But valverde won this year, so he's the favourite. But kirchen stands a chance

In my story Kirchen will win itB)

ok, after we decided who will win LBL, I will continue my story with the next race which is GP Costa degli Etruschi

The team for the race is:
Leader: Mark Cavendish
Sprint helpers:Edvald Boasson Hagen, Bernhard Eisel, Roger Hammond
Rest of the team:Marco Pinotti, Tony Martin, Michael Barry and Servais Knaven

GP Costa degli Etruschi


This one is for Ruben and his story


The Breakaway


The pack couldn't catch the break so one of the 5 escapes will win the race


Alberto Curtolo from Liquigas wins it

while Cav and Eisel takes the first positions in the bunch

Individual
1.Alberto Curtolo [Liquigas]
2.Marek Wesoly [CCC Polsat]
3.Mirko Allegrini [Preti Mangimi]
4.Carlo Scognamiglio [Barloworld]
5.Daniel Musiol [Team Volksbank]
6.Mark Cavendish [Team Columbia]
7.Bernhard Eisel [Team Columbia]
8.Daniele Bennati [Liquigas]
9.Edvald Boasson Hagen [Team Columbia]
10.Danilo Napolitano [Lampre]

Teams
1.Team Columbia [USA]
2.Liquigas [ITA]
3.Rabobank [NED]

Team for GP Mediterraneen

Leader:Linus Gerdemann
Sprinter: Mark Cavendish
Sprint Helpers:Bernhard Eisel, Roger Hammond, Marcus Burghardt
Rest of the team: Craig Lewis, Michael Barry and Kanstantin Siutsou

Good Luck

GP Mediterraneen Stage 1


Michael Barry winning the first climb of the day


Michael Barry atacking and winning another climb and the last one of the day


After a poor position at the sprint we couldn't take more than 6th place with Eisel


Stage
1.Alex Blain [Cofidis]
2.Martin Elmiger [AG2R]
3.Magnus Backstedt [Garmin]

Overall
1.Alex Blain [Cofidis]
2.Martin Elmiger [AG2R] 8"
3.Magnus Backstedt [Garmin] 12"

Points
1.Alex Blain [Cofidis] 25pts
2.Martin Elmiger [AG2R] 20
3.Magnus Backstedt [Garmin] 16

Mountain
1.Michael Barry [Team Columbia] 12pts
2.Frederik Nolf [Top Sport Vlaanderen] 4
3.Stephane Auge [Cofidis] 4

Young
1.Matteo Priamo [CSF]
2.Alex Pichot [Bouygues Telecom]
3.Mark Renshaw [Credit Agricole]

Teams
1.AG2R [FRA]
2.Bouygues Telecom [FRA]
3.Credit Agricole [FRA]

it seems that I will need a lot of luck

Stage 2 tomorrow. It's a flat stage so perfect for sprint

GP Mediterraneen Stage 2


Michael Barry taking the climb points and defending his jersey of the best climber


The pack on the second climb of the day riding in a beautiful landscape


Barry, Sokolov and Ingels in the back of the picture climbing on the last hill of the program, while the bunch is geting more and more closer to the escapes


Our train is in the front of the bunch when the sprint starts so Cav is the favourite to get todays win


And a superb double for Columbia

Cav takes the win and Eisel the second place

Stage
1.Mark Cavendish [Team Coulmbia]
2.Bernhard Eisel [Team Columbia]
3.Sebastian Chavanel [Francaise Des Jeux]

Overall
1.Mark Cavendish [Team Columbia]
2.Alex Blain [Cofidis] s.t
3.Bernhard Eisel [Team Columbia] 8"

Points
1.Martin Elmiger [AG2R] 34pts
2.Bernhard Eisel [Team Columbia] 30
3.Alex Blain [Cofidis] 25

Mountain
1.Michael Barry [Team Columbia] 46pts
2.Evgeni Sokolov [Bouygues Telecom] 30
3.Nick Ingels [Topsport Vlaanderen] 22

Young
1.Mark Cavendish [Team Columbia]
2.Mark Renshaw [Credit Agricole] 20"
3.Mauro Richeze [CSF] 20"

Teams
1.Team Columbia [USA]
2.Credit Agricole [FRA]
3.AG2R [FRA]

Wow, Cav just won with some centimeters How many riders are there in you train (included Cav) when there are three kilometers to the line?

Good story

3b)..Burghardt, Eisel and Cavendish

GP Mediterraneen Stage 3


Climbing with Kanstantin Siutsou


With 4.5km to go Linus Gerdemann atacks


2km to the finishing line...Gerdemann is alone in front

It seems that he will win today

YES Linus wins the day and takes the overall lead from his team-mate Mark Cavendish


Stage
1.Linus Gerdemann [Team Columbia]
2.Alejandro Valverde [Caisse d'Epargne] 14"
3.Christophe Moreau [Agritubel] 14"

Oberall
1.Linus Gerdemann [Team Columbia]
2.Alejandro Valverde [Caisse d'Epargne] 22"
3.Christophe Moreau [Agritubel] 26"

Points
1.Martin Elmiger [AG2R] 38pts
2.Alejandro Valverde [Caisse d'Epargne] 31
3.Bernhard Eisel [Team Columbia] 30

Mountain
1.Michael Barry [Team Columbia] 46pts
2.Evgeni Sokolov [Bouygues Telecom] 38
3.Simon Gerrans [Credit Agricole] 24

Young
1.Linus Gerdemann [Team Columbia]
2.Yann Hauet [Cofidis] 2'14"
3.Philip Deignan [AG2R] 2'14"

Teams
1.Caisse d'Epargne [ESP]
2.AG2R [FRA] 50"
3.Garmin [USA] 2'14"

Great Story Alex! I really like it

GP Mediterraneen Stage 4


Auge didn't wait for the other escapes and tried to take the race on his on


Because of the last hill Cav couldn't maitain in the bunch and so he will not be present in the sprit

wich start with us in the front positions so Eisel is the big favourite

And Eisel takes the win with Roger Hammond 3rd


Stage
1.Bernhard Eisel [Team Columbia]
2.Alex Blain [Cofidis]
3.Roger Hammond [Team Columbia]

Overall
1.Linus Gerdemann [Team Columbia]
2.Alejandro Valverde [Caisse d'Epargne] 22"
3.Christophe Moreau [Agritubel] 26:

Points
1.Bernhard Eisel [Team Columbia] 55pts
2.Alex Blain [Cofidis] 45
3.Alejandro Valverde [Caisse d'Epargne] 40

Mountain
1.Michael Barry [Team Columbia] 62pts
2.Evgeni Sokolov [Bouygues Telecom] 38
3.Stephane Auge [Cofidis] 34

Young
1.Linus Gerdemann [Team Columbia]
2.Yann Hauet [Cofidis] 2'40"
3.Andrea Pagoto [CSF] 2'40"

Teams
1.Caisse d'Epargne [ESP]
2.AG2R [FRA] 50"
3.Garmin [USA] 2'14"

Nice win with Eisel, and Hammond!

thanks, but i'm relly surprised of this guy, Alex Blain, a win and a second place

Can you post his stats?

Yeah sure

Team for Tour of California

Leaders: Michael Rogers and Thomas Lovkvist
Sprinter:Gerald Ciolek
Sprint helpers: Edvald Boasson Hagen, Marcel Sieberg
Rest of the team: Bradley Wiggins, Marco Pinotti, Tony Martin