In January we rode 4 races, 3 classics and one stage race. We had solid results in all the races, accomplishing all the goals we set for them but we realized that we might be out of the contest from all the races during the year.
Our season started on Cuba riding the Clasico San Cristobal. In this hilly race we went with Grau and Nieve as our main riders. Both scored points in the race being the 10th and the 15th. For this race we wanted one rider within the top 10 and another in the top 20.
This race was totally dominated by Purito and Iberia. They didn’t allow Grau or any other of the favourites to take off from the peloton. Bartl on the break of the day in Cuba
The following race in our calendar was the Tour of Algeria. For this race we had Nieve as our main man. During the transfer season we misjudged the importance of the sprint stages in the stage races and we came to Algeria with only the last stage marked in red. Nieve performed sufficiently bringing a 9th home both in the stage and the overall. He accomplished the goal set at the beginning but still we were hoping for a better performance from one of our main leaders in the squad. The good news in this race came from Sufiane Haddi who, not being a top sprinter, was able to secure two 8th places in two of the flat stages of the Tour. We also were very happy to see Calzati coming home with some points being the 14th in the overall. Haddi trying to sprint for the win in the stage 3 of Algeria
The third race of the month was GP Kathmandu. In this race we went again with both Nieve and Grau as team leaders. We were at the front in some occasions and we tried to be proactive and attack trying to steal a win but in the end all the favs were able to keep controled all men and strike at the final climb. We weren’t able to keep the pace with the top favourites but 7th position for Grau, 12th for Nieve and 15th for Calzati were enough to fulfil our sponsors expectations. Leading the peloton in Kathmandu
The last race in January for us was the Trofeo Luis Puig. We came to the race with the orders of trying to put the things difficult to the sprinters teams being in the breakaway or trying a late attack. We missed the breakaway of the day and at the end was a quiet race with the peloton in control all the time. Luckily for us we scored a good result with Lequatre placing him at the 10th and also having Florencion scoring some points with his 22nd position. Pulling the peloton in the climb of the Torfeo Luis Puig
We scored a total of 75 points between 6 riders being Nieve our top scorer with 26 points. The results weren’t great but we didn’t leave a race without any points in our bag.
Points recap: 75 points (6,82 points per day)
By race:
Clasico San Cristobal: 15 points
Tour d'Algerie: 21 points
GP Kathmandu: 28 points
Trofeo Luis Puig: 11 points
By rider:
Mikel Nieve: 26 points (0,96 points per day)
Jordi Grau: 25 points points (6,25 points per day)
Sylvain Calzati: 11 points points (0,41 points per day)
Geoffroy Lequatre: 10 points points (5 points per day)
Soufiane Haddi: 2 points points (0,29 points per day)
Xavier Florencio: 1 point points (0,5 points per day)
Edited by ggDonovan on 04-02-2013 10:28
Analysis:
If we had to summarise with a headline this race it will be “Zero expectations”.
For this race we come with Lequatre in the leading role. A sufficient sprinter with some ability in the cobbles and hills. He will be our man in the overall but we don’t really count on him to bring any result worthy of mention. He will be accompanied with Haddi to help him in the sprints and with Cigarrito (Purito’s young brother) who will have to surprise in the hilly parts of the stages. Florencio will have to step up as the right hand of our leader because he's capable of sprinting, deal with cobbles and also go up the hills.
As we said, zero expectations, any points are welcome.
Our team: Adel Barbari Xavier Florencio Soufiane Haddi Geoffroy Lequatre Eric Pedrosa Alberto Rodriguez Oliver Jaume Rovira
GP Postojna
Analysis:
Postojna in Serbia is the next stop in our calendar. This is a quite long hilly race, 260 km, where the biggest threat is the climb of Lohaca that the peloton will have to conquer 12 times. In this race there are plenty of opportunities for a brave solo attack because the summit is quite selective and the length will wreak havoc on the teams leading the peloton.
For this race we come with our usual duo for hilly races, Grau and Nieve with Calzati in the shadow. We also hope Abreu or Bartl will be able to slip into the morning break. It’s worthy mentioning that this is the first ever race in the team for our leader project David de la Cruz. We expect a top 10 and a top 20 for this race.
Our team: Jorge Abreu Adel Barbari David Bartl Sylvain Calzati David De la Cruz Jordi Grau Mikel Nieve
Volta a Galicia
Analysis:
This race means our first goal of the season and we go there with our best team possible. It will be the first race for our absolute leader Denis Menchov and we expect him to win the race eventhough we realize that will a titanic venture.
Behind Denis there will be Mikel and Eduardo to help him in the mountains while Grau and Calzati will to support him in the hilly stages. Florencio and David will have to take care of setting the pace in some parts of the course or slipping into braks in order to make other teams work on the chase.
Menchov will have to survive in the best possible position the first to stages more suited for hilly riders and try to surprise with a good attack on the last stage.
Even though we know some renowned riders will be present our goal for this race is win the overall classification any other result will be a flop.
Our team: Sylvain Calzati David De la Cruz Xavier Florencio Eduardo Gonzalo Jordi Grau Denis Menchov Mikel Nieve
Edited by ggDonovan on 17-03-2013 00:59
February was month of light and shadows for us. Our team scored on all the races and we recorded our first win but on the other hand we missed one goal in the Volta a Galicia and we still struggle to score big points.
Tour de Bretagnes
The month started with a seven day stage race in Brittany. The Tour of Bretagnes was at first seen as a mistake on our planning as we didn’t send any rider capable to perform in it but at the end it was our most successful race at the moment.
The first two days were quite boring without any rider attempting for a breakaway and the sprinters dominated them. On the first stage Lequatre showed a good form being the 6th in the race.
On the 3rd day of competition we started to see some action with our young Algerian Babari being the only rider to break away from the peloton. He was caught before the sprinting line and in there was Rovira who surprised us netting a nice 8th.
The fourth stage was meant to be the stage where the GC was going to be decided partially. All the puncheurs were hoping to win some valuable seconds to the cobblers to be safe on stage 7. Our bunny, Rovira, tried to get away during the last part with three attacks that wasn’t successful at the end.
The fifth day of the Tour of Bretagnes will be remembered as one of the greatest days of our team for ages. Babari attacking at the very beginning of the stage was able to surprise the peloton taking an incredible time gain and winning with 8 min of advantage to the second. And who was the second? Xavier Florencio after some unsuccessful attacks from Rovira, Florencio launched a final and devastating attack in the last two km that surprised all the teams that were hoping to net some points in the sprint. Our first win and our first 1-2. Just fantastic!
Stage 6 was the turn of ANC-Halfords, Tanguy, to record an epic win. In the bumpy final part of the stage the main contenders tried to generate some gaps and to our regret neither Florencio nor Rovira, were able to catch the right move and they lost some valuable seconds at the finish line.
The 7th stage was expected to be really selective because of the 5 sections of hilly cobbles. The race didn’t move a lot until the peloton reached the cobbled circuit part. Some riders attacked but the figure of Rovira emerged from them attacking no less than 6 times. He was really unlucky to do not have more reward, he really deserved. At the end, when less than 4 km remaind Florencio tried to go away from the peloton but he was caught on the final climb and took the 4th position on the stage.
Seeing our expectations and the reward we are over the moon with the results of this race as we took the 6th overall (Florencio), one win (Babari), the mountain jersey (Babari) and the honorific prize of the most combative man in Rovira. The negative notes of the Tour were the lack of fighting spirit of Lequatre and Alberto Rodriguez.
Barbari winner of the stage 4 in the Tour of Bretagnes
GP Postojna
Next stop was in Slovenia. We come there hoping for a top 10 and our best man was Nieve at 16th. The race started with Abreu sliping into the morning break and showing our colors in the race. Later on, it was Grau who showed great strength trying to take part form the peloton several times. He was one of the marked men in the race and at the decisive moment, was Kump who countered the 4th attack of our man which he couldn't follow. At the end the expected results from Nieve and Calzati but we missed Grau at the end of the stage. It was a shame he tried and tried but at the end there wasn’t anything else in the tank he just could be the 38th.
Grau working his heart out
Volta a Galicia
We went to Galicia with just one thought in our mind: to win the race. Everything was prepped to minimize the losts in the first two hilly stages and make the difference in the mountainous third and last stage.
There was some action despite the bunch sprint in the first stage. Our team tried to leave his mark at 20 km from the end with the typical attack from Grau who wasn’t lucky timing the attack.
At the second stage we lost some valuable second in the final part of the course. Nieve tried to follow all the attacks while Menchov sits back in the peloton trying to keep a good position for the final part. A 7th from Nieve was a sufficient result.
The last stage was where we had put all our hopes. We were all the time in control of the situation until the last climb of the stage were Menchov tried to part away first with Marzano and the latter alone chasing the escapees. When he reached the breakaway, he tried to maintain the differences but at the end he was caught by the peloton and had to content himself with a disappointing 11th place in the race.
He did was was expected from him minimize the loss in the first two stages and try to attack for the win in the final one, a pity he wasn’t strong enough to hold the peloton.
Menchov attacking in the last stage
***********************************
Points recap: 95 points (7,92 points per day)
By race:
Tour de Bretagnes: 76 points
GP Postojna: 6 points
Volta a Galicia: 13 points
By rider:
Xavier Florencio: 32 points (3,2 points per day)
Adel Barbari: 29 points (3,22 points per day)
Dennis Menchov: 10 points (3,33 points per day)
Jaume Rovira: 10 points (1,43 points per day)
Mikel Nieve: 7 points (1,4 points per day)
Geoffroy Lequatre: 3 points (0,43 points per day)
Sylvain Calzati: 2 points (0,4 points per day)
Eric Pedrosa: 2 points (0,29 points per day)
Analysis:
A well balanced race for any kind of rider. We will be starting with a tough mountain stage where Nieve should be able to be at the front of the race with the support of Calzati.
On the second stage we put our hopes in Lequattre and his ability to sprint. Also, we think a breakaway win is also possible in this race if the escapees are able to gain enough time at the top of the mountain. The second part of the stage is mainly a descent and it might be difficult for the pack to chase them. Other options for our team are great fighters like Abreu or why not Lequatre rather than in the sprint trying a long range attack.
The last stage will depend on how the first two stages are ridden. We think a big group of cyclist will arrive at the line together and the combinations of Hill and Sprint important for this stage. If Lequatre can stay in the group is a good bet for this one.
On the overall we think Nieve will be able to secure a top 10 in this race for us and Calzati a top 20.
Our team: Jorge Abreu David Bartl Sylvain Calzati Soufiane Haddi Geoffroy Lequatre Mikel Nieve Jordi Simón
IWT Oetingen
Analysis:
We don’t have any real goal for this race. We just came here to give some races to our captain, Juan Antonio Flecha. He has passed his prime and we take these cobbled races as a tribute to his career. A single point is a utopia.
Our team: Adel Barbari Juan Antonio Flecha Xavier Florencio Soufiane Haddi Geoffroy Lequatre Alberto Rodriguez Oliver Jaume Rovira
Gran Premio Miguel Indurain
Analysis:
For this hilly race we bring our usual co-leaders. Grau and Nieve will try to secure some solid results for this race. Grau always combative and Nieve working in the shadows. Also Florencio seems to be a good addition for this kind of races and can surprise with anything. We expect at least a top 10 and a top 20.
Our team: Jorge Abreu Adel Barbari David Bartl David De la Cruz Xavier Florencio Jordi Grau Mikel Nieve
Edited by ggDonovan on 19-03-2013 12:36
Grau had to overcome a lot of obstacles during the race...
***********************************
Points recap: 75 points (10,71 points per day)
By race:
Kwita Izina: 43 points
IWT Oetingen: 4 points
Gran Premio Miguel Indurain: 28 points
By rider:
Sylvain Calzati: 42 points (14 points per day)
Jordi Grau: 15 points (7,5 points per day)
Mikel Nieve: 11 points (5,5 points per day)
Geoffroy Lequatre: 4 points (0,8 points per day)
David De la Cruz: 2 points (1 point per day)
Xavier Florencio: 1 points (0,25 points per day)
*Sorry to post it this way but I'm a little short on time and I didn't want to wait any longer. Text will come shortlyEdited by ggDonovan on 20-05-2013 10:54
*Sorry to post it this way but I'm a little short on time and I didn't want to wait any longer. Text will come shortlyEdited by ggDonovan on 20-05-2013 10:10
By race:
Tro Bro Leo: 3 points
Glava Tour: 11 points
By rider:
Geoffroy Lequatre: 8 points (1,14 points per day)
Jaume Rovira: 4 points (0,57 points per day)
Jordi Grau: 2 points (0,4 points per day)
*Sorry to post it this way but I'm a little short on time and I didn't want to wait any longer. Text will come shortlyEdited by ggDonovan on 20-05-2013 11:07
Tour de Bretagnes 
Adel Barbari
Soufiane Haddi
GP Postojna 
Jorge Abreu
David Bartl
Denis Menchov
Kwita Izina 
IWT Oetingen 
Glava Tour 
Turul al Romaniei 
Lincoln GP 
