Welcome to the Tour du Haut Var, this two day stage race will be a real challenge as both days consist of a lot of uncategorized climbs, the race will be won by a puncheur rather than a pure climber, so watch out for Luis Leon Sanchez, Roman Kreuziger, or Fabio Duarte.
Gorka Verdugo and I come into the race splitting leadership of the team. For a two day race we will not really be able to choose a leader until late in the second stage, it will be whichever one of us has the better legs!
My goal is to finish in the lead group on both stages and hopefully claim the White best young rider's jersey! It will be a good warm up for my white hunt at next month's Paris-Nice!
It felt so good to be back on the bike and back in the peloton. I was able to talk with some riders and see some guys for the first time this season. Here I am talking with current UCI Continental Points Leader, Robert Forster from United Healthcare.
Because the day's only King of the Mountain sprint point came just 10KM into the stage many riders tried to breakaway but had no success, my co-captain Gorka Verdugo decided to have a go for it and easily claimed the points over the sommet of the day's only climb allowing him to take the first KoM jersey of the race.
Finally a 5 man breakaway was able to take shape, it contained Evegeni Petrov (TST), Florian Guillou (BSE), Nikita Novikov (VCD), Dalivier Ospina (COL), and Mattia Cattaneo (LAM). The group worked well together and 45KM into the race they had an 8'00'' advantage.
Back in the peloton, I did my domestique work for the day and retrieved bottles for the squad.
With 5KM to go and a 30'' advantage over the peloton, Novikov attempts to go solo and opens up a significant gap over his breakaway companions. Can he make it to the finish?
Novikov's brave effort was for naught as he was swept up with 400 meters to go and Luis Leon Sanchez of Blanco surged around Novikov's teammate Lieuwe Westra to win Stage 1 of the Tour du Haut Var and claim the leader's jersey.
I had great legs at the end of the day and took part in the sprint finishing an extremely good 7th place finish! A great result for me and a great indication that my illness hasn't affected my early season form!
Stage Results:
1. Luis Leon Sanchez-BLA 3h14'39''
2. Lieuwe Westra-VCD st
3. Pablo Lastras-MOV st
4. Christophe Le Mevel-COF st
5. Michal Kwiatkowski-OPQ st
... 7. Romain Sicard-EUS st
Quotable: "It was great to be back in the saddle today! My legs felt good all day and handled the tough terrain with relative ease. The team did a great job controlling the pace and working for Gorka and I. Tomorrow will be a very tough day with an HC climb halfway through the stage. I am not sure how I will fare with my first real mountain of the season, but I will do my very best to finish in the lead group and hopefully take the white jersey from Kwiatkowski. I only need one spot to take that from him, so I plan on doing whatever I can do to claim the jersey and take my first real reward of the season."
Thank you all for your support! It is greatly appreciated!
Today's second and final stage is again a very hilly one with the beyond categorized Col de Mons halfway through the stage which will really separate the field. Because Gorka Verdugo is the better climber I will be working for him and his GC aspirations today.
As the race got underway a 4 man group went up the road: Leonardo Duque (COL), Daniele Pietropolli (LAM), Elia Viviani (CAN), and Nico Sijmens (COF). The group worked well together and built up a 6'20'' advantage at the foot of the Col de Mons, 51KM into the stage.
As we neared the summit of the Mons I took up the pacemaking and began to protect Gorka (wearing his red KoM leaders jersey).
With 40KM to go the group still had a 3'50'' advantage and we sent the team to the front to reel the group back in.
With just over 10KM to go Bart De Clercq (LTB) attacked out of the main peloton just as the catch was made suddenly the race split apart as 9 others joined the Lotto rider:
Nicki Sorensen and Roman Kreuziger-Saxo-Tinkoff
Remi Pauriol-Sojasun
Dries Devenyns-Omega Pharma
Christophe Le Mevel-Cofidis
John Degenkolb-Argos Shimano
Nairo Quintana-Movistar Verdugo and Sicard-Euskaltel
Verdugo attacked with 8Km to go, but was reeled back in quickly and popped off the back leaving it up to me to bring it home for Euskaltel. With 4KM to go I attacked knowing that I'd need to go solo to win with the likes of Degenkolb and Sorensen in the group. Only Le Mevel could follow and with 1KM to go we had 45'' over the peloton as the other 7 had been swept up.
As the sprint opened up, Le Mevel who had been riding my wheel easily surged around me to take the victory.
As I rolled across the line a rush of disappointment hit me as I settled for second. To be this close to my first victory and lose it in a one up sprint hurts the heart.
Unfortunately the podium at the Tour du Haut Var was in the middle of a cornfield
So I have to post the results instead of the podiums:
Stage:
GC:
Points:
KoM:
U25:
Tour du Haut Var Results-Romain Sicard
Stage 1: 7th
Stage 2: 2nd
Overall GC: 2nd +8''
Points: 3rd-29 points
KoM: 8th- 9 points
U25: 1st 3h20'38''
Quotable: "After sitting on this one for a few hours now, I realize that I am very proud of my efforts today. I was able to go from domestique to a podium place in a matter of 50KM today. Unfortunately Gorka couldn't hang on the last climb of the day, but it was only his first race of the season so that was to be expected. I believe that had Le Mevel split the pace with me over the last 4K it would've been a more even sprint, but he did what he had to do and got the win. Congrats to him. This continues to build my confidence up and has me feeling good. I will use the La Droime Classic as my final tune-up before Paris-Nice and then I will go for white at P-N. But all-in-all I am satisfied yet still disappointed with second, happy with the white jersey, and hungry for more soon."
I will write you after the LD Classic and give you my preview of Paris-Nice!
@sutty68- Yes he did! @Ian Butler- We were thinking the exact same so the race organizers boosted security to make sure no corn children attacked the riders!
Welcome to the first edition of the La Drome Classic, a very hilly classic that will be my last warm-up for Paris-Nice. So we our full Paris-Nice team to take part in the classic. Igor Anton will be our team leader and he will hope to achieve our sponsor goal of a Top 3 in Paris-Nice. However he will be our main contender for the win today! I have been given a Free Role in the team free to chase the white jersey in P-N, but today I have no goals but to get Igor the victory.
As the race got underway a large group of 14 quickly formed ahead of the main field and built up a maximum advantage of 4'55'':
Bram Tankink (BLA), Riccardo Chiarini (AND), Hernani Broco (EFG), Pablo Urtasun (EUS), Jan Barta (TNE), Antonio Piedra (CJR), Lars Bak (LTB), Steffen Schumacher (CWO), Jason McCartney (BPC), Eliot Lietaer (TSV), Gert Joeaar (COF), Jaroslaw Marycz (CCC), Kiel Reijnen (UHC), and Jean Marc Bideau (BSE)
As the peloton started the major climb of the day with 56KM to go, Reijnen and Bideau were the first two to pop off the back as the peloton closed the gap to 1'50''
With 30KM to go and a lead of only 45'' Urtasun decided to make his move and try to fly solo til the end.
Urtasun built his lead up to 1'10'' but he was reeled in with 7KM to go as the final climb started. Inside the final KM Dan Martin (GRM), Julien Simon (SOJ), Steven Kruijswijk (BLA) and Anton were the first 4 to open up the sprint.
Anton latched onto Kruijswijk's wheel and surged around him 200 meters before the finish to take a great victory, the team's 6th on the season, and the second I've been able to be apart of!
I was able to cross the line in 23rd, 16'' behind Igor, but it doesn't matter to me! Igor got the victory and that's was the only thing I was worried about today!
Quotable: "Today was a textbook victory for us! We were able to get a man in the breakaway, and then inside the final 10KM we were able to control the pace on the front, Mikel Astarloza and Egoi Martinez were great setting it up for Igor and then I just set the pace as best I could up until 1K to go and then it was up to Igor and he executed perfectly! What a great race and a perfect build up to Paris-Nice."
Soon I will post my Paris-Nice preview and my recap of all the happenings in the cycling world throughout the first two months of the season!
Euskaltel-Euskadi Squad: Igor Anton-Team leader and GC hope Mikel Astarloza-Main lieutenant for Anton Ion Izagirre-Free to pursue breakaways and Sprint train leader Jure Kocjan-Sprinter Egoi Martinez-Domestique for Anton Ruben Perez- Bottle Carrier Romain Sicard-Free Element-Will pursue White Jersey Pablo Urtasun-Lead-out man for Kocjan
One of the sponsor goals for the 2013 season was a Top 3 placing in Paris-Nice. We are sending a team that is capable of achieving that goal, and Igor Anton, fresh off a victory in the La Drome Classic is the hope for that top 3. Anton will be put a bit be a bit behind the curve after the Stage 1 ITT because Time Trialing is not Igor's specialty, however his explosive climbing abilities should do him good in stages 4-8 and allow him to make up the time he loses in Stage 1. Jure Kocjan will be our sprint hope, he has had a very strong build up to Paris-Nice with podium places in the GP Marseille, and the Clasica de Almeria. I will be pursuing the white jersey of best young rider which will be no easy task with the likes of Carlos Betancur (AG2R) and Thibaut Pinot (FDJ) also gunning for the jersey. The rest of the team will be working for Igor and also trying to set up sprints for Jure on the flat stages.
JANUARY AND FEBRUARY CYCLING RECAP
Country-Race-Winner-Team: -Santos Tour Down Under-Ion Izaguirre-Euskaltel-Euskadi -Tour de San Luis-Dries Devenyns-OmegaPharma-QuickStep -Tour of Qatar-Andre Greipel-Lotto-Belisol -Mallorica Challenge-Samuel Sanchez-Euskaltel-Euskadi -Tour of Oman-Fabian Cancellara-RadioShack-Leopard -Volta ao Algarve-Jonathon Castroviejo-Movistar -Trofeo Laguielgia-Marcus Burghardt-BMC -Vuelta Andalucia-Rui Costa-Movistar -Tour de Langkawi-Ben Jacques-Maynes-Jamis Sutter Home -Omloop Het Nieusblad-Fabian Cancellara-RadioShack-Leopard -Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne-Tom Boonen-OmegaPharma-QuickStep -GP Lugano-Elia Favilli-Lampre-Merida -Clasica Almeria-Robert Forster-United HealthCare -Le Samyn-Stijn Vandenbergh-OmegaPharma-QuickStep -Driedgassa van West-Vlaanderen-Staf Scheirlinckx-AccentJobs-Wanty -Vuelta a la Region Murcia-Christophe Le Mevel-Cofidis -Strade Bianchi-Peter Sagan-Cannondale
EUSKALTEL-EUSKADI RIDER OF THE MONTH-SAMUEL SANCHEZ
This should come as no surprise to Euskaltel fans. Sanchez has ridden perfectly in the first months of the season. In his first race of the season Sanchez took a stage and the overall honors at the Mallorica Challenge, he then followed that up by taking another stage en route to a 4th place overall finish at the Vuelta Andalucia. Sanchez is primed to repeat his 2012 success as he will race for overall honors at the Volta a Catalunya and then defend his title in the Vuelta a Pais Vasco. His main goals of the season are the Giro d'Italia and World Championships Road Race.
Well tomorrow is the opening stage of Paris-Nice and it is a 17.3KM ITT, I hope to put in a good time and keep myself up in the GC of the Young Riders Classification before we reach Stage 4 where the real hills start, I believe that if I can put in a good TT that will give me the advantage over Betancur and Pinot, however both of them are better climbers, so it is anyone's game for the white jersey. I am very confident going into the race and hope that I can make good on my promise to the team!
Cam Wurf of Cannondale was the first rider down the ramp and the 2013 edition of Paris-Nice is underway. Wurf's time of 25'28'' set the bar pretty low for those to follow.
Canadian TT Champion Svein Tuft went almost one minute faster than Wurf and knocked the Aussie off the hot seat.
Slovakian Champion Peter Velits, a darkhorse for overall GC at the end of the week showed he is in it to win it by crossing the line a solid 6'' better than Tuft.
Here I am wearing #57 out on course. I came through the intermediate sprint point with a 15'13'' good enough for 5th at the time. Finally I crossed the line with a time of 24'21'' provisionally 3rd, but with the likes of Tony Martin, Sylvain Chavanel, Fabian Cancellara, and Maciej Bodnar left to go, I'm not too confident in holding that position.
JENSIE! Big Jens Voigt blasts Velits' time with a 24'05'' to set the new marker.
The World TT Champion and 2011 Paris-Nice champion Tony Martin sets out on course and sets the new best time at the intermediate checkpoint and absolutely demolishes Voigt's time, setting a new best time with a 23'44''
Main contenders: Cadel Evans, Chris Froome, Igor Anton and Alberto Contador set disappointing times. Evans was 55'' back of Tony Martin, Froome 42'' down, Anton 50'' slower and Contador, 53'' off the pace. This should be a very exciting week of racing as the big climbers try to surge from the middle of the GC.
The Swiss Express, Fabian Cancellara annihilated Tony Martin's time, 23'30'' for the Swiss Champion. With one rider left to finish it is all but sewn up for Fabian!
Stage/GC:
Points:
U25:
EUSKALTEL TT STAGE 1 RESULTS
12. Ion Izagirre +40''
19. Mikel Astarloza +45''
27. Romain Sicard +51''
48. Jure Kocjan +1'01''
53. Egoi Martinez +1'03''
55. Igor Anton +1'04''
128. Pablo Urtasun +1'38''
167. Ruben Perez +2'03''
Quotable: "Today was pretty good day on the bike for me, the course was suited for specialists, like Martin and Cancellara and a 27th place finish for me is a good start. I was able to put a good amount of time into Betancur, Pinot, and Quintana in the Young Rider classification and Ion has the jersey which is great for the team. Ion however doesn't have the climbing legs when we get up in the higher hills so the situation hasn't changed for us, as I will still be chasing the jersey. Igor put in a pretty solid ride and he has himself back there with Evans, Froome, and Contador, so it should be a very interesting week. I feel excellent, and hope my strong legs carry me in the mountain and do myself and Igor a great service!"
Igor Anton-Team leader and GC hope
Jure Kocjan-Sprinter
Romain Sicard-Free Element-Will pursue White Jersey 
-Santos Tour Down Under-Ion Izaguirre-Euskaltel-Euskadi
-Tour de San Luis-Dries Devenyns-OmegaPharma-QuickStep
-Tour of Qatar-Andre Greipel-Lotto-Belisol
-Tour of Oman-Fabian Cancellara-RadioShack-Leopard
-Volta ao Algarve-Jonathon Castroviejo-Movistar
-Trofeo Laguielgia-Marcus Burghardt-BMC
-Tour de Langkawi-Ben Jacques-Maynes-Jamis Sutter Home
-Omloop Het Nieusblad-Fabian Cancellara-RadioShack-Leopard
-GP Lugano-Elia Favilli-Lampre-Merida
