Important dates:- (First half of January) 27/12 – 07
[img-r]https://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh175/Silencedk/AlainBondue-manager.jpg[/img-r]Many exclusive reporters and cycling-experts had seen it coming. And although it wouldn't have much impact on the season straight ahead the case got huge amounts of press-coverage, the sport taken in consideration. Probably just because of the major, seemingly longtermed scandale-stagnation the sport had been hit by.
Alain Bondue, (former) manager of Cofidis – le Crédit par Téléphone, has resigned from the post now leaving it for somebody else to occupy and reign in the french cyclingteam. His resignation was momentarily which has left the bord of the team desperately trying to find his substitute, before the whole thing would get too messy to deal with. No names have been mentioned and so it sill lies in the unknown, who they will find appropriate for the position of turning the teams luck into positive paths. But there's no doubt that this has opposed their current situation instead of helping it.
So far Alain hasn't come forward with any unambiguous explanation, and the only displayed statement by his side since his relatively suprising withdrawal, sounds like this;
”I did it entirely voluntarily. And the size of my wallet shouldn't be questioned”
This has undoubtedly set start to some suspicious thoughts, but as nothing concrete has been discovered yet, it is to be counted as one of the countless weird quotations by his side.
5/1 – 08
During an early-January press-conference at three o'clock, Paris, the new manager was revealed. A frenchman by the name Fabien Piguét, an old but experienced cycling-expert. Alain Bondue chose, by unknown reasons, to stay out and his absence was clearly felt throughtout the room.
Besides the new manager, a few others were presented to the squad; the two cobble-talents Niels Albert (21 years) and Jérôme Baugnies. Also the talented climber Sergio Pardia Bellós (23 years) has joined Cofidis.
6/1-18/3 – 08
Villa, Blain, Augé, Duque, Huguet, Taaramäe, Valentin, Demaret and Buffaz were all sent on a preseason training-camp in Calp, Spain, to improve their condition maximum possible before the important January races.
11/1 – 08
Australian ITT Championships.
Cofidis has signed themselfes into a cooperation with the french company LFCM which gives them 17.750\ pr. month the next two years. Nuyens were succesfully invited to the Tour de Qatar. A race he himself desired to participate in.
14/1 – 08
Australian RR Championships.
Hoste has reported that he's starting his season already at the Tour Down Under this year.
The Squad-Profiles:
Leaders: Nick Nuyens: Born 5/5 1980(27 years), Lier, Belgium.
[img-r]https://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh175/Silencedk/NickNuyens.jpg[/img-r]This is a rare talented rider. He has got exceptionel skilles on both the cobblestones and in the hills, which in a combination can bring home some pretty prestigous victories. This is why he is our absolute leader in all the classics this year. The cobbled, the hilly, the criteriums, all of them. Although, you have to give him as long line as he want before he can really perform.
Sylvain Chavanel: Born 30/8 1979(28 years), Chartellerault, France.
[img-l]https://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh175/Silencedk/SylvainChavanel.jpg[/img-l]The ”Eternity-talent”. Sylvain is a good, solid allrounder but most of his skills lays in favour of the stageraces. He's best when the road turns upwards but hes also got a proper ITT, which makes him a dangerous opponent to everyone but the very best riders. He can ride along anywhere but at the steepest of climbes. He is our captain in the ProTour stageraces.
Co-Leaders: Leonardo Duque: Born 10/4 1980(27 years), Cali Valli, Columbia.
[img-r]https://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh175/Silencedk/LeonardoDuque.jpg[/img-r]Despite most of the columbians this one is not an all-out mountainrider. Although he can climb, he also posseses other compentetences. For example he can sprint which is also very unusual among these incredibly lightweightet riders. This means that he's the ideal man for breakaways or minor stagraces. He will probably also be able to achieve something from the onedayclassics if the form fits the time. Maxime Monfort: Born 14/1 1983(24 years), Bastogne, Belgium.
[img-l]https://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh175/Silencedk/MaximeMonfort.jpg[/img-l]Another talent when it comes to climbing. He's very competitive and he can climb mountains of almost any percentages. This should allow him to win and that is exactly whats expected from him.
A few big mountain stages here and there and it'll be fine. We can only hope for further evolvment from him.
Free Riders: Frank Høj: Born 4/1 1973(35 years), Holte, Denmark.
[img-r]https://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh175/Silencedk/FrankHj.jpg[/img-r]This is the secondbest cobbler in Cofidis. He will become the ultimate help for Nuyens in the spring cobble-classics, and in March where theres some minor cobble races he might be able to race for himself. A good fighter, with vital strength. David Moncoutié: Born 30/4 1975(32 years), Provins, France.
[img-l]https://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh175/Silencedk/DavidMoncouti.jpg[/img-l]An old Maxime Monfort. His skills are basically identical to Monfort's with only Moncoutiés experience to make the difference. Therefore we expect about the same, but a few stageraces wouldn't be unrealistic to aim for. Rik Verbrugghe: Born 23/11 1974(33 years), Tienen, Belgium.
[img-r]https://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh175/Silencedk/RikVerbrugghe.jpg[/img-r]If Chavanel aren't available hilly classics, this will be the best help Nuyens can get for those races. He's fairly talented in the hills but he has seen better days. But to expect less than a couple of victories from him would be an insult.
Staf Scheirlinckx: Born 12/3 1979(28 years), Herzele, Belgium.
[img-l]https://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh175/Silencedk/StafScheirlinckx-1.jpg[/img-l]Yet again a good cobbler. Racing phenomenally at last years Paris-Roubaix the expectations for this rider has raised quite a lot. He's great at sustaining a fast pace over long cobble-covered distances and that's what he's going to be used for. He'll have the same roll as Høj but slightly under so he will be the one to drive for Høj if necessay, and not reverse. Young Talents: New -->Niels Albert: Born 5/2 1986(21 years), Bonheiden, Belgium.
[img-r]https://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh175/Silencedk/NielsAlbert.jpg[/img-r]A great talent when it comes to cobblestones. He wont be used for anything else than helping the cobblecaptains, since theres a long distance between the best cobblers and good cobblers. Then in a couple of years he might have grown to pose a threat to those of Cancellara, Boonen, etc. New -->Sergio Pardia Bellón: 16/1 1984(23 years), Unknown, Spain.
[img-l]https://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh175/Silencedk/SergioPardiaBelln.jpg[/img-l]Despite his age he's got unbelieveable skills in the mountains. Together with Chavanel and Monfort hes the best climber in Cofidis, but at this stage hes still got a lot to learn. As a start we wont be expecting that much from him. New -->Jérôme Baugnies: 1/4 1987(20 years), Unknown, Belgium.
[img-r]https://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh175/Silencedk/JrmeBaugnies.jpg[/img-r]Exactly the same permisses as Albert.
New -->Julien El Fares: 1/6 1985(22 years), Aix-en-Provence, France.
[img-l]https://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh175/Silencedk/JulienElFares.jpg[/img-l]As Verbrugghe his speciality lies in the hills. Hes got a huge potential and it has to be exploited the best way possible. This season he'll be helping our to captains with collecting victories in the various races they participate in. In minor races he'll get to show his qualities.
Scouting:
For the following season we've hired a couple of expert scouts in the hope of securing our future with young talents. We'll mainly give them tasks here in our homecountry or in Italy, Spain, etc.
Mainly they will be searching for sprinters or climbers since we're lacking stars in both of these categories. We wont be seeking any cobble-talents because we feel pretty secure about this area of our squads abilities. Both now and in the future.
Another precausion we've made for the upcoming season are the hiring of several fabulous trainers that'll all take care of our talents. This should give us an edge already next year. One of these are the chinese Savahi Villa which will train the ITT of some riders.
Goals:
Our season this year depends dangerously much of Nick Nuyens and Sylvain Chavanel. If they're not the ones to take down some victories, then who is? And if they don't we might as well just wave goodbye to our precious ProTour licens. Therefore the whole team will be build up around them to secure at least enough results for survival in ProTour.
Nuyens will go for the classics and a few stageraces, while Chavanel will try to gather as much points as possible from stagevictories, and if very lucky some GCs. But although much depends on these two we shouldn't underestimate the remainder riders in our squad. Luque for example has great chances of winning Tour Down Under this year, which will give us a good 'startsum' of PT points. This is far from sure but it's very, very realistic. Highly probable Luque will also get to the top of the podium on many various stages in different races. We can also hope that Maxime Monfort goes on with the phenomenal performances at the Vuelta. Other than that a few others can make it to the ProTour-rankings but its very unlikly that their effort will have any effect on our final standings.
Mainly, we will focus on the big, french races. This is a list of our desired accomplishments:
- To wear the Maillot Jaune (Chavanel, Nuyens)
- A stagewin in TDF (Chavanel, Nuyens, Duque)
- Top 5 at Paris-Nice (Chavanel)
- Victory in 4 Jours de Dunkerque (Duque, Nuyens)
- Victory in the French RR Championships (Chavanel)
- Top3 in G3-Harelbreke (Nuyens)
- Top 5 in Gent-Wevelgem (Nuyens)
- Top 5 in GP Ouest France – Plouay (Chavanel, Monfort, Nuyens)
- A stagewin in Vuelta (Monfort)
- Top 10 in the Vuelta (Monfort)
All this seems realistic so far but we can only hope.
Edited by Silence on 09-03-2008 08:48
Le'Sheep: If life's a bitch use a knife to get over it.
It will be corrected in the evening when I come home.
And along with that, the first stage of Tour Down Under
Hope there's someone else that has got something to say?
Le'Sheep: If life's a bitch use a knife to get over it.
"We all know that wasn't the real footage of the Worlds anyway. That was just the staged footage to perpetuate the coverup that it was actually Vinokourov that won the race."
Team: De Weert, Hary, Buffaz, Dumoulin, Monfort, Minard, Valentin, and our captain Leonardo Duque.
Overall-raceprofile/tactics:
The race hasn't change that much since last year which means that theres 5 flat stages and then one hilly-stage, where the race is most oftenly decided. This profile may seem very tempting for a good breakaway so there will surely by a great deal of those. And maybe some victories of same kind, though, it is also sure that the sprinter-teams will hold eventual escapees in a tight line, so that they won't get too far away. Therefore it will probably end in a massprint at at least 5 of the six stages.
Because of all the flat terrain we've chosen Domoulin to be the lead-out man for Duque, since he's actually a little better and might be able to drag Duque a couple of levels up which would be a major boost. For the hilly stage Monfort will be helping and if absolutely necessary, go for the victory. So Duque should be fairly well protected in the race.
Stages:
1.Mawson Lakes – Angaston 129 km.
2.Stirling – Hahndorf 148 km.
3.Unley – Victor Harbor 139 km.
4.Mannum – Strathalbyn 134 km.
5.Willunga – Willunga 147 km.
6.Adelaide – Adelaide (Curcuit) 88 km.
Absolute favorite: Freire - His immense skills can't be underestimated. He's the best participating in this race. Favorites: Juanjo Cobo Acebo - If he can pull it off in the hills he will become a good candidate for winning. Thor Hushovd - He might be having some troubles at the Willunga hills, but if he gets past that obstacle only Freire would be able of beating him in a sprintfinish. Stuart O'Grady - He's more hungry for it than anybody else. And he has got all the skille necessary of winning. Plus he's australian so in a way he's got a home-advantage. Fabian Cancellara - He'll probably just be helping Stuey, but if not he's a great contestant with his massive power-engine to work in the flat terrain. Underdogs: Xavier Florencio - He's not the best at anything but with his sprint and hill-driving you can't leave him unmentioned. Leonardo Duque - Exactly the same type as Florencio. Maybe even a little better. Thomas Voeckler - No doubt that he's going to get involved when it gets to the hills. Martin Elmiger - He's done it before, so why not again? José Rojas Gil - An egdy sprinter with okay climbing skills. Maybe he can surprise us all by winning.
1. Stage: Mawson Lakes - Angaston 129 km
Profile/tactics:
Todays stage is mainly flat but with a few hills to make it a bit more exciting. The distance up to the finish goes upwards, which is for the advantage of our Duque. Unfortunately Oscar Freire is also a part of the peloton and he will probably dominate the sprint, anything else is highly unlikely.
Therefore we must hope that Duque becomes victor of the stage, but aim for at top3 which is more realistic. Either Domoulin or Monfort will be the one to lead him out.
Freire will be the man to beat and on the paper only Hushovd are capable enough of doing that. Stage:
Since this is the first big race of the season the pack's gotten out to an uttermostly slow start. The unfit riders chatting to left and right, trying to have some fun before it really begins and they have to put up an effort. The Cofidis riders immediately gather around Duque to save him from wasting his powers. – Good to see some fresh legs starting the season with an optimistic break.
The first attack at the stage has set off, including Tosatto (QSI), Mangel (Ag2r), Guesdon (FDJ), Sieberg (THR), Kern (C.A.), D'Hollander (SIL), Muravyev (AST) and Trenti (LIQ). After a little while of attacking they gather the sheeps and roll towards the finish line lying far away in the distant horizon.
They don't get to cooperate well enough though and the one-minute gap they fought for is easily reeled in by the pack, in no time.
After cathcing the first group of escapees the peloton has now slowed right down. This allows a second break to get away; Coyot (CGE), Corioni (LIQ), Poulhies (Ag2r), Isasi (EUS), Kern (C.A.) and Tosatto.
Also Sieberg (THR), Bileka (FDJ) Vansevenant (SIL) tries to follow but its too late. They get to form a pursuer-group, but not for long. Shortly afterwards, at the first midlesprint, they catch up on the six ahead and they're now 9 riders with 4 minutes on the clock.
A few moments later the group is picked up and thrown away by the pack and with less than 10 kilometres to go, the sprinter-favorites are positioning themselfes up front to get the best possible position when starting sprinting.
Duque takes the wheel of his teammate Domoulin, and a chain of riders is formed behind them. Freire is one of them. Usov and Eisel are struggling to get enough space. The pace is too fast for them. Eisel failing to make a proper delivery Reynés gets off his wheel and breaks into the chain, right in front of Robert Förster. Rojas Gil is also looking good, having taken the wheel of O'Grady, just behind Cancellara. – Left: The pack closing up on the touchline in a frantic pace. Right: Duque and Domoulin taking a turn.
The road now rises in a small percentage. Freire is looking dangerously strong, its sure he's going to execute a killer finish. Several people advances, Rojas most remarkably. The sprint breaks out. Duque blows past rider after rider but with Freire right behind him. O'Grady, Förster bursts along and they're now many side by side. Another rider has decided to put his nose where it's exciting, though, he sprinted from the top of the peloton spearhead which gave him little advantage. Duque lets go of the other contestants for the victory, but with Freire glued to his wheel. They're cathing up on Florencio. Finally Freire's moving, bursting up ahead of both Duque and Florencio without any sign of exertion. Duque also tries to go past Florencio but he fails in a matter of centimeters. – Freire winning with an overwhelming superciliousness.
A fairly statisfying start to the race with a third, but nontheless Duque will have to pull up a better effort at the hilly-stage if he's going to be the triumphant of this years first ProTour-race.
Stage-result:
1. Oscar Freire 3h10'00” - RAB
2. Xavier Florencio s.t - BOU
3. Leonardo Duque s.t. - Cofidis
4. Vicente Reynés s.t. - THR
5. Stuart O'Grady s.t. - CSC
6. José Joaquin Rojas Gil s.t. - GCE
7. Robert Förster s.t. - GER
8. Lloyd Mondory s.t. - Ag2r
9. Martin Almiger s.t. - Ag2r
10. Alberto Ongarato s.t. - MIL
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
rjc_43@ Oh yeah i see. I'll change that in a moment.
Feedback of all kinds are very welcome Edited by Silence on 04-03-2008 20:59
Le'Sheep: If life's a bitch use a knife to get over it.
If you do all the reports like that and keep going with it, the story will be great!
Macquet wrote:
"We all know that wasn't the real footage of the Worlds anyway. That was just the staged footage to perpetuate the coverup that it was actually Vinokourov that won the race."
Can I give you a suggestion? Don't to that kind of reports on minor races... It's lovely to read but it will leave you so tired that you will in fact become bored with this story somewhere between March and April...
Agreed with p3druh. Look at A_Schleck's story. it ended in June of the first season or so because he reported everything
The only other thing is: I'll kill you if you start using puns like the cyclingnews reporters do
(thank god Bo Hamburger doesn't ride anymore)
Edited by issoisso on 02-03-2008 20:45
The preceding post is ISSO 9001 certified
"I love him, I think he's great. He's transformed the sport in so many ways. Every person in cycling has benefitted from Lance Armstrong, perhaps not financially but in some sense" - Bradley Wiggins on Lance Armstrong
Profile/tactics
This stage is pretty similar to the past one. Mainly flat with many small hills, but without any chance that these will pose a threat to the energy of the fabulous sprinters we hopefully will come to see in action at the end of the stage. Freire is still the big favorite.
This stage aren't any different from the last one so our tactics will basically be all the same. To protect Duque until he gets to sprint against Freire and the others. Also as yesterday, we expect him to keep himself in a top3 in the general classification. If not its too bad and he'll have to advance a bit later in the race, but eitherway we will be satisfied if he ends up in third, or better.
Stage:
The riders seems much fitter at the start of todays race compared to yesterday at the first stage. Right from the start several groups of riders are trying to cut loose from the peloton, but none of them succedes. Of all the attacking riders Paolo Bossoni seems to be most eager of getting away since he was a part of almost every launched attack.
- Freire laying back at the haevy end of the peloton.
At the first middlesprint a little group of riders, inclusive Bossoni, has created a small gap, however, as Dyudya takes the points the gap is being heavily reduced by the hopeful sprinters coming from behind. A little while afterwards somebody finally manages to get away. It's the four riders Vaitkus (AST), Engoulvent (C.A.), D'Hollander (SIL) and Bossoni (LAM). But instead of setlling for cooperation they're split into three groups; Engoulvent and Vaitkus as the back-troops, D'Hollander in the middle, and Bossoni as the leader. It keeps this way for about 40 kilometres until Vaitkus (AST) and Engoulvent (C.A.) catches up on D'Hollander (SIL).
At the second middlesprint the pursuers still hasn't got Bossonis lead under control, but then Vaitkus shows his amazing abilities and by pure sprinting helped on by sheer willpower he equalizes the distance up to Bossoni, leaving the other two behind.
At this point the peloton its speed enormously and begins the hunt. There's now three whole minutes on the clock. With 60 kilometres to go the four involved in the first breakaway are re-united. - Re-union!
Bossoni's starting to show signs of weakness. Its clear that he's earlier solo driving took much of his powers.
Even though its a weird time to attack another group of riders are trying to get clear of the hard-working peloton – and they succed. The break, as the other one, contains four people but only the three of them reaches the other escapees: Pineau (BOU), Meersman (FDJ) and Cretskens (QSI). Theres now 40 km between them and the finishline and some of the tired riders must let themselfes drop of the break, and so, the peloton brings them in one after one, until they are all gathered at the 10 kilometres-sign.
The favorites have start moving around trying seize eachother and also to grap the most favoured place which is behind Freire, to secure an at least decent result. Apparently Duque gets there first but with Reynés on his back. In the left side of the road Cancellara opens up, followed by a nochalant move by Breschel, latching him onto the whell of the strong swiss. Baldato, as a respons to this, moves forward in an attempt of getting close to the CSC riders that's in a good position. Freire is also moving now, catching the accelerating Baldato trying to advance. All is now ready and set for the sprint so the sprinters are anxiously looking at eachother waiting for someone to open it all. - Le sprint is off!
Fédrigo is the one. He sneaked up on the right side of the peloton sprinting up ahead of everyone else, going for the win. Although, many people are willing to change his position and Freire sprints forward in a fast advancing pace, along with Duque. They're immediately past the two CSC riders now looking get ahead of Rojas Gil, Baldato and Fédrigo. Duque lets go of Freires wheel in the hope that he can take the victory. The sprint is still wide open. The plan seems to be working for Duque now overtaking Freires lead. Fédrigo struggles to keep up with them but it doesn't matter how hard he try. Duque is still in front. No one is even near him and he can easily make the final move to asure the victory. Freire, obviously overwhelmed by the outstanding acceleration by Duque, has lost all his determination letting Reynés pass him at the last few meters. - A convincing win for the venezuelan.
Great victory by Duque, referring him to the part first-place together with Oscar Freire. It also proves that form has a lot to say no matter how good the implicated riders may be. It also makes our further participation in the race much more promising, in a very positive perspective.
Stage-result:
1.Leonardo Duque 3h47'31” - Cofidis
2.Vicente Reynés s.t. - Team High Road
3.Oscar Freire s.t. - Rabovank
4.Pierrick Fédrigo s.t. - Bouygues Telecom
5.Matti Breschel s.t. - Team CSC
6.Martin Elmiger s.t. - Ag2r la Mondiale
7.Matteo Tosatto s.t. - Quick-Step
8.José Joaquin Rojas Gil s.t. - Caisse d'Epargne
9.Fabio Baldato s.t. - Lampre – Fondital
10.Brett Lancaster s.t. - Milram
Edited by Silence on 04-03-2008 21:01
Le'Sheep: If life's a bitch use a knife to get over it.
