sutty68 wrote:
The team will hit form soon so keep going.

Tamijo wrote:
Not the best result on team level, but Saez is still in the game.

Stage 3 is the first out of 3 chances for sprinters. Barbero is growing stronger and is definitely our guy for this stage.



A 4-man breakaway takes off in the pouring rain. FDJ's Florian Vachon is the biggest name. But the sprinter teams won't give away this one.



Intxausti brings Barbero to the front but Bora's train is on fire as well? Can our sprinter catch up?



Barbero rides a very fast sprint but Bora's and Germany's sprint talent Willwohl takes a very narrow victory. It's hard to see though due to horrible camera positioning.

After all this is a very encouraging result.

1		Willy Willwohl	Bora - Argon 18	2h46'20"
2		Carlos Barbero	Caja Rural - Seguros RGA	s.t.
3		André Looij	Team Giant-Alpecin	s.t.
4		Luka Pibernik	Team Felbermayr Simplon Wels	s.t.
5		Kenneth Vanbilsen	BMC Racing Team	s.t.
6		Onur Balkan	Colombia	s.t.
7		Stepan Astafyev	Team Vorarlberg	s.t.
8		Julien Duval	Ag2r La Mondiale	s.t.
9		Ben Gastauer	Ag2r La Mondiale	s.t.
10		Maurits Lammertink	IAM Cycling	s.t.

1		Patrick Konrad	Bora - Argon 18	11h41'17"
2		Beñat Intxausti	Caja Rural - Seguros RGA	+ 2'25"
3		Juan Chamorro	Colombia	+ 3'00"
4		Ben Gastauer	Ag2r La Mondiale	+ 3'08"
5		Peter Velits	IAM Cycling	+ 3'24"
6		Jonathan Klever	Caja Rural - Seguros RGA	+ 4'14"
7		Eduard Beltran	Colombia	+ 4'18"
8		Sam Vandenborre	Caja Rural - Seguros RGA	+ 4'28"
9		Stefan Denifl	Team Felbermayr Simplon Wels	+ 5'19"
10		Peter Stetina	BMC Racing Team	+ 6'38"

This third stage in China is categorised as flat despite the presence of an .HC climb. Coming so early, it won't be decisive though.



After the breakaway (that contained Fraile) is caught, there's once again a bunch sprint. Points leader Verhelst has a great leadout but is outsprinted by relatively easily by Estrada. Our top finisher is Tinajero in 12th.

1		Eduardo Estrada	Colombia	3h32'22"
2		Louis Verhelst	Lotto Soudal	s.t.
3		Shiki Kuroeda	NIPPO - Vini Fantini	s.t.
4		Andrea Zordan	Lampre-Merida	s.t.
5		Michael Van Staeyen	Lotto Soudal	s.t.
6		Philip Lavery	Skydive Dubai Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
7		Guillaume Boivin	Team Optum	s.t.
8		Marco Haller	MTN-Qhubeka	s.t.
9		Ivan Savitskiy	Team Katusha	s.t.
10		Sam Witmitz	Drapac Professional Cycling	s.t.
…		…	…	…
12		Aridani Tinajero	Caja Rural - Seguros RGA	s.t.

1		José Herrada	Team Katusha	10h05'13
2		Gregory Brenes	Team Cannondale - Garmin	+ 14"
3		Adrien Costa	Team Cannondale - Garmin	+ 15"
4		Thomas De Gendt	Lotto Soudal	+ 16"
5		Petr Ignatenko	Tinkoff-Saxo	s.t.
6		Jonathan Camargo	NIPPO - Vini Fantini	s.t.
7		Delio Fernández	Team Katusha	+ 17"
8		Michael Van Staeyen	Lotto Soudal	+ 20"
9		Andrea Zordan	Lampre-Merida	s.t.
10		Guillaume Boivin	Team Optum	s.t.
…		…	…	…
37		Hector Saez	Caja Rural - Seguros RGA	s.t.

DiCyc wrote:
Great stage, Barbero is a good sprinter!

Tamijo wrote:
Great sprint in Austria, but not the best result in China.

Croatia14 wrote:
just wanted to tell that this is in my eyes the most enjoyable story on the run at the moment...team choice & team building was well-thought and makes your team something to identify with, reporting and presentation of results look great and the style of yours keeps it attractive...realism is given...and the best thing about it is your screenshot work

a superb graphic artist combined with a great reporting style and fitting creativity makes it a very early shot for the story of the year in my opinion

keep the great work up Kiserlovski01!

sutty68 wrote:
Good result for Barbero in Austria

We're already at the fourth stage in Austria and we feel the team is growing stronger. Today's route includes the Großglockner, one of the most demanding climbs within the Austrian borders. With this .HC climb halfway this might be a stage for the breakaway.



A large group seems to understand that. We have Chávarri at the front with Vachon , Elmiger, D. Vanendert, Moinard and Gaimon in the breakaway as well. As soon as the road starts to go uphill, our thin climbing goat takes over command, with a big part of the group clearly struggling very soon.

For now, Chávarri allows Gaimon to take the points at the first climb and a reduced breakaway starts the Großglockner jointly.



They were in this together, but soon Gaimon is the only one that can take the steep ramps as well as Chávarri.

Suddenly Chávarri sees there's nobody left in his wheel! He captures all the points at the next to KoM sprints and starts the downhill on his own.
As there's still over 50 kms to go, Chávarri slows down and waits for Gaimon.



He's not really grateful though. Gaimon wheelsucks his way to the final kilometer. As another uphill sector appears, Chávarri looks back. Is the American cooked or has he recovered sitting is his wheel for some 30 kms? Ready to go full retard now?



No way! Chávarri kicks away for today's stage and adds a first line to his palmares! Gaimon loses 11".

When enjoying a well-deserved refreshment, our Basque winner listens to the team car: the pack lost over 12 minutes! Could it be? The yellow jersey for him?

1		Eder Chávarri	Caja Rural - Seguros RGA	4h06'38"
2		Phillip Gaimon	UnitedHealthcare Team	+ 11"
3		Amaël Moinard	FDJ	+ 4'30"
4		Florian Vachon	FDJ	+ 4'40"
5		Andres Pereyra	Team Felbermayr Simplon Wels	+ 6'01"
6		D. Vanendert	Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise	+ 6'01"
7		Raffaele Radice	Bardiani CSF	+ 7'37"
8		Martin Elmiger	Trek Factory Racing	+ 10'28"
9		Miguel Bryon	BMC Racing Team	+ 11'42"
10		Juan Chamorro	Colombia	+ 12'31"

1		Eder Chávarri	Caja Rural - Seguros RGA	15h49'58"
2		Patrick Konrad	Bora - Argon 18	+ 1'07"
3		Phillip Gaimon	UnitedHealthcare Team	+ 2'20"
4		Juan Chamorro	Colombia	+ 3'38"
5		Beñat Intxausti	Caja Rural - Seguros RGA	+ 3'54"
6		Ben Gastauer	Ag2r La Mondiale	+ 3'55"
7		Peter Velits	IAM Cycling	+ 4'53"
8		Jonathan Klever	Caja Rural - Seguros RGA	+ 5'43"
9		Eduard Beltran	Colombia	+ 5'47"
10		Sam Vandenborre	Caja Rural - Seguros RGA	+ 5'57"

What a stage! Chávarri grabs the yellow, the white and the KoM jersey and we're the best team but our other guys in the top 10 were suprised by a late acceleration and lose some ground.
Can Eder keep this yellow jersey? We'll have to see about that but I'm sure the other guys would be willing to sacrifice their own spot for a GC win.

Tamijo wrote:
Taking his first win on a stage like this, must be just fantastic for Chávarri.

Today the pack is facing a mountain stage that is both tough and long, over 220 kms. We don't expect anyone of our team to finish near the first place today, but who knows?



A small group attacks under a scorching sun. The otherwise so beautiful mountainous desert landscape is now something the riders want see fly by as quickly as possible. Amongst these riders are well-known names such as Bookwalter, Pöstlberger and Javier Moreno.



Saez is the only guy we have left at the start of the last climb. At this point, only one survivor of the breakaway is still left in front.

But once the pace is upped, Saez cracks.



Over the top, only race leader José Herrada, his luxury domestique Mamykin and Contreras are left.

The man in yellow beats Contreras for the stage, while Saez finishes in 35th.

1		José Herrada	Team Katusha	5h55'54"
2		Rodrigo Contreras	Tinkoff-Saxo	s.t.
3		Matvei Mamykin	Team Katusha	+ 1'21"
4		Thomas De Gendt	Lotto Soudal	+ 2'36"
5		Gorka Izagirre	Movistar Team	s.t.
6		Robert Power	Lotto Soudal	s.t.
7		Raffaello Bonusi	NIPPO - Vini Fantini	s.t.
8		Dayer Quintana	Team Optum	s.t.
9		Jacques J. Van Rensburg	Bardiani CSF	+ 3'45"
10		Juan A. Pardo Calvo	Movistar Team	s.t.
…		…	…	…
35		Hector Saez	Caja Rural - Seguros RGA	+ 7'36"

1		José Herrada	Team Katusha	16h00'57"
2		Rodrigo Contreras	Tinkoff-Saxo	+ 24"
3		Matvei Mamykin	Team Katusha	+ 1'47"
4		Thomas De Gendt	Lotto Soudal	+ 3'02"
5		Dayer Quintana	Team Optum	+ 3'06"
6		Gorka Izagirre	Movistar Team	s.t.
7		Robert Power	Lotto Soudal	s.t.
8		Raffaello Bonusi	NIPPO - Vini Fantini	s.t.
9		Juan A. Pardo Calvo	Movistar Team	+ 4'15"
10		Rodolfo Torres	Skydive Dubai Pro Team	s.t.
…	…	…	…	…
25		Hector Saez	Caja Rural - Seguros RGA	+ 8'06"

sutty68 wrote:
Great win for Chavarri in Austria and now the race lead

Tamijo wrote:
As you expected, a very tough stage.

Stage 5 out of 8 is classified as hilly, with the last summit finishes of this edition located in Sonntagsberg. Chávarri goal is to keep the gap to Konrad as big as possible going to the decisive TT later this week.



A group of unknown riders gives it a try for the stage. Former Colombian champion Rubiano is the biggest name present.

Konrad's team however isn't planning on letting anyone away and help us pulling. The team gets to rest for the biggest part of the race.

We arrive at a high pace at the base of the final climb. It's a short but super steep hill with slopes over 10% for a little over 5 kms.



Geschke kicks away immediately and wins the stage over former U23 world champion Ledanois. Intxausti takes some time back at Konrad, but when comes Chávarri?

1		Simon Geschke	Team Giant-Alpecin	4h42'37"
2		Kevin Ledanois	Ag2r La Mondiale	+ 22"
3		Ben Gastauer	Ag2r La Mondiale	+ 1'02"
4		Sindre Lunke	Bardiani CSF	s.t.
5		Beñat Intxausti	Caja Rural - Seguros RGA	s.t.
6		Eduard Beltran	Colombia	s.t.
7		Patrick Schelling	IAM Cycling	+ 1'25"
8		Patrick Konrad	Bora - Argon 18	s.t.
9		Tanel Kangert	FDJ	s.t.
10		Paul Voss	CULT Energy Pro Cycling	s.t.
…	…	…	…	…
18		Eder Chávarri	Caja Rural - Seguros RGA	+ 2'30"

1		Eder Chávarri	Caja Rural - Seguros RGA	20h44'55"
2		Patrick Konrad	Bora - Argon 18	+ 2"
3		Ben Gastauer	Ag2r La Mondiale	+ 2'23"
4		Beñat Intxausti	Caja Rural - Seguros RGA	+ 2'26"
5		Juan Chamorro	Colombia	+ 2'33"
6		Peter Velits	IAM Cycling	+ 3'48"
7		Eduard Beltran	Colombia	+ 4'19"
8		Phillip Gaimon	UnitedHealthcare Cycling Team	+ 4'49"
9		Stefan Denifl	Team Felbermayr Simplon Wels	+ 5'01"
10		S. Vandenborre	Caja Rural - Seguros RGA	+ 5'23"

Two seconds. Two scant seconds. Eder has lost his comfortable lead, but he's still in yellow. Konrad is a beter TT-ist, but both will be tired after some tough stages.

Beñat and Sam should still be in the running for a podium and a higher top 10 spot respectively.