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Sky - Professional Cycling Team
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| alexkr00 |
Posted on 08-03-2010 22:14
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World Champion
Posts: 13924
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well it looks like I might need a fresh install of PCM as the game crashed again in the first stage of Vuelta al Pais Vasco.
The good news though is that this time I have a back up so the first stage might be reported normally after an reinstall 
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| DJP19 |
Posted on 09-03-2010 00:11
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alexkr00 wrote:
well it looks like I might need a fresh install of PCM as the game crashed again in the first stage of Vuelta al Pais Vasco.
The good news though is that this time I have a back up so the first stage might be reported normally after an reinstall
Well at least you didnt have to loose your entire career |
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| purepasd |
Posted on 09-03-2010 08:26
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Awesome win with Flecha!! Congrats  |
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| alexkr00 |
Posted on 13-03-2010 12:23
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World Champion
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After an amazing month of March, Thomas Lovkvist will continue his season in Vuelta al Pais Vasco, where he will lead Team Sky in one of the final preparation for the Ardennes classics. Gerrans will also prepare his classics' season here, but he will ride only as a domestique for Thomas. For the only 2 flat stages here we brought Davide Vigano, who will pretty much have to do there the work all by himself.
Lovkvist is one of the riders aiming for a top 5 here, but the starlist is really impressive, combining most of the riders that rode in Paris - Nice, Tirreno - Adriatico and Volta a Catalunya. Valverde, Cunego, Gesink, Menchov, Joaquim Rodriguez, Armstrong, Gerdemann, Nocentini, Sastre, Plaza and Vinokourov are just some of the names Lovkvist will have to face here.
Still a top 10 could be achieve as it's also one of our sponsors goals and so far we didn't miss any goals, Flecha achieving the other 2. The Spaniard finished 3rd in Milano Sanremo, where a top 10 was needed, goal also achieved by Boasson Hagen, and won Ronde Van Vlaanderen, where a top 5 was the goal.
Team Sky for Vuelta al Pais Vasco:
 John Lee Augustyn
 Michael Barry
 Dario Cioni
 Steve Cummings
 Simon Gerrans
 Thomas Lovkvist
Morris Possoni
Davide Vigano
Edited by alexkr00 on 13-03-2010 12:28
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| purepasd |
Posted on 13-03-2010 12:40
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Wow many big names there.. Good luck  |
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| alexkr00 |
Posted on 19-03-2010 18:34
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World Champion
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The first stage in Pais Vasco is, as many others, rated as hilly so Valverde is the man to beat
Circa 30 kilometers before the finish, Joquim Rodriquez attacked and went in a solo adventure. But he was caught at the top of the last climb by a group of 3 riders: Cunego, Valverde and Gesink. Behind them a large group of chasers was made, all the other big names being there.
On the flat section the only important moves were made in the chasing group, which was split into 2 smaller groups. In front the 4 riders continued together and it all went down to a sprint, where nobody was able to threat Valverde
Valverde gets the first stage and becomes the first leader of the race. The first chasing group, lead by Menchov, came after 17 seconds, while Lovkvist, who was in the second chasing group lost 33 seconds
Edited by alexkr00 on 19-03-2010 18:34
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| alexkr00 |
Posted on 19-03-2010 21:46
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Looking at the last hills, the stage might end up in a mass sprint, or at least no decisive moves in the GC should be made. Valverde should have no problems keeping the yellow jersey at a first look
In the day's breakaway, Posthuma was the big name but he missed the King of the Mountain jersey, which was taken by Roldan. At least Posthuma was the last escape to be caught, right before the last summit of the day. Some riders, including Lovkvist, tried to get away from the pack there but it all came down to nothing.
Again we had some moves at the last intermediate sprint, Boom, Wegmann, Gerrans and Mandri being very close to make a gap between them and the pack. But Caisse were careful and they were all brought back, which lead the stage to a mass sprint.
In the last kilometer Footon proved to be very strong and they even managed to take the lead of the pack from Caisse. Lovkvist and Gerrans also tried to build up a train but it was enough just for a third place, grabbed by Gerrans in the last moment. Pedersen entered the last kilometer of the stage in the lead but he just wasn't strong enough to hold on in front of Valverde, who seems to be unstoppable in every single race he is in, already winning 2 stages out of 2 here, after dominating Paris - Nice and Volta a Catalunya.
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 25-12-2024 13:46
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| purepasd |
Posted on 19-03-2010 21:51
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Nice podium with Gerrans |
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| valverde321 |
Posted on 19-03-2010 22:08
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nice job there alekr00 |
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| alexkr00 |
Posted on 20-03-2010 13:53
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Today's the queen stage of the race as the top of the last climb is only 3 kilometers away from the finish. Valverde was clearly the strongest so far and it would be quite a surprise not see him in the top again
Laurens Ten Dam was the last rider from a large breakaway group to be caught. Still he didn't do enough to take the lead in the KoM competition, it was a GC favorite who took the jersey at the end of the day, Ten Dam was caught halfway through the penultimate climb of the day and the important moves started...
Armstrong made the first one, but it didn't last for too long and it was Gesink who managed to take a gap at the end of the climb. At the foot of the last climb he was joined in front by Menchov but the Rabo duo didn't last for too long either and we had again an open race
Once again it was Armstrong who opened the attacks but it was Valverde who got the gap. Valverde passed the summit with an advantage of more than 1 minute over a chasing group made by 4 riders: Armstrong, Menchov, Cunego and Joaquim Rodriguez
Lovkvist was one of the many riders that attacked on the last climb but he only managed to stay in the second chasing group, which passed the summit one minute and a half after Valverde. Still this performance might help Lovkvist taking a top 10 in the GC which is one of our goals this season
Valverde had no problems keeping his lead on the 3 kilometers flat section and made it 3 out of 3. This time he got a time gap, and quite significant one
Cunego lead the sprint behind the former Spanish Champion, but they lost 1 minute and 5 seconds to Valverde today and the fight for the GC win seems to already be over
Stage
| 1. | Alejandro Valverde | Caisse d'Epargne | 4h21'57 | | 2. | Damiano Cunego | Lampre - Farnese Vini | + 1'05 | | 3. | JoaquÃm RodrÃguez | Team Katusha | s.t. | | 4. | Lance Armstrong | Team RadioShack | s.t. | | 5. | Denis Menchov | Rabobank | s.t. | | 6. | Robert Gesink | Rabobank | + 1'48 | | 7. | Linus Gerdemann | Team Milram | s.t. | | 8. | Amets Txurruka | Euskaltel - Euskadi | s.t. | | 9. | Kim Kirchen | Team Katusha | s.t. | | 10. | Juan José Cobo | Caisse d'Epargne | s.t. | | 11. | Carlos Sastre | Cervélo Test Team | s.t. | | 12. | Michael Albasini | Team HTC - Columbia | s.t. | | 13. | Igor Antón | Euskaltel - Euskadi | s.t. | | 14. | Thomas Lövkvist | Sky Professional Cycling Team | s.t. | | 15. | Sandy Casar | Française des Jeux | + 2'38 |
Overall
| 1. | Alejandro Valverde | Caisse d'Epargne | 12h09'10 | | 2. | Damiano Cunego | Lampre - Farnese Vini | + 1'05 | | 3. | JoaquÃm RodrÃguez | Team Katusha | s.t. | | 4. | Denis Menchov | Rabobank | + 1'22 | | 5. | Robert Gesink | Rabobank | + 1'48 | | 6. | Igor Antón | Euskaltel - Euskadi | + 2'05 | | 7. | Thomas Lövkvist | Sky Professional Cycling Team | + 2'21 | | 8. | Linus Gerdemann | Team Milram | s.t. | | 9. | Carlos Sastre | Cervélo Test Team | s.t. | | 10. | Lance Armstrong | Team RadioShack | + 2'55 | | 11. | Sandy Casar | Française des Jeux | + 3'11 | | 12. | Amets Txurruka | Euskaltel - Euskadi | + 3'22 | | 13. | Michael Albasini | Team HTC - Columbia | s.t. | | 14. | Carlos Barredo | Quick·Step | + 3'37 | | 15. | Alexandre Vinokourov | Astana | s.t. |
Points
| 1. | Alejandro Valverde | Caisse d'Epargne | 75 | | 2. | Damiano Cunego | Lampre - Farnese Vini | 50 | | 3. | JoaquÃm RodrÃguez | Team Katusha | 37 | | 4. | Robert Gesink | Rabobank | 30 | | 5. | Denis Menchov | Rabobank | 26 |
Mountain
| 1. | JoaquÃm RodrÃguez | Team Katusha | 17 | | 2. | José Luis Roldán | AndalucÃa Cajasur | 15 | | 3. | Alejandro Valverde | Caisse d'Epargne | 14 | | 4. | Joost Posthuma | Rabobank | 14 | | 5. | Laurens Ten Dam | Rabobank | 13 |
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| purepasd |
Posted on 20-03-2010 14:06
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Valverde must be in REALLY good shape!! |
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| alexkr00 |
Posted on 20-03-2010 14:17
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purepasd wrote:
Valverde must be in REALLY good shape!!
I'm pretty sure 83 hill also has something to do with his performances...
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| alexkr00 |
Posted on 20-03-2010 16:57
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World Champion
Posts: 13924
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Scheldeprijs is the last cobbled race before Paris - Roubaix and we should see a battle between Sky and BMC for the victory today. Flecha, Boasson Hagen, Arvesen, Ballan, Hincapie and Burghardt are the main favorites on paper
When the pack hit the first cobblestones, we also had the first big move of the day. Boasson Hagen attacked to open the way for Flecha. One of the BMC leaders, Hincapie, followed him and together they got quite easily a gap of one minute and a half
Still Hincapie looked a little bit stronger than Hagen and after an while the Norwegian started getting tired so another Sky rider came from the pack to join them in the leading group, with just 30 km left. It was Juan Antonio Flecha. The Spaniard looked really strong during the entire day and had no problems winning back the 1 minute and 30 seconds Hagen and Hincapie had in front of him
When the next cobbles arrived, Flecha made an another move, this time trying to get away in a solo lead. Hincapie was able to follow him for an while but he had to let it go in the end. Behind them Ballan and Burghardt attacked from the pack and they were approaching an almost dead Hagen
Flecha passed the last cobbled section of the day and entered the last 5 kilometers of the race in a lead of over one minute. Behind him, Hagen lost many positions, not being able to keep it up with any of the groups that were coming from behind. Hincapie was as well caught and left behind by his team - teams, Ballan and Burghardt, the Italian being now Flecha's main chaser
At the finish line, Flecha didn't look too excited about his win this being a rather expected result for him. Still with this win and the recent one in Ronde van Vlaanderen, the Spaniard is the main favorite for Paris - Roubaix. Ballan and Burghardt followed him on the podium, while Arvesen was the second best Sky rider today in 9th
Results
| 1. | Juan Antonio Flecha | Sky Professional Cycling Team | 5h16'03 | | 2. | Alessandro Ballan | BMC Racing Team | + 1'11 | | 3. | Marcus Burghardt | BMC Racing Team | + 2'38 | | 4. | George Hincapie | BMC Racing Team | + 3'06 | | 5. | Bert Scheirlinckx | Landbouwkrediet | s.t. | | 6. | Davy Commeyne | Landbouwkrediet | s.t. | | 7. | Preben Van Hecke | Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | s.t. | | 8. | Job Vissers | Skil - Shimano | s.t. | | 9. | Kurt-Asle Arvesen | Sky Professional Cycling Team | + 3'36 | | 10. | Pieter Vanspeybroeck | Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | s.t. | | 11. | Nico Eeckhout | An Post - Sean Kelly | + 4'08 | | 12. | Stijn Minne | An Post - Sean Kelly | s.t. | | 13. | Kim Borry | An Post - Sean Kelly | s.t. | | 14. | Jonas Vangenechten | Verandas Willems | + 4'42 | | 15. | Edvald Boasson Hagen | Sky Professional Cycling Team | s.t. | | 16. | Coen Vermeltfoort | Rabobank CT | s.t. | | 17. | Kristof Vandewalle | Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | + 5'01 | | 18. | Floris Goesinnen | Skil - Shimano | + 5'13 | | 19. | James Vanlandschoot | Verandas Willems | s.t. | | 20. | Sven Nys | Landbouwkrediet | + 5'49 |
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| Bosskardo |
Posted on 20-03-2010 17:54
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Sprinter
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Looking good for P-R
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| Biathlon |
Posted on 20-03-2010 19:07
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Sprinter
Posts: 1813
Joined: 15-06-2008
PCM$: 300.00
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Great win with Flecha
Words to live by
"What would Lance do?"
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| hellboy |
Posted on 21-03-2010 07:48
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Breakaway Specialist
Posts: 850
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Great riding, Valverde is brutal,looks like he wants triple win in Ardennes in your game
Go Roman!
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| alexkr00 |
Posted on 21-03-2010 19:27
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World Champion
Posts: 13924
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The fourth stage in Pais Vasco is the second and the last one rated as 'flat' and that means that we could finally see Valverde missing a stage win here
Dario Cioni attacked on the first climb of the day and got away in a solo lead. On the next climbed he was joined in front by Christophe Brandt and Jose Luis Roldan. Cioni was very close to take the KoM jersey but he missed it by only one point, Roldan taking it back after losing it at the end of the previous stage
Again the profile proved to be too hard for sprinter and with our only hope, Vigano, gone, Gerrans attacked before the third intermediate sprint, on the last slopes of the day. But he couldn't get a big gap, Wegmann leading the pack really well behind him for his team - mate, Linus Gerdemann
Gerrans entered the last kilometer in front, but in the last corner he was caught by Gerdemann and Popovych, the first one looking clearly stronger than Simon
Gerdemann was stronger in the final meters and took the stage win, while Gerrans got an another podium after the third place achieved in the second stage. Popovych rounded up the podium today, while Valverde finished fourth and kept the yellow jersey
Carlos Sastre, 9th overall after the third stage, was really unlucky today as he crashed only a few meters before the finish line. The former Tour de France winner lost almost 2 minutes and he is now outside the top 20 in the general classification
Stage
| 1. | Linus Gerdemann | Team Milram | 4h16'44 | | 2. | Simon Gerrans | Sky Professional Cycling Team | s.t. | | 3. | Yaroslav Popovych | Team RadioShack | s.t. | | 4. | Alejandro Valverde | Caisse d'Epargne | s.t. | | 5. | Arkaitz Durán | Footon - Servetto | s.t. | | 6. | Sandy Casar | Française des Jeux | s.t. | | 7. | Philippe Gilbert | Omega Pharma - Lotto | s.t. | | 8. | Gustavo César Veloso | Xacobeo - Galicia | s.t. | | 9. | Rinaldo Nocentini | AG2R La Mondiale | s.t. | | 10. | Damiano Cunego | Lampre - Farnese Vini | s.t. | | 11. | Daniel Moreno | Omega Pharma - Lotto | s.t. | | 12. | Martin Pedersen | Footon - Servetto | s.t. | | 13. | Fabian Wegmann | Team Milram | s.t. | | 14. | Jan Bakelants | Omega Pharma - Lotto | s.t. | | 15. | Nicolas Roche | AG2R La Mondiale | s.t. |
Overall
| 1. | Alejandro Valverde | Caisse d'Epargne | 16h25'54 | | 2. | Damiano Cunego | Lampre - Farnese Vini | + 1'05 | | 3. | JoaquÃm RodrÃguez | Team Katusha | s.t. | | 4. | Denis Menchov | Rabobank | + 1'22 | | 5. | Robert Gesink | Rabobank | + 1'48 | | 6. | Igor Antón | Euskaltel - Euskadi | + 2'05 | | 7. | Linus Gerdemann | Team Milram | + 2'21 | | 8. | Thomas Lövkvist | Sky Professional Cycling Team | s.t. | | 9. | Lance Armstrong | Team RadioShack | + 2'55 | | 10. | Sandy Casar | Française des Jeux | + 3'11 | | 11. | Amets Txurruka | Euskaltel - Euskadi | + 3'22 | | 12. | Michael Albasini | Team HTC - Columbia | s.t. | | 13. | Carlos Barredo | Quick·Step | + 3'37 | | 14. | Gustavo César Veloso | Xacobeo - Galicia | s.t. | | 15. | Alexandre Vinokourov | Astana | s.t. |
Points
| 1. | Alejandro Valverde | Caisse d'Epargne | 89 | | 2. | Damiano Cunego | Lampre - Farnese Vini | 59 | | 3. | Linus Gerdemann | Team Milram | 38 | | 4. | Simon Gerrans | Sky Professional Cycling Team | 38 | | 5. | JoaquÃm RodrÃguez | Team Katusha | 37 |
Mountain
| 1. | José Luis Roldán | AndalucÃa Cajasur | 31 | | 2. | Dario Cioni | Sky Professional Cycling Team | 30 | | 3. | JoaquÃm RodrÃguez | Team Katusha | 17 | | 4 | Christophe Brandt | Omega Pharma - Lotto | 16 | | 5. | Alejandro Valverde | Caisse d'Epargne | 14 |
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| purepasd |
Posted on 21-03-2010 20:25
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Domestique
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Nice with Gerrans |
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| Ludvig Wacker |
Posted on 21-03-2010 20:27
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Amateur
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| alexkr00 |
Posted on 25-03-2010 21:22
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World Champion
Posts: 13924
Joined: 05-08-2008
PCM$: 300.00
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Today's stage is the last opportunity for Valverde's opponents to gain some time back before the final time - trial or we could also see the Spaniard securing the overall win
Circa 10 riders got away from the pack today but the strongest one it was Tadej Valjavec. The former Slovenian Champion spent most of the stage in front in a solo lead and managed to take the King of the Mountains jersey from Roldan by 5 points. He should win that competition as tomorrow's stage is an ITT
Sastre, Armstrong, Albasini and Cunego tried to surprise Valverde with an attack before the last climb of the day. They managed to build a nice gap but Caisse never let them have more than 1 minute advantage as then Cunego would have become a serious threat for Valverde
As soon as the climb started, Cunego got away from the other 3 but the attacks behind them also started. 600 meters before the summit, Valverde caught Cunego and the Spaniard just flew apart the former Giro winner
Valverde increased his lead on the downhill and he passed the 5 kilometers banner 1 minute before all his opponents and only a crash or a technical problem could stop him now
Behind, Cunego was joined in the chasing group by Rodriquez, who attacked at the top of the climb. Amstrong, Sastre, Albasini and all the other riders that attacked on the last climb were all brought back in the pack on the downhill
Valverde really seems to be the man of the moment in cycling now as he is settle to take the third Pro Tour race this season, after Paris - Nice and Catalunya, as well as getting the 4th stage win, here in Pais Vasco. Behind him Rodriguez won the sprint for the 2nd place but he and Cunego lost more than 50 seconds today
Kirchen lead the sprint in the pack, 1 minute and 45 seconds behind Valverde. Lovkvist finished 6th today, keeping the 8th place in the GC and with tomorrow's time - trial he should be able to grab a top 10 overall, which is one of our sponsors goals this year
Stage
| 1. | Alejandro Valverde | Caisse d'Epargne | 4h22'40 | | 2. | JoaquÃm RodrÃguez | Team Katusha | + 52 | | 3. | Damiano Cunego | Lampre - Farnese Vini | s.t. | | 4. | Kim Kirchen | Team Katusha | + 1'45 | | 5. | Alexandre Vinokourov | Astana | s.t. | | 6. | Thomas Lövkvist | Sky Professional Cycling Team | s.t. | | 7. | Igor Antón | Euskaltel - Euskadi | s.t. | | 8. | Michael Albasini | Team HTC - Columbia | s.t. | | 9. | José Alberto BenÃtez | Footon - Servetto | s.t. | | 10. | Jens Voigt | Team Saxo Bank | s.t. | | 11. | Linus Gerdemann | Team Milram | s.t. | | 12. | Laurens Ten Dam | Rabobank | s.t. | | 13. | Nicolas Roche | AG2R La Mondiale | s.t. | | 14. | Rinaldo Nocentini | AG2R La Mondiale | s.t. | | 15. | Philippe Gilbert | Omega Pharma - Lotto | s.t. |
Overall
| 1. | Alejandro Valverde | Caisse d'Epargne | 20h48'34 | | 2. | Damiano Cunego | Lampre - Farnese Vini | + 1'57 | | 3. | JoaquÃm RodrÃguez | Team Katusha | s.t. | | 4. | Denis Menchov | Rabobank | + 3'07 | | 5. | Robert Gesink | Rabobank | + 3'33 | | 6. | Igor Antón | Euskaltel - Euskadi | + 3'50 | | 7. | Linus Gerdemann | Team Milram | + 4'06 | | 8. | Thomas Lövkvist | Sky Professional Cycling Team | s.t. | | 9. | Lance Armstrong | Team RadioShack | + 4'40 | | 10. | Sandy Casar | Française des Jeux | + 4'56 | | 11. | Michael Albasini | Team HTC - Columbia | + 5'07 | | 12. | Amets Txurruka | Euskaltel - Euskadi | s.t. | | 13. | Alexandre Vinokourov | Astana | + 5'22 | | 14. | Carlos Barredo | Quick·Step | s.t. | | 15. | José Alberto BenÃtez | Footon - Servetto | s.t. |
Points
| 1. | Alejandro Valverde | Caisse d'Epargne | 114 | | 2. | Damiano Cunego | Lampre - Farnese Vini | 75 | | 3. | JoaquÃm RodrÃguez | Team Katusha | 57 | | 4. | Linus Gerdemann | Team Milram | 43 | | 5. | Simon Gerrans | Sky Professional Cycling Team | 38 |
Mountain
| 1. | Tadej Valjavec | AG2R La Mondiale | 36 | | 2. | José Luis Roldán | AndalucÃa Cajasur | 31 | | 3. | Dario Cioni | Sky Professional Cycling Team | 30 | | 4. | Jan Bakelants | Omega Pharma - Lotto | 29 | | 5. | JoaquÃm RodrÃguez | Team Katusha | 19 |
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