Yeah if I pass the mountains without losing too much time I could expect a podium as I could win a lot of time over the favourites except L.L. Sanchez, Kloden or Karpets in a 100% flat TT of 30km.

Vuelta a Espana Stage 11


The brekaway.


When the pack was having a high speed, chasing down the escapes, Kloden had a puncture and no one from Agritubel is waiting for him!


Also the wind is very strong today and the pack is split into 2 groups. From the favourites only Lovkvist and Samuel Sanchez are in the first group


The same wind keeps us away from organizing our sprint


So again Barloworld is in our place, leading.


This is going to be very close, and we aren't there


The win goes to Rojas. Still now win for Boonen or Bennati


Though that they should lost more than 1 minute today, the second group got the same time as Rojas and many favourites will keep their top posisitons


Kloden lost almost 7 minutes today. Probably this is really annoying for him. He is losing the Vuelta only in the flat stages.


Stage
1. José Joaquín Rojas Caisse d'Epargne 3h57'18
2. Daniele Bennati Liquigas s.t.
3. Tom Boonen Quick·Step s.t.
4. Francesco Gavazzi Lampre s.t.
5. Robert Hunter Barloworld s.t.
6. Danilo Napolitano Lampre s.t.
7. Robert Förster Gerolsteiner s.t.
8. Baden Cooke Barloworld s.t.
9. Mark Cavendish Team Columbia s.t.
10. Paolo Bettini Team Milram s.t.

Overall
1. Samuel Sánchez Euskaltel - Euskadi 43h04'18
2. Luis León Sánchez AG2R La Mondiale + 27
3. Thomas Lövkvist Team Columbia + 32
4. Damiano Cunego Lampre + 44
5. Vladimir Karpets Caisse d'Epargne + 1'23
6. Mauricio Soler Barloworld + 2'30
7. Franco Pellizotti Liquigas + 2'33
8. Carlos Barredo Quick·Step + 3'40
9. Fränk Schleck Team CSC - Saxo Bank + 3'43
10. Óscar Pereiro Caisse d'Epargne + 3'58

Points
1. Mark Cavendish Team Columbia 88
2. Gerald Ciolek Team Columbia 73
3. Thomas Lövkvist Team Columbia 68

Mounatain
1. John Devine Team Columbia 54
2. Samuel Sánchez Euskaltel - Euskadi 52
3. Damiano Cunego Lampre 42

Young: Luis León Sánchez AG2R La Mondiale
Teams: Caisse d'Epargne

Yeah that TT with Lovkvist was just brilliant!

Also the 2nd place you got at Vatenfall was very good

yeah thanks. Can't wait to play the mountain stages and the next TT.

Vuelta a Espana Stage 12


The breakaway.


Barloworld was again faster than us...


But Ciolek managed to get us back in front


Cavendish could took the win there, but he was too tired after that hill that we had today and he is really losing speed


Cooke appears from nowhere and takes the win, being very close to the take the points jersey from Cavendish!


Stage
1. Baden Cooke Barloworld 4h27'49
2. Tom Boonen Quick·Step s.t.
3. Carlos Torrent Bouygues Télécom s.t.
4. Daniele Bennati Liquigas s.t.
5. Gerald Ciolek Team Columbia s.t.
6. Assan Bazayev Astana Cycling Team s.t.
7. Paolo Bettini Team Milram s.t.
8. Fran Ventoso Andalucía - Cajasur s.t.
9. Gert Steegmans Quick·Step s.t.
10. Danilo Hondo Gerolsteiner s.t.

Overall
1. Samuel Sánchez Euskaltel - Euskadi 47h32'07
2. Luis León Sánchez AG2R La Mondiale + 27
3. Thomas Lövkvist Team Columbia + 32
4. Damiano Cunego Lampre + 44
5. Vladimir Karpets Caisse d'Epargne + 1'23
6. Mauricio Soler Barloworld + 2'30
7. Franco Pellizotti Liquigas + 2'33
8. Carlos Barredo Quick·Step + 3'40
9. Fränk Schleck Team CSC - Saxo Bank + 3'43
10. Óscar Pereiro Caisse d'Epargne + 3'58

Points
1. Mark Cavendish Team Columbia 93
2. Baden Cooke Barloworld 92
3. Gerald Ciolek Team Columbia 85

Mountain
1. John Devine Team Columbia 54
2. Samuel Sánchez Euskaltel - Euskadi 52
3. Damiano Cunego Lampre 42

Young: Luis León Sánchez AG2R La Mondiale
Teams: Caisse d'Epargne

If you´re not careful you´ll lose the sprinter jersey. Cooke is crazy, what are his stats and how can he always be in front, who is leading him out?

I know. He has 77 sprint I think and Hunter is leading him out.

come on dont lose it for cav

firsst he has to pass safety the mountains

How are the remaining flat stages, flat enough for Cav?

yeah I think that they are flat enough for Cavendish. Also he is now 72 flat, 66 hill, 69 downhill and 70 cobble.

I think cav will take the points jersey anyway. cooke just had a good day. the columbia train is faster and also more consistent

Burghardt's recovery really sucks so with every day that passes our train could become more and more slowly

Vuelta a Espana Stage 13


Devine was in the breakaway do defend his jersey and he made his goal.


The first attack on the last climb was made by Cunego


And the others were right after


They couldn't make it work and they were soon back in the pack


Cunego tries it again, he really has to won back the time lost in the TT


Again someone is after him


But this time Cunego's acceleration was really impressive and this time it looks like he got away


Samuel Sanchez is his main chaser, trying to keep his gold jersey


While Lovkvist still can't get away from the pack


Cunego takes a solo stage win, but is it enough for the gold jersey too?


Sanchez was second but not enough to keep his jersey. Cunego is the new leader!


Lovkvist 2 minutes and a half to Cunego, but he is still 5th in the overall rankings, which could be our best performance this year in a Grand Tour.


Stage
1. Damiano Cunego Lampre 4h58'31
2. Samuel Sánchez Euskaltel - Euskadi + 52
3. Vladimir Karpets Caisse d'Epargne + 1'20
4. Mauricio Soler Barloworld + 1'40
5. Pieter Weening Rabobank s.t.
6. Iker Camaño Saunier Duval - Scott s.t.
7. Toni Colom Astana Cycling Team s.t.
8. David Arroyo Caisse d'Epargne + 1'54
9. Igor Antón Euskaltel - Euskadi s.t.
10. Francisco José Martínez Andalucía - Cajasur s.t.

Overall
1. Damiano Cunego Lampre 52h31'22
2. Samuel Sánchez Euskaltel - Euskadi + 8
3. Luis León Sánchez AG2R La Mondiale + 1'49
4. Vladimir Karpets Caisse d'Epargne + 1'59
5. Thomas Lövkvist Team Columbia + 2'22
6. Mauricio Soler Barloworld + 3'26
7. Franco Pellizotti Liquigas + 3'55
8. Óscar Pereiro Caisse d'Epargne + 5'08
9. Carlos Barredo Quick·Step + 5'22
10. Fränk Schleck Team CSC - Saxo Bank + 5'25

Points
1. Mark Cavendish Team Columbia 93
2. Baden Cooke Barloworld 92
3. Samuel Sánchez Euskaltel - Euskadi 88

Mountain
1. John Devine Team Columbia 80
2. Samuel Sánchez Euskaltel - Euskadi 77
3. Damiano Cunego Lampre 72

Young: Luis León Sánchez AG2R La Mondiale
Teams: Caisse d'Epargne

why didnt you take the sprint with Cav

He finished the stage with way less enery than Ciolek or Burghardt. Trying to get the sprint there with him would probably mean kill him. Also the breakaway was already made at the sprint.

Strange breakaway. Six escapees including two men from Quickstep and two from Bouygues.

there was a strong wind, which could have something to do with that

Next race:



2008 Results:
1. Alessandro Ballan Lampre
2. Thomas Dekker Rabobank
3. Filippo Pozzato Liquigas
4. Linus Gerdemann Team Columbia
5. George Hincapie Team Columbia
6. Bradley McGee CSC Saxo Bank
7. Lars Boom Team Columbia
8. Juanjo Cobo Saunier Duval
9. Stefan Schumacher Gerolsteiner
10. Przemyslaw Niemiec Miche Silver Cross


Linus Gerdemann
David Zabriskie
Bernhard Eisel
Lars Boom
George Hincapie
Tony Martin
Adam Hansen
Bert Grabsch

good luck for the rest of the season i will hope for gerdemann in tour de pologne or maybe hincapie.