Christina Reports Last year Schumacher won the stage from a bold breakaway attempt, it is not likely he will be allowed to do that again, but with both Lasse Bøchman and Stefan Schumacher able to do something of a stage like this one, we will for sure try something, if they got any legs at all.
The Parish Church of St. Nicholas in Mühldorf was first built in 1251, burned and rebuild in 1300, and again replaced in mid. 1400s, with later extensions and replacements, the baroque onion roof top in 1764.
Mühldorf approx.1860 by Nikolaus Gumberger (1822-1898), St. Nicholas in the left side of the painting.
Pre-race strategy: Hoping for Bøchman or Schumacher, we will try to send a “scout” out from the morning, to help later on the stage,
Profile:
A morning break of 6 riders gets a small gap, but the peloton is fast and they gets caught again, Pacheco attacks to win the intermediate sprint, which ends in a break of 4, including Mitchell Lovelock-Fay. Pacheco drives the group, while Lovelock-Fay is waiting for the mountains.
From the bottom of the cat1 climb, Bøchman attacks to close the gap to the front group, At this point group Lovelock-Fay is about 3’30 in front of the peloton, 75 km left.
Bøchman gets up to the front, and helped by Lovelock-Fay, they set a hard enough pace, to force the others in the group to fall back. They are now alone in front. In the peloton Roman Kreuziger (Saxo) attacks, Schumacher counters, when they pass Van Hecke and Retschke from the breakaway, Kreuziger attacks again, this time Schumacher can’t counter, he has to find his own pace.
Then suddenly disaster strike, Bøchman crashes, Kreuziger flies by, he is still on the ground when Schumacher passes him.
When Bøchman gets back in the race, the situation is: Kreuziger and Lovelock-Fay in front, Schumacher at 1’07, Bøchman at 1’43 and a peloton of 60 riders at 2’33, 39 km to the finish. Bøchman slowly moves in on Schumacher and Lovelock-Fay who has slowed down a little. Even though he was down Bøchman has got extremely good legs today. First Lovelock-Fay and then Schumacher gives all they got the help Bøchman.
But Kreuziger is gone he wins an amazing solo victory with 3'41 to Bøchman, Schumacher takes the last podium at 4'33.
Christina: WOW, what a drama, the time gaps in top ten is quite extreme, seems we managed to destroy the peloton today. Sadly Bøchman was resting on the tarmac for a while otherwise no one knows how it could have finished.
Stage:
1
Roman Kreuziger
Team Saxo - Tinkoff
4h47'29
2
Lasse Bøchman
Christina Watches - Onfone
+ 3'41
3
Stefan Schumacher
Christina Watches - Onfone
+ 4'33
4
Michael Valgren
Team Saxo - Tinkoff
+ 6'13
5
Mitchell Lovelock-Fay
Christina Watches - Onfone
s.t.
6
Peter Velits
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
7
Silvio Herklotz
Nutrixxion - Abus
s.t.
8
Steve Houanard
Jules
+ 6'50
9
Serge Pauwels
Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise
+ 7'09
10
Greg Van Avermaet
BMC Racing Team
s.t
.
CG:
1
Roman Kreuziger
Team Saxo - Tinkoff
9h24'14
2
Lasse Bøchman
Christina Watches - Onfone
+ 3'53
3
Stefan Schumacher
Christina Watches - Onfone
+ 4'47
4
Peter Velits
BMC Racing Team
+ 6'39
5
Silvio Herklotz
Nutrixxion - Abus
s.t.
6
Michael Valgren
Team Saxo - Tinkoff
s.t.
7
Mitchell Lovelock-Fay
Christina Watches - Onfone
s.t.
8
Luka Mezgec
Team Argos - Shimano
+ 7'15
9
Steve Houanard
Jules
+ 7'16
10
Marcel Meisen
REWE
+ 7'23
Points:
1
Roman Kreuziger
Team Saxo - Tinkoff
31
2
Stefan Schumacher
Christina Watches - Onfone
27
3
Luka Mezgec
Team Argos - Shimano
25
Mountain:
1
Preben Van Hecke
Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise
24
2
Robert Retschke
Team Quantec - Indeland
22
3
Mitchell Lovelock-Fay
Christina Watches - Onfone
20
Team: Team Saxo - Tinkoff
Young: Silvio Herklotz - Nutrixxion - Abus
Edited by Tamijo on 15-03-2016 16:52
I am ecstatic
In a HC race this is perfect for us.
There is a very small possibly that Bøchman would be able to hold of a rider like Roman Kreuziger, he seemed to have a very good day too. My guess is the result would have been the same, just with a much smaller margin.
Edited by Tamijo on 15-03-2016 19:40
Christina Reports : Last year the stage was won by Pieter Serry (Topsport Vlaanderen) from a breakaway. It is not unlikely that may happen again, after a hard stage yesterday.
Neunußberg castle was constructed in 1340-1350, by Konrad von Nußberg lord of Nußberg, The family then left the former headquarters at Castle Altnußberg (constructed 1174-1194) just a few km to the south. Both castles are today important middle age ruins, just a few km from Viechtach.
Neunußberg ruin:
Pre-race strategy:
We will do our best to get someone in the morning break. It is vital that Bøchman and Schumacher, rest as much as possible, due to the upcoming ITT tomorrow. We will off course protect our GC position, but expect Saxo to do most of the work today.
Profile:
From the start of the stage Mitchell Lovelock-Fay stays in front and attacks to win the first KoM sprint, trying to get in the KoM jersey, the peloton is close behind, it does not end in a breakaway.
After the climb it is Davy Commeye (Accent Jobs) who ventures out on a long solo mission.
Commeye gets about 5’30 (at 100 km left) before the peloton starts the hunt, It is mainly Saxo who takes action.
Davy Commeye gets caught, and it comes to the mass sprint finish, the stage is won by Gerald Ciolek (MTN – Qhubeka) over Marcel Meisen (REWE), we get 3 riders in top 10, our best is Francisco José Pacheco (6)
Christina: very nice and easy stage for us, with Mitchell getting the jersey.
25/5 Stage 4/5. ITT Schierling – Schierling 31.2 km
The Caravan have moved 25 km south east from Kelheim to Schierling. Last year Schumacher got 3rd on this stage, “only” losing 47 sec.
The original castle was built by the knights of Schierling sometime in the 12 or 13 century. After the Castle was bought by Jesuit’s in 1689, the facility was changed. The wings was constructed in 1728. Also the Castle Mill from1762 still exists.
Pre-race strategy: The main goal is the keep our position as 2 & 3 in the GC, Bøchman and Schumacher should be good enough in the ITT to do that.
Profile:
The stage was won by Andrey Amador (RusVelo) with 34 sec. to Jasha Sütterlin (Thüringer)
Former top 10
10 Gerald Ciolek (MTN) lost 2’35 (47), new CG:25
9 Marcel Meisen (REWE) lost 2’25 (40), new GC:21
8 Luka Mezgec (Argos) lost 2’38 (50), new GC:24
7 Mitchell Lovelock-Fay (Christina), lost 2’19 (35), new GC:10
6 Michael Valgren (Saxo), lost 1’43 (13), new GC:7
Bøchman on the route:
5 Silvio Herklotz (Nutrixxion), lost 2,22 (38), new GC:12
4 Peter Velits (BMC), lost 0’43 (4), new GC:4
3 Stefan Schumacher (Christina), lost 1’39 (12), new GC:3
2 Lasse Bøchman (Christina), lost 1’20 (9), new GC:2
1 Roman Kreuziger (Saxo), lost 0’53, new CG:1
Race Leader Kreuziger:
Christina: Brilliant result, only Lovelock-Fay lost a little in the GC.
Christian Reports: Last you’re the stage was won by Jelle Wallays from a breakaway. We wont mind that, as long as the KoM and our GC is not in danger. Bayern Rundfahrt will finish in Nürnberg, Bayern’s 2nd largest city with a population of about 500.000. Finding in Nürnberg indicates a town from about 850 AD, but the town was first mentioned in 1050.
St. Lawrence Gothic church, constructed from 1250 to1477:
Pre-race strategy: This stage will mainly be about defending the KoM jersey, a flat stage like this should be no threat to the GC. We will keep Mitchell Lovelock-Fay in front, ready to defend his Jersey.
Profile:
The morning breakaway of 6 riders gets about 7 min.
Over the 2nd cat2 climb the pace suddenly gets high, driven by Saxo. The peloton breaks over into several pieces, stage favorite Van Avermaet and a lot of other good riders get cut off. Van Avermaet pulls his group forward 2’32 behind the peloton at this point.
But Saxo decides to slow down, and eventually everyone gets back in the peloton. The pace continue to be relative high all day, with 20 km left the break has just 1 minute, it is soon over.
The finish is hard, no teams are able to set up actual trains, it is down to a man v man situation, where everyone tries to get in position. The stage is won by Michael Mørkøv (Saxo) over Gerald Ciolek (MTN).
Our best is Francisco José Pacheco (5)
Christina: ok stage and overall fantastic race for us, clearly Bøchman’s best race in his time on our team.
Rasmussen Reports, It is the first time we take part in Tour of Estonia, the Tour is basically sprinter stages, with just a very short ITT of 3 km at day 2, which could decide the overall winner. Our hope is Bøchman in the ITT, and Philip Nielsen for the flat stages, but frankly our hopes are not very high for this one.
Viimsi is a small town 8 km north of Tallinn with a population of about 2400. The town evolved around a Viimsi Manor, founded in the 1400’s by nuns from Pirita klooster.
Viimsi Manor (Reconstructed 1865)
Pre-race strategy: Did not plan a set tactic, we will see what happens, and take it from there.
Profile:
Roster:
Lasse Bøchman
Philip Nielsen
Yves Lampaert
Sebastian Balck
Mads Würtz Schmidt
Mitchell Lovelock-Fay
Angelo Furlan
Simon Bigum
A rather disappointing stage, seen from the spectator view, several attacks all day, but the peloton won’t let them get serious gap’s it looks like a mass sprint from start to finish.
One of many failed attempts to breakaway:
It comes to the expected mass sprint, the stage is won by Mark Renshaw (Belkin) over Daryl Impey (Vodafone), our best is Lasse Bøchman (9) actually beating our best sprinter Philip Nielsen without much help. Bøchman’s spirit and confidence seems to be high after Bayern Rundfahrt.
Rasmussen: It looks like Bøchman could be in fine shape for tomorrows short ITT. On the downside Philip Nielsen’s effort was unimpressive.
Christian Andersen reports: We are here in Tartu, for the Tartu Grand Prix one day race. We hope for Holst Enger or Pacheco to be able to compete in the expected sprint finish.
Archaeological evidence of the first settlement in Tartu dates to 5th century AD. By the 7th century a local tribe had built a wooden fortification.
Tartu and river Emajogi
Pre-race strategy: We will attempt a breakaway, at least to put pressure on others teams, and get a little TV time if possible, otherwise we hope for a good sprint.
Profile:
Roster:
Francisco José Pacheco
Davide Malacarne
Sondre Holst Enger
Morten Høberg
Patrick Clausen
Anders Bjerregård
Anton Grøn
Lasse Christiansen
A huge breakaway of 13 riders, get together relative early on the stage. We got Davide Malacarne in the break.
After about 2/3 of the stage, Pacheco is down, we send Morten Høberg and Patrick Clausen back to help him.The pace is rather high due to the size of the breakaway, but they get Pacheco back in fine shape.
About 5 km to the line, several attempts to attack from the peloton, have been reeled back, but now Tony Gallopin (RadioShack) attack, and close the gap to the breakaway, still about 20-30 sec. in front.
Just 1 km left, and the break is still in front.
The sprint becomes a mixture of riders from the breakaway and the peloton. Mateusz Nowaczek (Bank BGZ) from the break, wins the stage over Tony Gallopin, Bryan Coquard (Orica – GreenEdge) from the peloton, takes the last podium. Our best was Pacheco (9).
Christian Andersen: Not what I was hoping for, we had riders to do better than this.
Rasmussen Reports, Today the short ITT in Tallinn, the capital city of Estonia, population approx. 450.000. The first evidence of human settlement in the city is pottery made by hunter-gatherers about 5000 years ago.
Tallinn:
Pre-race strategy: We hope for Bøchman to do well, getting into GC top10
Profile:
The stage was won by Patrick Gretsch (Nippo - De Rosa) over Alex Rasmussen (Garmin), our best was Bøchman (33).
Garmin at the podium, for the team classification:
Rasmussen: Pretty bad result for us, was expecting a much better result from Bøchman, we are completely out of the GC now.
