The flat route of the race already made stage wins likely for the in-form Peter Sagan, but the Cannondale rider seized early success when he dominated the prologue of the Tour of Alberta. The new Canadian race saw an impressive start by the Slovakian, who covered the 7.3 kilometre distance in just eight minutes 28 seconds, beating closest rival Rohan Dennis (Team Garmin-Sharp) by thirteen seconds.
Tobias Ludvigsson (Team Argos-Shimano) and Cadel Evans (BMC Racing Team) were fourteen and twenty seconds back respectively, with Brent Bookwalter (BMC Racing Team) and Chad Haga (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) rounding out the top six.
The success echoed Sagan’s prologue win last year in the Tour de Suisse. That course also included a climb and fast descent.
“When I feel good I don’t want to preclude any result, and today the feelings were great” he said after the finish “I raced this prologue aiming for the victory. I like these short and strong efforts, I know I can be really competitive.”
The route included a one kilometre climb and Tom Jelte Slagter (Belkin) concentrated completely on being best on this, saving everything to blast up it, set the fastest time for the ascent and take over the first mountains jersey.
Early on, Ludvigsson clocked up the top early time, racing around the course in eight minutes 42 seconds. Other riders such as Dave Zabriskie (Garmin Sharp, ultimately eighth), Tom Zirbel (Optum-Kelly Benefit Strategies), Pieter Weening (Orica GreenEdge), Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin Sharp), Bookwalter and Haga all trying and failing to topple the Swede.
Dennis finally managed to do it, but wasn’t able to enjoy leadership for very long; Sagan blasted home far quicker, with his thirteen second beating of that time underlining just how dominant he is.
The race continues with a number of stages which look set to finish in bunch sprints; with time bonuses up for grabs, Sagan looks a strong bet to take the overall, although he has said that he is primarily concerned with trying to win the GP Cycliste de Quebec and the GP Cycliste de Montreal.
The Tour of Alberta continues today with a 158.1 kilometre race from Strathcona County to Camrose.
Sagan will be the one most closely watched by all of the teams. He states that he is in good shape. “After the great experience in Colorado I trained in altitude with my teammates to maintain the level of the form I achieved and be at the start of Tour of Alberta already competitive,” he said.
“This race is an important step for this final part of the season and I would like to race in the best way. We'll see the result I can achieve during next days, but I'm here to do well. The win is always the first goal.”
Tour of Alberta (2.1)
Edmonton prologue:
1, Peter Sagan (Cannondale Pro Cycling) 7.3 kilometres in 8 mins 28 secs
2, Rohan Dennis (Team Garmin-Sharp) at 13 secs
3, Tobias Ludvigsson (Team Argos-Shimano) at 14 secs
4, Cadel Evans (BMC Racing Team) at 20 secs
5, Brent Bookwalter (BMC Racing Team) at 21 secs
6, Chad Haga (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) at 23 secs
7, Pieter Weening (Orica GreenEdge) at 29 secs
8, David Zabriskie (Team Garmin-Sharp) at 30 secs
9, Tom Zirbel (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies)
10, Ryder Hesjedal (Team Garmin-Sharp)
11, Patrick Gretsch (Team Argos-Shimano)
12, Robert Gesink (Belkin Pro Cycling Team) at 31 secs
13, Benjamin Day (UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling) at 32 secs
14, Damiano Caruso (Cannondale Pro Cycling) at 33 secs
15, David Millar (Team Garmin-Sharp) at 34 secs
16, Simon Geschke (Team Argos-Shimano) at 35 secs
17, Christian Vandevelde (Team Garmin-Sharp)
18, John Murphy (UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling) at mins 36 secs
19, Lawrence Warbasse (BMC Racing Team) at 39 secs
20, Cam Meyer (Orica GreenEdge)
21, Shawn Milne (5-Hour Energy p/b Kenda)
22, Charles Huff (Jelly Belly p/b Kenda) at 40 secs
23, Rob Britton (Canadian National Team) at 41 secs
24, Robert Sweeting (5-Hour Energy p/b Kenda) at 42 secs
25, Edward King (Cannondale Pro Cycling)
26, Antoine Duchesne (Canadian National Team)
27, Francisco Mancebo (Spain) 5-Hour Energy p/b Kenda) at 43 secs
28, Eric Marcotte (SmartStop p/b Mountain Khakis)
29, Lachlan David Morton (Team Garmin-Sharp)
30, Serghei Tvetcov (Jelly Belly p/b Kenda)
31, Jakub Novak (BMC Racing Team) at 44 secs
32, Ryan Roth (Champion System Pro Cycling)
33, Adam Farabaugh (Equipe Garneau-Québecor)
34, Ryan Anderson (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) at 45 secs
35, Travis McCabe (SmartStop p/b Mountain Khakis)
36, Fred Rodriguez (Jelly Belly p/b Kenda) at 46 secs
37, Zach Bell (Champion System Pro Cycling) at 47 secs
38, Amaël Moinard (BMC Racing Team)
39, Benjamin Wolfe (Jelly Belly p/b Kenda) at 48 secs
40, David Williams (5-Hour Energy p/b Kenda)
41, Andres Diaz (5-Hour Energy p/b Kenda) at 49 secs
42, Kristofer Dahl (SmartStop p/b Mountain Khakis)
43, Craig Lewis (Champion System Pro Cycling) at 50 secs
44, Nic Hamlton (Jelly Belly p/b Kenda)
45, Jeremy Vennell (Bissell Pro Cycling)
46, Michael Olsson (Team Argos-Shimano) at 51 secs
47, Michel Koch (Cannondale Pro Cycling)
48, Jason McCartney (Bissell Pro Cycling) at 52 secs
49, Taylor Shelden (5-Hour Energy p/b Kenda)
50, Steven Kruijswijk (Belkin Pro Cycling Team) at 53 secs
51, Silvan Dillier (BMC Racing Team)
52, Kirk Carlsen (Bissell Pro Cycling)
53, Robert Forster (UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling)
54, Marc Goos (Belkin Pro Cycling Team)
55, Scott Zwizanski (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) at 54 secs
56, Tom Jelte Slagter (Belkin Pro Cycling Team)
57, Jeffry Louder (UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling)
58, Alexander Cataford (Equipe Garneau-Québecor)
59, Jeremy Powers (Jelly Belly p/b Kenda) at 55 secs
60, Michael Hepburn (Orica GreenEdge)
61, Bruno Langlois (Equipe Garneau-Québecor) at 56 secs
62, Luka Mezgec (Team Argos-Shimano)
63, Brian Vandborg (Cannondale Pro Cycling)
64, Christopher Jones (UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling) at 57 secs
65, Fabian Wegemann (Team Garmin-Sharp)
66, Garrett McLeod (Canadian National Team)
67, Tomas Vaitkus (Orica GreenEdge)
68, Thomas Damuseau (Team Argos-Shimano) at 59 secs
69, Emerson Oronte (Jelly Belly p/b Kenda)
70, Clay Murfet (SmartStop p/b Mountain Khakis)
71, Eric Young (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies)
72, Matthias Friedemann (Champion System Pro Cycling) at 1 min 0 secs
73, Clinton Avery (Champion System Pro Cycling)
74, Shane Kline (SmartStop p/b Mountain Khakis) at 1 min 2 secs
75, Sean Mazich (Jelly Belly p/b Kenda) at 1 min 4 secs
76, Moreno Hofland (Belkin Pro Cycling Team) at 1 min 6 secs
77, Nicholai Brochner (Bissell Pro Cycling)
78, Ken Hanson (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) at 1 min 9 secs
79, Pierrick Naud (Equipe Garneau-Québecor) at 1 min 10 secs
80, Ryan Aitcheson (Canadian National Team) at 1 min 11 secs
81, Davide Frattini (UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling)
82, Jean-Michel Lachance (Canadian National Team) at 1 min 12 secs
83, Jack Bobridge (Belkin Pro Cycling Team)
84, Tommy Nankervis (Bissell Pro Cycling)
85, Steve Morabito (BMC Racing Team)
86, Flavio De Luna (SmartStop p/b Mountain Khakis) at 1 min 13 secs
87, Michael Woods (Equipe Garneau-Québecor)
88, Luke Keough (UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling) at 1 min 15 secs
89, Bobby Lea (SmartStop p/b Mountain Khakis)
90, Jonas Ahlstrand (Team Argos-Shimano) at 1 min 21 secs
91, Stuart Wight (Canadian National Team) at 1 min 22 secs
92, Derrick St John (Canadian National Team)
93, Andrew Dahlheim (Bissell Pro Cycling)
94, Chris Butler (Champion System Pro Cycling)
95, Aidis Kroupis (Orica GreenEdge) at 1 min 25 secs
96, William Clarke (Team Argos-Shimano) at 1 min 26 secs
97, Fummi Beppu (Japan) Orica GreenEdge) at 1 min 27 secs
98, Frank Pipp (Bissell Pro Cycling)
99, Mark Renshaw (Belkin Pro Cycling Team) at 1 min 28 secs
100, Thomas Soladay (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies)
101, Thomas Dekker (Team Garmin-Sharp) at 1 min 31 secs
102, Simon-Pierre Gauthier (Equipe Garneau-Québecor)
103, Michael Friedman (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) at 1 min 33 secs
104, Chad Beyer (Champion System Pro Cycling) at 1 min 34 secs
105, Jean-Sebastien Perron (Canadian National Team) at 1 min 37 secs
106, Max Jenkins (5-Hour Energy p/b Kenda)
107, Aldo Ilesic (UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling) at 1 min 38 secs
108, Jiyong Kang (Orica GreenEdge) at 1 min 44 secs
109, Fu Shiu Cheung (Champion System Pro Cycling)
110, Michael Chauner (Equipe Garneau-Québecor) at 1 min 49 secs
111, Nariyuki Masuda (Cannondale Pro Cycling)
112, Benjamin Chaddock (SmartStop p/b Mountain Khakis) at 1 min 51 secs
113, Dennis Van Winden (Belkin Pro Cycling Team) at 1 min 59 secs
114, Carter Jones (Bissell Pro Cycling) at 2 mins 3 secs
115, Marcus Burghardt (BMC Racing Team) at 2 mins 4 secs
116, Geoffroy Dussault (Equipe Garneau-Québecor) at 2 mins 15 secs
117, James Stemper (5-Hour Energy p/b Kenda) at 2 mins 21 secs
General Classification:
1, Peter Sagan (Cannondale Pro Cycling) 8 mins 28 secs
2, Rohan Dennis (Team Garmin-Sharp) at 13 secs
3, Tobias Ludvigsson (Team Argos-Shimano) at 14 secs
4, Cadel Evans (BMC Racing Team) at 20 secs
5, Brent Bookwalter (BMC Racing Team) at 21 secs
6, Chad Haga (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) at 23 secs
7, Pieter Weening (Orica GreenEdge) at 29 secs
8, David Zabriskie (Team Garmin-Sharp) at 30 secs
9, Tom Zirbel (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies)
10, Ryder Hesjedal (Team Garmin-Sharp)
11, Patrick Gretsch (Team Argos-Shimano)
12, Robert Gesink (Belkin Pro Cycling Team) at 31 secs
13, Benjamin Day (UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling) at 32 secs
14, Damiano Caruso (Cannondale Pro Cycling) at 33 secs
15, David Millar (Team Garmin-Sharp) at 34 secs
16, Simon Geschke (Team Argos-Shimano) at 35 secs
17, Christian Vandevelde (Team Garmin-Sharp)
18, John Murphy (UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling) at 36 secs
19, Lawrence Warbasse (BMC Racing Team) at 39 secs
20, Cam Meyer (Orica GreenEdge)
21, Shawn Milne (5-Hour Energy p/b Kenda)
22, Charles Huff (Jelly Belly p/b Kenda) at 40 secs
23, Rob Britton (Canadian National Team) at 41 secs
24, Robert Sweeting (5-Hour Energy p/b Kenda) at 42 secs
25, Edward King (Cannondale Pro Cycling)
26, Antoine Duchesne (Canadian National Team)
27, Francisco Mancebo (Spain) 5-Hour Energy p/b Kenda) at 43 secs
28, Eric Marcotte (SmartStop p/b Mountain Khakis)
29, Lachlan David Morton (Team Garmin-Sharp)
30, Serghei Tvetcov (Jelly Belly p/b Kenda)
31, Jakub Novak (BMC Racing Team) at 44 secs
32, Ryan Roth (Champion System Pro Cycling)
33, Adam Farabaugh (Equipe Garneau-Québecor)
34, Ryan Anderson (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) at 45 secs
35, Travis McCabe (SmartStop p/b Mountain Khakis)
36, Fred Rodriguez (Jelly Belly p/b Kenda) at 46 secs
37, Zach Bell (Champion System Pro Cycling) at 47 secs
38, Amaël Moinard (BMC Racing Team)
39, Benjamin Wolfe (Jelly Belly p/b Kenda) at 48 secs
40, David Williams (5-Hour Energy p/b Kenda)
41, Andres Diaz (5-Hour Energy p/b Kenda) at 49 secs
42, Kristofer Dahl (SmartStop p/b Mountain Khakis)
43, Craig Lewis (Champion System Pro Cycling) at 50 secs
44, Nic Hamlton (Jelly Belly p/b Kenda)
45, Jeremy Vennell (Bissell Pro Cycling)
46, Michael Olsson (Team Argos-Shimano) at 51 secs
47, Michel Koch (Cannondale Pro Cycling)
48, Jason McCartney (Bissell Pro Cycling) at 52 secs
49, Taylor Shelden (5-Hour Energy p/b Kenda)
50, Steven Kruijswijk (Belkin Pro Cycling Team) at 53 secs
51, Silvan Dillier (BMC Racing Team)
52, Kirk Carlsen (Bissell Pro Cycling)
53, Robert Forster (UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling)
54, Marc Goos (Belkin Pro Cycling Team)
55, Scott Zwizanski (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) at 54 secs
56, Tom Jelte Slagter (Belkin Pro Cycling Team)
57, Jeffry Louder (UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling)
58, Alexander Cataford (Equipe Garneau-Québecor)
59, Jeremy Powers (Jelly Belly p/b Kenda) at 55 secs
60, Michael Hepburn (Orica GreenEdge)
61, Bruno Langlois (Equipe Garneau-Québecor) at 56 secs
62, Luka Mezgec (Team Argos-Shimano)
63, Brian Vandborg (Cannondale Pro Cycling)
64, Christopher Jones (UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling) at 57 secs
65, Fabian Wegemann (Team Garmin-Sharp)
66, Garrett McLeod (Canadian National Team)
67, Tomas Vaitkus (Orica GreenEdge)
68, Thomas Damuseau (Team Argos-Shimano) at 59 secs
69, Emerson Oronte (Jelly Belly p/b Kenda)
70, Clay Murfet (SmartStop p/b Mountain Khakis)
71, Eric Young (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies)
72, Matthias Friedemann (Champion System Pro Cycling) at 1 min 0 secs
73, Clinton Avery (Champion System Pro Cycling)
74, Shane Kline (SmartStop p/b Mountain Khakis) at 1 min 2 secs
75, Sean Mazich (Jelly Belly p/b Kenda) at 1 min 4 secs
76, Moreno Hofland (Belkin Pro Cycling Team) at 1 min 6 secs
77, Nicholai Brochner (Bissell Pro Cycling)
78, Ken Hanson (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) at 1 min 9 secs
79, Pierrick Naud (Equipe Garneau-Québecor) at 1 min 10 secs
80, Ryan Aitcheson (Canadian National Team) at 1 min 11 secs
81, Davide Frattini (UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling)
82, Jean-Michel Lachance (Canadian National Team) at 1 min 12 secs
83, Jack Bobridge (Belkin Pro Cycling Team)
84, Tommy Nankervis (Bissell Pro Cycling)
85, Steve Morabito (BMC Racing Team)
86, Flavio De Luna (SmartStop p/b Mountain Khakis) at 1 min 13 secs
87, Michael Woods (Equipe Garneau-Québecor)
88, Luke Keough (UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling) at 1 min 15 secs
89, Bobby Lea (SmartStop p/b Mountain Khakis)
90, Jonas Ahlstrand (Team Argos-Shimano) at 1 min 21 secs
91, Stuart Wight (Canadian National Team) at 1 min 22 secs
92, Derrick St John (Canadian National Team)
93, Andrew Dahlheim (Bissell Pro Cycling)
94, Chris Butler (Champion System Pro Cycling)
95, Aidis Kroupis (Orica GreenEdge) at 1 min 25 secs
96, William Clarke (Team Argos-Shimano) at 1 min 26 secs
97, Fummi Beppu (Japan) Orica GreenEdge) at 1 min 27 secs
98, Frank Pipp (Bissell Pro Cycling)
99, Mark Renshaw (Belkin Pro Cycling Team) at 1 min 28 secs
100, Thomas Soladay (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies)
101, Thomas Dekker (Team Garmin-Sharp) at 1 min 31 secs
102, Simon-Pierre Gauthier (Equipe Garneau-Québecor)
103, Michael Friedman (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) at 1 min 33 secs
104, Chad Beyer (Champion System Pro Cycling) at 1 min 34 secs
105, Jean-Sebastien Perron (Canadian National Team) at 1 min 37 secs
106, Max Jenkins (5-Hour Energy p/b Kenda)
107, Aldo Ilesic (UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling) at 1 min 38 secs
108, Jiyong Kang (Orica GreenEdge) at 1 min 44 secs
109, Fu Shiu Cheung (Champion System Pro Cycling)
110, Michael Chauner (Equipe Garneau-Québecor) at 1 min 49 secs
111, Nariyuki Masuda (Cannondale Pro Cycling)
112, Benjamin Chaddock (SmartStop p/b Mountain Khakis) at 1 min 51 secs
113, Dennis Van Winden (Belkin Pro Cycling Team) at 1 min 59 secs
114, Carter Jones (Bissell Pro Cycling) at 2 mins 3 secs
115, Marcus Burghardt (BMC Racing Team) at 2 mins 4 secs
116, Geoffroy Dussault (Equipe Garneau-Québecor) at 2 mins 15 secs
117, James Stemper (5-Hour Energy p/b Kenda) at 2 mins 21 secs
King of the Mountain: Tom Jelte Slagter (Belkin Pro Cycling Team) 10 pts
Young rider classification:
1, Peter Sagan (Cannondale Pro Cycling) at 8 mins 28 secs
2, Rohan Dennis (Team Garmin-Sharp) at 13 secs
3, Tobias Ludvigsson (Team Argos-Shimano) at 14 secs
4, Lawrence Warbasse (BMC Racing Team) at 39 secs
5, Antoine Duchesne (Canadian National Team) at 42 secs
6, Lachlan David Morton (Team Garmin-Sharp) at 43 secs
7, Jakub Novak (BMC Racing Team) at 44 secs
8, Adam Farabaugh (Equipe Garneau-Québecor)
9, Travis McCabe (SmartStop p/b Mountain Khakis) at 45 secs
10, Benjamin Wolfe (Jelly Belly p/b Kenda) at 48 secs
Team classification:
1, Team Garmin-Sharp, at 26 mins 37 secs
2, Cannondale Pro Cycling, at 2 secs
3, Team Argos-Shimano, at 6 secs
4, BMC Racing Team, at 7 secs
5, Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies, at 25 secs
6, UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling, at 48 secs
7, Orica GreenEdge, at 50 secs
8 5-Hour Energy p/b Kenda, at 51 secs
9, Jelly Belly p/b Kenda, at 56 secs
10, SmartStop p/b Mountain Khakis, at 1 min 4 secs
11, Belkin Pro Cycling Team)
12, Canadian National Team, at 1 min 7 secs
13, Champion System Pro Cycling, at 1 min 8 secs
14, Equipe Garneau-Québecor, at 1 min 21 secs
15, Bissell Pro Cycling, at 1 min 22 secs