Ian Butler wrote:
Really nice jerseys.
Don't worry about the TTT, it's very hard to do well, you did a great job at it, imo
I really like the jerseys as well. They are from the PCMdaily2012 DB for PCM11, so actually not quite sure who should get the credit for the design (but not me )
I think I rode the TTT just about perfectly - but a team built on unemployed cyclists have its limitations...
Daggen wrote:
Nice story. Heja Norden
Thanks, hope to bring a lot of glory to our small part of the worlds in the seasons to come
Stage 4
With Nissen far behind other riders need to step up, and they need to be fast enough to win a sprint in the breakaway. Bäckstedt tried a couple of times but in the end Jebjerg got away and grabbed both intermediate sprints gaining 12 seconds to the GC. The breakaway never had the slightest chance to win, so Jebjerg found a nice spot in the back building up energy for the final bunchsprint, but as could be expected he was too tired to do anything there. Once again a lot of riders lost time and only 51 riders came in with the first group. That was god news for Jebjerg who is now 19 in the GC 6 seconds away from the magic top-10.
Stage 5
The team is ready and exited at the Camel Race Track. Everyone knows that todays race need to be well ridden so we can get that top-10 our main sponsor want. It takes a lot of hard work but Kasper Jebjerg manage to win 8 seconds in the two intermediate sprints. Petacchi grabs the stage and Kasper Jebjerg enters the top 10 before the last stage.
Stage 6
A largely uneventful stage. Jebjerg grabs a few extra seconds and ends at 7 in the GC. Goss takes the stage and the GC victory.
Results:
1. Matt Goss, Orica - GreenEdge
2. Alessandro Petacchi, Lampre - ISD
3. Francisco José Ventoso, Movistar 7. Kasper Jebjerg, Falcon - Norheim
Points: Matt Goss, Orica - GreenEdge Young rider: Marcel Kittel, Argos - Shimano Team: Astana
On the plane back from Qatar the team manager gave a comment to Falcon's Company Newsletter:
It was a a tough task, but he guys did extremely well. Everyone tried to cheat the sprinters and gain time, but with such a flat route it is very difficult. Søren did extremely well before his timeloss, and after some warm-up stages Kasper Jebjerg really proved, why we're lucky to have him. We are very happy to please our sponsor and after a week in the desert the guys really appreciated the cases of cold Falcon-beer waiting for us on the plane home!
By far the most impressing list of names we have faced this far. Counting Samuel Sanchez, Valverde, Hesjedal, Visconti, Voigt and Fuglsang (who, sometime in the future, should race for this team). Our main goal is to get in shape for the Omloop het Nieuwsblad.
Stage 1 – TT
What an amazing performance by our guys. Bäckstedt in 7th best time and Morten Kruse Brink at 2nd best time. Well ridden by the guys!
Stage 2
Early breakaway with Pelle Clapp caught by the peloton lead by Team NetApp. Jens Voigt counters and no one sees him again before the podium ceremony. One minute later the peloton reaches the finish line with a slight uphill sprint. In a race without the big sprinters Kasper Jebjerg manage to win the sprint ahead of Ben Hermans getting a second place on the stage.
Stage 3
Todays stage is hilly, and we should see which riders are going for GC win. It will no doubt be a tough day, but Carlström is looking strong and motivated for a good result. The day starts with lots of attacks on the first climb, but the terrifyingly strong Radioshack - Nissan wanted to do it the hard way leaving 88 riders left in the peloton after less than 30 km. With 70 km to go only 60 riders remain in the battle. Among those Carlström and Jebjerg. With 15 km to go Voigt attacks in the leader’s jersey. Carlström cleverly lets Movistar and Euskaltel pull him back in. Samuel Sanchez goes on to the attack and Carlström tries to follow him, but without any luck. Sanchez takes the win and Kjell an impressive 7th between Zubeldia and Karpets!
Stage 4
Supposedly a flat stage, but with a small hill a few kilometers before goal, the sprinters shouldn’t feel too comfortable. Could be a good stage for The Falcons. Radioshack – Nissan keeps the stage under control. Knowing Jens Voigt it’s hardly surprising to see him have a go from 15 km out again today, but once again he is wheeled in. With 7 km to go of the stage and less than 2 km to the top of the hill Carlström goes on the attack. Samuel Sanchez is the only riders capable of answering the attack and he catches Kjell just after the summit. Unfortunately Sanchez won’t help maintaining the break and Carlström is caught right before the line getting a 6th place of the stage.
Stage 5
A hilly stage with a short steep uphill finish. Last chance for Carlström to capitalize on his good form as the finish is expected to be too steep for the other riders on the team (unless they can get there alone…). Another hard stage controlled completely by Radioshack - Nissan ends with another top 10 for Carlström.
The team has now arrived in Belgium, but the atmosphere on the team appears a bit tense the night before the race. This being the main cobble race of the season for the has apparently led Magnus Bäckstedt to keep on talking about how he won the Paris-Roubaix back in 2004. Morten Kruse Brink tells us about the situation:
To be quite honest everyone is pretty tired of listening to Magnus by now. He just kept on talking about how he used to be “king of the cobbles”. It started as soon as we entered the bus after our race in Spain and ten hours later he still hadn’t stopped talking about those crappy roads he used to ride on. So we made a deal. If he place in top 10 of Omloop we have agreed to watch his VHS with the whole race (including pre- and postrace studio) if not he is not to mention any of this for the rest of the season.
Does this mean Bäckstedt will suffer from lack of his teammates' support or will it just encourage him further to get a good result? We will know much more by tomorrow.
When the first solid breakaway of the day gets going it is with Morten Kruse Brink as the main rider. Wonder if his plan is to keep Magnus out of top 10 by winning the race for himself? There's still quite a long way to go.
As the cobble sections get more intense The breakaway falls apart – the other four riders just can’t keep up with Brinks pace. But at the back Radioshack – Nissan, Omega-Pharma - Quickstep and BMC have made an alliance in the chase. Right behind them Bäckstedt, Madsen and Jebjerg is sitting comfortably awaiting their chance.
With 8 km to go the front group consist of 21 riders. Jens Erik Madsen is there but to tired to play a role in the finish. Both Jebjerg and Bäckstedt seem to be in good condition. Knowing that Kasper is the best sprinter of the two Magnus decides to try going solo. Tom Boonen and Fabian Cancellara prove to be above the rest and as Jebjerg pass the line he can see four riders in front of him beating the likes of Goss, Breschel and Ballan in the sprint. Bäckstedt is 12th
Near the bus we met a very tired Morten Kruse Brink:
It was a very hard day you know. Out there in the break from the morning with four riders, who were just not up to it. With a bit of more work from the others I think we might have had a chance. But hey - Kasper came 5th and we won't have to watch Magnus' dirty old video. A great day for the team!
sutty68 wrote:
What a Great result for Jebjerg that was when you consider the class of riders that finished in front of him
Thanks
No shame in losing a cobble race to Boonen/Cancellara. Beating the likes of Breschel, Ballan and Bennati really proves how far you can get by being in good form at these early races.
I think we will se a win from him before the season ends?
sutty68 wrote:
What a Great result for Jebjerg that was when you consider the class of riders that finished in front of him
Thanks
No shame in losing a cobble race to Boonen/Cancellara. Beating the likes of Breschel, Ballan and Bennati really proves how far you can get by being in good form at these early races.
I think we will se a win from him before the season ends?
We wasn’t really supposed to be riding this race, but several of my riders claimed to have the form to win this exact race. So I thought “What the hell” and called the race organizer in the last moment, and luckily they still had room for us.
When the bookmakers saw us at the team registrations, they figured that Carlström could be an outsider for the race - but we all know it's hard to predict any race, that has Vinokourov in the peloton.
All day Astana, Lampre, Katusha and Omega-Pharma - Quickstep made the race hard and no breakaway managed to get away, though there were plenty of attacks. With 5 km to go Robert Kiserlovski attacks and gets away. Lampre – ISD is pulling the favorites group, but not gaining time so Kjell Carlström goes on the attack and manages to beat Kiserlovski right at the finish securing the Nordic Cycling Project its first ever victory in the Finnish Champions Jersey.
What a surprise!
Sadly no photographers were present at the event, and the organizers didn't even have the Finnish national anthem for the ceremony. What an anti-climax. Luckily one of the officials were a Monty Python fan, so they agreed with Kjell that this beautiful song was just as good (if not better) than the anthem.
Results:
1. Kjell Carlström, Falcon - Norheim
2. Robert Kiserlovski, Astana
3. Przemyslaw Niemiec, Lampre - ISD
Spoiler
1
Kjell Carlström
Falcon - Norheim
5h27'04
2
Robert Kiserlovski
Astana Pro Team
s.t.
3
Przemyslaw Niemiec
Lampre - ISD
s.t.
4
Julien El Fares
Team Type 1 - Sanofi
+ 38
5
Pavel Brutt
Katusha Team
s.t.
6
Alexandre Vinokourov
Astana Pro Team
s.t.
7
Xavier Florencio
Katusha Team
s.t.
8
Leonardo Bertagnolli
Lampre - ISD
s.t.
9
Francesco Gavazzi
Astana Pro Team
s.t.
10
Stefan Denifl
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
11
Alexander Efimkin
Team Type 1 - Sanofi
s.t.
12
Vladimir Gusev
Katusha Team
s.t.
13
Rubens Bertogliati
Team Type 1 - Sanofi
s.t.
14
Evgeni Petrov
Astana Pro Team
+ 1'38
15
Diego Ulissi
Lampre - ISD
s.t.
16
Gabriele Bosisio
Utensilnord Named
s.t.
17
Marco Marzano
Lampre - ISD
s.t.
18
Giampaolo Caruso
Katusha Team
s.t.
19
Eduard Vorganov
Katusha Team
s.t.
20
Francesco Reda
Acqua & Sapone
s.t.
21
Dario Cataldo
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
s.t.
22
Jacek Morajko
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
23
Michael Rasmussen
Christina Watches - Onfone
s.t.
24
Marco Frapporti
Team Idea
s.t.
25
Luca Mazzanti
Farnese Vini - Selle Italia
s.t.
26
Stefano Garzelli
Acqua & Sapone
+ 4'00
27
Yevgeniy Nepomnyachshiy
Astana Pro Team
s.t.
28
Andrea Masciarelli
Acqua & Sapone
s.t.
29
Danilo Di Luca
Acqua & Sapone
s.t.
30
Andriy Grivko
Astana Pro Team
s.t.
31
Vladimir Miholjevic
Acqua & Sapone
s.t.
32
Alessandro Proni
Acqua & Sapone
+ 4'55
33
Filippo Fortin
Team Type 1 - Sanofi
s.t.
34
Winner Anacona
Lampre - ISD
s.t.
35
Andrey Zeits
Astana Pro Team
s.t.
36
Manuele Mori
Lampre - ISD
s.t.
37
Julien Antomarchi
Team Type 1 - Sanofi
s.t.
38
Serge Pauwels
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
s.t.
39
Fredrik Kessiakoff
Astana Pro Team
s.t.
40
Massimo Codol
Acqua & Sapone
s.t.
41
Lieuwe Westra
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
+ 6'28
42
Elia Favilli
Farnese Vini - Selle Italia
s.t.
43
Alessandro Bazzana
Team Type 1 - Sanofi
s.t.
44
Alexander Mironov
RusVelo
s.t.
45
Kasper Jebjerg
Falcon - Norheim
s.t.
46
Rob Ruijgh
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
47
Thomas Riber-Sellebjerg
Falcon - Norheim
s.t.
48
Henry Frusto
Team Nippo
s.t.
49
Martin Pedersen
Christina Watches - Onfone
s.t.
50
Pelle Clapp
Falcon - Norheim
s.t.
51
Matteo Rabottini
Farnese Vini - Selle Italia
s.t.
52
Tomasz Marczynski
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
53
Craig Lewis
Champion System Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
54
Jaroslaw Dabrowski
Amore & Vita
s.t.
55
Morris Possoni
Lampre - ISD
s.t.
56
Alexander Serebryakov
Team Type 1 - Sanofi
+ 9'36
57
Morten Kruse Brink
Falcon - Norheim
+ 9'59
58
Leonardo Giordani
Farnese Vini - Selle Italia
s.t.
59
Tomasz Nose
Adria Mobil
s.t.
60
Peter Velits
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
s.t.
61
Fabio Calabria
Team Type 1 - Sanofi
s.t.
62
Petr Ignatenko
Katusha Team
s.t.
63
Sergei Pomoshnikov
Itera - Katusha
s.t.
64
Marko Kump
Adria Mobil
s.t.
65
Alexey Tsatevitch
Katusha Team
s.t.
66
René Jørgensen
Christina Watches - Onfone
+ 11'13
67
Gang Xu
Champion System Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
68
Patxi Vila
Utensilnord Named
s.t.
69
Pawel Cieslik
Bank BGZ
s.t.
70
Jeppe Lykke Hartvig Nielsen
Falcon - Norheim
s.t.
71
Michał Kwiatkowski
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
s.t.
72
Joris Boillat
Champion System Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
73
Enrico Franzoï
Miche - Guerciotti
s.t.
74
Kristjan Fajt
Adria Mobil
s.t.
75
Tomasz Smolen
Bank BGZ
s.t.
76
Kristian Sobota
Christina Watches - Onfone
s.t.
77
Pavel Kochetkov
Itera - Katusha
s.t.
78
Alessandro Bisolti
Team Idea
s.t.
79
Martin Lind
Christina Watches - Onfone
s.t.
80
Igor Boev
Itera - Katusha
s.t.
81
Paolo Ciavatta
Acqua & Sapone
s.t.
82
Junya Sano
Team Nippo
s.t.
83
Tomohiro Hayakawa
Team Nippo
s.t.
84
Jens Erik Madsen
Falcon - Norheim
s.t.
85
Sergey Lagutin
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
86
Pengda Jiao
Champion System Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
87
Bernardo Colex
Amore & Vita
s.t.
88
Kevin De Weert
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
s.t.
89
Piotr Sztobryn
Bank BGZ
+ 13'07
90
Frantisek Padour
Whirlpool - Author
s.t.
91
Tomáš Bucháček
Whirlpool - Author
s.t.
92
Mariusz Witecki
Bank BGZ
s.t.
93
David Dvorsky
Whirlpool - Author
s.t.
94
Jakub Danačík
Whirlpool - Author
s.t.
95
Michal Podlaski
Bank BGZ
s.t.
96
Pawel Brylowski
Bank BGZ
s.t.
97
Alberto Contoli
Colnago - CSF Inox
s.t.
98
Luca Barla
Team Idea
s.t.
99
Alexander Serov
RusVelo
s.t.
100
Leopoldo Rocchetti
Miche - Guerciotti
s.t.
101
Alexander Kamp
Christina Watches - Onfone
s.t.
102
Hideto Nakane
Team Nippo
s.t.
103
Maksym Averin
Amore & Vita
s.t.
104
Julian Arredondo
Team Nippo
s.t.
105
Evgeniy Kovalev
RusVelo
s.t.
106
Cristiano Monguzzi
Utensilnord Named
s.t.
107
Matvey Zubov
RusVelo
s.t.
108
Magnus Bäckstedt
Falcon - Norheim
s.t.
109
Gorik Gardeyn
Champion System Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
110
Patrik Moren
Amore & Vita
s.t.
111
Nikita Eskov
RusVelo
s.t.
112
Matej Gnezda
Adria Mobil
s.t.
113
Artem Ovechkin
RusVelo
s.t.
114
Oleg Berdos
Utensilnord Named
s.t.
115
Giuseppe De Maria
Team Idea
s.t.
116
Josef Hosek
Whirlpool - Author
s.t.
117
Nicola Dal Santo
Miche - Guerciotti
s.t.
118
Nikolas Maes
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
s.t.
119
Pim Ligthart
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
120
Adrian Kurek
Utensilnord Named
s.t.
121
Cameron Wurf
Champion System Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
122
Maxime Vantomme
Katusha Team
s.t.
123
Daniel Foder
Christina Watches - Onfone
s.t.
124
Cristian Cominelli
Team Idea
s.t.
125
Martin Mortensen
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
126
Aaron Kemps
Champion System Pro Cycling Team
+ 14'07
127
Matthew Brammeier
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
s.t.
128
Roberto De Patre
Farnese Vini - Selle Italia
s.t.
129
Enrico Peruffo
Miche - Guerciotti
s.t.
130
Frantisek Rabon
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
s.t.
131
Kenneth Hansen
Christina Watches - Onfone
s.t.
132
Ilnur Zakarin
Itera - Katusha
s.t.
133
Simone Boifava
Team Idea
s.t.
134
Anton Storchous
Amore & Vita
s.t.
135
Maksim Razumov
Itera - Katusha
s.t.
136
Alexander Khatuntsev
RusVelo
s.t.
137
Alfredo Balloni
Farnese Vini - Selle Italia
s.t.
138
Matteo Bono
Lampre - ISD
+ 14'59
139
Volodymyr Kogut
Amore & Vita
+ 16'05
140
Primoz Segina
Adria Mobil
s.t.
141
Andrea Guardini
Farnese Vini - Selle Italia
s.t.
142
Victor Manakov
RusVelo
s.t.
143
Alexander Rybakov
Itera - Katusha
s.t.
144
Cristiano Fumagalli
Miche - Guerciotti
s.t.
145
Kristijan Durasek
Adria Mobil
s.t.
146
Gianluca Randazzo
Miche - Guerciotti
s.t.
147
Matteo Fedi
Utensilnord Named
s.t.
148
Davide Mucelli
Utensilnord Named
s.t.
149
Francesco Failli
Farnese Vini - Selle Italia
+ 17'24
150
Kirill Baranov
Itera - Katusha
+ 18'47
151
Anton Kaniuk
Amore & Vita
s.t.
152
Alexander Foliforov
Itera - Katusha
s.t.
153
Andrea Piechele
Colnago - CSF Inox
s.t.
154
William Clarke
Champion System Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
155
Edoardo Girardi
Utensilnord Named
+ 20'23
156
Jiri Polnicky
Whirlpool - Author
+ 21'47
157
Kohei Uchima
Team Nippo
s.t.
158
Marino Palandri
Amore & Vita
s.t.
We tried to get a comment from Kjell Carlström but at first he was so emotional that he didn't really make sense. Then ha started to speak Finnish, which only made him even more impossible to understand. He looked really happy though!
Edited by Atlantius on 12-10-2012 12:52
Tour of Qatar 
Petacchi grabs the stage and Kasper Jebjerg enters the top 10 before the last stage.
Goss takes the stage and the GC victory.
Francisco José Ventoso, Movistar
Kasper Jebjerg, Falcon - Norheim
Marcel Kittel, Argos - Shimano
Astana
Kjell Carlström, Falcon - Norheim 
Ben Hermans, Radioshack - Nissan
Fabrice Jeandesboz, Saur - Sojasun
Radioshack - Nissan
Fabian Cancellara, Radioshack - Nissan
Magnus Bäckstedt, Falcon - Norheim
Robert Kiserlovski, Astana
Przemyslaw Niemiec, Lampre - ISD
