It’s the team time trial! It’s a tough one too, being 32,5 kilometers long containing a climb before the second time check. It’s expected that Aker-MOT and Boasson Hagen
will lose time today, but will the Norwegian lose the yellow jersey?
Favourites for the stage win are Bacardi
They’re expected to be challenged by Project 1t4i Koenigsegg
Santander
is first off, taking on the tough climb midway through this race against the truth. Not exactly a team of time trial specialists, and they come home in a time of 48'41.
Simply Red Bull
follows behind the Spanish team. They don’t have a team expected to challenge for the stage win, nor do they have a captain for the overall classification. But they’re our early marker today, as they got several decent chrono riders! They come home in 47’58, which is almost a minute better than Santander.
Team Puma-SAP
is similar to the previous teams, not a team expected to fight for a top five today. The arrive safely in Gossau in 48'27.
Venchi-Sugoi
is also a not so interesting team, considering they’re too weak for a good stage placing and have no riders top 30 in the GC. They finish the stage in 48'53, which is dead last.
The same goes for Lotto-Cervelo
who fights home in 48'42. (The picture is loaned from roturn's Catalunya report earlier this season. I missed to take a screenshot of them, sorry.) Though, they do have Monfort
sitting 8th overall before today’s team time trial, but being more than one and a half minute slower than Simply Red Bull is not a good sign thinking of his overall ambitions.
Project 1t4i
is first of the pre stage favourites, and they start well! 9’37 on the opening 5.6 kilometers is the provisional lead. They follow up with 30’03 through the second time check, which is 29 seconds faster than Simply Red Bull
and obviously the provisional lead!
Fothen
leads his team mates going down a short descent before the second time check. They were a massive disappointment on the first time check, being 45 seconds slower than Project 1t4i, and they haven’t been able to find the needed pace! 30’48 at the second time check is good enough for a provisional third, 45 seconds behind the Dutch team.
That can’t be what Fothen
wants from his team and mates today!
Then it’s Team Bacardi’s
turn to show up at the second time check. They still have all eight riders together, and found themselves eight seconds behind on the opening check point. They’re struggling to gear up as 30’45 42 seconds behind Project 1t4i!
Wiggle
is next, and it’s a decent performance! They’re through the time check in 30’25. That’s a provisional second, 22 seconds off the pace. Though, Cattaneo
is about to lose contact, meaning they only have five riders left. Have the Italians pushed too hard on the opening kilometers?
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
and their overall hope Brajkovic
are next. The Slovenian will be an absolute key if the American team is to survive the Pro Tour, and they do fairly well on the time check. They’re 38 seconds behind Project 1t4i, which means a provisional fourth.
Team B&O
and Pluchkin
wasn’t amongst the top favourites according to the bookmakers, and they struggle to prove them wrong. Actually, it’s a huge disappointment through the second time check! They started decent, only being 12 seconds off Project 1t4i’s pace at the first check point, but with 12 kilometers left they’re no less than 53 seconds behind in a provisional eight!
UBS-BMC
are looking fast coming to the second time check! Though, Champion
looks to be struggling at the back of their train, meaning they could be down to five riders pretty soon. Though, they’re thundering through the time check in 30’34! That’s a provisional fourth, and probably exactly the start Amador
wants.
Rujano
has proved his strength on the flat stages so far this tour, and today it’s more important than ever to be at his best if he wants to get a good overall placing in this year’s Tour de Suisse. And he certainly is! 30’35 is the provisional fifth at the time check, only 32 seconds slower than the Dutch leaders.
The tension rises at the finish as Project 1t4i
comes home! And it’s a new best time! 47’05 is 52 seconds faster than Simply Red Bull! That’s a brilliant performance by the Dutch team.
Milka-AVG
are next through the time check. They weren’t convincing on the first 5.6 kilometers, and they continue well off the pace. Though, 30’42 is still good enough for a provisional seventh, eventhough it’s 39 seconds slower than Project 1t4i
Festina-Canal+
are next towards the finishing line, and this is important for their German leader Fothen
They give it everything on the last kilometer. Though, they still have “weak links” Campero Pichon
close to the six others, but they’re starting to lose meters as they go under the kite. They haven’t really been able to turn the tables on the last 12 kilometers. They cross the finish line in 48’06, which is a provisional second, 1’01 slower than Project 1t4i
Team Bacardi
closes in on the finishing line as the speaker counts them down! But they’re a well behind. 47’39 is 34 seconds slower than the Dutch leaders and a provisional second.
Wild card team Hollister
is certainly not making a shame of themselves here. They go through the time check 30’49, being 46 seconds behind Project 1t4i in a provisional 10th.
The focus is back on the finishing line as Wiggle
approach! They three riders that were about to drop earlier have all been able to fight back, meaning they come home with all eight almost together, as they split up on the final kilometer. It’s a solid time! Though, 47’30 is still 25 seconds slower than the leaders.
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
led by Brajkovic
on the final kilometers are next to challenge for the lead. But they are well of the Dutch’s pace. 48’11 is a minute down, but still good enough for a provisional sixth.
Back to the time check and it’s Koenigsegg
riding through. And they are fast! They could very well be a challenge to Project 1t4i, only being 11 seconds behind in a provisional third, with the time of 30’28.
Pearl Adidas
and one of the big overall favourites Machado
are next to thunder past the time check. 30’17 is a provisional second, only 14 seconds slower than the Dutch team! The Portuguese leader is clearly on a mission today.
It was a disappointing opener for Team B&O
and they struggle to hit back as they come safe home. 48’16 is 1’11 behind stage leaders Project 1t4i. That is no good for Pluchkin
Wikipedia
are flying high in the Pro Tour rankings at the moment, but they struggle setting the pace on this team time trial without Phinney, being one of the worst teams on the first kilometers. They’re 32 seconds behind in a provisional eight with the time 30’35.
Just behind Team B&O follow UBS-BMC
They had a decent time at the time check, and they’ve been able to hold on. It’s a provisional fourth in 47’48. That’s fourth place and 43 seconds behind the leaders.
Pendleton’s
are then next to challenge Project 1t4i on the time check. They do so well, as they go provisional second. 30’15 is 12 seconds slower.
They’re followed by Vesuvio-Accumalux
who hope to give Schleck
a good ride today, moving him up in the general classification. And they’re looking good through the time check! 30’04 is a tiny second slower than Project 1t4i!
Back to the finish and it’s Pokerstars.com
coming fast! The Belgium team sits provisionally ninth at the time check. They dig deep on the final 12 kilometers and come home in 47’41, a provisional fourth place, only 36 seconds slower than Project 1t4i.
Milka-AVG
do their best to limit their losses on the final kilometers of pain here on stage 7. They cross the finishing line in 47’56. That’s a provisional sixth, 51 seconds off Project 1t4i’s pace.
Aker-MOT
and race leader Boasson Hagen
are the last to set off today, and the Norwegian team really struggles towards the time check. 31’01 is only 18th, 58 seconds slower than Project 1t4i! Will they lose the yellow jersey?
Hollister
continue their solid ride, coming home in 48’05. That’s good enough for a provisional eight, one minute slower than Project 1t4i.
Koenigsegg
were in contention for the stage win at the time check, but they can’t keep up on the final 12 kilometers. They are 23 seconds behind the Dutch team in 47’28, which is a provisional second place.
Pearl Adidas
were fast through the time check, and they are looking fast approaching the finish line as well! But they have lost momentum, crossing the line in 47’41. That’s 36 seconds slower than Project 1t4i and a provisional sixth place.
Wikipedia
gets a loud cheer when they come home safe. They have limited their losses well, coming home in 47’56. That’s 51 seconds behind the leading team and a provisional ninth.
Pendleton’s
were fast to the time check, but have they kept up? They thunder to the line, and cross it in 47’23. That’s a provisional second place. They’re 18 seconds off Project 1t4i’s pace.
Vesuvio-Accumalux
were rock solid on the opening kilometers, and they’ve continued their impressive display. But they can’t quite match the Dutch team, as they come home in 47’24. That’s a provisional third place, 19 seconds slower than Project 1t4i.
Aker-MOT
were never in contention for a good stage placing, but will Boasson Hagen
keep his jersey? No! They’re well of the pace, 48’13 is only good enough for 16th place, 1’08 behind today’s winners. That means Sanchez
will wear the yellow jersey tomorrow!
Stage results
1
Project 1t4i
47'05
2
Pendleton's
+ 19
3
Vesuvio - Accumalux
s.t.
4
Koenigsegg
+ 24
5
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
+ 25
6
Team Bacardi
+ 34
7
Pokerstars.com
+ 36
8
Pearl Adidas
s.t.
9
UBS - BMC
+ 43
10
Milka - AVG
+ 51
11
Wikipedia
s.t.
12
Simply Red Bull
+ 53
13
Hollister Pro Cycling
+ 1'01
14
Festina-Canal+
s.t.
15
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
+ 1'06
16
Aker - MOT
+ 1'09
17
Team B&O
+ 1'11
18
Team Puma - SAP
+ 1'23
19
Santander
+ 1'37
20
Lotto - Cervelo
+ 1'38
21
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
+ 1'49
Overall results
1
Luis Leon Sanchez Gil
Project 1t4i
25h44'52
2
Edvald Boasson Hagen
Aker - MOT
+ 6
3
Andy Schleck
Vesuvio - Accumalux
+ 20
4
Andrei Amador
UBS - BMC
+ 21
5
Bernhard Kohl
Pendleton's
+ 29
6
Tiago Machado
Pearl Adidas
+ 39
7
Aleksandr Pluchkin
Team B&O
+ 40
8
Tanel Kangert
Pearl Adidas
+ 44
9
Walter Pedraza
Koenigsegg
+ 45
10
José Rujano
Pokerstars.com
+ 52
11
Matthias Frank
UBS - BMC
+ 54
12
Stefan Denifl
Wikipedia
+ 1'00
13
Rigoberto Úran
Milka - AVG
+ 1'03
14
Janez Brajkovic
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
+ 1'04
15
Christophe Kern
Pokerstars.com
+ 1'05
16
Markus Fothen
Festina-Canal+
+ 1'12
17
Robert Kiserlovski
Hollister Pro Cycling
+ 1'16
18
Andrei Grivko
Team B&O
+ 1'21
19
Maxime Monfort
Lotto - Cervelo
+ 1'43
20
Vladimir Gusev
Pendleton's
+ 2'24
21
Thomas Faiers
Pendleton's
+ 2'26
22
Matea Kvasina
Vesuvio - Accumalux
+ 2'28
23
Serge Pauwels
Koenigsegg
+ 2'31
24
Teodoro Costagli
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
+ 2'35
25
Ricardo Van der Velde
Team Bacardi
+ 2'38
26
Beñat Intxausti
Team Bacardi
s.t.
27
Mwangi Samwel
Vesuvio - Accumalux
+ 2'42
28
Jaroslav Kulhavy
Milka - AVG
+ 3'10
29
David Livramento
Aker - MOT
+ 3'13
30
Yonathan Monsalve
Hollister Pro Cycling
+ 7'20
31
Brent Bookwalter
Wikipedia
+ 8'22
32
Jack Bauer
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
+ 8'38
33
Christopher Juul-Jensen
Aker - MOT
+ 8'48
34
Jakub Danacik
Koenigsegg
+ 9'45
35
Juan Carlos Rienda Segura
Santander
+ 9'46
36
Matthieu Sprick
Wikipedia
+ 9'57
37
Tom Stubbe
Simply Red Bull
+ 10'20
38
Wilson Marentes
Hollister Pro Cycling
+ 10'27
39
Lars Petter Nordhaug
Aker - MOT
+ 10'34
40
Jackson Rodríguez
Pearl Adidas
+ 10'47
41
Mickaël Delage
Team Puma - SAP
+ 10'52
42
Remberto Jaramillo
Aker - MOT
+ 11'11
43
Jakub Kratochvila
Milka - AVG
+ 12'20
44
Tim Kennaugh
Pendleton's
+ 12'28
45
Carlos Oyarzun
Pendleton's
+ 13'50
46
Marcel Wyss
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
+ 15'13
47
Riccardo Zoidl
Vesuvio - Accumalux
+ 15'18
48
Stef Clement
Pokerstars.com
+ 15'33
49
Mattia Cattaneo
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
+ 15'35
50
Ion Izagirre
Hollister Pro Cycling
+ 15'54
51
Tim Dees
Festina-Canal+
+ 16'08
52
Nick Kinney
Wikipedia
+ 17'38
53
Jose Goncalves
Pearl Adidas
+ 17'45
54
Morgan Kneisky
Pearl Adidas
+ 17'49
55
Florian Stalder
UBS - BMC
+ 18'00
56
Bjorn Selander
Hollister Pro Cycling
+ 18'03
57
Marcel Aregger
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
+ 18'41
58
Kristjan Koren
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
+ 19'49
59
Dan Holloway
Pokerstars.com
+ 21'00
60
Jurgen Van Goolen
Pokerstars.com
+ 22'35
61
Jacob Fiedler
Koenigsegg
+ 23'13
62
Zdenek Stybar
Milka - AVG
+ 23'15
63
Leigh Howard
Milka - AVG
+ 23'56
64
Paride Grillo
Koenigsegg
s.t.
65
Richie Porte
Vesuvio - Accumalux
+ 23'57
66
Benoît Vaugrenard
Project 1t4i
s.t.
67
Nikias Arndt
Team B&O
+ 23'59
68
André Steensen
Team B&O
+ 24'07
69
Joost Posthuma
Project 1t4i
+ 24'15
70
Thomas Frei
UBS - BMC
+ 24'26
71
Jakub Novak
Milka - AVG
+ 24'33
72
Elia Favilli
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
+ 24'37
73
Markus Fahnert
Project 1t4i
+ 24'40
74
Dmitri Grabovski
Team Bacardi
+ 24'54
75
Michael Schär
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
s.t.
76
Taylor Tolleson
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
s.t.
77
Lorents Ola Aasvold
Aker - MOT
+ 24'56
78
Roger Kluge
Pokerstars.com
+ 25'11
79
Yoann Offredo
Pearl Adidas
s.t.
80
Fabio Felline
Team Puma - SAP
+ 25'59
81
Dan Craven
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
+ 26'05
82
Adil Jelloul
Simply Red Bull
+ 26'13
83
Reinhardt Janse van Rensburg
Wikipedia
+ 26'21
84
Lars Croket
Lotto - Cervelo
+ 27'02
85
Piet Rooijakkers
Lotto - Cervelo
+ 27'41
86
Gianni Meersman
Team Puma - SAP
+ 28'27
87
Javier Moreno
Santander
+ 28'35
88
Ole Haavardsholm
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
+ 28'50
89
Sondre Sørtveit
Aker - MOT
+ 28'53
90
Sergio Marinangeli
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
+ 28'59
91
Jan Ghyselinck
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
+ 29'08
92
Juan Van Heerden
Simply Red Bull
+ 29'13
93
Juraj Sagan
Team B&O
+ 29'44
94
Rafael Rodríguez Segarra
Santander
+ 29'48
95
Sylwester Szmyd
Control Team
+ 29'50
96
Juan José Haedo
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
+ 29'54
97
Thomas De Gendt
Vesuvio - Accumalux
+ 30'24
98
Eric Berthou
Pearl Adidas
+ 31'11
99
Joseph Cooper
Simply Red Bull
+ 31'16
100
Juan Abenhamar Gallego Martin
Santander
s.t.
101
Rafael Serrano
Santander
+ 31'23
102
Aidis Kruopis
Team Bacardi
+ 32'00
103
Rafaâ Chtioui
UBS - BMC
+ 32'04
104
Ronan Van Zandbeek
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
+ 32'27
105
Bradley Wiggins
Pendleton's
+ 32'30
106
Steven Cummings
Pendleton's
+ 32'35
107
Adrian Malori
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
+ 32'37
108
Jason Donald
Festina-Canal+
+ 33'13
109
Piter Campero
Festina-Canal+
+ 33'24
110
Erick Rowsell
Simply Red Bull
+ 33'35
111
Coen Vermeltfoort
Lotto - Cervelo
+ 33'46
112
Greg Van Avermaet
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
+ 34'17
113
Elia Viviani
Simply Red Bull
+ 34'18
114
Koen De Kort
Project 1t4i
+ 34'28
115
Sébastien Rosseler
Project 1t4i
+ 34'35
116
Matthieu Ladagnous
Pendleton's
+ 34'41
117
Alexander Wetterhall
Koenigsegg
+ 34'57
118
Enrico Franzoi
Pearl Adidas
+ 35'11
119
Ole Hirschlein
Lotto - Cervelo
+ 35'20
120
Michael Faerk Christensen
Team B&O
+ 35'41
121
Jure Zrimsek
Aker - MOT
+ 36'01
122
Blake Caldwell
Wikipedia
+ 36'24
123
Michael Matthews
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
+ 36'35
124
Edoardo Girardi
UBS - BMC
+ 36'51
125
John Degenkolb
Pokerstars.com
+ 37'50
126
Kristoffer Nielsen
Team B&O
+ 37'53
127
Niki Terpstra
Pokerstars.com
+ 37'57
128
Rinaldo Nocentini
Control Team
s.t.
129
Sébastien Minard
Team Puma - SAP
+ 38'06
130
Gert Dockx
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
+ 39'18
131
Imanol Erviti
Santander
+ 39'36
132
Alexandr Nepomnyachsniy
Milka - AVG
+ 39'59
133
Evert Verbist
Milka - AVG
+ 40'18
134
Andreas Stauff
Lotto - Cervelo
+ 40'46
135
Laurent Pichon
Festina-Canal+
+ 41'19
136
Arkaitz Durán
Santander
+ 42'05
137
Tom Thill
Team Bacardi
+ 43'07
138
Marcel Kittel
Vesuvio - Accumalux
+ 43'10
139
Maarten Wynants
Team Puma - SAP
+ 43'19
140
Aleksandr Serebriakov
Hollister Pro Cycling
+ 43'57
141
Kristof Vandewalle
Project 1t4i
+ 44'31
142
Kiril Yatsevich
Team Bacardi
+ 45'26
143
Luke Durbridge
Simply Red Bull
+ 46'40
144
Tadej Valjavec
Control Team
+ 47'41
145
Francisco Javier Echarri
Santander
+ 47'42
146
Tom Dumoulin
Team Puma - SAP
+ 48'22
147
Wladimir Gustov
Control Team
+ 48'39
148
Michael Vanderaerden
Lotto - Cervelo
+ 49'05
149
Luca Paolini
Control Team
+ 49'19
150
Mauricio Sanz
Team Puma - SAP
+ 49'31
151
Antonio Santoro
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
+ 51'38
152
Giacomo Nizzolo
Hollister Pro Cycling
+ 54'10
153
Alfredo Balloni
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
+ 54'52
154
Lucas Schädlich
Team Bacardi
+ 54'58
155
Dimitri Champion
UBS - BMC
+ 55'20
156
Dion Beukeboom
Wikipedia
+ 57'08
157
Marcel Barth
Vesuvio - Accumalux
+ 57'51
158
Ivan Kovalev
Festina-Canal+
+ 59'08
159
Alexander Krieger
Simply Red Bull
+ 1h00'19
160
Maciej Ulanowski
Lotto - Cervelo
+ 1h01'19
161
Jasha Sütterlin
Team Puma - SAP
+ 1h03'49
162
Thomas Riber-Sellebjerg
Team B&O
+ 1h04'55
163
Tyler Butterfield
Team Bacardi
+ 1h05'08
164
Steven Burke
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
+ 1h05'13
165
Ramunas Navardauskas
Festina-Canal+
+ 1h06'13
166
Panagiotis Vlatos
Festina-Canal+
+ 1h06'25
167
Freddy Johansson
Koenigsegg
+ 1h06'42
168
Freddy Cruz
Hollister Pro Cycling
+ 1h07'02
169
Viktor Renäng
Koenigsegg
+ 1h07'41
170
Pim Ligthart
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
+ 1h07'58
171
Andrei Nechita
Project 1t4i
+ 1h09'38
172
Stelly Robert
Wikipedia
+ 1h09'48
173
Silvan Dillier
UBS - BMC
+ 1h37'01
Points classification
1
Edvald Boasson Hagen
Aker - MOT
101
2
Aleksandr Pluchkin
Team B&O
75
3
Andrei Amador
UBS - BMC
61
4
Stefan Denifl
Wikipedia
57
5
Dan Holloway
Pokerstars.com
52
6
Walter Pedraza
Koenigsegg
40
7
Luis Leon Sanchez Gil
Project 1t4i
36
8
Janez Brajkovic
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
29
9
Maxime Monfort
Lotto - Cervelo
29
10
Andy Schleck
Vesuvio - Accumalux
27
Mountains classification
1
Elia Favilli
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
30
2
Kristjan Koren
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
26
3
Dmitri Grabovski
Team Bacardi
24
4
Coen Vermeltfoort
Lotto - Cervelo
23
5
Jack Bauer
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
