Tour of Britain 2008 - 1

Stage 1 London/London - Stages / Teams

Italian sprinter Alessandro Petacchi opened up The Tour of Britain with an exciting sprint finish in the shadow of Big Ben, holding off Rob Hayles and Magnus Backstedt to take victory in London.

Danilo Di Luca - a likely winner of the Tour of Britain

The rain relented long enough to allow the peloton to complete the ten laps of exciting and attacking racing, in relatively dry conditions in front of an estimated crowd of over 100,000 spectators.

The race was dominated by an eight-man break that spent over half the race away. With Brits Tom Southam and Krisitian House joined by a duo of Australians in Simon Clarke and Chris Sutton, plus Daryl Impey, Anders Lund, Vicente Reynes and Danilo Di Luca, the break had both the strong riders and requisite mixture of teams present to survive.

However while the eight escapees quickly built up a lead, they never established a gap of more than 46 seconds and as the peloton closed them down on the fast, straight roads, Di Luca jumped away for a last gasp solo attack on the eighth ascent of Tower Hill.

Kristian House leads the KOM comp after stage 1

The Italian managed to hold off the field for just over a lap, but as Agritubel’s Geoffroy Lequatre tried to cross the gap, a CSC – Saxo Bank led field, pulled them back with a little over a lap to go.

CSC and Garmin – Chipotle battled to control the field on the final lap to set up their respective sprint finishers and as the field entered the final kilometre it was Garmin’s Julian Dean on the front looking to lead out his man Magnus Backstedt. However, there was to be no victory for the Swede, as Petacchi and British Champion Rob Hayles swept past in the final metres.

For the Italian it was an emotional victory, coming on his return to the sport following an anti-doping suspension.

Stuart O'Grady leads the chase of the lead group

Petacchi said - “I’m very very happy with the win. Today I stayed good and my team raced very well. Now I think I start a new life of cycling, with a new team.

My team did very good work in the last 2km, and on the last lap I stayed in the wheels of Backstedt, but I did a good sprint, which is a big relief.”

Thanks to the win, Petacchi leads the race overnight going into Monday’s stage from Milton Keynes to Newbury, while he also takes the Green Jersey, which will be worn by second place finisher Rob Hayles.

After victory in the second and third E.ON King of the Mountains climbs, Rapha – Condor – Recycling.co.uk rider Kristian House takes the E.ON King of the Mountains jersey.

House said - “We wanted to attack the race from the gun, particularly being in London where Rapha and Condor are based.

There was a bit of a lull, and Tom Southam and me jumped across to the break. It was a good break to be in, everyone was committed and worked, and I think that showed in how quickly the gap grew and how we maintained it.”

1 141 Alessandro Petacchi ITA LPR Brakes / Ballan 1h51'54"
2 21 Rob Hayles GBR Great Britain 1h51'54"
3 92 Magnus Backstedt SWE Garmin / Chipotle 1h51'54"
4 53 Dean Downing GBR Rapha / Condor / Recycling.co. 1h51'54"
5 72 Rahsaan Bahati USA Rock Racing 1h51'54"
6 13 Roger Hammond GBR Team Columbia 1h51'54"
7 101 Kristof Goddaert BEL Topsport Vlaanderen 1h51'54"
8 64 Robbie Hunter RSA Barloworld 1h51'54"
9 152 Zakkari Dempster AUS SouthAustralia.com / AIS 1h51'54"
10 113 Jonathan Bellis GBR Team CSC / Saxo Bank 1h51'54"
11 156 Johnnie Walker AUS SouthAustralia.com / AIS 1h51'54"
12 112 Matthew Goss AUS Team CSC / Saxo Bank 1h51'54"
13 41 Russell Downing GBR Pinarello RT / Candi TV 1h51'54"
14 125 Kenny Lisabeth BEL An Post M.Donnelly 1h51'54"
15 1 Romain Feillu FRA Agritubel 1h51'54"
16 23 Ian Stannard GBR Great Britain 1h51'54"
17 31 Martin Garrido ARG Palmeiras Resort / Tavira 1h51'54"
18 65 Daryl Impey RSA Barloworld 1h51'54"
19 4 Freddy Bichot FRA Agritubel 1h51'54"
20 52 Dale Appleby GBR Rapha / Condor / Recycling.co. 1h51'54"
21 35 Paul Sneeboer NED Palmeiras Resort / Tavira 1h51'54"
22 22 Jonathan McEvoy GBR Great Britain 1h51'54"
23 25 Ben Swift GBR Great Britain 1h51'54"
24 143 Claudio Cucinotta ITA LPR Brakes / Ballan 1h51'54"
25 44 Tom Murray GBR Pinarello RT / Candi TV 1h51'54"
26 121 Daniel Lloyd GBR An Post M.Donnelly 1h51'54"
27 133 Neil MacDonald RSA MTN Energade 1h51'54"
28 34 Alejandro Marque ESP Palmeiras Resort / Tavira 1h51'54"
29 135 Heerden Van RSA MTN MTN Energade 1h51'54"
30 105 Pieter Vanspeybrouck BEL Topsport Vlaanderen 1h51'54"
31 3 Steven Caethoven BEL Agritubel 1h51'54"
32 76 Oscar Sevilla ESP Rock Racing 1h51'54"
33 86 Simon Richardson GBR Plowman Craven RT 1h51'54"
34 45 Andrew Roche IRL Pinarello RT / Candi TV 1h51'54"
35 81 Evan Oliphant GBR Plowman Craven RT 1h51'54"
36 75 Fred Rodriguez USA Rock Racing 1h51'54"
37 154 Travis Meyer AUS SouthAustralia.com / AIS 1h51'54"
38 84 Simon Gaywood GBR Plowman Craven RT 1h51'54"
39 26 Andrew Tennant GBR Great Britain 1h51'54"
40 136 Waylon Woolcock RSA MTN Energade 1h51'54"
41 12 Hagen Boasson NOR THR Team Columbia 1h51'54"
42 5 Geoffroy Lequarte FRA Agritubel 1h51'54"
43 62 Geraint Thomas GBR Barloworld 1h51'54"
44 54 Rhys Lloyd GBR Rapha / Condor / Recycling.co. 1h51'54"
45 42 Malcolm Elliott GBR Pinarello RT / Candi TV 1h51'54"
46 15 Vicente Reynes ESP Team Columbia 1h51'54"
47 122 Stephen Gallagher IRL An Post M.Donnelly 1h51'54"
48 46 Peter Williams GBR Pinarello RT / Candi TV 1h51'54"
49 91 David Millar GBR Garmin / Chipotle 1h51'54"
50 111 Stuart O'Grady AUS Team CSC / Saxo Bank 1h51'54"
51 114 Anders Lund DEN Team CSC / Saxo Bank 1h51'54"
52 131 David George RSA MTN Energade 1h51'54"
53 106 Frederik Veuchelen BEL Topsport Vlaanderen 1h51'54"
54 134 Jay Thomson RSA MTN Energade 1h51'54"
55 123 Benny De Schrooder BEL An Post M.Donnelly 1h51'54"
56 132 Kevin Evans RSA MTN Energade 1h51'54"
57 71 Tyler Hamilton USA Rock Racing 1h51'54"
58 24 Tom Southam GBR Great Britain 1h51'54"
59 11 Kim Kirchen LUX Team Columbia 1h51'54"
60 2 Emilien Berges FRA Agritubel 1h51'54"
61 55 Kristian House GBR Rapha / Condor / Recycling.co. 1h51'54"
62 63 Diego Caccia ITA Barloworld 1h51'54"
63 56 Rob Partridge GBR Rapha / Condor / Recycling.co. 1h51'54"
64 124 Daniel Fleeman GBR An Post M.Donnelly 1h51'54"
65 94 Daniel Martin IRL Garmin / Chipotle 1h51'54"
66 104 Kristof Vandewalle BEL Topsport Vlaanderen 1h51'54"
67 115 Bradley McGee AUS Team CSC / Saxo Bank 1h51'54"
68 66 Hugo Sabido POR Barloworld 1h51'54"
69 36 Tomas Swift/Metcalfe GBR Palmeiras Resort / Tavira 1h51'54"
70 126 Paidi O'Brien IRL An Post M.Donnelly 1h51'54"
71 61 Steve Cummings GBR Barloworld 1h51'54"
72 153 Cameron Meyer AUS SouthAustralia.com / AIS 1h51'54"
73 103 Serge Pauwels BEL Topsport Vlaanderen 1h51'54"
74 116 Chris Sorensen DEN Team CSC / Saxo Bank 1h51'54"
75 51 Chris Newton GBR Rapha / Condor / Recycling.co. 1h51'54"
76 96 Trent Lowe AUS Garmin / Chipotle 1h51'54"
77 142 Danilo Di Luca ITA LPR Brakes / Ballan 1h51'54"
78 93 Julian Dean NZL Garmin / Chipotle 1h51'54"
79 82 Tom Barras GBR Plowman Craven RT 1h51'54"
80 14 Greg Henderson NZL Team Columbia 1h51'54"
81 155 Wesley Sulzberger AUS SouthAustralia.com / AIS 1h51'54"
82 32 David Blanco ESP Palmeiras Resort / Tavira 1h51'54"
83 102 Koen Barbe BEL Topsport Vlaanderen 1h51'54"
84 6 Nicolas Vogondy FRA Agritubel 1h51'54"
85 33 Juan Gomis ESP Palmeiras Resort / Tavira 1h51'54"
86 146 Alessandro Spezialetti ITA LPR Brakes / Ballan 1h51'54"
87 74 Victor Pena COL RRC Rock Racing 1h51'54"
88 43 Lee Davis GBR Pinarello RT / Candi TV 1h51'54"
89 73 Santiago Botero COL Rock Racing 1h51'54"
90 151 Simon Clarke AUS SouthAustralia.com / AIS 1h51'54"
91 144 Gabriele Bosisio ITA LPR Brakes / Ballan 1h51'54"
92 85 James Millard GBR Plowman Craven RT 1h51'54"
93 16 Bradley Wiggins GBR Team Columbia 1h51'54"
94 145 Giairo Ermeti ITA LPR Brakes / Ballan 1h51'54"
95 95 Chris Sutton AUS Garmin / Chipotle 1h52'22" @28"

General Classification
1 141 Alessandro Petacchi ITA LPR Brakes / Ballan 1h51'44"
2 21 Rob Hayles GBR Great Britain 1h51'48" @04"
3 65 Daryl Impey RSA Barloworld 1h51'48" s/t
4 114 Anders Lund DEN Team CSC / Saxo Bank 1h51'48"
5 92 Magnus Backstedt SWE Garmin / Chipotle 1h51'50" @06"
6 142 Danilo Di Luca ITA LPR Brakes / Ballan 1h51'53" @09"
7 53 Dean Downing GBR Rapha / Condor / Recycling.co. 1h51'54"
8 72 Rahsaan Bahati USA Rock Racing 1h51'54" s/t
9 13 Roger Hammond GBR Team Columbia 1h51'54" s/t
10 101 Kristof Goddaert BEL Topsport Vlaanderen 1h51'54" s/t
11 64 Robbie Hunter RSA Barloworld 1h51'54" s/t
12 152 Zakkari Dempster AUS SouthAustralia.com / AIS 1h51'54" s/t
13 113 Jonathan Bellis GBR Team CSC / Saxo Bank 1h51'54"
14 156 Johnnie Walker AUS SouthAustralia.com / AIS 1h51'54" s/t
15 112 Matthew Goss AUS Team CSC / Saxo Bank 1h51'54"
16 41 Russell Downing GBR Pinarello RT / Candi TV 1h51'54"
17 125 Kenny Lisabeth BEL An Post M.Donnelly 1h51'54" s/t
18 1 Romain Feillu FRA Agritubel 1h51'54" s/t
19 23 Ian Stannard GBR Great Britain 1h51'54" s/t
20 31 Martin Garrido ARG Palmeiras Resort / Tavira 1h51'54"
21 4 Freddy Bichot FRA Agritubel 1h51'54" s/t
22 52 Dale Appleby GBR Rapha / Condor / Recycling.co. 1h51'54"
23 35 Paul Sneeboer NED Palmeiras Resort / Tavira 1h51'54"
24 22 Jonathan McEvoy GBR Great Britain 1h51'54" s/t
25 25 Ben Swift GBR Great Britain 1h51'54" s/t
26 143 Claudio Cucinotta ITA LPR Brakes / Ballan 1h51'54"
27 44 Tom Murray GBR Pinarello RT / Candi TV 1h51'54"
28 121 Daniel Lloyd GBR An Post M.Donnelly 1h51'54" s/t
29 133 Neil MacDonald RSA MTN Energade 1h51'54" s/t
30 34 Alejandro Marque ESP Palmeiras Resort / Tavira 1h51'54"
31 135 Heerden Van RSA MTN MTN Energade 1h51'54" s/t
32 105 Pieter Vanspeybrouck BEL Topsport Vlaanderen 1h51'54" s/t
33 3 Steven Caethoven BEL Agritubel 1h51'54" s/t
34 76 Oscar Sevilla ESP Rock Racing 1h51'54" s/t
35 86 Simon Richardson GBR Plowman Craven RT 1h51'54" s/t
36 45 Andrew Roche IRL Pinarello RT / Candi TV 1h51'54"
37 81 Evan Oliphant GBR Plowman Craven RT 1h51'54" s/t
38 75 Fred Rodriguez USA Rock Racing 1h51'54" s/t
39 154 Travis Meyer AUS SouthAustralia.com / AIS 1h51'54" s/t
40 84 Simon Gaywood GBR Plowman Craven RT 1h51'54" s/t
41 26 Andrew Tennant GBR Great Britain 1h51'54" s/t
42 136 Waylon Woolcock RSA MTN Energade 1h51'54" s/t
43 12 Hagen Boasson NOR THR Team Columbia 1h51'54" s/t
44 5 Geoffroy Lequarte FRA Agritubel 1h51'54" s/t
45 62 Geraint Thomas GBR Barloworld 1h51'54" s/t
46 54 Rhys Lloyd GBR Rapha / Condor / Recycling.co. 1h51'54"
47 42 Malcolm Elliott GBR Pinarello RT / Candi TV 1h51'54"
48 15 Vicente Reynes ESP Team Columbia 1h51'54" s/t
49 122 Stephen Gallagher IRL An Post M.Donnelly 1h51'54" s/t
50 91 David Millar GBR Garmin / Chipotle 1h51'54" s/t
51 111 Stuart O'Grady AUS Team CSC / Saxo Bank 1h51'54"
52 131 David George RSA MTN Energade 1h51'54" s/t
53 106 Frederik Veuchelen BEL Topsport Vlaanderen 1h51'54" s/t
54 134 Jay Thomson RSA MTN Energade 1h51'54" s/t
55 123 Benny De Schrooder BEL An Post M.Donnelly 1h51'54" s/t
56 132 Kevin Evans RSA MTN Energade 1h51'54" s/t
57 71 Tyler Hamilton USA Rock Racing 1h51'54" s/t
58 24 Tom Southam GBR Great Britain 1h51'54" s/t
59 11 Kim Kirchen LUX Team Columbia 1h51'54" s/t
60 2 Emilien Berges FRA Agritubel 1h51'54" s/t
61 55 Kristian House GBR Rapha / Condor / Recycling.co. 1h51'54"
62 63 Diego Caccia ITA Barloworld 1h51'54" s/t
63 56 Rob Partridge GBR Rapha / Condor / Recycling.co. 1h51'54"
64 124 Daniel Fleeman GBR An Post M.Donnelly 1h51'54" s/t
65 94 Daniel Martin IRL Garmin / Chipotle 1h51'54" s/t
66 104 Kristof Vandewalle BEL Topsport Vlaanderen 1h51'54" s/t
67 115 Bradley McGee AUS Team CSC / Saxo Bank 1h51'54"
68 66 Hugo Sabido POR Barloworld 1h51'54" s/t
69 36 Tomas Swift/Metcalfe GBR Palmeiras Resort / Tavira 1h51'54"
70 126 Paidi O'Brien IRL An Post M.Donnelly 1h51'54" s/t
71 61 Steve Cummings GBR Barloworld 1h51'54" s/t
72 153 Cameron Meyer AUS SouthAustralia.com / AIS 1h51'54" s/t
73 103 Serge Pauwels BEL Topsport Vlaanderen 1h51'54" s/t
74 116 Chris Sorensen DEN Team CSC / Saxo Bank 1h51'54"
75 51 Chris Newton GBR Rapha / Condor / Recycling.co. 1h51'54"
76 96 Trent Lowe AUS Garmin / Chipotle 1h51'54" s/t
77 93 Julian Dean NZL Garmin / Chipotle 1h51'54" s/t
78 82 Tom Barras GBR Plowman Craven RT 1h51'54" s/t
79 14 Greg Henderson NZL Team Columbia 1h51'54" s/t
80 155 Wesley Sulzberger AUS SouthAustralia.com / AIS 1h51'54" s/t
81 32 David Blanco ESP Palmeiras Resort / Tavira 1h51'54"
82 102 Koen Barbe BEL Topsport Vlaanderen 1h51'54" s/t
83 6 Nicolas Vogondy FRA Agritubel 1h51'54" s/t
84 33 Juan Gomis ESP Palmeiras Resort / Tavira 1h51'54"
85 146 Alessandro Spezialetti ITA LPR Brakes / Ballan 1h51'54"
86 74 Hugo Pena COL Rock Racing 1h51'54" s/t
87 43 Lee Davis GBR Pinarello RT / Candi TV 1h51'54"
88 73 Santiago Botero COL Rock Racing 1h51'54" s/t
89 151 Simon Clarke AUS SouthAustralia.com / AIS 1h51'54" s/t
90 144 Gabriele Bosisio ITA LPR Brakes / Ballan 1h51'54"
91 16 Bradley Wiggins GBR Team Columbia 1h51'54" s/t
92 145 Giairo Ermeti ITA LPR Brakes / Ballan 1h51'54"
93 46 Peter Williams GBR Pinarello RT / Candi TV 1h52'04"
94 85 James Millard GBR Plowman Craven RT 1h52'14" @30"
95 95 Chris Sutton AUS Garmin / Chipotle 1h52'17" @33"

Points
1 141 A Petacchi LPR 15
2 21 R Hayles GBR 14
3 92 M Backstedt TSL 13
4 53 D Downing RCR 12
5 72 R Bahati RRC 11
6 13 R Hammond THR 10
7 101 K Goddaert TSV 9
8 64 R Hunter BAR 8
9 152 Z Dempster AIS 7
10 113 J Bellis CSC 6
11 156 J Walker AIS 5
12 112 M Goss CSC 4
13 41 R Downing POT 3
14 125 K Lisabeth SKT 2
15 1 R Feillu AGR 1

EoN Mountain
1 55 K House RCR 11
2 25 B Swift GBR 5
3 142 D Di Luca LPR 3
4 24 T Southam GBR 3
5 114 A Lund CSC 2
6 156 J Walker AIS 2
7 15 V Reynes THR 2
8 93 J Dean TSL 1
9 95 C Sutton TSL 1

Sprints
1 114 A Lund CSC 10
2 65 D Impey BAR 10
3 95 C Sutton TSL 8
4 142 D Di Luca LPR 2
5 15 V Reynes THR 2
6 151 S Clarke AIS 1

TV
ITV4 will broadcast a nightly highlights programme between 20.00 and 21.00, each night of The Tour of Britain.