Stage 4
165 kilometres between Thierrens and Neuchatel, with some descending roads in the first 40 kilometres, then about 70 flat, before we enter the hills near Neuchatel. In these hills, there are 2 categorized KOTM-sprints (Enges, and the Lignieres), with the last summit 17km before the finish. This is what the riders will face today.
68km to go
11 riders create a maximum margin of 7 minutes, before the peloton (that is: we!) start to chase them. The stage is classified as flat, so a mass sprint is possible here.
With 68km to go, riding along the Lac du Neuchatel, Nocentini, Stannard, Kuyckx, Davis, Voss, Montaguti and the others still lead with 4'50.
17km to go
4 riders have dropped the other 7 in the 2 climbs. Montauti. Kuyckx, Nocentini and Voss lead them with 17km to go, consisiting of a descend and 12 flat kilometres.
As we didn't want to drop Bos & Kittel in the climbs, we sowed down th epace a bit. As a result, we're 2'40 behind the 4 leaders, so it'll be a close call.
7km to go
Red Bull's Paul Voss has dropped the others in the descend and is leading them with 50 seconds with only 7km to go. It looks like he's going to win this one, as he leads the peloton with 2'05!
1500m to go
The last kilometres along the shore of Lac du Neuchatel are a hell for Voss. He's fighting against the strong head wind and starts to get cramps in his legs. As a result, the peloton is closing him down rapidly. WIth 1500 metres to go, the peloton is only '27 behind! Our sprint train with Kelderman (daily form of -5), Bos (form 0) and Kittel (form 0) is in the lead of the peloton, with Farrar and Boasson Hagen in the wheel of our German sprinter.
300m to go
Tragedy for Paul Voss. He can smell the flowers that awaits the winner, but he gets passed with just 300 metres to go. Tyler Farrar, Marcel Kittel and Boasson Hagen sprint for the win, with Farrar having the highest speed at the moment (64 vs. 63 for EBH and 62 for MK). But what is that tv-motor doing on his left? It gives the American a big advantage, as he has no headwind no, in contrary to the 2 others.
Finish
And Tyler Farrar takes the win in Neuchatel, beating Edvald Boasson Hagen and Marcel Kittel in a 3-men drag race. The Norwegian is furious, as he feels that Farrar was helped by the motor cycle. His Lotto-team decides to make an official protest. We decide not to do it, as we won't win the stage anyway.
Results
After 25 minutes of discussion, the jury gives it verdict: Farrar hasn't been helped and stays the winner....
1
Tyler Farrar
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
3h58'50
2
Edvald Boasson Hagen
Lotto - Belisol
s.t.
3
Marcel Kittel
Monster Energy - Subway
s.t.
4
Paul Voss
Red Bull - Cervélo
s.t.
5
Roberto Ferrari
Androni Giocattoli
s.t.
6
Koldo Fernández
Euskaltel - Euskadi
s.t.
7
Theo Bos
Monster Energy - Subway
s.t.
8
Robert Gesink
Monster Energy - Subway
s.t.
9
Russell Downing
Qantas Airways
s.t.
10
Tosh Van der Sande
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
s.t.
GC
1
Joaquím Rodríguez
Katusha Team
12h41'07
2
Chris Anker Sørensen
BMC Racing Team
+ 1'01
3
Kim Kirchen
Sky ProCycling
+ 1'13
4
Gustav Erik Larsson
Saxo Bank SunGard
s.t.
5
Stefan Schumacher
Sony Ericsson
+ 1'16
6
Wilco Kelderman
Monster Energy - Subway
+ 1'17
7
Jens Voigt
Radio Shack - Nissan
s.t.
8
Christian Knees
Sky ProCycling
s.t.
9
Jesús Herrada
Movistar Team
+ 1'18
10
Richie Porte
Saxo Bank SunGard
+ 1'19
Points
1
Joaquím Rodríguez
Katusha Team
39
2
Robert Gesink
Monster Energy - Subway
37
3
Tyler Farrar
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
28
4
Wilco Kelderman
Monster Energy - Subway
26
5
Kim Kirchen
Sky ProCycling
22
KOTM
1
Joaquím Rodríguez
Katusha Team
24
2
Gavin Mannion
Sony Ericsson
22
3
Christian Vande Velde
Radio Shack - Nissan
18
4
Jan Kuyckx
Lotto - Belisol
18
5
Matteo Montaguti
Androni Giocattoli
16
Today's winner
Word from the DS
Even though Kittel finished in 3rd, we can look back at a good sprint for the team. Hoping for a better daily form, and both Kittel and Bos can surprise their opponents in the Giro.
Ian Butler wrote:
Will Kittel try and hang on for 3 weeks or drop out early?
He may be going for points jersey if he can survive the mountains.
I always intend my riders to end a race, whether it has 3 or 21 stages. So the answer is yes. But like every year in the Giro and the Vuelta, the points jersey will probably go to a GC-contender.
Stage 5
The Tour de Romandie will be decided in today's Individual Time Trial (unless something strange will happen in the last stage). The 20.3 kilometres between Aubonne and Signal de Bougy has it biggest difficulty in the first part, with about 300 height metres in 5 kilometres. Then the road becomes undulating untill the finish.
And I somehow took no screenshots. Thught I did, but apparantly not.... So a short summary:
I had 2 strategies for the riders: some started a bit slower and pushed more in the 2nd part, while the others started a bit faster. Both Kelderman and Gesink started faster, and it proofed to be a bit too fast, as they faded a bit in the 2nd half. Contrary to Marc de Maar and Jack Bobridge, who rode a strong 2nd half.
Prologue-winner Gustav Erik Larsson was the fastes halway, 1 second faster than Kelderman. But Kelderman faded, whereas Larsson managed to hold on and win the ITT. Richie Porte made it a double for Saxo, with Andrew Talansky taking a surprising 3rd place.
Bobridge (6th) and De Maar (9th) finished in the top 10, with Kelderman (12th) and Gesink (15th) just outside of it. And GC-leader Jaquím Rodríguez? 75th at 1'37, so loosing his yellow jersey and dropping till 8th place.
Results
1
Gustav Erik Larsson
Saxo Bank SunGard
28'41
2
Richie Porte
Saxo Bank SunGard
+ 1
3
Andrew Talansky
Radio Shack - Nissan
+ 4
4
Stefan Schumacher
Sony Ericsson
+ 5
5
Adriano Malori
Lampre - Generali
+ 9
6
Jack Bobridge
Monster Energy - Subway
+ 10
7
Jens Voigt
Radio Shack - Nissan
+ 12
8
Rein Taaramäe
Sony Ericsson
+ 15
9
Edvald Boasson Hagen
Lotto - Belisol
+ 17
10
Marc De Maar
Monster Energy - Subway
+ 18
Spoiler
11
Christian Knees
Sky ProCycling
+ 20
12
Wilco Kelderman
Monster Energy - Subway
s.t.
13
Kim Kirchen
Sky ProCycling
+ 21
14
Jesús Herrada
Movistar Team
+ 22
15
Robert Gesink
Monster Energy - Subway
+ 23
16
Rubén Plaza
Movistar Team
s.t.
17
Rasmus Quaade
Sony Ericsson
+ 24
18
Jérémy Roy
FDJ
+ 25
19
Marcel Kittel
Monster Energy - Subway
+ 27
20
Nicolas Roche
AG2R La Mondiale
s.t.
21
David Zabriskie
Qantas Airways
+ 28
22
Ian Stannard
Sky ProCycling
+ 30
23
Taylor Phinney
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
24
Matteo Montaguti
Androni Giocattoli
+ 31
25
Janez Brajkovič
Radio Shack - Nissan
s.t.
26
Mikel Astarloza
Euskaltel - Euskadi
+ 33
27
Romain Sicard
Euskaltel - Euskadi
+ 35
28
Danny Pate
Sony Ericsson
s.t.
29
Francis De Greef
Monster Energy - Subway
+ 37
30
Steve Houanard
AG2R La Mondiale
+ 38
31
Gorka Verdugo
Euskaltel - Euskadi
+ 39
32
Paul Martens
Rabobank Cycling Team
+ 41
33
Bert Grabsch
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
+ 42
34
Rigoberto Urán
Sky ProCycling
s.t.
35
Christian Vande Velde
Radio Shack - Nissan
+ 43
36
Mikhail Ignatiev
Katusha Team
+ 44
37
Tyler Farrar
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
+ 46
38
Romain Bardet
FDJ
s.t.
39
Maarten Neyens
Lotto - Belisol
+ 47
40
David Arroyo
Movistar Team
+ 48
41
Blel Kadri
AG2R La Mondiale
s.t.
42
Heinrich Haussler
Rabobank Cycling Team
+ 50
43
Gorka Izagirre
Movistar Team
+ 51
44
Beñat Intxausti
Euskaltel - Euskadi
+ 52
45
Evgeni Petrov
Pro Team Astana
+ 53
46
Paul Voss
Red Bull - Cervélo
+ 54
47
Sandy Casar
FDJ
+ 56
48
Amaël Moinard
BMC Racing Team
+ 58
49
Peter Kennaugh
Sky ProCycling
+ 1'01
50
Rui Costa
Movistar Team
+ 1'03
51
Nuno Ribeiro
Pro Team Astana
+ 1'06
52
Tanel Kangert
Pro Team Astana
+ 1'07
53
Pieter Weening
Qantas Airways
s.t.
54
Víctor Hugo Peña
Colombia es Pasión - Café de Colombia
s.t.
55
Alex Dowsett
Sky ProCycling
+ 1'09
56
Maxim Belkov
Katusha Team
+ 1'11
57
Vitali Kondrut
Lampre - Generali
+ 1'13
58
Florian Stalder
Red Bull - Cervélo
+ 1'14
59
Alexei Markov
Katusha Team
+ 1'16
60
Juan Manuel Gárate
Euskaltel - Euskadi
+ 1'17
61
Wout Poels
Rabobank Cycling Team
+ 1'18
62
Fabian Wegmann
FDJ
+ 1'19
63
Steve Morabito
BMC Racing Team
+ 1'20
64
José Ángel Gómez Marchante
Euskaltel - Euskadi
+ 1'23
65
Franco Pellizotti
Lampre - Generali
+ 1'25
66
Johann Tschopp
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
67
Chad Beyer
BMC Racing Team
+ 1'27
68
Russell Downing
Qantas Airways
+ 1'28
69
Sébastien Joly
Garmin - Barracuda
+ 1'29
70
Ángel Madrazo
Movistar Team
+ 1'30
71
Maarten Wynants
Rabobank Cycling Team
+ 1'32
72
Michel Kreder
Garmin - Barracuda
s.t.
73
Hugo Salazar
Colombia es Pasión - Café de Colombia
+ 1'34
74
Maxime Bouet
AG2R La Mondiale
+ 1'35
75
Joaquím Rodríguez
Katusha Team
+ 1'37
76
Egor Silin
Radio Shack - Nissan
+ 1'39
77
Gavin Mannion
Sony Ericsson
+ 1'40
78
Remmert Wielinga
Rabobank Cycling Team
s.t.
79
Thibaut Pinot
AG2R La Mondiale
+ 1'41
80
Andrey Zeits
Pro Team Astana
+ 1'42
81
Alexei Shchebelin
Katusha Team
+ 1'43
82
Chris Anker Sørensen
BMC Racing Team
+ 1'44
83
Alessandro Proni
Acqua & Sapone
+ 1'45
84
Rémi Pauriol
FDJ
+ 1'46
85
Ben Swift
Sky ProCycling
+ 1'47
86
José Serpa
Pro Team Astana
+ 1'49
87
Koldo Fernández
Euskaltel - Euskadi
+ 1'51
88
Jürgen Roelandts
Sony Ericsson
+ 1'53
89
Óscar Freire
Movistar Team
s.t.
90
Oliver Zaugg
Red Bull - Cervélo
+ 1'54
91
Nicki Sørensen
Saxo Bank SunGard
s.t.
92
Marko Kump
Rabobank Cycling Team
+ 1'55
93
Leonardo Duque
Radio Shack - Nissan
s.t.
94
Stefan Denifl
Red Bull - Cervélo
s.t.
95
Matthew Goss
Lotto - Belisol
+ 1'56
96
Freddy Montaña
Colombia es Pasión - Café de Colombia
+ 1'59
97
Romain Zingle
Monster Energy - Subway
+ 2'00
98
Bruno Pires
Saxo Bank SunGard
+ 2'01
99
Simon Clarke
Qantas Airways
s.t.
100
Arnold Jeanneson
FDJ
+ 2'03
101
Jasha Sütterlin
Red Bull - Cervélo
+ 2'05
102
Bjorn Selander
Radio Shack - Nissan
+ 2'06
103
Roberto Ferrari
Androni Giocattoli
+ 2'08
104
Alessandro Petacchi
BMC Racing Team
+ 2'09
105
Enrico Zen
Androni Giocattoli
+ 2'11
106
Valentin Iglinskiy
Pro Team Astana
s.t.
107
Rinaldo Nocentini
AG2R La Mondiale
s.t.
108
Christopher Sutton
Pro Team Astana
+ 2'12
109
Tosh Van der Sande
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
+ 2'14
110
Matthew Lloyd
Pro Team Astana
+ 2'15
111
Nikolai Trussov
Katusha Team
s.t.
112
Matthias Frank
Red Bull - Cervélo
+ 2'18
113
William Clarke
Sony Ericsson
+ 2'19
114
Javier Iriarte
Movistar Team
+ 2'20
115
Tino Thömel
Red Bull - Cervélo
s.t.
116
Gene Michael Bates
Lotto - Belisol
+ 2'22
117
Rafal Majka
Saxo Bank SunGard
+ 2'24
118
Simon Zahner
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
119
Steven Van Vooren
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
+ 2'27
120
Martin Kragh
Saxo Bank SunGard
+ 2'28
121
Jan Kuyckx
Lotto - Belisol
+ 2'30
122
Michael Barry
Sky ProCycling
s.t.
123
Richard England
Qantas Airways
+ 2'31
124
Bert De Waele
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
s.t.
125
Theo Bos
Monster Energy - Subway
+ 2'32
126
Gianni Meersman
FDJ
+ 2'33
127
Laurent Beuret
Red Bull - Cervélo
+ 2'35
128
Jurgen De Schepper
Lotto - Belisol
+ 2'37
129
Fred Rodriguez
Garmin - Barracuda
s.t.
130
Walter Pedraza
Colombia es Pasión - Café de Colombia
+ 2'38
131
Maxime Vantomme
Katusha Team
+ 2'40
132
Zdenek Stybar
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
+ 2'42
133
Salvatore Commesso
Acqua & Sapone
+ 2'44
134
Gianluca Mirenda
Lampre - Generali
+ 2'46
135
Rick Flens
Rabobank Cycling Team
+ 2'47
136
Davide D'Angelo
Acqua & Sapone
+ 2'48
137
Jonathon McEvoy
Qantas Airways
s.t.
138
Juan Forero
Colombia es Pasión - Café de Colombia
+ 2'49
139
Tyler Wren
Garmin - Barracuda
s.t.
140
Daniele Righi
Lampre - Generali
+ 2'50
141
Stefano Locatelli
Acqua & Sapone
+ 2'52
142
Jonas Aaen Jørgensen
Saxo Bank SunGard
+ 2'54
143
Julian Dean
Qantas Airways
+ 2'55
144
Giacomo Nizzolo
Lampre - Generali
+ 2'57
145
Mathieu Perget
AG2R La Mondiale
+ 2'58
146
Wilmar Perez
Colombia es Pasión - Café de Colombia
+ 2'59
147
Igor Abakoumov
Lotto - Belisol
s.t.
148
Lucas Battistini
Katusha Team
+ 3'00
149
Mark Renshaw
Rabobank Cycling Team
+ 3'01
150
Aitor Pérez Arrieta
Lampre - Generali
+ 3'03
151
René Jørgensen
Saxo Bank SunGard
+ 3'05
152
Guillaume Van Keirsbulck
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
+ 3'06
153
Francesco Ginanni
Androni Giocattoli
+ 3'08
154
Rob Goris
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
+ 3'10
155
Matteo Busato
Acqua & Sapone
s.t.
156
Mirco Lorenzetto
Androni Giocattoli
+ 3'12
157
Murilo Fischer
Sony Ericsson
s.t.
158
Fabio Taborre
Acqua & Sapone
+ 3'13
159
Anthony Geslin
FDJ
+ 3'15
160
Kyle Wamsley
Garmin - Barracuda
+ 3'17
161
Florian Vachon
AG2R La Mondiale
+ 3'19
162
Gabriel Rasch
Garmin - Barracuda
+ 3'20
163
Ruggero Marzoli
Acqua & Sapone
s.t.
164
Antonio D'Aniello
Androni Giocattoli
+ 3'21
165
John Martinez
Colombia es Pasión - Café de Colombia
+ 3'22
166
Andrea Grendene
Androni Giocattoli
s.t.
167
Angelo Furlan
Acqua & Sapone
+ 3'25
168
Riley Justice
Radio Shack - Nissan
s.t.
169
David Loosli
Lampre - Generali
+ 3'26
170
Wim Van Huffel
Lotto - Belisol
s.t.
171
Alex Candelario
Garmin - Barracuda
s.t.
172
Jorge Cano
Colombia es Pasión - Café de Colombia
+ 3'27
173
Alexandre Castro
Garmin - Barracuda
+ 3'28
174
Aketza Peña
Euskaltel - Euskadi
+ 3'29
175
Leonardo Moser
Androni Giocattoli
+ 3'30
GC
So Gustav Erik Larsson leads the GC with 1 stage to go, followed by Richi Porte and Stefan Schumacher. Jack Bobridge is in the 5th place, and Wilco Kelderman in 7th.
1
Gustav Erik Larsson
Saxo Bank SunGard
13h11'01
2
Richie Porte
Saxo Bank SunGard
+ 7
3
Stefan Schumacher
Sony Ericsson
+ 8
4
Jens Voigt
Radio Shack - Nissan
+ 16
5
Jack Bobridge
Monster Energy - Subway
+ 19
6
Kim Kirchen
Sky ProCycling
+ 21
7
Wilco Kelderman
Monster Energy - Subway
+ 24
8
Joaquím Rodríguez
Katusha Team
s.t.
9
Christian Knees
Sky ProCycling
s.t.
10
Rein Taaramäe
Sony Ericsson
+ 25
Spoiler
11
Marc De Maar
Monster Energy - Subway
+ 27
12
Jesús Herrada
Movistar Team
s.t.
13
Rubén Plaza
Movistar Team
+ 33
14
Robert Gesink
Monster Energy - Subway
+ 35
15
Nicolas Roche
AG2R La Mondiale
+ 39
16
Jérémy Roy
FDJ
s.t.
17
Janez Brajkovič
Radio Shack - Nissan
s.t.
18
Romain Sicard
Euskaltel - Euskadi
+ 47
19
Paul Martens
Rabobank Cycling Team
+ 49
20
Francis De Greef
Monster Energy - Subway
+ 54
Today's winner
Word from the DS
We gambled a bit to get a GC-lead, but it didn't work it. Still satisfied with the result, and 1 more stage to go.
Stage 6
The last stage in this year's Tour de Romandie is a 162km long stage between Champagne and Genève. In the second half, the riders face two climbs and the last 50km are flat.
59km to go
When the BOTD has finished the second climb of the day (both sprints for the KOTM-points are won by Rinaldo Nocentini, who also takes the KOTM-jersey because of this), the riders in it know that they will battle it out for the win. The peloton isn't interested in following and the lead has grown to 11'30, meaning Nocentini is in virtual yellow by 2 full minutes!
14km to go
With 14 kilometres to go, Victor Hugo Peña (Colombia) attacks. He gets countered by Nuno Ribeiro from the Astana-team and Tyler Wren (Garmin). The peloton is still 9'20 behind, what means Nocentini is still in virtual yellow. Are we going to see a surprise??
Finish
Ribeiro has the most energy left and leaves Peña and Wren behind. But in the last ascending kilometre, he starts to stall and has to fight to win this one. The other members of the BOTD come very close, but Ribeiro gets rewarded for his attacking cycling today!
Rémi Pauriol (FDJ) sprints to the 2nd pace, in front of Wren.
Wilco Kelderman is the first of the peloton to finish, 6'20 behind Ribeiro. This means that Gustav Erik Larsson wins the Tour de Romandie 2013!
Results
1
Nuno Ribeiro
Pro Team Astana
4h06'15
2
Rémi Pauriol
FDJ
s.t.
3
Matthias Frank
Red Bull - Cervélo
s.t.
4
Tyler Wren
Garmin - Barracuda
s.t.
5
Russell Downing
Qantas Airways
s.t.
6
Antonio D'Aniello
Androni Giocattoli
s.t.
7
David Loosli
Lampre - Generali
s.t.
8
Maxim Belkov
Katusha Team
s.t.
9
Víctor Hugo Peña
Colombia es Pasión - Café de Colombia
s.t.
10
Rinaldo Nocentini
AG2R La Mondiale
s.t.
...
12
Wilco Kelderman
Monster Energy - Subway
+ 6'20
Today's winner
GC
No changes in the top 10.
1
Gustav Erik Larsson
Saxo Bank SunGard
17h23'36
2
Richie Porte
Saxo Bank SunGard
+ 7
3
Stefan Schumacher
Sony Ericsson
+ 8
4
Jens Voigt
Radio Shack - Nissan
+ 16
5
Jack Bobridge
Monster Energy - Subway
+ 19
6
Kim Kirchen
Sky ProCycling
+ 21
7
Wilco Kelderman
Monster Energy - Subway
+ 24
8
Joaquím Rodríguez
Katusha Team
s.t.
9
Christian Knees
Sky ProCycling
s.t.
10
Rein Taaramäe
Sony Ericsson
+ 25
Points
1
Joaquím Rodríguez
Katusha Team
39
2
Robert Gesink
Monster Energy - Subway
37
3
Wilco Kelderman
Monster Energy - Subway
31
4
Gustav Erik Larsson
Saxo Bank SunGard
30
5
Tyler Farrar
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
28
KOTM
1
Rinaldo Nocentini
AG2R La Mondiale
32
2
Joaquím Rodríguez
Katusha Team
24
3
Gavin Mannion
Sony Ericsson
22
4
Christian Vande Velde
Radio Shack - Nissan
18
5
Jan Kuyckx
Lotto - Belisol
18
U25
5th in the GC and the white jersey for Bobridge!
1
Jack Bobridge
Monster Energy - Subway
17h23'55
2
Wilco Kelderman
Monster Energy - Subway
+ 5
3
Jesús Herrada
Movistar Team
+ 8
4
Romain Sicard
Euskaltel - Euskadi
+ 28
5
Peter Kennaugh
Sky ProCycling
+ 55
Teams
1
AG2R La Mondiale
52h07'00
2
Katusha Team
+ 2'17
3
Androni Giocattoli
+ 3'13
4
FDJ
+ 3'41
5
Pro Team Astana
+ 4'48
The winner
Word from the DS
In the end, it was a good Tour de Romandie for us, with one stage win and a 5th, 7th, 11th, 14th and 20th in the GC.
Edited by dienblad on 21-06-2012 18:19
TomC wrote:
Kelderman is strong and very nice Top10 position. Can't wait to see his performance in Giro
Patience, patience. 'm collecting stuff to write the Giro-preview. The rout eis the variant that starts in Greece with 3 stages, and includes a mtf at the Alpe d'Huez. Looks very interesting!
What a month.... After a perfect opening weekend of the month, with Sagan winning the GP Miguel Indurain and Matti Breschel winning the Ronde van Vlaanderen, Sagan wins a stage in the Vuelta Pais Vasco. After domination in the GP Pino Cerami and Klasika Primavera, the 7th place in Paris - Roubaix was a bit disappointing.
The Ardennes classics were great, with a 3rd for Thomas De Gendt in La Flèche Wallonne, and Andy Schleck winning Liège - Bastogne - Liège, our 2nd monument in a month! Then, Jelle Vanendert won Rund um Köln and Wilco Kelderman a stage in the Tour de Romandie.
Media awards
Winning 2 stages and the GC in the Vuelta al Pais Vasco brings Roman Kreuziger the award of rider of the month. Adriano Malori becomes the young rider of the month, winning the 1st stage in the Giro del Trentino.
Rankings
World Tour riders
Thanks to a great Ardennes-week (winning AGR and 3rd in LBL), Joaquím Rodríguez leads the World Tour riders-ranking. Kreuziger and Gilbert are tied in 2nd, with Matti Breschel in 4th.
World Tour teams
With these results, it's obvious that Monster Energy - Subway leads the WT teams ranking. Katusha is in 2nd, thanks to Rodríguez and Pozzato, with Lotto - Belisol (Gilbert) in 3rd.
Continental Tour riders
Team Type 1's Daniele Callegarin has taken the lead, with Stijn Devolder (Vacansoleil) in 2nd and Jonathan Hivert (Saur) in 3rd.
Continental Tour teams
Saur - Sojasun and Team Europcar stay in the lead, but Liquigas and Team Type 1 are in the chase for the promotion spots.
CQ riders
Looking at all races, Joaquím Rodríguez has 1 point more than Matti Breschel. Wilco Kelderman is in a great 3rd place, even before Gilbert!
CQ teams Monter Energy - Subway has almost twice the amount of points as Team Katusha. Lotto - Belisol is in 3rd.
Wins riders
Cyril Gautier and Igor Antón lead the ranking with 6 wins. Both Breschel & Kelderman are in a tied 3rd place with 4 wins.
Wins teams
With many riders taking wins, Monster Energy - Subway leads with 18 wins. Katusha has got 13 wins, Team Europcar is in a surprising 3rd (Continental Team!) with 12 wins.
2 monuments, a few classic wins, and good results in stage races.... You're waiting for this:
May is such an quiet month for us. Besides the Amgen Tour of California (our first appearance there) and the Ronde van België, we only take part in the Giro d'Italia. But the Giro is one of the main goals this season.
Our goals:
- GC-win in the Giro with Robert Gesink (and of course some stages).
- stage win in Tour of California and Ronde van België.
I've been working on the preview for the Giro. Should come on Saturday cet.
The route is entertaining (a variant y johan92, starting in Athens) and the field pretty strong (Gesink, Kelderman, Rodriguez, Evans, Anton, Basso, Scarponi, Hesjedal, Taaramae).
Need some sleep before I do more things, so preview coming within 24 hours!
Good results so far in Romandie.
