Amgen Tour of California 2009 – Final Results

The organizers of the Amgen Tour of California saved the most difficult day for last. While the stage, at 96.8 miles, was not all that long for these guys, it included four California Travel & Tourism King of the Mountains climbs, none more fearsome than Palomar Mountain, a beyond categorization climb that peaked at 5123 feet, the highest summit ever reached in the Tour.

With two-time defending champion Levi Leipheimer (Astana) in the leader’s jersey, an abundance of attacks were expected to try and claim the yellow jersey. An early break was established, but eventually collapsed on Palomar Mountain. Leipheimer and some of his closest rivals took advantage of the breakdown to seize the lead. On the descent, four others riders got off the front, which eventually settled into a two man break consisting of Frank Schleck (Saxo Bank) and Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas).  The duo made it over the day’s final KOM climb and raced towards the finish on the valley floor with Astana leading the peloton to keep the gap close and preserve Leipheimer’s victory.

After rounding the final corner, Schleck made his move and pulled away for the stage win ahead of Nibali. George Hincapie (Columbia Highroad) won the pack spint to claim 3rd place for the day.  The top three positions on the General Classification held up: Leipheimer followed by David Zabriskie (Garmin Slipstream) 36 seconds back and Michael Rogers (Columbia) 45 seconds off.  Team Astana takes the team competition as well.

With back-to-back stage winss earlier in the week, Mark Cavendish (Columbia Highroad) takes home the Herbalife Sprint jersey. Jason McCartney (Saxobank) climbed his way to the California Travel & Tourism King of the Mountains title.  For the third consecutive year, Robert Gesink (Rabobank) leaves the Golden State with the Rabobank Best Young Rider jersey in his suitcase.

Final Standings:

Pos.	No.	UCI Code	Rider	Team	Time	Gap
1.	1	USA 19731024	LEIPHEIMER Levi	AST	31.28’21″	00.00’00″
2.	38	USA 19790112	ZABRISKIE David	GRM	31.28’57″	00.00’36″
3.	28	AUS 19791220	ROGERS Michael	THR	31.29’06″	00.00’45″
4.	16	GER 19710917	VOIGT Jens	SAX	31.29’31″	00.01’10″
5.	26	SWE 19840404	LVKVIST Thomas	THR	31.29’50″	00.01’29″
6.	66	ITA 19841114	NIBALI Vincenzo	LIQ	31.29’58″	00.01’37″
7.	2	USA 19710918	ARMSTRONG Lance	AST	31.30’07″	00.01’46″
8.	52	NED 19860531	GESINK Robert*	RAB	31.30’15″	00.01’54″
9.	33	USA 19780313	DANIELSON Thomas	GRM	31.30’45″	00.02’24″
10.	7	ESP 19730127	RUBIERA VIGIL Jos Luis	AST	31.31’09″	00.02’48″
11.	46	BEL 19860912	SEELDRAEYERS Kevin*	QST	31.31’18″	00.02’57″
12.	13	LUX 19800415	SCHLECK Frnk	SAX	31.31’40″	00.03’19″
13.	161	ESP 19760929	SEVILLA Oscar	RRC	31.31’58″	00.03’37″
14.	47	BEL 19770209	VAN DE WALLE Jurgen	QST	31.32’36″	00.04’15″
15.	21	USA 19730629	HINCAPIE George	THR	31.32’40″	00.04’19″
16.	55	NED 19861126	MOLLEMA Bauke*	RAB	31.34’05″	00.05’44″
17.	56	GER 19751103	NIERMANN Grischa	RAB	31.34’29″	00.06’08″
18.	14	SWE 19800920	LARSSON Gustav	SAX	31.34’46″	00.06’25″
19.	82	ESP 19690603	CUESTA LOPEZ DE CASTRO Inigo	CTT	31.35’17″	00.06’56″
20.	164	ESP 19740618	GUTIERREZ Enrique	RRC	31.36’16″	00.07’55″
21.	6	UKR 19800104	POPOVYCH Yaroslav	AST	31.36’37″	00.08’16″
22.	4	USA 19711023	HORNER Christopher	AST	31.38’35″	00.10’14″
23.	101	USA 19751014	LANDIS Floyd	OCM	31.38’47″	00.10’26″
24.	72	FRA 19801113	DUPONT Hubert	ALM	31.39’08″	00.10’47″
25.	57	NED 19810405	WEENING Pieter	RAB	31.39’30″	00.11’09″
26.	114	NZL 19801006	VENNELL Jeremy	BPC	31.40’43″	00.12’22″
27.	31	USA 19760522	VANDEVELDE Christian	GRM	31.41’23″	00.13’02″
28.	3	SLO 19831218	BRAJKOVIC Janez	AST	31.44’51″	00.16’30″
29.	73	SUI 19780923	ELMIGER Martin	ALM	31.45’39″	00.17’18″
30.	43	BEL 19820527	DE WEERT Kevin	QST	31.46’18″	00.17’57″
31.	167	NZL 19760528	CHADWICK Glen	RRC	31.47’05″	00.18’44″
32.	12	LUX 19850610	SCHLECK Andy*	SAX	31.47’33″	00.19’12″
33.	87	CAN 19821029	ROLLIN Dominique	CTT	31.47’36″	00.19’15″
34.	102	AUS 19820208	SUTHERLAND Rory	OCM	31.48’32″	00.20’11″
35.	88	NZL 19810110	ROULSTON Hayden	CTT	31.49’12″	00.20’51″
36.	112	USA 19781030	ZIRBEL Tom	BPC	31.49’44″	00.21’23″
37.	42	ESP 19810605	BARREDO Carlos	QST	31.50’07″	00.21’46″
38.	36	USA 19861224	PETERSON Thomas*	GRM	31.51’44″	00.23’23″
39.	125	UKR 19770205	KOBZARENKO Valeriy	TT1	31.52’07″	00.23’46″
40.	18	AUS 19730806	O’GRADY Stuart	SAX	31.52’17″	00.23’56″
41.	15	USA 19730903	MCCARTNEY Jason	SAX	31.52’39″	00.24’18″
42.	44	NED 19770616	ENGELS Addy	QST	31.55’09″	00.26’48″
43.	115	USA 19770522	PIPP Frank	BPC	31.55’17″	00.26’56″
44.	32	USA 19850303	COZZA Steven*	GRM	31.55’56″	00.27’35″
45.	94	SUI 19861209	FRANK Mathias*	BMC	31.57’14″	00.28’53″
46.	76	ITA 19770925	NOCENTINI Rinaldo	ALM	31.58’14″	00.29’53″
47.	97	USA 19801020	MCKISSICK Ian	BMC	31.58’41″	00.30’20″
48.	91	SUI 19740627	ZBERG Markus	BMC	31.59’18″	00.30’57″
49.	92	SUI 19721222	MOOS Alexandre	BMC	32.03’23″	00.35’02″
50.	145	CAN 19830523	ROUTLEY Will	JBC	32.03’34″	00.35’13″
51.	5	SUI 19830130	MORABITO Steve	AST	32.05’14″	00.36’53″
52.	67	DEN 19811204	VANDBORG Brian	LIQ	32.05’54″	00.37’33″
53.	35	AUS 19841008	LOWE Trent	GRM	32.06’03″	00.37’42″
54.	53	NED 19820924	CLEMENT Stef	RAB	32.07’03″	00.38’42″
55.	86	BEL 19831016	PAUWELS Serge	CTT	32.07’43″	00.39’22″
56.	168	USA 19751015	BALDWIN Chris	RRC	32.08’36″	00.40’15″
57.	103	USA 19770805	JOHNSON Timothy	OCM	32.08’57″	00.40’36″
58.	8	SUI 19800117	RAST Gregory	AST	32.09’13″	00.40’52″
59.	58	COL 19790521	ARDILA CANO Mauricio Alberto	RAB	32.10’45″	00.42’24″
60.	133	ARG 19830418	HAEDO Lucas Sebastian	COL	32.10’46″	00.42’25″
61.	128	AUS 19771001	WILSON Matthew	TT1	32.11’12″	00.42’51″
62.	124	USA 19790806	JONES Christopher	TT1	32.11’55″	00.43’34″
63.	105	USA 19820115	WHITE Bradley	OCM	32.12’09″	00.43’48″
64.	22	GBR 19850521	CAVENDISH Mark*	THR	32.14’50″	00.46’29″
65.	24	CAN 19751218	BARRY Michael	THR	32.15’21″	00.47’00″
66.	85	AUS 19791115	LANCASTER Brett	CTT	32.15’38″	00.47’17″
67.	54	ESP 19740927	HORRILLO MUNOZ Pedro	RAB	32.15’45″	00.47’24″
68.	147	USA 19830314	REISTAD Nick	JBC	32.15’53″	00.47’32″
69.	138	ITA 19780806	FRATTINI Davide	COL	32.16’06″	00.47’45″
70.	48	ITA 19740309	VELO Marco	QST	32.16’09″	00.47’48″
71.	77	FRA 19810117	RIBLON Christophe	ALM	32.16’36″	00.48’15″
72.	34	USA 19840602	FARRAR Tyler	GRM	32.16’38″	00.48’17″
73.	146	USA 19850415	CRANE Matthew*	JBC	32.17’31″	00.49’10″
74.	45	BEL 19780411	HULSMANS Kevin	QST	32.17’42″	00.49’21″
75.	143	USA 19860601	REIJNEN Kiel*	JBC	32.17’53″	00.49’32″
76.	151	AUS 19780724	DAY Ben	VAU	32.19’08″	00.50’47″
77.	93	USA 19771208	LOUDER Jeffry	BMC	32.19’34″	00.51’13″
78.	107	AUS 19770617	MENZIES Karl	OCM	32.20’20″	00.51’59″
79.	136	USA 19810304	WREN Tyler	COL	32.22’16″	00.53’55″
80.	68	ITA 19800916	VANOTTI Alessandro	LIQ	32.24’50″	00.56’29″
81.	142	USA 19790911	VAN ULDEN Bernard	JBC	32.28’56″	01.00’35″
82.	134	USA 19780111	OLSON Aaron	COL	32.29’44″	01.01’23″
83.	162	USA 19710301	HAMILTON Tyler	RRC	32.32’17″	01.03’56″
84.	137	USA 19830317	GUPTILL Andy	COL	32.38’07″	01.09’46″

Tags: Amgen, Amgen Inc., Amgen Tour, Amgen tour of california 2009 final, California, columbia, Columbia Highroad, david zabriskie, frank schleck, George Hincapie, jason mccartney, Levi Leipheimer (Astana), Mark Cavendish, Michael Rogers, Rabobank, Robert Gesink, SaxoBank, Team Saxo Bank, united states