who is the winner of the nevada city bike race ?”
The Nevada City Bicycle Classic was the Lance Armstrong show, from the moment he arrived in town Sunday until he crossed the line in first place, arms extended overhead, his muscular legs glistening in the early evening sun. He did all the right things in the bike race, lapping all but five of 130 riders in the 90-minute circuit race through this picturesque, historic Gold Rush-era town with a dose of New Age quirkiness. The multimillionaire, seven-time Tour de France champion even won a $50 prime (pronounced preem) during the race, a small incentive prize for winning a designated lap during the event.
1870 days after his latest victory in professional cycling, the 2005 Tour de France, Lance Armstrong (Team Astana) has again won a professional road race. In front of an estimated crowd of 20,000 pro road cycling fans, Armstrong captured the top spot in the 49th Nevada City Classic in California – one of the most historic and challenging professional races in the United States. Armstrong finished the 40-lap race that winded around a 1.1-mile circuit through the historic mining town in 1 hour, 28 minutes and 20 seconds, sprinting away from the peloton with about six laps to go on the hilly course. The seven-turn route traveled up and down steep hills, making it one of the more challenging single-day cycling races in the country. Ben Jacques-Maynes (Team Bissell) finished second, 21 seconds behind. Three-time Tour of California winner and fellow teammate Levi Leipheimer (Team Astana) finished third, 22 seconds behind. “What a great race”, Lance Armstrong commented after his first victory
Lance Armstrong won the Nevada City Classic on Sunday night, holding off teammate Levi Leipheimer in the challenging one-day race in the Sierra Nevada foothills. Armstrong finished a repeated 1.1-mile circuit through the historic mining town in 1 hour, 28 minutes and 20 seconds, sprinting away from the peloton with about six laps to go on the hilly course. Ben Jacques-Maynes finished 21 seconds behind in second place. Leipheimer, the three-time Tour of California champion, was third, 1 second behind Jacques-Maynes. More than 15,000 fans cheered on Armstrong, the seven-time Tour de France winner, in the 49th edition of the Northern California race. Armstrong, who last appeared in the race 19 years ago, only committed to the Nevada City Classic five days earlier as he prepares for another run at the Tour after a 3 1/2-year absence from cycling.
