So my computers messed up? I guess I'll have to seek advice from baseballlovers Thread Tracker Limit, thread.

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January 31, 2012







Again a mostly but not completely flat profile. We're probably going see the next bunch sprint.




I hope I do not bore you but I can't tell you any news: We aim to increase our sprint performance – which shouldn't be too hard after yesterday – and keep my overall lead. Only two stages to go...

Km 5:	The race is opened by Colombia's Juan Villegas. Tiziano Dall'Antonia follows, just as yesterday.
Km 18:	And as yesterday, he fails. Immediatly, a couple of other riders try their best to break free.
Km 34:	9 riders are quite some minutes in front. Four riders chase them and try to catch up.
Km 46:	The escapees are now almost 7 minutes in front. Their four chasers are a minute behind.
Km 55:	The leading group is reunited. 13 riders work together for the stage win.
Km 64:	7'30 is enough – the sprinter teams take control and increase the pace.
Km 119:	The riders hit the final descent. It will be a close fight between the pack and the escapees.
Km 136:	The pack enters the final 10 km with the escapees still being 50 seconds in front. No real sprint trains are built yet.
Km 139:	Paterski seems in a great position on Jimmy Casper's wheel – but that won't be of too much use: The front group still is a minute in front and will fight for the win.
Km 143:	Dominik Nerz follows a late attack of Manuele Boaro (Nokia) and approaches the leading group...
Km 144:	But of course they don't stand a chance. While the front group sprints towards the line, Paterski still sits behind Casper.
Km 146:	In the meantime, Valery Kobzarenko (Team Type 1) outsprints the Japanese champion Takashi Miyazawa (Farnese Vini) for the win.
Km 146:	Daryl Impey wins the sprint out of the peloton ending up twelvth. Nerz and Paterski finish 25th and 26th, respectively. Two Top 15 places, if it wasn't for the breakaway.

1	Valery Kobzarenko	Team Type 1	3h35'38
2	Takashi Miyazawa	Farnese Vini - Neri Sottoli	s.t.
3	Giuseppe Muraglia	D'Angelo & Antenucci - Nippo	s.t.
4	Marlón Pérez	Colombia es Pasión - Café de Colombia	s.t.
5	Nico Schneider	Team Differdange - Magic-Sportfood.de	s.t.
6	Imanol Erviti	Movistar Team	s.t.
7	José Luis Cano	Andalucía Caja Granada	s.t.
8	Juan Villegas	Colombia es Pasión - Café de Colombia	s.t.
9	Rob Goris	Dirk Grepdon Wanzele - Accent	s.t.
10	Morgan Schmitt	UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling	s.t.
...
25	Dominik Nerz	Liquigas - Cannondale	s.t.

1	Dominik Nerz	Liquigas - Cannondale	31h59'45
2	Przemyslaw Niemiec	Lampre - ISD	+ 16
3	Maxime Bouet	AG2R La Mondiale	+ 40
4	Freddy Montaña	Colombia es Pasión - Café de Colombia	+ 56
5	Rubén Plaza	Movistar Team	+ 1'24
6	Stefano Garzelli	Katusha Team	+ 1'32
7	Danilo Di Luca	Lampre - ISD	+ 1'41
8	Valerio Agnoli	Liquigas - Cannondale	s.t.
9	Juan Mauricio Soler	Movistar Team	s.t.
10	Bartosz Huzarski	Team NetApp	+ 2'04

1	Daryl Impey	Team NetApp	129
2	Jimmy Casper	Saur - Sojasun	124
3	Boy Van Poppel	UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling	88
4	Lloyd Mondory	AG2R La Mondiale	85
5	Bernardo Riccio	D'Angelo & Antenucci - Nippo	80

1	Dominik Nerz	Liquigas - Cannondale	34
2	Przemyslaw Niemiec	Lampre - ISD	32
3	Freddy Montaña	Colombia es Pasión - Café de Colombia	30
4	David Arroyo	Movistar Team	28
5	Bert De Waele	Landbouwkrediet	25

1	Dominik Nerz	Liquigas - Cannondale	28h24'07
2	Damiano Caruso	Liquigas - Cannondale	+ 2'04
3	Sergio Henao	Colombia es Pasión - Café de Colombia	+ 3'37
4	Diego Ulissi	Lampre - ISD	+ 3'40
5	David Boily	Team SpiderTech powered by C10	+ 5'47

Not much to say. We hadn't much interest to pull the escapees back, our sprint was again at most mediocre. For the last stage tommorow, we might go for Davide Cimolai again as Maciej Paterski just isn't able to repeat his Top 10s from the earlier stages. Of course I didn't expect my late attack to succeed, it was more that I got bored a bit and wanted to test my legs. Anyway:

Only one day to go for my first major win ever!

See you,

Well done!

Bananas are cliché. Pineapples are in now.

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February 1, 2012







The last stage has finally come. The criterium in Kuala Lumpur is hilly but not too demanding and in total very short. Only 96 km for Dominik to go.




The last day in Malaysia will be interesting. The criterium with it's narrow roads in the city provides the possibility of crashes so we have to be very careful. We will also try to get someone into the break although the short length of the stage isn't too good for escapees. For the sprint, we hope for Davide Cimolai to survive the hills well. Otherwise, it's Paterski time again...

Km 3:	Colombia es Pasion is again very active and launches the first attack.
Km 15:	The first try didn't succeed. At the intermediate sprint, the next riders are on their way. For the third day in a row, Tiziano Dall'Antonia makes his move.
Km 26:	And for the third time, he fails. These just aren't his days.
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Km 40:	The leading duo now consists of Manuele Mori (Lampre) and Robert Hayles (Endura). They have an advance of 2 minutes.
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Km 64:	While the advance of the first riders already decreases, a couple of minor guys from the pack attack.
Km 73:	They catch up with the original break but are only 35 seconds in front. 22 km to go.
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Km 79:	With their obligatory late attacks, the escapees manage to increase their lead to a minute again. Do they have a chance?
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Km 88:	Most probably not, they're already in view of the pack. Meanwhile, Davide Cimolai has a great position following Daryl Impey, the green jersey wearer.
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Km 91:	As Saur takes over, both Impey and Cimolai fall back so it's again Paterski in the best position. Dominik Nerz is close to the front as well, his yellow jersey almost safe!
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Km 93:	The sprint is about to begin. Saur gives Casper again a perfect lead out with van Poppel (UnitedHealthcare), Ed Clancy (Endura) and Maciej Paterski on his wheel. On the left, NetApp tries to catch up to the front. Casper is only 3 points behind Impey in the points classification.
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Km 95:	Only 600 meters to go! Nerz and Paterski in great positions, Casper is about to make his move. On the left, Ed Clancy and James Verlandschoot (Dirk Grepdon) try to gain the lead.
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Km 96:	Jimmy Casper finalizes his team's great work, wins the stage and takes over the points jersey. Impey sprints with an imense speed towards the line but can't take more than a fourth spot. But more important: Maciej Paterski in the middle finishes on a great second place! Finally, he does something great! And his leader, Dominik Nerz, ends up eighth and really honours his leader jersey which is now secured! Congratulations!

1	Jimmy Casper	Saur - Sojasun	2h19'40
2	Maciej Paterski	Liquigas - Cannondale	s.t.
3	Ed Clancy	Endura Racing	s.t.
4	Daryl Impey	Team NetApp	s.t.
5	Bobbie Traksel	Landbouwkrediet	s.t.
6	Anthony Geslin	Saur - Sojasun	s.t.
7	James Vanlandschoot	Dirk Grepdon Wanzele - Accent	s.t.
8	Dominik Nerz	Liquigas - Cannondale	s.t.
9	Jonathan Bellis	Nokia - SunGard	s.t.
10	Boy Van Poppel	UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling	s.t.

1	Dominik Nerz	Liquigas - Cannondale	34h19'25
2	Przemyslaw Niemiec	Lampre - ISD	+ 16
3	Maxime Bouet	AG2R La Mondiale	+ 40
4	Freddy Montaña	Colombia es Pasión - Café de Colombia	+ 56
5	Rubén Plaza	Movistar Team	+ 1'24
6	Stefano Garzelli	Katusha Team	+ 1'32
7	Danilo Di Luca	Lampre - ISD	+ 1'41
8	Valerio Agnoli	Liquigas - Cannondale	s.t.
9	Juan Mauricio Soler	Movistar Team	s.t.
10	Bartosz Huzarski	Team NetApp	+ 2'04

1	Jimmy Casper	Saur - Sojasun	149
2	Daryl Impey	Team NetApp	143
3	Boy Van Poppel	UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling	94
4	Lloyd Mondory	AG2R La Mondiale	90
5	Bobbie Traksel	Landbouwkrediet	84

1	Dominik Nerz	Liquigas - Cannondale	34
2	Przemyslaw Niemiec	Lampre - ISD	32
3	Freddy Montaña	Colombia es Pasión - Café de Colombia	30
4	David Arroyo	Movistar Team	28
5	Bert De Waele	Landbouwkrediet	25

1	Dominik Nerz	Liquigas - Cannondale	35h19'25
2	Damiano Caruso	Liquigas - Cannondale	+ 2'04
3	Sergio Henao	Colombia es Pasión - Café de Colombia	+ 3'37
4	Diego Ulissi	Lampre - ISD	+ 3'40
5	David Boily	Team SpiderTech powered by C10	+ 5'47

1	Movistar Team		103h01'56
2	Liquigas - Cannondale		+ 30
3	AG2R La Mondiale		+ 1'11

Yes! Yes, yes, yes! We did it! What a fantastic, perfect stage! Man, I have to calm down, hold on...


… ok. But even after I cooled down a bit, the results are still extraordinary. Being started with the goal to reach a Top 10, maybe Top 5, I, or better, we, end up winning the overall, one stage, the mountain and the young riders classification. Valerio Agnoli repeated his eigth overall from last year. And with Maciej Paterski's 2nd from today and his fifth from stage three, we also have decent sprint results.

The DS just called me and congratulated me from for this great result. Now already, they told me, I justified the trust they put in me. It's indeed a fantastic season start for me and the team.

My next race will be the Volta ao Algarve where I'll support Damiano Cunego.

That's it from Malaysia, see you soon!

This deserves a :

Don't like the taste of pineapples....

Yes, you did it, congratulations

Also nice 2nd with Paterski

Great win, you're first GC-win. Congrats!

Well done!

Can't wait for laidbackmarc's banana Great win for Dominik! Congrats!

Oh my god, Mr. Banana himself, but Dominik deserves his visit

Thanks a lot for that hell of a banana

It's Peanut Butter Jelly Time!!!!

Great win

I'm sure Dominik thinks that banana was worth waiting for!

And great overall win!