|
A Tale of Two
|
| Ian Butler |
Posted on 22-08-2012 10:53
|
Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
|
Tour of Pologne - Stage 6
Well, when it comes to GC, this is the stage to be alert. Many, many hills and many possibilities to lose and gain a lot of time.
Most of the team will work for Stijn and try to keep him in front, while Debusschere and Eric have a free role.
I was excellently protected from the start, can't complain there. Don't forget this is a team consisting purely of -25 riders, but they did one hell of a job!
However, Movistar and Katousha didn't feel confident about it and took over after a while. It would've suited me fine if they hadn't increased the pace by 2 km/h!
This is the man of the race: Kwiatkowski
He'll take the mountain jersey home, as many points were to be earned today.
Meanwhile I was slipping, and at 20km from the finish, I was gone...
I crossed the finish line nearly 17 minutes too late. Game over for me. The only thing I've left is the points jersey
The race started for me when we captured the last of the breakaway, the strongest of the day: Kwiatkowski.
Then the attacks came. But no attack was even comparable to the explosion of Rodriguez!
As he shot away like a bullet from a gun, the only one able to react was Valverde.
But it was too little, too late. Rodriguez wins in front of Valverde. I come in 18th, which brings me on a 7th place in the GC.
Result
| 1 | Joaquin Rodriguez | Katusha Team | 5h23'08 | | | 2 | Alejandro Valverde | Movistar Team | + 30 | | | 3 | Michele Scarponi | Lampre-ISD | + 46 | | | 4 | Przemyslaw Niemiec | Lampre-ISD | + 59 | | | 5 | Alexander Efimkin | Team Type 1 - Sanofi | s.t. | | | 6 | Georg Preidler | Team Type 1 - Sanofi | s.t. | | | 7 | Jan Bakelants | Radioshack Nissan Trek | s.t. | | | 8 | Haimar Zubeldia | Radioshack Nissan Trek | s.t. | | | 9 | Evgueni Petrov | Astana Pro Team | s.t. | | | 10 | Damiano Cunego | Lampre-ISD | s.t. | | | 11 | Jens Voigt | Radioshack Nissan Trek | s.t. | | | 12 | Fabio Duarte | Colombia Coldeportes | s.t. | | | 13 | Julien Simon | Saur - Sojasun | s.t. | | | 14 | Christian Knees | Sky Pro Cycling | s.t. | | | 15 | Andrey Zeits | Astana Pro Team | s.t. | | | 16 | Mathieu Ladagnous | FDJ-BigMat | s.t. | | | 17 | Jakob Fuglsang | Radioshack Nissan Trek | s.t. | | | 18 | Eric Lombaerts | Lotto-Belisol | s.t. | IanButler | | 19 | Ignatas Konovalovas | Movistar Team | s.t. | | | 20 | Darwin Atapuma | Colombia Coldeportes | s.t. | |
GC
| 1 | Joaquin Rodriguez | Katusha Team | 29h01'27 | | | 2 | Alejandro Valverde | Movistar Team | + 34 | | | 3 | Alexander Efimkin | Team Type 1 - Sanofi | + 35 | | | 4 | Michele Scarponi | Lampre-ISD | + 52 | | | 5 | Mathieu Ladagnous | FDJ-BigMat | + 55 | | | 6 | Francesco Gavazzi | Astana Pro Team | + 1'03 | | | 7 | Eric Lombaerts | Lotto-Belisol | s.t. | IanButler | | 8 | Tomas Vaitkus | Orica-GreenEDGE | + 1'05 | | | 9 | Julien Simon | Saur - Sojasun | + 1'09 | | | 10 | Jan Bakelants | Radioshack Nissan Trek | s.t. | |
Who could've known 4 boni seconds would be so important. From place 9 to 31, everyone has the same time. So I'm doing good, with my 4 boni seconds. Tomorrow is a flat stage, so I'm pretty sure I'll finish 7th, which is an excellent result!
In other news: Heading into the final rest day, Jurgen Van Den Broeck is still in the lead in TDF, he's writing history!
GC TDF
| 1 | Jurgen Van den Broeck | Lotto-Belisol | 62h25'12 | IanButler | | 2 | Andy Schleck | Radioshack Nissan Trek | + 6 | | | 3 | Bradley Wiggins | Sky Pro Cycling | + 1'25 | | | 4 | Fränk Schleck | Radioshack Nissan Trek | + 1'43 | | | 5 | Chris Froome | Sky Pro Cycling | + 1'56 | | | 6 | Vincenzo Nibali | Liquigas-Cannondale | + 4'08 | | | 7 | Samuel Sánchez | Euskaltel Euskadi | + 5'53 | | | 8 | Igor Anton | Euskaltel Euskadi | + 8'27 | | | 9 | Cadel Evans | BMC Racing Team | + 9'02 | | | 10 | Bauke Mollema | Rabobank Cycling Team | + 10'43 | |
However, Schleck is making a comeback and with 2 more big mountain stages and a time trial, we'll have to see how he does.
Well, this was a pretty tiring day, see you tomorrow for the final stage in Pologne! |
| |
|
|
| JuanMotr |
Posted on 22-08-2012 11:41
|
Domestique
Posts: 701
Joined: 29-07-2011
PCM$: 200.00
|
another top10 for Eric 
Edited by JuanMotr on 22-08-2012 11:41
|
| |
|
|
| Ad Bot |
Posted on 27-11-2024 18:58
|
Bot Agent
Posts: Countless
Joined: 23.11.09
|
|
| IP: None |
|
|
| sutty68 |
Posted on 22-08-2012 12:04
|
Tour de France Champion
Posts: 34654
Joined: 22-08-2010
PCM$: 200.00
|
Mixed emotions today 
So sad to see Stijn suffer, but nice that Eric maintains his top ten position |
| |
|
|
| Ian Butler |
Posted on 22-08-2012 12:38
|
Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
|
Well, this isn't Stijn's favorite profile, that's for sure 
But his Tour of Pologne is already a big success, though, with all those wins! |
| |
|
|
| Ian Butler |
Posted on 22-08-2012 12:47
|
Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
|
Tour of Pologne - Stage 7
A sprint, probably.
This Tour of Pologne has already been extremely well for us, since we'll both be taking a jersey home! Two neopros in the jerseys in a WT race, how about that?
The sprint was a fact! I was positioned well, right behind Vaitkus.
But Brown was the strongest today. I end up, again, on the podium. Securing that nice green jersey!
Vaitkus takes one more GC place from Eric as he takes boni seconds.
GC
| 1 | Joaquin Rodriguez | Katusha Team | 32h11'37 | | | 2 | Alejandro Valverde | Movistar Team | + 34 | | | 3 | Alexander Efimkin | Team Type 1 - Sanofi | + 35 | | | 4 | Michele Scarponi | Lampre-ISD | + 52 | | | 5 | Mathieu Ladagnous | FDJ-BigMat | + 55 | | | 6 | Tomas Vaitkus | Orica-GreenEDGE | + 59 | | | 7 | Francesco Gavazzi | Astana Pro Team | + 1'03 | | | 8 | Eric Lombaerts | Lotto-Belisol | s.t. | IanButler | | 9 | Julien Simon | Saur - Sojasun | + 1'09 | | | 10 | Dominique Rollin | FDJ-BigMat | s.t. | |
Points
| 1 | Stijn Van Gent | Lotto-Belisol | 113 | IanButler | | 2 | Tomas Vaitkus | Orica-GreenEDGE | 79 | | | 3 | Mathieu Ladagnous | FDJ-BigMat | 66 | | | 4 | Joaquin Rodriguez | Katusha Team | 59 | | | 5 | Alejandro Valverde | Movistar Team | 52 | |
Well, this has been extremely great. Both the Giro and Tour of Pologne have established us as potentially great riders, and we're happy to have had the experience of both races!
More signing news
Simon will be joining AG2R in October.
Hushovd will be joining GreenEdge.
Voeckler decided to go to Vacansoleil, as Team Europcar isn't looking good for promotion to ProTour.
Other news
Jurgen lost his jersey to Andy Schleck in the race from Pau to Luchon. We're looking forward to the last mountain stage and especially the final time trial! He can still win this, as he's under 2 minutes from the leader, Andy Schleck! |
| |
|
|
| Kritzo |
Posted on 22-08-2012 12:47
|
Domestique
Posts: 624
Joined: 12-10-2010
PCM$: 200.00
|
How about the "points" jersey? |
| |
|
|
| Ian Butler |
Posted on 22-08-2012 12:51
|
Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
|
The top 5 for points is listed above right underneath GC |
| |
|
|
| Kritzo |
Posted on 22-08-2012 12:52
|
Domestique
Posts: 624
Joined: 12-10-2010
PCM$: 200.00
|
I know, but it wasn't there in the update before.
I was just curious |
| |
|
|
| fernando97 |
Posted on 22-08-2012 12:53
|
Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2167
Joined: 01-01-2012
PCM$: 200.00
|
Congrats on this magnificent points jersey! What a nice achievement for Stijn! |
| |
|
|
| Ian Butler |
Posted on 22-08-2012 12:55
|
Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
|
Thanks, I hope he can get many more points jerseys in his career, with hopefully once the jersey in the Tour 
Up next: The finale of TDF! |
| |
|
|
| Kritzo |
Posted on 22-08-2012 12:57
|
Domestique
Posts: 624
Joined: 12-10-2010
PCM$: 200.00
|
Ian Butler wrote:
Thanks, I hope he can get many more points jerseys in his career, with hopefully once the jersey in the Tour
Up next: The finale of TDF!
I hope for Van den Broeck! |
| |
|
|
| Ian Butler |
Posted on 22-08-2012 13:34
|
Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
|
Thanks |
| |
|
|
| Ian Butler |
Posted on 22-08-2012 13:49
|
Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
|
Tour de France - Review
First of all, there weren't any reports from Tour de Wallonie, simply because I was in a bad shape and did practically nothing. Stijn didn't even participate on account of being ill. What we will bring you, right now, are the final two stages of the Tour de France!
Cancellara totally dominated the time trial and won it, not surprisingly!
Between two Schlecks, Van Den Broeck was off! Time to win this Tour.
But the youngest Schleck rode an excellent time trial, staying near Jurgen's time. The victory was out of sight...
Jurgen almost passed the oldest of the Schlecks. But the youngest was too strong.
The next day, Vinokourov attacked in what might possibly be his last Tour de France.
However, he isn't able to keep the peloton in the distance as he once did, and Mark Cavendish takes his fifth stage win here, what a sprinter!
And here are the final results:
General Classification
Points Classification
Mountain Classification
Young Classification
Team Classification
I had a chance to talk to Jurgen (we're on training camp with the entire team now) and he told me he's happy with the 2nd place, but he wants to come back next year and win it. I believe he can, I strongly believe he can... |
| |
|
|
| sutty68 |
Posted on 22-08-2012 13:55
|
Tour de France Champion
Posts: 34654
Joined: 22-08-2010
PCM$: 200.00
|
You both must be happy with the outcome at the Tour of Poland |
| |
|
|
| Ian Butler |
Posted on 22-08-2012 15:15
|
Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
|
Yeah, Poland was a great success 
On the other hand, Wallonie was so bad that it wasn't worth wile to make a report of it, so the tour was more interesting |
| |
|
|
| Ian Butler |
Posted on 22-08-2012 16:19
|
Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
|
News in July and August
Roeland Van Hende has joined our team as a trainee. He'll ride in Dutch Food Valley Classic and Tour of Colorado along with the both of us. He seems like a nice chap.
Stijn is being considered for the World Championship in Valkenburg!
Petacchi signed a one year contract with BMC, where he'll be sprinter/sprint-coach.
Contador is back and raced to a podium place in the Eneco Tour. Cancellara won that Eneco Tour.
Matthew and Goss both got caught up in a fall and both their season is probably over.
Edited by Ian Butler on 22-08-2012 16:37
|
| |
|
|
| JuanMotr |
Posted on 22-08-2012 16:30
|
Domestique
Posts: 701
Joined: 29-07-2011
PCM$: 200.00
|
so close for Jurgen but next year he has another chance maybe with Eric as a main helper??? |
| |
|
|
| Ian Butler |
Posted on 22-08-2012 16:37
|
Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
|
JuanMotr wrote:
so close for Jurgen but next year he has another chance maybe with Eric as a main helper???
We'll have to see the schedule, which will be made in off-season. But I think that there's a big, big chance that'll happen. With Greipel leaving, the team will be able to focus on GC 100% so there'll be enough room for Eric, for sure
I don't think Jurgen can live with having 2nd place in TDF, he has to win it |
| |
|
|
| fcancellara |
Posted on 22-08-2012 17:21
|
Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 5194
Joined: 18-08-2011
PCM$: 200.00
|
2nd in the Tour is very good Ian!
|
| |
|
|
| Ian Butler |
Posted on 22-08-2012 17:28
|
Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
|
Thanks, it wasn't easy But we're going for the first place next year! (let's hope Eric/Stijn will ride in TDF, then there'll be reports stage by stage) |
| |
|
