JoeArmstrong13 wrote:
Brilliant 2nd for Chaves

Luis Leon Sanchez wrote:
A lack of Luxembourg lately

Today we have a very tough mountain stage. It’s not a summit finish, but it’s a very long stage, just over 200 kilometer. The stage, and especially the last part, is full of climbs and downhills. The finish lays 10km after the summit of the Albulapass, a 18,5km climb of 6,6% on average. The climb doesn’t have any steep parts though, with a 10% maximum gradient.
This stage will likely inflict quite some gaps, due to the climb. Riders like Nibali and Hesjedal can gain some time on the downhill. Purito has a big gap though, and I can’t see him giving this away.

Favourites

V.Nibali(AST)


N.Quintana(MOV)
R.Hesjedal(GRS)


J.Rodriguez(KAT)
R.Kreuziger(TST)
R.Porte(SKY)

The Race
197km -
There are the first attacks! Brambilla(OPQ), Hoogerland(VAC) are in it, as are Chaves(COL) and Arroyo(CJR). It’s not the first time that they’re in.
196km -
Agnoli(AST) wants to be in the break as well today, and Dombrowski(SKY) and Nordhaug(BEL) follow.
189km -
Nordhaug won the sprint. Meanwhile, De Greef(LTB), Cunego(LAM) and Landa(EUS) managed to join the break as well. They barely have a minute though.
177km -
The escapees are still fighting. Arroyo, Nordhaug, Brambilla and Cunego are still around 25 seconds in front of the others. However, they’re nearly 2 minutes ahead of the pack.
167km -
Finally the breakaway merged to 1 big group, mainly due to the efforts of Dombrowski and Landa. They have 3 minutes, so these guys will be the break of the day. Nordhaug is the only small GC threat, at 13’41, and only Hoogerland and Chaves have some KoM points(6 and 7, while Txurruka has 24).
150km -
Quite some interest in the KoM sprint. Chaves wins it, and De Greef and Brambilla round off the podium.
115km -
De Greef leads the front group through the IS. They have 7 minutes on the peloton now.
Katusha is the only one relaying in that said peloton.
87km -
The front group starts the 1. Climb, with a 6’24 lead.
82km -
Due to a strong pace of 1 certain team, the gap is getting smaller fairly quickly. Just 5’20 remaining now.
73km -
Interesting developments in the peloton, with Totti(IAM), C.Sorensen(TST) and Caruso(CAN) attacking! Especially Totti is someone to keep an eye on. They only have a gap of 3’40 to bridge to the front now.
68km -
The first riders reached the summit. Chaves is doing good stuff today, winning this KoM as well, meaning he has 24 points as well!
Hoogerland gets second. Totti and Caruso are at just 2 minutes now, and Sorensen couldn’t follow, and is 2’20 back, while the peloton is at 3’30. Katusha’s helpers look tired, so somebody should help them soon.
47km -
Chaves wins another KoM sprint, this one is just 4th category though. Still, he’s now KoM leader on his own. Purito is just 7 points behind though, and if he’s one of the 3 guys first over the climb, he spoils the Colombian party, and takes over the KoM. The attackers’ trio is at 1’50 and the peloton at 3’20.
38km -
Radioshack started helping Katusha, and this is bad news for Totti & friends, since they are reeled back in now. The front group of 10 is still 2’40 in front.
30km -
Caruso(CAN) and C.Sorensen(TST) accelerate again, now at the start of the climb. The early escapees still have 2’30 on them.
28km -
While Caruso seems struggling, Kiserlovski(RLT) goes all-or-nothing as well!
26km -
Katusha and BMC(!) are not accepting the attacks, and they closed it. The breakaway remains 1’50 in front now.
25km -
Nibali(AST) attack!!! Quintana(MOV) follows, and Totti(IAM) attempts so as well. Nerz(BMC) chases.
24km -
Purito decides not to wait, and there he goes! Nibali & Quintana are 25 seconds up the road.
22km -
Those 3 guys merged into 1 favourites group. They are 30 secs in front of the small peloton and 1 minute behind the breakaway. Hoogerland couldn’t follow the pace of the breakaway, and is hanging in between. Porte is doing most of the peloton chasing.
20km -
The favourite group managed to reach the early breakaway. Chaves, Brambilla and Cunego don’t want to surrender, though. They attack! The peloton looks close, but is 40 secs away.
19km -
Attacks everywhere. Kreuziger goes, and Porte, Betancur and Hesjedal counter. Don’t be fooled, the Astana rider up there is Agnoli, Nibali is at the very much front, along with Quintana.
17km -
Nibali goes, and Quintana counters. Landa tries to follow, while Purito doesn’t seem to have a great day.
For now, it looks as if the whole AG2R, Belkin and BMC team missed the cut, while Lampre and Euskaltel haven’t got their GC man up there either. Betancur fell back to the peloton in the end.
16km -
Rodriguez and Kreuziger try to get back to the front.
14km -
Purito is not coming a lot closer. Nibali and Quintana are now 4km from the summit, and have half a minute on Purito. Kreuziger is at 50 seconds, and Dombrowski, Porte and Hesjedal are at 1’00.
13km -
The leader’s trio now has 40 seconds. Kreuziger follows at 1 minute. Things look good for him, since behind him, the pace dropped, and Porte and Hesjedal are back in the peloton.
Betancur attacks from behind now, though. He’s at 1’30 now.
11km -
Nibali attacks, but Quintana has no trouble with countering. Purito has some problems though, Kreuziger nearly reached him. Also, Betancur received a lot of space.
10km -
While the leaders reached the summit, lets look at the current situation:
Leaders – Nibali and Quintana
0’50 – Rodriguez
1’00 – Kreuziger
1’35 - Betancur
2’05 – Porte, Hesjedal, D.Moreno, Dombrowski, Scarponi, Cunego, Evans(!), Bardet.
2’40 – Monfort, Ghita, Kelderman, De las Campos, Totti, Niemiec, Landa.

Rodriguez gets 3rd on the summit, meaning Chaves won’t take the KoM jersey after all, especially since Nibali is on 30 points as well.

8km -
Let’s go downhill! Nibali certainly doesn’t mind. The gap is already 1 minute, and it most likely won’t get any smaller in the downhill. Meanwhile, in the back, a group of 3 accelerated from the peloton. Those are Porte, Hesjedal and Moreno.
5500m -
Kreuziger actually reached Purito now. They’re 1’10 behind, and 50 secs ahead of Betancur.
4500m -
Nibali tries to get rid of Quintana in the downhill! He lacks the acceleration though. Both guys should be fairly similar in the sprint, so Nibali doesn’t want to take the rish.
3500m -
Nibali got the gap! He has a big chance of winning now! C’mon, he can’t give this away, right?
Rodriguez’ yellow jersey won’t get in trouble today, that seems certain.
2200m -
Nibbles still has that gap, but the last km will be flat. This could be close!
In the back, the group of Scarponi and Evans doesn’t get closer to the group of Porte, Hesjedal and Moreno. That group however can’t get closer to Betancur.
1400m -
Nibali seems to be able to take this, being a turn ahead of Quintana.
700m -
Yes, he’s going to do this! Quintana didn’t enter the last km yet. This could be a huge win mentally as well, after Nibali crashing in the descent in one of the early Suisse stages.
Finish -
He does it, easily! Great win for him!
Quintana comfortably gets 2nd, at 30 seconds.
At 1’24, Purito edges out Kreuziger for 3rd. Great race for Kreuziger, not so much by Purito.
At 2’04, it’s Betancur finishing 5th.
At 2’46, it’s Hesjedal winning the sprint for 6th. Ryder will lose his GC podium today.
At 3’12, Evans sprints to 9th, while Bardet closes the Top 10.


Purito keeps the GC lead. Nibali takes over second, and Quintana finishes off the podium. Hesjedal is the biggest loser, dropping 2 spots, to end up 4th. That still isn’t bad though. Evans does a good job today, and enters the Top 10, at a 9th position.
Purito takes over the KoM(though Nibali has 30 points as well), and also remains the points leader.


Results:

1	Vincenzo Nibali	Astana Pro Team	5h11'42
2	Nairo Quintana	Movistar Team	+ 34
3	Joaquím Rodríguez	Katusha Team	+ 1'27
4	Roman Kreuziger	Team Saxo - Tinkoff	s.t.
5	Carlos Betancur	AG2R La Mondiale	+ 2'08
6	Ryder Hesjedal	Garmin - Sharp	+ 2'51
7	Daniel Moreno	Katusha Team	s.t.
8	Richie Porte	Sky Procycling	s.t.
9	Cadel Evans	BMC Racing Team	+ 3'19
10	Romain Bardet	AG2R La Mondiale	s.t.

GC

1	Joaquím Rodríguez	Katusha Team	26h50'39
2	Vincenzo Nibali	Astana Pro Team	+ 1'20
3	Nairo Quintana	Movistar Team	+ 1'36
4	Ryder Hesjedal	Garmin - Sharp	+ 3'28
5	Roman Kreuziger	Team Saxo - Tinkoff	+ 4'08
6	Carlos Betancur	AG2R La Mondiale	+ 5'07
7	Richie Porte	Sky Procycling	+ 5'11
8	Michele Scarponi	Lampre - Merida	+ 7'11
9	Cadel Evans	BMC Racing Team	+ 8'23
10	Cristiano De las Campos	Euskaltel - Euskadi	+ 9'02

Points

1	Joaquím Rodríguez	Katusha Team	10	79
2	Nairo Quintana	Movistar Team	12	70
3	Carlos Betancur	AG2R La Mondiale	8	47
4	Andriy Grivko	Astana Pro Team	0	43
5	Edvald Boasson Hagen	Sky Procycling	0	42
6	Vincenzo Nibali	Astana Pro Team	15	39
7	Ryder Hesjedal	Garmin - Sharp	7	35
8	Martin Elmiger	IAM Cycling	0	33
9	Nacer Bouhanni	FDJ.fr	0	31
10	Roman Kreuziger	Team Saxo - Tinkoff	9	28

KoM

1	Joaquím Rodríguez	Katusha Team	10	30
2	Vincenzo Nibali	Astana Pro Team	20	30
3	Nairo Quintana	Movistar Team	15	29
4	Esteban Chaves	Colombia	20	27
5	Amets Txurruka	Caja Rural - Seguros RGA	0	24
6	Roman Kreuziger	Team Saxo - Tinkoff	6	20
7	Jens Voigt	RadioShack - Leopard	0	20
8	Johnny Hoogerland	Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team	8	14
9	Matteo Rabottini	Vini Fantini - Selle Italia	0	12
10	Andriy Grivko	Astana Pro Team	0	12

U25: Quintana
Team: AG2R

Jesleyh wrote:
@Luigi sigh*