Rasmussen: While we are off course exited, and a bit nervous about the race in Turkey, I am here in Denmark, in the small town Farsø, originally just a small farm village, but with the creation of Farsø Sygehus (Hospital) in 1894 it grew into a town. The town also has an 1100 century church.
Farsø Sygehus (Hospital) ca. 1900:
We are here for “Himmerland rundt”, Himmerland is a part of the Danish peninsula Jutland, between Limfjorden and Mariager Fjord.
Farsø Kirke (church):
The route starts in Farsø, with 4 laps round the town, then on to Aalestrup with 6 laps round the town, and on to Aars, with 3 rounds on a big circuit, and then 3 rounds on a small circuit for the finish.
Mor Ellys Pølser, Aars (Mother Elly’s sausages):
Last year Francisco José Pacheco got a 2nd in this race, we expect a similar result again this year.
Pre-race strategy: We expect to lead the race, and try to win a mass sprint.
Profile:
Roster:
Anders Bjerregård
Anton Grøn
Francisco José Pacheco
Lasse Christiansen
Marc Hester
Martin Pedersen
Simon Bigum
Sondre Holst Enger
The morning break was relative large with 8 riders getting away. The strongest might be Hossein Askari (Etixx – iHNed) a strong fighter, but none of them tempo riders with a good potential to win a flat stage.
With 46 km to go, the break has got 1’51, when Robert Hunter (Champion System) attacks; Hunter is a race favorite, now the peloton accelerates to a very high pace.
Hunter is caught and so is the break-away, the teams start to prepare for the mass sprint, when Gustav Erik Larsson (UK Youth) attacks and get a small gap, just 7-8 km before the finish.
Larsson still has a small gap, when Sondre Holst Enger starts the sprint, with Pacheco on his rear wheel.
Larsson is empty, he can’t hold the sprinters off, Francisco José Pacheco wins the race over Rick Zabel (Rabobank DT)
Rasmussen: Another perfect sprint from Francisco. Taking a win in Denmark, is very important to us.
21/4 - 28/4 Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey (cat. 2.HC)
27/4 Stage 7: Kusadasi – Izmir
Kaleiçi Camii, mosque built in 1618, Kusadasi:
Christina: Hi all, Congratulation to Francisco, fantastic race back in Denmark. Down here i Turkey we have travaled just 25 km, from the mountains to the Aegean coast, for a start in Kusadasi, a port city knows my the ancient Greeks as Pygela. But allready beeing settled in 3000 BC, by the ”Leleges” a pre historian Aegean tribe.
Kusadasi:
From Kusadasi the route goes west along the coast, up to a sprint near Özdere, further west for the cat.4 climb near Doganbey, before in turns indland for the last sprint near Çamlı, from there west along the coast towards the finish in Izmir.
Izmir Clock Tower (1901):
Pre-race strategy: We will protect Kenny Elissonde, and only defend against attacks, if they are threatening the GC.
Profile:
A break of 8 riders gets away, the strongest rider in the break, seems to be Benjamin Verraes (Accent Jobs)
We won’t waist any energy bringing the break back, we don’t mind a break-away win, other teams are leading the peloton, in a very slow pace, seems everyone is too tired to react.
With only 46 km left, the break has got 9’21 and the distance is still growing, we are starting to get concerned. We send Frederik Wilmann to the front, setting a much higher pace.
The stage is won between group “Verraes”, the winner is Marlón Pérez (Colombia) over Ivan Kovalev (RusVelo) they seems to have raced wisely, they are definitely not the strongest riders in the break.
Christina: The peloton lost only 1'21, and we did not waist much energy, a perfect result.
21/4 - 28/4 Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey (cat. 2.HC)
28/4 Final Stage : Istanbul - Istanbul
Hagia Sophia:
Christina: Here In Istanbul, the gateway between Asia and Europe. The area have been settled as far back as 6700 BC. Greeks from the city Megara, settled the area about 680 BC, naming the city Byzantium, around 200 AD it was occupied by the Romans. In 330 it is was proclaimed the new capital of the Roman Empire, by Constantine the Great renaming it Constantinopolis. In 1453 the city was captured by the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II, now known as Kostantiniyye or Istanbul.
Bagdat Avenue:
The route starts by the Hagia Sophia, round the Topkapi Palace, crossing the Galata Bridge, up to Yıldız Technical University, south over Boğaziçi Köprüsü (bridge), down to Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium, then 8 laps of 12,1 km on Caddebostan Coastal Road and Bağdat Ave. through 2 intermediate sprints before the finish.
Boğaziçi Köprüsü, the link between Asia and Europe:
Pre-race strategy: Again we will only protect Elissonde, and only defend against attacks, if they are threatening the GC.
Profile:
A morning break of 6 riders, the strongest seems to be Gorik Gardeyn (Topsport Vlaanderen), Benjamin Verraes (Accent Jobs) is here again today, but can he manage two days of break-away in a row?
The sprinter teams set a higher pace today, there must be some who want to win on this final day. There are a lot of spectators in Istanbul, even though the weather is pretty bad.
25 km left, the front group has 1’19; and the rain has stopped.
The attackers just manage to hold of the sprinters, even though all came home in the same time. The race was won by Gorik Gardeyn (Topsport Vlaanderen) over Benjamin Verraes (Accent Jobs).
Christina: The celebration won’t end, the management, the team, the staff we are all so happy, this is our first overall win in a 2HC stage race; our future just seems so bright right now.
Rund um den Finanzplatz Eschborn-Frankfurt (cat.1.HC)
1/5 Eschborn-Frankfurt: 201.0 km
Frankfurt:
Rasmussen: I am here in Frankfurt, a German city with a total urban population of more than 2 million, besides some stoneage finds in the area, Frankfurt was first settled by Romans in the first century AD, the name is first written in 793, at the time already a sized city, in 794 Charlemagne, famous king of the Franks, build a court in Frankfurt. Sadly large part of the old city was destroyed by bombings in world war II.
19th century statue of Charlemagne in Frankfurt:
The Route starts in Eschborn a suburb in the northern part of Frankfurt, from there south to Frankfurt center, and then north for a climb up to Großer Feldberg, the highest point on the route more than 800 meter above sea level, from there southwest to Ruppertshain, starting 2 laps on a big circuit vest of the city, before 2 laps on a smaller circuit, and then into Frankfurt center for 3 laps on a small circuit.
Old City:
Pre-race strategy: We hope for a good finish with Sondre, but we are prepared to attack if possible, anybody with good legs is free to go. Hard to predict a long mixed stage like this one.
Profile:
Roster:
Anton Grøn
Daniele Aldegheri
Lasse Christiansen
Marc Hester
Simon Bigum
Sondre Holst Enger
Stefan Schumacher
Yves Lampaert
A breakaway of 10 rider, the strongest seems to be Juan José Cobo (Movistar), Janier Acevedo (Jamis) and Francis De Greef (Accent Jobs), we got Daniele Aldegheri in the break, but with riders like these he may not be able to hold on. The break has got 6 min on the top of Großer Feldberg.
Kanstantsin Siutsou (Vodafone) down:
Group José Cobo has got 3 min, with 60 km left, right before of the last two hills.
Aldegheri can’t hold on to the group on the hills. Stefan Schumacher attacks and gets up to Daniele.
The Peloton swallows Schumacher & Aldegheri, but they can’t catch the front group. The race is won by Francis De Greef (Accent Jobs) over Angelo Pagani (Bardiani Valvole), our best was Sondre Holst Enger (18).
Rasmussen: did not have many expectations, but this result is worse than expected.
Świdnica: Church of Peace, UNESCO Heritage site (1656–57)
Rasmussen: Here in Swidnica, Polan, some 40 km from the Czech border. It is unknown when Swidnica was founded, but it became a town in about 1250, and grew rapidly. In 1291 it had become the capital of a Duchy, with city wall and six gates. It has later been ruled by Bohemia, then Habsburg Monarchy, Prussia, and then Germany until the end of World War II.
Świdnica Old town:
The route start south from Świdnica to Burkatów, then west to Dziećmorowice, over two cat.2 climbs to Walim, now two laps on a circuit, over a cat.1 east to Pieszyce, on to Dzierżoniów, a south swing through Bielawa and back to Pieszyce, southwest over another cat.1 to Sokolec, and a final cat 2 before Walim, after the 2nd lap, the circuit starts again, but this time only heading for the finish in Dzierżoniów.
A Street in Dzierżoniów:
Pre-race strategy: We hope for a good race from Bøchman, but he is not in top shape. In this stage, we protect Bøchman, but Lovelock-Fay or Wilmann are free to attack if they feel good.
Profile:
Roster:
Anders Bjerregård
Anton Grøn
Frederik Wilmann
Lasse Bøchman
Lasse Christiansen
Marc Hester
Mitchell Lovelock-Fay
Simon Bigum
The morning break is Lovelock-Fay and Pavel Potocki (Meridiana Kamen).
At the first climb, Manuele Mori (Lampre) attacks and starts chasing the front group.
Next it is Blel Kadri (Bretagne) leaving the peloton behind, racing for victory.
Mori gets up to the front right after the first cat.1, on the 2nd cat.1, just as Kadri is getting close to the group, Mori attacks and leaves the others behind.
Group Lovelock-Fay was reeled back in by the peloton just before the last group of 3 climbs, then Bøchman attacks.
Bøchman can’t get a gap and others trying to get away is also swallowed by the peloton, Mori is gone and he takes a solo win with 1'57 to a peloton of 80 riders. All of our riders finish outside top 20.
Rasmussen: A hard race for us, but Mitchell Lovelock-Fay got some TV time, bonus seconds and the Youth Jersey.
Stage:
1
Manuele Mori
Lampre - Merida
4h16'24
2
Fabio Duarte
Colombia
+ 1'57
3
Edgar Pinto
LA Alumínios - Antarte
s.t.
4
Janier Acevedo
Jamis - Hagens Berman
s.t.
5
Andrey Kashechkin
Astana Pro Team
s.t.
6
Rein Taaramäe
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
s.t.
7
Aurélien Passeron
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
s.t.
8
Julien El Fares
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
s.t.
9
Fabio Aru
Astana Pro Team
s.t.
10
Patrik Sinkewitz
Meridiana Kamen Team
s.t.
GC:
1
Manuele Mori
Lampre - Merida
4h15'54
2
Fabio Duarte
Colombia
+ 2'15
3
Mitchell Lovelock-Fay
Christina Watches - Onfone
+ 2'17
4
Edgar Pinto
LA Alumínios - Antarte
+ 2'19
5
Blel Kadri
Bretagne - Séché Environnement
+ 2'25
6
Janier Acevedo
Jamis - Hagens Berman
+ 2'27
7
Andrey Kashechkin
Astana Pro Team
s.t.
8
Rein Taaramäe
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
s.t.
9
Aurélien Passeron
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
s.t.
10
Julien El Fares
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
s.t.
Points:
1
Manuele Mori
Lampre - Merida
35
2
Fabio Duarte
Colombia
20
3
Edgar Pinto
LA Alumínios - Antarte
16
Mountain:
1
Manuele Mori
Lampre - Merida
102
2
Mitchell Lovelock-Fay
Christina Watches - Onfone
68
3
Pavel Potocki
Meridiana Kamen Team
58
Team: Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
Young: Mitchell Lovelock-Fay Christina Watches - Onfone
Rasmussen: The Caravan moved about 110 km north to Polkowice, for the ITT. According to legend Duke “Bolesław I Wysoki” had a hunting lodge here in the 12th. century, Bolesław might be the origin of the name Polkowice.
St Michael Archangel Church:
Polkowice is the home of UCI Continental team “CCC-Sprandi-Polkowice”
The route goes from Polkowice east thought the villages of Trzebcz, Guzice, and Żuków, south to Tarnówek and back the same way.
Profile:
Rein Taaramäe (Cofidis, Solutions Crédits) won the stage with 12 sec. to Sergey Firsanov (RusVelo)
Marc Hester (Christina Watches) crossing the line 2'25 after Taaramäe:
Our best was Lasse Bøchman (17) loosing ’53 to Taaramäe,
Lasse Bøchman passing Carlo Scognamiglio (Meridiana) from opposite directions:
Manuele Mori lost 1,58 to Taaramäe, but he was able to hold on to the overall lead.
Rasmussen: Might be somehow expected, but def. not what I had hoped for. Bøchman is 16th in the GC, I had hoped for a top 10.
Stage:
1
Rein Taaramäe
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
41'35
2
Sergey Firsanov
RusVelo
+ 12
3
Ben Jacques-Maynes
Jamis - Hagens Berman
+ 17
4
Rory Sutherland
Team Saxo - Tinkoff
+ 26
5
Rasmus Quaade
Concordia Forsikring - Riwal
+ 27
6
Alexsandr Dyachenko
Astana Pro Team
+ 28
7
Jérôme Coppel
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
+ 35
8
Evan Huffman
Astana Pro Team
s.t.
9
Jarosław Marycz
CCC Polsat - Polkowice
+ 36
10
Mads Christensen
Team Saxo - Tinkoff
+ 37
CG:
1
Manuele Mori
Lampre - Merida
4h59'27
2
Rein Taaramäe
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
+ 29
3
Sergey Firsanov
RusVelo
+ 41
4
Ben Jacques-Maynes
Jamis - Hagens Berman
+ 46
5
Rory Sutherland
Team Saxo - Tinkoff
+ 55
6
Alexsandr Dyachenko
Astana Pro Team
+ 57
7
Jérôme Coppel
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
+ 1'04
8
Evan Huffman
Astana Pro Team
s.t.
9
Jarosław Marycz
CCC Polsat - Polkowice
+ 1'05
10
Matteo Montaguti
Androni Giocattoli - Venezuela
+ 1'06
Points:
1
Manuele Mori
Lampre - Merida
35
2
Rein Taaramäe
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
35
3
Sergey Firsanov
RusVelo
22
Mountain:
1
Manuele Mori
Lampre - Merida
102
2
Mitchell Lovelock-Fay
Christina Watches - Onfone
68
3
Pavel Potocki
Meridiana Kamen Team
58
Team: Astana Pro Team
Young: Evan Huffman (Astana)
Edited by Tamijo on 08-11-2015 19:13
Rasmussen: Still here en Polkowice, the town was first mentioned as a town in the late 13th century. Most of the original medieval town was destroyed by a fire in 1457. From 1937-1945 the city was renamed “Heerwegen“ by the Nazi’s.
Walking street in the citycenter:
The Route has just changed I little since yesterday, it starts with 3 laps of 25,9 km from the center of Polkowice, from there west through Guzice to a cat.2 climb near Grodowiec, south to Tarnówek, and then back to Polkowice, then 3 short laps of 6 km in the town.
Marian shrine - the center of Religious cult of Mary (Mother of Jesus) in Grodowiec:
Pre-race strategy: With some hill’s on the stage, we will try to get Frederik Wilmann or Mitchell Lovelock-Fay in a breakaway.
Profile:
Several attacks take off from the peloton in small groups; it ends with a break-away of 8 riders, including Wilmann.
With about 25 km left, two riders from the break-away Jonathan Monsalve (Androni Giocattoli – Venezuela) and Sander Armee (Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise) attacks.
The peloton have raced in a relative high pace most of the day, and even though it’s a short and mostly flat stage, more than 20 riders lose over 4 minutes. The break can’t hold out, and its time to set a train up. We set up Fay – Bøhman – Hester.
The sprint is won by Ariel Maximiliano Richeze (Lampre – Merida) over Mateusz Nowak (CCC Polsat – Polkowice), a nice 2nd in his teams home town.
Marc Hester takes a fine 4th, a very good result from him.
Rasmussen: Very fine sprint from Hester, and a good assist from Lovelock-Fay and Bøchman, finally an acceptable result.
