Stage 8 report: Chadwick keeps it interesting

Feb 23rd '09, Stage 8 ToC. This year was the first time the Tour of California had a ninth stage, and it was not an easy one. With four King of the Mountain climbs everyone including the people who had camped on Palomar Mountain for two days, expected to see some action.  Glen Chadwick provided that action for the kiwi supporters.

Jason McCartney began the action ten minutes into the race. He wanted to prove that he deserved the King of the Mountain jersey that he won after the previous winner Francisco Mancebo crashed during yesterday's race. 

McCartney rode away from the peloton intent on winning maximum KOM points, Steven Cozza from Garmin went with him . Tyler Hamilton from Rock Racing who was second behind McCartney in KOM points, chased after them but blew up before the top of the first KOM climb 7km's in and was quickly overtaken by the peloton.

A series of cat and mouse moves developed where Floyd Landis tried and failed to catch the breakaway and the riders in the breakaway kept changing. The successful break at the top of Palomar Mountain was Levi Leipheimer (Astana), David Zabriskie (Garmin), Michael Rogers (Columbia), Jens Voigt (Saxo), Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas), Tom Danielson (Garmin), Frank Schleck (Saxo), Andy Schleck (Saxo), Stef Clement (Rabobank). 

During the long descent Frank Schleck and Vincenzo Nibali made an attack out the front and at the same time New Zealand's Glen Chadwick took off alone from the front of the peloton. Chadwick, with Bauke Mollema (Rabobank) reached and passed the break, caught Schleck and Nibali, then took off on his own to lead the race.

Glen Chadwick on his 1st of two breakaways in this Tour

(c) Ken Conley

After a coke and a chat with his Rock Racing team car Chadwick eventually sat up and waited for the chasing bunch of three; Frank Schleck (Saxobank), Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas) and Bauke Mollema (Rabobank). Shleck and Nibali made the best of Chadwick's no doubt tired legs and attacked off the front and Chadwick and Mollema couldn't chase them back.

When Lance Amstrong at the front of the peloton eventually caught Chadwick, he didn't fade to the back as expected, he was up the front working hard for his team to attempt to pull the peloton closer to Shleck and Nibali.

Chadwick also had an epic breakaway in Stage 5 where he was in the breakaway all the way to the last few kilometres when the peloton chased them down.  Its clear to see why he won the overall "Most Aggressive Rider" title in the 2006 Tour of California.

The Astana led peloton were making sure that Nibali didn't get too far ahead as he was the a threat to Levi Leipheimer in the overall classification 2m21s behind. Although the other teams took over the front of the peloton leading into the final climb of the day, no one attempted an attack allowing Shleck and Nibali to stay away to the finish.

Frank Schleck

(c) Tim de Waele

Stage 8 results for the kiwis's

• Jeremy Vennell, 19th, +40s
• Glen Chadwick, 15th, +40s
• Hayden Roulston, 76th, +15m11s

General Classification results for the kiwis in the Tour of California:

• Jeremy Vennell, 26th
• Glen Chadwick, 31st
• Hayden Roulston, 35th

Articles on the all the kiwis in the Tour of California.

• Power house Roulston takes 2nd
• Chadwick in epic breakaway
• Kiwis in California Stage 4
• Roulston leads Hushovd to stage victory
• Kiwis race on in Tour of California
• Kiwi riders excel in trying conditions
• Kiwis show off their TT skills
• Roulston leads kiwis in Tour of California
• Vennell in NZ colours in prologue
• Glen Chadwick first rider in Tour of California

Keep up to date with our full Amgen Tour of California coverage including indepth articles, results and live action and pictures as well as updates directly from the pro-riders.

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