Great 10th place by Lunke... stage win still missing, i think the team is fighting for it but imo it has to fight more.. go for it Plussbank.
Why didn´t R. Costa won the WR..
Massive win by T. Martin and P. Gilbert with such gap really shows no one had the legs..
baia wrote:
Great 10th place by Lunke... stage win still missing, i think the team is fighting for it but imo it has to fight more.. go for it Plussbank.
Why didn´t R. Costa won the WR..
Massive win by T. Martin and P. Gilbert with such gap really shows no one had the legs..
Thanks, it was a good result. We'll go for a stage win in our final race of the season, which I'll start soon.
They were both dominant wins indeed as well. For the record, Costa was leading with 40km to go but was overhauled by Nibali and Gilbert. There was a point where I thought he might win
A second string team makes the trip to Brazil for the final race of the season. Fitness isn't high, so results will be hard to get. Hoem is probably our best overall hope, combining a decent TT with some good climbing skills.
The competition will be tough though with the startlist packed with strong Continental riders. Many teams have made the trip here to try and round off the season well.
Stage 1: Sao Paulo - Sao Paulo
14th October, 2013
A circuit around Sao Paulo makes up stage 1, where a sprint should be ensured. Plenty of the sprinters here will be eyeing an early yellow jersey.
Van Baarle (Rabo Continental) took the stage in the end, after overtaking the two Etixx - IHNed riders Senechal and Alaphillipe in the final 500m. Our best finisher is Schmidt in 12th.
1
Dylan Van Baarle
Rabobank Development Team
2h29'21
2
Florian Senechal
Etixx - IHNed CT
s.t.
3
Julian Alaphilippe
Etixx - IHNed CT
s.t.
4
Sergey Shilov
Lokosphinx
s.t.
5
Rick Zabel
Rabobank Development Team
s.t.
Stage 2: Sao Carlos - Sao Carlos
15th October, 2013
Stage two is twice the length of the first, with one hill standing out on an otherwise flat profile. A sprint finish is most likely again, with the riders who impressed yesterday being the favourites for today.
Unlike yesterday, we decide to set up a leadout, this time for Roinas. With 1500m left, we are a bit behind.
Once again, it is a Rabobank rider taking the victory but today it is Zabel, who pips Senechal by a matter of centimetres. However, the Franchman gets the last laugh, moving into the leaders jersey.
Roinas can't profit from the leadout, and eventually finishes in 11th, meaning a couple of quiet stages start off the race here in Brazil. Hopefully things will improve though, with the overall battle taking place over the next couple of stages.
Stage 3 is a 25km hilly ITT which is likely to shape the GC come the end of the race. Riders will have to judge their efforts well, with two steep hills across the course.
Probably our best contender today is Hoem, who despite not being in the best of shape will try to move up the overall ranking. His time of 40'01" puts him in fourth provisionally, a good effort from him.
Beukeboom (De Rijke) is the next big contender to set a time. The Dutchman, who's specialty is racing against the clock, sets a time of 39'31" putting him into provisional first.
The De Rijke rider's time looks to be a tough one to beat, and as time goes on it looks as if it will be good enough to win the stage. However, Steensen (Cult Energy) has other ideas, moving into the lead after a great second half of the course.
Soon, the race leader Senechal (Etixx - IHNed) has started his effort. The french rider isn't the best time trialler, and that shows as he finishes 52" down on stage winner Steensen who also inherits the yellow jersey.
Hoem was our best finisher today, in 12th. That moves him into 13th overall going into the big hilly stage tomorrow.
This hilly stage 4 has lots of hills, and could prove decisive in the overall standings. With plenty of climbs as well, the King of the Mountains jersey will probably be decided today.
On a hectic day, the race leader Steensen confirmed his dominance here in Brazil with a comfortable stage victory. With nothing but flat stages from now on, his race victory is all but secure.
Hoem was our best finisher in ninth, having been on the defensive all day after an early split. Still he can be happy with his finish which moves him up to 8th overall.
Stage five starts the second half of the race, purely consisting of flat stages. The sprinters will move into the fore once more after a couple of GC days.
15km from the finish there is a small hill, where we decide to send Hoem on the attack. He gets a promising 30" gap as the sprinters teams lift the pace on the front of the bunch.
Sadly though he is caught with 5km to go, leaving the sprinters to battle out the stage. Weiss (Tirol) is the man who prevails, beating Senechal into another 2nd. Schmidt is out best finisher in 9th.
1
Martin Weiss
Tirol Cycling Team
4h01'31
2
Florian Senechal
Etixx - IHNed CT
s.t.
3
Pablo Torres Muiño
Burgos BH - Castilla y Leon
s.t.
4
Dylan Van Baarle
Rabobank Development Team
s.t.
5
Rick Zabel
Rabobank Development Team
s.t.
Stage 6: Campinas - Atibaia
19th October, 2013
Stage 6 brings another flat profile, meaning that the stage once more is predicted to be dominated by the sprinters. Expect nothing but a bunch sprint.
That is exactly what happens, with Etixx - IHNed and Senechal looking well positioned to finally take a stage here.
It is Zabel (Rabo Continental) though who takes his second victory of the race. Unbelievably, Senechal takes his fourth 2nd place of the race! Once again, we can't achieve a good placing in the sprints, with Schmidt finishing down in 13th.
The penultimate stage of the race is again flat, like tomorrow. Expect a quiet conclusion to the race with two massed sprints.
We send Roinas in a solo breakaway just in case he is let go. Unfortunately though it appears that he will be pulled back, being pulled back to within a minute with over 30km left.
As expected, a bunch sprint decides the stage. Weiss (Tirol) proves to be the strongest for the second time in the race, with Schmidt finishing back in 16th.
The final stage of the race is another short, flat stage. The sprinters will probably get a final shot at a stage win, with the GC riders sitting back and securing their positions.
Again the stage comes down to a bunch sprint, with Nankervis winning this time for Bissell. Once more we have no finishers of note in the sprint.
However, there is some better news. Hoem confirms his 8th overall which is a good performance here in Brazil, considering all factors. A good way to end the season!
Rodriguez proved to be the eventual winner of the Individual WorldTour Rankings. After an exceptional two months where he won the Vuelta a Espana and finished well in Il Lombardia, he deservedly overtook Vincenzo Nibali. Froome rounds off the podium after a good year, with Saxo - Tinkoff duo Kreuziger and Contador both finishing in the top five after two good final months.
1
Sky Procycling
1563
2
Movistar Team
1287
3
Omega Pharma - Quickstep Cycling Team
1269
4
Katusha Team
1219
5
Astana Pro Team
1037
A dominant Sky took the teams standings this year, after some great performances from their leaders which saw them win the Tour de France among other titles. Movistar sit in second after a great final few months, with OPQS, Katusha and Astana all closely behind.
In the Continental Rankings, Duarte took the victory by a giant margin. By scoring big everywhere he went, he is a deserved winner. Garcia did well to get second, boosting Cofidis' promotion push while Felline took third ahead of Flahaut and Schumacher thanks to good results in the late Italian classics.
Our best rider this season was Enger undoubtedly, and that shows here. He just misses out on a top 100, but he can be pleased with his efforts this season.
Cofidis take the teams ranking, thanks to consistent results all season. Colombia manage a second, mostly due to Duarte, with NetApp rounding off this year's podium.
Our team finishes up in 65th this year out of the Continental and Pro Continental teams, which is well inside the top half. A good season from the team shows here, something to be improved on.
Final CQ Rankings
1
Vincenzo Nibali
Astana Pro Team
3259
2
Joaquim Rodriguez
Katusha Team
3214
3
Chris Froome
Sky Procycling
2733
4
Alejandro Valverde
Movistar Team
2082
5
Alberto Contador
Team Saxo - Tinkoff
1922
6
Roman Kreuziger
Team Saxo - Tinkoff
1908
7
Tejay Van Garderen
BMC Racing Team
1713
8
Marcel Kittel
Team Argos - Shimano
1598
9
Mark Cavendish
Omega Pharma - Quickstep Cycling Team
1589
10
Peter Sagan
Cannondale Pro Cycling
1561
293
Sondre Holst Enger
Team Plussbank
197
In a reversal of the WorldTour rankings, Nibali wins the CQ version mostly thanks to his Giro d'Italia victory earlier in the season. Rodriguez has to settle for second this time, with Froome completing the podium as another GT winner. Enger is once again our best rider here, in 293rd.
1
Sky Procycling
8777
2
Movistar Team
7592
3
Astana Pro Team
6610
4
Katusha Team
6501
5
Omega Pharma - Quickstep Cycling Team
6208
83
Team Plussbank
349
Sky prove that they are the best once again, by also topping this ranking. Movistar are runners-up again, with Astana coming third, a decent year for them.
AG2R and Euskatel are replaced by NetApp and Cofidis in the WorldTour next season after relegation is taken into account. NetApp particularly excelled, finishing 12th this year, beating 7 WorldTour teams!
With a quiet couple of months, we fall a couple of places to 83rd. Still, that doesn't hide the good season we've had. Hopefully things can be even better next year.
Great review.. Kittel surprises me a little....
Team NetApp-Endura doesn´t surprise me with their 3rd place, what surprises me it´s that they don´t have any rider inside top10 and manage to go to Pro Tour.. they did great indeed..
Plussbank had a very good season, Enger delivered big for the team and with those new signings, i´m sure we will see Plussbank doing even better...
Jesleyh wrote:
It has been a good season for the team, wonder what the next one brings
Also, TJ van Garderen getting 7th in the rankings is quite impressive...
Thanks, hopefully next season will be good. Also, Tejay had a good year. You'll see his results in the next update...
baia wrote
Great review.. Kittel surprises me a little....
Team NetApp-Endura doesn´t surprise me with their 3rd place, what surprises me it´s that they don´t have any rider inside top10 and manage to go to Pro Tour.. they did great indeed..
Plussbank had a very good season, Enger delivered big for the team and with those new signings, i´m sure we will see Plussbank doing even better...
Thanks! NetApp had a good year, with lots of riders gaining a fair amount of points (Konig, Voss, Huzarski etc.) so it isn't that surprising. And yeah, hopefully next year can be even better.
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Lunke... stage win still missing, i think the team is fighting for it but imo it has to fight more.. go for it Plussbank. 
R. Costa won the WR.. 
T. Martin and 
P. Gilbert with such gap really shows no one had the legs..
Tour do Brasil [2.2]
Dylan Van Baarle
Florian Senechal
Sergey Shilov
Martin Weiss
Tommy Nankervis
André Steensen
Tom Zirbel
Sergio Daniel Godoy
Janier Alexis Acevedo
Pablo Torres Muiño
Elia Viviani
Ben Swift
GP Cycliste de Québec
Michael Albasini
Tour of Beijing
Yusuke Hatanaka
Roman Kreuziger
Dan Martin
Astana Pro Team
Marek Rutkiewicz
Peter Sagan
