Danielson came in fourth with Steven Cozza posting an early fast time and holding on for fifth.

Results
1 David Zabriskie (Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30) 40:39.40
2 Tom Zirbel (Bissell Pro Cycling) 0:05:33
3 Christian Vandevelde (Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30) 0:10:31
4 Steven Cozza (Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30) 0:34:39
5 Thomas Danielson (Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30) 0:52:21
6 Michael Creed (Rock Racing) 1:27:31
7 Roman Kilun (Health Net p/b Maxxis) 1:54:27
8 Bernard Van Ulden (Jelly Belly) 2:19:02
9 Scott Zwizanski (Bissell Pro Cycling) 2:19:07
10 Justin Spinelli (Kelly Benefit Strategies - Medifast) 2:20:45

Vuelta a España - Stage 1 Granada TTT 7.7 KM

Filippo Pozzato was first across the line and takes the leader's jersey of this Vuelta

STAGE 1 RESULTS:
1, Liquigas, LIQ, 8:21
2, Euskaltel - Euskadi, EUS, at 8
3, Caisse D'Epargne, GCE, at 9
4, Quick Step, QST, at 10
5, Team CSC - Saxo Bank, CSC, at 11
6, Tinkoff Credit Systems, TCS, at 12
7, Rabobank, RAB, at 13
8, Astana, AST, at 14
9, Team Milram, MRM, at 15
10, Gerolsteiner, GST, at 18
11, Lampre, LAM, at 19
12, Cofidis, le credit par telephone, COF, at 20
13, AG2R - L aMondiale, ALM, at 20
14, Silence - Lotto, SIL, at 20
15, Xacobeo - Galicia, KGZ, at 21
16, Credit Agricole, C.A, at 23
17, Française Des Jeux, FDJ, at 27
18, Bouygues Telecom, BTL, at 28
19, Andaluci a- Cajasur, ACA, at 35

ALBERTO CONTADOR MEETS THE PRESS

One day prior to the Vuelta d' España, Alberto Contador was at the disposal of the international press in Granada. Here are excerpts from the press conference.

Q - Alberto, everybody expects and hopes for a duel between Alberto Contador and Carlos Sastre. Is that your idea too?
A - That is difficult to say. The media say so. It makes a good race if there is a fight between two riders. It means spectacle and many press articles,
but for the riders that is not so good, because a third rider can take advantage of the situation. You should not forget about Alejandro Valverde. In the
last Tour de France, he had only one bad day (on the Tourmalet). He has finished second as well in the Vuelta.

Q - Are you more motivated because you can race against the winner of the Tour the France?
A - No, I am not. My biggest motivation here is to ride the Tour of my country. I will enjoy it and will love the encouragements and warmth of the fans. For
me, Carlos Sastre is just a rider like all the others.

Q - Carlos Sastre says that it will be easier for you as you did not do a hard Tour de France.
A - OhŠ everybody is looking for excuses or quotes to put the pressure at the other riders. I am used to that tactic but I apply that technique as
well. Every rider does.

Q - Before the Giro you were not prepared. Now you are. That means that the Vuelta will be easy for you?
A - That is theory, of course. I had indeed a super preparation for this race, but there can always be someone who will be stronger. It is difficult to
predict such things. Cycling is still not mathematics.

Q - You are the leader of the team?
A - Yes, I am, but it feels comfortable for me that I have in Levi Leipheimer and Andreas Klöden two guys who can take over when necessary. It gives me a
bit more peace and rest before the race.

Q - What do you think of the Angliru?
A - It is nice. It is hard as well. It will be a nice stage. Many people or riders say that it is too hard, but I don1t agree with that. It is good for
the spectacle. The public will be wild. Of course the organizers shouldn't do that every day, and they don't. So what's the problem? I talked about the
Angliru with Alejandro Valverde. When he did the recognition, it was very difficult with the small stones (gravel) on the road, but when I
checked the climb in July, everything looked good. It was steep of course.

Q - Did you see in advance every stage?
A- No, not at all. I have no idea what the TTT tomorrow will bring. It is short, I saw, and dangerous. I think that the team that takes the most
risks not us will win. I only checked the Pyrenees and Asturias stages in July. Plus last week I went to see the circuit or the TT in Ciudad Real.
It is difficult to say which stage will be the decisive stage. Probably Ciudad Real will be the first test. The Pyrenees and Asturias will be
decisive, but which stage? No idea.

Q - When you will win the Vuelta, you will be only the fifth rider to win Tour, Giro and Vuelta. Does that give a special feeling?
A - Honestly? No. It certainly will be important, but it is so far away for me. Once in my career I hope to win the Tour of Spain, but if it only happens
the year of my retirement, then it is okay for me as well. I am only 25 years old. I still have time enough.

Q - After the Vuelta, there are the world championships in Varese. You are not on the list of Spain's coach Paco Antequera. Why?
A - That is a mistake. I already talked about it with Antequera. If my condition is good when I finish the Tour of Spain, I'll go to Varese. If
necessary I can work for Valverde or Oscar Freire. No problem. The circuit suits them better. The time trial can be more something for me, like in the Olympic
Games. I enjoyed being in Beijing. My condition was not super yet but that was fortunate, otherwise my Vuelta would not be good. But it was so nice to
be there with all best sports men of the world.

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Click on the title link to read on to learn about Mark Sisson's picks for the top 10 diet fads of all time:

Contador Leads Astana Super Team

Vuelta organizer Victor Cordero knew he had a great show in the works when Contador took the Giro's maglia rosa in June.

Astana brings a loaded team looking for nothing short of domination in the 63rd Vuelta a España that opens with a team time trial Saturday in sunny Granada.

Still miffed it was left out of the 2008 Tour de France, the Astana blue swaggers into Granada with its A-team for the season’s third tour with overall victory as the main objective.

Andreas Klöden and Levi Leipheimer provide heft to the nine-man lineup, but it’s budding Spanish super star Alberto Contador who will be captain of this ship.

“It’s always good to have various options, just in case some surprise happens, but it’s also good to have a clear idea of things. Alberto will be our only leader on the team,” Astana manager Johan Bruyneel told Spain’s sports daily MARCA. “Alberto is the only one of our leaders who know what it’s like to win a grand tour.”

After coming off the beach to win the Giro d’Italia back in May, Contador will be taking aim at his second grand tour victory of the 2008 season, but with better preparation.

Unlike the Giro, which gave Astana a surprise, last-minute invitation to start just eight days before the opening stage in Sicily, the Vuelta has been on the team’s radar screen for months.

Contador has prepared well for the three-week Vuelta and, with the absence of defending champion Denis Menchov (Rabobank), lines up as the pre-race favorite.

Bruyneel said there’s no worry that the team’s top riders might begin to fight internally for control of the race.

Leipheimer and Klöden both boast Tour podium finishes on their resume, but Bruyneel insists that the team will ride as a unified front.

“The Giro victory was decisive for everyone to understand that Alberto, when he’s good, he’s the best rider for grand tours,” Bruyneel said. “Also, he’ll be racing on home roads and the team is interested in having a Spanish winner.”

When Tour organizers snubbed Astana for this year’s edition, the Vuelta increased in importance both for Astana and Contador.

Elite company
With his unexpected Giro win already in the bag, Contador enters the Vuelta with perhaps less self-imposed pressure, but perhaps more media pressure to perform. Winning this year’s Vuelta would put Contador atop an elite cadre of cycling greats.

Only four riders have won all three of cycling’s major three-week tours and Contador is poised to become the rider to achieve that hat trick within the shortest amount of time.

Jacques Anquetil was the first to complete cycling’s grand tour sweep, with five Tours, two Giros and one Vuelta between 1957-1964. Felice Gimondi became the second, winning one Tour, three Giros and one Vuelta from 1965-1976.

Eddy Merckx, who holds the record with the most grand tour victories at 11, won five Tours, five Giros and one Vuelta from 1969-1974.

Bernard Hinault currently holds the record for claiming all three within the shortest time frame, winning the first of five Tours in 1978, his first of two Vueltas in 1978 and one of three Giros in 1980, within a period of 26 months.

Contador will be under the gun to become the first Spaniard to earn that distinction and to do it on his home roads.

Contador’s profile is flying sky high right now in his native Spain, and he will be keen to beat back 2008 Tour winner Carlos Sastre (CSC-Saxo Bank) and Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d’Epargne) in what’s expected to be an all-Spanish showdown for the Vuelta crown.

A strong and unified team
Leipheimer and Klöden provide the team with guarantees and shouldn’t be discounted for anything, especially Leipheimer, who is fresh off winning a bronze medal in the Olympic time trial and an impressive victory in the Clásica a los Puertos last weekend in the mountains north of Madrid.

Supporting the three leaders will be a solid lineup of support riders, including two Kazakh riders to keep the title sponsor happy, as well as José Luis Rubiera, riding in his last major race before retiring at the end of this season.

“This will be my 20th and final Grand Tour. I am very grateful to all the riders, staff, sports directors and fans who have supported me throughout my entire career,” Rubiera said on the team’s web page. “It is a true honor to have had the opportunity to race for Johan, Lance (Armstrong) and now Alberto. It has been a dream and I would love to complete my career with another grand tour victory.”

Preview: Vuelta a España

The climbers can celebrate. A return to the gruelling Angliru, a very tough day in the Pyrenees, an uphill time trial, a total of five summit finishes and just 40 kilometres of flat time trial for the specialists against the clock; this is, in truth, a Vuelta tailor-made for those who shine when it comes to battling with gravity.

Reigning Vuelta champion Denis Menchov will not defend his title, and double Tour de France bridesmaid Cadel Evans has bowed out due to injury. This gives 2008 Giro d'Italia winner Alberto Contador a clear shot at winning his third Grand Tour, after taking the 2007 Tour and 2008 Giro d'Italia.

Starting in Granada on August 30th and concluding in Madrid 23 days and 3,169 kilometres later, the Grand Tour will be fought on uphill terrain and should see some epic tussles by the mountain riders in the battle for the final maillot oro.

"I think the race will be for the climbers," said race director Victor Cordero to Cyclingnews.com. "We have four summit finishes plus the uphill time trial. We will have surprises, we have things to offer the climbers and the time trial kilometres have been really limited.

"The first time trial is just 40 kilometres," he added. "It is not the longest time trial to have been in the Vuelta and the specialists will be limited as regards what they can gain. Because of that, I believe that this is a race that is more for climbers than time trialists."

The 2008 edition of the race gets underway in Granada with a 7km team time trial, almost exactly replicating the 7.2 kilometre test which kicked off the 2006 Vuelta in nearby Málaga. After three mainly flat stages, the riders cross swords in a 40km race against the clock based around Ciudad Real, then have one more leg before the first rest day. A transfer to Barbastro in the north east of the country gets three tough climbing legs underway, with the first of these – a summit finish to Andorra (Naturlandia – La Rabassa) the longest, and quite probably the hardest, of the race.

Two more mountain legs follow (including a summit finish at Pla de Beret, where defending Vuelta champion Denis Menchov won the 11th stage of the 2006 Tour de France), then three flatter stages precede another transfer and the second rest day. The climbing mayhem begins again immediately afterwards with the 199 kilometre race to the summit of the backbreaking l'Angliru and another mountain-top finish at the ski station Fuentes de Invierno.

A respite from climbing gives the sprinters and roulers four flattish stages to target – five if they get over the two early first category climbs on stage 19 – before a climatic 16 kilometre uphill time trial to the Puerto de Navacerrada. That stage will surely reveal the 2008 victor with just the final processional stage to Madrid standing in between him and the Grand Tour title.

Team CSC-Saxo Bank's Carlos Sastre, the recent winner of the Tour, was one of the main animators of last year's race and the 2007 runner-up liked what he saw.

"I think that this is better for the climbers," he stated at the launch at the IFEMA centre in Madrid. "There is only a small amount of time trials and in that way it is good for me…I am not a heavy rider, I have to suffer a lot not to lose time in long, flat time trials.

"This type of route is not easy but it is better for me to get something. If I do the Vuelta a España, for sure this type of course is hard and is good for a climber like myself."

2008 Vuelta details

21 stages, total distance of 3,169 kilometres
10 flat stages, 8 medium and high mountain stages
1 team time trial
1 individual time trial
1 mountain time trial
Other facts:

5 summit finishes (Andorra Naturlandia-La Rabassa, Pla de Beret, Alto de l'Angliru, E.E. Fuentes de Invierno, Puerto de Navacerrada)
3 Categoría Especial (hors categorie) climbs
13 first category climbs
9 second category climbs
15 third category climbs
First time start locations: San Vicente de la Barquera Cudillero La Granja de San Ildefonso San Sebastián de los Reyes
First time finish locations: Naturlandia - La Rabassa (Andorra) Suances Ski station of Fuentes de Invierno