BiciRace.com :: 2005 Tour of Georgia

2005 Tour of Georgia, Stage 5

Tour of Georgia, USA

Stage 5, Gainesville - Brasstown Bald Mountain 182.4 km

23 April

Danielson Does Stage and GC

Main
Main Stage Report
Photos
The Tim Johnson Phone Tap

Jittery Joe's-Kalahari Report

This stage resembles the teeth of a shark, and it should bite just as hard. Brasstown Bald is the highest peak in Georgia and the only Hors Categorie climb of the race. Look for all sorts of explosions and a true champion to rise from the flames.

Team Jittery Joe's-Kalahari Goals: Make sure Tim, Geoff and Trent have to do as little work as possible and then see how fast they can get up Brasstown. This is the hardest day of racing in America.

Danielson On Brasstown Bald, photo: Tour of Georgia

Today's stage took the racers from Gainesville to Brasstown Bald Mountain, and it was to be a stage of pain. The riders were still smarting after yesterday's epic journey in terrible weather. It was to be super-star Tom Danielson to notch-up another important mountain win, adding to Mt Washington and Mt Evans.

The stage started to take shape after the first sprint. At 80K Tim Johnson (Jittery Joe's) formed a move with Jason McCartney (Discovery) and David Robinson (TIAA CREF). The three quickly gained some time as they approached the first climb of the day, Dick's Creek Gap. On the way the more experienced Johnson and McCartney, dropped Robinson, and continued to gain time. (The Tim Johnson Phone Tap, read here!)

McCartney started to gap Johnson as the two were on the lower slopes of Hogpen Gap, and by the top of Hogpen Gap all hell was breaking loose. McCartney was back into the fold and Lance Armstrong attacked to formed a move over the top. The elite group took shape on the tricky decent of Hogpen.

By the foot of Brasstown Bald there was Armstrong, Azevedo, Danielson, Zabriskie, Julich, Schleck, Vandborg, Blaudzun, Pinotti, Landis, Fritsch, Raisin, Leipheimer, Lowe. This group was around 1'30" behind escapee Christian Vande Velde, who put in a huge attack that saw him hit the slopes of Brasstown Bald first.

Vande Velde, photo: Tour of Georgia

On Brasstown Bald the weather was terrible, hail and snow at some points. Vande Velde kept tapping out the rhythm but was losing time due to attacks by Armstrong, Leipheimer, and Danielson. Danielson started to move away as Armstrong sat on the fading wheel of Landis. Danielson was trying to put time into Landis for GC and also go for a stage. Danielson was soon joined by Leipheimer and the two made pace for the final 3K, while Armstrong and Landis were behind.

The pace proved to be too much for Landis, as his former boss sat on his wheel. The mental and physical stress were taking hold and there was nothing more Floyd could do but ride. It was important for Danielson to gain time on Landis, but also Leipheimer, who was moving into 2nd overall as the pair crossed the line. In the end Danielson was able to work over Leipheimer for a nice stage victory and leader's jersey.

T-Lo signs, photo: Tour of Georgia

BiciRace.com brings the news on a fabulous Jittery Joe's-Kalahari Day. Tim started a break-away of three riders that finally got caught towards Brasstown Bald. This was key in taking the pressure off of T-Lo and Geoff, also scoring some nice Jittery Joe's-Kalahari media attention. Geoff and "T-Lo" were doing there thing back in the peloton. T-Lo was keeping close eye over Saul Raisin, who was threatening his best young rider's jersey. In the end it was "no worries" for T-Lo, who rode an impressive stage to keep the jersey secure. BiciRace.com extents best wishes to the Jittery Joe's-Kalahari boys of coffee.

Results, 5'06":
1 Tom Danielson (USA) Discovery Channel
2 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Gerolsteiner 0.14
3 Lance Armstrong (USA) Discovery Channel 0.59
4 Floyd Landis (USA) Phonak Hearing Systems 1.09
5 Bobby Julich (USA) Team CSC 1.42
6 Marco Pinotti (Ita) Prodir - Saunier Duval 1.55
7 Trent Lowe (Aus) Jittery Joe's - Kalahari 2.10
44 Timothy Johnson (USA) Jittery Joe's - Kalahari 17.20
DNF Jonathan Sundt (USA) Jittery Joe's - Kalahari
DNF Bruno Langlois (Can) Jittery Joe's - Kalahari
DNF Craig Wilcox (USA) Jittery Joe's - Kalahari

GC:
1 Tom Danielson (USA) Discovery Channel
2 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Gerolsteiner 0.04
3 Floyd Landis (USA) Phonak Hearing Systems 0.09
4 Bobby Julich (USA) Team CSC 1.10
5 Lance Armstrong (USA) Discovery Channel 1.41
6 David Zabriskie (USA) Team CSC 3.04
7 Marco Pinotti (Ita) Prodir - Saunier Duval 3.11
8 Nathan O'Neill (Aus) Navigators Insurance 3.14
9 Michael Blaudzun (Den) Team CSC 3.51
10 José Azevedo (Por) Discovery Channel 3.58
11 Trent Lowe (Aus) Jittery Joe's - Kalahari 4.12
13 Saul Raisin (USA) Credit Agricole 4.43
31 Geoff Kabush (Can) Jittery Joe's - Kalahari 21.53
49 Timothy Johnson (USA) Jittery Joe's - Kalahari 40.53