Back to Poland: André Steensen finally showed a glimpse of his potential as he finished as only Saxo Bank rider in the main bunch at 15 seconds! Way to go André!

Luckly Weening is there listening to the national coach to save our WC team.

Yeah, if he could hold on to top 3 or even improve that tomorrow, that would be great.

He was 2nd in the Tour of Poland before, so it's definately not impossibe. Besides, the field in 2005 was stronger than this one with Kirchen, Di Luca, Brajkovic and Boogerd there.
Weening should be capable of finish top 3

yeah, pretty weak field here this year. plus Weening has shown good form last month in Austria, so, we should be okay.

Yeah, but you know, with our luck this season. Weening will probably fall tomorrow and break his wrist or something.

If it were not for all the falls, injuries, and doped Thomas Dekker, we would have had no problems at all qualifying.
Not to mention the twisted UCI rules which only counts the ranking from 1 januari to 15 augusts, thus never counting the ENECO Tour or the Vuelta, 2 races where we scored a lot of points last year and will score a lot of points this year.

So basically, fuck the UCI and fuck our bad luck

So if Weening finishes in top 3, what placing would Hagen have to get, if norway should have 9 men in WC?

Well if Weening finishes 2nd, it doesn't matter wat Hagen does, because than Netherlands will also pass the number 9 country.

If Weening finishes 3rd, Hagen should at least finish 8th (the place he is currently at). If Hagen drops any further, well than 3 man for Norway it is (seeing as their Continental placing sucks)

What place does Hagen need to pass the number 9 country?

Ah nevermind, I made a calculation error, there is no way Netherlands is going to pass USA unless Weening wins. Gb is 8th and safe.

Hagen needs to be 5th or around that to pass USA.

Still, whatever way you put it, the ranking is faulty for not counting all world tour races. If you take away the races where the Dutch riders score most in, no miracle that we won't make the top 10.

Take away Roubaix and Gent Wevelgem and where is norway? Weird UCI.

I don't think anyone disagree that the "new" system is awful. For instance it's only a few years since [2005] Norway only had 1 spot because of it.

Yup, because they refer to the Continental ranking after the top 10 of the world ranking. Which screws norway, since their best riders are Pro Tour riders, and can't score in continental races. So their continental ranking sucks.

France is also screwed, because they have 10 good scoring riders, but only the best 5 count, and....thus they dropped out of the top 10 this year. With GP Plouay still to come, but not counting, because it's after the deadline.

So many countries are screwed by this ranking, it's so typical UCI

And there you go. Poland stage wasn't nearly hard enough. A sprint of 25 men which ofcourse suits Hagen at its best.

I wonder why they don't make the stages like in 2005, with 3 mountaintop finishes...

Boasson Hagen won 6th stage of Tour de Pologne after finish from about 30-man group. It was most boring 'queen stage' of cycling race, that I've ever seen... Boredom, boredom, boredom, and boring finish in the end...

Ballan 2nd, winning TdP.

Stage:

1. Hagen
2. Ballan
3. Marcato
4. Reda
5. Gavazzi
6. Rutkiewicz
7. Moreno
8. Lastras
9. Iglinskiy
10. Zaugg - all s.t.


GC:
1. Ballan
2. Moreno +0'10
3. Hagen +0'11
4. Weening +0'12
5. Reda +0'16
6. Rutkiewicz
7. Szmyd
8. Gavazzi +0'26
9. Loosli
10. Marcato +0'27

Ruben, race director wanted to change something, to race through and show other parts of Poland.

Next year race is coming back to Karpacz, so propably route will be very similar to that from 2005.

I think even this Tour is more exciting then the Tour de France this year ever was...

Volta a Portugal stage 3: Favorites' group arrives together atop the final (very short) climb, as predicted.

Barbosa wins the sprint and takes yellow.

Tomorrow has the first high mountain...but it's only halfway through the stage

You do know all those Barbosa wins will be enough for DB makers to give him 77 sprint and 80 acceleration again?

Don't remind me. Sheesh.

Note to DB makers: he wins a lot because he's a sprinter who can climb. His sprinting and acceleration should be 72/70 MAXIMUM

He should have 78 TT as well after that prologue.