ATOC: Sky Storm Leads to a Swift Ending!

Despite the best efforts of the UCI, there is still a place for team dynamics in cycling, and those same dynamics took center stage Monday afternoon in Sacramento when Team Sky gave their man Ben Swift one of the more impressive leadouts you will ever see.

The race started out like yesterday with some weather problems, but this time the officials were able to successfully shorten the race and avoid the threat of snow.

The shortened course probably had no influence on the overall result anyway, because it was set to be a sprint finish regardless. That did not stop a few brave riders from trying for a different result. Laszlo Bodrogi, Jamey Driscoll (voted most aggressive), Timon Seubert, and Ben Jacques-Maynes tried to escape the pack, but were promptly reeled in just as the field began its laps around Sac-town leading into the finish. Things were going smoothly until...uh oh...here comes the rain.

This rain added a new dynamic to the approach to the finish, as the teams had to be extra cautious on the wet slippery roads when bringing their riders to the front. HTC put Goss in position, Liquigas the same for Sagan, Garmin for Hushovd, and Saxo Bank worked their man JJ Haedo into the mix but Sky took a different approach.

We want to make sure that our man Ben Swift has a solid leadout at the finish...so why not bring everybody? Sky brought 5 riders to dominate the peloton for the entire final lap around Sacramento, leading up to the duo of Greg Henderson and Ben Swift at the end.

Matt Goss launched on the far left and he kicked very early. While riders scrambled for his wheel, Henderson promptly finished his leadout and then unleashed Ben Swift to track down Goss at the line. Swift took him in a drag race, and then Peter Sagan unleashed a quick burst to move up to 2nd.

Sagan could have very well had a shot at the stage but he was caught between the Sky leadout and several slower sprinters fighting behind them. He was briefly "boxed in" and had little time to recover before Swift was already on his way.

Canadian Kevin Lacombe brought home a surprising 4th for his Spidertech team while Saxo ace JJ Haedo settled for 5th. 7 for Hushovd, 8 for Phinney, Bling Matthews in 14th, and just about everybody else finished at the same time.

Good way to kick off the race. Finally. It was an accident free day with minimal damage to the race favorites and almost no impact by the slightly inclimate weather. Ben Swift is somewhat optimistic at his chances to defend his jersey tomorrow, although many think that tomorrow will fall to a breakaway.

It looks like a flat sprinter stage, but the potential for Qatar-like crosswinds in certain parts of California on the route could break apart the field and possibly allow for a small group to escape.