*** : Chris Froome, Alberto Contador, Alejandro Valverde, Joaquin Rodriguez
** : Tejay Van Garderen, Cadel Evans, Pierre Rolland, Nairo Quintana, Bauke Mollema, Thibaut Pinot
* : Mikel Nieve, Rui Costa, Ryder Hejsedal, Daniel Martin, Andrew Talansky, Igor Anton, Jean-Christophe Peraud, Janez Brajkovic, Jakob Fuglsang, Andy Schleck, Jurgen Van Den Broeuk, Jerome Coppel
RACE REPORT
The stage started easily as it is a mountain stage.
125 KM: There are some attacks from Sylvian Chavanel (OPQS), Michael Albasini (Orica), Peter Sagan (me!), Tony Martin (OPQS), Tom Danielson (Garmin) and the fighter Jens Voigt (Radioshack).
110 KM: We have 1 minute to the peloton!
105 KM: I attacked for the maximum 20 points
It looks like some easy points...
100 KM: Even though I can see the others sprint, they are too long away to do any challenge.
I was a bit worried for that they will pass me...
98 KM: I will now sit up! 20 points is enough for me! And if there are mountains soon, so it is not what I will fight for. Now I will give the word to the Live Timing.
LIVE TIMING
94 KM: As Peter Sagan has sat up in the breakaway, Brice Felliu (Sojasun) attacks.
85 KM: Felliu has caught the breakaway, so they now are 7 riders.
50 KM: The gap between the breakaway and the peloton is 12 minutes.
35 KM: Many riders is getting dropped now - including Marcel Kittel, Mark Cavendish, Peter Sagan and Jose Joaquin Rojas.
29 KM: Brice Felliu won the category HC, meanwhile Albasini became second.
25 KM: As the gap is 10 minutes, it looks like the breakaway will go all the way.
7 KM: Chris Froome (Sky), Nairo Quintana (Movistar), Alberto Contador (Saxo-Tinkoff) and Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) attack.
6 KM: Valverde looks like he is in trouble!
5 KM: And now Contador too!
(3) KM: Jens Voigt is dropped in the breakaway!
4 KM: Quintana is also almost in trouble, but he managed to hang on.
3 KM: Valverde has cracked, he is dropped by Pierre Rolland (Europcar).
(1) KM: Albasini sprints away from the others! It looks like a stage win and the yellow jersey for the Swiss!
2 KM: The gap between the group with Froome and Contador are 15 seconds.
(FINISH): Michael Albasini wins for Orica-GreenEDGE! Congratulations! Brice Felliu finish second 16 seconds behind and Tony Martin leads the rest of the group 31 seconds behind Albasini.
1 KM: What a sprint for Froome, he is sprinting away from Quintana! But Quintana is reacting well, he is right behind him again!
FINISH: Froome leads Quintana at the finish line. They finished 3a little bit over 3 minutes behind today's winner. Amazing when considering that they were 7 minutes behind at the beginning at the climb. Contador comes now in: 20 seconds behind, nice recovered! Today's big loser is Alejandro Valverde, who almost lost a minute to Froome and his own team mate Nairo Quintana. Probably Quintana is now the new leader of Movistar?
1. Movistar Team
2. Omega Pharma-Quickstep
3. Garmin-Sharp
4. Radioshack Leopard
5. Blanco Pro Cycling Team
Most Aggressive Rider Of The Day
Michael Albasini (Orica)
PETER'S COMMENT
It was a good day! After the intermediate sprint, I used the rest of the day to chill and relax! I spoke with different riders and so on. I think that I will do the same tomorrow! Until next time, bye!
@ALL: Sorry for not writing, I have been busy last week
Tour de France 2013: Stage 9
FAVORITES
*** : Alejandro Valverde, Dan Martin, Peter Sagan
** : Chris Froome, Jakob Fuglsang, Michał Kwiatkowski, Thibaut Pinot
* : Alberto Contador, Cadel Eavns, Joaquin Rodriguez, Tejay Van Garderen
RACE REPORT
The stage started with several attacks from 6 different riders - including myself! Yes, I will go for the maximum 20 points in the intermediate sprint, before sitting up and going back to the peloton and see that I can survive the last climb! It looks to be an exciting stage and an opportunity for...a stage win?
The stage started with several attacks - including me!
140 KM: The breakaway includes six riders: The polka-dot wearer Brice Felliu (Sojasun), the always attacking Blel Kadri (AG2R), Pierrick Fedrigo (FDJ), Fredrik Kessiakoff (Astana), Daniel Navarro (Cofidis) and me - Peter Sagan (Cannondale).
67 KM: Now this is what I have waited for! After spending almost 100 KM in different terrains, we are finally coming to the intermediate sprint. I am going for the maximum 20 points!
66,5 KM: I start to sprint!
66,4 KM: But nobody is following me, so this is easily 20 points to me.
65 KM: And now I sit up. Even though I don't know that they will go all the way or not, but maybe I have a chance as if they get caught, and the other sprinters are dropped on the last climb, I can have a chance for the stage!
35 KM: As we have been a bit here on this last climb, many sprinters are now dropped, we talk about Mark Cavendish and Marcel Kittel as the biggest names, but also Jose Joaquin Rojas is dropped!
30 KM: We are how going downhill! And as I haven't been dropped (but all my teammates are...) and the breakaway is 1'20 ahead, it looks like I can have a chance for winning!
10 KM: The gap between the breakaway and the peloton is 1'30. I will not win today...
5 KM: But now the gap is 40 seconds! I must prepare me, they started their tactical play!
Preparing for sprinting for 6th...or higher?
1,5 KM: And now I start my sprint! The leader Michael Albasini sprints to the right side, but else no sprinters! I can see a Cofidis rider, but it is almost impossible to catch him as he is about 700 meters in front of me!
0,7 KM: I can see a FDJ rider celebrating! It looks like Pierrick Fedrigo wins his second stage of this year's Tour!
It looks like I will finish 6th
FINISH: I win the sprint in front of the rest of peloton, and I think that my strategy went a little bit wrong. Even though they finished about 20 seconds in front of us, we get the same time as the winner, Pierrick Fedrigo.
1. Movistar Team
2. Omega Pharma-Quickstep
3. Garmin-Sharp
4. Radioshack Leopard
5. Blanco Pro Cycling Team
.........
19. Cannondale Pro Cycling
Most Aggressive Rider Of The Day
Blel Kadri (AG2R)
PETER'S COMMENT
It was a good day, and I have a good gap to Kittel in the points classification! A problem is however that the sprinters have probably better legs as they have saved energy to the day after tomorrow. Maybe I can do well, do you believe that? At least there are a rest day tomorrow! I will enjoy that! Until next time, bye!
@murao22 Thanks and I am happy for that he almost took the win
@AbhishekLFC With the upcoming stages, why not?
@sutty68 Yes, and with that gap...it is almost impossible @ALL: Thanks for the supports
The stage started with attacks as usual. But this time no one got a gap. Finally Tony Gallopin (Radioshack) and Anthony Delaplace (Sojasun) got away and they build quickly a gap between 2 and 5 minutes. Will the stage be decided between them or what?
Here we are after a nice rest day to start the 10th stage of this year's Tour de France.
105 KM: The gap is now above 10 minutes. We should probably close in for having a chance for a stage win!
95 KM: Now the gap is 9'20", how could they hear my thoughts?
77 KM: And now this is the time for the intermediate sprint! And as usual I start to sprint early!
The gap is big, so no need to sprint further, I think...
76 KM: I finished 3rd. Yay, more points! So now it is time to recover and it is up to the sprinter's teams to catch up the breakaway!
30 KM: The gap is now 3'20. We are heading to a mass sprint, I think!
15 KM: 40 seconds is the gap now.
10 KM: And now the breakaway has been caught! It will end in a mass sprint!
5 KM: And now the lead-out starts for the sprinter's! It looks like they had been tired of the tempo!
1,5 KM: Degenkolb and Cavendish have started their sprint! Where's Kittel? I must respond!
0,7 KM: Oh, there's Kittel and Cav...and Boasson Hagen is also here!
0,4 KM: I had just overtaken Boasson Hagen, can I catch the two fastest sprinters?
0,1 KM: It doesn't look so!
FINISH: Kittel wins the stage ahead of Cavensish and me. No, I couldn't pass them, they were too fast, and I started my sprint too late as I thought that the lead-out men were Kittel and Cav, my bad!
1. Omega Pharma-Quickstep
2. Movistar Team
3. Garmin-Sharp
4. Radioshack Leopard
5. Team Saxo-Tinkoff Bank
...........
19. Cannondale Pro Cycling
Most Aggressive Rider Of The Day
Anthony Delaplace (Sojasun)
PETER'S COMMENT
It was kind of my fault that I lost today. I felt good, but the sprinters tricked me. I thought they will sprint with 1,5 km to go, but they started with 0,8! And I thought that it was the lead-out men who will sprint for the win! My bad! Tomorrow is a time trial! I will try to do my best. Until next time, bye!
1. Omega Pharma-Quickstep
2. Movistar Team
3. Garmin-Sharp
4. Radioshack Leopard
5. Team Saxo-Tinkoff Bank
...........
16. Cannondale Pro Cycling
Most Aggressive Rider Of The Day
No awards
PETER'S COMMENT
It was a bad ride from my side when considering that I was overtaken twice and seeing that time! But I rode faster than Nairo Quintana in the white jersey! That is something! Tomorrow is an other flat stage, can I do well? Until next time, bye!
The stage started with two riders attacking and then getting a gap. The two riders were Christophe Le Mevel (Cofidis) and Jeremy Roy (FDJ). Menanwhile I was from the beginning preparing me for the intermediate sprint and the stage...
110 KM: The gap between the breakaway and the peloton is 40 seconds, it looks like we can sprint for the maximum points today!
108 KM: Omega Pharma-Quickstep makes a team attack for Mark Cavendish. It looks like he will not have that I get as much points as possible! There are 4 riders, who are about 15 seconds behind the original breakaway.
107 KM: I caught them and now I am attacking for catching the breakaway!
106 KM: And now I have caught them and I am riding hard for not letting the Quickstep-team catching us!
104 KM: I think that they will not sprint, so I am still riding as fast as I can!
103 KM: Yes, it is 20 points to me!
102 KM: Me and the Quickstep team is caught by the peloton, the breakaway is however not as far away.
97 KM: And now they are caught. Maybe there will not be another breakaway later on.
....
10 KM: Now it is exciting! I have saved my energy to the sprint! I have a good chance for sprinting for top 3.
5 KM: The trains for the sprinters are riding reallh fast.
3 KM: The lead-out men are now sprinting for their sprinter. I must however notice, that there are a right 90° degree turn, 1,5 km before the finish. I can get an advantage!
1,5 KM: And here the turn comes! I come to the turn in first place!
1,4 KM: And now I start to sprint! I have some few bike lengths!
0,5 KM: It looks like that I can win today! The finish line is coming closer...but Greipel and Kittel are also coming closer!
0,4 KM: It looks like Greipel is now going slowly, but Kittel is like a rocket!
0,3 KM: And here he comes for the stage win! Oh, no!
FINISH: That was not what I hoped. He got me almost at the finish line... I finished 2nd once again, but at least the gap between me and Kittel in the points classification have been bigger.
1. Omega Pharma-Quickstep
2. Movistar Team
3. Garmin-Sharp
4. Sky Pro Cycling
5. Radioshack Leopard
...........
16. Cannondale Pro Cycling
PETER'S COMMENT
I thought I got the victory, but a flying Kittel in the last 400 meters did that I lost out with 2-3 bike lengths. But as I told earlier, I am happy for that I am almost out of reach in the points classification, but I must remember that we are only halfway through the Tour and everything can change suddenly. Tomorrow is another flat stage, so I hope that I can do well. Until next time, bye!
The stage started, as usual, with several attacks. However this time only 4 riders did make it. The riders are Sep Vanmarcke (Blanco), Cyril Lemoine (Sojasun), Tony Gallopin (Radioshack) and Lieuwe Westra (Vacansoleil).
120 KM: The gap is now 5 minutes.
75 KM: And now it is the intermediate sprint! I sprint for 5th place!
74 KM: And I get 5th place and 11 points more to the account!
......
10 KM: The breakaway has been caught, it is now time to the mass sprint in Saint-Amand-Montrond!
5 KM: Fabio (Sabatini) is helping me for the stage, I said, however, to him that he could sprint for his own.
2 KM: The lead-out men are sprinting now! I must hold on their wheel!
1,7 KM: The sprinters start their sprint, I will wait a little bit
1,5 KM: I am badly placed, so I think that I can't sprint for the win...
FINISH: Marcel Kittel wins, what I believe is, his fourth stage win in this year's Tour. I finished 7th.
1. Omega Pharma-Quickstep
2. Movistar Team
3. Garmin-Sharp
4. Sky Pro Cycling
5. Radioshack Leopard
...........
21. Cannondale Pro Cycling
Most Aggressive Rider of the Day
Tony Gallopin (Radioshack)
PETER'S COMMENT
Well, it was not a good ending of the day, as I finished 7th and I thought that I could win, if I did start my sprint earlier. Tomorrow is the last flat stage before the mountain stage, where I probably will not challenge for the stage win, but I will try to get as many points as possible to the green jersey. Until next time, bye!
The stage started with an attack from a Movistar rider, but he failed to make it, and after then no other tried to escape.
105 KM: As none have attacked, it looks like I am going for the maximum 20 points!
103 KM: I start my sprint! I am
102 KM: And I got the 20 points!
96 KM: Three riders attacked and got a gap: Robert Gesink (Blanco), Hubert Dupont (AG2R) and Juan Antonio Flecha (Vacansoleil).
.........
39 KM: The gap is now 2 minutes. Their maximum lead was 6'20"
10 KM: The gap is 50 seconds, and we hit the climb Cote de la Duchere, the first out of two small climbs with a high procentages on maximum 9%.
7 KM: We started the descend to Lyon and there happened a big crash in the peloton! Maxime Monfort (Radioshack), Tony Martin (OPQS) and the white jersey wearer Nairo Quintana (Movistar) are all included.
4 KM: And we start the second climb, Cote de la Croix Rousse, the breakaway is seperated, only Gesink is ahead with a lead on 10 seconds.
3 KM: Veelers starts the lead-out sprint for Degenkolb, who lead-outs Kittel.
2 KM: Gesink had been caught, I am sitting on Kittel's wheel - as does Cavendish.
Preparing for the sprint...
1,5 KM: And now I start my sprint! Degenkolb has started his lead-out for Kittel, and...I may win today!
0,4 KM: No, Kittel pass me! It looks like another second place...
0,1 KM: But now I am battling with Degenkolb about second place, he wants to finish the 1-2 for Argos!
FINISH: Marcel Kittel wins ahead of...me or Degenkolb? It is a photo finish, can you see who was ahead? Surely it is either a second or third place...
1. Omega Pharma-Quickstep
2. Movistar Team
3. Garmin-Sharp
4. Sky Pro Cycling
5. Radioshack Leopard
...........
21. Cannondale Pro Cycling
Most Aggressive Rider of The Day
Robert Gesink (Blanco)
PETER'S COMMENT
It looked to be the day, but unfortunately I finished 3rd. I wanted to win, but Kittel (and Degenkolb) were faster. Now I has to wait, because the next following days are mountain stages, but I will try to gain as many points as possible to the points classification. Until next time, bye!
@sutty68 Yes, I hope that I can manage to hang on to the end
@ALL Sorry for my inconsistently posts, it may continue in the future unfortunately
Tour de France 2013: Stage 15
FAVORITES
*** : Chris Froome, Alberto Contador, Alejandro Valverde, Joaquin Rodriguez
** : Tejay Van Garderen, Cadel Evans, Pierre Rolland, Nairo Quintana, Bauke Mollema, Thibaut Pinot
* : Mikel Nieve, Rui Costa, Ryder Hejsedal, Daniel Martin, Andrew Talansky, Igor Anton, Jean-Christophe Peraud, Janez Brajkovic, Jakob Fuglsang, Andy Schleck, Jurgen Van Den Broeuk, Jerome Coppel
RACE REPORT
Today is the day for the climbers and the overall favorites. The plan today is to get Moreno to the breakaway and then get points at the intermediate sprint!
235 KM: Nine riders have tried their luck today: Cyril Gautier (Europcar), Moreno Moser (Cannondale), Jerome Coppel (Cofidis), Christophe Riblon (AG2R), Arthur Vichot (FDJ), polka dot wearer Brice Felliu (Sojasun), Philippe Gilbert (BMC), Cameron Meyer (Orica) and Jonathan Hivert (Sojasun).
150 KM: We have reached the intermediate sprint. I am going to fight for 10th place, and that's mean 6 points.
148 KM: I start my sprint now!
147 KM: I got my 6 points. Now I will chill out the rest of the stage.
.......
22 KM: And now it is time for Mont Ventoux. "The Bald Mountain" will be one of the deciding mountains in this year's Tour. Here you can see who is strongest - and gave therefore the best odds to win the Tour.
15 KM: I am dropped or actually I chill. I don't want to use more unnecessary energy.
7 KM: I have heard that there had been several attacks from the favorites like Froome and Contador.
6 KM: The breakaway have been caught.
FINISH: Chris Froome wins on Mont Ventoux ahead of Joaquin Rodriguez and Nairo Quintana.
1. Movistar Team
2. Omega Pharma-Quickstep
3. Garmin-Sharp
4. Sky Pro Cycling
5. AG2R La Mondiale
Most Aggressive Rider Of The Day
Moreno Moser (Cannondale)
PETER'S COMMENT
An easy day for me, meanwhile Moreno fought well for the GC, but also for the stage win until he was caught. That made the juries to decide that he got the combativity award! Congratulations! Meanwhile I got, as usual, more points during the intermediate sprint and then sitting up, when we reached Mont Ventoux. Tomorrow could be a day for me, the stage to Gap, where I won for two years ago. Can I do it again? We will see. Until next time, bye!
Since yesterday we (on Cannondale) have planned to go for Moreno today. He looks strong after the result on Mont . So the plan is to help Moreno out of trouble.
The BOTD members are as follows: The always-attacking Blel Kadri (AG2R), Jonathan Hivert (Sojasun), Daniel Navarro (Cofidis), Yuri Trofimov (Katusha) and Lieuwe Westra (Vacansoleil).
76 KM: Well, we have reached the intermediate sprint! Even though there are 5 riders ahead of us, there are still 10 points to win!
75 KM: And I start to sprint! And it looks like that I am the only one to go for the sprint. They might give up in that case.
Ten points go to me!
......
23 KM: Now we have reached Col de Manse. If you are alone at the top, you might have a chance for winning the stage. Right now the morning breakaway has more than 5 minutes, so it looks like the stage will be decided between them.
19 KM: Sylvian Chavanel (OPQS) attacks and our own Moreno (Moser) is following!
18 KM: As they got caught, there are a lot of movement at the front. Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha), Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) and Philippe Gilbert (BMC) tries to break away and it looks like they have succeeded!
16 KM: Moreno tries again! And this time he succeeded, too!
14 KM: The peloton has completely become destroyed. A group with the favorites is ahead now.
13 KM: I have just heard that Moreno have been dropped from the favorite group! Hopefully he can ride a great descend to catch them.
12 KM: As we have reached the top, I think it is time for seeing the gaps:
---Tete de la course
-----Favorite group (4'40" )
--------Group including Moser (5'30" )
-----------Peloton (7'10" )
7 KM: I have just heard that Blel Kadri has won the stage.
4 KM: As the favorite group has crossed the finish line, it looks like Moreno will lose a couple of seconds or even worse - minutes.
3 KM: Well, he crossed the line, now according to my DS.
FINISH: After a small sprint, I finally crossed the finish line.
1. Movistar Team
2. Omega Pharma-Quickstep
3. Garmin-Sharp
4. Ag2r La Mondiale
5. Sky Pro Cycling
...........
21. Cannondale Pro Cycling
Most Aggressive Rider Of The Day
Jonathan Hivert (Sojasun)
PETER'S COMMENT
After the rest day I felt me a little bit sick, but hopefully it will quickly be over. Moreno did a good job, and as there are still many mountain stages left, he might decide to attack and win. Who knows? Tomorrow is a mountain time trial, I will relax and take it like a new "rest day" as I should be about a hour from ride from Embrun to Chorges. Until next time, bye!
