Rasmussen: I am here in Vitré in Brittany, northwestern France, a town of rich medieval cultural inheritance. The race name comes from its local sponsor Les Délices du Valplessis, it is an Ice cream brand.
The route is composed of 6 laps of 21.1 km, from Vitre – Balazé – Taillis – Vitre. Then 8 laps on a shorter route of 8,9 km. The routes are full of short but steep Hills.
Adélie Ice cream:
Pre-race strategy: We want to get in an early break, alternatively a later attack by Elissonde, if it comes to a mass finish Pacheco will most likely be our best shot.
Profile:
Roster:
Anders Bjerregård
Francisco José Pacheco
Kenny Elissonde
Lasse Christiansen
Marc Hester
Morten Høberg
Philip Nielsen
Simon Bigum
We get Høberg in the morning break, with Joan Horrach (Wallonie – Bruxelles) and Yannick Talabardon (Sojasun)
The peloton is relatively relaxed; the front group got a little more than 7 minutes, with about 135 km to go.
The peloton cruising slowly:
A lot of crashes in this race; Markus Eibegger (Gourmetfein Simplon) inspecting his wounds.
The Peloton speeds up and slowly the distance to the break disappears, Høberg fall back first, and the others are back in the peloton with 7-8 km left, a few other attacks can’t get away, and it all ends in a chaotic mass sprint, with no team able to form trains.
Christina:
Hi, Im in London, The board have had a meeting, evaluating the first 3 months of the season, compared to last year at the same time.
2015
Rider
2014
Rider
Continental
Team Rank
6
13
Rider Rank
17
Elissonde
4
José Pacheco
OQ
Team Rank
27
35
Rider Rank
46
Elissonde
147
José Pacheco
Victories
1
Martin Pedersen
3
José Pacheco
The number of victories and top 3 results is not as high as last year, but we are competing on another level now, so we are accepting this, even though we would like more victories. But we are satisfied with the fact, that we are making more OQ points, than we did last year, so far we are safe from losing our Pro Continental status.
The team really are competing well this year! They're going to be safely in the pro-continental ranks next year too if this continues. Elissonde has been a great recruit so hopefully he stays with the team for a few more years.
Christina: Antwerp is the largest diamond market in the world, so when you living from selling jewelry and watches, Antwerp is the place you want to attract attention, we need a good result here, a top 10 would be great.
The Race officially start in the center of Antwerp, but the actual race starts is Schoten a few km outside the city. From here the race moves in a circle north to Hoogstraten, west to Kasterlee, south to Grobbendonk, and back to Schoten, for the last 50 km, on a closed circuit in the Schoten area.
Antwerp:
Pre-race strategy: We want to get a rider in the early break, but we expect a mass sprint finish, we will protect the sprinters Pacheco and Philip Nielsen.
Profile:
Roster:
Angelo Furlan
Francisco José Pacheco
Frederik Wilmann
Lasse Christiansen
Marc Hester
Morten Høberg
Philip Nielsen
Stefan Schumacher
Marc Hester gets in the early break, with 4 other riders. They get a gap of more than 6 minutes, before the peloton speeds up.
When the peloton starts to set the pace high, it is with many riders and all the strong Pro-Tour teams, Vodafone (SKY), Lotto and Quick·Step. The Break will not hold.
We get a train up rather late, but with 5 km left is it ready. Schumacher- Nielsen-Pacheco.
Now it time to get the train forward fast, but sudden movement in front of Nielsen, and he fall a bit back and loose contact, Schumacher moves forward but he is alone.
Marcel Kittel (Vodafone) wins the stage over John Degenkolb (Argos – Shimano). Stefan Schumacher make a fine 15th, but Pacheco and Nielsen get in with a disappointing 19th and 25th.
Christina: what shall I say, not only do we not get our train ready in time, but when it gets up we lose contact again, I feel like just going to bed. I don’t know who to blame and I actually don’t care.
The team was very unlucky in the Schildeprijs, unfortunate timing and there were some of the best sprint teams in the world attending. They shouldn't be too disappointed
!2/4-14/4 Vuelta Ciclista a Castilla y León (cat. 2.1)
Stage 1: Arévalo – Valladolid : 194.3 km
Christina: In Arévalo, north-western Spain, for “Vuelta Ciclista a Castilla y León”, we were riding this race last year, with some good result: Stage 4th and a GC 6th. I expect we can to better or at least the same this year.
The stage starts in Arelalo, takes a sweep og 87 km south through Flores de Ávila and back to Arévalo, then vest to Tordesillas, then north-east through the hills, with a cat.3 in Velilla; and the finish in Valladolid.
Valladolid is northwestern Spain's largest city. Remains of Celtiberian and Roman camp have been present near the city. But it was a village until Count Pedro Ansúrez got it in 1072 and builds a palace here, then it grew fast.
Pre-race strategy: We will sit in the Peloton, and help holding the break in line if necessary.
Profile:
Roster:
Anders Bjerregård
Anton Grøn
Francisco José Pacheco
Frederik Wilmann
Lasse Christiansen
Philip Nielsen
Sondre Holst Enger
Stefan Schumacher
A lot of attempts were made to create breaks, but the peloton was cautious not letting anyone important get away. But finally 3 riders got away, not a threat to the GC or even the stage, but they did share the mountain points, so I think they were happy with their effort.
Sondre Holst Enger has got good legs today, he attempts an attack on the cat.3
But he can’t hold, and it is now the sprint, we get Pacheco on the wheel of Schumacher in a fine position for the sprint.
Marko Kump takes the win over Matti Breschel, both Saxo – Tinkoff. We get Pacheco 6th. Schumacher 11th.
Rasmussen: While Christina is in Spain, we are in Saint-Évarzec, for the Tour du Finistère, held in the area around Quimper, capital of the Finistère department of Brittany in the most western parts of France. Quimper has a distinctive Breton character, originally settled during Roman times. By AD 495, the town had become a Bishopric.
Quimper:
Pre-race strategy: We have no expectations, so every rider is free to attempts whatever they feel like, if they got the legs.
Profine:
Roster:
Yves Lampaert
Martin Pedersen
Daniele Aldegheri
Angelo Furlan
Sebastian Balck
Morten Høberg
Simon Bigum
Marc Hester
After some failed attacks, Martin Pedersen gets away in a solo break.
With about 120 km, he got a lead of 7’20
But the Peloton speeds up and Martin is reeled back in with more than 10 km to the line. The stronger hill rider start attacking on the last few hills, where Peter Kennaugh (Vodafone) created a small gap, he wins the race with 30 sec. over Pierre Rolland (Europcar), our best is Yves Lampaert 14th.
Rasmussen: We are Ok with this result, we got a bit of TV time, and a top 15.
!2/4-14/4 Vuelta Ciclista a Castilla y León (cat. 2.1)
Stage 2: Urueña - Palencia : 168.9 km
Christina: From Valladolid the caravan has travelled about 50 km to Urueña, a small town west of Valladolid, with a strong medieval feel, due to its castle and stone houses.
From Urueña the stage go east for a climb (cat.3) near Peñaflor de Hornija, then north east for another (cat.3) near Dueñas, west to Torremormojón, and finally north-east for the last (cat.3) near Autilla del Pino before the finish in Palencia. A city which originates back to pre-roman times.
Pre-race strategy: We will again stay in the peloton, and help keep any break-away in control if we need to.
The early break-away takes off with 4 riders, the strongest and most famous is Stijn Devolder (RadioShack – Leopard)
The rain is pouring down all day and the slippery roads send several riders down on the tarmac. Sojasun’s sprinter Manuel Cardoso was down first.
As planned we send Philip Nielsen to the front, to help control the race.
After getting water for the team, the hard conditions is too much for young Anton Grøn he has to fall back and loses 7'41 today, but he is not alone, many riders loses time today, some more that 16 minutes.
The break is reeled in and it is time to get the trains up, we set a train with Schumacher - Holst Enger – Pacheco, we get in front at just the right time. Matti Breschel (Saxo-Tinkoff) takes the wheel of Pacheco
Matti Breschel loses grip on the wet road and crashes, with less than 2 km left.
Our setup was perfect, Pacheco wins the stage in front of Matteo Trentin (Quick·Step)
Christina: After the disappointment in Schelderprijs, this was just what we needed, I am so happy, everyone did exactly what they had to do to get this win.
Stage:
1
Francisco José Pacheco
Christina Watches - Onfone
3h41'06
2
Matteo Trentin
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
s.t.
3
Frederique Robert
Lotto Belisol
s.t.
4
Tony Gallopin
RadioShack - Leopard
s.t.
5
Gert Steegmans
Lotto Belisol
s.t.
6
Marko Kump
Team Saxo - Tinkoff
s.t.
7
Francesco Lasca
Caja Rural - Seguros RGA
s.t.
8
Enrique Mata
Burgos BH - Castilla y León
s.t.
9
Sondre Holst Enger
Christina Watches - Onfone
s.t.
10
Carlos Barbero
Euskadi
s.t.
GC:
1
Marko Kump
Team Saxo - Tinkoff
7h46'07
2
Francisco José Pacheco
Christina Watches - Onfone
s.t.
3
Matteo Trentin
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
+ 8
4
Matti Breschel
Team Saxo - Tinkoff
s.t.
5
Gert Steegmans
Lotto Belisol
+ 12
6
Frederique Robert
Lotto Belisol
s.t.
7
Francesco Lasca
Caja Rural - Seguros RGA
+ 20
8
Steven Caethoven
Lotto Belisol
s.t.
9
Bobbie Traksel
Champion System Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
10
Carlos Barbero
Euskadi
s.t.
Points:
1
Marko Kump
Team Saxo - Tinkoff
10
35
2
Francisco José Pacheco
Christina Watches - Onfone
25
35
3
Gert Steegmans
Lotto Belisol
12
28
Mountain:
1
Giovanny Baez
Colombia
12
2
Xavier Florencio
Thüringer Energie Team
8
3
Gaetan Bille
Lotto Belisol
6
Team: Lotto Belisol
Young: Matteo Trentin (Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team)
Edited by Tamijo on 29-10-2015 09:04
!2/4-14/4 Vuelta Ciclista a Castilla y León (cat. 2.1)
Stage 3: Aguilar de Campoó - Cervera de Pisuerga: 187.3 km
Aguilar de Campoó:
Christina: From Palencia the caravan has travelled about 100 km north to the town Aguilar de Campoó; from here to route goes west to Velilla del Río Carrión, form here north west over the 3 first climbs to Prioro. Then back to Velilla del Río Carrión and north–east into “Fuentes Carrionas y Fuente Cobre” natural park, for a last climb near Santibáñez de Resoba, before the descend towards the finish in Cervera de Pisuerga.
The road into the small village Santibáñez de Resoba:
Pre-race strategy: We will again stay in the peloton, and help keep any break-away in control.
Profile:
A break of 8 gets away, most of them strong known riders, the peloton has to be careful this is a strong break. It is raining a little, but not for long.
We send a few riders to the front, to help controlling the race. The peloton takes the break very serious, with a very high pace all day. The break is back in with about 40 km left.
The result is new attempts to attack, now with GC contenders. George Bennett (RadioShack) Jesús Hernández (Saxo) J. A. Benítez (Burgos) goes first. Now it is raining again.
Several other attacks are attempted over the next 20 km, but all are brought back by peloton. Until the last short hill, near the 10 km mark, where a group of 6 riders, gets a good gap, Stefan Schumacher and Pacheco sits in this group.
Rubén Fernández (Euskadi) makes a magnificent last 5-6 km, and get up to the front group before the finish line. Most of the group has not much sprint left in the legs; the race was won by Tony Gallopin (RadioShack) over Lars Petter Nordhaug (Belkin), Schumacher & Pacheco get in as 4th and 6th, both losing 19 sec. to Gallopin.
Christina: Splendid race, hats off to the team, and off course especially Francisco José.
Final Result
Stage:
1
Tony Gallopin
RadioShack - Leopard
4h34'40
2
Lars Petter Nordhaug
Belkin Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
3
Garikoitz Bravo
Liberty Seguros - Würth
s.t.
4
Stefan Schumacher
Christina Watches - Onfone
+ 19
5
Rubén Fernández
Euskadi
s.t.
6
Francisco José Pacheco
Christina Watches - Onfone
s.t.
7
Oliver Zaugg
Champion System Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
8
Sergey Lagutin
Sojasun
+ 43
9
Ion Izagirre
Liberty Seguros - Würth
+ 52
10
John Darwin Atapuma
Katusha Team
+ 1'08
GC:
1
Tony Gallopin
RadioShack - Leopard
12h20'47
2
Lars Petter Nordhaug
Belkin Pro Cycling Team
+ 8
3
Garikoitz Bravo
Liberty Seguros - Würth
+ 12
4
Francisco José Pacheco
Christina Watches - Onfone
+ 19
5
Stefan Schumacher
Christina Watches - Onfone
+ 39
6
Rubén Fernández
Euskadi
s.t.
7
Oliver Zaugg
Champion System Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
8
Sergey Lagutin
Sojasun
+ 1'03
9
Ion Izagirre
Liberty Seguros - Würth
+ 1'12
10
John Darwin Atapuma
Katusha Team
+ 1'28
Points:
1
Francisco José Pacheco
Christina Watches - Onfone
10
45
2
Tony Gallopin
RadioShack - Leopard
25
39
3
Marko Kump
Team Saxo - Tinkoff
0
35
Mountain:
1
Adrián Palomares
Movistar Team
16
16
2
Giovanny Baez
Colombia
0
12
3
Dennis Van Niekerk
MTN - Qhubeka
10
10
Team: Christina Watches - Onfone
Young: Garikoitz Bravo (Liberty Seguros - Würth)
Edited by Tamijo on 24-10-2015 21:31
