I simulated stage 2 of the Dauphine, Pliuschin lost his jersey to Weening from a breakaway on that stage, but it wasn't with many seconds, so the goal of this stage was to bring it back.
John Gadret from Discovery started the real attacks with 83 kilometres to go. He didn't stand a chance though.
Pliuschin felt good today so he attacked surprisingly at the steepest climb of the day. He wasn't one of the sharpest hilly riders, so he tried to slip away early, the pace in the peloton had been quite hard too, so there weren't too many helpers left.
The other big favourites seemed very surprised of this attack, and Pliuschin went for a long solo ride to the finish. He soon got a good gap, but I didn't dare to believe in a win still, it was too long for the finish line.
With 45 kilometres to the finish, the CSC-duo Voigt and A. Schleck made a gap to the peloton, but Pliuschin was still 2 minutes ahead of the peloton.
Pliuschin was really strong-going, but with 27 kilometres to the line, Contador made his way up to him with a powerful attack.
They co-operated good, but with 13.5 kilometres to go they were swallowed by an elite chase group. The group consisted of Pliuschin, Contador (QSI), Kreuziger (LIQ), Klöden (GCE), Brajkovick (DSC), Casar (FDJ), Voigt and Schleck (CSC) and Pasamontes (UNI).
The group slowed down and was joined by Dekker. But at the moment Dekker made contact to the group, Brajkovic went for his biggest win in his career, he attacked!
It was a strong attack and he hold the gap to the finish line, great riding from the future star.
Pliuschin did a good sprint, ending 3rd, getting some bonifications, grabbing back the yellow jersey. Actually, Pliuschin is holding all four jerseys
Stage:
1 Janez Brajkovic DISCOVERY CHANNEL 4h40'59
2 Sandy Casar FRANÇAISE DES JEUX s.t. 3 Aleksandr Pliuschin TEAM MAXBO BIANCHI s.t.
4 Roman Kreuziger LIQUIGAS s.t.
5 Jens Voigt TEAM CSC s.t.
6 Thomas Dekker RABOBANK s.t.
7 Andy Schleck TEAM CSC s.t.
8 Andreas Klöden CAISSE D'EPARGNE s.t.
9 Luis Pasamontes UNIBET.COM s.t.
10 Alberto Contador QUICKSTEP - INNERGETIC s.t.
11 Mickael Buffaz COFIDIS, LE CRÉDIT PAR TÉLÉPHONE + 54
Overall:
1 Aleksandr Pliuschin TEAM MAXBO BIANCHI 8h12'39
2 Janez Brajkovic DISCOVERY CHANNEL + 14
3 Andreas Klöden CAISSE D'EPARGNE s.t.
4 Sandy Casar FRANÇAISE DES JEUX + 27
5 Thomas Dekker RABOBANK + 29
6 Roman Kreuziger LIQUIGAS + 32
7 Luis Pasamontes UNIBET.COM s.t.
8 Alberto Contador QUICKSTEP - INNERGETIC + 33
9 Jens Voigt TEAM CSC s.t.
10 Andy Schleck TEAM CSC s.t.
11 Pieter Weening RABOBANK + 45
12 David Arroyo CAISSE D'EPARGNE + 46
13 Michael Rogers CAISSE D'EPARGNE + 1'04 14 Joakim Gunnerud TEAM MAXBO BIANCHI + 1'05
15 Ignas Konovalovas TEAM MAXBO BIANCHI + 1'10
Points:
1 Aleksandr Pliuschin TEAM MAXBO BIANCHI 35
2 Tom Veelers LIQUIGAS 20
3 Janez Brajkovic DISCOVERY CHANNEL 20
4 Andreas Klöden CAISSE D'EPARGNE 17
5 David Arroyo CAISSE D'EPARGNE 17
Mountains:
1 Aleksandr Pliuschin TEAM MAXBO BIANCHI 42
2 Alberto Contador QUICKSTEP - INNERGETIC 20
3 Andy Schleck TEAM CSC 19
4 Stijn Devolder DISCOVERY CHANNEL 15
5 Jens Voigt TEAM CSC 15
A hilly and technical time trial was on today's menu. Pliuschin was looking for keeping his yellow jersey, but I was afraid of Dekker, who only is 17 seconds behind Pliuschin.
Markus Eichler was the first to set a decent time, he ended the day 24th, 1,38 behind the winner.
Then we had our own Dave Z, I was hoping he was going to fight for the victory today, but he proved me wrong. He ended on a very disappointing 28th, 1,43 behind the winner.
Luis Leon Sanchez showed his time trial skills, taking a solid lead at the first time check, and then continuing to a good 10th, 1,04 behind the winner.
Then Devolder made a solid ride for Discovery, ending 6th, 36 seconds too slow on the winning time.
Dekker hit the road as 5th last, he was solid ending the stage as number two, only 6 seconds behind the winner.
Contador was surprisingly the strongest today, hopefully he has hit his peak condition a bit too early. He won the stage with a good margin.
Pliuschin did well, ending the stage 4th, 23 seconds behind Contador. It meant that he is 10 seconds behind him overall, and on the same time as Dekker.
The overall is still a tight fight with 9 riders maximum 1 1/2 minute behind Contador.
I'm sorry that I haven't posted new parts in a while, that's because of the computer I've got PCM on, haven't worked that good, but hopefully it's back now
It was a hard stage today, the riders were going to pass Le Grand Bornard in the middle of the stage, and then Col de la Colombiere before a little descent and a flat section ended the stage. Pliuschin was still feeling good, he hasn't started to fade very much after the Giro, so he was still aiming for a podium, though Contador seemed ubeatable.
Probably France's best sprinter, William Bonnèt went in the break today, together with a guy from Liquigas.
But it was just a question of time for when they were going to be reeled back. At the slopes of Grand Bornard Sanchez G. launched a surprising attack, he got 20 seconds over the top, and it would be extended down the mountain, he is an excellent downhiller. He was a threat for the overall too, 11th, only 1'42 behind Contador, and even closer to Pliuschin.
But between the mountains of the day he was reeled back, and so was the Liquigas-rider who had been in the break with Bonnèt.
But Sanchez had recovered very fast, and he started the action on Colombiere with an attack, 11 kilometres from the top. He was immediately followed by Dekker and Pliuschin. Contador did also decide to go when he saw that Pliuschin had attacked.
Naturally, Sanchez wasn't as strong as the favourites of today, and Contador, Pliuschin and Dekker formed a leading group of three. Behind them Andy Schleck pushed himself whatever he could to bridge the gap, but he didn't make it. Dekker cracked right over the top and it was Contador that leaded Pliuschin over the top. They had a gap of 20 seconds down to Dekker and Schleck.
Pliuschin got problems with the downhill, as usual, and he cracked in the try to follow Contador. Contador just extended his lead while Pliuschin was caught of the chasing two.
Contador took another win, he showed a great form in front of the Tour now.
Andy Schleck dtook the sprint about second, and Pliuschin managed to hold on for a podium, as he took third in front of Dekker.
3 stages in Dauphine and the whole Tour de Suisse is left before the NC. But I have to disappoint you, Valverde will not be in the spanish race, because he has taken the flight to a X-rated place together with Fuentes in 10 days before the Tour.B)
Edited by ember on 22-12-2008 20:09
A flat stage that hopefully will suit a break since it is the stage before two final mountain stages and the stage after a mountain stage, hopefully the sprinters are not fit for fight.
Gunnerud attacked early on the downhill, and he was followed by Gomez from Saunier Duval.
They seemed to be the break of the day, but the sprinters sprinted for the intermediate sprint, and the pack was suddenly only 20 seconds behind. Many riders then attacked and Konovalovas followed. Gunnerud upped the pace too, and when the break formed we had both in the break
The break looked very promising, with 50 kilometres left they had a lead of 7 minutes. I decided that Konovalovas was our best shot. Konovalovas decided that his best chance was to pace all he could from distance, or attack. But he was afraid that he didn't have the legs to power away from guys like Hincapie on the flat.
He decided he should give it all he had from distance, so he hit the front and tried to power away. But as expected, Hincapie seemed to follow quite easily and so did Auge from Cofidis. All the others were suffering though. This looked like a perfect set-up for Big George!
Konovalovas waited as long as possible with sprinting, he was going to blow himself if he started too early. Auge started to sprint with 1.4 kilometres left, and so did Konovalovas.
I was really hoping for Ignas, he deserved it so much, he had worked very hard in the break today. But it wasn't meant to be as Auge came on his left and Hincapie threatened his second at his right.
Auge took the win, and Konovalovas took second, or?
He was ahead of Hincapie with his front wheel, but backwheel to backwheel it was Hincapie that took second. Annoying, but it would have been much worse if it was about the victory.
Stage 7 is probably the Queen stage of this tour, and it will for sure be decisive, will Pliuschin be able to gain time on Contador?
Samuel Sanchez G. went again for a long break, he was really keen on this mountain-jersey.
Quickstep has turned out to be a great mountain team, L.L Sanchez and Cobo thinned the peloton all day long, and with 55 kilometres to go, the peloton did only contain 26 riders, Sanchez G. was still out in front.
Kreuziger started the attacks at Col de Coq, 9 kilometres from the summit.
Contador, Pliuschin and Schleck were soon after him, and Contador just continued the attack, there seemed to be a reason for Quickstep's tough pace all day long.
Brajkovic and Anton attacked away from the peloton with 5 kilometres to the summit, and they flew past Pliuschin's group and was between them and Contador.
Brajkovic upped the pace even more, and he caught Contador! He was so satisfied that he wanted to do him!!?
Good news for Pliuschin as Dekker had been dropped, and now did Kreuziger drop too.
Up in front Brajkovic showed awesome power, and just rode away from Contador too, was this a sign of that Contador has hitten the form too early?
Brajkovic crossed the line, and concluded a great victory, in the queen stage of Dauphine Libere.
Contador lost nearly half a minute on the last kilometer to Brajkovic, he was exhausted. Pliuschin looked good for third, but ran out of energy with 180 metres left, and Andy Schleck took third.
I always like the nationals
