A New Beginning: Rabobank 2010
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alexkr00 |
Posted on 23-07-2010 00:28
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Hey there, with the PCM.daily DataBase recently out I thought to start my first story with PCM10, managing my favorite team, Rabobank . My first story last year also was with Rabobank, but it didn't go past March. In order to try to avoid that I won't make full reports for the less important races that the team is in and I will focus on the big ones, mostly the Pro Tour races.
Roster preview
The 2010 season will start for Rabobank without one of the team's most important riders in last 3 years, Juan Antonio Flecha. The Spaniard left the Dutch team and joined Sky, taking Matt Hayman with him as well. Marc de Maar also left the team at the end of 2009, while Bram de Groot and Pedro Horrillo retired from professional cycling.
Only 2 new riders joined the team, the Dutch young guns Steven Kruijswijk and Denis Van Winden, both from the Continental Team, riding their first year as pros.
Looking at the team's current stats, Denis Menchov, Robert Gesink and Oscar Freire will the main riders to follow as they also brought the team the strongest results in the past. But Nick Nuyens, Bauke Mollema and Lars Boom could also bring some top quality results, as well as riders such as Langeveld, Brown, Martens or Van Emden.
Goals
| Win | Le Tour de France | | Win | Milano SanRemo | | Win | Vuelta al Pais Vasco | | Top 5 | Amstel Gold Race | | Top 10 | Liege - Bastogne - Liege | | Top 10 | Giro di Lombardia |
At a first look the goals seem really tough but with a bit of luck and with the right peak most of them could be achieved.
Robert Gesink will probably be the one who will try to accomplish most of them, with Vuelta al Pais Vasco, Amstel Gold Race, La Doyenne and Lombardia all suiting him, with Nick Nuyens and Paul Martens being a strong support.
The Dutch rider could also have a shot at the Tour de France, but there our big hopes will be on Denis Menchov's shoulders, who already won three Grand Tours in his career, the 2009 Giro d'Italia and the 2005 and 2007 Vuelta a Espana.
Oscar Freire already won La Primavera twice in the past so he is clearly our main rider for the race this season as well, where a third win is expected by the sponsors.
Leaders
| Denis Menchov | • | The Russian will focus this season on the Tour de France and maybe later in the season on the Vuelta a Espana, which he already won twice in his career. In his preparation for The Tour, he will most likely ride in Tour de Romandie and Criterium du Dauphine, skipping the Giro. | | Robert Gesink | • | Robert will start his season with the Tour Mediteraneen, continuing with Tirreno - Adriatico, Pais Vasco and the Spring Classics before peaking up for the Tour de France, from which he had to withdrew last year in the early stages due to an injury. | | Oscar Freire | • | This will be one of Oscarito's last seasons at a pro level and he definitely wants to show he is still capable of big things in races such as Milano - SanRemo, Tirreno - Adriatico, Le Tour de France, La Vuelta a Espana or the World Championships, where he had great results in the past. | | Nick Nuyens | • | The Belgian didn't have a great first season with Rabobank in 2009 but he's hoping for bigger things this year, when he will be leading the team in the northen classics, as well as being one of the important riders for the hilly races. | | Lars Boom | • | The former Cycle Cross champion showed great skills on the road as well in his first full season as a pro, winning the Tour of Belgium, as well as a stage in La Vuelta, which was the first Grand Tour of his career. This year he will focus on the northen classics, but he will also be a key rider for Rabobank in Paris - Nice or Le Tour. | | Bauke Mollema | • | The young Dutch rider had a poor 2009 mostly due to an injury but the new season could be a great one for Mollema. He will be leading the team in Giro d'Italia, in his first Grand Tour ever, as well in some other stage races such as Paris - Nice. |
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alexkr00 |
Posted on 23-07-2010 00:29
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2010 Riders Info
[img-r]https://i896.photobucket.com/albums/ac168/alexkr10/Riders/ardila.png[/img-r]Name: | Mauricio Ardila | Nationality: | | Specialization: | Climber | Age: | 30 | Joined Rabobank in: | 2006 | Height: | 1.65 m | Weight: | 57kg |
[img-r]https://i896.photobucket.com/albums/ac168/alexkr10/Riders/boom.png[/img-r]Name: | Lars Boom | Nationality: | | Specialization: | All - rounder | Age: | 24 | Joined Rabobank in: | 2009 | Height: | 1.91 m | Weight: | 76 kg |
[img-r]https://i896.photobucket.com/albums/ac168/alexkr10/Riders/brown.png[/img-r]Name: | Graeme Brown | Nationality: | | Specialization: | Sprinter | Age: | 30 | Joined Rabobank in: | 2006 | Height: | 1.80 m | Weight: | 77 kg |
[img-r]https://i896.photobucket.com/albums/ac168/alexkr10/Riders/clement.png[/img-r]Name: | Stef Clement | Nationality: | | Specialization: | Time - trialist | Age: | 27 | Joined Rabobank in: | 2009 | Height: | 1.81 m | Weight: | 65 kg |
[img-r]https://i896.photobucket.com/albums/ac168/alexkr10/Riders/flens.png[/img-r]Name: | Rick Flens | Nationality: | | Specialization: | Time - trialist | Age: | 26 | Joined Rabobank in: | 2007 | Height: | 1.87 m | Weight: | 81 kg |
[img-r]https://i896.photobucket.com/albums/ac168/alexkr10/Riders/freire.png[/img-r]Name: | Oscar Friere | Nationality: | | Specialization: | Sprinter | Age: | 33 | Joined Rabobank in: | 2003 | Height: | 1.71 m | Weight: | 64 kg |
[img-r]https://i896.photobucket.com/albums/ac168/alexkr10/Riders/garate.png[/img-r]Name: | Juanma Garate | Nationality: | | Specialization: | Climber | Age: | 33 | Joined Rabobank in: | 2009 | Height: | 1.75 m | Weight: | 62 kg |
[img-r]https://i896.photobucket.com/albums/ac168/alexkr10/Riders/gesink.png[/img-r]Name: | Robert Gesink | Nationality: | | Specialization: | Climber | Age: | 23 | Joined Rabobank in: | 2007 | Height: | 1.90 m | Weight: | 69 kg |
[img-r]https://i896.photobucket.com/albums/ac168/alexkr10/Riders/kozontchuck.png[/img-r]Name: | Dimitriy Kozontchuk | Nationality: | | Specialization: | Climber | Age: | 25 | Joined Rabobank in: | 2007 | Height: | 1.87 m | Weight: | 72 kg |
[img-r]https://i896.photobucket.com/albums/ac168/alexkr10/Riders/kruijswijk.png[/img-r]Name: | Steven Kruijswijk | Nationality: | | Specialization: | Climber | Age: | 22 | Joined Rabobank in: | 2010 | Height: | 1.78 m | Weight: | 64 kg |
[img-r]https://i896.photobucket.com/albums/ac168/alexkr10/Riders/langeveld.png[/img-r]Name: | Sebastian Langeveld | Nationality: | | Specialization: | Northern Classics | Age: | 24 | Joined Rabobank in: | 2007 | Height: | 1.78 m | Weight: | 68 kg |
[img-r]https://i896.photobucket.com/albums/ac168/alexkr10/Riders/leezer.png[/img-r]Name: | Tom Leezer | Nationality: | | Specialization: | Sprinter | Age: | 24 | Joined Rabobank in: | 2008 | Height: | 1.85 m | Weight: | 76 kg |
[img-r]https://i896.photobucket.com/albums/ac168/alexkr10/Riders/martens.png[/img-r]Name: | Paul Martens | Nationality: | | Specialization: | Puncheur | Age: | 26 | Joined Rabobank in: | 2008 | Height: | 1.78 m | Weight: | 67 kg |
[img-r]https://i896.photobucket.com/albums/ac168/alexkr10/Riders/menchov.png[/img-r]Name: | Denis Menchov | Nationality: | | Specialization: | Stage - racer | Age: | 31 | Joined Rabobank in: | 2005 | Height: | 1.78 m | Weight: | 65 kg |
[img-r]https://i896.photobucket.com/albums/ac168/alexkr10/Riders/moerenhout.png[/img-r]Name: | Koos Moerenhout | Nationality: | | Specialization: | Stage - racer | Age: | 36 | Joined Rabobank in: | 2007 | Height: | 1.84 m | Weight: | 73 kg |
[img-r]https://i896.photobucket.com/albums/ac168/alexkr10/Riders/mollema.png[/img-r]Name: | Bauke Mollema | Nationality: | | Specialization: | Climber | Age: | 23 | Joined Rabobank in: | 2008 | Height: | 1.82 m | Weight: | 65 kg |
[img-r]https://i896.photobucket.com/albums/ac168/alexkr10/Riders/niermann.png[/img-r]Name: | Grischa Niermann | Nationality: | | Specialization: | Stage - racer | Age: | 34 | Joined Rabobank in: | 1999 | Height: | 1.78 m | Weight: | 65 kg |
[img-r]https://i896.photobucket.com/albums/ac168/alexkr10/Riders/nuyens.png[/img-r]Name: | Nick Nuyens | Nationality: | | Specialization: | Northern Classics | Age: | 29 | Joined Rabobank in: | 2009 | Height: | 1.77 m | Weight: | 71 kg |
[img-r]https://i896.photobucket.com/albums/ac168/alexkr10/Riders/posthuma.png[/img-r]Name: | Joost Posthuma | Nationality: | | Specialization: | Time - trialist | Age: | 28 | Joined Rabobank in: | 2004 | Height: | 1.89 m | Weight: | 76 kg |
[img-r]https://i896.photobucket.com/albums/ac168/alexkr10/Riders/reus.png[/img-r]Name: | Kai Reus | Nationality: | | Specialization: | Stage - racer | Age: | 24 | Joined Rabobank in: | 2006 | Height: | 1.85 m | Weight: | 71 kg |
[img-r]https://i896.photobucket.com/albums/ac168/alexkr10/Riders/stamsnijder.png[/img-r]Name: | Tom Stamsnijder | Nationality: | | Specialization: | Time - trialist | Age: | 24 | Joined Rabobank in: | 2009 | Height: | 1.91 m | Weight: | 76 kg |
[img-r]https://i896.photobucket.com/albums/ac168/alexkr10/Riders/tankink.png[/img-r]Name: | Bram Tankink | Nationality: | | Specialization: | Puncheur | Age: | 31 | Joined Rabobank in: | 2008 | Height: | 1.81 m | Weight: | 71 kg |
[img-r]https://i896.photobucket.com/albums/ac168/alexkr10/Riders/tendam.png[/img-r]Name: | Laurens Ten Dam | Nationality: | | Specialization: | Climber | Age: | 29 | Joined Rabobank in: | 2008 | Height: | 1.84 m | Weight: | 68 kg |
[img-r]https://i896.photobucket.com/albums/ac168/alexkr10/Riders/tjallingii.png[/img-r]Name: | Maarten Tjallingii | Nationality: | | Specialization: | All - rounder | Age: | 32 | Joined Rabobank in: | 2009 | Height: | 1.88 m | Weight: | 81 kg |
[img-r]https://i896.photobucket.com/albums/ac168/alexkr10/Riders/vanemden.png[/img-r]Name: | Jos Van Emden | Nationality: | | Specialization: | Time - trialist | Age: | 24 | Joined Rabobank in: | 2008 | Height: | 1.86 m | Weight: | 77 kg |
[img-r]https://i896.photobucket.com/albums/ac168/alexkr10/Riders/vanwinden.png[/img-r]Name: | Denis Van Winden | Nationality: | | Specialization: | Puncheur | Age: | 22 | Joined Rabobank in: | 2010 | Height: | 1.84 m | Weight: | 69 kg |
[img-r]https://i896.photobucket.com/albums/ac168/alexkr10/Riders/weening.png[/img-r]Name: | Pieter Weening | Nationality: | | Specialization: | Puncheur | Age: | 28 | Joined Rabobank in: | 2004 | Height: | 1.86 m | Weight: | 66 kg |
Edited by alexkr00 on 23-07-2010 13:15
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valverde321 |
Posted on 23-07-2010 00:34
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World Champion
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Awesome. Your stories are the best. |
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purepasd |
Posted on 23-07-2010 00:35
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Domestique
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Yeah Your're on the road again |
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Roman |
Posted on 23-07-2010 00:59
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Grand Tour Specialist
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Wow, it's back. I have to say, I very like the first post, the preview, it's awesome! So maybe only, good luck and much fun, alex!
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alexkr00 |
Posted on 23-07-2010 01:28
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World Champion
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Thanks.
I'll update the second post tomorrow and probably start racing as well.
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hellboy |
Posted on 23-07-2010 07:11
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Nice you are back with new story,good luck with these tough goals
Go Roman!
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carlos_valverde |
Posted on 23-07-2010 10:58
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Stagiare
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Good luck!!!!!!!!! |
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Ste117 |
Posted on 23-07-2010 12:20
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Classics Specialist
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Good start, I'll follow just like I did with your brilliant Sky story , good luck, Come on Denis Menchov, one of my fav riders.
MG Team manager Team Ticos Air Costa Rica
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Starch27 |
Posted on 23-07-2010 12:31
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Under 23
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Good Luck! I hope this story would be so long! Why didn't you get a chance to Gesink on Giro? |
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alexkr00 |
Posted on 23-07-2010 13:18
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World Champion
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Thanks
Second post updated now.
Starch27 wrote:
Why didn't you get a chance to Gesink on Giro?
I want to make it as realistic as possible for the first season, that's why Gesink won't be in the Giro. Mollema, Kruijswijk, Ardila and Weening led the team in real life and probably the same thing will happen here.
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alexkr00 |
Posted on 23-07-2010 14:00
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World Champion
Posts: 13915
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January Racing Calendar:
| Aussie Championships • ITT | NC | | Aussie Championships • Road Race | NC | | Santos Tour Down Under | UPT |
Since in January the weather is too cold for cycling in Europe, the season kicks off as usually in Down Under.
First the Aussie Championships will be held, then the UCI Pro Tour will have it's first race of the season with the Santos Tour Down Under.
Graeme Brown is the only Aussie in the Rabobank roster for this season and this should be a great month for him as he will be leading the team for the Down Under races.
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PANZRYNSZTOKA |
Posted on 24-07-2010 13:19
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awesomness!waiting for the new parts |
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FreitasPCM |
Posted on 24-07-2010 13:20
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Grand Tour Champion
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Good luck. |
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alexkr00 |
Posted on 24-07-2010 13:44
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World Champion
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The season kicks - off with a 38 kilometers individual time - trial. Three times World ITT Champion, Michael Rogers, and the current Road Race Champion Cadel Evans are among the favorites
Richie Porte had an amazing ride and finished the route after 55 minutes and 51 seconds
Michael Rogers had a nice ride but he finished 44 seconds behind the Saxo Bank rider
Cadel Evans was very close to beat Porte's time but in the end he was 7 seconds slower than Porte, who is the new Aussie ITT Champion
Results
1. | Richie Porte | Team Saxo Bank | 55'51 | 2. | Cadel Evans | BMC Racing Team | + 7 | 3. | Michael Rogers | Team HTC - Columbia | + 44 | 4. | Jack Bobridge | Garmin - Transitions | + 47 | 5. | Cameron Wurf | Androni Giocattoli - Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni | + 1'00 | 6. | Heinrich Haussler | Cervélo Test Team | + 1'16 | 7. | Stuart O'Grady | Team Saxo Bank | + 1'21 | 8. | Cameron Meyer | Garmin - Transitions | + 1'28 | 9. | Baden Cooke | Team Saxo Bank | s.t. | 10. | Luke Roberts | Team Milram | + 1'32 | 11. | Brett Lancaster | Cervélo Test Team | s.t. | 12. | Travis Meyer | Garmin - Transitions | + 1'34 | 13. | Adam Hansen | Team HTC - Columbia | + 1'38 | 14. | Trent Lowe | Garmin - Transitions | + 1'41 | 15. | Christopher Sutton | Sky Professional Cycling Team | + 1'42 |
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alexkr00 |
Posted on 24-07-2010 14:01
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At a first look the route seems rather hilly but with the climbs being very short, the sprinters might have their chance as well. Still Cadel Evans is the main favorite and he will try to take his revenge after the second place in the time - trial
Graeme Brown was one of the 8 riders that got away in the original breakaway group. Luke Roberts, Lancaster, Wurf and Leigh Howard were some other important names in the group
Simon Clarke, Allan Davis and Stuart O'Grady attacked in the last 100 kilometers of the race and with 70 kilometers left they joined the leading group. They continued with the other escapes and everything was going to be decided on the final climb of the day
But no one was able to make the difference on the climb, while Graeme Brown managed to stay in the front group by only just
5 kilometers before the finish the pack was still more than 1 minute behind the leading group and it was clear that there will be a sprint between the riders in front for the victory
Graeme Brown followed Davis' wheel in the sprint and even though at first the Astana rider was leading he was passed by O'Grady in the final meters, while Brown lost the third place to Clarke
Stuart O'Grady is the new Aussie Champion after an amazing sprint and he won't be riding in the Saxo Bank jersey in 2010!
Results
1. | Stuart O'Grady | Team Saxo Bank | 4h51'50 | 2. | Allan Davis | Astana | s.t. | 3. | Simon Clarke | ISD - Neri | s.t. | 4. | Graeme Brown | Rabobank | s.t. | 5. | Luke Roberts | Team Milram | s.t. | 6. | Johnnie Walker | Footon - Servetto | s.t. | 7. | Leigh Howard | Team HTC - Columbia | s.t. | 8. | Cameron Wurf | Androni Giocattoli - Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni | s.t. | 9. | Brett Lancaster | Cervélo Test Team | s.t. | 10. | Mitchell Docker | Skil - Shimano | s.t. | 11. | Thimothy Roe | Trek Livestrong U23 | s.t. | 12. | Robbie McEwen | Team Katusha | + 54 | 13. | Cadel Evans | BMC Racing Team | s.t. | 14. | Baden Cooke | Team Saxo Bank | s.t. | 15. | Heinrich Haussler | Cervélo Test Team | s.t. |
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PANZRYNSZTOKA |
Posted on 24-07-2010 14:12
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Amateur
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bad luck
good luck in future |
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alexkr00 |
Posted on 24-07-2010 14:24
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World Champion
Posts: 13915
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Actually fourth with Brown isn't really bad luck
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alexkr00 |
Posted on 24-07-2010 20:31
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World Champion
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The Santos Tour Down Under is the first Pro Tour race of the season. Last year's winner, Allan Davis, will not be defending his title.
This year the main riders to follow in the sprints will be Mark Cavendish, Daniele Bennati, Tom Boonen and Robbie McEwen. They'll all have to take as much bonus seconds as they can in the sprints as this year's there will be a finish on the Willunga Hill.
Graeme Brown will count on the support of Jos Van Emden and Maarten Tjallingii in the sprints but it will be hard for him to think for a stage win with Mark Cavendish here. Martens and Weening will lead the team for the queen stage, where the race could be decided.
Rabobank line-up:
Graeme Brown
Rick Flens
Paul Martens
Kai Reus
Maarten Tjallingii
Jos Van Emden
Pieter Weening
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alexkr00 |
Posted on 24-07-2010 22:26
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World Champion
Posts: 13915
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The first stage in Down Under should be a stage for the sprinters but the final hills are quite close to the finish line and it will probably be a little bit harder to have a mass sprint
Nice riders went away from the pack at the start of the stage and had a maximum advantage of 5 minutes and a half over the pack. Izagirre from Euskaltel was there and he became the first leader of the KoM competition
At the top of the final climb the escapes still had 40 seconds left from their advantage and still a great chance left to get away with it
With just 5 kilometers left the difference between the breakaway group and the pack was just 10 seconds shorter than at the top of the last climb
In the pack the sprinters were affected quite a bit by the last climbs and they weren't too close to the front positions. With the help of Reus, Martens got himself a very good position in the pack for the final sprint, while Brown was somewhere at the back
With the final kilometer approaching, Martens was looking really strong leading the pack but the escapes were too far away and it was impossible to catch them in time to steal the stage win from them
It was a very close sprint between the escapes but in the end Lowik took the stage win in front of Izagirre and Oss.
Behind them Martens finished only 4 in the pack's sprint after not a very strong finish. The main news is that there were no time gaps between the escapes and the pack
Stage
1. | Gerben Löwik | Omega Pharma - Lotto | 3h27'34 | 2. | Gorka Izagirre | Euskaltel - Euskadi | s.t. | 3. | Daniel Oss | Liquigas - Doimo | s.t. | 4. | Chad Beyer | BMC Racing Team | s.t. | 5. | Mickaël Chérel | Française des Jeux | s.t. | 6. | Jason McCartney | Team RadioShack | s.t. | 7. | Matthew Wilson | Garmin - Transitions | s.t. | 8. | Martin Reimer | Cervélo Test Team | s.t. | 9. | Matthias Brändle | Footon - Servetto | s.t. | 10. | Anthony Geslin | Française des Jeux | s.t. | 11. | Baden Cooke | Team Saxo Bank | s.t. | 12. | Francesco Ginanni | Androni Giocattoli - Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni | s.t. | 13. | Paul Martens | Rabobank | s.t. | 14. | Daniele Bennati | Liquigas - Doimo | s.t. | 15. | Edvald Boasson Hagen | Sky Professional Cycling Team | s.t. |
Overall
1. | Gerben Löwik | Omega Pharma - Lotto | 3h27'24 | 2. | Gorka Izagirre | Euskaltel - Euskadi | + 3 | 3. | Daniel Oss | Liquigas - Doimo | + 6 | 4. | Mickaël Chérel | Française des Jeux | + 7 | 5. | Jason McCartney | Team RadioShack | + 8 | 6. | Chad Beyer | BMC Racing Team | + 10 | 7. | Matthew Wilson | Garmin - Transitions | s.t. | 8. | Martin Reimer | Cervélo Test Team | s.t. | 9. | Matthias Brändle | Footon - Servetto | s.t. | 10. | Anthony Geslin | Française des Jeux | s.t. | 11. | Baden Cooke | Team Saxo Bank | s.t. | 12. | Francesco Ginanni | Androni Giocattoli - Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni | s.t. | 13. | Paul Martens | Rabobank | s.t. | 14. | Daniele Bennati | Liquigas - Doimo | s.t. | 15. | Edvald Boasson Hagen | Sky Professional Cycling Team | s.t. |
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