Todays stage in flat. Howeve,r we ride into Metz on cobbled roads, so some sprinters and GC guys are bound to lose the peleton.
Team plan: We want to protect Peraud, Roche , and Riblon, get a man in the break, and with Hinault's ability on cobbles, get a top ten.
Minard was our man for the break and lept away.
12 riders made up the break today highlighted by Langeveld and Leukemans. Three more guys: Kruijswijk, Grabsch, and Popovich would come up later on.
But before the last three attacked, the peleton got to sprint for 13th place. Cav was blocked in at first, allowing Rojas to jump clear easily.
Rojas 3 points, Cav 2, Greipel 1.
The break led acroos the first paved section.
Back in the pack, a split happened, leaving stage Favorite Fabian Cancellara behind.
Most of the break, including Minard, dropped back, leaving the visibly stronger half way through attackers alone out front.
Stuart O'Grady sttacks once again this Tour and makes it up to the escapees.
We were forced,as the leader's team, to chase the break, we lost all of our domestiques. Minard had to hang on the front despite being in the break all day.
Under 10 km. Minard is off. Roche is towing Peraud, Riblon, and Hinault as our last domestique cracks on the left. All our guys besides Hinault our dying on the front, but they have to work. If they try to recover they are likely to never see the peleton again, and lose time. So they stay at there limit.
It worked though. The break is swept up to fast for the camera man to take a shot. Hinault gran=bs a wheel, as our GC hopes fall back. Luckily, the were able to finish at the same time. Gilbert launches first.
O'Grady finds a second kick and rushes foward. Boasson Hagen is coming hard though. Paolini leads the rest, with Hinault holding squashed between Gilbert and Wiggins.
Boasson Hagen takes it! Paolini takes second with O'Grady rounding out the podium. Hinault gets his first top ten with tenth.
We're happy with the reult. No real contenders lost time, but neither did we.
The likeliness of me getting stage 8up tonight is low. However, I will definetley get it up by tomorrow. I would have done it today, but I had to write two reports on one stage.
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy
I found another way to screw up the story. Forgot to export the results for Planche de Belles Filles of course. Can't even get the top 14 scree back in single race mode.
This is a struggle for me. Sorry to the readers.(If there are any)
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy
Trust me there are always readers and if you can't export the results just post the people who finished near the top who you can remember and export the overall standings after the next race.
Todays stage is bumpy with two intermidiate climbs and a sharp finishing climb onto La Planche de Belles Filles. look for a guy like Evans or Schleck to succeed.
Team Plan: We'll try to defend yellow and keep Peraud up there. We won't be worried if Roche loses some time so he can get in breaks for points later. Dupont will be the workhorse on the final summit to place Peraud well.
Bouet was the breakway man for us today.
The breakaway consisted of 14 men men including Gautier, Martinez, Paulinho, and Grivko, all of whom are decnt climbers among others.
Sprick and Tankink opened the sprint for the cat 3 Col de Grosse Pierre
.
Tankink over Sprick. The peleton didnt sprint for the 1 point available at the intermediate.
Martinez attacked over the next climb and gapped the other escapees.
Martinez takes the point over the Col du Mont de Fourch easily.
Bouet is at the back as Martinez kicks again with 20 km left. The break still have a 3:30 gap on the peleton.
Van den Broeck has Lotto at the front. Wiggins and Evans are also near the front.
Bouet can't take the acceleration and drops back.
We take to the front, knowing that Bouet no longer is able to win at the base of La Planche de Belles Filles. Our guys including Riblion look good.
Scarponi attacks. Bouet is caught and our men can't resond to the fats pace on this short steep monster. Martinez still has a two minute gap.
Evans and Nibali drag Frank Scleck up the climb. Martinez is cracking at only 30 seconds with 2km left in the race. JCP can't respond, and we are bound to lose places in the GC tonight. The fight is up front. Can Martinez hold on?
No! Heartbreak for the Spaniard as he gets pipped on the line by Evans! He and the favorites swamped him in the last 50 meters. The Euskatel man holds on for second, but that isn't any consolation to him. All our guys finished in the peli, losing time to the great favorites like Evans.
Stage Rankings:
1. Cadel Evans
2. Egoi Martinez
3. Frank Schleck
4. Alexandre Vinokourov
5. Pierre Rolland
Our GC Positions:
General classification:
1. Christophe Riblon
2. Cadel Evans
3. Frank Schleck
Edited by baseballlover312 on 14-07-2012 17:29
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy
Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime. Teach a man to cycle and he will realize fishing is stupid and boring.
Sorry I haven't updated much recently. I've been very busy and have lacked the powerful motivation that you get when you first start a story. I do have motivation though, it's just not surging anymore.
I went to a baseball game today, so didn't have time to even see the Tour.
So I'll post stage 9 tonight or tomorrow.
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy
Today's stage has not 1, not 2, not 3, not 4, not 5, but 6 climbs on route. This route is bound to split the race up a bit, but not humoungusly (word?).
Team plan: those 27 mountain points available on route look very enticing, so Roche may have a go. We will most likely give up yellow today, which isn't all that bad, as Riblon can now do what he does best - get in breaks for us.
Roche attacked early, but being 9th in GC stopped him from a breakaway.
Cherel then tried to get in the break, but for some reason, the peleton stopped that.
As the break formed, Anthony Roux won to Cote de Passage de la Douleur.
The break consisted of 11 men, and later 12. The notables were Dan Martin, Simon Spilak, Rui Costa, L.L. Sanchez and Michael Albasini. Big KOM prize in the move.
At the cat 2 Cote de Maison - Rouge, Levarlet of Saur Sojasun went on the right, Roux opened on the left. No others in the group responded.
Their positions held. Levarlet over Roux and Kashechkin of Astana.
The Cote de Saihnelegier was next, won by Martin. Roux and Nicki Sorenson, the Danish national champion, followed him over the top.
No one sprinted on the Cote de Saucy, won by Spilak, perhaps saving their energy here for the Cote de la Caquerve. Roux opened up first, with the previous winners on his tail besides Spilak, who won by default, and was therefore not interested again.
Martin again. The pre race KOM favorite beat the Frenchies on the slopes.
They were about to be caught as the road tilted upward to the sharp Col de la Croix, so Astarloza of Euskatel tried a last ditch effort with Martin, unsuccessfully.
The break is swept up ... and Evans goes! This acceleration knocks Riblon down the peleton, and Evans is in virtual yellow while Wiggins drives on the front!
Wiggins knows he has to follow, and does over the top!
Van den Broeck atttacks, and Peraud goes with him! Something that didn't go, however, was the attack, and they were swept up easily, as well as Wiggins.
Riblon fell off... and ouch! There was a massive pile up in front of him that involved several favorites like Menchov, Brajkovic, Van den Brouk, Basso, Gesink, Rolland and others, including Dupont. Click this link for a full list of down riders- https://www.mediaf...e_Belfort_–_Porrentruy.xls
Evans still had a 30 second lead with 4km left, he could make it all the way!
Radioshack started the sprint, Peraud and Roche were sitting on Gilbert's wheel.
Roche launches off the left, taking all the wind to fight for a top 10.
But Evans takes it in Porrentruy! And the Mailot Jaune with it!
Gilbert makes the BMC 1-2. Roche follows in 6th.
Evans came in with half a minute on the bunch. Those who were involved in the crash lose 2:59 to Evans, virtualy losing any chance of winning.
Stage Rankings:
Rank
Name
Team
Time
1
Cadel Evans
BMC Racing Team
4h12'37
2
Philippe Gilbert
BMC Racing Team
+ 30
3
Samuel Sánchez
Euskaltel - Euskadi
s.t.
4
Bradley Wiggins
Sky Procycling
s.t.
5
Michele Scarponi
Lampre - ISD
s.t.
6
Nicolas Roche
AG2R La Mondiale
s.t.
7
Alexandre Vinokourov
Astana Pro Team
s.t.
8
Vincenzo Nibali
Liquigas - Cannondale
s.t.
9
Alejandro Valverde
Movistar Team
s.t.
10
Andreas Klöden
RadioShack - Nissan
s.t.
11
Fränk Schleck
RadioShack - Nissan
s.t.
12
Jean-Christophe Peraud
AG2R La Mondiale
s.t.
Evans takes the overall lead as Riblon loses 2:21, but stays at 2nd. Peraud is 6th and Roche is in 7th. they are the last ones inside the 2 minute marker.
General Classification:
Rank
Name
Team
Time
1
Cadel Evans
BMC Racing Team
38h02'54
2
Christophe Riblon
AG2R La Mondiale
+ 1'30
3
Fränk Schleck
RadioShack - Nissan
+ 1'35
4
Bradley Wiggins
Sky Procycling
+ 1'37
5
Michele Scarponi
Lampre - ISD
+ 1'40
6
Jean-Christophe Peraud
AG2R La Mondiale
+ 1'55
7
Nicolas Roche
AG2R La Mondiale
+ 2'00
8
Vincenzo Nibali
Liquigas - Cannondale
+ 2'32
9
Jurgen Van den Broeck
Lotto Belisol Team
+ 4'19
No change for green, as no contenders were left by the sprint point.
Interviewer: "Pleasure to have you here. Thanks." baseballlover312: "No problem. I love doing these interviews."
Interviewer: "So, how do you like the racing so far?" baseballlover312: "Well, the first weak was great. excellent organizing on the cobbled stage to Metz. Also, I like the variety for the wins. Breakaways, sprinters, punchers, climbers- all get a little taste of the action."
Interviewer: "Are you satisfied right now on your team's performance?" baseballlover312: "Well, how can I complain? Riblon had yellow for almost the whole week, Peraud is placed nicely, and so is Roche. Of course, we have some downsides. We want a stage, as well as the fact that Hinault isn't in good shape and Duponnt has been in too many crashes to be the darkhorse we wanted. But overall, it's good."
Interviewer: "Who's your favorite now?" baseballlover312: Well, Evans looks unbeatable, but Wiggins has the team. So naturally I have to go with Peraud! :D"
Interviewer: "What are your goals moving ahead?" baseballlover312: "Same as before, exept now we don't have to protect yellow. Let's hope that the viscous pack calle dthe peleton will let Hinault and Roche in the breaks. And Dupont and bounce back."
Interviewer: "Speaking of breakaways, how are your domestiques doing?" baseballlover312: "We've gotten in almost every break and kept our leaders fresh. Riblon even went as far as taking yellow and finishing 2nd on a stage. Cherel, Bouet, Minard, and Kadri have also proved beyond means there worth, as we picked them over brilliant riders like the italian duo: Nocentini and Montaguti."
Interviewer:" How are your riders looking?" baseballlover312: "I don't want to give away classified stuff but the guys that matter are in good shape. ;)"
Interview: "Thanks for your time." baseballlover312: "It's a pleasure... And... wait. Tell your guys to keep a camera on Nicolas on La Toussuire, will ya? It'll be worth your while. See you on the second rest day."
