Mark Cavendish si aggiudica l'ultimo sprint dell'Amgen Tour of California, precedendo in volata il Campione del Mondo Peter Sagan e Kristoff. Ottimo sesto posto di Niccolo Bonifazio nello sprint dove si mette in evidenza anche Marco Canola, 12°. Julian Alaphilippe , grazie alla vittoria per distacco ottenuta martedì nell'arrivo in salita sul Monte Gibraltar, è riuscito a conservare i 21" di vantaggio sull'australiano Rohan Dennis portando così la Maglia Gialla a trionfare sull'ultimo traguardo di Sacramento.
Mark Cavendish of Great Britian riding for Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka celebrates after winning stage 8 of the Amgen Tour of California on May 22, 2016 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)Il giovane corridore francese, con i suoi 24 anni, anche ad essere il primo transalpino a vincere il Giro di California, diventa anche il piu' giovane vincitore ad aggiudicarsi la gara a tappe. Una bel successo per il corridore della Etixx-Quick Step che, dopo la Maglia Gialla dell'Amgen Tour of California sogna già altre maglie, in primis quella del Critérium du Dauphiné prima di correre il suo primo Tour de France. E chissà che non possa essere lui il futuro francese delle grandi gare a tappe, Julian Alaphilippe , professionista dal 2014, si è classificato secondo alla Liegi-Bastogne-Liegi nel 2015 e due volte alla Freccia Vallone nel 2015 e 2016, sempre alle spalle di Alejandro Valverde.
Amgen Tour of California Stage 8 Presented By Lexus photo by Brian Hodes/VeloImagesPeccato per la fuga di Alan Marangoni, un tentantivo iniziato quando mancavano 130 km all'arrivo insieme ad altri sei corridori, nel finale erano rimasti solamente in tre, Marangoni compreso, ripresi dal gruppo lanciatissimo all'ultimo chilometro. Peccato davvero perchè Alan Marangoni è stato il corridore che più di tutti aveva lavorato e creduto nella fuga e probabilmente anche sognato la vittoria quando era rimasto a giocarsela in uno sprint ristretto a tre.
Amgen Tour of California - Stage 8 - Sacramento stage eight of the 2016 Amgen Tour of California on May 22, 2016 in Sacramento, California. Alan MarangoniQuesto che vedete sotto il post che il coraggioso atleta della Cannondale ha messo sul suo profilo facebook. A Marangoni, oltre che i complimenti, l'invito a riprovarci, ricordando che, prima o poi la fortuna aiuta gli audaci. Bravo Alan.
VERSION EN FRANCAISEJulian Alaphilippe (Etixx - Quick Step) est devenu le plus jeune vainqueur de l'histoire de l'Amgen Tour of California après un dernier sprint victorieux de Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data) dimanche à Sacramento. Le Français a conservé jusqu'au bout un maillot jaune acquis lors de l'étape-reine, mardi. Megan Guarnier (Boels-Dolmans) remporte la course féminine. La huitième étape du 11e Amgen Tour of California a abouti sur les conclusions attendues : un sprint royal dans les rues de Sacramento et le triomphe de Julian Alaphilippe (Etixx - Quick Step) au classement général. Le Britannique Mark Cavendish a récolté les derniers lauriers, dimanche. Solide leader depuis sa victoire d'étape au Mont Gibraltar mardi, Alaphilippe devient à l'aube de ses 24 ans le premier Français et le plus jeune vainqueur de l'épreuve californienne. "C'est incroyable", savourait-il à l'arrivée. "L'année dernière j'avais déjà reçu beaucoup de félicitations et de commentaires après ma deuxième place. C'est la nuit pour le moment en France mais je pense que ça va tout de même un peu faire parler là-bas. Cela fait longtemps qu'un coureur français n'a pas gagné de course d'une semaine."
SACRAMENTO, CA - MAY 22: Julian Alaphilippe (C) of France riding for Etixx - Quick-Step defends the overall race leader's yellow jersey as he rides in the protection of his teammates including Tom Boonen (2L) of Belgium in stage eight as he wins the general classification in the 2016 Amgen Tour of California on May 22, 2016 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Julian Alaphilippe; Tom BoonenAlaphilippe est désormais attendu sur le Critérium du Dauphiné avant de participer au Tour de France, sa première course de trois semaines. Le Français savoure le succès qui lui avait échappé pour quelques secondes de bonifications en 2015. "Avant l'étape d'aujourd'hui, je n'étais pas sûr de gagner, je me souvenais de l'année dernière", confiait-il une fois la victoire acquise. "C'est ma première victoire de la saison et ma première victoire sur une course par étapes." Mark Cavendish s'est lui imposé en habitué, signant son quatrième succès à Sacramento (2010, 2014, 2015, 2016). "Je suis à l'aise dans ces rues", commentait le sprinteur britannique, vainqueur de 10 étapes sur l'Amgen Tour of California. Seul Peter Sagan (Tinkoff) fait mieux avec 15 victoires. Ce dimanche, le champion du monde a échoué au deuxième rang, devant Alexander Kristoff (Team Katusha).
Mark Cavendish of Great Britian riding for Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka celebrates after winning stage 8 of the Amgen Tour of California on May 22, 2016 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) ENGLISH VERSIONAfter 782 miles and eight days of racing, 23 year-old Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) of Etixx – Quick-Step Pro Cycling Team clinched the 2016 Amgen Tour of California championship, becoming the youngest rider to hold that title in the race’s 11 years. U.S. National Road Race Champion Megan Guarnier (Glens Falls, New York) of Boels-Dolmans Cycling Team also celebrated victory in Sacramento as the four-day Amgen Women’s Race which concluded along with the men’s event.
After ceding last year’s race to Tinkoff’s Peter Sagan (SVK) by a mere three seconds, a determined Alaphilippe earned the traditional yellow Amgen Race Leader Jersey with a solo victory on the Gibraltar Road Queen Stage (3) Tuesday and has successfully defended it every day since, with a 16-second advantage at today’s start that he grew to 21 seconds when all was said and done. This first stage race win of his young career may foreshadow more headlines on the horizon with what would be his Grand Tour debut if he’s selected for his team’s Tour de France squad this summer.
“This victory is really important. It’s my first win of the season, and it’s the first time that I won a General Classification,” said Ardennes sensation Alaphilippe, who is the first French rider to win top honors in California. “It’s really something special to win this race, especially here in California, and I’m really proud of my team all week, especially today because it was a really stressful day for a lot of riders in the peloton. Everyone wanted to be in the front….It was a good day and I’m really, really happy.” Today’s Sacramento course took the 133 world-class cyclists on a 85.7-mile jaunt including a crossing of the iconic Tower Bridge leading into three 2.2-mile laps around Capitol Park to the finish line in the shadow of the Capitol Building. Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka’s Mark Cavendish (GBR) came away with a hard-earned victory after an epic sprinter showdown, claiming his tenth all-time Amgen Tour of California stage win, second only to Sagan who holds the race record with 15 after taking Stages 1 and 4 this week.
Even Alaphilippe joined the final flurry to the finish where Mark Cavendish delivered his tenth Amgen Tour of California stage win (second only to Sagan), followed over the line by Sagan himself then Kristoff. Team Sky’s Danny Van Poppel (NED) took third yesterday and settled for fourth today, followed by Team Giant-Alpecin’s John Degenkolb (GER), who has had a strong showing in California as he comes back from a severe injury after a car hit several team members during a training ride in January.
Mark Cavendish, who holds a near record of 26 stage wins at the Tour de France, won four stages last year at the 2015 Amgen Tour of California, including several neck and neck finishes with Sagan, to claim last year’s Points classification. Today marks Cavendish’s fourth stage win in Sacramento (2010, 2014, 2015, 2016) including another close finish over Degenkolb in 2014. “I’ve been coming to the Amgen Tour of California for many years. There’s a reason all the top riders in the world come over to America to race here.” Cavendish. “It’s always been a great race, and Kristin and AEG always put on a tremendous show, as well a great, relaxed race for the riders to come to….I’m happy to be here and I’m definitely coming back.”
L-R) Second place finisher Rohan Dennis of Australia riding for BMC Racing Team, overall winner Julian Alaphilippe of France riding for Etixx - Quick-Step, and third place finisher Brent Bookwalter of the United States riding for BMC Racing Team spray champagne on the podium after Stage 8 of the Amgen Tour of California on May 22, 2016 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)In the classification competitions, the Lexus King of the Mountain (KOM) award for the week went to a rider familiar with the Sacramento-area terrain, Rally Cycling’s Evan Huffman (Elk Grove, Calif.), after what was one of the most mountainous of all the Amgen Tour of California editions. In addition to his World Championship title, Sagan (SVK) has racked up Points classification wins at the Tour de France (4) and will take home his career sixth Amgen Tour of California Visit California Sprint Jersey with the classification win this year. The SRAM Best Young Rider Jersey went to the Sacramento-area 19 year-old Neilson Powless (Roseville, Calif.) of the Axeon Hagens Berman Cycling Team, who has worn the jersey and been in the top-5 overall for much of the race, finishing in ninth overall after today. Toms Skujins (LAT) of Cannondale Pro Cycling Team (USA) was the Breakaway from Cancer®Most Courageous Rider.
MARK CAVENDISH WIN 8TH STAGE AMGEN TOUR OF CALIFORNIA PHOTOGALLERY Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images Ezra Shaw/Getty Images – Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images Brian Hodes/Velo Images
