Sorry guys no update today for personal reasons

Sorry for the break guys, personal reasons as I said. New report coming very soon, and I'm in holidays now! So reports will come faster.

THE CYCLING WORLD

January
January was a big month for cycling, as the season got under way and the first rankings have been published. Here are the race results not including the Tour de San Luis which we participated in.

SANTOS TOUR DOWN UNDER

GC: 1. Pim Ligthart (VCD)
2. Vasil Kiryienka (SKY)
3. Pablo Lastras (MOV)

Points: Nicki Sorensen (TST)

KOM: Jeremy Roy (FDJ)

YOUNG RIDER: Pim Ligthart (VCD)

TEAM: Radioshack-Leopard

While we were in San Luis, WT racing started off in Australia. Pim Ligthart started off his season well in his favourite race.

GP DE MARSEILLE

1. Romain Bardet (ALM)
2. Johan Le Bon (FDJ)
3. Sascha Modolo (BAR)

Team: FDJ

Romain Bardet won his home race with FDJ also taking a native team win.

RANKINGS

Sorry everyone but my personal life has been really hectic lately, here are the rankings at the end of January.

Continental Rider:



Victories:



CQ Teams:

Is anyone still following?

New report coming soon

Still following, but you said you weren't posting for a bit, so I'm waiting.

So, the team's just come back from a ruddy training camp before our race in Laigueglia, but I'll tell you all about that later. Here are all the results up until the Giro di Laigueglia, our next race.

Etoile de Besseges

GC: 1. Stefano Pirazzi (BAR)
2. Anthony Roux (FDJ)
3. Jonathan Castroviejo (MOV)

POINTS: Fabio Sabatini (BAR)

KOM: Benoit Jarrier (BSG)

U25: Alex Dowsett (MOV)

TEAM: Movistar


VUELTA CICLISTA A MALLORCA

GC: 1. Richie Porte (SKY)
2. Edvald Boasson Hagen (SKY)
3. Carlos Alberto Betancur (ALM)

POINTS: Brian Coquard (EUC)

KOM: Lieuwe Westra (VCD)

U25: Carlos Alberto Betancur (ALM)

TEAM: SKY

TOUR OF QATAR

GC: 1. John Degenkolb (ARG)
2. Mark Renshaw (BEL)
3. Arnaud Demare (FDJ)

POINTS: Peter Sagan (CAN)

U25: John Degenkolb (ARG)

TEAM: Radioshack-Leopard

GP MEDITERRANEEN

GC: 1. Simon Spilak (KAT)
2. Alberto Contador (TST)
3. Rory Sutherland (TST)

POINTS: Simon Spilak (KAT)

KOM: Matthias Sprick (ARG)

U25 Ion Izagirre (EUS)

TEAM: Katusha

Thanks everybody for following my blog, please spread the word as there isn't much of a following right now. I'll come back soon with a report of our training camp, but until then...
ADIOS

TRAINING CAMP

With a big break between San Luis and the team's next race-the Giro di Laigueglia, the directors decided to make the most of some free time and took the team to a training camp in Portugal. However, they were not in a very generous mood, and the hotel was less than luxury.



However, due to the quality (or lack thereof) of the hotel we-the riders- had more time on the road. And what a road it was.



After the camp, all the riders felt much better on the mountains, and I felt much lighter on my feet when going up the really steep gradients. Hopefully I can carry that into Laigueglia, we'll soon find out. But until then...
ADIOS

GIRO DI LAIGUEGLIA

Race Preview

Finally, a return to racing for the team on a course which suited me well. The team still sat 3rd in the continental rankings and 20th in the CQ, despite our lengthy break.



We will work for Atapuma, with Suarez as the main teammate. I'm there if anything goes wrong among those two. We will also try to get in the break with either Corti, Arango or Ospina. Tonight we will enjoy a fancy (and healthy) Italian dinner, and tomorrow the race. Until then...
ADIOS

But but that's and awesome hotel.
Cool increase at the camp good luck in Italy.

GIRO DI LAIGUEGLIA

As per our plan, we got Corti in the breakaway. His companions for the day would be D. Veilleux (EUC), Rasch (SKY), Grabsch (OPQS) and Smuklis (KAT).

He was actually dropped before the first climb, but rejoined without much bother. Soon after, the DS got angry at Suarez for working on the climb. Although that didn't seem too big a problem a lap later.


Atapuma got a front wheel puncture on the summit of the 2nd climb. He quickly changed wheels and rejoined in the middle of the peloton. Soon enough, he was comfortably back at the front with no help from the team.


The 3rd climb saw the first attacks from the breakaway. Corti neutralised everything, and the attacks actually increased the breakaway's gap, giving them a small possibility of the win. Corti paced until he could do no more, and the breakaway had him to thank.


On climb mark 4, Atapuma and I were the only ones who could stay at the front of the peloton, and disaster struck, as in a split, Arango was left behind, along with Suarez, who was back getting water. The latter kept trying to bridge the gap until he was completely out of fuel.

During the next split, John Darwin, Corti and I were the only ones up the front, but obviously Corti was running on empty. Suarez actually brought the water he had gotten before up to the next group ahead - obviously very tiring.

We were out of water, Atapuma and I were still going strong, while Corti went for water on the downhill. But when he couldn't get back, I dropped down to get some for John. However, while I was behind the attacks started to come, and John was isolated.


Paolini (KAT), Battaglin (BAR) and Boonen (OPQS) were the successful escapees.


Paolini took the win! He came in ahead of Battaglin and Boonen, while Atapuma could only manage a 23rd, with myself 46th. Some bad team tactics in the finale really cost us in the end.

Anyway, my next race is the GP Camaiore, but I'll be back with other results before that report. Until then...
ADIOS

You'd think that wouldn't you. When I sat down on the chair it broke, and in the middle of the night the painting fell on my head. Also the sink didn't work and the shower only had very hot water...
Not so great now, is it

Umm yeah that's pretty awful, unlucky first race, you can still do well though.

RESULTS

TOUR OF OMAN

GC: 1. Bradley Wiggins (SKY)
2. Janez Brajkovic (AST)
3. Robert Kiserlovski (RLT)

POINTS: Andrea Guardini (AST)

KOM: Chris Froome (SKY)

U25: Wilco Kelderman (BLA)

TEAM: Astana

VOLTA AO ALGARVE

GC: 1. Frederik Kessiakoff (AST)
2. Bob Jungels (RLT)
3. Pavel Brutt (KAT)

POINTS: Alexander Kristoff (KAT)

KOM: Fabio Taborre (VIN)

U25: Bob Jungels (RLT)

TEAM: Radioshack-Leopard

TOUR DU HAUT VAR

GC: 1. Alberto Contador (TST)
2. Johnny Hoogerland (VCD)
3. David Le Lay (FDJ)

POINTS: Alberto Contador (TST)

KOM: Juan Manuel Garate (BLA)

U25: Arthur Vichot (FDJ)

TEAM: Team Saxo-Tinkoff

VUELTA A ANDALUCIA

GC: 1. Frederik Kessiakoff (AST)
2. Pierre Rolland (EUC)
3. Thomas Voeckler (EUC)

POINTS: Frederik Kessiakoff (AST)

KOM: Amets Txurruka (CJR)

U25: Andrew Talansky (GRM)

TEAM: Movistar

So that's it for the stage races. I'll be back soon with the classics. Until then...
ADIOS

Lol you keep commenting while I'm in the middle of writing a report . First race? By that do you mean one day race?

I have to say thanks man for following this, too bad you're the only one

RESULTS

OMLOOP HET NIEWSBLAD
1. Tom Boonen (OPQS)
2. Edvald Boasson Hagen (SKY)
3. Fabian Cancellara (RLT)

VUELTA A MURCIA
1. Daniel Martin (GRM)
2. Jelle Vanendert (LTB)
3. Juan Manuel Garate (BEL)

GP DE ALMERIA
1. Theo Bos (BEL)
2. Gregory Henderson (LTB)
3. Davide Appollonio (ALM)
108. Edwin Avila (COL)-Best rider from our team, disappointing

KUURNE-BRUSSEL-KUURNE
1. Tom Boonen (OPQS)
2. Alessandro Ballan (BMC)
3. Edvald Boasson Hagen (SKY)

Unlucky in Italy with tactics.

GP CAMAIORE

My Italian season continues with the GP Camoire. The course is well suited to someone like Purito Rodgriguez. However, I doubt that he will actually participate, but his teammate Simon Spilak might, after his impressive win in Laigueglia.


The core of the team is mainly the same, but I think that the tactic will be to go with Marentes in the breakaway, and save Corti. We have more strength on the climbs now, with Valencia coming in.
I'll se you soon with the race report, until then...
ADIOS

GP CAMAIORE

We started off well, everyone got to the front at the beginning of the race, which my being the first up there. Romero tried several times to get in the break, but the peloton wasn't eager to let him go. He couldn't stay away after he was dropped by his three companions.


Astana's Frederik Kessiakoff lead the attacks from the peloton on the last climb, obviously keen to continue his good season. I was riding hard up front but there was a problem - Marentes was struggling, and couldn't get to me with water. I was afraid that we would see a repeat of Laigueglia, so I decided to go on without water. The next problem was that Chalapud was caught behind. Suarez was protecting him in hopes of getting back up front.

The six men who attacked would contest the win. And I was half right, it was a Katusha rider who won.


Xavier Florencio! Chalapud somehow managed 10th while I faded with my bad sprint.