Jesleyh: Thanks a lot, that's more than I hoped for great to have you onboard!
JuanMotr: Indeed he is! (He even developed a stronger climbing stat in the meantime)
Jakstar22: Thanks a lot!
PCM rulezz: Well, OPQS is a most beautiful team, and it's easy to spot you're a big, big fan but they're not in the position to just pick any team just yet, they still have to grow a lot and prove their value
Daggen: Well, City does pay more
FreitasPCM: Thanks, glad you like it!
maxime86: That's enthusiastic
krisa: Glad you like it!
Will definitely find time to race today! How can I let all you people wait any longer. Thanks a lot, you've all been great!
Yesterdag was a real tough mountain stage, while today took us over some hills.
Big mountains, expect big gaps.
Unfortunately, we have no video of this stage, so we'll just post the result later on. This report will be about the mountain stage.
Stijn Van Gent
Another day without pressure for me, just hanging out in the pack early race.
As soon as the road started rising, I dropped out of front and had a tough day surviving the stage. If I ever want to ride and finish a Grand Tour, I'd better get used to it!
Willy Wouters
I opted for a wrong tactic today. Being out of the pack for months is not something to underestimate. You may keep up your condition and train hard, but the lack of competitive kilometers gets the better of you.
I started fresh and put the yellow jersey under attack, twice.
But, as I said, it took its toll. I feel I'm stronger than before, but I need to get back into racing shape, so I'm afraid this Tour won't be my big breakthrough.
At the end, I found myself leading the chasing group. Well, not really chasing, but more like limiting losses.
Rujano took the stage with a nice sprint. I didn't perform like I wanted to, but I enjoyed the stage anyway.
What's still left, you ask? One mountain stage, a couple of flat stages and a time trial. Given my current shape, I hope to keep the top 15.
Until later,
Stijn & Willy
The final day of climbing in this year's Tour of Austria. Willy is getting a bit better into shape, maybe he can go for glory today?
To describe this in one word: tough day. Wait, those are two words, anyway, the climbs will be steep, long and with no shadow to hide from the sun. Let's hope for the best!
Stijn Van Gent
Like the last couple of days, I'm biding my time. Tomorrow I will get into action for the sprint, let's hope my shape is decent enough to grab a podium! Today, all was well... until we hit the big climb of the day.
I dropped halfway the climb and never returned to the pack. I finished inside the grupetto.
Willy Wouters
Tomorrow I woke up and it was all so clear to me. I'm out of shape because I don't have enough racing miles in my legs. So there's only one solution to that, isn't there?
As soon as we hit ascending road, I put myself at the front of the peloton.
The peloton ripped up and in the final 3 km I even managed to break apart from the pack.
I took it up another notch and reached the breakaway right before the final Mountain Sprint of the day.
In the descend, I left them behind as well, taking some risks.
With 10km left, the peloton was closing in on me. I could smell the finish line, but the pack was raging on...
I was looking over my shoulder and saw the pack sprinting. I started sprinting too, desperately going for the win. This would change this whole tour around, make me forget all the problems of the last weeks just for a second! It would be my first professional victory on the road, besides that time trial!
But the line was too far away... Felline crossed the finish line first...
I have to say I'm pretty disappointed here. A +50km solo and then getting caught in the final kilometer. I can only hope Stijn does better tomorrow, it's up to him now. I'm not 14th on the GC, so I reckon I can move up to maybe 12th, 11th, maybe 10th in the final Time Trial. However, with this form, it won't be easy, but I will give it everything I have!
The first stage for the sprinters. Time for Stijn to get into action!
The task is quite simple: survive the hill in the middle, then you can sprint for the win.
Willy Wouters
Today I tried to remain in the pack and save as much energy as possible. In two days there's the time trial, I might just even try to get my second time trial win, but is the form good enough?
Stijn Van Gent
Dockx got in the breakaway, allowing the team to take it easy.
The sprint was nearing, and I needed to get ready for the sprint. What happened to Willy is now happening to me: I'm feeling it's a long time ago since I last raced in a peloton. My positioning is still a little off.
At one point, it looked like I was in a good position.
But I was wrong, the finish was right behind the corner, and I found myself sprinting from far out, knowing this attempt was destined to fail.
My verdict: 10th. Ferrari took the stage win.
Well, 10th isn't the end of the world. Definitely not for me, I'm peaking for next month, for the Eneco Tour. So this isn't a disaster for me, I'm just glad to be racing again!
Today is another flat stage, tomorrow is a 15km time trial, followed by the final day, also flat. Expect a fast pace.
This is flatter than yesterday. In theory, hard races suit Stijn better, but in Austria, things havent' been like they usually are.
Willy Wouters
I decided to lead-out Stijn today. I brought him to the front well on time for the sprint.
I launched the sprint for him, the rest was up to him!
Stijn Van Gent
Willy launched me very well, and I was well on the way to finish on the podium, until I made a rookie, stupid mistake. I made a calculation mistake and almost ended up in the road fence!
My mistake cost me a good finish, I lose all speed and finish 10th again. Honig rides the sprint of a lifetime and wins.
Well, pretty mad at myself. I could've gotten a good result here, I'm getting better, but that was a stupid mistake. I'm lucky to finish the race, if I had hit that fence at +65km/h...
Result
1
Reinier Honig
Landbouwkrediet-Euphony
3h50'00
2
Roberto Ferrari
Androni Giocattoli-Venezuela
s.t.
3
Julian Dean
Orica-GreenEDGE
s.t.
4
Manuel Cardoso
Caja Rural
s.t.
5
Steven Van Vooren
Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator
s.t.
6
Grega Bole
Lampre-ISD
s.t.
7
Fabio Felline
Androni Giocattoli-Venezuela
s.t.
8
Denis Kostyuk
Lampre-ISD
s.t.
9
Danilo Napolitano
Acqua & Sapone
s.t.
10
Stijn Van Gent
Lotto Belisol
s.t.
IanButler
Tomorrow is the long time trial, see you then,
Stijn & Willy
A flat 25 km time trial. Pre-race favorites: Luke Durbridge, Jack Bobridge, Dominique Cornu.
Stijn Van Gent
Durbridge is the first to set a strong time.
I'm having a great day and despite my awkward positioning on the TT bike, I finished 21th!
Willy Wouters
Cornu set the indestructible time of 34'29"!
Then it was up to me. I felt good, my shape's getting along fairly well now, only one week too late!
At the first checkpoint, I was only 3 seconds off of Cornu's time.
But I had a minor recession and lost 14 seconds at the finish. I finish third!
It's been so long, but finally I'm back on a podium. I'm very happy here. I also move up to a 12th place in the GC, the highest that was still possible. I can't wait for the American stage races!!
Nice sprints from Stijn, despite the almost-crash...
Willy did a great job again at the TT
Oh, and Orica must be very frustrated. 4 riders in the Top 6, but no win
Today will bring us the final race of the Tour of Austria. It was a tour of many difficulties and about re-inventing ourselves. We've come a long way already, so early in our young careers. It will make us stronger in the long run.
Only 82km. It will be fast-paced until the very end. Let's hope for a good sprint!
Willy Wouters
Once again I brought Stijn up to the front. I had the best day since my suspension!
By catching the breakaway, there was some chaos, I took the chance to give it 100%, try to burn some people and in the hope that some sprinters got too far behind. Stijn followed.
And then we were ready to sprint. Here it goes!
Stijn Van Gent
Willy did brilliant work today, I'm very happy he wanted to do that for me. I was brought to the best position to win this thing. He managed to keep the front for a very long time and launch me in the end!
In the final corner, not mistaken this time, I was in first position, with lots of energy left!
I moved further away but one sprinter approached, approached fast! Ferrari was looking for the win.
Still in the front, I was giving it everything. This would be my first professional victory! But Ferrari didn't give up, he came closer!!
Nooooo!!!!
You can imagine how I felt... My face right after the sprint says it all.
I suppose I should be happy. It's the highest place I've raced ever since I started my career at Lotto. I've sprinted quite well, but there was one rider faster, unfortunately.
This is it. We're packing our backs as we speak/type, preparing to go straight to Italy for two one-day races. With this shape, there might be a win in it for Stijn!
We can't say anything about it yet, but we are having negotiations with a Pro Continental Team about a contract for the both of us. With our results, it was very hard to find a team that wanted the both of us. The Pro Continental Team is momentarily in running for World Tour promotion! They would need to bring in much more riders if they want to compete in the World Tour, so let's hope we're part of the plan! More news about it later!
Stijn & Willy
Edited by Ian Butler on 24-01-2013 16:37
Very nice result for Stijn. Of course it's a shame, he was soo close...
And Willy got 11th in the GC after all.
So what happened to Suarez in that 82km? [insert bad diving joke here]
we are having negotiations with a Pro Continental Team about a contract for the both of us. With our results, it was very hard to find a team that wanted the both of us. The Pro Continental Team is momentarily in running for World Tour promotion!
great to have you onboard!
but they're not in the position to just pick any team just yet, they still have to grow a lot and prove their value 
(I hope I'm right 
