Brilliant totally Brilliant

Super Thor

Brilliant
Thor finally has his Paris - Roubaix.
Excellent

Last year this race was won by Jeppe Lykke Hartvig Nielsen. Jeppe is here again this year and will most definitely chase the break for a chance to repeat his victory. Otherwise the team mainly consist of the Ardennes-team working to get in shape.
Hartvig Nielsen does exactly as announced and get in the break along with 12 other riders. When the break hits some steep hills with 80 km to go Jeppe takes charge and pushes up the speed hoping to get rid of some of the fast guys. Nielsen does the job great and with the worst hills done with 6 riders are in front with more than two minutes to the rest of the break and 6 minutes to the peloton led by Saxo Bank – Tinkoff Bank.

30 km to go and 3’45’’ between the peloton and the break.
20 km left and the six in front have 2 minutes to the nearest chasers and 3 minutes to the main peloton. Looks like the six will get to decide between them. On paper Bulgarian champion Danail Petrov (Glud & Marstrand – LRØ) should be the big favourite in a sprint.

Jeppe knows this and tries to get away with 18 km to go - almost exactly same place as he founded his victory last year. But the gap isn’t decisive and everything ends up being decided in the sprint. As expected Danail Petrov secured the first victory for Glud & Marstrand – LRØ this season.

Result:
1. Danail Petrov, Glud & Marstrand - LRØ
2. Robert Vrecer, Vorarlberg
3. Jeppe Lykke Hartvig Nielsen, Falcon – STARK

He didn't repeat his success from last year, but he came oh so close

A podium is never bad

I know it's a bit late but GREAT JOB by Thor to win Paris- Roubaix. And a nice 3rd place in Rund um Koln

Thanks for the comments.
Obviously P-R is huge for both Thor and me as manager.

Nielsen did very well in Germany as well. Had he not attacked early he could probably have gotten second, but that's not the way we roll

We expect next to nothing of Amstel. Hushovd is on the starting line to see if he can use his good form in one last race this spring before taking a well-deserved break.
It takes about 50 km of fighting but in the end Lars Bak get in the break.
After having had a lead of 6 minutes when most the break is wheeled back in with 100 km to go. As soon as the first break is caught Jesper Hansen joins Nordhaug and Breschel in a Scandinavian front-trio. Jesper can’t quite keep up with the two others on the hills though.

With 40 km to go the front-duo has 3’30’’ to the peloton, who have now just caught Hansen. With 10 km to go the adventure is over and 25 riders are left to fight for the win. In the rear of the group Thor Hushovd just hang on. When entering the final kilometers 19 riders remain for the sprint. Thor is in second group.
Two riders are a level above everyone else as especially Gilbert and Rodriguez are very disappointing today.



Result:

21. Thor Hushovd, Falcon – STARK

A quiet day at the office for the Falcon boys today

Sutty: Yeah, I'm afraid the Ardennes isn't really our kind of races

Another race, that doesn’t really suit our riders. There’s a lot of early breaks and especially Lasse Bøchman is very active, but Katusha is working hard to keep everything under control for their big favourite Rodriguez.
Later on Jesper Hansen got in a break, that was allowed a 6 minute gap when best. With 37 km to go the adventure is over for Jesper.

With 5 km to go five of the breakers still have a chance for the win. Pinot being half a minute in front of the others obviously look the best, but the Frenchman is caught by the others on the final climb of Mur de Huy.



Results:
1. Maxim Iglinskiy, Astana Pro Team
2. Pavel Brutt, Team Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank
3. Daniele Callegarin, BMC Racing Team
28. Kjell Carlström, Falcon - STARK





Next up: Liège - Bastogne - Liège

Well, not much can be done here.
Maybe try to get some transfers so you can race them properly next season

Ian: I do have an eye on a couple of riders that would be a welcome addition in the Ardennes

For Falcon – STARK this is pretty much the same deal as the previous Ardennes classics - the team will need a lot of luck to get any result here. After a lot of struggling Hartvig Nielsen and Kreutzfeldt get away, but none of them are strong enough to keep up with the best of the breakers.

The break doesn't last and in the end 12 riders have to sprint for the win. Purito looks good, but Vanendert put in another great performance.

Results:
1. Jelle Vanendert, Lotto Belisol
2. Joaquím Rodríguez, Katusha
3. Thomas Voeckler, Garmin - Sharp
26. Lars Ytting Bak, Falcon - STARK

Lets hope that the Team have a better time back in Denmark, Good Luck

NetApp and Christina Watches – Onfone seem determined to make this end in a bunch sprint. For a long time no break managed to get away, but in the end Jeppe Lykke Hartvig Nielsen pulled five additional riders with him.

That break lasted until 8 km from goal, but Lars Bak was not going to let the sprinters have this one without a fight, so with 5 km to go he attacks along with Michael Rasmussen (CWO) and Stuart O’Grady (Miche). The three get a small gap, though O’Grady quickly loses contact with the two. It looks like a sprint between Lars Bak and Michael Rasmussen. Bak shows why he is riding on the WT and Rasmussen is not…



Result:

A very nice win there!

But Jelle Vanendert winning L - B - L is just awesome

Good job in the ardennes and a GREAT win by Lars Bak ahead of a almost pure sprinter (apart from his amazing TT ability).

I just knew that the Team would love riding in Denmark, Great result for Mr Bak

Ian: Very much so - both of them. Jelle was incredible strong in the Ardennes as it took a strong breakaway to beat him. In a straight uphill sprint no one could really challenge him.

Jakstar: Certainly a strong performance by Bak, but I think you might be confusing Alex and Michael Rasmussen. This was the latter (as in the pure climber, who used to be worldclass in mountains and complete crap on flat roads)

sutty: It was very nice to grab a win for Bak after he has done brilliant work for others all month - and yes, this race is on the "must-win" list for the team