Tour de Georgia: Into the Mountains (starts noon EDT)

by Sui Juris on Apr 18, 2007 12:00 PM EDT

Ivan Stevic (Toyota-United) surprised many (including the announcer, who kept saying "Ivan Dominguez!") for the win yesterday, beating JJ Haedo (CSC) in a sprint finish. Fred Rodriguez (You're Preggers) took third.

This stage didn't do anything to change the top end of the GC standings (Contrini, Ollerenshaw, and Day remain 1-3), but with a good swath of the field within a minute and a half of Contrini, I imagine we'll see a complete rearrangement today.

Contrini continues in the leader's jersey, but the rest of them change hands (or are worn for the first time). Ivan Stevic picks up the sprint jersey, Ben Jacques-Maynes (Priority Health) shows off the KOM jersey for the first time in the race, Austin King (Jittery Joe's) earned the Most Aggressive Rider jersey . And John Devine (USA Nat'l Dev.) gets the Best Young Rider jersey.

Stage Three leaves Rome at 12p, and heads straight north to Chattanooga, Tennessee. At 118.2 miles, it has four King of the Mountain climbs at Fouche Gap, Hwy. 48, Hwy. 136, and Burkhalter Gap. There's also a sprint line in Summerville (which comes after Fouche Gap). Map of the course here, and profile here.

(Assuming that the Tour Tracker coverage's primary problem today will be signal availability (and that's a bit of an assumption, I'd say), things should improve enough for decent coverage somewhere around the third climb.)

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Comments

The Video

of Stevic's attack was worth waiting for yesterday. It was a brilliant move that caught everyone by surprise. Nice to see the National teams taking 2 of 2 so far.

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 9:12 AM EDT reply actions

Wish I'd been able to get it

It's been very disappointing coverage, thus far. I told myself I wasn't even going to bother today, but I suspect I'll waste too much time on it, again.

Also, great photo of Stevic enjoying himself on the stand.

by Sui Juris on Apr 18, 2007 9:27 AM EDT up reply actions

That is a great shot.

The video was about an hour behind the actual finish . I just had it running in the background and flipped back to it when I could tell they were in the finishing circuits.

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 10:26 AM EDT up reply actions

Lots of good stuff

The Road magazine website has a bunch of video interviews posted from Georgia (they could use a better microphone however). Don't miss Dave Z. goofing off in the Toyota team bus.

http://roadmag.blogspot.com/index.html

by ghisallo on Apr 18, 2007 11:47 AM EDT reply actions

No audio/video for first half of race

At least they just came out and said it, this time :)

by Sui Juris on Apr 18, 2007 11:48 AM EDT reply actions

Cyclingfans.com:

"Yesterday's video streaming arrived at the finish line over an hour after the peloton, missing the time cut. The video streaming has thus been eliminated from the race. Okay, not very funny. [yes it is!] We'll see how it goes today."

by ghisallo on Apr 18, 2007 12:04 PM EDT up reply actions

Video!

No audio, natch (thankfully?). Will try the race radio option and pray it doesn't crash the browser this time...

by ghisallo on Apr 18, 2007 2:46 PM EDT reply actions

err..

I did see what appeared to be live coverage briefly. Nothing but commercials now.

by ghisallo on Apr 18, 2007 2:51 PM EDT up reply actions

According to CN

The breakaway group has a 17:20 lead with 70K to go. I think it's safe to say they're not coming back.

"I don't know too many monkeys who could take apart a fuel injector."

by Drew on Apr 18, 2007 2:59 PM EDT reply actions

All the big teams have a rider in the break

safe to say that with 2 CAT 3 climbs left they are not going to wear themselves out to catch them. Disco has Janez in the break. With his ability he is going to be a good bet for the overall unless they take a least a good portion back of the time gaps.

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 3:04 PM EDT reply actions

Yes, he can TT too

Even if the Peleton starts killing themselves now, how much can they realistically get back? 10' maybe, leaving the break a full 8' in front.

"I don't know too many monkeys who could take apart a fuel injector."

by Drew on Apr 18, 2007 3:08 PM EDT reply actions

Too bad for

Tom D. I thought this might be his year.

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 3:16 PM EDT reply actions

video is on now.

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 3:16 PM EDT reply actions

Ahh Disco defintely not

going to chase as they have 2 guys in the break...Meersman and Brajkovic

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 3:22 PM EDT reply actions

Her is the breakaway

Janez Brajkovic (Discovery Channel) , Gianni Meersman (Discovery Channel), Christian Vandevelde (Team CSC), Rubens Bertogliati (Saunier Duval - Prodir), David Canada Gracia (Saunier Duval - Prodir), Ivan Santaromita (Quick Step), Kevin Seeldrayers (Quick Step), Timothy Johnson (Health Net), Jeffry Louder (Health Net), Ciaran Power (Navigators Insurance), Lucas Euser (Team Slipstream), Tyler Wren (Colavita/Sutter Home), Scott Nydam (BMC)

they have 18+ minutes.

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 3:25 PM EDT reply actions

Janez was

5th in the GC, for the 2006 TdG. I imagine today brings him ideas about 1st.

by Sui Juris on Apr 18, 2007 3:35 PM EDT up reply actions

They are on the first of the

2 Cat 3's right now. Video appears to be following the tracker pretty good today.

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 3:26 PM EDT reply actions

1km to the top.

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 3:29 PM EDT reply actions

Time check is now to 22 minutes

gap to the breakaway. At this pace everyone in the peloton is giving up on GC completely

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 3:33 PM EDT reply actions

Video and Audio is now working.

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 3:40 PM EDT reply actions

Audio is actually

in sync with the video

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 3:41 PM EDT reply actions

Vandevelde could punch his ticket to the TdF

if he wins this event. It would be nice to see his team rally around him.

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by flying dog on Apr 18, 2007 3:49 PM EDT reply actions

23 minute gap

to the break.

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 3:49 PM EDT reply actions

He has his work cut out

for him as he has no teammates up their with him.

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 3:51 PM EDT reply actions

Hitting the last climb for the

break now.

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 3:54 PM EDT reply actions

Hamilton must be stewing

no one for Tinkoff made the break. I'm really surprised at the gap

by ghisallo on Apr 18, 2007 3:57 PM EDT reply actions

Am I reading this right?

In a meeting off site today... 23 minutes from the break to the peloton, with little racing left?

Got a problem? Va fa Napoli!

by Chris Fontecchio on Apr 18, 2007 3:59 PM EDT reply actions

Do you have to listen

to this kind of commentators all the time in the US? I've been listening for 20 min and I'm already suicidal.

by Jens on Apr 18, 2007 3:59 PM EDT reply actions

Sounds like they recruited

some radio disc jockeys

by hughw on Apr 18, 2007 4:01 PM EDT up reply actions

You know how this audio coul be improved?

I wish they would play a constant loop of some disco percussion in the background to give us that "action" feeling.... uh wait.. I can hear it! Yeah! This is all right!

by hughw on Apr 18, 2007 3:59 PM EDT reply actions

Keep it up LUCAS!

Nice to see him up there in the break and going over the mountains in the top three...

by bbnaz on Apr 18, 2007 4:01 PM EDT reply actions

Tinkoff just gave up on it.

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 4:02 PM EDT reply actions

Attack goes from the break

2 up the road. QS and SDV.

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 4:03 PM EDT reply actions

is it an attack or just KOM

by hughw on Apr 18, 2007 4:03 PM EDT reply actions

Attackers

Bertogliati & Seeldrayers

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 4:03 PM EDT reply actions

Attack I think.

It is all down hill over the top.

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 4:04 PM EDT reply actions

Break is coming

bacl to them slowly.

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 4:05 PM EDT reply actions

Seeldrayers

hits it again. Bertogliati just behind him

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 4:05 PM EDT reply actions

Oved the top now

Seeldrayers zips it up.

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 4:06 PM EDT reply actions

They have a small

gap now.

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 4:07 PM EDT reply actions

peloton still

on the downhill from the last climb.

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 4:08 PM EDT reply actions

12 s gap

for the 2 leaders.

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 4:08 PM EDT reply actions

Rest of the break

is looking at each other.

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 4:10 PM EDT reply actions

Following break is

down to 7 men now.

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 4:10 PM EDT reply actions

looks like they are going up the

long slope of Lookout Mtn if I read this map correctly. That's a long gentle uphill.

by hughw on Apr 18, 2007 4:11 PM EDT reply actions

Johnson

Louder, Wren off the back.

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 4:11 PM EDT reply actions

It is the downhill of

lookout MTN that will finish off the stage.

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 4:12 PM EDT reply actions

Seeldrayers & Bertoglioti

sharing pulls pretty evenly.

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 4:13 PM EDT reply actions

Yeah that's a tricky road

down the side of Lookout... was just there last fall.

by hughw on Apr 18, 2007 4:13 PM EDT reply actions

Vandevelde vs. Brajkovic

Pretty even in the TT but Brajkovic stronger on a climb like BT Bald, is that a fair assessment?

by Jens on Apr 18, 2007 4:16 PM EDT reply actions

Should be

He showed some good stuff last year at the Vuelta

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 4:20 PM EDT reply actions

15s for Seeldrayers & Bertogliati

Working together for now.

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 4:21 PM EDT reply actions

hey that might've been me

I just commented on the music

by hughw on Apr 18, 2007 4:22 PM EDT reply actions

If that music is playing over the loudspeakers

at the finish line, they have a little excuse

by hughw on Apr 18, 2007 4:23 PM EDT up reply actions

What did you say, Hugh?

by ghisallo on Apr 18, 2007 4:26 PM EDT up reply actions

You are now semi famous

Ha ha

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 4:23 PM EDT reply actions

Meersman trying to bridge up

to the leaders, they have 20s.

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 4:23 PM EDT reply actions

Heress that descent!

by hughw on Apr 18, 2007 4:23 PM EDT reply actions

Oh great

commercial during this exciting descent

by hughw on Apr 18, 2007 4:24 PM EDT reply actions

Fairly

technical descent switching back and forth over off camber turns.

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 4:25 PM EDT reply actions

Meersman the youngest

rider on Disco riding his first race on American Soil.

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 4:26 PM EDT reply actions

There is

not going to be enough time gap for the leaders to keep it over the last 5km flat run in.

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 4:27 PM EDT reply actions

If he yells "tet DAY la course"

once more I'm shutting down. I don't care how exciting the finish is.

by Jens on Apr 18, 2007 4:27 PM EDT reply actions

Video

is lagging the audio now.

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 4:28 PM EDT reply actions

Power goes

down on the decent but he is up and moving again.

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 4:29 PM EDT reply actions

this is great

but why let Lauder go?

by Sui Juris on Apr 18, 2007 4:29 PM EDT reply actions

Louder goes on the attack

he is getting a gap.

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 4:30 PM EDT reply actions

Video

about 2-3 minutes behind.

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 4:31 PM EDT reply actions

under 5km to go

about 8s gap to Lauder

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 4:32 PM EDT reply actions

Still not

enough to get all the way yet. 3km to go and 12 s gap

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 4:33 PM EDT reply actions

Where did they get these clowns?

"As long as I breathe, I attack."-- Bernard Hinault

by ELVISGOAT on Apr 18, 2007 4:33 PM EDT reply actions

World Wrestling Federation?

Wherever they came from they should be sent back.

Of course, this was the most exciting racing they have EVER seen! EVER!

by kos on Apr 18, 2007 4:42 PM EDT up reply actions

I love exclamation points

Btw, congrats on your new addition.

"I don't know too many monkeys who could take apart a fuel injector."

by Drew on Apr 18, 2007 4:46 PM EDT up reply actions

Now be fair

they're just radio DJ's hired to announce at the finish line to the assembled crowd. Disco blaring in the background. We're just listening in.

by hughw on Apr 18, 2007 4:48 PM EDT up reply actions

The announcers

These guys announced the AMGEN Tour of California too. They have done quite a few big races and it is not an easy job to entertain and keep the excitement up for the folks sitting around at the finish line, not all of whom can see the big screen televisions.

As for their commercials, remember that this race almost didn't come off so they are going to give each and every advertiser more than than their money's worth in hope that they come back next year.

by bbnaz on Apr 18, 2007 4:56 PM EDT up reply actions

I guess it

depends on one's definition of "entertained", lol.

Is the "race radio" option better? I'll try that one tomorrow.

by kos on Apr 18, 2007 7:22 PM EDT up reply actions

So far, no.

Thus far, "race radio" is some sound guy's iPod. And for the most part, I'd be pretty embarrassed to have that as my iPod. One of the announcers is Dave Towle. Who apparently makes a living at this. That just kills me. He sounds like a third string radio DJ from the late 70s (which is what he may well be).

by Sui Juris on Apr 18, 2007 7:50 PM EDT up reply actions

The teams with two riders can

bring this back if they push it hard enough.

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 4:34 PM EDT reply actions

2km to go

Lauder reeled in.

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 4:34 PM EDT reply actions

Theyre announcing to the crowd at the finish

by hughw on Apr 18, 2007 4:35 PM EDT reply actions

CVV go!

by hughw on Apr 18, 2007 4:35 PM EDT reply actions

Vandevelde

attacks in the final 2km.

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 4:35 PM EDT reply actions

Lauder hits it again

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 4:36 PM EDT reply actions

Finish

Janez takes it.

by Sui Juris on Apr 18, 2007 4:37 PM EDT reply actions

no no no no

Meersman. Gah. Sorry.

by Sui Juris on Apr 18, 2007 4:37 PM EDT up reply actions

In the final...

Meersmen in the sprint!!!

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 4:37 PM EDT reply actions

Great win for the youngster

Gianni is the youngest rider in the race.

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 4:38 PM EDT reply actions

He must have a good sprint as

he opened up a decent gap of about 50m in the final sprint.

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 4:39 PM EDT reply actions

Huge grin for

Meersman

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 4:39 PM EDT reply actions

David Canada

takes over the GC with the gap to the peloton.

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 4:40 PM EDT reply actions

You gotta kind of like

the raw Internet vibe of the on-line video, especially the one-camera coverage (meaning no good shot of the finishing line) as well as the extended shots of the ground and the van after the riders crossed the line.

That was still quite a nail-biter, and I do feel real fortunate to have even seen the race on-line at all, so no disrespect intended.

by 72andSunny on Apr 18, 2007 5:04 PM EDT reply actions

It was especially nice

considering that there will be little or nothing on TV about the race. My only complaint is the announcers are terrible.

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 5:11 PM EDT reply actions

VDS results

through yesterday.

Tour De Georgia

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by Clydesdale on Apr 18, 2007 5:17 PM EDT reply actions

whooohooo!!!

2nd place... no complaints here, RTR's best showing yet!

"As long as I breathe, I attack."-- Bernard Hinault

by ELVISGOAT on Apr 18, 2007 6:45 PM EDT up reply actions

Results

Stage:

Results

1 Gianni Meersman (Bel) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 4.33.18 (41.80 km/h)
2 David Canada Gracia (Spa) Saunier Duval - Prodir 0.01
3 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
4 Christian Vandevelde (USA) Team CSC
5 Kevin Seeldrayers (Bel) Quick Step - Innergetic
6 Jeffry Louder (USA) Health Net presented by Maxxis
7 Scott Nydam (USA) BMC Racing Team
8 Rubens Bertogliati (Swi) Saunier Duval - Prodir
9 Timothy Johnson (USA) Health Net presented by Maxxis 2.20
10 Lucas Euser (USA) Team Slipstream
11 Ivan Santaromita (Swi) Quick Step - Innergetic 3.35
12 Tyler Wren (USA) Colavita/Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light
13 Ciaran Power (Irl) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 5.05
14 Nick Reistad (USA) USA National Development Team 29.07

GC:

1 David Canada Gracia (Spa) Saunier Duval - Prodir 13.34.21
2 Rubens Bertogliati (Swi) Saunier Duval - Prodir 0.03
3 Christian Vandevelde (USA) Team CSC
4 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
5 Jeffry Louder (USA) Health Net presented by Maxxis
6 Kevin Seeldrayers (Bel) Quick Step - Innergetic
7 Scott Nydam (USA) BMC Racing Team 0.23
8 Lucas Euser (USA) Team Slipstream 2.22
9 Timothy Johnson (USA) Health Net presented by Maxxis 2.51
10 Tyler Wren (USA) Colavita/Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light 3.57
11 Ivan Santaromita (Swi) Quick Step - Innergetic
12 Ciaran Power (Irl) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 5.23
13 Gianni Meersman (Bel) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 6.31
14 Daniele Contrini (Ita) Tinkoff Credit Systems 27.47

To quote Chris Tucker in Friday: Daaaayum!

by Sui Juris on Apr 18, 2007 7:52 PM EDT reply actions

3 or 4 possibilities

But really, I think the big names are Brajkovic and Vandevelde (Brajkovic is the better climber there, I think, but after seeing the Vuelta... not sure)

Canada or Bertogliati could be a threat... maybe?

No idea about Jeffrey Louder, Kevin Seeldayers or Scott Nydam

by BDBrian on Apr 18, 2007 8:12 PM EDT up reply actions

Ha!

Perhaps the most amusing bit of the day:

Johan Bruneel has been "prohibited from Driving Team car in stage 5 for driving in excess of 90 MPH (150Kph) per Georgia State Patrol Speed measurement."

by Sui Juris on Apr 18, 2007 8:21 PM EDT reply actions