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• Mixed messages for Wiggins and Sky on the road to Florence

  

  Englishman dropped on descent of Vallombrosa

  
  
  
• Gallery: 2013 Giro d’Italia, stage 9

  
• Giro d'Italia: Evans happy heading into rest day

  

  BMC rider no longer an underdog after impressive first week

  
  
  
• Pro Bike: Thor Hushovd’s BMC Impec

  
• Tejay van Garderen knows two things: He’s favored and he’s marked in California

  

  ESCONDIDO, California (VN) — The day before the Amgen Tour of California commenced, pre-race favorite Tejay van Garderen wasn’t showing much of his hand, downplaying expectations and noting the weight upon his BMC Racing team’s broad shoulders.

  Van Garderen enters this year’s Amgen Tour — a mountainous parcours with more than 60,000 feet of climbing and three mountaintop finishes over its eight days — as a clear favorite for perhaps the first time. Recent champions Chris Horner (RadioShack-Leopard), Levi Leipheimer (teamless after being sacked by Omega Pharma-Quick Step), and Robert Gesink (Blanco) aren’t in the field, and the young American has finished in the top five here twice over the past two seasons.

  And yet, van Garderen isn’t carrying the swagger of a five-star pick to win his first major stage race.

  “Well, with the events of this last month, it’s been amazing with the new child. But I’m not going to say everything’s gone entirely smoothly with training. … I had to take a couple days just to catch up on some sleep. But I feel really good. I definitely see myself as one of the favorites,” he told VeloNews. Van Garderen and his wife recently welcomed a baby daughter to the family.

  “it was crazy. I found out the last day of Pays Basque. I was set to fly out the next morning. So the night before I went to fly I got the call from Jessica that she went into labor. Our little girl came three weeks early,” he said.

  “For a few days there, it was in the hospital, getting things adjusted in the house, making the introduction with the dog — I wouldn’t recommend getting a puppy and a baby in the same year.

  “It’s been great. It’s certainly been an adjustment, but it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and it’s given me a lot of perspective. It’s certainly a lot harder to leave home now.”

  But, now that he’s here, van Garderen knows the eyes are on him.

  “I see, with a few other guys who would be considered favorites for this race not being here, that might be more of a hindrance to me than a help. Because then more of the responsibility lies on me and my team to make the race and to dictate the races,” he said.

  “You know, if you have a climber like Horner, who I’m pretty confident I can beat in the time trial, he’s going to want to drop [Dave] Zabriskie and [Michael] Rogers, and I can maybe stay close to Horner. But if he’s not there to make it hard on the climbs, that means I need to make it hard on the climbs. And even if I can consider myself a better climber than Zabriskie and Rogers, it’s easier to follow someone and drop them than it is to just drop them on your own.

  “It changes the entire tactics and dynamic of the race, and I think it puts a lot more burden on BMC.”

  Hard or not, BMC has a deep team here that includes two world champions in Thor Hushovd and Philippe Gilbert and a cadre of grand-tour-worthy support riders. Hushovd doesn’t see any reason why his man can’t take the Amgen Tour and make it his own.

  “Tejay has a big talent. He’s a really young rider, and he proved already he’s a big GC contender. I mean, top five in the Tour de France at that age, not that many riders have done that before him,” he said.

  “It looks like he can live with the pressure. When he’s the team captain … you can feel like he wants to win the bike races. Of course he can win. It just depends if he’s got his potential for this time of the year. He has the talent, and what you need to win this race, with these kind of climbs and the time trial.”

  Peter Sagan (Cannondale) gave the nod to van Garderen as well. Asked who would win the overall, he replied: “Mmmm. Maybe Tejay, I think. But … we can’t tell before the race. We will see in the race how it’s going in the race, day by day. Because you can have back luck one day, some problem, and you are out, no?

  “But probably Tejay. What did he say? He said he wanted to do well. He wanted to do the general classification. And I think he’s a good rider for it.”

  The race begins on Sunday in Escondido, Calif., and finishes a week later in Santa Rosa.

   

• De Gendt hoping to showcase new Vacansoleil jersey in California

  

  Belgian hoping for top result

  
  
  
• 43 1/2 SIDI shoes like new

  I have some SIDI shoes size 43 1/2 , look to be used indoors only.    $40?
  
  598-5363
• Results: 2013 Giro d’Italia, stage 9

  • 1. Maxim BELKOV, Katusha, in 4:31:31
  • 2. Carlos Alberto BETANCUR GOMEZ, Ag2r La Mondiale, at :44
  • 3. Jarlinson PANTANO, Colombia, at :46
  • 4. Tobias LUDVIGSSON, Argos-Shimano, at :54
  • 5. Cadel EVANS, BMC Racing, at 1:03
  • 6. Benat INTXAUSTI ELORRIAGA, Movistar, at 1:03
  • 7. Danilo DI LUCA, Vini Fantini-Selle Italia, at 1:03
  • 8. Mauro SANTAMBROGIO, Vini Fantini-Selle Italia, at 1:03
  • 9. Damiano CARUSO, Cannondale, at 1:03
  • 10. Vincenzo NIBALI, Astana, at 1:03
  • 11. Przemyslaw NIEMIEC, Lampre-Merida, at 1:03
  • 12. Gianluca BRAMBILLA, Omega Pharma-Quick Step, at 1:03
  • 13. Samuel SANCHEZ GONZALEZ, Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 1:03
  • 14. Robert KISERLOVSKI, RadioShack-Leopard, at 1:03
  • 15. Sergio Luis HENAO MONTOYA, Sky, at 1:03
  • 16. Robert GESINK, Blanco, at 1:03
  • 17. Michele SCARPONI, Lampre-Merida, at 1:03
  • 18. Tanel KANGERT, Astana, at 1:03
  • 19. Rafael VALLS FERRI, Vacansoleil-DCM, at 1:03
  • 20. Rafal MAJKA, Saxo-Tinkoff, at 1:03
  • 21. Fabio Andres DUARTE AREVALO, Colombia, at 1:03
  • 22. Steven KRUIJSWIJK, Blanco, at 1:03
  • 23. Domenico POZZOVIVO, Ag2r La Mondiale, at 1:03
  • 24. Bradley WIGGINS, Sky, at 1:03
  • 25. Rigoberto URAN URAN, Sky, at 1:03
  • 26. Wilco KELDERMAN, Blanco, at 1:03
  • 27. Yury TROFIMOV, Katusha, at 1:03
  • 28. Sylvain GEORGES, Ag2r La Mondiale, at 1:03
  • 29. Ivan SANTAROMITA, BMC Racing, at 1:03
  • 30. Giampaolo CARUSO, Katusha, at 1:03
  • 31. Juan Manuel GARATE, Blanco, at 1:03
  • 32. Jose Rodolfo SERPA PEREZ, Lampre-Merida, at 1:03
  • 33. Egoi MARTINEZ DE ESTEBAN, Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 1:03
  • 34. Darwin ATAPUMA HURTADO, Colombia, at 1:03
  • 35. Francis DE GREEF, Lotto-Belisol, at 1:03
  • 36. Franco PELLIZOTTI, Androni Giocattoli-Venezuela, at 1:03
  • 37. José HERRADA LOPEZ, Movistar, at 1:03
  • 38. Steve MORABITO, BMC Racing, at 1:16
  • 39. Evgeny PETROV, Saxo-Tinkoff, at 1:22
  • 40. Fabio FELLINE, Androni Giocattoli-Venezuela, at 1:24
  • 41. Michal GOLAS, Omega Pharma-Quick Step, at 1:39
  • 42. Stefano PIRAZZI, Bardiani Valvole-CSF Inox, at 2:07
  • 43. Ryder HESJEDAL, Garmin-Sharp, at 2:09
  • 44. Thomas DANIELSON, Garmin-Sharp, at 2:09
  • 45. Francisco José VENTOSO ALBERDI, Movistar, at 2:09
  • 46. Dmitry KOZONTCHUK, Katusha, at 2:09
  • 47. Luca PAOLINI, Katusha, at 2:09
  • 48. Hubert DUPONT, Ag2r La Mondiale, at 3:46
  • 49. Serge PAUWELS, Omega Pharma-Quick Step, at 5:36
  • 50. Rob RUIJGH, Vacansoleil-DCM, at 5:36
  • 51. Juan Jose COBO ACEBO, Movistar, at 5:36
  • 52. Francis MOUREY, FDJ, at 5:36
  • 53. Giovanni VISCONTI, Movistar, at 5:40
  • 54. Alessandro VANOTTI, Astana, at 6:49
  • 55. Patrick GRETSCH, Argos-Shimano, at 6:49
  • 56. Oscar GATTO, Vini Fantini-Selle Italia, at 8:42
  • 57. Stefano GARZELLI, Vini Fantini-Selle Italia, at 8:42
  • 58. Daniele PIETROPOLLI, Lampre-Merida, at 8:42
  • 59. Valerio AGNOLI, Astana, at 8:42
  • 60. Paul MARTENS, Blanco, at 8:42
  • 61. Danilo WYSS, BMC Racing, at 8:42
  • 62. Cayetano José SARMIENTO TUNARROSA, Cannondale, at 8:42
  • 63. Robinson Eduardo CHALAPUD GOMEZ, Colombia, at 8:42
  • 64. Gert DOCKX, Lotto-Belisol, at 8:42
  • 65. Pieter WEENING, Orica-GreenEdge, at 8:42
  • 66. Jorge AZANZA SOTO, Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 8:42
  • 67. Tiago MACHADO, RadioShack-Leopard, at 8:42
  • 68. Vladimir KARPETS, Movistar, at 8:42
  • 69. Paolo LONGO BORGHINI, Cannondale, at 10:08
  • 70. Alan MARANGONI, Cannondale, at 10:08
  • 71. Vladimir GUSEV, Katusha, at 10:08
  • 72. Cristiano SALERNO, Cannondale, at 10:08
  • 73. Ben GASTAUER, Ag2r La Mondiale, at 10:08
  • 74. Jackson RODRIGUEZ, Androni Giocattoli-Venezuela, at 10:08
  • 75. Pablo LASTRAS GARCIA, Movistar, at 10:08
  • 76. Kanstantsin SIUTSOU, Sky, at 10:08
  • 77. Jens KEUKELEIRE, Orica-GreenEdge, at 10:08
  • 78. Fredrik Carl Wilhelm KESSIAKOFF, Astana, at 10:48
  • 79. Yaroslav POPOVYCH, RadioShack-Leopard, at 11:58
  • 80. Andrey ZEITS, Astana, at 12:35
  • 81. Marco MARCATO, Vacansoleil-DCM, at 12:35
  • 82. Stef CLEMENT, Blanco, at 12:35
  • 83. Dario CATALDO, Sky, at 12:35
  • 84. Thomas DAMUSEAU, Argos-Shimano, at 12:35
  • 85. Eros CAPECCHI, Movistar, at 12:35
  • 86. Kristijan DURASEK, Lampre-Merida, at 12:35
  • 87. Matteo RABOTTINI, Vini Fantini-Selle Italia, at 12:35
  • 88. Tiziano DALL’ANTONIA, Cannondale, at 12:35
  • 89. Johan LE BON, FDJ, at 12:35
  • 90. Gorka VERDUGO MARCOTEGUI, Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 12:35
  • 91. Wilson Alexander MARENTES TORRES, Colombia, at 12:35
  • 92. Carlos Julian QUINTERO, Colombia, at 12:35
  • 93. Leonardo Fabio DUQUE, Colombia, at 12:35
  • 94. Dmitriy GRUZDEV, Astana, at 15:35
  • 95. Taylor PHINNEY, BMC Racing, at 17:23
  • 96. John DEGENKOLB, Argos-Shimano, at 17:23
  • 97. Luka MEZGEC, Argos-Shimano, at 17:23
  • 98. Ramunas NAVARDAUSKAS, Garmin-Sharp, at 17:23
  • 99. Guillaume BONNAFOND, Ag2r La Mondiale, at 17:23
  • 100. Christian MEIER, Orica-GreenEdge, at 17:23
  • 101. Nelson Filipe SANTOS SIMOES OLIVEIRA, RadioShack-Leopard, at 17:23
  • 102. Robert HUNTER, Garmin-Sharp, at 17:23
  • 103. David MILLAR, Garmin-Sharp, at 17:23
  • 104. Peter STETINA, Garmin-Sharp, at 17:23
  • 105. Svein TUFT, Orica-GreenEdge, at 17:23
  • 106. Christian VANDEVELDE, Garmin-Sharp, at 17:23
  • 107. Luke DURBRIDGE, Orica-GreenEdge, at 17:23
  • 108. Murilo Antonio FISCHER, FDJ, at 17:23
  • 109. Matthew Harley GOSS, Orica-GreenEdge, at 17:23
  • 110. Alessandro PRONI, Vini Fantini-Selle Italia, at 17:23
  • 111. Fabio TABORRE, Vini Fantini-Selle Italia, at 17:23
  • 112. Daniel OSS, BMC Racing, at 17:23
  • 113. Koen DE KORT, Argos-Shimano, at 17:23
  • 114. Rory SUTHERLAND, Saxo-Tinkoff, at 17:23
  • 115. Enrico BATTAGLIN, Bardiani Valvole-CSF Inox, at 17:23
  • 116. Francesco Manuel BONGIORNO, Bardiani Valvole-CSF Inox, at 17:23
  • 117. Danny PATE, Sky, at 17:30
  • 118. Jérôme PINEAU, Omega Pharma-Quick Step, at 17:45
  • 119. Sonny COLBRELLI, Bardiani Valvole-CSF Inox, at 17:45
  • 120. Mark CAVENDISH, Omega Pharma-Quick Step, at 17:45
  • 121. Fabio SABATINI, Cannondale, at 17:45
  • 122. Vicente REYNES MIMO, Lotto-Belisol, at 17:45
  • 123. Giacomo NIZZOLO, RadioShack-Leopard, at 17:45
  • 124. Brett LANCASTER, Orica-GreenEdge, at 17:45
  • 125. Daniele BENNATI, Saxo-Tinkoff, at 17:45
  • 126. Kenny DE HAES, Lotto-Belisol, at 17:45
  • 127. Frederik WILLEMS, Lotto-Belisol, at 17:45
  • 128. Christian KNEES, Sky, at 17:45
  • 129. Stephen CUMMINGS, BMC Racing, at 17:45
  • 130. George BENNETT, RadioShack-Leopard, at 17:45
  • 131. Petr IGNATENKO, Katusha, at 17:45
  • 132. Salvatore PUCCIO, Sky, at 17:45
  • 133. Xabier ZANDIO ECHAIDE, Sky, at 17:45
  • 134. Maarten WYNANTS, Blanco, at 17:45
  • 135. Maarten TJALLINGII, Blanco, at 17:45
  • 136. Anthony ROUX, FDJ, at 17:45
  • 137. Matti BRESCHEL, Saxo-Tinkoff, at 17:45
  • 138. Lars Ytting BAK, Lotto-Belisol, at 17:45
  • 139. Dirk BELLEMAKERS, Lotto-Belisol, at 17:45
  • 140. Thomas DEKKER, Garmin-Sharp, at 17:45
  • 141. Ioannis TAMOURIDIS, Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 17:45
  • 142. Ricardo MESTRE, Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 17:45
  • 143. Matteo TRENTIN, Omega Pharma-Quick Step, at 17:45
  • 144. Filippo POZZATO, Lampre-Merida, at 17:45
  • 145. Frederik VEUCHELEN, Vacansoleil-DCM, at 17:45
  • 146. Fabio ARU, Astana, at 17:45
  • 147. Martijn KEIZER, Vacansoleil-DCM, at 17:45
  • 148. Jesse SERGENT, RadioShack-Leopard, at 17:45
  • 149. Grega BOLE, Vacansoleil-DCM, at 17:45
  • 150. Robert VRECER, Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 17:45
  • 151. Jens MOURIS, Orica-GreenEdge, at 17:45
  • 152. Nathan HAAS, Garmin-Sharp, at 17:45
  • 153. Laurent PICHON, FDJ, at 17:45
  • 154. Danilo HONDO, RadioShack-Leopard, at 17:45
  • 155. Iljo KEISSE, Omega Pharma-Quick Step, at 17:45
  • 156. Bruno PIRES, Saxo-Tinkoff, at 17:45
  • 157. Willem WAUTERS, Vacansoleil-DCM, at 17:45
  • 158. Albert TIMMER, Argos-Shimano, at 17:45
  • 159. Gert STEEGMANS, Omega Pharma-Quick Step, at 17:45
  • 160. Bert DE BACKER, Argos-Shimano, at 17:45
  • 161. Dominique ROLLIN, FDJ, at 17:45
  • 162. Miguel MINGUEZ AYALA, Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 17:45
  • 163. Simone STORTONI, Lampre-Merida, at 17:45
  • 164. Diego ROSA, Androni Giocattoli-Venezuela, at 17:45
  • 165. Mads CHRISTENSEN, Saxo-Tinkoff, at 17:45
  • 166. Karsten KROON, Saxo-Tinkoff, at 17:45
  • 167. Alex DOWSETT, Movistar, at 17:45
  • 168. Julien VERMOTE, Omega Pharma-Quick Step, at 17:45
  • 169. Hayden ROULSTON, RadioShack-Leopard, at 17:45
  • 170. Adam HANSEN, Lotto-Belisol, at 17:45
  • 171. Paolo TIRALONGO, Astana, at 17:45
  • 172. Cameron WURF, Cannondale, at 17:45
  • 173. Roberto FERRARI, Lampre-Merida, at 17:45
  • 174. Emanuele SELLA, Androni Giocattoli-Venezuela, at 17:45
  • 175. Brian BULGAC, Lotto-Belisol, at 17:45
  • 176. Pavel BRUTT, Katusha, at 17:45
  • 177. Angel VICIOSO ARCOS, Katusha, at 17:45
  • 178. Edwin Alcibiades AVILA VANEGAS, Colombia, at 17:45
  • 179. Manuele BOARO, Saxo-Tinkoff, at 18:06
  • 180. Manuel BELLETTI, Ag2r La Mondiale, at 19:34
  • 181. Sacha MODOLO, Bardiani Valvole-CSF Inox, at 19:34
  • 182. Rafael ANDRIATO, Vini Fantini-Selle Italia, at 19:34
  • 183. Adam BLYTHE, BMC Racing, at 19:34
  • 184. Jack BOBRIDGE, Blanco, at 19:34
  • 185. Dalivier OSPINA NAVARRO, Colombia, at 19:34
  • 186. Miguel Angel RUBIANO CHAVEZ, Androni Giocattoli-Venezuela, at 19:34
  • 187. Elia VIVIANI, Cannondale, at 19:34
  • 188. Nicola BOEM, Bardiani Valvole-CSF Inox, at 19:34
  • 189. Stefano LOCATELLI, Bardiani Valvole-CSF Inox, at 19:34
  • 190. Davide APPOLLONIO, Ag2r La Mondiale, at 19:34
  • 191. Nacer BOUHANNI, FDJ, at 19:34
  • 192. Pim LIGTHART, Vacansoleil-DCM, at 19:34
  • 193. Maurits LAMMERTINK, Vacansoleil-DCM, at 19:34
  • 194. Mattia GAVAZZI, Androni Giocattoli-Venezuela, at 23:06
  • 195. Marco CANOLA, Bardiani Valvole-CSF Inox, at 23:06
  • 196. Giairo ERMETI, Androni Giocattoli-Venezuela, at 23:06
  • 197. Edoardo ZARDINI, Bardiani Valvole-CSF Inox, at 23:06
  • DNF Tomas Aurelio GIL MARTINEZ, Androni Giocattoli-Venezuela
  • DNF Arnold JEANNESSON, FDJ
  • DNS Francesco CHICCHI, Vini Fantini-Selle Italia
• Vincenzo Nibali defends lead as Maxim Belkov wins stage 9 of the 2013 Giro

  Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) defended his maglia rosa on Sunday as Maxim Belkov (Katusha) won stage 9 of the 2013 Giro d’Italia.

  The hilly 170km leg from Sansepolcro to Firenze was a rain-sodden affair that saw Sky captain Bradley Wiggins gapped on a sketchy descent.

  First Astana, then Garmin-Sharp pushed the pace — not so much to chase Belkov, who was off the front alone — but rather to distance the Brit, who struggled to close the gap despite having a full complement of teammates pacing him back.

  Sky finally delivered Wiggins back to the bunch with some 24km to race and he crested the penultimate climb with the other contenders as Belkov soldiered on alone, some 90 seconds ahead of Jarlinson Pantano (Colombia), who likewise was on his own. The peloton was a couple minutes further in arrears.

  Twelve kilometers from the finish it was Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Sharp) who was struggling, finding himself hard pressed to stay in contact with the bunch on the final climb of the day.

  Belkov once again summited alone, facing a 10km ride to the line. Pantano had been joined by Tobias Ludvigsson (Argos-Shimano) and the two were nearly 90 seconds behind, with a surging Carlos Alberto Betancur Gomez (Ag2r La Mondiale) fourth on the road at 1:48.

  Once again Wiggins slid to the rear of the bunch on the descent, but not quite out the back.

  Off the front, meanwhile, it was Belkov taking the win with plenty of time to spare after more than four and a half hours of racing in the rain. Still, he didn’t begin his celebration until the finish was safely in sight. He sat up, straightened his kit and saluted the crowd as he soared across the line.

  Betacur pinched second from Pantano, who hung on for third. Behind, Cadel Evans (BMC Racing) led in the bunch, taking the points jersey for his troubles.

  On the overall, Nibali remains in charge, 29 seconds ahead of runner-up Evans with Robert Gesink (Blanco) third at 1:15. After his earlier scare, Wiggins finished with the peloton, crossing 24th at 1:03 and sits fourth overall at a second behind Gesink.

  Defending champion Hesjedal — who lost contact entirely on that final climb, finishing 43rd at 2:09 — dropped from sixth to 11th on GC and is now 3:11 out of the lead.

  Editor’s note: Stay tuned for more from Italy.

   

• Julich joins BMC as a consultant

  

  Former Sky man links up with US team

  
  
  

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