The hysteria surrounding Lance Armstrong?s comeback reached fever pitch today as America?s messiah rode again.
Fabian Cancellara may have left Sacramento with the Tour of California?s first leader's jersey of 2009, but today was all about Lance as the Livestrong marketing machine kicked in to action with impressive results.
Armstrong?s image is impossible to avoid at this event, and many in the huge crowd that cheered, screamed, whooped and hollered him around the 3.9km circuit were clutching some Lance paraphernalia, such as posters with his image and the message ?hope rides again.?
The Lance love was unavoidable, and it had nothing to do with Valentine?s day.
Hope might be riding in to battle with cancer, but it wasn?t enough to take on the might of Cancellara in full flow. The Swiss man is one of the best time trial riders of his generation, and today he was back to the sort of form last seen at the Beijing Olympics.
The Saxo Bank rider flew round the wind swept city centre circuit in four minutes, thirty two seconds, two seconds faster than defending champion and local favourite Levi Leipheimer.
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?It?s the first race and you never know how good you really are,? Cancellara said afterwards. ?We had a training camp in the Santa Monica mountains for two weeks and we trained really well, [but] I was not expecting it to go like this. I have to see day to day, but I?ll do what I can to defend [the jersey].
"With eight days still to do it?s a lot, and for the first race of the year."
Lying in second place, Leipheimer is in a strong position to take his third Tour of California. ?I feel great, I?m right on track,? the Californian said. ?I think I definitely have the form to compete to win, that?s not to say that I can win because obviously the competition is extremely good, and a lot can happen.?
Armstrong was tenth, another three seconds back and on the same time as Britain?s Mark Cavendish who was given eleventh spot as one of four riders finishing on 4:37 minutes.
Tour of California prologue: results 1. Fabian Cancellara (Sui) Saxo Bank 4-32 minutes
2. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana at 2 secs
3. David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin-Slipstream at 3 secs
4. Michael Rogers (Aus) Columbia-Highroad at same time
5. Thor Hushovd (Nor) Cervelo Test Team at 4 secs
6. George Hincapie (USA) Columbia-Highroad
7. Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step
8. Mark Renshaw (Aus) Columbia-Highroad all at same time
9. Svein Tuft (Can) Garmin-Slipstream at 5 secs
10. Lance Armstrong (USA) Astana at same time
British
11. Mark Cavendish (GB) Columbia-Highroad at 5 secs
Tour of California: general classification 1. Fabian Cancellara (Sui) Saxo Bank 4-32 minutes
2. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana at 2 secs
3. David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin-Slipstream at 3 secs
4. Michael Rogers (Aus) Columbia-Highroad at same time
5. Thor Hushovd (Nor) Cervelo Test Team
6. George Hincapie (USA) Columbia-Highroad
7. Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step
8. Mark Renshaw (Aus) Columbia-Highroad all at same time
9. Svein Tuft (Can) Garmin-Slipstream at 5 secs
10. Lance Armstrong (USA) Astana at same time
British
11. Mark Cavendish (GB) Columbia-Highroad at 5 secs
Defending Tour of California champion Levi Leipheimer
Lance Armstrong on his way to tenth place
Britain's Mark Cavendish pulls on the best young rider jersey
California governor Arnold Schwarznegger congratulates prologue winner Fabian Cancellara
Photos by Graham Watson
2009 TOUR OF CALIFORNIA: LINKS
STAGE REPORTS
Prologue: Cancellara Express derails the Armstrong show
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