Thanks to Michael Ball and Rock Racing, the prologue of the Tour of California did not start without a little bit of controversy.

Earlier in the week, there were rumblings that Ball donated a large some of money to be a title sponsor of the race as well as be the provider of clothing for the race. Of course given the rumblings about his proposed roster, there were those who said that he was trying to buy his way (or at least his riders) into the race.

Ball started Saturday with a press conference in which he formally announced his roster for the race. Rumors were confirmed as he announced that Mario Cipollini would be starting on Sunday. The team was rounded out with Santiago Botero (Col), Michael Creed (USA), Tyler Hamilton (USA), Doug Ollerenshaw (USA), Victor Hugo Peña (Col), Freddie Rodriguez (USA) and Oscar Sevilla (Spa). In his continuing reality distortion field, Ball also proposed the formation of a rider’s union (apparently no one told him that there already was one.)

Later that day, the event owner, AEG, posted a roster that was missing three of the eight riders Ball had registered. The missing riders were Spaniard Oscar Sevilla, as well as Santiago Botero and Tyler Hamilton, possibly due to their alleged involvement with the recently re-opened Operación Puerto investigation.

Ball ended up starting the five approved riders, but noted that he was severing his relations with AEG and would likely support other races and events in the future.

Anyhoo… Somewhere in there a bike race was going to take place.

Prologue Course Profile

Sunday’s short and bliseringly fast time trial went to current World Time Trial Champ Fabian Cancellera. Cancellera averaged over 51 kph to lead second place by over 4 seconds. Bradley Wiggins of Team High Road took second place and Tyler Farrar of Slipstream-Chipotle was in third.

Defending TOC champ Levi Leipheimer (Astana) ended the day in fourth place, only six seconds back from Cancellera.

High Road has the overall lead, with Slipstream-Chipotle close behind.