26/3 Stage 3/6 Gatteo - Sogliano al Rubicone 153.4 km
The morning breakaway is rather weak, the four riders are Tizza (Area Zero), Sanz (Southeast), Koretzky (Vorarlberg) and Banaszek (CCC Sprandi), Tizza takes the first KoM sprint.
With Astana leading the race, the other teams won’t lead the peloton. Astana sets a few rider up front to keep the pace reasonable.
The break is over just after the last KoM sprint, but a last climbs to Ville di Montetiffi is coming up. With a hard pace in front López is creating a small gap to the peloton now reduced to 50 riders.
López gets caught but Astana tries again, Eros Capecchi attacks with Dario Cataldo on wheel, but it turns out Capecchi has the better legs today, he slips away alone.
A chase group of 11 riders with some of the favorites leave the main bunch behind. Race leader Davide Malacarne and especially Astanas race favorite Dario Cataldo can’t keep up, exhausted after his failed attack.
The chase group catch Capecchi with just a few km to go, the group makes it to the final together all of them very tired. The race finishes with a very short sprint.
The race was won by Enrico Barbin (Bardiani) over Sergey Chernetckii (Katusha), Capecchi gets in 5th.
Evaluation:
Overall : This was 26 years old Italian Enrico Barbin most important victory to date, and his first win since he had some victories back in 2012 in small races.
A hard day for many teams, where some of the race favorites lost serious time, Sousa (Vorarlberg), Coppel (IAM) and Canty (Drapac) all lost 2’43, Dario Cataldo lost 1’28.
Stage favorite Sonny Colbrelli (Bardiani) also lost 2’43 and race leader Davide Malacarne ’54.
There were some serious crashes on the stage, Steele Von Hoff from ONE Pro Cycling abandon the race with an elbow dislocation.
Astana:
A very mixed stage for the team.
Eros Capecchi had a great stage, very close to a win and making it into the GC top 10. Malacarne also doing good with limited time lost, hanging on to the lead.
Astanas race captains Dario Cataldo and Miguel Angel López both lost some time, but at the same time advanced to GC top 15.
The morning break is 6 riders, the strongest rider in the break is quite clearly Lotto Soudal’s Thomas De Gendt a very strong all round fighter type. Astana has Valerio Agnoli in the breakaway.
All the riders in the break is more than 20 minutes behind in the GC.
When the peloton gets to the cat.1 climb to Alt de Prades, the break has about 7 minutes. Astana’s Tanel Kangert tries his luck, hoping to catch up to Agnoli’s group and work together for victory.
Kangert lays distance to the peloton, and closes in on the break descending from Alt de Prades, but at the bottom where a series of small climbs start the peloton is closing in. With 55km to the finish the breakaway has about 1’30 to Kangert and 2’30 to the peloton.
Suddenly Agnoli crashes, losing 45 sec to the others in the breakaway.
Kangert and Agnoli both fall back after the crash, approaching the final climb to Alt del Coll Roig the 5 rider left in the break has 2’12.
From the foot of the climb Astana tries a final desperate attack, this time it is Jakob Fuglsang sprinting away with Aru on wheel.
The attack makes some confusion and a sudden change in pace, resulting in some bad crashes in the peloton. Amongst many other riders, Astana’s Andrey Zeits and Orica’s Simon Yates was down.
Fuglsang and Aru’s attempt did not last long, on the last 20km there was nobody in front of the bunch, it all ended in the expected mass sprint finish.
The stage was won by Simone Ponzi over Kévin Réza and Giacomo Nizzolo, more than 100 riders got the same time as the winner.
Evaluation:
Overall:
This was 29 year old Simone Ponzi first win of the season and his first win for CCC–Sprandi–Polkowice. Last time he won a race was GP Nobili Rubinetterie in March 2014 at the time with Yellow Fluo (now Southeast–Venezuela)
Some of the stage favorites ended far back, most likely involved in one of the many crashes, but none of the CG favorites lost time.
Orica’s Simon Yates was badly hurt in a crash, with a vertebral fracture he won’t be able to race for several months.
Astana: As expected a stage that did not change anything for the team.
Thanks,
There is not much we can do in Catalunya just hope to say in top 10, any maby improve a littlebit.
Done is done, we have to look forward trying to get good results in other races.
The race starts up in a frantic pace with a lot of attacks where the peloton again and again speed up and neutralize the breaks. In the end Pieter Weening from Roompot-Oranje get away alone.
After a while also a group of 4 with Astana’s Alexey Lutsenko and Trek-Segafredo’s relative strong cobbles rider Grégory Rast get away and join Weening. The break gets a distance of more than seven minutes over the first 90 km.
With the climbs and first cobbles upcoming the pace in the peloton changes dramatically, and the distance starts to melt very fast.
After the two hard climbs over Kasselberg (France), the breakaway is within sight of a group of 30 riders closing in from behind. Astana is in a perfect situation with 4 riders in this group and Lutsenko up front.
Vandenbergh (Etixx) and Stannard (Sky) has already lost contact with the favorite group. 90 km to go.
55 km to go, the breakaway was over some time ago, but Pieter Weening and Grégory Rast is still in the front group now just 28 riders. Even though the sun is still shining a silent rain is now falling down on the road, adding to the drama.
Astana have Lars Boom and Laurens De Vreese in the front group.
The last climb is over, and the pace is now insane. More and more riders meet their limit and have to let go of the front. There is about 33 km to the line and the favorite group is now reduced to just 16.
Very strong riders like Cavendish, Greipel, Kittel, Cimolai, Chavanel and Boonen are now left behind, falling further and further back.
Laurens De Vreese gets a last bottle for Boom before also he has to let go.
The 15 riders left is closing in on the finish together, Boom is looking for the right wheel to follow. He holds on to Arnaud Démare getting ready for the sprint.
Sacha Modolo starts the sprint surprisingly early, and he has the legs to make it to the finish. The Italian wins Gent – Wevelgem in front of Jürgen Roelandts and Arnaud Démare.
Lars Boom can’t hold Démare’s wheel, he makes it to the line as 8th.
Evaluation:
Overall:
A very unexpected win by the 28 years old Italian, with no notable results in cobbles classics prior to this one.
This was one of Sacha Modolo most important career wins together with his two stage wins in 2015 Giro d'Italia, and also his first win of the season.
The most disappointed riders must be Fabian Cancellara finishing outside top 10 in both E3 Harelbeke and Gent-Welvegem, if he does not make a top result in upcoming Ronde van Vlaanderen it may look like his time is over.
Also Sep Vanmarcke must be disappointed coming in at 14th.
Astana: It was Lars Boom best result of the cobbled season looks like he has found the form before Ronde van Vlaanderen, where the team needs a good result.
Stage 4/6 Zola Predosa - Piane di Mocogno 149.8 km
Location:
from Provincia di Bologna, Regione L'Emilia-Romagna
to Provincia di Modena, Regione L'Emilia-Romagna
Description: Relative easy mountain stage, with uphill finish
27/3 Stage 4/6 Zola Predosa - Piane di Mocogno 149.8 km
A huge breakaway of 14 riders takes of shortly after the start. But after a while the peloton speed up and neutralize the attempt. Instead a new breakaway with 9 riders get away, the strongest riders in the break seems to be Adrian Honkisz from CCC Sprandi Polkowice, but it is very unlike he will win a stage like this.
One the more than 20 long ascend to Passo Conto Croci (cat3) the pace in the peloton as well as the breakaway increase a lot. The distance is melting and Paolo Lunardon (Amore) has already been left behind by the breakaway.
12 km to the top of Passo Conto Croci, the break has now only got 1’30 to the peloton. Suddenly Peter Velits attack, may seem a bit early with another 35 km to go.
The peloton explodes into small pieces, everyone fighting to hang on to the rider in front. Eros Capecchi is with team leader Dario Cataldo, and Alessandro Vanotti is trying to help Miguel Ángel López while race leader Davide Malacarne is trying to make it on his own.
At the descend Alessandro Vanotti and Miguel Ángel López loses contact with the first chase group.
On the way up towards the finish line at Piane di Mocogno a small chase group with Barbin, Bilbao, Henao Foliforov and Cataldo is getting close to Velits.
Dario Cataldo attacks at the 3 km mark, and closes the gap to his rival. Together they are approaching the final km, with the devil running beside them.
Velits is the stronges on the final kilometer, he wins the stage with 12 sec. to Cataldo, Enrico Barbin takes the last podium loosing 53 sec.
Evaluation:
Overall : A brilliant and daring win by Peter Velits attacking very far out. This was Velits first win since winning the Slovak National Time Trial Championships in 2014. His last non-national win was the Individual time trial in Vuelta a España 2010.
Besides Capecchi who sacrificed himself to help Cataldo, the most disappointing result was David Arroyo ending as far back as 17th. Losing 2'37.
Astana: Besides the fact that a stage win would have been great, Astana has a fine day, Dario Cataldo took over the lead from teammate Davide Malacarne, and the team now has 3 riders in GC top 10.
Ya it helped with the "sim" of the TTT
Guess I will just have to simulate those in the future, otherwise Astana wont stand a chance in the grand tours.
Edited by Tamijo on 10-01-2017 08:29
The morning breakaway is 6 riders, including KoM leader Giovanni Visconti (Movistar), KoM 2nd Natnael Berhane (Dimension Data), David De la Cruz (Quick Step) and Patrick Bevin (Cannondale).
The first half of the stage is raced in a moderate pace, Tinkoff is controlling the peloton keeping the distance close to 3 minutes.
When the race hits the first climb to Alto de Montjuic the pace is increased, in the front group the result is that KoM 2nd Natnael Berhane can’t keep up. In the peloton riders start falling back to form smaller groups behind the peloton.
Without crashing Jan Hirt (CCC Sprandi) stop riding and enter the team car for unknown reasons.
With 16 km left Astana’s Tiralongo has a bad solo crash, hitting the safety barrier hard. At this point the breakaway is 1’35 in front of the next group.
8 km left, the breakaway still has 1’21 now it seems possible that they might take the stage win. The peloton is stretched and reduced to 85 riders, and the confusion has started because some riders is now a lap behind.
It is the race favorites now leading the chase with just one final climb remaining.
Most of the break is over but David De la Cruz (Quick Step) has attacked from the breakaway and is taking a solo win with 59 sec. to the favorite group. Pierre Rolland wins a very reduced sprint over Warren Barguil.
28 riders get the same time as Rolland, with Aru at 10th.
Evaluation Stage :
This was 26 years old Spanish David de la Cruz’s first professional win.
The most disappointing result was Esteban Cháves losing 3'22 today.
Astana: Ok stage for Astana, not losing time to anyone important, and getting in top 10.
Tiralongo survived the crash without major injuries.
Evaluation Race :
Mainly based on his win at the only pure mountain stage to La Molina, taking almost a minute on his closest rivals, Alberto Contador takes his first GC of the season, adding up to a total of 4 victories.
The most disappointing must be that with two top favorites BMC was only able to get Porte as 7th. The most positive surprise was Warren Barguil who underrated by media got on the podium.
It turns out that Jan Hirt had a of camera injury, he has a fractured tibia.
Astana: This was a huge focus race for the team, Aru finishing outside top 10 is a major disaster.
Valerio Agnoli have been riding with a gastritis for some days, he is very happy to have the race over and needs a few days rest.
Top stage favorite Manuel Quinziato starting rather early due to his bad GC position set a perfect time early, wich turned out to be the best time of the day.
From a starting position as 13th. Sergey Chernetckii got the 8th best time advancing to GC 10th.
The former 10th Evgeny Shalunov had a bad day setting the 58th best time, ending at GC 12
GC 9 and 8 Pello Bilbao and Brendan Canty both set ok times to keep the position.
GC 7th Serghei Tvetcov set a very fine time as 5th on the stage, advancing to GC 3rd.
GC 3rd Peter Velits set 3rd best time today, moving to GC 2nd.
Noone else was pushed out of top 10 but was ofcourse moved down by the advancement of Tvetcov and Velits.
Dario Cataldo had a fine day making it to 9th on the stage, only losing 19 sec his closest rival.
Stage 6/6 Monticelli Terme - Fiorano Modenese 133.3 km
Location:
from Provincia di Parma, Regione L'Emilia-Romagna
to Provincia di Modena, Regione L'Emilia-Romagna
Description: Very hilly.
4 climbs at Via del Ruvinello right up to the finish.
Media Favorites:
Swift (Sky) - Colbrelli (Bardiani) – Clarke (Cannondale)
29/3 Stage 6/6 Monticelli Terme - Fiorano Modenese 133.3 km
The morning breakaway is Jack Bauer (Cannondale), Javier Aramendia (Caja Rual), Marco Bandiera (Androni) and Alessandro Bisolti (Nippo - Vini Fantini), the pace in the peloton is very high, as soon as the break hits the first hill Javier Aramendia can’t follow.
At the same time Enrique Sanz (Southeast – Venezuela) attacks and finds his way up to the breakaway.
Approaching the first KoM sprint at Via del Ruvinello Enrique Sanz attacks again to get the KoM points, he has 4 points and could win the KoM if he get max points on both sprints. At this point the break has 2’16 with 56 km to go.
Astana is aware of the treat and pushes very hard with Eros Capecchi leading the peloton.
The peloton explodes in small fragments on the narrow passage, but slowly it grows back to a total of 87 riders.
When they race up Via del Ruvinello 2nd time, again the peloton brakes over, and right after the top a crash takes important riders down, GC top 10 Alexander Foliforov (RusVelo) and Peter Velits (BMC) is laying on the tarmac.
The break is over and due to several crashes and the high pace continually set by Eros Capecchi, the front group is now down to about 15 riders including Astana’s Malacarne, Cataldo and Capecchi, this group passes the final KoM sprint together.
Davide Malacarne get 2 KoM point passing the top 3rd, and his KoM is now secured.
Some rider drop on the final climb, amongst them Capecchi drained by leading in high pace for most of the stage, others join from behind now that Capecchi is not holding his extreme pace.
About 15 rider approach the final 3 km together, but only a few are able to sprint. It is Ben Swift (Sky) opening the sprint with Sondre Holst Enger (IAM) on wheel.
Holst Enger wins the stage in front of Swift and Colbrelli. They were the only riders able to sprint to the end taking 31 sec on the next group.
Malacarne gets in 9th, Dario Cataldo gets in 12th in a group with rival Peter Velits losing 1’03.
Evaluation Stage:
Overall : Underestimated by media a brilliant win by Sondre Holst Enger on a very hard stage.
This was the first season win by only 22 years old Norwegian, and his first win since winning a stage in Internationale Österreich Rundfahrt last year.
Great race by Peter Velits coming back from a crash and making it back into the top 10.
Alexander Foliforov on the other hand lost more time and some placement in the GC. The same goes for Miguel Ángel López.
In general the chaos on the narrow Via del Ruvinello and some crashes, created many unpredictable results.
Astana: Great stage for the team, working for Davide Malacarne’s KoM without losing time in the GC.
Evaluation Race:
Overall : This was Cataldo’s first win of the season and his first win since winning the ITT in the same race in 2014.
The media expectations were basically fulfilled by Dario Cataldo and Peter Velits at the podium. Only Jérôme Coppel disappointed with just a 23th. The most unexpected result was Davide Malacarne’s 4th based on his fine solo victory at stage 1.
24/3-29/3 2016
21/3-27/3 2016 Volta a Catalunya 
27/3-2016 Gent - Wevelgem
