For the first time in the existence of our team, we take part in the Strade Bianche, the already after 6 editions legendary race in Tuscany.
The race is very hard with lots of short and extreme steep climbs, some of them at the famous Strade Bianche, the white gravel roads in Tuscany. The finish is in the beautiful city of Siena, at the world famous Piazza della Campo.
Last year, the race was won by Astana's Enrico Gasparotto.
56km to go
The story of the race is an early breakaway of 8 riders, including riders as Danilo Napolitano (Acqua et Sapone), Alberto Loddo (Colnago) and Enrico Franzoï (Adria Mobil).
In the chase to catch them, the peloton breaks into many pieces in the climb to Montalcino. With 56 kilometres to go, at 1 of the many Strade Bianche, only 57 riders are present in the first group. The most known riders who have missed the cut are Zeits, V. Efimkin, Sella, Pozzovivo and the Italian champion Pietropolli.
30km to go Lieuwe Westra sneaks away from the leading peloton, and creates a margin of 1'07 with 30km to go. In the group of 27 riders behind him, the riders were looking at each other, which team had to do the chase.
The team of Farnese Vini decides that they have to do the job, and the margin of of Fries rider starts to decrease rapidly.
18km to go
And Westras hope for a surprising win are ended 18 kilometres before the finish at the last Strade Bianche. The waiting starts for the first rider to make a move.
14km to go
The first rider to attack is Farnese Vini's Oscar Gatto. His attack gets countered by Bosision (Liquigas), Rodríguez (Katusha) and Trofimov (Astana). We stay calm, and let De Gendt & Vanendert do the work for Gesink & Terpstra, as these 2 have the best legs today.
5km to go
The 4 riders get caught and the next to try it is Daniele Callegarin, the winner of the Giro del Friuli 2 days earlier. Gatto counters, while the others are unable to do so. The 2 create a gap of 25 seconds to a chasing group of 12, only a few kilometres before Siena.
2km to go
Oscar Gatto must have got superb legs today, as he cnot only counters the attack of Callegarin, but also leaves him behind as soon as the roads starts to ascend in the streets of Siena. With over 1 kilometres to go, he leads Callegarin by '23 and even '40 to the chasing group, in which Niki Terpstra is doing most of the work.
Finish
Nobody can close the gap to Gatto, who takes a great win for his Farnese Vini-team, and his 2nd in 2013, besides a stage win in the Giro di Sardegna. The 2nd rider to arrive at the Piazza del Campo is Niki Terpstra, who has great legs today and passes Callegarin in the final metres. Robert Gesink, although struggling with low fitness, finishes in a very good 4th place.
Results
1
Oscar Gatto
Farnese Vini - Neri Sottoli
5h18'29
2
Niki Terpstra
Monster Energy - Subway
+ 16
3
Daniele Callegarin
Team Type 1
s.t.
4
Robert Gesink
Monster Energy - Subway
s.t.
5
Federico Canuti
Colnago - CSF Inox
s.t.
6
Joaquím Rodríguez
Katusha Team
s.t.
7
Yury Trofimov
Pro Team Astana
s.t.
8
Gabriele Bosisio
Liquigas - Cannondale
s.t.
9
Tejay Van Garderen
Colnago - CSF Inox
s.t.
10
Mirco Lorenzetto
Androni Giocattoli
s.t.
Spoiler
11
Leonardo Bertagnolli
Lampre - Generali
s.t.
12
Francesco Bellotti
D'Angelo & Antenucci - Nippo
s.t.
13
Jelle Vanendert
Monster Energy - Subway
s.t.
14
Thomas De Gendt
Monster Energy - Subway
s.t.
15
Emanuele Vona
Farnese Vini - Neri Sottoli
+ 2'17
16
Rory Sutherland
Onfone
+ 2'38
17
Lieuwe Westra
Monster Energy - Subway
s.t.
18
Andriy Grivko
Pro Team Astana
+ 3'05
19
Mattia Cattaneo
Farnese Vini - Neri Sottoli
+ 3'27
20
Leonardo Moser
Androni Giocattoli
s.t.
21
Alberto Contoli
Liquigas - Cannondale
s.t.
22
Martin Pedersen
Onfone
s.t.
23
Thomas Dekker
Monster Energy - Subway
s.t.
24
Sacha Modolo
Team Type 1
s.t.
25
Alessandro Bisolti
Farnese Vini - Neri Sottoli
s.t.
26
Alejandro Valverde
Colnago - CSF Inox
s.t.
27
Daniele Pietropolli
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
+ 4'23
28
Luigi Sestili
Liquigas - Cannondale
+ 4'56
29
Alan Marangoni
Liquigas - Cannondale
+ 5'08
30
Luca Celli
Acqua & Sapone
+ 7'21
31
Vladimir Efimkin
Katusha Team
+ 7'38
32
Assan Bazayev
Pro Team Astana
s.t.
33
Arkaitz Durán
Nespresso - Algarve
s.t.
34
Alexei Shchebelin
Katusha Team
s.t.
35
Yevgeniy Nepomnyachshiy
Pro Team Astana
s.t.
36
Ángel Vicioso
Androni Giocattoli
s.t.
37
Damiano Caruso
Liquigas - Cannondale
s.t.
38
Daniele Colli
Liquigas - Cannondale
s.t.
39
Andrey Zeits
Pro Team Astana
s.t.
40
Pierpaolo De Negri
D'Angelo & Antenucci - Nippo
s.t.
41
Marcello Pavarin
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
42
Stefano Locatelli
Acqua & Sapone
s.t.
43
Andrey Kashechkin
Lampre - Generali
s.t.
44
Luca Paolini
Katusha Team
s.t.
45
Fabio Taborre
Acqua & Sapone
s.t.
46
Giorgio Brambilla
Liquigas - Cannondale
s.t.
47
Yuriy Agarkov
ISD - Lampre Continental
s.t.
48
Mauro Da Dalto
Liquigas - Cannondale
s.t.
49
Fabio Duarte
Pro Team Astana
s.t.
50
Pierre Rolland
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
s.t.
51
Tosh Van der Sande
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
s.t.
52
Artem Ovechkin
Katusha Team
s.t.
53
Davide Rebellin
Pisanellastoria - Guerciotti
+ 10'02
54
Mikhaylo Khalilov
Amore & Vita
s.t.
55
Emanuele Sella
Lampre - Generali
s.t.
56
Ruslan Pidgornyy
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
+ 10'45
57
Massimiliano Gentili
Lampre - Generali
+ 11'26
58
Elia Rigotto
Colnago - CSF Inox
s.t.
59
Aitor Pérez Arrieta
Lampre - Generali
s.t.
60
Alexandre Bazhenov
Katusha Team
s.t.
61
Danilo Napolitano
Acqua & Sapone
s.t.
62
Enrico Franzoï
Adria Mobil
+ 11'50
63
Dmytro Grabovskyy
ISD - Lampre Continental
s.t.
64
Julien Vermote
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
s.t.
65
Stefano Usai
De Rosa - Ceramica Flaminia
+ 12'43
66
Anton Vorobyev
Itera - Katusha
s.t.
67
Tomasz Nose
Adria Mobil
s.t.
68
Kiel Reijnen
Team Type 1
s.t.
69
Alberto Loddo
Colnago - CSF Inox
s.t.
70
Matteo Bono
De Rosa - Ceramica Flaminia
s.t.
71
Frantisek Padour
PSK Whirlpool - Author
s.t.
72
Mauro Facci
Acqua & Sapone
s.t.
73
Brian Vandborg
Onfone
s.t.
74
Alfredo Balloni
Lampre - Generali
s.t.
75
Diego Caccia
Farnese Vini - Neri Sottoli
s.t.
76
Domenico Pozzovivo
Colnago - CSF Inox
s.t.
77
Simone Campagnaro
D'Angelo & Antenucci - Nippo
s.t.
78
Giampaolo Cheula
Nespresso - Algarve
s.t.
79
Rino Zampilli
Farnese Vini - Neri Sottoli
s.t.
80
Alexey Tsatevitch
Itera - Katusha
+ 14'19
81
Alessandro Spezialetti
Lampre - Generali
+ 14'54
82
Marco Corti
Nespresso - Algarve
+ 17'25
83
Pavel Zitta
PSK Whirlpool - Author
s.t.
84
Denys Kostyuk
Itera - Katusha
s.t.
85
Maurizio Biondo
Pisanellastoria - Guerciotti
s.t.
86
Matteo Pelucchi
Nespresso - Algarve
s.t.
87
Leonardo Pinizzotto
Pisanellastoria - Guerciotti
s.t.
88
Andrey Klyuev
Amore & Vita
s.t.
89
Cristiano Benenati
De Rosa - Ceramica Flaminia
s.t.
90
Giuseppe Muraglia
Pisanellastoria - Guerciotti
s.t.
91
Walter Proch
Pisanellastoria - Guerciotti
s.t.
92
Tomasz Smolen
PSK Whirlpool - Author
s.t.
93
Mikhail Antonov
Itera - Katusha
s.t.
94
Luca Pierfelici
De Rosa - Ceramica Flaminia
s.t.
95
Tadej Valjavec
Pro Team Astana
s.t.
96
Nikolai Trussov
Katusha Team
s.t.
97
Filippo Baggio
De Rosa - Ceramica Flaminia
s.t.
98
Jacopo Guarnieri
Pisanellastoria - Guerciotti
s.t.
99
Pavel Kochetkov
Itera - Katusha
s.t.
100
Mauricio Alberto Ardila
Nespresso - Algarve
s.t.
101
Yaroslav Popovych
D'Angelo & Antenucci - Nippo
s.t.
102
Jackson Rodríguez
Androni Giocattoli
s.t.
103
Tom Dumoulin
Monster Energy - Subway
s.t.
104
Manuel Belletti
Team Type 1
s.t.
105
Roberto Ferrari
Androni Giocattoli
s.t.
106
Roberto Cesaro
Pisanellastoria - Guerciotti
s.t.
107
Jarosław Rębiewski
Bank BGZ
s.t.
108
Davide Frattini
D'Angelo & Antenucci - Nippo
s.t.
109
Yauheni Hutarovich
Pro Team Astana
s.t.
110
Jiri Hudecek
PSK Whirlpool - Author
s.t.
111
Paolo Locatelli
Colnago - CSF Inox
s.t.
112
Alessandro Bazzana
Team Type 1
s.t.
113
Olaf Kerkhof
Team Type 1
s.t.
114
Andrea Guardini
Farnese Vini - Neri Sottoli
s.t.
115
Antonio Santoro
Androni Giocattoli
+ 18'48
116
Gasper Svab
Adria Mobil
+ 19'32
117
Alex Rasmussen
Nespresso - Algarve
+ 21'35
118
Artem Topchanyuk
ISD - Lampre Continental
+ 22'37
119
Maxim Lefèvre
Monster Energy - Subway
s.t.
120
Riccardo Chiarini
Androni Giocattoli
+ 23'04
121
Matteo Busato
Acqua & Sapone
s.t.
122
Santo Anza
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
123
Marco Marzano
Colnago - CSF Inox
s.t.
124
Luca Zanasca
Farnese Vini - Neri Sottoli
s.t.
125
Kristian Sobota
Onfone
s.t.
126
Andrea Grendene
Androni Giocattoli
s.t.
127
Matteo Tosatto
D'Angelo & Antenucci - Nippo
s.t.
128
Ramunas Navardauskas
ISD - Lampre Continental
s.t.
129
Radoslav Romanik
Bank BGZ
s.t.
130
Gregor Gazvoda
Adria Mobil
s.t.
131
Pavel Gorenc
Adria Mobil
s.t.
132
Raffaele la Rosa
Team Type 1
s.t.
133
Giuseppe De Maria
De Rosa - Ceramica Flaminia
s.t.
134
Martin Mortensen
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
135
Oleksandr Sheydyk
ISD - Lampre Continental
s.t.
136
Dmitry Kosyakov
Itera - Katusha
+ 24'42
137
Piet Rooijakkers
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
138
Dariusz Rudnicki
Bank BGZ
s.t.
139
Patrick Schubert
Bank BGZ
s.t.
140
David Dvorsky
PSK Whirlpool - Author
s.t.
141
Simone Cassani
Amore & Vita
s.t.
142
Lucas Battistini
Katusha Team
s.t.
143
Philipp Mamos
Amore & Vita
s.t.
144
Kohei Uchima
D'Angelo & Antenucci - Nippo
+ 25'53
145
Robert Hunter
Onfone
s.t.
146
Kristian Forbord
Amore & Vita
s.t.
147
Rob Goris
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
s.t.
148
Gianluca Maggiore
Acqua & Sapone
s.t.
149
Jakob Madsen
Onfone
s.t.
150
Marc Hester
Onfone
s.t.
151
Tomáš Bucháček
PSK Whirlpool - Author
s.t.
152
Primoz Segina
Adria Mobil
s.t.
153
Jaroslaw Dabrowski
Bank BGZ
s.t.
154
Simon Bailly
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
s.t.
155
Filippo Bortolotti
Nespresso - Algarve
s.t.
156
Dimitri Krivtsov
Lampre - Generali
+ 26'29
157
Emilio Zini
Amore & Vita
+ 27'27
158
Alexey Shmidt
Team Type 1
+ 28'12
159
Alvaro La Cruz
Nespresso - Algarve
s.t.
160
Aleksey Kapustov
Itera - Katusha
+ 28'40
161
Mads Moltke Steen
Onfone
+ 29'31
162
Simone Giudici
Amore & Vita
+ 29'43
163
Mario Grande
Amore & Vita
s.t.
164
Maciej Kucharski
Bank BGZ
s.t.
165
Ciro la Porta
Pisanellastoria - Guerciotti
+ 30'26
166
Claudio Larosa
Acqua & Sapone
+ 31'23
167
Cristano Bellotti
ISD - Lampre Continental
+ 33'30
168
Aleksandr Khvostovsky
Itera - Katusha
s.t.
169
Damiano Foschi
D'Angelo & Antenucci - Nippo
+ 34'44
170
Vincenzo Maurizi
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
+ 35'02
171
Mikel Garcia
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
+ 35'55
The winner
Word from the DS
We believe this was the maximum result for today, as Gatto was extremely strong. After 1 participation, we can say we love this race, and will surely return in the future!
cunego59 wrote:
Another nice result for you. I'm just letting you know I follow, though I might not comment that often
By the way, are you still on hard, or already on extreme?
Thank you, I do the same with your story! I'm playing on extreme, for the 2nd season in a row now. With this team, only extreme is playable!
Nice to hear
Yeah, I though so, but wasn't sure because the results are still so good. Kudos then I'm going into my first complete season on extreme now, we'll see how it goes...
March opens with the 71st edition of Paris - Nice, also called the Race to the sun. Like every year, riders have to choose between Paris - Nice and the Tirreno, with this year the Tirreno being more a race for the climbers.
2012
Last year, Philippe Gilbert ruled the race, winning 3 stages and the GC.
The route
The route is a copy from the 2010 edition. It starts with a hilly prologue in Montfort -l'Amaury, featuring a short cobbled climb.
The first 2 stages in line are for the sprinters. Both are about 200 kilometres long, with the 2nd towards Contres pancake flat, and the 3rd towards Limoges with a few short hills in the last quarter of the route.
The 4th stage to Aurillac will suit a puncheur or breakaway, while stage 5 will probably begin the decision in the GC, with the ascend of the Cote de la Croix Neuve, 3 kilometres at an average gradient of 10%.
The last 3 stage fetaure a lot of climbs, some short and some long. Stage 6 towards Aix-en-Provence is the most easy one of the 3, while the 7th stage to Tourettes-sur-Loip the most difficult one, as well as the longest in this Paris - Nice. The race traditionally ends with the final stage to Nice, over the Col d'Eze.
Sony Ericsson
211. K.Seeldraeyers
212. C.Barton
213. S.Hernandez
214. M.Koch
215. T.Lowe
216. D.Pate
217. S.Schumacher
218. P.Zajicek
Our team
The favourites
For sure, the winner should be a rider with prologue-skills, but more important is to be a great puncheur. Kreuziger is one of them, but the question is how the Spanish favourites can deal with it. Antón should minimize the loss in the prologue and the question is how good Contador is after his doping ban. *** Roman Kreuziger (Astana), Igor Antón (Euskaltel), Alberto Contador (Movistar). ** Fabian Cancellara (Saxo Bank), Luis Leon Sánchez (Rabobank), Fränk Schleck (Omega Pharma). * Damiano Cunego (Radio Shack), Niki Terpstra, Denis Menchov (Liquigas).
Our goal
We have no goals for the sprint-stages, but will try to get Niki Terpstra in a good position in the GC, together with Thomas Dekker.
We'll be happy with a top 10.
This edition of Paris - Nice opens with a 7.9 kilometre prologue in Montfort l'Amaury. The route even has a cobbled climb in it, in the first kilometre of it. After that follows an undelating route.
Early starter Lieuwe Westra sets the fastes time so far, as he needs 11'20 for the 7.9 kilometres.
The time will stand for about 50 riders. Than another Dutch rider comes by, but in the "wrong" jersey. Rabobank's Jos van Emden is 4 seconds faster: 11'16.
Jonathan Castroviejo, the Spanish TT-champion who made a surprise-transfer to Sar - Sojasun last winter, rides a hell of a last part of the route, and sets the new best time, '6 faster than Van Emden: 11'10.
One of the favourites for the overall win is Luis León Sánchez. The Spanish Rabobank-cyclist sets the 3rd time so far, in 11'16.
Our man for the GC is possibly Niki Terpstra, especially considering his great prologue. With a time of 11'07, he can take place in the hotseat.
Only 10 riders to go, but among them is the best timetrialist of the last 10 years. Swiss Fabian Cancellara shows that the transfer back to Bjarne Riis was a good choice, as he crushes the best time so far with 16 seconds: 10'51!!
The next on the road is Alberto Contador. The question is, how his level is after the Clenbuterol-ban. He finishes in a time of 11'31, and will set the 20th time of the day. Not bad...
After 2 GC-favourites rode pretty disappointing times, with Damiano Cunego in 73rd at '52 and Fränk Schleck in a devastating 147th time at 1'05, Czech Roman Kreuziger does a very good job. He sets the 6th time of the day, '26 behind Cancellara.
The last rider to start his prologue, is last year's Giro-winner Igor Antón. The Basque knows he won't win today, or even ride a top 20, so a 48th time at '47 is what was expected.
Results & GC
1
Fabian Cancellara
Saxo Bank SunGard
10'51
2
Niki Terpstra
Monster Energy - Subway
+ 16
3
Jonathan Castroviejo
Saur - Sojasun
+ 19
4
Jos Van Emden
Rabobank Cycling Team
+ 25
5
Luis León Sánchez
Rabobank Cycling Team
+ 26
6
Roman Kreuziger
Pro Team Astana
s.t.
7
Lieuwe Westra
Monster Energy - Subway
+ 29
8
Rui Costa
Movistar Team
+ 31
9
Maxime Monfort
Lotto - Belisol
s.t.
10
Anthony Roux
FDJ
+ 32
Spoiler
11
Martijn Maaskant
Monster Energy - Subway
+ 33
12
Kim Kirchen
Sky ProCycling
s.t.
13
Filippo Pozzato
Katusha Team
+ 34
14
Thomas Löfkvist
Sky ProCycling
+ 35
15
Dimitri Champion
AG2R La Mondiale
s.t.
16
Benoît Vaugrenard
FDJ
+ 36
17
Gustav Erik Larsson
Saxo Bank SunGard
+ 37
18
Vladimir Karpets
Saxo Bank SunGard
s.t.
19
Coen Vermeltfoort
Monster Energy - Subway
s.t.
20
Alberto Contador
Movistar Team
+ 40
21
Christian Knees
Sky ProCycling
+ 41
22
Blel Kadri
AG2R La Mondiale
+ 42
23
Alessandro Ballan
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
24
Johan Vansummeren
Garmin - Barracuda
+ 43
25
Stefan Schumacher
Sony Ericsson
s.t.
26
Dennis Van Winden
Rabobank Cycling Team
s.t.
27
Imanol Erviti
Euskaltel - Euskadi
s.t.
28
Jakob Fuglsang
Radio Shack - Nissan
+ 44
29
Brent Bookwalter
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
30
Assan Bazayev
Pro Team Astana
s.t.
31
Javier Francisco Aramendia
Euskaltel - Euskadi
s.t.
32
Maarten Neyens
Lotto - Belisol
+ 45
33
Jens Keukeleire
Rabobank Cycling Team
s.t.
34
Rigoberto Urán
Sky ProCycling
s.t.
35
Romain Sicard
Euskaltel - Euskadi
+ 46
36
Ian Stannard
Sky ProCycling
s.t.
37
Luigi Sestili
Liquigas - Cannondale
s.t.
38
Yukiya Arashiro
Team Europcar
s.t.
39
Denis Menchov
Liquigas - Cannondale
s.t.
40
Tom Dumoulin
Monster Energy - Subway
s.t.
41
Stijn Vandenbergh
Katusha Team
+ 47
42
Matthieu Ladagnous
FDJ
s.t.
43
David Le Lay
AG2R La Mondiale
s.t.
44
Óscar Freire
Movistar Team
s.t.
45
Rick Flens
Rabobank Cycling Team
s.t.
46
Jan Bakelants
Lotto - Belisol
s.t.
47
Thomas Dekker
Monster Energy - Subway
s.t.
48
Igor Antón
Euskaltel - Euskadi
s.t.
49
Sébastien Joly
Garmin - Barracuda
s.t.
50
Jimmy Engoulvent
Garmin - Barracuda
+ 48
51
Vladimir Efimkin
Katusha Team
s.t.
52
Ian Bibby
Qantas Airways
s.t.
53
Enrico Gasparotto
Lampre - Generali
s.t.
54
Thomas Voeckler
Team Europcar
s.t.
55
Andreas Klöden
Radio Shack - Nissan
s.t.
56
Grégory Rast
Team Europcar
+ 49
57
Christophe Laborie
Saur - Sojasun
s.t.
58
Jérémy Roy
FDJ
s.t.
59
Nelson Oliveira
Radio Shack - Nissan
s.t.
60
Rubén Plaza
Movistar Team
s.t.
61
Sep Vanmarcke
Monster Energy - Subway
s.t.
62
Martin Elmiger
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
63
Kristof Goddaert
Lotto - Belisol
s.t.
64
Romain Zingle
Monster Energy - Subway
+ 50
65
Enrique Salgueiro
Movistar Team
s.t.
66
Bauke Mollema
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
67
Phil Zajicek
Sony Ericsson
s.t.
68
Bruno Pires
Saxo Bank SunGard
+ 51
69
Alan Marangoni
Liquigas - Cannondale
s.t.
70
Yauheni Hutarovich
Pro Team Astana
s.t.
71
Tosh Van der Sande
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
+ 52
72
Markel Irizar
Radio Shack - Nissan
s.t.
73
Damiano Cunego
Radio Shack - Nissan
s.t.
74
Rinaldo Nocentini
AG2R La Mondiale
+ 53
75
Julien Vermote
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
s.t.
76
Florian Guillou
Saur - Sojasun
s.t.
77
Ben Jacques-Maynes
Garmin - Barracuda
s.t.
78
Daniele Colli
Liquigas - Cannondale
s.t.
79
Cyril Gautier
Team Europcar
s.t.
80
Sandy Casar
FDJ
s.t.
81
Tom Danielson
Garmin - Barracuda
s.t.
82
Mikel Astarloza
Euskaltel - Euskadi
+ 54
83
Matthew Busche
Radio Shack - Nissan
s.t.
84
Michael Friedman
Saxo Bank SunGard
s.t.
85
Robert Kiserlovski
Garmin - Barracuda
+ 55
86
Martin Kohler
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
87
Roman Kireyev
Pro Team Astana
s.t.
88
Kevin De Weert
Androni Giocattoli
s.t.
89
Thibaut Pinot
AG2R La Mondiale
s.t.
90
Perrig Quemeneur
Team Europcar
+ 56
91
Danny Pate
Sony Ericsson
s.t.
92
Eduardo Gonzalo
Euskaltel - Euskadi
s.t.
93
Leif Hoste
Katusha Team
s.t.
94
Christophe Kern
Team Europcar
s.t.
95
Baden Cooke
Qantas Airways
s.t.
96
Graham Briggs
Sky ProCycling
s.t.
97
José Joaquín Rojas
Garmin - Barracuda
s.t.
98
Miguel Rubiano
Radio Shack - Nissan
+ 57
99
Fabrice Jeandesboz
Saur - Sojasun
s.t.
100
Vasil Kiryienka
Pro Team Astana
s.t.
101
Arnaud Coyot
Saur - Sojasun
s.t.
102
Leonardo Duque
Radio Shack - Nissan
s.t.
103
Gabriele Bosisio
Liquigas - Cannondale
s.t.
104
Kevin Seeldraeyers
Sony Ericsson
s.t.
105
Remmert Wielinga
Rabobank Cycling Team
+ 58
106
Sylwester Szmyd
Liquigas - Cannondale
s.t.
107
Frederique Robert
Lotto - Belisol
s.t.
108
Lloyd Mondory
AG2R La Mondiale
s.t.
109
Francesco Ginanni
Androni Giocattoli
s.t.
110
Denis Galimzyanov
Katusha Team
s.t.
111
Alessandro Bertolini
Androni Giocattoli
s.t.
112
John Gadret
AG2R La Mondiale
s.t.
113
Steven Kruijswijk
Qantas Airways
s.t.
114
Darren Lapthorne
Qantas Airways
+ 59
115
Matteo Montaguti
Androni Giocattoli
s.t.
116
Leigh Howard
Qantas Airways
s.t.
117
Jérémie Galland
Saur - Sojasun
s.t.
118
Sergio Hernandez
Sony Ericsson
s.t.
119
Chris Barton
Sony Ericsson
s.t.
120
Alexandre Pichot
Team Europcar
s.t.
121
Amaël Moinard
BMC Racing Team
+ 1'00
122
Giacomo Nizzolo
Lampre - Generali
s.t.
123
Sérgio Paulinho
Saxo Bank SunGard
s.t.
124
Russell Downing
Qantas Airways
s.t.
125
Donato Cannone
Liquigas - Cannondale
s.t.
126
Mickaël Delage
Team Europcar
s.t.
127
Gianni Meersman
FDJ
s.t.
128
Guillaume Levarlet
Saur - Sojasun
s.t.
129
Bernardo Riccio
Androni Giocattoli
+ 1'01
130
David López
Movistar Team
s.t.
131
Maciej Paterski
Liquigas - Cannondale
s.t.
132
Wesley Sulzberger
Qantas Airways
s.t.
133
Luke Rowe
Qantas Airways
+ 1'02
134
Rubén Pérez
Movistar Team
s.t.
135
José Ángel Gómez Marchante
Euskaltel - Euskadi
s.t.
136
Yevgeniy Nepomnyachshiy
Pro Team Astana
s.t.
137
Paul Martens
Rabobank Cycling Team
s.t.
138
Laurent Lefèvre
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
s.t.
139
Rob Goris
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
s.t.
140
Nikolas Maes
Lotto - Belisol
+ 1'03
141
Andrey Zeits
Pro Team Astana
+ 1'04
142
Morris Possoni
Sky ProCycling
s.t.
143
Yoann Le Boulanger
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
s.t.
144
Julien El Fares
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
s.t.
145
Jérôme Pineau
Saur - Sojasun
s.t.
146
Michel Koch
Sony Ericsson
+ 1'05
147
Fränk Schleck
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
s.t.
148
Dimitri Krivtsov
Lampre - Generali
s.t.
149
Guillaume Bonnafond
AG2R La Mondiale
+ 1'06
150
Alexandre Bazhenov
Katusha Team
s.t.
151
Wim Van Huffel
Lotto - Belisol
+ 1'07
152
Chris Opie
Sky ProCycling
s.t.
153
Joaquín Ortega
Movistar Team
s.t.
154
Yannick Eijssen
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
155
Johann Tschopp
BMC Racing Team
+ 1'08
156
Enrico Zen
Androni Giocattoli
s.t.
157
Volodymir Gustov
Saxo Bank SunGard
+ 1'09
158
Raffaele Ferrara
Androni Giocattoli
+ 1'10
159
Steve Chainel
FDJ
s.t.
160
Sergey Kolesnikov
Katusha Team
s.t.
161
Christian Moreni
Lampre - Generali
s.t.
162
Nicki Sørensen
Saxo Bank SunGard
+ 1'11
163
Trent Lowe
Sony Ericsson
s.t.
164
Jan Kuyckx
Lotto - Belisol
+ 1'12
165
Tadej Valjavec
Pro Team Astana
+ 1'13
166
Pierre Cazaux
Euskaltel - Euskadi
s.t.
167
Reinier Honig
Rabobank Cycling Team
s.t.
168
Andrea Moletta
Lampre - Generali
+ 1'14
169
David Loosli
Lampre - Generali
s.t.
170
Maxime Vantomme
Katusha Team
+ 1'16
171
Mathieu Drujon
FDJ
+ 1'17
172
Alexandre Castro
Garmin - Barracuda
s.t.
173
Leonardo Moser
Androni Giocattoli
+ 1'18
174
Massimiliano Gentili
Lampre - Generali
+ 1'19
175
Andrea de Bella
Lampre - Generali
+ 1'24
176
Anthony Ravard
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
+ 1'25
Today's winner
Word from the DS
Anotehr 2nd place by Niki Terpstra. But he can't be disappointed, as the gap to the winner Cancellara was enormous. Spartacus was a league of his own. And with the 7th and 11th place for Westra and Maaskant, we can be very happy with the team result today!
The 2nd stage from St. Arnould-en-Yvelines to Contres is the most flat one in this Paris Nice. Only 500 height metres have to be conquered in 198 kilometres, so the stage will most likely end in a mass sprint.
53km to go
3 early breakaways, Mickael Delgae (Europcar), Alan Marangoni (Liquigas) and Brent Bookwalter (BMC) have been caught by a 8-rider group. This group of 11 gets a maximum margin of 7 minutes. The 8 other names in this group are Kuyckx & Neyens (Lotto), Vandenbergh & Hoste (Katusha), Coyot (Saur), Irizar (Radio Shack), Flens (Rabobank) and Stefan Schumacher (Sony Ericsson), who wins the 2nd and last Intermediate sprint.
At this point, with 53km to go, is 4'25.
8km to go
Jan Kuyckx is the last of the breakaways that get's caught, only 8km before the finish in Contres. As we don't have a good sprinter (Vermeltfoort is the best with Sp 74), we decide to practice our train (no PCM-logic, but my logic).
3km to go
Our train works very well, untill we enter the last 3 kilometres. Here, Martijn Maaskant (Fl 77, dot 99, daily form +4) gets passed by Lampres Enrico Gasparotto (Fl 73). Now that's PCM-logic!!
1km to go
The question is if our train works bad (Maaskant with Fl 77 & Sp 70 and then Westra with Fl 80 and Sp 73), or it is just sprinting / preparation of the sprint in PCM 11..... We get passed on all sides.
Finish
Anyway, we see a surprising winner today. Filippo Pozzato beats all th etop sprinters today and wins the first stage of Paris - Nice 2013. The 2nd place goes to Lloyd Mondory (AG2R), the 3rd to JJ Rojas (Garmin). Niki Terpstra is our best rider in 11th, even beating Coen Vermeltfoort, our sprinter, in the mass sprint...
Results
1
Filippo Pozzato
Katusha Team
4h23'25
2
Lloyd Mondory
AG2R La Mondiale
s.t.
3
José Joaquín Rojas
Garmin - Barracuda
s.t.
4
Yauheni Hutarovich
Pro Team Astana
s.t.
5
Giacomo Nizzolo
Lampre - Generali
s.t.
6
Francesco Ginanni
Androni Giocattoli
s.t.
7
Jens Keukeleire
Rabobank Cycling Team
s.t.
8
Óscar Freire
Movistar Team
s.t.
9
Kristof Goddaert
Lotto - Belisol
s.t.
10
Anthony Ravard
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
s.t.
...
11
Niki Terpstra
Monster Energy - Subway
s.t.
14
Coen Vermeltfoort
Monster Energy - Subway
s.t.
GC
No big changes, except Pozzato jumping to the 7th place.
1
Fabian Cancellara
Saxo Bank SunGard
4h34'16
2
Niki Terpstra
Monster Energy - Subway
+ 16
3
Jonathan Castroviejo
Saur - Sojasun
+ 19
4
Jos Van Emden
Rabobank Cycling Team
+ 25
5
Luis León Sánchez
Rabobank Cycling Team
+ 26
6
Roman Kreuziger
Pro Team Astana
s.t.
7
Filippo Pozzato
Katusha Team
+ 28
8
Lieuwe Westra
Monster Energy - Subway
+ 29
9
Rui Costa
Movistar Team
+ 31
10
Maxime Monfort
Lotto - Belisol
s.t.
Points
1
Filippo Pozzato
Katusha Team
33
2
Niki Terpstra
Monster Energy - Subway
32
3
Fabian Cancellara
Saxo Bank SunGard
30
4
Lloyd Mondory
AG2R La Mondiale
22
5
Jonathan Castroviejo
Saur - Sojasun
20
Today's winner
Word from the DS
This stage shows us that we have nothing to seek in a mass sprint here.
