Posts: 5284 Joined: 12.05.12 Location: Walking on Sunshine PCM$: 55.50
Team Europcar
Squad
Voeckler
Thomas Voeckler leads the team. A classic fighter with 2 stage wins over the last 2 Tours. This year Thomas aims again for stage wins and many breaks.
Rolland
Pierre Rolland is one of Frances beast climbing talents. He will tackle the mountains hard, hoping to keep with the favorites as long as possible.
Edited by TheManxMissile on 05-06-2012 11:28
Posts: 5284 Joined: 12.05.12 Location: Walking on Sunshine PCM$: 55.50
Tour de France 2011
The Route
The key points of the year are the finishes up to Luz-Ardiden, Palteau de Beille, Col du Calibier and Alpe d'Huez. The short amount of time trialing will help the pure climbers even more.
Spoiler:
The race begins in Europcar's home region of the Vendee.
No prologue this year, but a road race to the top of the Mont des Allouette
The TTT returns after a year away. Not a day for the team.
The first pure sprinters stage. Again a lack of finishing speed will hurt.
Stage 4's all about the finish on the Mur-de-Bretagne. Hopefully we can surprise the favorites.
Expect high crosswinds. Keeping the team at the front is key.
3 climbs make this an interesting stage. The rolling finish could see a break make it.
Another sprint stage. Another day gone for Europcar.
The first real test of the race. Europcar will be in the break.
Stage 9 wont win the tour, but it could lose it. Expect us to be very active.
Another rolling day. Tired legs will benefit the strong men.
A final chance to rest before the Pyrenees. Perhaps a break will go all the way.
3 major mountains. We will be hanging on for dear life.
Only one mountain. Perhaps the descentists will have a chance.
The toughest day yet with 6 climbs. Can Europcar hold on.
A rest and a sprint, simple as.
One climb neat the end will be exciting. A definite chance for Europcar here.
In essence a mountain stage. Conserving any energy for the days ahead.
!!!
!!!!!
Watch the specialists take charge. Not day for Europcar again.
3 weeks and 2,430km later...
The Favorites
Spoiler:
Alberto Contador (Saxobank)
The winner of this years Giro, and the last 2 tours is odds on favorite.
He can climb as well as anyone, and time trial with the best.
His only weakness is his team and how the Giro affected him
Andy Schleck
2nd place in 2010 was tough for the Luxembourger. The route suits his abilities and is a strong 2nd favorite.
He is perhaps the best climber around.
He is let down by his time trialing.
Bradley Wiggins
Winner of the Dauphine Wiggo is a surprise threat.
He proved he can climb, and we know he can TT.
Cadel Evans
The Aussies come 2nd before. This may be his last chance to win.
Mark Cavendish
You cant look beyond the Missile for the green jersey
Posts: 5284 Joined: 12.05.12 Location: Walking on Sunshine PCM$: 55.50
Stage 1
Preview
191.5km from Passage Du Gois off the coast, inland to the top of the Mont des Alouettes.
The final climb is 2.2km at 4.7% avg.
A day for the punchers or a strong sprinter.
Favorites; Gilbert, Hushovd and Cavendish
Europcar; Our plan for the day is to get a either Gene or Quemenur in the break. We dont have a rider who can contest the finish so it will mostly be about saving energy for the three weeks ahead.
The Stage
Km 1 The first attack of the Tour. Seiberg, Gene, Gutierez, Bodnar and Terpstra try to build a gap. Seiberg attack the peloton
Km 3 Bonnet, R.Perez, Bazayev, Tjallingi, Hondo and Engoulvent bridge across.
Km 7 Seiberg and Bodnar go clear together.
Km 9 The BMC lead peloton brings it all back together
Km 10 More attacks as Leukemans, Ignatiev, Gallopin, Bonnet, Steegmans, Buffaz, Bodnar and Gene try it again
Km 13 Tjallingi, R.Perez and Irizar bridge the gap
Km 22 Vaitkus, Reolandts, Malori, Coyot, Minard and Gutierez latch onto the leaders
Km 30 F.Schleck suffers a puncture but remains with the peloton
Km 32 Saxobank, BMC and Garmin bring back the breakaway
Km 39 Vaitkus, Steegmans, Buffaz, Irizar, Boom, Ivanov, Leukemans and Quemeneur grab a minutes lead
Gallopin, R.Perez, Coyot, Gutierez, Minard, Bonnet and Roelandts form a second group
Km 45 The second group is caught, and the first group is let clear quickly gaining 2minutes
The Break in the Vendee countryside
Km 80 This years first IS. Ivanov takes it easily. Steegmans is 2nd and Quemenur 3rd
Km 90 The gap starts to decrease from a maximum of 6:36
Km 161 With 30km to go the gap is 2:00
Km 167 Leukemans, Boom, Ivanov, Quemenur, Irizar and Vaitkus attack
Km 171 With 20km to go the gap is 1:12, and Cancellara attacks
Spartacus launches one
Km 176 The days break is caught, but Cancellara is still 30" up the road
Km 180 Cancellara is caught by the bunch
The peloton swallows Cancellara
Km 189Europcar are trying to move forward to mix it up, but get blocked out, and attention shifts to the front of the race.
900m to go Rojas is the first to go down the left of the road 600m to go Boasson-Hagen bursts down the centre of the road, Feillu is trying to stay with him 200m to go Feillu goes round Hagen to the left 100m to goRolland suddenly appears on the far left and lunges for the line
Finish
Feillu holds on to take his first Tour victory. Rolland shocks in 2nd as Hagen fades to 3rd.
We started well. Quemenur got in the break and took 3rd at the IS, a perfect start. The team got boxed in towards the finish and somehow weaved through to the front right at the end. Rolland was desperately close to a win, and is showing great form.
In fact Rolland will wear the Points jersey for the TTT tomorrow and stage 3 as well. Europcar lead the team standings so at least we cant be overtaken tomorrow.
An amazing start but we wont be able to keep this up.
Posts: 5284 Joined: 12.05.12 Location: Walking on Sunshine PCM$: 55.50
thats the first stage done and up
let me know what you think of the style etc.
i know theres a lot of europcar quys up there
i was boxed out with 2km to go, so just watched the front of the race
then suddenly 3 of them appeared, dont know how
this was played on medium just to get a feel, i will switch up to hard for a bit
A solid, surprisingly good ride from the squad.
We minimized our losses and are in a good position to get in the breaks over the next week.
Edited by TheManxMissile on 04-06-2012 19:28
I like the way you highlight your rider's names in green, suits Europcar, of course
About the TTT, it's very nice that you commented on every team, it makes people much more interested in the story, I think. It makes it a little more realistic, you almost feel like you're a real reporter, in a way.
Edited by Ian Butler on 04-06-2012 21:19