Although almost 160 riders are presented, field doesn´t seem much strong, only some of french very good riders (Voeckler, Moinard) are here. Maybe team ISD with their leader Visconti would like to talk to top positions in general classification. My team is not yet in top condition, but I think Rujano and Medina would bring us some good results here.
Stage 1
This hilly stage with several mountain sprint was monotonous for long time. Five riders are in front (Stokstad, Gallopin, Tennant, Timmer and Giling) and Stokstad secured KOM jersey from this race, he can´t be beaten anymore.
13km to go and Stokstad as last escapee is caught by peloton. All are waiting for last hill before finish, who will attack?
And it´s one of main favourites Thomas Voeckler! Rujano, Medina, Huguet, Moinard and Brouzes follows. Few moments later Brouzes dismisses his effort.
There is nice gap between front group and peloton, who will win?
Huguet is the best sprinter from leading group and takes victory ahead of Voeckler and Moinard. Damn, we failed, no podium place for us
KOM
1 Ingar Stokstad Joker Bianchi 44
2 Tony Gallopin Auber 93 24
3 Albert Timmer Skil - Shimano 24
4 Bas Giling Team Designa Køkken 22
5 Andrew Tennant Team Halfords 10
Again hilly stage, even for about 40km longer. Scenario is very similar, we could see long breakaway, Haddou, Nordhaug, Delpech, Lemair and Saramontis are main figures in today stage.
Peloton is close, so Delpech tries his luck and goes for solo ride.
Floyd Landis attacks, Medina with Rujano quickly counters!
They pass over Delpech easily, he can´t hold with them.
Gap is over one minute! It looks very promising.
Rujano cracked in sprint, Medina tries to beat Landis.
But he´s not able to get before him, Landis takes the stage victory! Rujano is caught by sprinters, but who cares, there is significant gap between leading duo and other, Medina will win the race!
Nice surprise, Rujano holds 3rd place ahead of Mangel and Voeckler!
And really bad surprise, there are no gaps between riders, unbeliavable! It means Huguet can celebrate victory....I feel cheated
We are looking for another stage race in France, Tour de l´Ain. It will be much harder to succeed, starting list contains really big names. The most shining star is without doubt Philippe Gilbert, 3rd man of UCI Pro Tour rankings. But he´s not alone, other big names are Barredo and Chavanel from Quickstep, Pfannberger from Katusha, A.Efimkin, Nocentini or Elmiger from AG2R and some other. It would be exciting spectacle! Only 6 of our man will participate, Vasquez and Abreu prepare for next race.
100km are flat, next 50km are hilly. We are ready, just wait what will happen.
Early breakaway group contains 11 men - O´Brien, Nielsen, Jacques-Maynes, Creber, Bradshaw, Pinotti, Calabria, Mangel, Smukulis, Guptill and Clarke. They cooperate very good together.
20 km to go and front group is still together, only Bradshaw dropped out. They have almost 2 minutes advantage on peloton, it looks serious.
One of most favourites Pfannberger attacks, Bouet and Nocentini follows.
Pinotti sets high tempo in front and leading group splits into two parts. Pinotti, Smukulis, Guptill, Nielsen and Calabria are now ahead.
Smukulis attacks, only Calabria can´t follow.
Bouet was caught by peloton, Nocentini with Pfannberger goes over Calabria.
3km to go - Leading group; +33" Nocentini, Pfannberger; +1´07"
Smukulis accelerates, Nielsen was dropped.
1th Smukulis, 2nd Guptill, 3rd Pinotti. Very surprising victory for Latvian (or Lithuanian? I´m not sure )
[unfortunately I lost picture and already deleted race replay ]
GC
1 Gatis Smukulis AG2R La Mondiale 3h34'43
2 Andy Guptill Colavita / Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light + 4
3 Marco Pinotti Team Columbia - High Road + 12
4 Jacob Nielsen Glud & Marstrand Horsens + 52
5 Christian Pfannberger Team Katusha s.t.
6 Rinaldo Nocentini AG2R La Mondiale s.t.
7 Ben Jacques-Maynes Bissell Pro Cycling + 1'03
8 Fabio Calabria Team Type 1 + 1'07
9 Maxime Bouet Agritubel + 1'09 10 Manuel Medina Gobernación del Zulia s.t.
Points
1 Gatis Smukulis AG2R La Mondiale 25
2 Andy Guptill Colavita / Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light 24
3 Marco Pinotti Team Columbia - High Road 16
4 Jacob Nielsen Glud & Marstrand Horsens 14
5 Christian Pfannberger Team Katusha 12
KOM
1 Jonathon Clarke Jelly Belly Cycling Team 16
2 Laurent Mangel Besson Chaussures - Sojasun 14
3 Gatis Smukulis AG2R La Mondiale 10
4 Jacob Nielsen Glud & Marstrand Horsens 8
5 Andy Guptill Colavita / Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light 8
Edited by beagle on 09-03-2009 20:46
Queen stage of race with some decent climbs and hilly finish. I´m pretty sure some of favourites will wear off Smukulis from yellow jersey.
Breakaway of the day - Routley, Sinner, O´Loughlin, Venell and Bouyer are here.
Col de Menthieres - Bouyer wins mountain sprint, other escapees are just about catch
Smukulis is struggling and drops out from peloton and whole team, including Nocentini (!!) waited for him! Really weird decision weird decision from team boss.
Kobzareno, Wegelius, Moinard and Levarlet attacks in descent. Bouyer waited for peloton.
Carlos Barredo attacks at the bottom of last hill!
Lefevre is next, it´s right time to follow, Rujano and Medina do it!
Barredo joins leading group.
Wegelius attacks and only Barredo follows!
Medina´s group catches Kobzarenko, Moinard and Levarlet. Barredo with Wegelius are ahead.
Barredo looks very strong, Wegelius drops out.
Although my men worked very hard, they´re unable to catch escapees up.
Barredo is the winner and will wear yellow jersey tomorrow.
And of course, we have no more power for successful sprint
Points
1 Gatis Smukulis AG2R La Mondiale 25
2 Tony Gibb Plowman Craven - Madison 25
3 Carlos Barredo Quick·Step 25
4 Romain Feillu Agritubel 24
5 Andy Guptill Colavita / Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light 24
Last stage of Tour is criterium with hill in half of lap. Riders will climb 6-times. We would like to attack podium place in general classification.
There were many attacks in first half of stage, but Quickstep train in front of peloton didn´t want to let bigger group go away. So first really successful attack is here - Vaugrenard and Huguet.
Now they are +3'14" ahead of peloton.
Few kilometer later, just under 5th summit, Huguet loses contact with better puncheur Vaugrenard. Peloton is still calm.
Decisive moment of stage comes 2km before last summit. It is Nocentini, who attacks first, Pfannberger, Mr. invisible until now Gilbert, Barredo and of course Rujano and Medina counters!
Nocentini is exhausted and can´t continue in attack! Other riders chase Vaugrenard at this moment and blow over him.
We are more clever then usual and don´t relay 2km to go and we have in good position after best sprinter from this group Gilbert. We´ll try to hold him until finish.
And that was a good tactics, Gilbert wins, we take 2nd place by Rujano. And we are more lucky then few days ago. There is a time gap between Pfannberger and peleton, Rujano takes 2nd and Medina 3rd place in GC!!!
Welcome in United States. We are heading to last stage race this season. My leaders are in good shape, we´ll fight for victory. Starting list contains 129 riders from 18 teams, main favourites are probably Rujano, Medina, Landis (OUCH) and Mancebo (Rock Racing). Tour is 5 stage long, with 2 mountain stages and ITT in last day. Most important and decisive one is probably stage 4 with hard mountain climb into finish.
Edited by beagle on 10-03-2009 12:40
Early breakaway group. Zitta, Komar, Honkisz, Kline, Kilun and Vrecer are there.
Peloton has no interest catch them, so escapees hold their advantage until finish. Vrecer is fastest in the sprint ahead of Zitta and Komar. Peloton arrives 3 minutes later...
Results
1 Robert Vrecer Adria Mobil 3h40'16
2 Pavel Zitta PSK Whirlpool - Author s.t.
3 Mateusz Komar DHL - Author s.t.
4 Roman Kilun OUCH presented by Maxxis s.t.
5 Shane Kline Kelly Benefit Strategies s.t.
6 Adrian Honkisz CCC Polsat Polkowice s.t.
7 Jeremy Powers Jelly Belly Cycling Team + 2'59
8 Ryohei Komori Trek Livestrong s.t.
9 Robert Radosz DHL - Author s.t.
10 Tomasz Kiendyś CCC Polsat Polkowice s.t.
GC
1 Robert Vrecer Adria Mobil 3h39'56
2 Pavel Zitta PSK Whirlpool - Author + 8
3 Mateusz Komar DHL - Author + 12
4 Roman Kilun OUCH presented by Maxxis + 20
5 Shane Kline Kelly Benefit Strategies s.t.
6 Adrian Honkisz CCC Polsat Polkowice s.t.
7 Jeremy Powers Jelly Belly Cycling Team + 3'19
8 Ryohei Komori Trek Livestrong s.t.
9 Robert Radosz DHL - Author s.t.
10 Tomasz Kiendyś CCC Polsat Polkowice s.t.
Points
1 Robert Vrecer Adria Mobil 25
2 Pavel Zitta PSK Whirlpool - Author 20
3 Mateusz Komar DHL - Author 16
4 Roman Kilun OUCH presented by Maxxis 14
5 Shane Kline Kelly Benefit Strategies 12
KOM
1 Pavel Zitta PSK Whirlpool - Author 6
2 Adrian Honkisz CCC Polsat Polkowice 4
3 Mateusz Komar DHL - Author 2
Definitely bad start, I expected some American teams like Ouch, BMC or Rock racing will be active in front of peloton and chase escapees, but I was wrong. Next time I must be more careful.
We are looking forward on this stage, there are some steep climbs, we won´t be so passive as yesterday.
Swindlehurst and McCarty were active in early mountain sprints.
But real race starts at climb #3! Vasquez opens attack for Rujano and Medina!
And only Stadler (BMC) can follow.
3rd summit, gap is +43"
Stadler tries to attack several times, but with no success.
Swindlehurst and Colby attack peloton in last climb!
After some quick talks between Medina and Rujano, Manuel attacks and continues in solo ride! Swindlehurst with Colby are +1'32" back, peloton with yellow jersey more then 2 minutes back.
KOM
1 Jonathan Patrick McCarty OUCH presented by Maxxis 28
2 Burke Swindlehurst Bissell Pro Cycling 24
3 Vladislav Borisov Amore & Vita - McDonald's 16 4 Manuel Medina Gobernación del Zulia 16
5 Martin Kohler BMC Racing Team 12
Points
1 Robert Radosz DHL - Author 27
2 Robert Vrecer Adria Mobil 25 3 Manuel Medina Gobernación del Zulia 25
4 Sterling Magnell Rock Racing 25
5 Mateusz Komar DHL - Author 20
KOM
1 Jonathan Patrick McCarty OUCH presented by Maxxis 28
2 Burke Swindlehurst Bissell Pro Cycling 24
3 Vladislav Borisov Amore & Vita - McDonald's 16 4 Manuel Medina Gobernación del Zulia 16
5 Martin Kohler BMC Racing Team 12
Queen stage of this Tour with two hard climbs. Final climb to Snowbird will probably decide, who will win whole race. I hope my men are ready to destroy all dreams about Adria´s rider victory.
Three man are ahead with more then 7 minutes advantage on peloton - Bryce, Muller and Calabria - at bottom of first climb.
Calabria sets his own tempo and Bryce can´t follow anymore.
1st summit, Calabria and Muller in front, +1'20" Bryce, +6'26 peloton.
Muller drops out in second climb.
2nd summit, Calabria still looks good, peloton is far away. This escape starts to seem really dangerous.
Without any tip-off on troubles or even fall, Abreu is forced to abandon with fractured skull. Maybe he was hit by meteor from space?
13km to go, Calabria starts to climb on Snowbird. Muller is +2'47" back, main group with 65 riders including all contenders loses +4'08". Calabria (35., +3'19" is still virtual leader.
Muller is caught by main group, gap decreased to +3'11".
Rujano sets high pace in front and peloton begins to split! Calabria is +1'42 ahead.
After short break Rujano speeds up again!
Medina tries to attack!
Last kilometer for Calabria. Rujano is close, but not so close.
Calabria deserves win for his amazing effort, Rujano is 2nd...
...and Medina 3rd with slight advantage before Bookwalter and peloton with yellow jersey inside. Are gaps big enough to change yellow jersey´s holder?
KOM
1 Fabio Calabria Team Type 1 50
2 Florian Stalder BMC Racing Team 30
3 Burke Swindlehurst Bissell Pro Cycling 30 4 Manuel Medina Gobernación del Zulia 28
5 Jonathan Patrick McCarty OUCH presented by Maxxis 28
I must say I expected more. I´m surprised too many riders including yellow jersey hold in main group. On the other side my men wasn´t able to create much higher gaps. But we are 2nd and 3rd with only slight loss and both my riders are better time trialists then yellow jersey. We could prove it tomorrow.
Edited by beagle on 10-03-2009 17:21
KOM
1 Fabio Calabria Team Type 1 50
2 Florian Stalder BMC Racing Team 30
3 Burke Swindlehurst Bissell Pro Cycling 30 4 Manuel Medina Gobernación del Zulia 28
5 Jonathan Patrick McCarty OUCH presented by Maxxis 28
Edited by beagle on 10-03-2009 19:08
)
is still virtual leader.
