Well, then. Can Arvesen defend his 2nd place overall? A mountain stage is not Arvesen’s cup of team. Both Van Summeren (7s back) and Kirchen (51s back) are stronger climbers on the usual day. But we have som advantages here. First of all, Arvesen is very close to peak fitness. Kirchen should be a month away from such a fitness. Secondly the profile shows that is not the worst climbs we will do over the day, and we have 15 km downhill from the last climb to the finish in Nice. The hardest climb (Col de la Porte, 8,7 km with 7,2%) leaves us with 90 km left to go, so that is too early. The decision will likely fall on Col d’Eze (7,3 KM/6,1%)
We will continue our approach to ride conservatively upwards – and be aggressive on the downhill to make up for the lost time. We will have Wilmann, McCann, Martin and Deignan to protect him. Hopefully Deignan can pace him up the last climb so Arvesen will be able to go hard on the downward slope.
If we can catch Gesink on the downhill (he will probably be together with at least Kirchen), we can of course also try to go for the win. But the time bonus are low, so we will need to win by 22-26 seconds, which means I have to leave Gesink behind... Another point is that I have a chance on the sprinter’s jersey as well. I need 9 point on Kirchen. That is even less likely, as Kirchen has won both mountain stages earlier. If I win – Kirchen needs to be 5th (equal points, not sure how that works) or lower.
*** Kirchen, Gesink, Popovych
* Arvesen
How it Unfolded
The attacks are off the starting signal again. Noone to care about.
Millar attacks after 30 KM. He is only 4:28 back. Canellara joints (3:52 bacl) If they get some distance to the rest of us, I will go to work. The rest of the escapees can get 10 minutes for all I care. Those two is reeled in promptly by Rabobank.
The pace on Col de la Porte is steady, but not punishing for the fairly strong riders. All my riders are in the front end of the pack at the top. The escapees have about 3:40. Which is nothing to worry about. Sylvain Chavanel is the strongest climber there, so he might be gunning for a stage here.
La Turbie is next up. 8,3 Km and 4,8%. Should’t be too hard for my stronger riders. Nuyens leads the pack, so the tempo should not be too punishing… Silence Lotto takes over with several riders. Aerts (mt=74) and De greef (73). They should be capable of a hard tempo.
Pineau (6th, 2:54 back) attacks here. Cancellara and Millar joins. As does Trofimov (10th: 40:03 back).
This attack we need to react to. McCann joins in at the front. The Millar/Pineau/Cancellara group has an advantage of 1:04 at the bottom of the last climb. Others are still in front, but are irrelevant.
With 4,5 KM left on the first climb, Kirchen takes off! Gesink and others follows. Deignan should take over protecting Arvesen – but the game won’t let me even though I have removed all other orders for everyone else (!?).
Another one with the same racing strategy is Cancellara. They come together over the top – some way back. Arvesen joins Cancellaras attack. The problem is that they are 1:47 back at the top. Cancellara stops his attack very early – but Deignan can help launching Arvesen. They are now 1:05 back.
Half way down, Arvesen is with Gesink in E2. Kirchen and Van Summeren (3rd and 4th…) is up front, with 16s.
Then he bridges to E1 – They have 32s - Gesink is not there!
It is VanSummeren again! Arvesen is 2nd!
Will it hold? Gesink is some way down...
Indeed it holds. The gain is 35s plus some bonus seconds. Van Summeren only gets a 2s bonus advantage, and is kept at bay! Hooraah!
Stage Results
1 Johan Van Summeren Silence - Lotto 3h31'10 2 Kurt-Asle Arvesen Team Statkraft Bianchi s.t.
3 Kim Kirchen Team Columbia - High Road s.t.
4 José Iván Gutiérrez Caisse d'Epargne + 35
5 Christophe Laurent Agritubel s.t.
6 Jérôme Pineau Quick·Step s.t.
7 Sylvain Chavanel Quick·Step s.t.
8 Robert Gesink Rabobank s.t.
9 Guillaume Bonnafond AG2R La Mondiale s.t.
10 John Gadret AG2R La Mondiale s.t. 21 Philip Deignan Team Statkraft Bianchi s.t.
Final Overall Classification! 1 Kurt-Asle Arvesen Team Statkraft Bianchi 30h20'46
2 Johan Van Summeren Silence - Lotto + 5
3 Robert Gesink Rabobank + 15
4 Kim Kirchen Team Columbia - High Road + 53
5 Cândido Barbosa Palmeiras Resort / Tavira + 2'31
6 Jérôme Pineau Quick·Step + 3'09
7 John Gadret AG2R La Mondiale + 3'52
8 Vladimir Karpets Team Katusha + 3'57
9 Fabian Cancellara Team Saxo Bank + 4'07
10 Yuri Trofimov Bbox Bouygues Télécom + 4'18 16 Philip Deignan Team Statkraft Bianchi + 5'59
125 David McCann Team Statkraft Bianchi + 47'49
131 Frederik Wilmann Team Statkraft Bianchi + 50'29
132 Daniel Martin Team Statkraft Bianchi + 50'46
144 Stian Remme Team Statkraft Bianchi + 57'29
145 Jacob Moe Rasmussen Team Statkraft Bianchi + 57'31
158 Fredrik Kessiakoff Team Statkraft Bianchi + 1h07'56
CYCLINGNEWS:
VAN SUMMEREN AND ARVESEN RULES AS GESINK FAILS LAST TEST
Robert Gesink of Rabobankhad only to finish off his work earlier in the race, by keeping close to his main rivals in the overall. But perhaps due to aggressive attack in the last climb – Gesink did not have the power to follow a group of Kim Kirchen (Columbia), Johan Van Summeren (Silence – Lotto) and Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Statkraft-Bianchi). Those three were left with fighting it out for the stage. Johan Van Summeren finished fastest but could not gain the gap necessary to overtake Arvesen who held Van Summeren's wheel to the line to claim a surprising overall victory.
“I owe this victory to my teammates, who helped me a lot”, Arvesen said. “I always remained calm and collected. I had great morale throughout and this win is also theirs”.
He continued, “We came here in peak condition, which is a sort of an advantage riding for a smaller team who does not have the grand tours or the classic campaigns in April as main advantage. But it still was a surprise that the hard stages did not create larger gaps – even though I lost some time on the Ventoux”. The Ventoux were the place to gain time for the specialists, but more than 30 riders came within 40 seconds of the stage winner.
One man who was disappointed was Kim Kirchen. He can look back on three stage victories, but his fall on the eve of stage six, which cost him several minutes and what looked like a certain overall victory.
Gesinks fall from the overall started on the slopes of La Turbie. On the downhill he tried to test the other contenders with a couple of minor attacks. He must wonder if that was well used energy. On Col d’Eze Kirchen went away. Gesink attacked – but did not have the legs to take Kirchens wheel. Instead he spent much energy from his aggressive respons. Van Summeren waited to near the top to attack and blew past Gesink over the top.
Arvesen, who claimed to be in the position to fight it out for the overall “by accident” was towed by his teammate Philip Deignan up the d’Eze. Together with Cancellara they attacked the pack on the downhill to pull back lost time. Gesink lacked the power, or the will, to chase the front trio – and ended 15s to late to keep his position.”
EDITORIAL:
Arvesen winning Paris-Nice. Hmmm.... Some thoughts.
(1) Stage-by-stage the results were something one could expect more or less. Bur the mountain stages were not separating enough. The one to Mont Ventoux had indeed only a few up front – but a large group just behind. Arvesen lost some time there – as was expected (he waw not even in the large E2). Game problem: To many finish to close to each other for an uphill mountain finish!
(2) The other contenders probably works to peak a month or so later (Ardenner classics), perhaps except Vansummeren who might be peaking in early April? That was an advantage for Arvesen and Deignan who was in superb form.
(3) Kirchen would have won if he did not fall. It would have been a matter of seconds with Cancellara too.
(4) Race strategy worked well. Arvesen rode conservatively on his limit upwards – and attacked downwards. (By the way the same strategy Cancellara had, but he fell and lost much time on one of the stages) Deignan was in shape to protect him up, saving significant amount of energy/enabling higher pace, and still able to launch at the top so Arvesen could counter him. But it is a bit of a bug how much you can do on a downhill, I think – especially as the AI-riders are so passive.
So too low gaps comes in the mountains, while the gaps are just over the top on downhills!
Statkraft-Bianchis first part of the season ends with GP Herning on May 2nd.
• While Deignan ends his first part already now, the classics-riders will keep things hot for a while.
• Arvesen will try to keep his form as good as possible until (hopefully) Paris-Roubaix, but I think we can not let him go at max training fitness all the way until that. But at least I should be able to keep it until de Panne.
• Kopp will also return to a medium high fitness level in the next period.
• Backstedt will be our captain for GP Herning, where he will be in the best of form hopefully.
• Nybø, Rasmussen and Stannard will also be in good shape (level 5) in april to assist the team there. Stannard is also looking forward to the East-Midlands International Cycle Classic.
• Martin and Wilmann are preparing for the 4 Jours de Dunkerque – where they will lead the team.
Our participation in the cobbled classics are still pending, but we hope we have the results to convince them. Our team will do the following races:
18.3 Nokere – Koerse 1.1 Undulating/not cobble
21.3 Milan – San Remo PT
22.3 Cholet – Pays de Loire 1.1 Flat
25.3 Dwars door Vlaanderen 1.1 Quite flat + cobble
29.3 Brabantsje Pijl 1.1 Hilly/not cobble
31.3 – 3.4 Driedaagse de Panne 2.HC Fairly flat stages + short TT
4.4 Hel van het Mergelland 1.1 hilly or
5.4 Ronde van Vlaanderen PT Pending
8.4 Gent-Wevelgem PT pending or
9.4 GP Pino Cerami 1.1 Flat/semi-hilly
12.4 Paris – Roubaix PT pending or
13.4 Profronde van Drenthe 1.1 Hilly
15.4 Schjeldeprijs 1.hc pending
19.4 Tro-Bro Leon 1.1 pending
26.4 East Midlands Classic 1.2 flat/some cobbles
1.5 Eascbornd – Frankfurt Loop 1.HC Hilly
2.5 GP Herning 1.2 flat + cobbles
5.5 – 9.5 4 Jours de Dunkerque 2.HC
I’m still debating myself if it would be useful to send Daniel Martin to Giro del Trentino to race some…
About difficulty level
:
Ok. It's a bit of a dilemma I think.
I have had good results. But I have mostly been among the favourites in those races, so by themselves they are not unrealistically in any way, especially since I have been fitter than most.
Paris-Nice overall is a bit "over the top", even if it happened by accident and that I am in peak form. This is due to what I can call the "downhill bug".
So far I've had good results. But apart from the overall in Paris-Nice I have most often been among the favourites in the races I have won, and I have been fitter (but maybe unrealistically consistent). Upwards I think I think I am already having trouble following riders I should be able to follow - but I take too much time on the downhills (where the AI is also way too passive).
So I could stop exploiting the bug or compensate with making the other parts of the game unrealistcally hard.
Edited by Gonchar on 30-05-2009 19:54
Yeah. Kirchen, Popovych and Cancellara crashed out of the victory fight and Gesink lost it on the final downhill....
It reminded me of Paris-Nice 2008 where Gesink lost the lead to Davide Rebellin on the final descent on the penultimate stage if I remeber things correctely.
But taking back 1:47 on a 15 km downhill is of course a "bug". Strangely the gap was much higher than Gesink (who where not in the first group over the top) and the other managed on the whole Mont Ventoux. So time gaps is not exactely perfect...
Kuurne – Bruxelles – Kuurne:Fillippo Pozzato (Katusha) and Stijn Devolder (Quick Step) was the strongest. Unsurprisingly, Pozzato was the stronger of the two in the sprints. A three man pursuit group with Cancellara & O’Grady (Saxo Bank) and Flecha (Rabobank) finished 25s back. The organizer chose the Differdange team, whose best rimder came 86th. Well, wow.
Not to mention the Kelly Benefit Stategies team which saw it’s best placed rider come in 18:27 behind at a splendig 120th place…
GP Lugano ended with a solo victory for Frenchmen David Moncoutie (Cofidis), in front of a three-man group of Pineau (Quick Step), Nocentini (AG2R) and Florencio (Cervelo). Best swiss rider, Hubert Schwab (Quick Step) finished 21st.
Claico de Almeria also ended with a solo victory, a success for the Basquemen as Pablo Urtasun (Euskaltel – Euskadi) took the victory. David Blanco (Palmeiras Resor / Tavira) and Ruben Perez (Euskaltel – Euskadi) filled up the rest of the top 3
Le Samyn: Another race I wanted to attend. Oh well. The quite flat race ended in a mass sprint finish. Jimmy Casper (Besson) won in front of Gorik Gardeyn (Silence-Lotto) and Borut Bozic (Vacansoleil). Don’t tell med Kopp wouldn’t be able to fight for a good result here! (At least better then Team Kuota’s best rider at 38th og BMCs Antonio Cruz at 43rd…)
Vuelta a la Region de Murcia: This race could just as well be renamed as Tour de Tribute de Saxo Bank! Andy Schleck (Team Saxo Bank) won this race by 39 seconds to follow-up Ezequiel Mosquera (Xacobeo – Galicia). Schleck’s teammate Matthew Goss won the two sprint stages, while Andy Schleck started his dominance on the challenging time trial in stage three. To make things sure, he also won the mountain stage that followed – only being followed all the way by team mate Chris Anker Sörensen. Than Goss took stage five.
Tirreno – Adriatico: It was a close affair in Italy. Only 14 seconds separated the top three. Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d’Epargne) won ahead of Damiano Cunego (LAMPRE – NGC) and Stijn Devolder (Quick Step). Valverde’s advantage over Cunego came on stage two, and on Devolder on stage three. Despite losing time to both of them on the time trial he still took the win. Stage winners: Tom Boonen (3 wins) (Quick Step), Alessandro Ballan (Lampre – NGC), Frank Schleck (Saxo Bank), Bernhard Eisel (Columbia – High Road), Tony Martin (Columbia – High Road).
how difficulty to choose? it´s up to you...but you have already recognized, that sometimes is winning too easy...and it will become easier and easier with your bigger experiences and riders progress....take a win is a great thing, but to win everything, you will get bored after some time...
beagle wrote:
how difficulty to choose? it´s up to you...but you have already recognized, that sometimes is winning too easy...and it will become easier and easier with your bigger experiences and riders progress....take a win is a great thing, but to win everything, you will get bored after some time...
Yeah. Paris-Nice was a bit strange (but I had no stage winds, however). The other races have been minor races where I should win. And the "best" results seems to be due to this downhill bug.
I haven't really met the strongest riders in peak form yet. The first real test I thing will be to meet the classic contenders now when the cobbled classics is getting close.
Well. This should fit Arvesen well I think. Quite simply. We just need to keep things together when we are getting to the climb for the penultimate time. The climb is not that challenging 1,2 km with slopes of 2-5 percentage.
The Climb, picture from the official race home page, of the 2006 edition.
Our team:
K Arvesen (Leader – fitness 94)
D Kopp (Liutenant – fitness 91)
M Backstedt
LP Nordhaug
H Nybø
G Rasch
I Stannard
*** Barredo, Leukemans, Arvesen
How it unfolded
Hupond (Skil-Shimano) is on a solo attack for the first two rounds of the circuit. A big break tries to get away with 138 km. We join in with Backstedt – just to brake. The break as 14 man strong. To be safe, Rasch also bridges over. He is way stronger than Backstedt on the hills.
OK. Time to think. Status. One rider up front alone, a group of 14 (incl. Rasch and Backstedt) with a minute to the pack. Should we use Backstedt to pull in the break? Or should I just break? With 129 KM to go, I can see it being useful to have the breakaway get established. So I pull.
A couple of competent riders are trying to bridge over. They need to close a gap of 4 minutes. We’ll see when they get here. I’ll probably stop pulling then, and see what happends. With 90 KM to go, it is 6 minutes to the pack. It increases to 7 minutes fairly fast. That should be enough. I stop working. I’ll watch for attacks of course. It is now 17 in the group. We decides that Rasch is our best shot on this course, so Backstedt will protect him. The gap continues to grow. 7:30 with 75 km to go. At the moment I am free-riding everywhere here. I am confident that Kopp/Arvesen will be the strongest if the pack comes along, so I have an interest in letting them get back to the breakaway. And I will have Rasch relatively fresh to keep up with things that happends up front.
4 laps to go (68 km): gap is 6:11.
3 laps to go (51 km): gap is 4:30
Quick-Step on the front now. They are riding for Barredo.
Then Leukemans attacks with 46 km to go! We let Nordhaug and Arvesen counter. Quick-Step will have nothing of it!
2 laps to go (34 km): gap is 3:07
Let’s see if we can make something happened here!
Backstedt and Rasch attacks! It is a bit risky, but I assume the break will be reeled in now.
Rasch gets half a minute. And continues to work hard to maintain it.
1 lap to go: Rasch – 0:35 – Breakaway – 2:07 – Pack (17 km to go)
16 KM to for the main bunch. Arvesen attacks! He gets 50s on the pack. Other attacks are coming from the back.
10 KM to go:
Rasch
Breakaway (incl. Backstedt: 17s)
Arvesen (1:28)
Pack: (2:12)
Meanwhile Kopp follows the attacks of Leukemans and Barredo. This is the moment of truth now – Have I played it all wrong?
3KM to go:
Rasch
Breakaway (15s) including Backstedt
Followrs (51s) Including Kopp, Arvesen.
1,5 KM to go:
Rasch
Breakaway (10s) incl. bAckst
Followers (36s) on the attack (Arvesen, Kopp incl)
800m
Not looking good Peeters is closing in on Rasch. Peeters looks to take it.
Indeed he does. Total failure from me here.
1. Kevin Peeters (Landbouwkrediet)
2. Uros Murn (Adria Mobil)
3. Bjorn Thurau (Elk Haus) 9. Magnus Backstedt (Statkraft-Bianchi)
12. Gabrial Rasch (Statkraft-Bianchi)
15. Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Statkraft Bianchi)
20. David Kopp (Statkraft Bianchi)
58-60: Nybø, Nordhaug, Stannard: 2:56 back.
Well, we did win the team competition 
Should be another dark night in Belgium where the riders should be asking questions about their DS… The lesson learned is that I was overly confident. Trying to control races gets me punished, as in west-Vlaanderen.
Edited by Gonchar on 30-05-2009 21:35
I am accepted into Schjeldeprijs, Tre-Bro Leon and Eschborn – Frankfurt City Loop as well as 4 jours de Dunkerque. Cobblestone-classics still pending.
I “Future Great” youth who refused repeatedly to let me sponsor him, now is sponsored by the lesser Capinordic team, a team who have yet to make a top 10 result this season!? Strange priorities.
So here we are at the first real classic of the year. 293 km to go to reach San Remo. Can I be there when the action starts?
My team
Kurt Asle Arvesen (capt.)
David Kopp
Philip Deignan
Jacob Moe Rasmussen
Lars Petter Nordhaug
Gabriel Rasch
Håvard Nybø
Fredrik Wilmann
Arvesen, Klopp and Deignan are all in very good shape. So that will be my hope. I am not going into the race with a clear strategy. But we are neither among the best on the hills nor in the sprints. So maybe we are gonna stick with the likes of Boonen and try to attack them at the final downhill/flat? Or maybe we will try to follow Cancellara when he probably will fire off?
*** Boonen, Cancellara, Freire
How it unfolded
Well. We had a quiet day for a very long time. A four man group had got away, but they were held at a very comfortable distance. Those four were: Ochoa (Serramenti PVC), Verdugo (Euskaltel), Serrano (Fuji) and Le Floch (Bouygyes Telecom). They never got much more than fice minutes.
Time flew by. At di Turchino the breakaway started to lose time to the peloton
More time flew by. The break was kept at comfortable three minutes for a long time, until they were caught by a new 3-man-attack with 80 km to go… Deignan felt very well today, so we’ll se how we are gonna utilize that. Arvesen did not feel great, but ok. With 70 km to go, the peloton was all together again.
At Capo Cervo the tempo had started rising, and some rides who had been taking the wind today started to fall back. At Capo Berta, only Kopp and Arvesen could stay at the front. Deignan somehow ended up behind the peloton. It left the front of the peloton really disorganized!
At the foot of Pompeiana some of the strong man goes. It is Van Summeren, Devolder, Gusev, Flecha and Cancellara. Too early I thought – and kept with the pack – now led by the Hincapie and the Colubmia team. On the slope there is other attackers as well. Cunego…
Arvesen struggled to keep contact with the first group. Status on the top of Popeiana
Arvesen attacks on the downhill – but the distances are long – and the downhill too short. He catches up with E3. But it is 1:54 to the front group It looks like we can take back E2 possibly, but not E1. But not quite it seems, I try to bridge up, as I had been wheelsucking the favourites in this group. It is less than 5KM to go.
I got up there finding the wheel of Nocentini. Breschel and Pozzato had left this group so I needed to win the sprint in this group to finish in top 10. Meanwhile Gilbert took a strong win a head of Voigt, Ballan and Valverde.
I switched wheels. First to Cancellara and then to O’Grady. But he was too strong. I just got dropped out of the top 10.
Debriefing with the DS
Well. We did defended the invitation we got, although we missed the first train.11th is not bad at all though, but I had hope to equal Kurt-Asle’s 10th place from 2008. As the race evolved, it should have suited me and he is in peak condition. We were to passive on the climb – but Arvesen was isolated as Deignan had disappeared at the time (despite having orders that should ensure him to stay at his position and he still had energy left…). I had hoped he could protect Arvesen up the climb. Oh well.
Boonen and the others actually got the group Arvesen bridged up to, but not soon enough to overtake them all in the sprint.
Really peculiar results here, I must say. Jens Voigt 2nd in the Milan – San-Remo? A good day for Saxo-Bank with 4(!) in the top 10 today. (ant not to mention 6 (!!) in the top 14). This race was really not anything like in real life…
RESULTS:
1. GILBERT, Philip Quick Step 7h 11’36
2. VOIGT, Jens Saxo Bank 0
3. BALLAN, Allesandro Lampre 0
4. VALVERDE, Alejandro Caisse d’Epargne 0
5. NUYENS, Nick Rabobank 0
6. SCHLECK, Fränk Saxo Bank 0
7. CUNEGO, Damiano Lampre 0
8. BRESCHEL, Matti Saxo Bank 1:48
9. POZZATO, Filippo Kathusha 1:48
10. CANCELLARA, Fabian Saxo Bank 1:48 11. ARVESEN, Kurt-Asle Statkraft-Bianchi 1:48
12. VAN SUMMEREN, J. Silence-Lotto 1:48
13. O’GRADY, Stuart Saxo Bank 1:48
14. KROON, Karsten Saxo Bank 1:48
15. RODRIGUEZ, Joaquin Caisse d’Epargne 1:48
16. BOONEN, Tom Quick Step 1:48
17. FREIRE, Oscar Rabobank 1:48 71. KOPP, David Statkraft-Bianchi 5:55
83. RASMUSSEN, J. Moe Statkraft-Bianchi 5:55
118. DEIGNAN, Philip Statkraft-Bianchi 8:17
161. NORDHAUG, LP Statkraft-Bianchi 14:29
168. RASCH, Gabriel Statkraft-Bianchi 16:17
169. WILMANN, Fredrik Statkraft-Bianchi 16:17
176. NYBØ, Håvard Statkraft-Bianchi 21:53
I am confident that it was O’Grady I finished behind of, but the results says it is Cancellara..
Now then. What can we do here. This is a fairly flat race, but there is a couple of small and steep climbs starting half way to the finish. But the distance from the last one to the finish might be too long. The last years editions have ended bith with mass sprints, and with some attackers succeeding.
After completing Milan – San Remo yesterday, Kurt-Asle Arvesen and David Kopp, and the others pass out on this one. This will be our team then
Magnus Backstedt
Daniel Martin
Fredrik Kessiakoff
Ian Stannard
Rasmus Guldhammer
Aleksander Kristoff
David McCann
Not the strongest of rosters. Backstedt would be something to go with, but it depends if he can finish off in the hills. He is named one of the major favourites though. So he is our plan A. He will have Stannard and Kristoff on his side. David McCann takes a day off his vacation specifically to help Backstedt on the hills.
Our plan B involves Martin, Kessiakoff and Guldhammer. They will be aggressive. One will be off in the breakaway of the day. The others are in reserve for attacking on the hills.
All the French teams are there, plus Caisse d’Epargne, Contentpolis, Katusha and others.
*** Rodriguez, Mondory, Backstedt
How it unfolded
No attacks are on, so I honor my favourite status and are towing the pack in the start of the race. After 25 KM attacks comes. I joined with Fredrik Kessiakoff. After some time a 15-man-group forms only to be chased down by AG2R.
Sandy Casar and o thers attack again with 150 km to go. Kessiakoff still there. They get a considerable gap at once. It is a 9-man group. Casar is the strongest alongside Moinard (Cofidis), Le Boulanger (Agritubel), Guerra (Liberty Seguros). Kessiakoff just signals that he doesn’t feel that good either. We don’t want to have this breakaway succeed.
The gap widens as we reach the half way stage. Soon I will assume the role as a brake and annoyance in the breakaway!
There is a fall in the pack. Caisse d’Epargne is the hardest hit, having Charteau and Luis Leon Sanchez involved.
We are now over those smallest hills of the day. So fart Backstedt goes along ok.McCann is really feeling well today, even though he is in a period where he is not working to get fit for racing. Maybe he will do an attack instead of, or together with Guldhammar and Martin? With 70km to go – the gap is down to 3:15. It will not succeed.
Those last hills are steep enough, with slopes of 9-10 percent, and being a nearly 2 km long.
Backstedt really struggled on the climbs, but he hangs on. With 44 km to go. Daniel Martin attacks over the top of the last climb. He gets a good minute on the pack…
In the front, Kessiakoff struggles even to sit with the front group… With 25 Km to go, the attack has 1:13 on Martin and 2:14 on the rest. Martin does not manage to bridge over, and will soon be caught.
Up front Moinard attacks. We tries to follow with Kessiakoff.
In the pack: McCann attacks!
But Krivtsov uses is to take off as well. With 10 km to go, it looks like a mass sprint is ensured, although Casar has about 1:15 to the pack.
With 4KM to go, Backsted is well positioned. But he has been isolated and spent some energy. He does not have a good wheel to sprint off wither. Krivtsov attacks with 3 KM to go.
Not a very good result here. Backsted finished 7th. He should not have counted on the sprint perhaps.
Debriefing with the DS
Well, we animated the race. Maybe we should have attacked with Magnus, but other escapeed tried in vain to get away from a fast moving bunch. Backsted has a decent sprint, but did not have the right wheels. He sat close to the front, but a train came up on the side and we did not take the chance to try to grab a wheel there as it was a long line of riders, and I could have just ended up taking lots of wind very early in the sprint. We should have stuck with one gamleplan when we saw that Backstedt came over the hills, and helped him more in the sprint.
Results
1. Francisco Pacheco (Contentpolis)
2. Fred Rodriguez (Rock Racing)
3. Samuel Dumoulin (Cofidis)
4. Robert Hayles (Halfords)
5. Justin Williams (Rock Racing)
6. Bruno Lima (Madeinox Boavista) 7. Magnus Backstedt (Statkraft-Bianchi)
8. Mikael Cherel (Francaise des Jeux)
9. Thomas Voeckler (Bbox)
10. Lloyd Mondory (AG2R)
This will be a rehearsel for Ronde Van Vlaanderen, although not as tough course. The competition is the best I have met in the classic campaign I guess. Especially since others will start coming into form too. Still, Arvesen is in peak condition - so he should be up there. Both him and Backsted is mentioned as outsiders, so that should mean Arvesen should have some support until the finale starts. Quick Steps (Devolder, Chavanel, De Jongh), Rabobank (Flecha, Nuyens) and Silence-Lotto (Van Summeren, Hoste) is the strongest teams. Hincapie should not be ruled out either. And can the local non-pro tour teams get involved?
How it unfolded
It took 30 kms before the attacks came. Van Winden from the Rabobank Continental team went. Rasch followed along with Gutierrez Cataluna (Rock Racing), Rohregger (Milram), Thill (Differdange) and Frankhauser (ELK Haus). This group will have trouble on the cobblestone sections. Tose six are nevertheless held at a comfy 3-minutes lead. Rasch tries to up the tempo, but no one else is interested in pulling then [at effort more than 50].
The breakaway is a no-hoper. Rasch grew tired of the low pace, and attacks for no sound reason. He soon gets a good gap on the others. With 75 Km to go he has 1:28 on the breakway and 3:28 on the pack. The other escapees is caught with 66 km to go. Rasch has 2:34 after a couple of hard hills in the last 10 km. Rasch maintains that distance for quite a while. That gives me an easy ride with my captain. We have some trouble with the water supply, my last one got up to everybody but Arvesen, before he ran out of steam. That means Backstedt will have to do the job (it was him or Kopp, and the latter one looked better at the moment). It is on the risk of the peloton splitting as well, as the pace now is very high.
Rasch is wheeled in with 40 Km to go. Good effort from Gabba, I think – he also has the energy left to protect Kopp for another 10 KM. Flecha uses the moment to attack, he is alone though – now what will Quick Step do?
Now Guesdon and Leukamans goes as well. I take my chances with the Quick Step and Silence-Lotto’s crews. As long as they are not attacking, I stay put in the main bunch. A good decision it seems, Guesdon and Leukemans are reeled in on the penultimate stretch of cobbles. Now Backstedt has done it works. Arvesen has only Kopp left, as we are 18 km from the finish. Flecha does have a minute lead.
With 12 KM to go the top Belgium teams makes their move. Devolder and Hoste is on the move! Hincapie and Arvesen follows! Guesdon latches on as well.
But only Hincapie reach up to Flecha. Well, almost. He were closing in fast in the end, but not fast enough! Nuyens takes third.
But Arvesen takes t he sprint for 4th.
Results
1 Juan Antonio Flecha Rabobank 5h20'59
2 George Hincapie Team Columbia - High Road s.t.
3 Nick Nuyens Rabobank + 28 4 Kurt-Asle Arvesen Team Statkraft Bianchi s.t.
5 Leif Hoste Silence - Lotto s.t.
6 Johan Van Summeren Silence - Lotto s.t.
7 Stijn Devolder Quick·Step s.t.
8 Frederic Guesdon Française des Jeux s.t.
9 Greg Van Avermaet Silence - Lotto s.t.
10 Björn Leukemans Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team s.t. 19 David Kopp Team Statkraft Bianchi + 2'32
28 Magnus Bäckstedt Team Statkraft Bianchi + 3'19
79 Lars Petter Nordhaug Team Statkraft Bianchi + 8'56
84 Jacob Moe Rasmussen Team Statkraft Bianchi + 8'56
91 Gabriel Rasch Team Statkraft Bianchi + 11'17
97 Ian Stannard Team Statkraft Bianchi + 11'17
119 Havard Nybö Team Statkraft Bianchi + 16'50
Debriefing with the DS!
Well. Arvesen did his best and kept up with strong men like Hoste and Devolder, but lacked the effort to keep with Hincapie. We were secured a safe ride in, as the trains of Quick Step and Silence – Lotto chased. Arvesen was kept protected until the favourites took off. And Arvesen had the energy to keep with most people, though not Hincapie. We might have been able to follow Nuyens, but decided to take Vansummerens wheel for the sprint, in stead of taking Nuyens wheel when he attacked with 3,5 KM to go. I doubt Arvesen would have enough power to stay with Nuyens there, so 4th is probably the best we could get here. I thing we raced wisely and got a good result to show for it!
