Amgen Tour of California sempre più interessante. Nella cronometro di Folsom, 20 chilometri contro il tempo, il più veloce di tutti è l'australiano Rohan Dennis (BMC Racing) che toglie la gioia della vittoria non ad uno ma a due americani : Andrew Talansky e Taylor Phinney, staccati rispettivamente di 17 e 20 secondi. Si difende più che egregiamente la maglia gialla di Julian Alaphilippe (Etixx - Quick Step) che disputa la crono della vita e cede solamente 45" al vincitore Dennis, ora secondo in classifica generale, staccato di 16" dal giovane corridore francese. A due tappe dalla fine, la lotta per la vittoria finale in questo 11esimo Amgen Tour of California dovrebbe essere una lotta tra loro due ma il condizionale nel ciclismo è sempre d'obbligo.
FOLSOM, CA - MAY 20: Rohan Dennis of Australia riding for BMC Racing races to victory in the individual time trial during stage six of the 2016 Amgen Tour of California on May 20, 2016 in Folsom, California. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)Buona la prova dell'italiano Gianni Moscon nella crono. Il trattore della Val di Non , questo il soprannome che i tifosi del corridore trentino hanno dato al loro idolo, ha chiuso la prova al 17° posto, staccato di 1'18" dal vincitore. Per trovare un altro italiano dobbiamo scendere al 54° posto di Niccolo Bonifazio che fa registrare lo stesso tempo di Alan Marangoni ed Oscar Gatto. Oggi sabato, quando sarà già notte qui in Italia , tra l'Europa e la California ci sono ben nove ore di differenza di fuso orario, si correrà la settima e penultima tappa di questo Amgen Tour of California, che offre sempre scenari spettacolari, partenza ed arrivo a Santa Rosa per un totale di 175km.
VERSION EN FRANCAISE
La victoire du rouleur australien Rohan Dennis (BMC Racing) lors du contre-la-montre de Folsom n'a pas suffi à lui offrir le maillot jaune. Julian Alaphilippe (Etixx - Quick Step), au niveau des meilleurs spécialistes de l’épreuve, conserve la tête du classement général à deux jours du terme de ce 11ème Amgen Tour of California, après n’avoir perdu que 45 secondes sur le champion national australien.
FOLSOM, CA - MAY 20: Rohan Dennis of Australia, riding for the BMC Racing Team prepares to start during the stage six individual time trial of the Amgen Tour of California on May 20, 2016 in Folsom, California. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)Difficile de faire mieux que Rohan Dennis (BMC Racing Team) dans l'exercice solitaire. Vendredi, les coureurs de l'Amgen Tour of California l'ont encore éprouvé, tous dominés par le rouleur australien lors de la sixième étape, un contre-la-montre autour de Folsom. Un an après avoir porté le premier maillot jaune du Tour de France, Dennis ne connaît toutefois pas le même bonheur en Californie. Huitième de l'étape, Julian Alaphilippe (Etixx - Quick Step) a su préserver une avance de 16 secondes sur son nouveau dauphin à deux jours de l'arrivée finale. "Je n’étais pas en confiance mais je n’appréhendais pas non plus ce contre-la-montre", a expliqué Alaphilippe après sa performance. "Je savais que ça allait être violent mais j’ai l’habitude de me donner à fond." "Ce n'est pas fini. Mais il ne va pas être facile de reprendre 16 secondes, c'est sûr", commentait Dennis, déjà deuxième de l'épreuve en 2014.
FOLSOM, CA - MAY 20: Andrew Talansky of the United States riding for Cannondale Pro Cycling races to second place in the individual time trial during stage six of the 2016 Amgen Tour of California on May 20, 2016 in Folsom, California. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)Sur les 20,3 kilomètres du jour, l'Aussie a devancé deux Américains : le champion national du contre-la-montre, Andrew Talansky (Cannondale Pro Cycling), repoussé à 17 secondes, et Taylor Phinney (BMC Racing), pointé à 20 secondes mais qui retrouve ses plus belles sensations de rouleur. Un autre Américain de la BMC, Brent Bookwalter, complète le top 5 du jour pour s'installer sur le podium au général, dans le sillage de Dennis.
FOLSOM, CA - MAY 20: Julian Alaphilippe of France riding for Etixx - Quick-Step rides in the individual time trial during Stage 6 of the Amgen Tour of California on May 20, 2016 in Folsom, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)Après une performance remarqué sur le chrono, le maillot jaune Julian Alaphilippe retrouve samedi un terrain plus à sa convenance, avec une série de bosses pour tester ses qualités de puncheur. S'il résiste sur les 175,5 kilomètres autour de Santa Rosa, le Français devrait avoir fait le plus dur. "Ce serait particulier de gagner ici, avec l'enthousiasme des gens", imagine-t-il. Mais l'expérience de 2015, qui l'a vu perdre la tête du général au profit de Peter Sagan dans la dernière étape, lui rappellera que rien n'est acquis jusqu'à l'arrivée dimanche à Sacramento.
ENGLISH VERSION
The name of the game was “fast” in Folsom today as the 140 men competing in the 2016 Amgen Tour of California raced the clock in their individual time trial event and the 18 women’s teams competing in the Women’s Race faced of for the race’s first-ever team time trial.
FOLSOM, CA - MAY 20: Taylor Phinney of the United States riding for BMC Racing team rides to the team presentation area after the stage six individual time trial of the Amgen Tour of California on May 20, 2016 in Folsom, California. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty ImagesBMC Racing Team’s Taylor Phinney (BMC Racing Team) who placed third in the 2014 Folsom time trial, put up the time to beat and held the lead for over an hour until Cannondale Pro Cycling Team’s current U.S. National Time Trial Champion Andrew Talansky overtook him by three seconds. The fastest time of the day was yet to come from the current Australian Time Trial Champion and Tour de France time trial speed record-holder Rohan Dennis (BMC Racing Team) at 24:16”. Talansky finished the stage in second place, 17 seconds back, and Dennis’ teammate Phinney, a two-time U.S. National Time Trial Champion, rounded out the podium in third.
Etixx – Quick-Step’s Julian Alaphilippe (FRA), who as the overall race leader was last to take off today and is known for his mountain victories rather than as a time trial speedster, would have to finish the stage within one minute and one second of Dennis to retain the lead. He pulled out all the stops to post a time of 25:01” for an eighth place finish today, well within what was needed to retain the Amgen Race Leader Jersey he claimed after Stage 3 and the Gibraltar Road climb. After six stages and more than 24 hours on a bike since the Amgen Tour of California began in San Diego Sunday, Alaphilippe leads Dennis by 16 seconds heading into the final weekend of racing. The 23 year-old Frenchmen is well aware that every second counts here in California, having lost the race to World Champion Peter Sagan (Tinkoff) by a mere three seconds last year. Dennis has also come close to the overall win, having placed second in the 2014 Amgen Tour of California behind Bradley Wiggins (GBR).
FOLSOM, CA - MAY 20: Julian Alaphilippe of France riding for Etixx - Quick-Step races to eighth place in the individual time trial as he defended the overall race leader's yellow jersey during stage six of the 2016 Amgen Tour of California on May 20, 2016 in Folsom, California. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)“I was optimistic. Alaphilippe ripped out a very, very good ride…,” said Dennis of his chances to overtake the race lead today. “16 seconds – it’s not over, but it’s not going to be easy to bring back, that’s for sure…Tomorrow’s supposed to be a really tough stage…It’s been a pretty hard Tour as it is, and this Tour has gotten harder and harder every time I’ve done it.”
Today’s 12.6-mile course highlighted Folsom’s historic downtown and lake views. Folsom also played host to the men’s and women’s time trial events in 2014, with Wiggins (GBR) taking the day’s top prize on the way to his overall race win that year. The Tour de France champion is back with his development team, Team WIGGINS, this year as he trains for the Olympics though did not plan to be a factor today. Two familiar faces on the awards stage today were on the podium in 2014 as well, with Dennis placing second and Phinney again in third for that time trial stage.
FOLSOM, CA - MAY 20: Rohan Dennis of Australia riding for BMC Racing races to victory in the individual time trial during stage six of the 2016 Amgen Tour of California on May 20, 2016 in Folsom, California. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)The leader board after today: Alaphilippe keeps the overall lead by 16 seconds over Dennis, who stood in seventh place before today. BMC Racing Team is having a good showing in the overall as well as on today’s stage with Brent Bookwalter (Albuquerque, New Mexico) turning in a strong ride to move up a notch to third place (+:38”) just behind his teammate. Talansky’s ride shot him up the chart from eleventh place to fourth (+:47). Roseville, Calif. native, Neilson Powless (USA) of the Axeon Hagens Berman Cycling Team sits in fifth place (+1:08”) and retains the SRAM Best Young Rider Jersey for the fourth consecutive day. Trek – Segafredo’s Peter Stetina (USA), who had been in second place overall going into today, fell out of the top-10 and George Bennett (NZL) of Team Lotto NL – Jumbo fell from third to ninth
AMGEN TOUR OF CALIFORNIA PHOTOGALLERY STAGE 6 CRONO FOLSOM Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images Ezra Shaw/Getty Images – Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images Brian Hodes/Velo Images
