Fabian Cancellara of Team Saxo Bank showed his worth as World and Olympic Time Trial Champion in the Tour de France Prologue in Rotterdam today, winning by ten seconds from HTC-Columbia’s Tony Martin. In doing so, the Swiss rider missed out by just half a second on being the only man to negotiate the 8.9km course in under ten minutes.
Meanwhile, Lance Armstrong of Team RadioShack, bidding for an unprecedented eighth overall victory in cycling's biggest race, put this morning’s Wall Street Journal allegations behind him, finishing fourth to score an early psychological victory over defending champion and former Astana team-mate Alberto Contador.
Two British riders got into the top five, but surprisingly, Bradley Wiggins wasn’t one of them – instead, Garmin-Transitions’ David Millar, a past Prologue winner, came in third after a strong ride, while Geraint Thomas of Team Sky, fresh from winning the National Road Race Championships in Pendle last week, put in an excellent performance to finish fifth on the day , and until the last three riders came home, the British pair had been lying second and third.
While there was a certain inevitability about Cancellara’s victory – the last three times the Tour de France has started outside its home country, the Swiss rider has won the Prologue, and he was a red-hot favourite to repeat that success today – disappointment, mixed with resignation, was clearly evident on Martin’s face.
The German had gambled on an early start to try and avoid forecast rain, being the 11th man off this afternoon, and until the penultimate rider came home, that gamble appeared to have worked. Martin had watched 184 of the 196 other starters fail to beat his time; unluckily for him, the 185th was the man in the rainbow jersey.
Team Sky’s Bradley Wiggins, too, had chosen to opt for an early slot to try and beat the predicted downpour, but his timing wasn’t as good as Martin’s, a start time exactly half an hour after the German meaning that the Briton, winner of the opening time trial of the Giro d’Italia just two months ago in Amsterdam, got some of the worst of the weather.
Wiggins, of course, is here to make an impact on the General Classification, not to go all out and take risks for the temporary glory of a day or two in yellow at the start of the race, and a controlled ride saw him come home safely, albeit uncharacteristically off the pace.
Post ride quotes
David Millar, Team Garmin-Transitions
"I'm satisfied, I was hoping to go well and, contrary to my usual performances of late, I actually went well. The wet roads weren't nearly as hazardous as I thought they'd be. There were one or two corners where I was too cautious. I knew I was going really fast and I didn't want to be slapped off and make a fool of myself. I'm 33 after all. I followed Tyler and had a look at the course beforehand and I'm blown away by how fast he went. It fills me and, no doubt, our team with confidence for the coming days."
Tyler Farrar, Team Garmin-Transitions
"It was really a surprise. I went into today assuming that I was just riding to get through to the sprint stages and I happened to have a good ride. I think I'm as surprised as anyone. And pleased."
Jonathan Vaughters, Team Garmin-Transitions
"I'm really proud of our team. Two riders in the top ten is a pretty good start for us. David and Tyler did incredible rides, and it was good to see Robby Hunter up there too. We think there's some exciting racing to come."
Matt White, Team Garmin-Transitions
"I’m super impressed with the team today. Two riders in the top ten is an excellent start to the Tour and it gives us confidence in what’s to come."
Thor Hushovd, Cervelo Test Team
“I didn’t want to take too many risks. The most important thing is to be ready tomorrow for the stage and try to take the green jersey. There are no time bonuses anymore, so it’s hard for the sprinters to try to take the yellow jersey with time bonuses.”
Carlos Sastre, Cervelo Test Team
“For me it was nice to start the Tour de France after these hard four weeks with the back problems that I had. I could not do intensive training like I normally do so I didn’t know how I would be today. I am happy because I did not have pain in my back. That’s the most important thing. There are 20 days of racing ahead of us, so anything can happen.”
Jeremy Hunt, Cervelo Test Team
“It was special today to be on the start ramp. I am a classics rider, so I have never been to the Tour de France before. It’s never too late. The Tour is one of those races that you dream about your whole life. When you’re a boy, you dream of racing the Tour, Paris-Roubaix. I am excited to be here at the Tour. They told me to take it easy in the prologue, to not risk crashing. We have a great team here at the Tour. We will help Thor to try to win the green jersey and help Carlos win the yellow jersey. My goal is to make it to Paris and hopefully see one of our guys on the podium.”
Ignatus Konovalovas, Cervelo Test Team
“I couldn’t suffer today like I wanted to. I couldn’t go full-gas when I needed to. With the rain and the corners, it was more difficult. Yesterday, when we saw the course, we thought, ‘OK, great time trial course.’ But when we raced it in the wet conditions, it was much more difficult. Also, with the big crowds, you couldn’t see the corners. Now I will focus on helping the team. I was hoping for a top-20, but this is the Tour de France. The best riders are here. I am happy to be at the Tour. My goal is to help the team the best I can.”
Andreas Klier, Cervelo Test Team
“The stage on Sunday will be challenging. We know we can expect wind, narrow roads and maybe some rain. The part of the course that goes near to the sea is early in the stage, but we will want to be careful to keep our leaders out of harm’s way. We can expect it to be a bunch sprint, but we must be prudent and avoid crashes or splits in the peloton.”
Tour de France Prologue, Rotterdam, 8.9km
Rank Rider Team Time Gaps
1 CANCELLARA Fabian TEAM SAXO BANK 10' 00"
2 MARTIN Tony HTC-COLUMBIA 10' 10" + 00' 10"
3 MILLAR David GARMIN-TRANSITIONS 10' 20" + 00' 20"
4 ARMSTRONG Lance TEAM RADIOSHACK 10' 22" + 00' 22"
5 THOMAS Geraint SKY PRO CYCLING 10' 23" + 00' 23"
6 CONTADOR Alberto ASTANA 10' 27" + 00' 27"
7 FARRAR Tyler GARMIN-TRANSITIONS 10' 28" + 00' 28"
8 LEIPHEIMER Levi TEAM RADIOSHACK 10' 28" + 00' 28"
9 BOASSON HAGEN Edvald SKY PRO CYCLING 10' 32" + 00' 32"
10 GERDEMANN Linus TEAM MILRAM 10' 35" + 00' 35"
11 BOOKWALTER Brent BMC RACING TEAM 10' 35" + 00' 35"
12 MALORI Adriano LAMPRE - FARNESE 10' 35" + 00' 35"
13 BRAJKOVIC Janez TEAM RADIOSHACK 10' 35" + 00' 35"
14 ROGERS Michael HTC-COLUMBIA 10' 35" + 00' 35"
15 PLAZA MOLINA Ruben CAISSE D’EPARGNE 10' 36" + 00' 36"
16 TERPSTRA Niki TEAM MILRAM 10' 36" + 00' 36"
17 KLÖDEN Andréas TEAM RADIOSHACK 10' 36" + 00' 36"
18 KIRYIENKA Vasil CAISSE D’EPARGNE 10' 38" + 00' 38"
19 VINOKOUROV Alexandre ASTANA 10' 38" + 00' 38"
20 KREUZIGER Roman LIQUIGAS-DOIMO 10' 38" + 00' 38"
21 HUNTER Robert GARMIN-TRANSITIONS 10' 39" + 00' 39"
22 SANCHEZ Luis-Leon CAISSE D’EPARGNE 10' 39" + 00' 39"
23 EVANS Cadel BMC RACING TEAM 10' 39" + 00' 39"
24 GRIVKO Andriy ASTANA 10' 40" + 00' 40"
25 ZABRISKIE David GARMIN-TRANSITIONS 10' 40" + 00' 40"
26 KARPETS Vladimir KATUSHA TEAM 10' 40" + 00' 40"
27 QUINZIATO Manuel LIQUIGAS-DOIMO 10' 41" + 00' 41"
28 MORABITO Steve BMC RACING TEAM 10' 41" + 00' 41"
29 MONFORT Maxime HTC-COLUMBIA 10' 41" + 00' 41"
30 KOREN Kristjan LIQUIGAS-DOIMO 10' 42" + 00' 42"
31 OSS Daniel LIQUIGAS-DOIMO 10' 43" + 00' 43"
32 BOOM Lars RABOBANK 10' 44" + 00' 44"
33 KONOVALOVAS Ignatas CERVELO TEST TEAM 10' 44" + 00' 44"
34 TAARAMAE Rin COFIDIS 10' 45" + 00' 45"
35 BARREDO Carlos QUICK STEP 10' 46" + 00' 46"
36 FLECHA Juan Antonio SKY PRO CYCLING 10' 46" + 00' 46"
37 HESJEDAL Ryder GARMIN-TRANSITIONS 10' 46" + 00' 46"
38 MONIER Damien COFIDIS 10' 47" + 00' 47"
39 PETACCHI Alessandro LAMPRE - FARNESE 10' 48" + 00' 48"
40 LÖVKVIST Thomas SKY PRO CYCLING 10' 48" + 00' 48"
41 LANCASTER Brett Daniel CERVELO TEST TEAM 10' 49" + 00' 49"
42 TJALLINGII Maarten RABOBANK 10' 49" + 00' 49"
43 FARIA DA COSTA Rui CAISSE D’EPARGNE 10' 49" + 00' 49"
44 PINEAU Jérôme QUICK STEP 10' 49" + 00' 49"
45 ROJAS Jose Joaquin CAISSE D’EPARGNE 10' 49" + 00' 49"
46 VAN DEN BROECK Jurgen OMEGA PHARMA-LOTTO 10' 49" + 00' 49"
47 ROCHE Nicolas AG2R LA MONDIALE 10' 49" + 00' 49"
48 MAASKANT Martijn GARMIN-TRANSITIONS 10' 49" + 00' 49"
49 LADAGNOUS Matthieu FDJ 10' 49" + 00' 49"
50 CASAR Sandy FDJ 10' 49" + 00' 49"
51 ROY Jérémy FDJ 10' 49" + 00' 49"
52 FUGLSANG Jakob TEAM SAXO BANK 10' 50" + 00' 50"
53 KLUGE Roger TEAM MILRAM 10' 50" + 00' 50"
54 GERRANS Simon SKY PRO CYCLING 10' 50" + 00' 50"
55 NIERMANN Grischa RABOBANK 10' 50" + 00' 50"
56 GESINK Robert RABOBANK 10' 51" + 00' 51"
57 PLIUSCHIN Alexandr KATUSHA TEAM 10' 51" + 00' 51"
58 HORNER Christopher TEAM RADIOSHACK 10' 52" + 00' 52"
59 LE LAY David AG2R LA MONDIALE 10' 52" + 00' 52"
60 MOREAU Christophe CAISSE D’EPARGNE 10' 52" + 00' 52"
61 CIOLEK Gerald TEAM MILRAM 10' 52" + 00' 52"
62 BELLOTTI Francesco LIQUIGAS-DOIMO 10' 53" + 00' 53"
63 KNEES Christian TEAM MILRAM 10' 53" + 00' 53"
64 TURGOT Sébastien BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM 10' 53" + 00' 53"
65 RIBLON Christophe AG2R LA MONDIALE 10' 54" + 00' 54"
66 VAN SUMMEREN Johan GARMIN-TRANSITIONS 10' 54" + 00' 54"
67 TANKINK Bram RABOBANK 10' 54" + 00' 54"
68 HINCAPIE George BMC RACING TEAM 10' 54" + 00' 54"
69 PAULINHO Sergio TEAM RADIOSHACK 10' 54" + 00' 54"
70 SASTRE Carlos CERVELO TEST TEAM 10' 54" + 00' 54"
71 ERVITI Imanol CAISSE D’EPARGNE 10' 55" + 00' 55"
72 BASSO Ivan LIQUIGAS-DOIMO 10' 55" + 00' 55"
73 DEVENYNS Dries QUICK STEP 10' 55" + 00' 55"
74 MENCHOV Denis RABOBANK 10' 56" + 00' 56"
75 SANCHEZ Samuel EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 10' 56" + 00' 56"
76 GRABSCH Bert HTC-COLUMBIA 10' 56" + 00' 56"
77 WIGGINS Bradley SKY PRO CYCLING 10' 56" + 00' 56"
78 KERN Christophe COFIDIS 10' 56" + 00' 56"
79 SCHLECK Frank TEAM SAXO BANK 10' 57" + 00' 57"
80 ROBERTS Luke TEAM MILRAM 10' 57" + 00' 57"
81 HANSEN Adam HTC-COLUMBIA 10' 57" + 00' 57"
82 VERDUGO Gorka EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 10' 58" + 00' 58"
83 BRUTT Pavel KATUSHA TEAM 10' 59" + 00' 59"
84 VOIGT Jens TEAM SAXO BANK 10' 59" + 00' 59"
85 GUTIERREZ José Ivan CAISSE D’EPARGNE 10' 59" + 00' 59"
86 VAUGRENARD Benoît FDJ 10' 59" + 00' 59"
87 LANG Sebastian OMEGA PHARMA-LOTTO 10' 59" + 00' 59"
88 LORENZETTO Mirco LAMPRE - FARNESE 10' 59" + 00' 59"
89 CHAVANEL Sylvain QUICK STEP 10' 59" + 00' 59"
90 MORENO FERNANDEZ Daniel OMEGA PHARMA-LOTTO 11' 00" + 01' 00"
91 WYNANTS Maarten QUICK STEP 11' 00" + 01' 00"
92 VANDEVELDE Christian GARMIN-TRANSITIONS 11' 00" + 01' 00"
93 BALLAN Alessandro BMC RACING TEAM 11' 00" + 01' 00"
94 POPOVYCH Yaroslav TEAM RADIOSHACK 11' 01" + 01' 01"
95 ELMIGER Martin AG2R LA MONDIALE 11' 01" + 01' 01"
96 ROELANDTS Jürgen OMEGA PHARMA-LOTTO 11' 02" + 01' 02"
97 PAURIOL Rémi COFIDIS 11' 02" + 01' 02"
98 DELAGE Mickael OMEGA PHARMA-LOTT 11' 03" + 01' 03"
99 DURAN AROCA Arkaitz FOOTON-SERVETTO 11' 03" + 01' 03"
100 EL FARES Julien COFIDIS 11' 04" + 01' 04"
101 FRÖHLINGER Johannes TEAM MILRAM 11' 04" + 01' 04"
102 LE MEVEL Christophe FDJ 11' 04" + 01' 04"
103 KUCHYNSKI Aleksandr LIQUIGAS-DOIMO 11' 04" + 01' 04"
104 HONDO Danilo LAMPRE - FARNESE 11' 05" + 01' 05"
105 SANTAMBROGIO Mauro BMC RACING TEAM 11' 05" + 01' 05"
106 BOUET Maxime AG2R LA MONDIALE 11' 05" + 01' 05"
107 DE WEERT Kevin QUICK STEP 11' 05" + 01' 05"
108 O’GRADY Stuart TEAM SAXO BANK 11' 06" + 01' 06"
109 ROUX Anthony FDJ 11' 06" + 01' 06"
110 VOGONDY Nicolas BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM 11' 06" + 01' 06"
111 MC EWEN Robbie KATUSHA TEAM 11' 06" + 01' 06"
112 OROZ Juan José EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 11' 06" + 01' 06"
113 CUMMINGS Stephen SKY PRO CYCLING 11' 07" + 01' 07"
114 DUMOULIN Samuel COFIDIS 11' 07" + 01' 07"
115 RODRIGUEZ Joaquin KATUSHA TEAM 11' 08" + 01' 08"
116 REDA Francesco QUICK STEP 11' 08" + 01' 08"
117 NOVAL GONZALEZ Benjamin ASTANA 11' 08" + 01' 08"
118 RENSHAW Mark HTC-COLUMBIA 11' 08" + 01' 08"
119 SIVTSOV Kanstantsin HTC-COLUMBIA 11' 08" + 01' 08"
120 BARRY Michaël SKY PRO CYCLING 11' 08" + 01' 08"
121 MINARD Sébastien COFIDIS 11' 09" + 01' 09"
122 SCHLECK Andy TEAM SAXO BANK 11' 09" + 01' 09"
123 MAYOZ Iban FOOTON-SERVETTO 11' 09" + 01' 09"
124 ROHREGGER Thomas TEAM MILRAM 11' 09" + 01' 09"
125 GAUTIER Cyril BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM 11' 09" + 01' 09"
126 WEGELIUS Charles OMEGA PHARMA-LOTTO 11' 10" + 01' 10"
127 CAVENDISH Mark HTC-COLUMBIA 11' 10" + 01' 10"
128 GARATE Juan Manuel RABOBANK 11' 10" + 01' 10"
129 SPILAK Simon LAMPRE - FARNESE 11' 10" + 01' 10"
130 EIBEGGER Markus FOOTON-SERVETTO 11' 10" + 01' 10"
131 TIRALONGO Paolo ASTANA 11' 10" + 01' 10"
132 MOERENHOUT Koos RABOBANK 11' 10" + 01' 10"
133 EISEL Bernhard HTC-COLUMBIA 11' 11" + 01' 11"
134 SORENSEN Nicki TEAM SAXO BANK 11' 12" + 01' 12"
135 RAST Gregory TEAM RADIOSHACK 11' 12" + 01' 12"
136 FREIRE Oscar RABOBANK 11' 12" + 01' 12"
137 VANDBORG Brian LIQUIGAS-DOIMO 11' 12" + 01' 12"
138 KROON Karsten BMC RACING TEAM 11' 13" + 01' 13"
139 HUNT Jérémy CERVELO TEST TEAM 11' 13" + 01' 13"
140 CUNEGO Damiano LAMPRE - FARNESE 11' 13" + 01' 13"
141 FEDRIGO Pierrick BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM 11' 13" + 01' 13"
142 FELLINE Fabio FOOTON-SERVETTO 11' 13" + 01' 13"
143 CHARTEAU Anthony BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM 11' 14" + 01' 14"
144 BOLE Grega LAMPRE - FARNESE 11' 14" + 01' 14"
145 GAVAZZI Francesco LAMPRE - FARNESE 11' 15" + 01' 15"
146 KLIER Andreas CERVELO TEST TEAM 11' 15" + 01' 15"
147 SEELDRAYERS Kevin QUICK STEP 11' 16" + 01' 16"
148 DA DALTO Mauro LAMPRE - FARNESE 11' 16" + 01' 16"
149 IGLINSKIY Maxim ASTANA 11' 16" + 01' 16"
150 AUGE Stéphane COFIDIS 11' 16" + 01' 16"
151 NAVARRO Daniel ASTANA 11' 16" + 01' 16"
152 SPRICK Matthieu BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM 11' 17" + 01' 17"
153 VAN DE WALLE Jurgen QUICK STEP 11' 18" + 01' 18"
154 MOINARD Amaël COFIDIS 11' 18" + 01' 18"
155 VALLS FERRI Rafael FOOTON-SERVETTO 11' 18" + 01' 18"
156 CAPECCHI Eros FOOTON-SERVETTO 11' 19" + 01' 19"
157 HUSHOVD Thor CERVELO TEST TEAM 11' 19" + 01' 19"
158 VANDENBERGH Styn KATUSHA TEAM 11' 19" + 01' 19"
159 DI GREGORIO Rémy FDJ 11' 19" + 01' 19"
160 AERTS Mario OMEGA PHARMA-LOTTO 11' 19" + 01' 19"
161 SORENSEN Chris TEAM SAXO BANK 11' 19" + 01' 19"
162 SZMYD Sylvester LIQUIGAS-DOIMO 11' 20" + 01' 20"
163 MONDORY Lloyd AG2R LA MONDIALE 11' 20" + 01' 20"
164 CHAMPION Dimitri AG2R LA MONDIALE 11' 20" + 01' 20"
165 ISASI Inaki EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 11' 21" + 01' 21"
166 LLOYD Matthew OMEGA PHARMA-LOTTO 11' 21" + 01' 21"
167 MARTINEZ Egoi EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 11' 21" + 01' 21"
168 GUSTOV Volodymir CERVELO TEST TEAM 11' 21" + 01' 21"
169 GESLIN Anthony FDJ 11' 22" + 01' 22"
170 GADRET John AG2R LA MONDIALE 11' 22" + 01' 22"
171 DEAN Julian GARMIN-TRANSITIONS 11' 22" + 01' 22"
172 BRESCHEL Matti TEAM SAXO BANK 11' 22" + 01' 22"
173 TXURRUKA Amets EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 11' 22" + 01' 22"
174 ARASHIRO Yukiya BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM 11' 22" + 01' 22"
175 BURGHARDT Marcus BMC RACING TEAM 11' 22" + 01' 22"
176 KOLOBNEV Alexandr KATUSHA TEAM 11' 23" + 01' 23"
177 LLOYD Daniel CERVELO TEST TEAM 11' 23" + 01' 23"
178 HERNANDEZ Jesus ASTANA 11' 24" + 01' 24"
179 PEREZ LEZAUN Alan EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 11' 24" + 01' 24"
180 PAUWELS Serge SKY PRO CYCLING 11' 24" + 01' 24"
181 DE GREEF Francis OMEGA PHARMA-LOTTO 11' 25" + 01' 25"
182 WEGMANN Fabian TEAM MILRAM 11' 25" + 01' 25"
183 NOCENTINI Rinaldo AG2R LA MONDIALE 11' 27" + 01' 27"
184 IVANOV Serguei KATUSHA TEAM 11' 28" + 01' 28"
185 ROLLAND Pierre BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM 11' 28" + 01' 28"
186 VORGANOV Eduard KATUSHA TEAM 11' 29" + 01' 29"
187 VOECKLER Thomas BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM 11' 31" + 01' 31"
188 DE LA FUENTE David ASTANA 11' 31" + 01' 31"
189 VELASCO Ivan EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 11' 33" + 01' 33"
190 MURAVYEV Dmitriy TEAM RADIOSHACK 11' 34" + 01' 34"
191 SULZBERGER Wesley FDJ 11' 37" + 01' 37"
192 PEREZ ARRIETA Aitor FOOTON-SERVETTO 11' 38" + 01' 38"
193 PEREZ MORENO Ruben EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 11' 39" + 01' 39"
194 BENITEZ José-Alberto FOOTON-SERVETTO 11' 40" + 01' 40"
195 PERGET Mathieu CAISSE D’EPARGNE 11' 42" + 01' 42"
196 FRANK Mathias BMC RACING TEAM 13' 32" + 03' 32"
197 CARDOSO Manuel FOOTON-SERVETTO 16' 20" + 06' 20"
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