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04-23-06, 09:28 AM
Some very cool photos here. (http://lpe.ajc.com/gallery/view/sports/2006/0406/toursat/) (Check out the mountains in the background of the dam-crossing shot.)
And the (weak) article reprinted w/o permission:
TOUR DE GEORGIA
Landis maintains lead
By JOHN MANASSO
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 04/23/06
Brasstown Bald — As Floyd Landis grimaced to pedal the final few hundred meters of the grueling, 94.5-mile
Stage 5 of the Tour de Georgia from Blairsville up the side of this mountain, someone thought they saw him smile.
"Yeah, that was great," said Landis, who finished second in the stage to Discovery's Tom Danielson but maintained a 4-second overall lead entering Sunday's finale. "Sometimes it helps if you smile, even if it hurts. It just looked like a smile."
Smile or not, last year this stage was Landis' undoing. A 1-minute overall advantage turned into a 9-second deficit. Landis' strength is not climbing but the time trial, which he won Thursday to pull into the overall lead by 4 seconds.
He has improved in the mountain stages, however, and it proved pivotal for this one, with its long, steep gradients. Danielson won this stage for the second consecutive year, but Landis was awarded the same time as Danielson (4:05.56) since the time difference by which Danielson won was 0.3 second, unofficially.
Landis was asked what the difference was between last year and this one.
"I have to say, I held that this year," Landis said. "This year, Tom was equally strong. The team [Landis' Phonak] did a good job. I was more confident."
Last year, Landis also had a legend — namely Lance Armstrong, on whose team Landis formerly raced — attacking him. Landis said he thought that Armstrong's retirement and absence from this year's race was not a factor.
"Tom won the race," said Landis, an American who had has family present and is starting to be touted as a favorite to win the Tour de France. "You don't get much help on a climb like that."
Danielson did get some help Saturday from teammate Yaroslav Popovych, who attacked several times up the 4,780-foot mountain and took a 50-meter lead entering the final kilometer. But Popovych, who was named the race's most aggressive rider, faltered and finished third, 18 seconds behind Danielson.
The result will make Landis difficult to beat at Sunday's sixth and final stage on the comparatively flat run from Cumming to Alpharetta. He has raced the first five stages in 19 hours, 23 minutes, 10 seconds.
And the (weak) article reprinted w/o permission:
TOUR DE GEORGIA
Landis maintains lead
By JOHN MANASSO
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 04/23/06
Brasstown Bald — As Floyd Landis grimaced to pedal the final few hundred meters of the grueling, 94.5-mile
Stage 5 of the Tour de Georgia from Blairsville up the side of this mountain, someone thought they saw him smile.
"Yeah, that was great," said Landis, who finished second in the stage to Discovery's Tom Danielson but maintained a 4-second overall lead entering Sunday's finale. "Sometimes it helps if you smile, even if it hurts. It just looked like a smile."
Smile or not, last year this stage was Landis' undoing. A 1-minute overall advantage turned into a 9-second deficit. Landis' strength is not climbing but the time trial, which he won Thursday to pull into the overall lead by 4 seconds.
He has improved in the mountain stages, however, and it proved pivotal for this one, with its long, steep gradients. Danielson won this stage for the second consecutive year, but Landis was awarded the same time as Danielson (4:05.56) since the time difference by which Danielson won was 0.3 second, unofficially.
Landis was asked what the difference was between last year and this one.
"I have to say, I held that this year," Landis said. "This year, Tom was equally strong. The team [Landis' Phonak] did a good job. I was more confident."
Last year, Landis also had a legend — namely Lance Armstrong, on whose team Landis formerly raced — attacking him. Landis said he thought that Armstrong's retirement and absence from this year's race was not a factor.
"Tom won the race," said Landis, an American who had has family present and is starting to be touted as a favorite to win the Tour de France. "You don't get much help on a climb like that."
Danielson did get some help Saturday from teammate Yaroslav Popovych, who attacked several times up the 4,780-foot mountain and took a 50-meter lead entering the final kilometer. But Popovych, who was named the race's most aggressive rider, faltered and finished third, 18 seconds behind Danielson.
The result will make Landis difficult to beat at Sunday's sixth and final stage on the comparatively flat run from Cumming to Alpharetta. He has raced the first five stages in 19 hours, 23 minutes, 10 seconds.