Well.......1st, it´s really annoying when peloton just hunt our riders...( this happens to me almost always)..2nd, your master plan wasn´t that bad but saddly didn´t worked out....Cancellara surprises me( in such stage) but most importante, Terpstra managed to hold his 2nd place...
Hope he has better feellings in next stage...
Let's hope this was just a bad day for Terpstra, and he can maintain the podium place.
Now, really bad luck that your attack with Dekker didn't succeed. :/
Paris - Nice traditionally ends with the stage to the city of Nice. In the short, 128km stage, the riders have to climb the Col de la Porte, La Turbie en the Col d'Eze.
71km to go
A big group consisting of 12 riders arrives at the summit of the Col de la Porte with a margin of 6'23 to the peloton. Trent Lowe is the first to cross the line of the KOTM-sprint, thus taking over the lead in the KOTM-ranking.
The leading group consists some good riders as Igor Antón, Steven Kruijswijk, Blel Kadri and Martin Elmiger.
39km to go
The BOTD stays together untill shortly before the summit of the 2nd climb of the day, La Turbie. Steven Kruijswijk and Igor Antón attack and most of the riders get dropped. Only Blel Kadri, Jérémie Galland and David López can follow them. The peloton follows at 4'02.
25km to go
The peloton takes it easy in the descend of La Turbie, so the 5 leaders start the last climb of Paris - Nice, the Col d'Eze, with a safe margin of 2'44. Niki Terpstra already feels he hasn't got the legs to attack the GC-lead, and takes place in the first places of the peloton.
23km to go
The Col d'Eze hasn't even started, when the first attacks occur. Damiano Cunego starts the fire today, and he's followed by many, many, many riders. Among them LL Sánchez (8th at '59), Pineau (6th at '35) and Kreuziger (+ 1'37).
15km to go
The 5 leaders cross the summit with a margin of 1'36 to Roman Kreuziger. At 2'08 follows a group of 13 consisiting of Cyril Gautier (4th at '31), Fränk Schleck (5th at '33), Maxime Monfort (3rd at '29), LL Sánchez and Pineau. The peloton with GC-leader follows at 2'32. Terpstra is struggling in the ascend to stay in this group, and he manages to do so.
5km to go
The peloton with Cancellara and Terpstra closes the gap to the group Monfort-Gautier-Schleck in the descend. The stage win stays out of reach.
Finish
Blel Kadri easily wins the sprint for the stage win, taking the 2nd stage win for his team AG2R and the 5th for a French rider.... David López take sthe 2nd place, followed by Jérémie Galland.
Peloton
The peloton finishes at 1'13, with Fabian Cancellara winning this edition of Paris-Nice. Niki Terpstra sees some great fighting spirit awarded with the 2nd place.
Results
1
Blel Kadri
AG2R La Mondiale
3h21'03
2
David López
Movistar Team
s.t.
3
Jérémie Galland
Saur - Sojasun
s.t.
4
Steven Kruijswijk
Qantas Airways
s.t.
5
Igor Antón
Euskaltel - Euskadi
s.t.
6
Luis León Sánchez
Rabobank Cycling Team
+ 1'13
7
Maxime Monfort
Lotto - Belisol
s.t.
8
Cyril Gautier
Team Europcar
s.t.
9
Rigoberto Urán
Sky ProCycling
s.t.
10
Damiano Cunego
Radio Shack - Nissan
s.t.
...
19
Fabian Cancellara
Saxo Bank SunGard
s.t.
20
Niki Terpstra
Monster Energy - Subway
s.t.
Today's winner
GC
1
Fabian Cancellara
Saxo Bank SunGard
31h51'40
2
Niki Terpstra
Monster Energy - Subway
+ 16
3
Maxime Monfort
Lotto - Belisol
+ 29
4
Cyril Gautier
Team Europcar
+ 31
5
Fränk Schleck
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
+ 33
6
Jérôme Pineau
Saur - Sojasun
+ 35
7
Filippo Pozzato
Katusha Team
+ 57
8
Luis León Sánchez
Rabobank Cycling Team
+ 59
9
Vladimir Karpets
Saxo Bank SunGard
+ 1'10
10
Thomas Dekker
Monster Energy - Subway
+ 1'20
Points
1
Fabian Cancellara
Saxo Bank SunGard
83
2
Cyril Gautier
Team Europcar
78
3
Filippo Pozzato
Katusha Team
78
4
Niki Terpstra
Monster Energy - Subway
76
5
Maxime Monfort
Lotto - Belisol
72
KOTM
1
Trent Lowe
Sony Ericsson
36
2
Guillaume Bonnafond
AG2R La Mondiale
26
3
Igor Antón
Euskaltel - Euskadi
24
4
Romain Sicard
Euskaltel - Euskadi
22
5
Morris Possoni
Sky ProCycling
22
U25
1
Thibaut Pinot
AG2R La Mondiale
31h54'32
2
Romain Sicard
Euskaltel - Euskadi
+ 1'29
3
Chris Barton
Sony Ericsson
+ 22'44
4
Tosh Van der Sande
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
+ 22'50
5
Coen Vermeltfoort
Monster Energy - Subway
+ 27'52
Teams
1
Movistar Team
95h33'13
2
Team Europcar
+ 2'01
3
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
+ 4'02
4
Saxo Bank SunGard
+ 4'07
5
Sky ProCycling
+ 5'18
Overall winner
Word from the DS
Paris - Nice is done, and we had a very, very tough job in keeping Niki Terpstra in the 2nd place of the GC. But he somehow managed to do so, so we are very happy with this result!
Almost similar with Paris - Nice, although started a few days later, the 48th edition of the Tirreno - Adriatico is being held. The race between the 2 seas (the Tirrenean and Adriatic) is a prestigious World Tour stage race, where a part of the riders go for the GC, and others prepare themselves for Milano - San Remo and the cobbled classics.
Last year, Alessandro Ballan profitid fully of a very easy route, taking the GC-win, in front of the 2 Monster Energy-riders Peter Sagan and Wilco Kelderman.
The route
This year, the route is way more difficult. To be more precise, one of the most difficult routes in the history of the Tirreno - Adriatico. The first stage is a 3.9km prologue in Napoli. The difficulty is, that 75% of the route is ascending with more than 7%!
After a pancake flat 2nd stage, the trouble awaits in the 3rd and 4th one. In the 3rd the riders first have to climb the Mastramici (7.9km at 9.4%, summit 16km before the finish) before the finish at the summit of the Bocca di Selva (10.2km at 7.3%). The next day awaits another finish at a mountain top, this time the Vico del Gargano.
The riders that aim for the GC, can take a rest in stage 5, as it is pancake flat again. The penultimate stage is a 28km hilly ITT near Pescara, featuring 2 steep hills. The last stage will shake up the GC for sure, as it features extreme short and steep hills, including Montelupone and the finish in/at Recanati.
The favourites
The field is realy, realy stacked, with lots of good climbers and time trialists. It all depends on the fitness level, who can aim for the GC! *** Joaquím Rodríguez (Katusha), Michele Scarponi (Nespresso), Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin). ** Bradley Wiggins (Radio Shack), Jurgen Van den Broeck (BMC), Samuel Sánchez (Lampre). *Wilco Kelderman, Rein Taaramäe (Sony Ericsson), Philippe Gilbert (Lotto).
Our goal
With Wilco Kelderman in a good shape, we'll aim for a top 5 with him. And with a strong sprint train, with Breschel, Sagan and Bos, we have a chance to get a sprint win, but have to compete with Cavendish, Boasson Hagen, Farrar, Petacchi, Bennati and Boonen.
The Tirreno - Adriatico starts with a 3.9 kilometre mountain-prologue in Napoli. It's tough, and only the better climbers should be able to get a good result.
Can somebody tell me where my screenshots went? Must have deleted them....
Colnago's Tejay van Garderen wins the first stage, with 1 soil second faster than goldie oldie Danilo Di Luca. Wilco Kelderman has a good start with the 7th place, only '10 behind Van Garderen.
Results
1
Tejay Van Garderen
Colnago - CSF Inox
7'40
2
Danilo Di Luca
Acqua & Sapone
+ 1
3
Daniel Martin
Garmin - Barracuda
+ 7
4
Francesco Masciarelli
Pro Team Astana
+ 8
5
Haimar Zubeldia
Euskaltel - Euskadi
s.t.
6
Ángel Madrazo
Movistar Team
+ 10
7
Wilco Kelderman
Monster Energy - Subway
s.t.
8
Mikel Nieve
Pro Team Astana
+ 11
9
David Arroyo
Movistar Team
+ 12
10
Juan José Oroz
Euskaltel - Euskadi
+ 14
Spoiler
11
Michele Scarponi
Nespresso - Algarve
s.t.
12
Leonardo Bertagnolli
Lampre - Generali
+ 16
13
Steve Morabito
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
14
Joaquím Rodríguez
Katusha Team
s.t.
15
Simon Spilak
Lampre - Generali
+ 18
16
Tiago Machado
Radio Shack - Nissan
s.t.
17
Artem Ovechkin
Katusha Team
s.t.
18
Edvald Boasson Hagen
Lotto - Belisol
s.t.
19
Chris Froome
Sky ProCycling
s.t.
20
Ignatas Konovalovas
Movistar Team
+ 19
21
Daniel Moreno
Katusha Team
s.t.
22
Luca Barla
Androni Giocattoli
s.t.
23
Fabio Duarte
Pro Team Astana
s.t.
24
Jens Voigt
Radio Shack - Nissan
+ 20
25
Carlos Oyarzun
Movistar Team
s.t.
26
Chris Anker Sørensen
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
27
Frantisek Rabon
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
s.t.
28
Andrey Kashechkin
Lampre - Generali
s.t.
29
Jesús Herrada
Movistar Team
s.t.
30
Marcos García
Euskaltel - Euskadi
s.t.
31
Pavel Brutt
Rabobank Cycling Team
s.t.
32
Samuel Sánchez
Lampre - Generali
s.t.
33
Ryder Hesjedal
Garmin - Barracuda
s.t.
34
Iván Velasco
Euskaltel - Euskadi
+ 21
35
Iban Mayoz
Euskaltel - Euskadi
s.t.
36
Lars Boom
Rabobank Cycling Team
s.t.
37
Giampaolo Caruso
Katusha Team
s.t.
38
Bradley Wiggins
Radio Shack - Nissan
s.t.
39
Geraint Thomas
Qantas Airways
+ 22
40
Rein Taaramäe
Sony Ericsson
s.t.
41
Levi Leipheimer
Radio Shack - Nissan
s.t.
42
Marc De Maar
Monster Energy - Subway
+ 23
43
Fabio Felline
Nespresso - Algarve
s.t.
44
Alfredo Balloni
Lampre - Generali
s.t.
45
Janez Brajkovič
Radio Shack - Nissan
s.t.
46
Sylvain Chavanel
Garmin - Barracuda
s.t.
47
Michael Rogers
Sky ProCycling
+ 24
48
Ben Hermans
Radio Shack - Nissan
s.t.
49
Manuel Quinziato
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
50
Heinrich Haussler
Rabobank Cycling Team
s.t.
51
Sebastian Langeveld
Qantas Airways
s.t.
52
Mikhail Ignatiev
Katusha Team
s.t.
53
Greg Henderson
Pro Team Astana
s.t.
54
Tom Boonen
Sony Ericsson
s.t.
55
Daniele Bennati
Liquigas - Cannondale
s.t.
56
Jussi Veikkanen
Saxo Bank SunGard
s.t.
57
Carlos Barredo
Movistar Team
s.t.
58
Juan Antonio Flecha
Sky ProCycling
s.t.
59
Franco Pellizotti
Lampre - Generali
+ 25
60
Rob Ruijgh
Monster Energy - Subway
s.t.
61
Daniel Oss
Liquigas - Cannondale
s.t.
62
Jonathan Monsalve
Androni Giocattoli
s.t.
63
Yohan Offredo
FDJ
s.t.
64
Thor Hushovd
Lotto - Belisol
s.t.
65
Marco Corti
Nespresso - Algarve
s.t.
66
Mauro Finetto
Liquigas - Cannondale
s.t.
67
Dario Cioni
Sky ProCycling
s.t.
68
William Bonnet
FDJ
s.t.
69
Tanel Kangert
Pro Team Astana
s.t.
70
Federico Canuti
Colnago - CSF Inox
s.t.
71
George Hincapie
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
72
Jackson Rodríguez
Androni Giocattoli
s.t.
73
Rémi Pauriol
FDJ
s.t.
74
Philippe Gilbert
Lotto - Belisol
s.t.
75
Jurgen Van den Broeck
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
76
Nuno Ribeiro
Pro Team Astana
s.t.
77
Kristof Vandewalle
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
s.t.
78
Ángel Vicioso
Androni Giocattoli
s.t.
79
Giovanni Visconti
BMC Racing Team
+ 26
80
Gorka Verdugo
Euskaltel - Euskadi
s.t.
81
Jens Mouris
Qantas Airways
s.t.
82
Bernhard Eisel
Sky ProCycling
s.t.
83
Matti Breschel
Monster Energy - Subway
s.t.
84
Giorgio Brambilla
Liquigas - Cannondale
s.t.
85
Tyler Farrar
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
s.t.
86
Gert Dockx
Lotto - Belisol
s.t.
87
Guillaume Blot
FDJ
s.t.
88
Koldo Fernández
Euskaltel - Euskadi
s.t.
89
Daniele Pietropolli
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
s.t.
90
Vitali Kondrut
Lampre - Generali
s.t.
91
Fabian Wegmann
FDJ
s.t.
92
Maarten Wynants
Rabobank Cycling Team
s.t.
93
Greg Van Avermaet
Sony Ericsson
+ 27
94
Nick Nuyens
Saxo Bank SunGard
s.t.
95
Christopher Sutton
Pro Team Astana
s.t.
96
Frédéric Guesdon
FDJ
s.t.
97
Alessandro Proni
Acqua & Sapone
s.t.
98
Roberto Ferrari
Androni Giocattoli
s.t.
99
Matthew Goss
Lotto - Belisol
s.t.
100
Mark Cavendish
Sky ProCycling
s.t.
101
Charles Bradley Huff
Garmin - Barracuda
s.t.
102
Davide Bonuccelli
Nespresso - Algarve
s.t.
103
Borut Božic
Liquigas - Cannondale
s.t.
104
Davide D'Angelo
Acqua & Sapone
s.t.
105
Jack Bobridge
Monster Energy - Subway
s.t.
106
Alejandro Valverde
Colnago - CSF Inox
s.t.
107
Francesco Reda
Acqua & Sapone
+ 28
108
Ben Swift
Sky ProCycling
s.t.
109
Steven Van Vooren
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
s.t.
110
Fabio Sabatini
Acqua & Sapone
s.t.
111
Jürgen Roelandts
Sony Ericsson
s.t.
112
Peter Stetina
Garmin - Barracuda
s.t.
113
Mauro Santambrogio
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
114
Luca Paolini
Katusha Team
s.t.
115
Mirco Lorenzetto
Androni Giocattoli
s.t.
116
Shawn Milne
Garmin - Barracuda
s.t.
117
Nico Keinath
Sony Ericsson
s.t.
118
Alessandro Petacchi
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
119
Mitchell Docker
Qantas Airways
s.t.
120
Davide Appollonio
Sky ProCycling
s.t.
121
Marco Frapporti
Colnago - CSF Inox
s.t.
122
Tomas Vaitkus
Qantas Airways
s.t.
123
Elia Viviani
Liquigas - Cannondale
s.t.
124
Fabio Taborre
Acqua & Sapone
+ 29
125
Nikolai Trussov
Katusha Team
s.t.
126
Simone Ponzi
Liquigas - Cannondale
s.t.
127
Staf Scheirlinckx
Lotto - Belisol
s.t.
128
Matteo Pelucchi
Nespresso - Algarve
s.t.
129
Anders Lund
Saxo Bank SunGard
s.t.
130
Omar Lombardi
Colnago - CSF Inox
s.t.
131
Marko Kump
Rabobank Cycling Team
s.t.
132
Björn Leukemans
Sony Ericsson
s.t.
133
Pietro Caucchioli
Lampre - Generali
s.t.
134
Davide Cimolai
Androni Giocattoli
s.t.
135
Angelo Furlan
Acqua & Sapone
s.t.
136
Rodrigo García
Radio Shack - Nissan
s.t.
137
Ramon Ajuntas
Movistar Team
s.t.
138
Paolo Bailetti
Nespresso - Algarve
s.t.
139
Simon Gerrans
Qantas Airways
s.t.
140
Francisco José Ventoso
Movistar Team
+ 30
141
Paolo Tiralongo
Pro Team Astana
s.t.
142
Arthur Vichot
FDJ
s.t.
143
Job Vissers
Rabobank Cycling Team
s.t.
144
Pierpaolo Tondo
Colnago - CSF Inox
s.t.
145
Guillaume Van Keirsbulck
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
s.t.
146
Martin Kragh
Saxo Bank SunGard
s.t.
147
Francesco Gavazzi
Rabobank Cycling Team
s.t.
148
Aidis Kruopis
Qantas Airways
s.t.
149
Lucas Sebastián Haedo
Saxo Bank SunGard
s.t.
150
Leonardo Piepoli
Androni Giocattoli
+ 31
151
Alexander Porsev
Katusha Team
s.t.
152
Vicente Reynès
Lotto - Belisol
s.t.
153
Paolo Longo Borghini
Liquigas - Cannondale
s.t.
154
Aketza Peña
Euskaltel - Euskadi
s.t.
155
Robbie McEwen
Qantas Airways
s.t.
156
Alberto Loddo
Colnago - CSF Inox
s.t.
157
Arnaud Demare
FDJ
s.t.
158
Jonas Aaen Jørgensen
Saxo Bank SunGard
s.t.
159
Paride Grillo
Colnago - CSF Inox
s.t.
160
Giampaolo Cheula
Nespresso - Algarve
s.t.
161
Juan José Haedo
Saxo Bank SunGard
s.t.
162
Murilo Fischer
Sony Ericsson
s.t.
163
Jelle Wallays
Lotto - Belisol
s.t.
164
Tyler Wren
Garmin - Barracuda
+ 32
165
Daniele Ratto
Nespresso - Algarve
s.t.
166
Mark Renshaw
Rabobank Cycling Team
s.t.
167
Fred Rodriguez
Garmin - Barracuda
s.t.
168
Karl Gonzalez
Radio Shack - Nissan
s.t.
169
Arturo Martinelli
Acqua & Sapone
+ 33
170
Marco Bandiera
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
s.t.
171
Stefan Radochla
Sony Ericsson
s.t.
172
Justin Williams
Saxo Bank SunGard
s.t.
173
Peter Sagan
Monster Energy - Subway
+ 34
174
Vincenzo Maurizi
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
s.t.
175
Francis De Greef
Monster Energy - Subway
+ 36
176
Theo Bos
Monster Energy - Subway
+ 51
As a proof I didn't simulate, just take a look at the result from Francis De Greef (175th) and Peter Sagan (173rd)...
All riders, except the sprinter and their domestiques, can take it easy in the 2nd stage from Pozzuoli to Latina, as it is pancake flat and designed for a mass sprint finish.
119km to go
After an early breakaway with surprisingly some decent sprinters in it, as JJ Haedo (Sp 79), Roberto Ferrari (Sp 76), Borut Bozic (Sp 78), Alessandro Petacchi (Sp 77) and Mark Renshaw (77), another breakaway is more succesful. Yann Offredo, Borut Bozic, Fabio Felline, Greg Van Avermaet, Manuel Quinziato, Peter Stetina, Alfreo Balloni, Paolo Bailetti and Ignatas Kanovalovas is more succesful. They take a maximum lead of more than 5 minutes, but will get realed in...
1500m to go
Sky has set up their extraordinary sprint train, but try to surprise the other teams in the final 2 kilometres. Ben Swift attacks when he has taken the lead, and his team mates drop the pace, so Swift manages to create a gap.
Finish
But Swift starts to stall in the last 600 metres, and gets passed by the ther sprinters. Luckily for Sky, plan B works. Or is it plan A, as it's Mark Cavendish who takes the stage win in Latina. He beats Tyler Farrar and Fabio Sabatini with half a bikes length.
ANd how did we do?? Pretty bad..... 17th for Breschel, who even was the 1st lead out man....
Results
1
Mark Cavendish
Sky ProCycling
3h19'35
2
Tyler Farrar
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
s.t.
3
Fabio Sabatini
Acqua & Sapone
s.t.
4
Mirco Lorenzetto
Androni Giocattoli
s.t.
5
Christopher Sutton
Pro Team Astana
s.t.
6
Edvald Boasson Hagen
Lotto - Belisol
s.t.
7
Mauro Finetto
Liquigas - Cannondale
s.t.
8
Marco Frapporti
Colnago - CSF Inox
s.t.
9
Ben Swift
Sky ProCycling
s.t.
10
Matthew Goss
Lotto - Belisol
s.t.
...
17
Matti Breschel
Monster Energy - Subway
s.t.
GC
1
Tejay Van Garderen
Colnago - CSF Inox
3h27'15
2
Danilo Di Luca
Acqua & Sapone
+ 1
3
Daniel Martin
Garmin - Barracuda
+ 7
4
Francesco Masciarelli
Pro Team Astana
+ 8
5
Haimar Zubeldia
Euskaltel - Euskadi
s.t.
6
Ángel Madrazo
Movistar Team
+ 10
7
Wilco Kelderman
Monster Energy - Subway
s.t.
8
Mikel Nieve
Pro Team Astana
+ 11
9
David Arroyo
Movistar Team
+ 12
10
Juan José Oroz
Euskaltel - Euskadi
+ 14
Points
1
Tejay Van Garderen
Colnago - CSF Inox
12
2
Mark Cavendish
Sky ProCycling
12
3
Danilo Di Luca
Acqua & Sapone
10
4
Tyler Farrar
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
10
5
Daniel Martin
Garmin - Barracuda
8
Today's winner
Word from the DS
Maybe I should start a story about Cav and his sprint train, to see if I'm able to let him win more than 2 sprints in 80 races.... Man, I suck in sprinting
Very messed up tactic for Sky, but it worked out. Still, 17th in a sprint is not very bad with Breschel playing on extreme, in my 2012 season with Euskaltel I was already happy with a 10th place for Urtasun (on hard)
@ fcancellara: Well, not for Breschel, but for Bos and Sagan (both Sp 80) with a 22nd and 23rd is bad, especially considering Breschel was the first lead out, followed by Sagan and finally Bos....
And about future star Jasper: the kid is doing great, starts to drink very well, and is coming home tomorrow (Friday)!!! So no more visit to the hospital every day. Reallt thanks for asking, appreciating it a lot!
dienblad wrote:
@ fcancellara: Well, not for Breschel, but for Bos and Sagan (both Sp 80) with a 22nd and 23rd is bad, especially considering Breschel was the first lead out, followed by Sagan and finally Bos....
And about future star Jasper: the kid is doing great, starts to drink very well, and is coming home tomorrow (Friday)!!! So no more visit to the hospital every day. Reallt thanks for asking, appreciating it a lot!
This year's Tirreno - Adriatico shows its difficulty in stage 3, with some very tough climbs in the final part. First, 16 kilometres before the finish awaits the summit of the Mastramici after 8 ascending kilometres at an average gradient of 9.4%! Then, after a short downhill, the riders ascend the last 10 kilometres of the stage with an average gradient of 7.3% to the summit of the Bocca di Selva.
83km to go
14 riders form the BOTD and among them are some well known names, that you didn't expect in it: Thor Hushovd (Lotto), Tom Boonen (Sony Ericsson), Juan Antonio Flecha (Sky) and Daniele Bennati (Liquigas). They take a lead of 6 minutes to another surprising attacker, namely Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin), who is joined by Androni's Jackson Rodriguez. The peloton follows at 8 minutes.
20km to go
With 2 difficult climbs in the last 25 kilometres, that can shake up the GC, the peloton is desparate to catch the BOTD pretty early. So 20km before the finish, they are only 1'34 behind and the waiting starts who will be the first GC-contender to attack.
16km to go
That first GC-contender is Michele Scarponi. The question is if he is a real GC-contender, or if he is out of form and tries to surprise the rest off the riders...
Anyway, Scarponi attacks when the last member of the BOTD, Finnish Jussi Veikkanen, gets caught.
8km to go
Scarponi makes it over the summit of the Mastramici, and starts the final climb of the day towards Bocca di Selva with a small margin to the peloton. Immediately when the road starts to ascend, Chris Anker Sorensen (BMC) attacks. It's countered by GC-leader Tejay van Garderen, while the other riders maintain a high pace.
5km to go
Scarponi gets caught, when Tejay tries to continue solo. Apparently, he hasn't seen the roadbook, as he didn't know the climb was this steep. As a result, he gets caught by a chasing group of 25 riders, including Wilco Kelderman, 5 kilometres before the summit. Who's next?
4km to go
After one more ascending kilometre, the next rider attacks. It's Astana's Francesco Masciarelli out of Pescara. His attack is countered by Van Garderen and Joaquím Rodríguez, while Kelderman keeps climbing in his own pace.
2km to go
The counter attack by Tejay and Purito stalls, and only Mikel Nieve is able to close the gap to Masciarelli. The 2 Astana-riders keep climbing in a high pace, being able to create a gap of 26 seconds to a chasing group.
700m to go
When Nieve has to let his team mate go in the last kilometre, Wilco Kelderman is about to close the gap. Our young Dutch rider dropped his fellow chasers after setting an extremely high pace and need sto bridge a ga of '23 to Masciarelli and '12 to Nieve. But the last 700 kilometres are the most difficult ones, with gradients up to 14%.
Finish
Francesco Masciarelli wins the stage, but is too tired to celebrate the win. Nieve finishes in 2nd at '15 and Kelderman, who misjudged the last kilometre a bit in it's steepness, at '25.
Rodríguez, Sorensen and Di Luca follow at '44, while the rest finishes over a minute behind today's winner.
Results
1
Francesco Masciarelli
Pro Team Astana
4h51'05
2
Mikel Nieve
Pro Team Astana
+ 15
3
Wilco Kelderman
Monster Energy - Subway
+ 25
4
Joaquím Rodríguez
Katusha Team
+ 44
5
Chris Anker Sørensen
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
6
Danilo Di Luca
Acqua & Sapone
s.t.
7
Michele Scarponi
Nespresso - Algarve
+ 1'05
8
Tejay Van Garderen
Colnago - CSF Inox
s.t.
9
David Arroyo
Movistar Team
s.t.
10
Leonardo Bertagnolli
Lampre - Generali
s.t.
GC
1
Francesco Masciarelli
Pro Team Astana
8h18'18
2
Mikel Nieve
Pro Team Astana
+ 22
3
Wilco Kelderman
Monster Energy - Subway
+ 33
4
Danilo Di Luca
Acqua & Sapone
+ 47
5
Joaquím Rodríguez
Katusha Team
+ 1'02
6
Chris Anker Sørensen
BMC Racing Team
+ 1'06
7
Tejay Van Garderen
Colnago - CSF Inox
+ 1'07
8
David Arroyo
Movistar Team
+ 1'19
9
Michele Scarponi
Nespresso - Algarve
+ 1'21
10
Leonardo Bertagnolli
Lampre - Generali
+ 1'23
Points
1
Francesco Masciarelli
Pro Team Astana
22
2
Tejay Van Garderen
Colnago - CSF Inox
17
3
Danilo Di Luca
Acqua & Sapone
17
4
Mikel Nieve
Pro Team Astana
15
5
Wilco Kelderman
Monster Energy - Subway
14
KOTM
1
Jussi Veikkanen
Saxo Bank SunGard
8
2
Tejay Van Garderen
Colnago - CSF Inox
5
3
Francesco Masciarelli
Pro Team Astana
5
4
Michele Scarponi
Nespresso - Algarve
5
5
Danilo Di Luca
Acqua & Sapone
3
Today's winner
Word from the DS
This was a very good stage for Wilco Kelderman. WIth a fitness of 89, he manegs to finish in 3rd place, and becomes one of the GC-favourites. Great ride!!
The 2nd tough day in a row, brings the riders over 194 kilometres from Avellino to Vico del Gargano. 50 kilometres before the finish awaits the summit of the Monte sant'Angelo. The road goes up and down for the next 43 kilometres, before the final climb starts.
66km to go
An unpredicted strong wind (45 km/h) tears the peloton apart into several smaller groups in the long flat part towards the foot of the Monte Sant'Angelo. Many good climbers get surprised and find themselves in groups behind the first peloton: Wiggins, Duarte, Van den Broeck, Hesjedal and Brajkovic are among them, but the most important "victim" is yesterday's number 2 Mikel Nieve, who'll loose several minutes today.
49km to go
The 2 leaders, the only 2 who could remain in front out of an early breakaway, are Juan Antonio Flecha and Simone Ponzi. They arrive at the summit of the Monte sant'Angelo with a margin of 2'32 to the first peloton.
10km to go
In the following ascending parts of the road, Flecha has to let Ponzi go. Entering the last 10 kilometres, the Liquigas-riders leads a 21-rider peloton by 1'07. Besides GC's 2 Nieve, also the number 7 (Tejay van Garderen) and 9 (Michele Scarponi) are missing here.
5km to go
The final climb to Vico del Gargano starts, and the first to attack is BMC's Chris Anker Sorensen.
3km to go
The Dane can't create a big gap, and when he is caught within 2 kilometres, Joaquím Rodríguez launches the next attack. GC-leader Francesco Masciarelli and Danilo di Luca try to counter, while Wilco Kelderman is gasping for air and isn't able to counter. But we saw yesterday, that he is very good in riding a fast pace.
Finish
Purito takes the win today. Daniel Moreno makes it a surprising 1-2 for Katusha, beating Masciarelli at the line, '32 behind Rodríguez. Kelderman finishes in 6th at 1'01, together with Di Luca, Sorensen and Leandro Bertagnolli.
Results
1
Joaquím Rodríguez
Katusha Team
4h57'51
2
Daniel Moreno
Katusha Team
+ 32
3
Francesco Masciarelli
Pro Team Astana
s.t.
4
Danilo Di Luca
Acqua & Sapone
+ 1'01
5
Chris Anker Sørensen
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
6
Wilco Kelderman
Monster Energy - Subway
s.t.
7
Leonardo Bertagnolli
Lampre - Generali
s.t.
8
Pavel Brutt
Rabobank Cycling Team
+ 1'32
9
Philippe Gilbert
Lotto - Belisol
s.t.
10
David Arroyo
Movistar Team
s.t.
GC
The GC is very interesting, with the weak time trialists Masciarelli and Rodríguez in the lead, and Kelderman in 3rd at 1'06.
1
Francesco Masciarelli
Pro Team Astana
13h16'37
2
Joaquím Rodríguez
Katusha Team
+ 24
3
Wilco Kelderman
Monster Energy - Subway
+ 1'06
4
Danilo Di Luca
Acqua & Sapone
+ 1'20
5
Chris Anker Sørensen
BMC Racing Team
+ 1'39
6
Leonardo Bertagnolli
Lampre - Generali
+ 1'56
7
Daniel Moreno
Katusha Team
+ 2'23
8
David Arroyo
Movistar Team
s.t.
9
Tejay Van Garderen
Colnago - CSF Inox
+ 4'07
10
Pavel Brutt
Rabobank Cycling Team
+ 4'10
Points
1
Francesco Masciarelli
Pro Team Astana
32
2
Danilo Di Luca
Acqua & Sapone
26
3
Joaquím Rodríguez
Katusha Team
24
4
Wilco Kelderman
Monster Energy - Subway
21
5
Tejay Van Garderen
Colnago - CSF Inox
17
KOTM
1
Jussi Veikkanen
Saxo Bank SunGard
8
2
Francesco Masciarelli
Pro Team Astana
6
3
Joaquím Rodríguez
Katusha Team
5
4
Tejay Van Garderen
Colnago - CSF Inox
5
5
Michele Scarponi
Nespresso - Algarve
5
Today's winner
Word from the DS
Considering Kelderman is aiming for the GC-podium, this was a fairly weak day. He has to ride a great TT, with the extremely hilly last stage to Recenati in prospect.
)..2nd, your master plan wasn´t that bad but saddly didn´t worked out
....Cancellara surprises me( in such stage) but most importante, Terpstra managed to hold his 2nd place...
