Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team 2007

While Ivan Dominguez sat in, the Toyota-United train
tried to chase down the breakaway group.
Macon, Ga. – A concerted chase by the Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team didn’t bring back a five-man breakaway on Monday’s Stage 1 of the Tour de Georgia. But the effort did deliver Ivan Dominguez to a fifth place finish at the end of the 98.5 mile (158.6 km) race.

Dominguez finished second in the field sprint to Ryder Hesjedal (Health Net presented by Maxxis) as the peloton arrived in Macon one minute and 22 seconds behind stage winner Daniele Contrini (Tinkoff Credit Systems). Doug Ollerenshaw (Health Net) and Valery Kobzarenko (Navigators Insurance Cycling Team), who were in the original break, finished second and third, respectively.

A gusty wind out of the southwest provided a strong tailwind from the start that helped the five leaders gain a maximum advantage of eight minutes. When the break reached the outskirts of Macon for three finishing circuits, its lead was still more than four minutes.

Toyota-United Team Director Harm Jansen ordered his riders to begin an all-out chase with 25 km (15.5 miles) remaining. From there, Toyota-United’s Burke Swindlehurst said it was a “110 percent effort” to catch the leaders, who split into smaller groups on the circuit.

“We were just full gas on the front,” he said. “But with two laps to go, it became pretty apparent we weren’t going to bring the break back in.”

Dominguez said without the tailwind, the five escapees would have been caught.

“With the tailwind, the guys in the break are doing 60 kph and we're doing 61 or 62 kph. So they're not coming back for a long time,” he said. “We should have probably had a few guys work when CSC and Discovery were on the front. But Harm said to wait. By the time we started chasing, it was too late and the other teams didn't want to do anything.”

Mechanic Shane Fedon’s Post-Stage Report
Flat Tires Monday: None. Other Mechanicals: None

Previewing Tuesday’s Stage 2
Tuesday’s stage is another for the sprinters. The 134.9-mile (217.1 km) race starts at 11 a.m. in Thomaston and finishes in Rome. Last year, Stage 2 started in Fayetteville and ended in Rome with Yaroslav Popovych (Discovery Channel Pro Cycling) winning the race.

The Toyota-United Prius team car will be in the sixth spot in the race caravan.