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Ag2r - La Mondiale - 2012
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| Geezar10 |
Posted on 29-02-2012 20:21
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Domestique
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Santos Tour Down Under
Stage 2
Our aim for today's stage will be to get Bonnafond in the days break away and then Elmiger will make a late break to try and gain some time on the general classification.
An early break of 15 riders got away containing Petacchi and Hunter.
The other break got caught seventy kilometres from the line so we sent Bonnafond on the attack and two other riders followed him.
The break was caught 20 kilometres from the line so we prepared Elmiger for his attack.
Elmiger attacked with just over 10 kilometres to go and he got away alone.
Elmiger was sprinting but was already beginning to tire and Ballan was closing in quickly.
He held out to take a tremendous victory both his first and the teams. The clock started on the peleton.
Elmiger took 37 seconds on the peleton putting himself in the overall lead.
We are over moon with Elmiger's surprise victory and we'll now try to hold onto the leaders jersey for the remainder of the tour.
Elmiger has taken 46 seconds on his rivals and will hope it will be enough to avoid being caught. |
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| fcancellara |
Posted on 29-02-2012 20:28
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Nice, unexpected win for Elmiger!
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| FreitasPCM |
Posted on 29-02-2012 21:38
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Grand Tour Champion
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That was a great win, and I risk saying that maybe Elmiger has 50% of the race won.  |
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| chris01 |
Posted on 29-02-2012 21:45
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Neo-Pro
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Great job dood hopeful Cav wont win multiple more stages and take the lead back.
Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime. Teach a man to cycle and he will realize fishing is stupid and boring.
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| Geezar10 |
Posted on 29-02-2012 22:52
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Domestique
Posts: 689
Joined: 14-08-2009
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Santos Tour Down Under
Stage 3
A group of 10 riders got away at the start of the race and developed an 8 minute lead with 70 kilometres to go.
The final riders from the breakaway were caught with just 3 kilometres to go and this caused a panic with the sprint teams with all the teams struggling to create a train this close to the line.
Cavendish began to sprint and the rest of the sprinters followed him but Mondory was nowhere to be seen.
Rojas took first place after Cavendish ran out of energy. Mondory came out of the blue to take another well deserved fourth place.
Our third top five result on the third stage. This is the best start we could have hoped for and we will hope to get another respectable result in the fourth stage. |
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| chris01 |
Posted on 01-03-2012 00:22
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Neo-Pro
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You beat Greipel, Petacchi, and Cavendish!! Nice work
Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime. Teach a man to cycle and he will realize fishing is stupid and boring.
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 25-11-2024 03:36
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| Jeronen |
Posted on 01-03-2012 11:42
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Very nice! Lets hope you can make it to the end in the leaders jersey.  |
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| Geezar10 |
Posted on 01-03-2012 21:14
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Domestique
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Santos Tour Down Under
Stage 4
Today's stage is pretty flat so the aim will be to get a man in the break and wait for the mass sprint.
A 14 man breakaway got away including our rider Zargari but couldn't get more than 3 minutes on the peleton.
Ballan bridged the one minute gap to the break and they started to gain ground on the pack.
With 3 kilometres to go the break still had a gap on the pack, this was going to go down to the wire.
The peleton made little effort to pull back the break in the closing kilometres and the break took a deserved win. The question was who would take it.
Ballan was catching up but he wasn't quick enough to steal the sprint away from Napolitano.
The peleton crossed the line a few seconds later but no time gap was awarded. Mondory finished 5th in the peleton and 17th overall.
We were disappointed with the result in today's stage as Zargari was in the break but failed to hold on although Mondory got another respectable finish in the peleton proving he will be a force to reckoned with in this season's sprints.
Elmiger still holds the leaders jersey but tomorrows stage will probably be decisive in whether he takes it home with him. We are prepared for a few surprises and we still believe that Ballan isn't out of the contention yet as he has proved with his two 2nd place finishes. |
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| Alakagom |
Posted on 01-03-2012 21:17
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World Champion
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Elmiger should win it tomorrow, with Willunga ending in 3km sprint it's not as tough stage as it looks, so sprinters like Cavendish usually stay the bunch comfortably, although don't contest the win. With Elmiger stats you should defend it and possibly get into Top 5 on that stage. Good luck, just try control the race so that no random break succeeds and takes Elmiger's win away.
Edited by Alakagom on 01-03-2012 21:17
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| Batista15 |
Posted on 01-03-2012 21:23
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Small Tour Specialist
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Good luck for the last stages, you can win it! |
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| Geezar10 |
Posted on 01-03-2012 22:41
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Domestique
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Santos Tour Down Under
Stage 5
Elmiger will hope to breakaway at the end of the stage and get more time on the GC but we are prepared for a surprise or two from other teams.
Only a 5 man break got away today and they did't gain much time on the pack.
Elmiger set out alone with 6 kilometres left to go and other riders followed.
Elmiger was overtaken by a bunch of riders and the sprint started with Chavanel getting a great start and putting himself ahead.
Chavanel took the victory despite slowing nearer the line. Elmiger finished in 15th position but did he lose any time?
Elmiger lost his jersey today to Rojas who gained 40 seconds on him.
Despite losing his jersey Elmiger remains in 3rd place and he will attempt to take a bit of time back at the intermediate sprint points and in the final sprint but I doubt it will be enough to take back the jersey so we will just hope to hold onto a podium position. |
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| Batista15 |
Posted on 01-03-2012 22:44
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Small Tour Specialist
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Very unlucky stage for Elmiger. But 3rd is still a great result. |
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 01-03-2012 23:09
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Tour de France Champion
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Nice to see Uran get a podium place on the stage
And now only 10s off the GC Lead |
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| Geezar10 |
Posted on 04-03-2012 20:41
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Domestique
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Santos Tour Down Under
Stage 6
Elmiger will try and claw back time on the overall whilst Mondory goes for the mass sprint at the end of the stage.
Elmiger got into an early break containing 5 riders but the peleton was setting a fast pace behind.
Elmiger just snatched the intermediate sprint on the line and clawed back a few precious seconds.
Hincapie and Rast got ahead of the pack after the sprint and Elmiger couldn't follow.
4 more riders bridged the gap from the pack and they began to gain ground.
The break enter the final 3 kilometres alone and they waited for the first person to begin to sprint.
Rast got a good start in the sprint taking a long lead on the other riders
Rast took the stage but none of the riders looked like they had any chance in the tour.
Cavendish lead the peleton over the line 3 minutes after the break.
We were disappointed that the break won the stage especially as Mondory was third over the line in the peleton.
Elmiger caught Chavanel on time but still finished third. Despite this he will be delighted to have retained his podium position.
Unexpectedly Elmiger took the points jersey and he will be undoubtedly proud of this. The team will now look to succeed in the sponsors goal of a top 10 spot in Etoile de Besseges. |
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 04-03-2012 22:58
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Tour de France Champion
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Nice 3rd Overall for Elmiger
Nice to see the Point Victory also, Well Done |
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| Geezar10 |
Posted on 06-03-2012 18:28
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Domestique
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Etoile de Besseges
Stage 1
Riblon will look to take the top 10 position that our sponsors expect whilst Shpilevski will look to mix it up in the mass sprints.
Today's stage looked like a stage for the sprinters but there are a few hills so you never know.
Minard got into a four man breakaway who got 5 minutes on the peleton with 60 kilometres to go.
Two other riders hovered one minute ahead of the pack getting caught 20 kilometres from the line.
Three other riders bridged the gap to the 6 man breakaway but they were all caught 8 kilometres from the line. This was going to be a sprint.
Team Europcar took control of the sprint and Shpilevski lost Chavanel's wheel just before the start of the sprint. Riblon improvised and began to sprint and Shpilevski followed.
Riblon quickly ran out of energy and Shpilevski had to start sprinting far too soon. Kump came out from behind Chavanel and got into the lead.
Kump took a deserved victory after following second placed Chavanel.
We were disappointed with Shpilevski in the sprint today but we will wait for a hillier stage before Riblon launches an assault on the GC |
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 07-03-2012 09:06
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Tour de France Champion
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Shpilevski just missing out on a top ten finish, unlucky |
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| Geezar10 |
Posted on 07-03-2012 22:19
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Domestique
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Etoile de Besseges
Stage 2
Today Riblon will look to get ahead of the pack and maybe hold on till the end of the stage if he can. Shpilevski has said that if it comes to another sprint finish he will be ready.
Riblon took a lead on the peleton and gained five minutes with 80 kilometres to go.
A 14 man group hovered two minutes in front of the pack and three minutes behind Riblon.
This group swept up Riblon but the pack was closing in quickly and it looked like it could become another mass sprint.
The sprint trains formed and pulled the pack along at a very quick pace nearly splitting it.
Everyone was waiting to start the sprint so Hovelynck began to sprint a long way from the finish line and got a gap on the other sprinters.
Hovelynck kept his lead to the finish and Shpilevski came flying out of the group but came far too late to take an amazing result.
Hovelynck took a deserved victory and Shpilevski took a nice 5th place after getting blocked before coming out of nowhere to snatch his first top 5 stage result of the season. |
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 07-03-2012 23:15
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Tour de France Champion
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Shpilevski has got some good form at the moment |
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| Geezar10 |
Posted on 09-03-2012 22:45
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Domestique
Posts: 689
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Etoile de Besseges
Stage 3
Riblon will attack again on today's stage and if it comes down to a sprint Shpilevski will try and take the elusive podium place he has been looking for.
A seven man breakaway got away early in the stage and took the first sprint before getting caught with 80 kilometres to go.
Another 7 man break got away and this contained a few riders from the last breakaway and our leader Riblon.
The other break was caught 50 kilometres from the line so another group attacked and took 5 minutes on the peleton.
Riblon attacked alone just before the hill and hammered down on the breakaway trying to catch them before the summit.
With 20 kilometres to go Riblon had overtaken the break and was going alone to the finish line.
Riblon didn't quite have the energy to hold out and was sadly caught with just ten kilometres. Despite this he had broken up the pack and there were only about 20 riders with him when he was caught.
The sprint trains lined up and Shpilevski got last stage's winner Hovelynck's wheel and he was being followed by Turgot.
Kump began to sprint and got a huge distance on the other riders as Hovelynck hadn't seemed to recover from yesterday's win and couldn't make any ground on the other riders.
Both Shpilevski and Turgot began to sprint and quickly caught up with Kump. This was becoming a three horse race.
One horse ran out of energy and both Shpilevski and Turgot continued to race towards the line head to head.
Shpilevski began to celebrate but it looked like Turgot had crossed the line before him. We awaited the final verdict.
It was confirmed our rider Shpilevski had taken his first stage win of the season the team were delighted with this great solo sprint from such a long way out.
Our aim was a top 10 place and we have two riders in the top 5 so all we plan to do now is stop a break ruining our chance of succeeding in the first of the sponsors goals. |
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