Christina: I am here in the restaurant at my hotel “Grand Hotel Egersund”, very cute and traditional. Our plan is to defend the KoM jersey, setting Zaballa up for an attack on the climbs. Hopefully we can later do a fine sprint, if the break does not get to the finish.
We were doing some work in front, at the start of the stage, to avoid that a break would get to much time. A break of 4 got away, but as soon as we got to the steep part of the cat 3, Zaballa attacked and started to close the cap, he reached them at the descend, and won the mountain sprint on the cat. 2. The King of mountain jersey was safe.
The Peloton was starting to speed up, at the category 2, when they got down to the flat parts of the stage, the race was split in 4 major groups, the front, 127 riders in the peloton and two groups of 25-30 riders each. All of our riders were in the peloton.
The attackers worked well together at the later parts of the stage, but in the end Zaballa, could not follow, after all he is a climber, not a tempo rider. Anyway the break was caught, and the positioning before the sprint started.
Martin Pedersen with Francisco José right on his wheel, was trying hard to get in position for Francisco’s sprint, but with sore legs from a long stage and running out of sugar after the climbs, they could not do it today. Davide Cimolai (Lampre) won his second stage in the race, Pacheco was 15th.
Stage:
1
Davide Cimolai
Lampre - Merida
4h40'12
2
Yauheni Hutarovich
AG2R La Mondiale
s.t.
3
Luke Rowe
Sky Procycling
s.t.
4
Michael Mørkøv
Team Saxo - Tinkoff
s.t.
5
Geoffrey Soupe
FDJ.fr
s.t.
GC:
1
Daryl Impey
Orica - GreenEdge
12h44'47
2
Brett Lancaster
Orica - GreenEdge
+ 8
3
Luke Durbridge
Orica - GreenEdge
s.t.
4
Christian Meier
Orica - GreenEdge
s.t.
5
Allan Davis
Orica - GreenEdge
+ 13
Points:
1
Davide Cimolai
Lampre - Merida
25
66
2
Danilo Napolitano
Accent Jobs - Wanty
12
46
3
Tom Veelers
Team Argos - Shimano
9
41
Mountain:
1
Constantino Zaballa
Christina Watches - Onfone
10
30
2
Alexander Kamp
Team Cult Energy
0
14
3
Arman Kamyshev
Astana Pro Team
0
12
Christina: Very hard race for us, was not able to contend in either the stages or the GC. But I am glad that we could hold the King of mountain, we do not leave empty handed.
Edited by Tamijo on 15-09-2015 10:16
I am in Viljandi also known as Fellin in Estonia, the destination of the first stage of Baltic Chain Tour. We do not bring any of the captains, so we do not expect much from this race. Angelo Furlan is in great shape, so he may be able to do something in the sprints. In this stage we will try to get Sebastian Balck or Frederik Wilmann in a break, trying to collect sprint/mountain points.
Viljandi Pauluse kirik (St. Paul’s church in Viljandi):
Roster:
Angelo Furlan
Daniele Aldegheri
Frederik Wilmann
Martin Pedersen
Mitchell Lovelock-Fay
Morten Høberg
Sebastian Balck
Simon Bigum
Rasmussen:
After a while where some attacks was reeled in, a break was allowed to go, with our Frederik Wilmann, Alexander Schmitt (Nutrixxion – Abus) and Nathan Edmondson (Node 4 – Giordana). Frederik Wilmann was last in both sprints, maybe because he is not in top form, maybe he used to much energy leading the group.
The front group got almost 8 minutes before the peloton started to speed up, now the front also set a high pace, surely all three of them was looking to get the mountain points, so they worked together to get there before the peloton. Even though it was only 20 km before the finish, they still got a little over 2 min. at the mountain sprint. Wilmann was the strongest up-hill rider in the break, and the others could not follow when he set in the attack, he took the points with a nice margin.
Wilmann took the mountain sprint.
The peloton got closer, but I seemed that Wilmann had a chance of winning, the others in the front group lost contact, on the small but potent hills, it was now Wilmann against the peloton, and he made it, a solo win taking 15 sec. on everyone.
Stage:
1
Frederik Wilmann
Christina Watches - Onfone
4h24'59
2
Enrico Rossi
Meridiana Kamen Team
+ 15
3
Alexander Schmitt
Nutrixxion - Abus
s.t.
4
Magnus Cort
Team Cult Energy
s.t.
5
André Steensen
Team Cult Energy
s.t.
GC:
1
Frederik Wilmann
Christina Watches - Onfone
4h24'35
2
Alexander Schmitt
Nutrixxion - Abus
+ 19
3
Enrico Rossi
Meridiana Kamen Team
+ 27
4
Nathan Edmondson
Node 4 - Giordana Racing
+ 31
5
Magnus Cort
Team Cult Energy
+ 39
Points:
1
Frederik Wilmann
Christina Watches - Onfone
29
2
Alexander Schmitt
Nutrixxion - Abus
28
3
Enrico Rossi
Meridiana Kamen Team
20
Mountain:
Frederik Wilmann
Christina Watches - Onfone
6
Alexander Schmitt
Nutrixxion - Abus
4
Nathan Edmondson
Node 4 - Giordana Racing
2
Christina on skype from New York: Hi everyone, and especially Frederik, what a day! Winning your first stage of the season, after sitting in a break over almost 200 km. Michael says you a not in great form, ha ha he must be joking.
Wow! An amazing first day in the Baltics, Wilmann performing very strongly and a nice surprise to be winning all three classifications. Unfortunately Rossi got back into the contest on stage two, but still a great set-up to win from here
Rasmussen: Smiltene, northern Latvia, for the start of today’s stage to Riga. The main goal is to keep the race lead, avoiding a break to get home, and hoping that the bonus seconds will not take the jersey.
Smiltene district Museum in the manor of Mēri from 1906:
A break of 3 riders got away, we did what we could to not letting them get much time.
Leading the peloton:
It came to a mass sprint, we were not able to compete, and our best was Angelo Furlan (17). Luckily the bonus seconds was not enough to take our lead position this time. Mauro Abel Richeze (Team Nippo - De Rosa) took the win today.
Rasmussen: Šiauliai, Northern Lithuania. Today we will try to get Lovelock-Fay in a break, to avoid leading too much and maybe even secure the polka dots. Besides that we will see what happens.
Šiauliai boulevard:
As planned we got Lovelock-Fay in a break, with 4 other riders. They got about 5 min, and got to both sprints first, Lovelock-Fay did not attempt anything in the sprints, saving energy for later. The Rain was pouring down all day.
Lovelock-Fay in the break, with polka dots.
After the last sprint, the front group got split up, Adrien Chenaux (Atlas Personal) attacked, any got away, the others were out of energy, and got picked up by the peloton, one by one. At the 5 km mark, right after the climb, the peloton stalled for a second, maybe some thought they could not catch Adrien Chenaux, maybe they was just drained. Anyway Angelo Furlan took the chance, and speeded away.
Furlan opens a gap to the peloton:
Furlan started his sprint early, hoping Chenaux had nothing left in his legs and could not sprint. Furlan passed Chenaux just in time to win the stage.
OZrocker & sutty68 : Yes, doing unexpected well in this race, we have already got much more than I could expect, but still hope I can hold on to the overall win, just 1 stage left.
Edited by Tamijo on 16-09-2015 20:37
Rasmussen: I am in the historical city of Vilnius, capital of Lithuania, not too far from the Belarusian border, waiting for the riders, and hopefully celebrate with them, all the team was very excited this morning.
Vilnius:
Today there was a good chance that Lovelock-Fay, could attack and take the mountain sprint, so he moved up front right from the start, attacked on the climb, and took the point without competition.
Other riders attacks soon after, another 5 riders joined Lovelock-Fay in front. But we could not be interested in a break away win, so Lovelock-Fay was doing no work to help the group. Enrico Rossi’s team (Meridiana Kamen) set a very high pace in the peloton, he was just 7 sec. behind, they did not want a break away win either.
Meridiana Kamen setting a high pace:
Meridiana Kamen’s actions caught the front group, but they had over extended themselves, Enrico Rossi had to fall back because he was running out of supplies with no helpers to get it. He lost 2'30 today. We did a little better in the mass sprint today, Angelo Furlan got in 9th. But more importantly Frederik Wilmann won the GC, with just 1 sec. over the stage winner Wouter Wippert (Team 3M)
Stage:
1
Wouter Wippert
Team 3M
3h31'19
2
Anuar Manan
Synergy Baku Cycling Project
s.t.
3
Patrick Clausen
Team Cult Energy
s.t.
4
Tino Thömel
Team NSP - Ghost
s.t.
5
Julian Alaphilippe
Etixx - iHNed
s.t.
1
Frederik Wilmann
Christina Watches - Onfone
19h38'57
2
Wouter Wippert
Team 3M
+ 1
3
Anuar Manan
Synergy Baku Cycling Project
+ 11
4
Angelo Furlan
Christina Watches - Onfone
+ 19
5
Alexander Schmitt
Nutrixxion - Abus
s.t.
Points:
1
Wouter Wippert
Team 3M
25
79
2
Anuar Manan
Synergy Baku Cycling Project
20
65
3
Enrico Rossi
Meridiana Kamen Team
0
64
Mountain:
1
Mitchell Lovelock-Fay
Christina Watches - Onfone
6
12
2
Frederik Wilmann
Christina Watches - Onfone
0
6
3
Thomas Zechmeister
Bauknecht - Author
0
6
Christina Watches - Onfone also won the team competision.
Christina on the phone from London: What can i say, I am just so happy.
1/9 Zagreb – Ljubljana: 172.8 (cat 1.2)
(Official name: Croatia-Slovenia)
Profile:
Rasmussen, now in Ljubljana Capital of Slovenia, destination for the Croatia-Slovenia one day race. Again with a weaker squad of riders, so the idea is to get in a break, hoping to make it to the finish.
The Triple Bridge across the Ljubljanica River:
Roster:
Angelo Furlan
Daniele Aldegheri
Frederik Wilmann
Jimmi Sørensen
Jordan Kerby
Mitchell Lovelock-Fay
Sebastian Balck
Simon Bigum
Daniele Aldegheri: attacking to get in the break.
A large break of 9 riders, there should be a chance, that they could make it to the finish.
With about 130 km left the break had about 5’30. Then we tried something new, with the risk of setting the peloton in action, we attacked with Sebastian Balck, hoping to get another rider to bridge the gap to the front group.
Sebastian Balck was in fine condition, so with both the peloton and the break moving relatively slow, he was able to catch up pretty fast.
Two of our riders now in the break:
Now we could use both riders to put on pressure, and there were not any good hill riders in the group. Sebastian Balck started an attack on the first and hardest uphill section, creating a nice gap.
But the others in the break set a hard pace, and reeled him in again. Even though he was caught Black continued to lead the front group, to keep the peloton away, and wear the other up. Getting near the last two small hills, before the descent, the others in the group could not follow the hard pace; they dropped of one by one.
Daniele & Sebastian: alone in the front.
At this point Sebastian Balck was totally empty, he gave in his job was done. Daniele Aldegheri attacked just before the descent, the victory was secured.
Rasmussen: Now The Bucks County Classic, Here in Pennsylvania, US. I am situated in Doylestown, waiting for the riders to arrive. We will attempt to get Frederik Wilmann, Daniele Aldegheri, Sebastian Balck or Mitchell Lovelock-Fay in a break, they all have ability’s suited for this hilly race.
Roster:
Angelo Furlan
Daniele Aldegheri
Frederik Wilmann
Jordan Kerby
Martin Pedersen
Mitchell Lovelock-Fay
Sebastian Balck
Simon Bigum
Right from the start we set up several attempts to attack, but the peloton was not willing to let anything go, we could not get away.
Daniele Aldegheri: attacking.
With about 115 km left Antoine Lavieu (La Pomme Marseille) finally got some distance.
Antoine Lavieu was a relative strong rider for today’s terrain. So we decided that we had to react, if he got too much time, he might win. So we moved many riders to the front, setting a very high pace, sometimes even splitting the front of the peloton.
Daniele Aldegheri: Setting a very high pace.
Antoine Lavieu was caught about 20 km from the finish, but only at set of another attack, this time Maksym Averin (Atlas Personal – Jakroo) Frederik Wilmann chased after him immediately, and they got away.
Wilmann tried to get close enough to Averin, to get on his wheel, but he was not strong enough. Maksym Averin won the race.
Christina:
Now in Xi'an Hi-Tech Industries Development Zone, China. Xi'an is one of the oldest capitals in China, located in northwest china, home of the famous Terracotta Army. The city dates back to 11th century BCE.
We are here for the last important race of the season, as every business today, Christina Watches would like to look good in China. We hope for a stage win. Today is a TTT, not a stage we can win.
Roster:
Angelo Furlan
Constantino Zaballa
Daniele Aldegheri
Francisco José Pacheco
Martin Pedersen
Sebastian Balck
The favorites today was Garmin – Sharp:
But they did not win, todays winner was Efapel – Glassdrive. We came in 17 out of 20, losing a little over a minute.
Christina:
Hi, Still here in Xi’an, holding some meetings at the Grand Castle Hotel, waiting for the start of today’s race. Today is a flat stage; we expect a mass sprint, hoping for Francisco José Pacheco or Angelo Furlan to be able to compete.
The Grand Castle Hotel Xi’an:
Right from the start attack after attack and a fast peloton chasing, it was clear that it was a short race, and everyone just had to ride hard all day, not to fall back.
A very fast pace, all day:
But no attack was strong enough to get any serious gab, with 20 km left all was together, and the teams started to get in position for the sprint. We got a fine train up, and got it in front of the race, passing under the 5 km mark.
Furlan started the sprint, with José Pacheco sucked to his wheel, and José Pacheco reached the line first, Furlan was passed by Ryan Anderson (Optum), but came in third.
