Home » Top Stories » Road »

Brajkovic wraps up Tour de Georgia, as Haedo takes Atlanta finale

By JoE Silva, VeloNews.com
Published: Apr. 22, 2007
Haedo makes it look easy
Haedo makes it look easy
Photo: Casey B. Gibson

Discovery’s Janez Brajkovic cruised across the line at the end of the 66.8-mile circuit race that capped off the fifth edition of the Tour de Georgia, comfortably ensconced in the overall leader’s jersey as the sprinters in the peloton battled for the day’s stage honors and points.

odium girls beware! Georgia could signal a long string of big wins for the 23-year-old from Slovenia.
odium girls beware! Georgia could signal a long string of big wins for the 23-year-old from Slovenia.
Photo: Casey B. Gibson

CSC’s J.J. Haedo exacted a bit of revenge Sunday, taking a convincing win, after coming second on Saturday’s run to the line, less than half-a-wheel behind Predictor-Lotto’s Fred Rodriguez. This time around Haedo beat the American in a long uphill sprint that concluded near Centennial Olympic Park in downtown Atlanta. Haedo began his run to the line on Sergey Lagutin’s (Navigators Insurance) wheel, but when the Tinkoff train squeezed in on his left side Haedo changed tactics. Lagutin ended up third, while Haedo found the sweet spot and shot across the line to victory.

“I had to switch positions and start looking for the guys I knew could do well,” the Argentinean explained. “Then I had to stop a little bit when I got to 150 meters because Ivan [Dominguez of Toyota-United] was going to the right and so was I. We kind of touched each other and I lost some speed there, but then I was able to get it anyway.”

Rodriguez, just a point behind Haedo in the Maxxis Sprint Leader’s Jersey coming into the final stage, opted not to expend any energy chasing intermediate bonus points and instead hoped to snatch the 15 points awaiting the stage winner. That would have nabbed Rodriguez both prizes at once, but it was not to be.

Behind Haedo and Rodriguez, well behind in 25th place, Brajkovic crossed the line secure in the knowledge that he held on to his slight 12-second lead over CSC’s Christian Vande Velde. The 23 year-old Slovenian encountered only one nervous moment Sunday when he required a rear wheel change during the race. Spaniard David Cañada (Saunier Duval-Prodir) rounded out the top three at 3:04.

“This was a great success,” said Brajkovic, who said his primary goal this season remains the Vuelta España. “The biggest win of my career so far. I wasn’t even planning on being here, so this makes it an even more amazing victory.”

The 107-rider peloton rolled from the start line on this the 37th Earth Day, and raced for nine 7.4-mile laps, averaging 28 mph. Showing their local colors once again was the Athens, Georgia-based Jittery Joe’s team, who’s injured climber Cesar Grajales showed tenacious resolve in leading the day’s prominent breakaway.

Grajales, who separated his shoulder in a crash at Redlands earlier this year, was joined by Health Net-Maxxis rider Kirk O’Bee and Ben Jacques-Maynes (Priority Health-Bissell).

Millar was aggresive all week...
Millar was aggresive all week...
Photo: Casey B. Gibson

Jaques-Maynes dropped off on lap six with a mechanical, and ended up a DNF. That forced the remaining duo to soldier on without him.

With Grajales running out of gas, perhaps because he was unable to raise his arm to take feeds, the pair was caught on the last lap. At that point it was a sprinter’s game, and Haedo had the best game plan.

“It was not as important as yesterday to have a good position in the last corner,” said Haedo who won the final stage of last year’s Tour de Georgia, which finished in the Atlanta suburb of Alpharetta. “But I stayed near my team. It was almost 2k from the corner to the finish, and there was a little bit of a headwind.”

Haedo maintained his hold on the sprinters’ jersey with his win. As there were no KoM points Sundday, Ryder Hesjedal (Health Net-Maxxis) kept that title. Grajales’ commendable effort earned him the Most Aggressive Rider for the Day, while Best Young Rider went to Sheldon Deeny of the USA Development.

Brajkovic, who was originally scheduled to be riding the Pays-Basque stage race in Spain, was forced to swap assignments with Jose Luis Rubiera and come here to support teammates Tom Danielson and Levi Leipheimer.

It was a fortuitous turn of events that threw Brajkovic into contention for the overall title, after he joined a well-represented break during Wednesday’s 118-mile third stage ride into Chattanooga. By doing so, Brajkovic not only put himself into position to take the overall title, the 23-year-old easily defended the Best Young Rider title he earned in 2006.

“This is my first stage [race] win, but I hope it is not my last one,” he said. “With this team I feel like someday I have a chance to win a grand tour.”Results – Stage 7
1. Haedo Juan José (ARG), CSC, 107.5km in 2:25:30
2. Fred Rodriguez (USA), Predictor-Lotto
3. Sergey Lagutin (UZB), Navigators Insurance
4. Ivan Dominguez (CUB), Toyota United
5. George Hincapie (USA), Discovery Channel
6. Richard England (Aus), Priority Health-Bissell
7. Ruggero Marzoli (I), Tinkoff Credit Systems
8. Andrea Tonti (I), Quick Step-Innergetic
9. Evan Elken (USA), Jittery Joe's Coffee
10. Charles Dionne (CAN), Colavita Olive Oil-Sutter Home

Final Overall Standings
1. Janez Brajkovic (SLO), Discovery Channel, 1058.9km in 25:26:33 (41.619kph)
2. Christian Vande Velde (USA) CSC, at 0:12
3. David Canada Gracia (Sp) Saunier Duval, at 3:04
4. Rubens Bertogliati (Swi) Saunier Duval, at 3:06
5. Kevin Seeldraeyers (B) Quick Step-Innergetic, at 4:22
6. Scott Nydam (USA) BMC, at 5:35
7. Jeff Louder (USA) Health Net Maxxis, at 6:00
8. Timothy Johnson (USA) Health Net Maxxis, at 6:59
9. Lucas Euser (USA) Slipstream-Chipotle, at 10:08
10. Ivan Santaromita (Swi) Quick Step-Innergetic, at 12:15

To see how today's stage developed, simply CLICK HERE to open our Live Update Window (or enter this address into your mobile device browser: www.velonews.com/live_mobile) and then check back soon for photos, results and a complete stage report.

Photo Gallery