Report – Wiggins & Cav at the Double in California

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A big British double in California as Cavendish wins the final stage whilst Wiggins back to best in winning the overall. Adam Yates 5th

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Report – Wiggins & Cav at the Double in California

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Cavendish Closes out California With a Victory
Omega Pharma – Quick-Step’s Mark Cavendish wrapped up the AMGEN Tour of California with the second victory out of the two stages that ended in bunch sprints. The victory on the 121.7km Stage 8 was everything but easy, however, as OPQS worked in full support of the Manx Missile to bring him back to the main group after he lost contact late in the race. They then had to protect him for the sprint.

OPQS brought the Manx Missile back to the peloton with about 10 kilometers to go. “To be fair, I wasn’t anticipating a sprint today,” Cavendish said. “I wasn’t going to start today, let alone finish. But then I just thought I’d start. I’d maybe get dropped the first time, maybe do another lap for training, and then that would be it. I had a small breakfast and we started”.

“A few guys suffered the first lap, but the second lap I actually punctured on my own at the bottom of the climb. So I had my wheel changed by neutral service and rode the second climb alone. But, I had good power. I was passing a lot of guys. Then over the top I could see the group and I was chasing the group. Then I got back on, on the descent”.

“I thought if I could do that, then I’ve got a shot of getting over on the last lap as well. So, I just thought I would try and hang in there on the last lap. I got dropped a bit, but I had Mark Renshaw and a few strong guys from other teams with me. The guys who were with me wanted to get back on. So, we went full gas on the descent and we almost got back. Then my teammates Niki Terpstra and Carlos Verona, who were in the breakaway, came back. They chased for the team and we got back on.”

Once a breakaway was reeled in, OPQS put riders on the front to set up the pace for the sprint in the final kilometers. Cavendish had a few riders with him as the finish line approached, and Matteo Trentin guided him to the front of the group inside the final kilometer.

The British Champion stayed on the wheel of Peter Sagan (Cannondale) and the two battled in the final meters. John Degenkolb (Giant-Shimano) was able to come back and pass Sagan for 2nd, but the British Champion held on and won the race.

“Matteo Trentin put me in perfect position for the last kilometer,” Cavendish said. “Niki Terpstra also did a great job. I just wanted to follow Peter. Then Giant-Shimano came, so I got in there, squeezed in, and that’s about when Peter launched. I knew with 200 meters to go, on that finish, I would be able to to have the speed after a week’s racing. So I just went and I was a bit fortunate. I celebrated early and John nearly beat me. But overall I’m super happy with the group and my condition. I’m in good shape and the guys rode really incredible today. They really had some guts and I’m proud to again finish the job of a great team effort.”

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Bradley Wiggins wins the 2014 Tour of California
Wiggins never looked troubled on the Thousand Oaks circuit which included three ascents of the infamous Rock Store climb and rolled home in the front group to take his first race win of the season with a 30-second margin over Rohan Dennis (Garmin-Sharp).

Wiggins told his team afterwards “I’ve said it every day but without those guys I wouldn’t be in this position. You can’t do it on your own and as strong as my performance was individually in the time trial, my team have taken the strain all week. Those young Americans in my team, Joe, Ian and Danny have done a fantastic job – even today they didn’t give up the chase and came back after they’d been distanced on the climbs. This is a fantastic way to finish.”

Despite a flurry of attacks, Joe Dombrowski and Britian’s Josh Edmondson rode hard to keep everything in check, and the race came back together with five kilometres remaining as the sprint teams began to work their way to the fore.

Wiggins was able to sit back as Giant-Shimano and BMC battled for supremacy in the fast finale, but it was Omega Pharma – Quick-Step who joined the celebrations when Cavendish outpacing John Degenkolb (Giant-Shimano) by less than a rim width at the line.

“This win is right up there in terms of satisfaction – to come here and have the reception we’ve had from the American public – it’s been unreal. It’s always an honour to wear a yellow jersey and I set my stall out to come and win the Tour of California, and I wanted to add my name to the guys who came before me. I’ve done that now and at 34 years old, it’s still nice to be winning on this stage.”

North West rider Adam Yates survived a hectic day of racing in the main to peloton to finish in fifth place overall, 2’14 behind Wiggins.

 

 

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