I think it makes the story better if you stay all-Italian. That's what Colnago is! I think the only way to make your team stronger, is to get riders as Visconti, Malori, Oss, Felline... Curious to see what will happen!
@ dienblad: No worries, I will be staying all-Italian.
Campionata di Italia
Camaiore: 187.4km
A classic circuit race, Italy's national championship will be decided on one of the six ascents of the same hill. The first third of the race should be calm, but many riders will go out on attacks in the latter portion of the day. If the peloton can keep the bunch together, a rugged sprinter could be sporting the tricolore.
As to be expected, many riders, especially those from the "lesser" teams were eager to attack from the beginning of the day. As soon as one group was reeled in, another would attack. It was a chaotic race.
Various riders tried to get into the day's break.
It took until the climb for a breakaway to truly form and stay away from the peloton. Colnago got Manuel Belletti into the move. Not the strongest rider for the climb, he was the fastest in the group. Included in this group was riders like Vladimir Gusev (Katusha Team) and Alessandro Bisolti (Farnese Vini - Neri Sottoli).
The break gets over the first climb ahead of the peloton.
On the descent, numerous riders bridged to the break group. By this point, the escapees numbered 18. A very worrying number for those in peloton, a concerted effort was made to reel the group in.
Just before the second climb, the break was caught.
The break grew too large for the peloton's liking.
With this break caught, more riders tried to get away. Daniele Callegarin (Team Type 1) and Roberto Ferrari (Androni Giocattoli) were the first two riders to escape the peloton.
They finished the second climb 1'04 ahead of a chase group of 8. Belletti was in this group. The peloton was 3'26 behind.
Callegarin and Ferrari escape the peloton after the initial break fails.
By the third ascent, Callegarin and Ferrari were joined by the other 8. 10 riders now made up the lead group on the road. Their lead had grown to 6'22.
The fourth ascent also saw little action. The peloton had begun chasing, but the break's lead was still 5'02.
Just before the fifth climb, attacks came from the peloton. They came from a group of strong riders; Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas -Cannondale), Enrico Gasparotto (Pro Team Astana), and Manuel Quinziato (BMC Racing Team) were coming.
Nibali is on the attack, looking to collect both tricolore jerseys.
They did not bridge to the lead group by the top of the 5th climb. They were 1'05 behind the lead rider. The peloton was only 1'45 behind.
The lead rider? Callegarin. He pushed the pace hard on the climb. No one in the break could follow the pace and he had a 20" advantage over his former companions.
Callegarin escapes on the penultimate climb.
The peloton caught the Nibali group and the remnants of the break on the descent.
Up the road, Callegarin had 20km to go and a lead of only 1'01.
A hard road lies ahead.
At the final climb, the lead remained around the same. It was time for the punchy riders to make their move.
Domenico Pozzovivo launched the first attack. Following him was Leonardo Bertagnolli (Lampre - ISD), Filippo Pozzato (Katusha Team), and Gasparotto.
Pozzovivo and co. make a bid to catch Callegarin.
The attack lacked the strength required to drag back the lone leader. Callegarin went over the top with his lead intact.
A descent and a couple of flat kilometers stood in his way. Still, if the sprint trains organized themselves, it was going to be a tough task to stay away.
Callegarin can't give up now.
However, the response from the peloton was nonexistent. Inexplicably, Callegarin's advantage began to grow.
He took the win without any contest from the main field.
1'45 later, Daniel Oss (Liquigas - Cannondale) led the peloton in. Sacha Modolo finished in 5th.
Callegarin will sport the tricolore for the next year.
On July 2nd, the biggest spectacle in cycling begins. The 98th edition of Le Grand Boucle will start in Passage du Gois and traverse 3,430 kilometers before finishing in Paris on the Champs-Élysées. Along the way obstacles like the Col du Galibier and L'Alpe d'Huez will be tackled.
The start list for the race is not devoid of contenders. Headlining the bunch is Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank SunGard), Andy Schleck (Leopard Trek), and Cadel Evans (BMC Racing Team). In the recent Tour de Suisse, Contador bested the other two.
In addition to these riders, Roman Kreuziger and Alexandre Vinokourov (Pro Team Astana), Samuel Sánchez and Igor Antón (Euskaltel - Euskadi), Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas - Cannondale), Andy's brother Fränk Schleck (Leopard Trek), and Robert Gesink (Rabobank Cycling Team) are all among the scheduled starters.
Just read this thread from start to finish. Masterly story-telling Tuco, I've thorough enjoyed it. I'll be staying tuned from now on. Can't wait to hear July's transfer news!
PS It's made me think I should splash out on a new computer so I can run PCM11 too...
@ dienblad: The national championships are often weird in PCM in my experience. With no team willing to chase him down, it was quite easy in the end.
@ Avin Wargunnson: Thanks. Pozzovivo didn't have the legs but he will be getting in shape for the fall.
@ lennybernstein: Wow, thanks a lot. PCM 11 is a big improvement over 10 in my opinion.
Tour of Qinghai Lake
From the Italian peninsula, Colnago find themselves a world away in China. For the second time this season, the team will partake in an UCI Asia Tour race. A 9-day race, all the action revolves around Qinghai lake, the largest of its kind in the world's second largest nation.
The route is rather dull and lack's a decisive stage. Featuring almost entirely flat parcours, the obstacles will be in the air. With the race centered around Xining, it will be difficult. Xining's air quality is worse than Beijing.
Colnago's squad is built squarely around Sacha Modolo. The team feel they have 9 great opportunities to get his first win of the season in China.
It is also the first chance to see the newly crowned Italian champion, Daniele Callegarin (Team Type 1).
Callegarin looks good in his new jersey.
The first stage was a circuit course around Xining. The peloton would ride the lap 9 times. On the second lap, a breakaway of 13 riders got away. Colnago did not try to get a rider in the group.
The first break of the Tour of Qinghai Lake.
Modolo was one of the hot favorites entering the day, and Colnago acted accordingly. For much of the day, Manuele Caddeo and Alberto Contoli sat at the front, controlling the pace.
As it became time to reel in the escape, most of the time was at the front, working hard.
Colnago leads the chase.
However, over the final kilometers, Colnago's riders began to tire. No other team stepped in to pick up the slack. The break was going to succeed.
In the sprint from the small group, Laurent Mangel (Saur - Sojasun) was the quickest in the bunch and took the first stage. The peloton came in 1'14 later.
Mangel wins from a breakaway in Stage 1.
The first few kilometers of Stage 2 were hectic. Angelo Pagani tried to get into the break for Colnago. Many riders had similar ideas, and the attacks were fast and furious. The chaotic environment of a Continental race seemed a bit foreign to the team after the Giro.
Ultimately, only two riders got away on the day, Evan Oliphant (Endura Racing) and Anton Vorobyev (Itera - Katusha).
Their lead was 4'47 at the KOM point at Sun & Moon Mountain.
Oliphant, Vorobyev, and China's growing infrastructure.
With only two riders up the road, the peloton did not have much difficulty pulling them back.
In the sprint finish, Bobbie Traksel (Landbouwkrediet) edged out Callegarin and Stefan Van Dijk (Veranda's Willems - Accent). Modolo was disappointing, finishing in 9th. He should do better against this competition.
Ian Wilkinson (Endura Racing) assumed the race lead after Mangel lost contact with the peloton near the end of the day.
Traksel is triumphant.
The third stage was almost completely flat. A breakaway of 13 riders got away but were never given much freedom from the peloton. Colnago, Veranda's Willems, and Team Type 1 all had riders on the front of the main field.
Van Dijk improved his performance from yesterday, winning the stage from a mass sprint. Modolo also improved, crossing the line in 5th. Wilkinson remained in the overall lead.
New Dutch champion Van Dijk is having a strong season.
Stage 4 saw the peloton continue their route around Qinghai Lake. Today they headed from Bird Island to Xihaizhen.
A group of 15 riders got away from the peloton. Once again, Colnago were not represented. The team was having trouble dealing with the incredibly aggressive riding. Again, they had grown used to the somewhat controlled order that exists in the World Tour.
Another Colnago-less break.
It did not come back to bite Colnago, as they worked well with Veranda's Willems to arrest the group.
For the second time in as many days, Van Dijk was the fastest to the line, just edging Jure Kocjan (Team Type 1). Modolo was very disappointing, finishing in 15th.
Van Dijk wins on slick roads.
A smaller breakaway got away during the fifth stage. Even more remarkable, it included a Colnago rider!
Paolo Locatelli made the group.
A rare sight during this race, a Colnago rider.
The breakaway had a decent sized lead and fought hard, trying to hold off the peloton. The high pace was too much for most of the break. At the little rise with 18km left, Alberto Losada (Katusha Team) left his fellow escapees behind.
While the rest of the group was swept up, the group offered little resistance to Losada's move. The Spaniard comfortably took the win, 56 seconds ahead of the main field.
Wilkinson remained in first overall. Following a third place finish on the day, Van Dijk was now in second, 18" back.
Losada takes a nice win.
Another day, another breakaway. And again, a Colnago rider was in the move. Omar Lombardi was in the group of 13 for the team. Today the peloton was doing circuits around Qilian.
Lombardi riders at the head of the race.
The peloton was a bit carefree with the lead they allowed the breakaway to hold. It quickly grew to over 9 minutes. To catch the group, the peloton would have to ride incredibly hard.
With 10km to go, the break was still ahead by over 2 minutes. As the riders got nervous, attacks came from a few. Nothing was decisive, but the action tired Lombardi out.
The break got to the line first, close to yesterday's gap, 57" ahead of the peloton. Miguel Rubiano (D'Angelo & Antenucci - Nippo) had the most left to take the stage win. Lombardi finished in 13th, last out the group.
The overall picture remained unchanged.
Rubiano positioned himself well in the final kilometers.
With three stages left in the race, the riders found themselves heading to Menyuan.
An unremarkable group of 12 riders got away on the day. Their lead was 5'02 at the KOM point just after the halfway point.
The breakaway.
The run-in to the line was fast, as Veranda's Willems led the chase. The breakaway was only caught with 1.7km to go.
Modolo, who has not performed up to expectations, was once again without a sprint train. However, he found one to latch on to. With the line approaching, he was in Van Dijk's wheel at the back of the Dutchman's train.
Modolo is in the wheel of Van Dijk as the snow falls...
But once again, the Italian displayed tired legs. Van Dijk continued to display his superiority over the field, again narrowly defeating Kocjan. Thanks to his win, Van Dijk took over the race win.
Van Dijk just beats Kocjan across the line
The penultimate stage saw the riders return to Xining. They were heading toward Lanzhou.
Per usual, the beginning of the race featured many attacks. Colnago were active in trying to get a rider in the break. Again, Pagani was the rider attacking for the team.
The quality of roads was poor heading to Lanzhou.
Ultimately, Pagaini made the 13 person group.
The breakaway found better roads and continued to forge ahead. The peloton, was unconcerned with the composition of the group and did not fight.
Approaching the 10km to go banner, the breakaway had a lead of 2'15.
The break should take another win in China.
Pagani was not the best sprinter in the group, and in a bid for a stage win, went on the attack.
Pagani makes his move for the line.
Yet, Pagani, seemingly like all the Colnago riders during the race, did have the strength and/or quality to make the move stick. His fellow breakaway companions quite easily caught him.
Skil - Shimano got their first win behind Thomsa Bonnin, who narrowly beat Gianluca Mireda (Farnese Vini - Neri Sottoli) and Fabio Duarte (Geox - TMC) in a hotly contested sprint. Pagani finished in 13th.
Bonnin begins to celebrate his win.
The final day, and the 9th straight flat stage.
The day was without a lot of excitement, and it seemed as if most riders were just excited to be leaving China.
The came down to a sprint, and race leader Van Dijk stamped his mark on the race, capturing his 4th stage. Modolo was again disappointing, finishing in 9th.
Van Dijk takes another stage.
Behind his four stage wins, Van Dijk captured the overall title, beating out Wilkinson whose inclusion in the breakaway in Stage 1 and consistent riding saw him finish in 2nd place.
It was not a race for Colnago. Modolo did not capture any stage wins, or even podium finishes. Perhaps he is fatigued from the Giro d'Italia, but the team had counted on him to get results here.
@ lenny bernstein: Thanks. It was pretty funny watching Pagani attack and then all of the sudden, practically disappear. We've made some signings for next year and still have a couple riders on our radar. I'm not sure when I'll announce the signings though!
@ FreitasPCM: Sorry to hear! I kind of messed up Modolo's training schedule and he's very fatigued now. While that doesn't help, I haven't quite figured out sprinting in PCM11 either.
Brixia Tour
While the other half of the team was busy racing in China, the rest of the team lined up for Brixia Tour in Italy. Domenico Pozzovivo is the defending champion and comes with every intention of trying to retain the title.
The course suits the small rider with two mountain top finishes at Cima Poffe and Passo Maniva. The main obstacles will be the opening team time trial and the presence of Ivan Basso (Liquigas - Cannondale).
Team Type 1
191. A.Shmidt
192. W.Dugan
193. J.Eldridge
194. O.Kerkhof
195. S.Stewart
The Brixia Tour started with a 16km team time trial. Once again, Colnago illustrated their supreme lack of ability in the discipline. Much like the Giro d'Italia, the team finished in dead last, 1'18 off the winning time of 21'12 set by Quick·Step Cycling Team. Kevin De Weert assumed the race lead.
Colnago's time trialing leaves a lot to be desired.
After a bad first stage, Pozzovivo and Colnago looked to impact the second day. One of his main helpers, Stefano Pirazzi went into the breakaway. Pirazzi could aid Pozzovivo should the latter decide to attack on the final climb.
Pirazzi in the break, pushing the pace on the first climb of the day.
The breakaway got over the first climb, which finished only 37 kilometers into the day with a lead of 6'07. In the valley before the Cima Poffe cimb, Davide Rebellin (Miche - Guerciotti) and Vladimir Gusev (Katusha Team) attacked from the peloton in a daring bid to bridge to the breakaway.
Rebellin and Gusev are off before the final climb.
The pair did not reach the front of the race despite their best efforts.
The breakaway made it the final climb with a healthy lead still intact. With a real possibility for the stage win, Pirazzi upped the pace. He accomplished two things with this raise in speed; he dropped the rest of the breakaway, and took the pressure off Pozzovivo and the team.
Pirazzi is alone and in search of a stage win.
Pirazzi was riding well, but the peloton was coming, under the auspices of Quick·Step.
Still, it looked like without an attack, he would make it.
In the main bunch, the riders were looking at each other. Pozzovivo was not going to push the pace with a teammate up the road. Finally, with 2.5km to go, Wout Poels (Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team) went.
Dario Cataldo (Quick·Step Cycling Team) countered the move. Basso and Pozzovivo seemed content to ride pace.
Poels attack caught Pirazzi with 1.4km to go. The bunch was right behind.
After a great ride, Pirazzi is caught.
As previously said, Cataldo was the only rider to effectively counter Poels. The Italian was stronger than the Dutch rider, and was able to power to the stage win, assuming the overall title.
Just behind the two leading pair, 15 seconds later, Basso and Pozzovivo came in together. Pozzovivo felt good on the day but was a bit hampered by Pirazzi's presence up the road. Nevertheless, he managed to stick with Basso, something he couldn't do once in the Giro d'Italia.
Unfortunately, the pictures of this action have been lost...
Offering a bit of respite was a flat stage around Pisogne.
There wasn't much of a fight to get into the breakaway, and only a couple of riders wound up making the move.
Colnago did not attempt at joining the escape and therefore rode at the front of the peloton. They also wanted to potentially set up Manuel Belletti with a chance to do something.
Colnago take the responsibility of chasing the break.
In a somewhat familiar fashion to Sacha Modolo, Belletti struggled in the sprint. Unlike Modolo, it was more due to positioning rather than overall speed. In the end, Belletti came in 8th.
The winner was Polish champion Krzysztof Szczawinski. The man with four "z's" took the sprint fairly easily.
Szczawinski honors his jersey well.
The fourth stage of the Brixia Tour saw the riders return to the mountains. The finale would see the riders battle it out on the Passo Maniva. Two other climbs stood in the way before the final ascent.
The peloton rides in a mountain tunnel.
Eventually, a break of 7 riders got away. The most threatening, and only notable rider was Massimo Codol (Acqua & Sapone). He led them over the first climb with a lead of 6'15.
Codol is the strongest rider in the breakaway.
There were 80 kilometers in between the first and second climbs on the day. During this lull, Liquigas moved to the front to control the pace. It seemed a Basso attack was coming.
Liquigas are trying to set things up for Basso.
The breakaway began the second, and penultimate climb with their lead sitting at 4'15. With the peloton charging from behind, it was going to take something special to hold them off.
The break begins the second climb.
No attacks came from the peloton on the second climb, but the pace was very high. Pozzovivo felt good, but the same could not be said for his support. Before long, he was practically isolated. Only Simone Stortoni and Stefano Pirazzi remained in the lead group, however, they were too tired to be any help.
The breakaway disintegrated on the brutal slopes and saw their lead evaporate quickly.
Pozzovivo went over with the lead group.
The lead group finishing the penultimate climb.
The descent was smooth and without incident.
9km from the finish, and at the bottom of the Passo Maniva, race leader Cataldo attacked.
Cataldo looks to see if anyone is following.
The peloton was a bit stunned to see the race leader initiate an attack, especially from this far out. Obviously on a completely different scale, it recalled Basso's moves in the Giro.
Pozzovivo moved to the front to organize a response. He needed to make up time on his rivals and catch Cataldo.
With 6km left, Pozzovivo's pace had shed almost everyone. Only two riders were with him; Basso and Poels.
Pozzovivo leads the chase.
Pozzovivo was not eating into Cataldo's lead. This fact was not lost on Basso or Poels, who decided to attack their "taxi" with 3km to go. Pozzovivo could not go with the acceleration.
Basso and Poels leave the slowing Pozzovivo behind.
But the move was too late, and Cataldo was too strong. He cemented his race lead by winning his second stage, 40 seconds ahead of Basso and Poels. Pozzovivo held onto to finish the day in 4th, 1'15 off Cataldo's winning effort.
He now sat in 6th overall with one flat stage left.
Cataldo's win is captured here. He is in line for his most prestigious win in his burgeoning career.
The fifth stage saw the riders travel from Chiari to Orzinuovi. It was not much more than a victory procession for Cataldo. No breakaway formed on the day.
A late attack from René Jørgensen (Christina Watches - Onfone) gave the spectators a moment of excitement, but the move was more hopeful than anything.
Jørgensen's late attack was the only bit of action before the final sprint.
Belletti collected another Top 10 finish, crossing the line in 9th.
The battle for the stage win was hotly contested between three riders. In the end, Daniele Pietropolli (Lampre - ISD) narrowly beat Nicolas Sanderson (Amore & Vita) and Stage 3 winner, Szczawinski.
Pietropolli looks to the camera after winning the final stage.
Cataldo finished the final day without incident, capturing the overall title. It was a very good ride from the maturing rider. Perhaps this will provide him with the confidence needed to take the next step as a rider.
Not as disappointing as the Tour of Qinghai Lake, Colnago leave the Brixia Tour without accomplishing their main goal.
The 98th Tour de France was won by Australian Cadel Evans (BMC Racing Team). By winning the race, Evans fulfills a career-long goal, becoming the first Aussie to win cycling's most prestigious race. At 34, he is also the oldest winner in the post-war era.
So often the bridesmaid, Evans reached the top step of the podium through consistent climbing and excellent time trialing ability. He assumed the race lead after Stage 13. He held onto the maillot jaune for three stages until Andy Schleck (Leopard Trek) got away with his brother Fränk on the descent into Gap during Stage 16.
Where previously Evans may have folded, he remained calm and fought back. On the slopes of the Col du Galibier in Stage 18, he cracked the Luxembourger and regained the race lead. After riding to a draw on Alpe d'Huez, Evans only had a lead of 7" heading into the decisive time trial.
Here, Evans displayed his superiority, adding 1'04 to his lead, securing his first overall title after so many near misses. He wins the race without taking a stage.
Superman.
For the younger Schleck, there is again disappointment. For the third consecutive year, he ends up in the runner-up position. While he bested his rival Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank SunGard), he was unable to take enough time in the mountains to cover for his lack of time trialing ability. In a course that seemed perfectly suited to his strengths, this does seem like an opportunity lost.
However, it is not all bad news for the lanky climber. He added to his palmarès after a blistering attack on the climb to Super Besse saw him take his 3rd ever Tour stage. Additionally, he did show improvement in the time trial, only losing a shade over a minute to Evans in 41 mostly flat kilometers. He will still need to get better, but it does show a concerted effort to work at his areas of weakness.
Rounding out the podium was Contador. El Pistolero's inclusion in this race was highly controversial given his positive test during the 2010 Tour. With the case still unresolved and in CAS's hands, the Spaniard was free to race. However, it was clear that the fury hurled by a segment of the fans wore heavily in the former champion's head.
Contador showed kinks of his armor, allowing himself to be worked over by his rivals numerous times. He was his strongest in the second week, capturing the stage to Saint-Flour. His third place finish overall breaks a remarkable streak of 5 GT wins in events entered.
The battle for the green jersey never really started. Despite breakaways taking some of the "flat" stages, Mark Cavendish (HTC - Highroad), behind 4 stage wins, dominated the competition. The Manxman finished with 466 points, 143 more than his closest rival Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky ProCycling). Additionally, he was able to keep his rival André Greipel (Omega Pharma - Lotto) from winning any shit small races.
Cavendish wins his green jersey.
Tejay Van Garderen (HTC - Highroad) gave his team another prize, winning the polka dot jersey as the best climber. The young American prospect was very active getting into breakaways, very often the successful ones. His ride was highlighted by a win in Stage 12 to Luz-Ardiden.
His competition was almost entirely French, with riders from the host nation attacking often. The took home 5 stage wins, 2 coming from national hero Thomas Voeckler (Team Europcar).
The last jersey, the white jersey for the best U25 rider, was easily won by Robert Gesink (Rabobank Cycling Team). The Dutch prodigy continues to show improvement, riding himself into 5th overall. There is still a clear gap to the top competition, but he has shown himself to be at the head of a class of younger riders like Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas - Cannondale) and Roman Kreuziger (Pro Team Astana).
Leopard Trek will not leave the race empty handed. Behind the strength of the Schleck brothers, they won the team classification. Obviously not the prize they came for, its better than nothing.
RESULTS
GC:
1
Cadel Evans
BMC Racing Team
84h04'25
2
Andy Schleck
Leopard Trek
+ 1'11
3
Alberto Contador
Saxo Bank SunGard
+ 1'34
4
Fränk Schleck
Leopard Trek
+ 4'07
5
Robert Gesink
Rabobank Cycling Team
+ 4'16
6
Samuel Sánchez
Euskaltel - Euskadi
+ 4'33
7
Vincenzo Nibali
Liquigas - Cannondale
+ 5'00
8
Michele Scarponi
Lampre - ISD
+ 10'42
9
Igor Antón
Euskaltel - Euskadi
+ 12'34
10
Bradley Wiggins
Sky ProCycling
+ 15'23
KOM:
1
Tejay Van Garderen
HTC - Highroad
125
2
Sylvain Chavanel
Quick·Step Cycling Team
101
3
Jonathan Hivert
Saur - Sojasun
80
4
Thomas Voeckler
Team Europcar
73
5
Fabrice Jeandesboz
Saur - Sojasun
57
6
Cadel Evans
BMC Racing Team
52
7
Jelle Vanendert
Omega Pharma - Lotto
52
8
Christophe Kern
Team Europcar
44
9
Samuel Sánchez
Euskaltel - Euskadi
42
10
David Moncoutié
Cofidis, le crédit en ligne
41
Points:
1
Mark Cavendish
HTC - Highroad
466
2
Edvald Boasson Hagen
Sky ProCycling
323
3
André Greipel
Omega Pharma - Lotto
320
4
Tyler Farrar
Team Garmin - Cervélo
312
5
Thor Hushovd
Team Garmin - Cervélo
307
6
Alessandro Petacchi
Lampre - ISD
198
7
Leonardo Duque
Cofidis, le crédit en ligne
173
8
José Joaquín Rojas
Movistar Team
148
9
Sylvain Chavanel
Quick·Step Cycling Team
143
10
Thomas Voeckler
Team Europcar
129
U25:
1
Robert Gesink
Rabobank Cycling Team
84h08'41
2
Roman Kreuziger
Pro Team Astana
+ 12'19
3
Tejay Van Garderen
HTC - Highroad
+ 17'37
4
Jérôme Coppel
Saur - Sojasun
+ 33'26
5
Rigoberto Urán
Sky ProCycling
+ 40'48
6
Rein Taaramäe
Cofidis, le crédit en ligne
+ 45'05
7
Arnold Jeanneson
FDJ
+ 49'48
8
Pierre Rolland
Team Europcar
+ 50'59
9
Romain Sicard
Euskaltel - Euskadi
+ 51'50
10
Geraint Thomas
Sky ProCycling
+ 52'51
Team:
1
Leopard Trek
251h48'11
2
Team RadioShack
+ 18'19
3
Euskaltel - Euskadi
+ 39'30
4
Sky ProCycling
+ 44'35
5
AG2R La Mondiale
+ 50'26
6
Pro Team Astana
+ 51'19
7
Team Europcar
+ 55'27
8
Rabobank Cycling Team
+ 1h00'12
9
Cofidis, le crédit en ligne
+ 1h05'44
10
Saxo Bank SunGard
+ 1h06'40
Stage 1: Pssage du Gois - Mont des Alouettes: 199.1km
1
Edvald Boasson Hagen
Sky ProCycling
4h01'04
2
Thor Hushovd
Team Garmin - Cervélo
s.t.
3
Samuel Sánchez
Euskaltel - Euskadi
s.t.
4
Alberto Contador
Saxo Bank SunGard
s.t.
5
Romain Feillu
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
6
Tyler Farrar
Team Garmin - Cervélo
s.t.
7
Juan Antonio Flecha
Sky ProCycling
s.t.
8
Óscar Freire
Rabobank Cycling Team
s.t.
9
Allan Davis
Pro Team Astana
s.t.
10
Daniele Bennati
Leopard Trek
s.t.
Stage 2: Les Essarts - Les Essarts: 23.0km (TTT)
1
Team RadioShack
27'42
2
Sky ProCycling
+ 14
3
Leopard Trek
+ 26
4
Team Garmin - Cervélo
+ 38
5
HTC - Highroad
+ 52
6
Cofidis, le crédit en ligne
+ 53
7
Saxo Bank SunGard
+ 58
8
FDJ
+ 1'00
9
Pro Team Astana
+ 1'02
10
Movistar Team
+ 1'10
Stage 3: Olonne-sur-Mer - Redon: 191.2km
1
Leonardo Duque
Cofidis, le crédit en ligne
4h12'47
2
Thomas Voeckler
Team Europcar
s.t.
3
Björn Leukemans
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
4
Mark Cavendish
HTC - Highroad
+ 1'00
5
Tyler Farrar
Team Garmin - Cervélo
s.t.
6
André Greipel
Omega Pharma - Lotto
s.t.
7
Edvald Boasson Hagen
Sky ProCycling
s.t.
8
Alex Rasmussen
HTC - Highroad
s.t.
9
Ben Swift
Sky ProCycling
s.t.
10
Thor Hushovd
Team Garmin - Cervélo
s.t.
Stage 4: Lorient - Mûr-de-Bretagne: 165.8km
1
Juan Antonio Flecha
Sky ProCycling
3h54'59
2
Samuel Sánchez
Euskaltel - Euskadi
+ 59
3
José Joaquín Rojas
Movistar Team
s.t.
4
Romain Feillu
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
5
David Moncoutié
Cofidis, le crédit en ligne
s.t.
6
Igor Antón
Euskaltel - Euskadi
s.t.
7
Óscar Freire
Rabobank Cycling Team
s.t.
8
Cadel Evans
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
9
Fränk Schleck
Leopard Trek
s.t.
10
Chris Horner
Team RadioShack
s.t.
Stage 5: Carhaix - Cap Fréhel: 165.4km
1
Mark Cavendish
HTC - Highroad
3h30'25
2
André Greipel
Omega Pharma - Lotto
s.t.
3
Tyler Farrar
Team Garmin - Cervélo
s.t.
4
Edvald Boasson Hagen
Sky ProCycling
s.t.
5
Alessandro Petacchi
Lampre - ISD
s.t.
6
Alex Rasmussen
HTC - Highroad
s.t.
7
Juan José Haedo
Saxo Bank SunGard
s.t.
8
José Joaquín Rojas
Movistar Team
s.t.
9
Theo Bos
Rabobank Cycling Team
s.t.
10
Óscar Freire
Rabobank Cycling Team
s.t.
Stage 6: Dinan - Lisieux: 222.5km
1
Mark Cavendish
HTC - Highroad
5h03'10
2
Alessandro Petacchi
Lampre - ISD
s.t.
3
Thor Hushovd
Team Garmin - Cervélo
s.t.
4
Edvald Boasson Hagen
Sky ProCycling
s.t.
5
André Greipel
Omega Pharma - Lotto
s.t.
6
Tyler Farrar
Team Garmin - Cervélo
s.t.
7
Mark Renshaw
HTC - Highroad
s.t.
8
José Joaquín Rojas
Movistar Team
s.t.
9
Daniele Bennati
Leopard Trek
s.t.
10
Allan Davis
Pro Team Astana
s.t.
Stage 7: Le Mans - Châteauroux: 219.5km
1
Leonardo Duque
Cofidis, le crédit en ligne
5h00'26
2
Juan Antonio Flecha
Sky ProCycling
s.t.
3
Pierrick Fédrigo
FDJ
s.t.
4
Mark Cavendish
HTC - Highroad
+ 44
5
André Greipel
Omega Pharma - Lotto
s.t.
6
Thor Hushovd
Team Garmin - Cervélo
s.t.
7
Tyler Farrar
Team Garmin - Cervélo
s.t.
8
Tom Boonen
Quick·Step Cycling Team
s.t.
9
Allan Davis
Pro Team Astana
s.t.
10
Ben Swift
Sky ProCycling
s.t.
Stage 8: Aigurande - Super-Besse Sancy: 185.8km
1
Andy Schleck
Leopard Trek
4h19'43
2
Alberto Contador
Saxo Bank SunGard
+ 18
3
Alexandre Vinokourov
Pro Team Astana
+ 47
4
Robert Gesink
Rabobank Cycling Team
s.t.
5
Vincenzo Nibali
Liquigas - Cannondale
s.t.
6
Samuel Sánchez
Euskaltel - Euskadi
+ 55
7
Igor Antón
Euskaltel - Euskadi
s.t.
8
Nicolas Roche
AG2R La Mondiale
s.t.
9
Sylvain Chavanel
Quick·Step Cycling Team
s.t.
10
Jérôme Coppel
Saur - Sojasun
s.t.
Stage 9: Issoire - Saint-Flour: 200.2km
1
Alberto Contador
Saxo Bank SunGard
4h45'13
2
Fränk Schleck
Leopard Trek
s.t.
3
Cadel Evans
BMC Racing Team
+ 12
4
Andreas Klöden
Team RadioShack
s.t.
5
Thomas Voeckler
Team Europcar
+ 32
6
Robert Gesink
Rabobank Cycling Team
s.t.
7
Roman Kreuziger
Pro Team Astana
s.t.
8
Janez Brajkovic
Team RadioShack
s.t.
9
Thor Hushovd
Team Garmin - Cervélo
s.t.
10
Jérôme Pineau
Quick·Step Cycling Team
+ 41
Stage 10: Aurillac - Carmaux: 144.1km
1
Thomas Voeckler
Team Europcar
3h33'25
2
Alexandre Vinokourov
Pro Team Astana
s.t.
3
Thor Hushovd
Team Garmin - Cervélo
+ 25
4
Sylvain Chavanel
Quick·Step Cycling Team
s.t.
5
Roman Kreuziger
Pro Team Astana
s.t.
6
Simon Gerrans
Sky ProCycling
s.t.
7
Fränk Schleck
Leopard Trek
s.t.
8
Cadel Evans
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
9
Jelle Vanendert
Omega Pharma - Lotto
s.t.
10
Romain Feillu
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
+ 50
Stage 11: Blaye-les-Mines - Lavaur: 157.2km
1
Mark Cavendish
HTC - Highroad
3h42'42
2
André Greipel
Omega Pharma - Lotto
s.t.
3
Juan José Haedo
Saxo Bank SunGard
s.t.
4
Edvald Boasson Hagen
Sky ProCycling
s.t.
5
Alex Rasmussen
HTC - Highroad
s.t.
6
Theo Bos
Rabobank Cycling Team
s.t.
7
Mark Renshaw
HTC - Highroad
s.t.
8
Alessandro Petacchi
Lampre - ISD
s.t.
9
Allan Davis
Pro Team Astana
s.t.
10
Tyler Farrar
Team Garmin - Cervélo
s.t.
Stage 12: Cugnaux - Luz-Ardiden: 208.6km
1
Tejay Van Garderen
HTC - Highroad
6h10'12
2
Fabrice Jeandesboz
Saur - Sojasun
s.t.
3
Cadel Evans
BMC Racing Team
+ 4'05
4
Andy Schleck
Leopard Trek
+ 4'25
5
Alberto Contador
Saxo Bank SunGard
+ 4'44
6
Michele Scarponi
Lampre - ISD
s.t.
7
Vincenzo Nibali
Liquigas - Cannondale
s.t.
8
John Gadret
AG2R La Mondiale
+ 5'00
9
Bradley Wiggins
Sky ProCycling
s.t.
10
Fränk Schleck
Leopard Trek
s.t.
Stage 13: Pau - Lourdes: 146.0km
1
Rémi Pauriol
FDJ
4h21'19
2
Christophe Kern
Team Europcar
s.t.
3
Carlos Barredo
Rabobank Cycling Team
s.t.
4
David Moncoutié
Cofidis, le crédit en ligne
+ 5'42
5
Johan Vansummeren
Team Garmin - Cervélo
s.t.
6
Thomas De Gendt
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
7
Egor Silin
Katusha - Team
+ 6'31
8
David Loosli
Lampre - ISD
s.t.
9
Samuel Sánchez
Euskaltel - Euskadi
+ 7'52
10
Cadel Evans
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
Stage 14: Saint-Gaudens - Plateau de Beille: 159.2km
@ valverde321: Well, PCM Evans was almost 2 hours quicker than real-life Evans
@ lennybernstein: Good luck with PCM11. I think it is much better than 10.
@ Spilak23: Thanks.
Coppa Placci
San Marino - Imola: 179.5km
And so begins the autumn, Italian classics season. The peloton kicks it off with the Coppa Placci. Last year it was run as a U23 race, but the elite men are back after new sponsorship.
The day begins on foreign lands, with the start located in the Republic of San Marino. The course takes them northwest, quickly back into Italy, ending in Imola. Along the way, there are 4 climbs to be dealt with.
Colnago had two options today; Domenico Pozzovivo and Marco Frapporti. They decided to try to get the latter into the day's break.
Frapporti goes on the attack early.
Frapporti fought hard, making several attempts at breaking free from the peloton, but did not get into the right move. The peloton was very nervy and was hesitant to let a group get up the road. Finally, Frapporti was ordered to hang back, given the energy he exerted, it seemed unlikely he could win from a breakaway now.
The group was together, setting a fast pace up the first climb. The trio of Liquigas, Lampre, and Astana were doing the work on the front.
The first hour of the race was hard.
After the first climb, the group relaxed a bit, allowing a breakaway to form. The escapees were Jesper Odgaard (Christina Watches - Onfone), Robert De Patre (Farnese Vini - Neri Sottoli), Albert Timmer (Skil - Shimano), Yuriy Agarkov (ISD - Lampre Continental), Adriano Malori (Lampre - ISD), David Dvorsky (PSK Whirpool - Author), and Volodymyr Kogut (Amore & Vita).
The day's break.
Before the chase got started, Colnago lost a rider. Andrea Piechele fell and fractured his hip. His season is likely over.
The break did not get much freedom. With the notable exception of Lampre, all of the "big" teams weren't represented in the move. The chase was fairly straightforward.
35km from the line, at the beginning of the final climb, Ruggero Marzoli (Acqua & Sapone) attacked. This move failed, but it was the start of the decisive action.
Marzoli kicks things off.
A chase was quickly organized, and the pace in the peloton was greatly upped, hoping to dissuade any further accelerations. The main field began to shrink rapidly. Soon, only Pozzovivo and Frapporti were left up front for the team.
The group numbered just under 30.
As the top the of the climb approached, Colnago weighed its options. Frapporti was one of the fastest men still there, but there was one faster, Peter Sagan (Liquigas - Cannondale).
They decided to play the Pozzovivo card. He attacked 2km shy of the top.
Pozzovivo goes.
When Pozzovivo went, the pace was really high and most seemed unable to react. Only Rinaldo Nocentini (AG2R La Mondiale) and Vladimir Efimkin (Team Type 1) countered.
Nocentini and Efimkin chase after Pozzovivo.
Neither could get on the wheel of Pozzo.
The Colnago rider crested the climb alone. However, his lead was only 33 seconds. Had the finish line been directly at the bottom, he would've pushed on, but given the nearly 10km of flat before the finish, he let up, saving energy.
Pozzovivo slows on the descent, rejoining the main group.
The action on the final climb did not dislodge Sagan.
Having rested a bit, Pozzovivo attacked again, this time from 4km out.
Pozzovivo goes again.
He got a sizable gap on the peloton, who seemed resigned to a sprint finish.
As he approached the flamme rouge, he was fading though. Behind him, the peloton was closing fast. The road seemed to be going on forever, and Pozzovivo was practically coming to a standstill.
With 50m left, he summoned his last bit a strength and strove for the line...
...YES! Pozzovivo was able to hold off Yury Trofimov (Katusha Team) and Sagan to take the win! Any longer and he surely would've been caught. His decision to sit up paid him back in spades.
Pozzovivo gets to the line first.
A great win for Pozzovivo and Colnago as the team's second-half of the season begins. This is the team's first race win of the season, and the first time they have captured a win since Stage 3 of the Giro del Trentino back in April.
Additionally, Frapporti finished in 6th; he has made tremendous improvement since the start of the season.
Great win! Go POZZO!
