First of all, srry for the total lack of updates. Had a few problems with my computer and PCM, and alot of schoolwork to. I've now raced up untill Strade Bianchie and will start posting later today. Luckely i can report almost all races, expect for 1 or 2 where my game crashed at the end, also a few stages with screenshotted results as my game crashed a few times on export.
Edited by Kami on 03-02-2010 15:24
A stage race made for sprinters. Altough there is a pretty strong contender field we hope to achieve a top 10 GC spot and a stage win if possible. The main contenders are Farrar, Freire, Pozzato, Rojas, E.Boasson Hagen and Cancellara. A lot will depend on the riders early season form, and how much they have trained during the winter stop.
First stage of the season and our first race as a team. A sprinter stage, altough the hill might cause some sprinters to get a bit exhausted, we will see ...
Romain Sicard immediatly showing off our jersey as he joins the break of the day. They had a gap of maximum 5-6 minutes, as Katyusha was controlling the peleton.
On the only climb of the day, Sicard is leading the way before Knaven (Milram) and Stewart (BMC), trying to pick up the KoM points.
And he does, he wins the first and only KoM of the day, meaning he will be in the mountain jersey tommorow. Shortly after the top the group splits up as Knaven attacks.
A few kilometres further, Knaven gets caught by the peleton as the last survivor of the break.
When the sprint is about to start all the main favorites are at the front and ready to give it their all. Strangely Langeveld is leading out Pozzato instead of Freire, who is in Renshaw's wheel. Rojas is nicely placed in Freire's wheel.
Only 5 riders have the strenght to sprint for victory, probably the effect of the hill. Farrar is leading infront of Renshaw and Pozzato inside the last kilometre, it looks like he will win.
But Farrar lost most of his speed within the last 500 metres and Renshaw takes the win on the line, behind them Pozzato managed to secure his 3th place.
Second stage and a similar race profile as yesterday, altough the hill is further away from the finish now, so it shouldn't have a big impact on the sprint. It's steeper as yesterdays climb tough.
Romain Sicard, in the mountain jersey, joined the break of the day again so he could get some more points in the KoM competition. But today there is someone who might be able to take some points away, Nicolas Roche.
On the very steep, but also very short hill, Sicard and Roche rode away, altough Romain has some trouble to stay infront of Roche.
And, like i said, Roche indeed took some points away from Romain as he out edges him wright on the top. Same story as yesterday from now on, the breaks splits up and Roche is the last one caught. Romain didn't have enough energy left to stay in the peleton and lost time today.
All the favorites are placed good again when the sprint is about to start. Pozzato is following Freire. Rojas is following yesterdays winner, Mark Renshaw.
But it's not Pozzato or Freire who lead the sprint, it's Geslin, who was at the other side of the road when the sprint started, and he has a big gap when the sprint is inside the final kilometre.
Geslin keeps his lead and wins the stage infront of Pozzato and Rojas, who came from far to catch the 3th place. Pozzato is the new leader now, with the same time as Geslin and Renshaw.
Thx, altough the sprinting is harder then it used to be, i think. Or it's just me. Never been my strong point tough. Edited by Kami on 03-02-2010 18:37
Third stage, and this might be interesting. 2 hills at the end, and the finish is uphill to. This might be something for sprinters like Freire, Pozzato, Rojas, ...
Todays break didn't work well togheter and constantly attacked each other, as a result they were caught rather fast and lost quite some time on the hills afterwards.
As we climbed the hills, the backdoor was wide open, as riders kept getting dropped. As a result it wasn't a usual sprint, without the lead-ouds, and apperently also without Pozzato and Freire.
But that was just an illusion, when we entered the final kilometre Pozzato and Freire were sprinting like they were riding on the flat. Pozzato wins infront of Geslin, who still managed to hold of Freire. Rojas was 4th.
After yesterday, Pozzato has a 4 second lead over Geslin, and with his current shape he might even make it bigger. Can anyone stop him from gaining more time? Seeing the only hill is at the beginning of the race, more sprinter then usual will try their luck.
Todays break, with Nicolas Roche who is apperently aiming for the mountain jersey. And guess who shows himself, Alexandre Vinokourov. But, having those 2 doesn't mean a break will last till the end. Like the previous 3 stages the break got caught, altough it lasted till 7 kilometres before the finish.
There were alot of lead-out trains, all sprinting to be the first when the "real" sprint would start.
And once again Pozzato looks to be coming out on top, or might Farrar get passed him? Rojas is still a little bit back, behind Boasson Hagen.
Farrar didn't catch Pozzato, so he takes his second straight win, strenthing his lead to 14 seconds. Rojas had an amazing sprint and still managed to get on the podium once again.
The queen stage of the TdU. Who will attack? Will there be time difference? Or will it be a mass sprint again?
Romain Sicard joined the break once again to make sure he wins the mountain classification, seeing there are 32 points for grab here. He manages to get the first 16 points and wins the mountain classification! But after that he's empty, aswell as the rest of the break, the gap is quickly closed.
Just after the top of the second hill there is an astonishing attack out of the peleton, it's Boasson Hagen. He quickly makes a gap, but 3 other riders are following.
On the downhill they form a group of four, but the peleton isn't to far behind.
With 7 kilometres to go they are still infront and lining up for the sprint. Who still has some energy left? Will there be time gaps?
Boasson Hagen is still infront when they almost enter the last kilometre, will he last? And due to the hills the sprint in the peleton was very chaotic, Rojas didn't manage to catch a good train and therefor he's around place 30th.
Hagen manages to win the stage and take the time bonus. But what happens behind him?
It's a very close call for second place, but Florencio his wheel crosses the line a fraction earlier so Westra is third. Rojas rode an amazing sprint and still finished 7th! Hagen takes over the young rider jersey from him tough.
The last stage, a local criterium in Adelaide, the only problem here might be the wind and crashes, lets hope no one crashes, even not the other contenders. Rojas can still manage to win the young rider classification if he manages a podium and Hagen doesn't.
The sprint is about to start, Rojas is on equal height with Hagen, this might be close.
When entering the final kilometre Farrar has a very nice gap, Hagen and Rojas are still sprinting next to each other, but if neither one finishes on the podium, then Hagen gets the young rider classification.
But on sheer willpower Rojas sprints to second place, Farrar wins the stage. Hagen gets third, so that means they have the same time, what will the TdU managment decide? One thing has happened tough, Geslin has crashed (didn't notice untill i watched the results) and lost over 5 minutes.
Stage
1
Tyler Farrar
Garmin - Transitions
2h03'54
2
José Joaquín Rojas
Dodge - Xerox
s.t.
3
Edvald Boasson Hagen
Sky Professional Cycling Team
s.t.
4
Mark Renshaw
Team HTC - Columbia
s.t.
5
Filippo Pozzato
Team Katusha
s.t.
6
Aitor Galdos
Euskaltel - Euskadi
s.t.
7
Bobbie Traksel
Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
8
Robbie McEwen
Team Katusha
s.t.
9
Kristof Goddaert
AG2R La Mondiale
s.t.
10
Roger Hammond
Cervélo Test Team
s.t.
Overall
1
Filippo Pozzato
Team Katusha
18h55'19
2
Tyler Farrar
Garmin - Transitions
+ 8
3
José Joaquín Rojas
Dodge - Xerox
+ 16
4
Edvald Boasson Hagen
Sky Professional Cycling Team
s.t.
5
Mark Renshaw
Team HTC - Columbia
+ 20
6
Servais Knaven
Team Milram
+ 22
7
Xavier Florencio
Cervélo Test Team
+ 24
8
Lieuwe Westra
Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team
+ 26
9
Denis Galimzyanov
Team Katusha
+ 27
10
Gorka Izagirre
Euskaltel - Euskadi
s.t.
Points
1
Filippo Pozzato
Team Katusha
26
2
Tyler Farrar
Garmin - Transitions
20
3
Servais Knaven
Team Milram
16
Mountain
1
Romain Sicard
Dodge - Xerox
44
2
Servais Knaven
Team Milram
24
3
Benoît Vaugrenard
Française des Jeux
24
Rojas gets the advantage over Hagen and therefor wins the young rider classification. Also because Geslin crashes, Rojas takes third place overall! It was a very hard TdU, having to fight for every place, second and point. But we are very happy. Altough we don't have a stage win, we managed three podiums, get third overall and the mountain classification!
06/02 | Gran Premio Costa degli Etruschi
10/02 - 15/02 | Tour Méditerranéen
23/02 - 27/02 | Giro di Sardegna
We will start february in Italy, with the Gran Premio Costa degli Etruschi. An almost completly flat race except for a hill in the beginning of the race.
The Tour Méditerranéen will be a warmup for the Giro di Sardegna. We hope to get a stage win here and a good spot in the overall.
The main goal of this month. Our first sponsor goal. The sponsors expect a top 5 spot in the overall, so we won't let them down. Bertagnolli will be our leader here.
A one day sprinters race. We will use this race as a warmup for the Tour Méditerranéen and eventually the Giro di Sardegna. This will be Bertagnolli his first race, to get the going for the new season. Our man going for victory will be Davide Viganò.
On the first and only hill of the day, the break formed. A rather large break, so we put Sagan in it, you never know with the wind today.
And indeed, back in the peleton the wind caused for a split, this wasn't the only split tough, the entire peleton got ripped to shreds. Eventually we only had Viganò and Konovalovas left in the first part of the peleton. A part of the break was still infront at that moment.
With a little more then 5 kilometres to go there were still 3 break away riders infront, and we didn't seem to get closer to them as the first chasing group kept hanging on 40 seconds. But then Konovalovas took the lead of the chasing group, being a great time trialist the gap went down from 40 to 20 rather quickly.
Konovalovas seems to be in good shape, as he just rode away from the chasing group, Viganò tried to follow him, altough he succeeded, it was very hard to follow him.
When the sprint started, Viganò had completely caught up to Konovalovas. And he still had alot of power left in his legs, easily winning the sprint. And to make the result even better, Konovalovas managed to hold on to second as Viganò's leadout man.
Amazing
