Selwink wrote:
IIRC, Matthews has better sprint stats than Impey, so I think he will sprint for you. I also think he'll do better, considering my preview

We already arrived at the last stage of the season’s opener Tropicale Amissa Bongo. The GC is decided, almost for sure, but who will take the last stage home? It’s most likely a sprinter, but there is a repeated hill, and we have seen that it can definitely affect the race, in stage 2. There’s also a good chance of a breakaway getting the chance.

Favourites:

Willem Brouwer(BEL)


Gerald Ciolek(MTN)
Barry Markus(VAC)


Juan José Lobato(EUS)
Francesco Gavazzi(AST)
Adrien Petit(COF)

The Stage
112km –
We have a large breakaway today, containing 9 men. That is: Daniel(SOJ), Lozano(TNN), Wallays(TSV), Mironov(RVL), Suarez(COL), Nowak(CCC), Barbé(CRE), Jiao(CSS) & Courteillle(FDJ).
Of those,Wallays is the best-ranked(50th, 5’19), and also has 8 KoM points, while Suarez has 6. Vanthourenhout has 13, and there are 15 points to get today, so there’s a good chance someone else than Vanthourenhout takes a polka-dotted jersey with him after today.
90km – It doesn’t look like the breakaway is allowed to fight for the win, at least not if you ask Euskaltel or MTN, who are chasing them. Gap is around 5 minutes.
71km – Mironov taking the KoM sprint. Suarez is runner-up, taking him to 9 points, while Wallays stays on 8 points. Gap is at 3’30.
50km –
Peloton now starts to pace very hard, led by Euskaltel & MTN. Gap is around 3 minutes.
44km – Jiao wins the KoM sprint, while Suarez could’ve won it if he didn’t go too early. Wallays 1 point, Suarez 0, now both on 9 points.
If one of them wins the last KoM sprint, they’ll get the KoM jersey. Otherwise, Vanthourenhout will keep it.
40km –
Big split! 31 riders remain in front. Top 15 of the GC all there, but of the sprinters, only Brouwer(BEL), Gavazzi(AST), Ciolek(MTN) & Vachon(BSE). The Euskaltel & Vacansoleil riders drop out of the front group, to help their sprinters. The favourites group is at 2’00, group Markus at 3’00.
33km – Euskaltel managed to close the gap, almost entirely on their own. This might affect their later sprint train, but for now, they’re back, along with Markus and all the others. Due to the hard pace in both groups, the breakaway is only 1’30 in front now.
26km, 600m before KoM –
Wallays looking good, he might win the KoM sprint. Suarez a bit back, but with a late acceleration, everything is possible.
26km – KoM –
And Wallays does it, he wins the sprint and wins the King of the Mountains classification of Le Tropicale Amissa Bongo 2013! The pack is at 2’00 again now.
20km –
A new split in the peloton, and this one might actually make it. Of the good sprinters, only Porsev&Tsatevitch(KAT), Petit&Harrini(COF), Felline(AND) miss out. Though some leadout trains are effected, with Boeckmans(VAC) having to catch up, and Belkin reduced to 2 riders + Brouwer. Escapees are at 1’20 from the yellow jersey.
15km – Due to all the hectic, including even some crashes(of unimportant riders), the breakaway is actually gaining time on the yellow jersey, having 2 minutes now. The peloton has given up the chase now, being on 4 minutes right now.
11km – The escapees will fight for the win today, having 3 minutes on the chasing group. With Novak(CCC) & Daniel(SOJ) being overly favourite in the sprint, and Mironov(RVL) & Barbé(CRE) being strong in the sprint as well, Novo Nordisk’s Lozano tries his luck and goes for an attack.
7km – With Lozano reeled back in, it’s most likely going to be a sprint. I’ve already named the favourites.
4000m –
Barbé(CRE) gives it a go! He might actually bring Crelan its second victory here in Gabon!
2000m –
Barbé is reeled in by Novak & Daniel, who both started sprinting early. Daniel has a great position, sitting in Novak’s wheel, and being the best sprinter(along with Novak).
1100m –
Daniel jumps outside of Novak’s wheel. Novak looks chanceless, going way too early. But can Daniel hang on, and give Sojasun a well-deserved win?
500m –
It looks like he can, as long as he doesn’t break down right now! Wallays looking the best bet for third.
Finish –
Yes, amazing win for Daniel here! He was of course lucky with the situation in the peloton, but still, a big win for the 21-years-old Frenchie! Novak second, and Mironov makes third.

2 and a half minutes later, an unorganised sprint took place in the peloton, where Ciolek just edges out Lobato for the last Top 10 spot.
The GC seems unchanged, at least the Top 10. Brouwers comfortabely takes the GC win here, ahead of Gavazzi and surprises Lequatre & Venter. Martens completes the Top 5. Cervero, somewhat disappointing, got 8th.
The points ranking is won by Brouwer, though it wasn’t as easy as hoped. The KoM goes to Wallays.
Results

1	Maxime Daniel	Sojasun	2h53'30
2	Mateusz Nowak	CCC Polsat - Polkowice	s.t.
3	Alexander Mironov	RusVelo	s.t.
4	Juan Pablo Suarez	Colombia	s.t.
5	Jelle Wallays	Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise	s.t.
6	Arnaud Courteille	FDJ.fr	s.t.
7	Pengda Jiao	Champion System Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
8	Koen Barbé	Crelan - Euphony	s.t.
9	David Lozano	Team Novo Nordisk	+ 1'01
10	Gerald Ciolek	MTN - Qhubeka	+ 2'36

GC

1	Willem Brouwer	Belkin Pro Cycling Team	22h18'00
2	Francesco Gavazzi	Astana Pro Team	+ 1'09
3	Geoffroy Lequatre	Bretagne - Séché Environnement	+ 1'25
4	Jacobus Venter	MTN - Qhubeka	s.t.
5	Paul Martens	Belkin Pro Cycling Team	+ 1'41
6	Gerald Ciolek	MTN - Qhubeka	+ 1'51
7	Francesco Reda	Androni Giocattoli - Venezuela	+ 2'00
8	Delfi Cervero	FDJ.fr	+ 2'03
9	Nicolas Edet	Cofidis, Solutions Crédits	+ 2'04
10	Emanuele Sella	Androni Giocattoli - Venezuela	+ 2'10

Points

1	Willem Brouwer	Belkin Pro Cycling Team	3	104
2	Francesco Gavazzi	Astana Pro Team	4	91
3	Gerald Ciolek	MTN - Qhubeka	6	76
4	Juan José Lobato	Euskaltel - Euskadi	5	46
5	Barry Markus	Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team	1	40

KoM

1	Jelle Wallays	Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise	6	14
2	Sven Vanthourenhout	Crelan - Euphony	0	13
3	Laurens De Vreese	Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise	0	11
4	Juan Pablo Suarez	Colombia	3	9
5	Riccardo Chiarini	Androni Giocattoli - Venezuela	0	8

U25 jersey: Willem Brouwer
Team Classification: Belkin Pro Cycling Team

Jesleyh wrote:
@Atlantius
Well, sorting out those classifications is pretty annoying, so here you go
Edit: Dammit, I can't attach .exl. Hold on...

https://www.mediaf...0tr8dpmqx9

There it is
Euskaltel got 4th in the Team classification.

TschoppChop wrote:
LIVE SCENES IN PARIS

TschoppChop wrote:
LIVE SCENES IN PARIS