Petronas - Monster Energy; The end of an era
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Ad Bot |
Posted on 23-11-2024 19:58
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Ian Butler |
Posted on 09-06-2012 11:18
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Nice racing here. I hope Jelle Vanendert can do something in the Ardennes |
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sutty68 |
Posted on 09-06-2012 12:38
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A nice start in Spain with three in the top ten |
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TomC |
Posted on 09-06-2012 14:14
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Anton will be hard to beat in his own race, but good luck |
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dienblad |
Posted on 09-06-2012 14:19
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@ FreitasPCM> Should be my laptop then... I'm available to become a DS, my salary-demands are negotiable!
@ Ian Butler: Vanendert should be a very luxury domestique for Sagan or Schleck, but depending on his daily form he can also make a surprise attack.
@ sutty68: thanks. This was even for you easy to be positive
@ TomC: Antón can only be beaten when we minimize the loss before the final ITT, and have a go with Sagan or De Gendt then. But I don't think it will happen, as the ITT is a bit hilly.
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Maddrengen |
Posted on 09-06-2012 14:22
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Dienblad: It's a shame Breschel isn't 78 or higher in hills. You could have won AGR and perhaps LBL with him!
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baia |
Posted on 09-06-2012 16:54
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Good start...about the 11kms to go, here is fine....
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dienblad |
Posted on 09-06-2012 17:16
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Maddrengen wrote:
Dienblad: It's a shame Breschel isn't 78 or higher in hills. You could have won AGR and perhaps LBL with him!
Yeah, and that his Mo and TT aren't about 80, then he also could win Le Tour!
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dienblad |
Posted on 09-06-2012 17:17
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baia wrote:
Good start...about the 11kms to go, here is fine....
Thanks. It's normal now at my laptop, strange....
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dienblad |
Posted on 09-06-2012 19:37
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Stage 2
The 2nd stage from Zumarraga to Leikunberri is again a very hilly one, with 7 categorized climbs. The last summit lies 3km before the finish, so expect countless attacks.
69km to go
After 80 kilometres of cycling, today's BOTD reaches the summit of the Alt de Zuarrarrate (6.5km at 5.3%). Garmins Tom Danielson leads Tschopp (BMC), Gasparotto (Lampre), Ginanni (Androni), N. Sorensen (Saxo), Slagter (Rabobank) and Milán (Caja Rural) in the ascend, with the peloton 6'14 behind them.
29km to go
That peloton, with the domestiques of Antón, Rodríguez and Kreuziger doing the chase, closes the gap gradually. 1km before the summit of today's penultimate climb, the Alto de Leaburu, the margin has decreased to 3'01.
28km to go
Joaquím Rodríguez uses the Alto de Leaburu to attack! Why so soon, with 20 descending and flat kilometres awaiting before he reaches the foot of the last climb?
8km to go
Starting that last climb, the Alto de Azpiroz (7.6km at 4.9%), Tom Danielson is the first to attack out of the leading group. He for sure has the best legs and with the margin to the peloton decreased to 1'10.
7km to go
Rodríguez has been caught before the last climb starts, but when the roas starts to arises again, he launches another attack. This time, Igor Antón counters his attack, as Purito is a real threat to his GC-lead.
5km to go
Meanwhile up front, young Dutch Tom Jelte Slagter has joined Danielson and the 2 have a small margin to Tschopp. Antón and Rodríguez have closed the gap to Tschopp and are only '15 behind the leaders. The peloton follows at 1'02 but start to close the gap, thanks to Astana.
4km to go
Strangely, the peloton closes the gap in only 1 kilometre. The 4 leaders must have sur placed... Roman Kreuziger immediately attacks, with only 1km to go to the summit.
Finish
The Czech rider can make his attack last untill the finish. Purito, Antón and Chris Froome finish in the same time, and a 42-second gap opens. Dutch Michel Kreder finishes in a surprisingly strong 5th place at '42, with Schleck in 7th and Sagan in 8th.
Results
1 | Roman Kreuziger | Pro Team Astana | 4h11'18 | 2 | Joaquím Rodríguez | Katusha Team | s.t. | 3 | Igor Antón | Euskaltel - Euskadi | s.t. | 4 | Chris Froome | Sky ProCycling | s.t. | 5 | Michel Kreder | Garmin - Barracuda | + 42 | 6 | Vincenzo Nibali | Radio Shack - Nissan | s.t. | 7 | Andy Schleck | Monster Energy - Subway | s.t. | 8 | Peter Sagan | Monster Energy - Subway | s.t. | 9 | Luis León Sánchez | Rabobank Cycling Team | s.t. | 10 | Tom Slagter | Rabobank Cycling Team | s.t. |
GC
1 | Igor Antón | Euskaltel - Euskadi | 8h36'03 | 2 | Roman Kreuziger | Pro Team Astana | + 16 | 3 | Joaquím Rodríguez | Katusha Team | + 32 | 4 | Chris Froome | Sky ProCycling | s.t. | 5 | Michel Kreder | Garmin - Barracuda | + 1'14 | 6 | Andy Schleck | Monster Energy - Subway | s.t. | 7 | Peter Sagan | Monster Energy - Subway | s.t. | 8 | Luis León Sánchez | Rabobank Cycling Team | s.t. | 9 | Vincenzo Nibali | Radio Shack - Nissan | s.t. | 10 | Ángel Madrazo | Movistar Team | s.t. |
Points
1 | Roman Kreuziger | Pro Team Astana | 45 | 2 | Igor Antón | Euskaltel - Euskadi | 41 | 3 | Joaquím Rodríguez | Katusha Team | 36 | 4 | Michel Kreder | Garmin - Barracuda | 24 | 5 | Andy Schleck | Monster Energy - Subway | 23 |
KOTM
1 | Johann Tschopp | BMC Racing Team | 20 | 2 | Tom Slagter | Rabobank Cycling Team | 19 | 3 | Tom Danielson | Garmin - Barracuda | 16 | 4 | Igor Antón | Euskaltel - Euskadi | 14 | 5 | Roman Kreuziger | Pro Team Astana | 14 |
Today's winner
Word from the DS
We really have no chance against the big guns untill now....
Edited by dienblad on 09-06-2012 20:47
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Ian Butler |
Posted on 09-06-2012 22:43
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Schleck's doing fine. |
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sutty68 |
Posted on 09-06-2012 22:44
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Schleck and Sagan still in with a good shout |
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dienblad |
Posted on 10-06-2012 10:17
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Stage 3
The 3rd stage from Villatuerta to Zuia - Murgia over 180 kilometres, is the longest, but the easiest one in this year's Vuelta al País Vasco. Nevertheless, there are 3 categorized climbs in it, with the summit of the Alto de Altube 15km before the finish, and a little non-categorized kick only 5km before the finish, so don't expect a mass sprint.
82km to go
In contrary to the previous 2 stages, the BOTD is small. Only 3 riders are willing to go on an adventure, probably with the prospect of tomorrow's queens stage.
Diego Milán (Caja Rural), Steven van Vooren (Omega Pharma) and Nicki Sorensen (Saxo Bank) are allowed to creat a maximum margin of 9'30. This margin has shrunken by 2 minutes with 82km to go.
27km to go
Somehow, the 3 leaders manage to keep a good margin, so with 27km to go, it's still 3'20 and they can continue to dream about a stage win. But when GC's number 5 Michel Kreder (Garmin) attacks, and the pace increases in the peloton, the margin will decrease rapidly.
17km to go
Kreder gets caught quickly, but thanks to the increased pace of the peloton, the 3 leaders loose almost 2 and a half minute in 10 kilometres! The ascend of the Alto de Altube (4.5km at 6.0%) has started. And when GC's number 4 Chris Froome attacks, the 3 know that their chances are gone.
16km to go
Froome, together with Ángel Madrazo joins the 3 leaders but at the same time, the first part of the peloton is at their back wheels. 54 riders will battle it out. But at this point, Roman Kreuziger attacks, countered by Joaquím Rodríguez.
11km to go
This is the sign for a lot of action. The attack of Kreuziger and Rodríguez is countered by Igor Antón and Andy Schleck. Then Chris Froome find a second breath and joins the 4 leaders, shortly after followed by Michel Kreder and Peter Sagan.
But as happened before, the pace drops, and the others rejoin. 37 riders are part of the first group, with 11km to go!
3km to go
The little kick at 5km before the finish is used by Maxime Monfort and Samuel Sánchez to attack, and Antón counters. But the pack rejoins and 24 riders will sprint for the stage win.
Schleck will serve as a lead out for Sagan and is placing himself in the front.
1km to go
Peter Sagan gets surprised by Froome and Antón, who start their sprint with 2km to go. He finds the back wheel of the Sky-rider and is ready to launch his jump.
Finish
But he can't make it. Although being the way better sprinter, the hills must have exhausted him too much, as he can't improve his position and finishes in 3rd. The win surprisingly goes to Chris Froome (Sp 66, compared to the 81 by Sagan Cya logic), his first win in more than 2 years!
Results
1 | Chris Froome | Sky ProCycling | 4h33'31 | 2 | Igor Antón | Euskaltel - Euskadi | s.t. | 3 | Peter Sagan | Monster Energy - Subway | s.t. | 4 | Roman Kreuziger | Pro Team Astana | s.t. | 5 | Luis León Sánchez | Rabobank Cycling Team | s.t. | 6 | Michel Kreder | Garmin - Barracuda | s.t. | 7 | Maxime Monfort | Lotto - Belisol | s.t. | 8 | Ángel Madrazo | Movistar Team | s.t. | 9 | Stefan Schumacher | Sony Ericsson | s.t. | 10 | Daniel Moreno | Katusha Team | s.t. |
GC
1 | Igor Antón | Euskaltel - Euskadi | 13h09'34 | 2 | Roman Kreuziger | Pro Team Astana | + 16 | 3 | Joaquím Rodríguez | Katusha Team | + 32 | 4 | Chris Froome | Sky ProCycling | s.t. | 5 | Michel Kreder | Garmin - Barracuda | + 1'14 | 6 | Peter Sagan | Monster Energy - Subway | s.t. | 7 | Luis León Sánchez | Rabobank Cycling Team | s.t. | 8 | Andy Schleck | Monster Energy - Subway | s.t. | 9 | Ángel Madrazo | Movistar Team | s.t. | 10 | Vincenzo Nibali | Radio Shack - Nissan | s.t. |
Points
1 | Igor Antón | Euskaltel - Euskadi | 61 | 2 | Roman Kreuziger | Pro Team Astana | 59 | 3 | Joaquím Rodríguez | Katusha Team | 41 | 4 | Chris Froome | Sky ProCycling | 39 | 5 | Michel Kreder | Garmin - Barracuda | 34 |
KOTM
1 | Roman Kreuziger | Pro Team Astana | 20 | 2 | Johann Tschopp | BMC Racing Team | 20 | 3 | Tom Slagter | Rabobank Cycling Team | 19 | 4 | Igor Antón | Euskaltel - Euskadi | 16 | 5 | Tom Danielson | Garmin - Barracuda | 16 |
Today's winner
Word from the DS
We really should have won this one..... It's so annoying to see that a rider with Sp of 66 and who has attacked twice in the final of the stage, pretty easily outsprints a rider in a pretty good fitness, a daily form of 0, Sp of 81 and with a lot of energy left before the sprint. Really annoying...
But tomorrow is different, as it is the queen stage with the horribly steep Alto de Usartza shortly before the finish.
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dienblad |
Posted on 10-06-2012 10:24
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Hey guys, question about the sponsor:
The contract with Monster Energy ends after this season. I've send my scouts to look for another sponsor and they found a great one. Namely Petronas, with a yearly fund of about 1 million higher than Monster now.
What should I do? Use the editor and change the end date of the current contract with Monster, or go for the money and switch to Petrobras? I already started negotiations with Petrobras, trying to get another 500.000 (so a total of 6.5 mln a year!).
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Ian Butler |
Posted on 10-06-2012 10:37
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Tough one.
I kind of like Monster Energy, though.
It's your call, whatever you want |
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Pellizotti2 |
Posted on 10-06-2012 10:39
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I'd say it's time for a change. Go for Petronas.
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sutty68 |
Posted on 10-06-2012 11:05
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Stick with Monster Energy, the name we have come to love |
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baia |
Posted on 10-06-2012 11:42
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We need some action from Schleck or Sagan... 1´14" will be hard to knock down....
Althought i like Monster babes ... a change might be interesting..... look first if Petronas as nice babes too...
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dienblad |
Posted on 10-06-2012 11:57
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baia wrote:
We need some action from Schleck or Sagan... 1´14" will be hard to knock down....
Althought i like Monster babes ... a change might be interesting..... look first if Petronas as nice babes too...
I did forget to mention that a change to Petronas means no more Monster-babes! And did a quick research with google: yes, there are Petronas-girls, but they're all Malaysian / Asian. And I prefer the European/American kind of women..... 1-0 for Monster
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Spilak23 |
Posted on 10-06-2012 12:09
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Dienblad, I've been out for a while but here I'm back following again!
I must say that your team has become great with great development of some riders (Keldermann, obviously) and some nice additions.
It's great to see that you could win de Ronde van Vlaanderen with Breschel cause I know how hard it is to win when your not playing with Cancellara or Boonen!
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dienblad |
Posted on 10-06-2012 13:22
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Spilak23 wrote:
Dienblad, I've been out for a while but here I'm back following again!
I must say that your team has become great with great development of some riders (Keldermann, obviously) and some nice additions.
It's great to see that you could win de Ronde van Vlaanderen with Breschel cause I know how hard it is to win when your not playing with Cancellara or Boonen!
Thanks! But I think it is too strong, so for 2014 there are going to be some changes. I won't renew the contract of Andy Schleck, and let Keldeman take his place as a GC-contender.
Missed you here. Any plans for a new story for you?
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