With many of the British Squads missing from the tour, I, being a British manager, wanted to show off my team and do well. Hopefully spurring on the organisers of the tour to invite some good squads for next year.
A second flat stage today, with less bumps in it, should actually see a sprinters show down. With two riders to protect, the whole team were involved excepting Morizot who would be off on the attack once more.
5 more riders would come across to him, and they would surge on to a good lead until Mazzanti sent his troops to the front to do some pulling back.
Even with the help of his team mates, the gap started to go out again, and the group managed to get over the final intermediate sprint before being reeled back in with 25km to go.
Tronet told me that he was looking forward to todays stage, as the flat 20 km run in suited him perfectly. He expanded on that when he took Goss' wheel and held himself right at the front.
As the sprint started, many of the sprinters seemed to fade under the shadow of Boasson Hagen. Is this rider never under any bad days? But Tronet quickly saw him, and jumped onto his wheel. He just didn't have enough to go around, but took a brilliant 2nd place.
and hence why i've got fat since coming to uni... (relatively fat anyhow)
The final stage of the Limousin tour
A hilly stage that we really doubted we'd be able to keep Drujon in yellow for the end of the day, but we'd try. We'd also keep Levarlet in good shape to have a dig if there was a chance.
A break went with 9 riders in it, we were wary of it, but thought with the help of other teams we'd be able to drag it back in.
Well, the other teams had other plans, and decided not to bother, so even with the man power of Auber 93, the gap just didn't come down, and so the other teams eventually took up the chase, but it would be too late. Drujon would lose the yellow jersey.
Coming into the final 5km, all the break had blown, and Duyn was about 10 metres ahead, so it looked like he'd win the overall.
Drujon would eventually come in with the peloton, having not struggled over the climbs as the pace was easy for him.
Mountains: 1 Niels Brouzes AUBER 93 26
2 Huub Duyn TEAM SLIPSTREAM 25
3 Ondrej Sosenka ACTION - UNIQA 24
4 Nicolas Jalabert AGRITUBEL 22
5 Nicolas Crosbie BOUYGUES TÉLÉCOM 21
A disappointing end to the tour, but a good points earner, and whilst Agritubel may have pipped us for overall points, we came out pretty even, and are now still only around 120 points behind.
Fatigue levels are all around 200-500 for each rider. I must admit when in the continental tour i don't bother doing the training levels for each rider, or even for my team leaders. I just let the computer do it all as it keeps in on a nice 60-65 training fitness. Plus i also have to admit i do cheat ops: the one thing i do do is edit the amount of racing days (someone may have noticed if you look at all the races i've done, and the screenshots of the riders stats - some guys have only ridden 35 races, when in actual fact they've done more like 100). Without that, i'd have no chance in hell. So that's my only little thing i've done.
Stage 3 of the Tour of Ireland.
Another flat day, could Tronet produce another brilliant result? Or would a break finally make it away all day as is often the case in real life?
Well, Morizot once again got in a break. This time with Kristian House. So the Brits must be starting to get a bit bored with no action finally!
With 40km left, the gap was plummeting, and so Morizot decided to go it alone, but ended up taking the Unibet Continental rider with him, who promptedly dropped him.
They both got caught, so no worries there!
Over the final climb of the day, and down the other side, only CSC were strong enough to get a lead out going, and Tronet for the 2nd time in two days got on Goss' wheel.
As the descent leveled out into a clear run in, with just the one easy bend, Tronet took his time, before waiting for Goss to fade, and taking off around the outside of the bend.
For a while it looked like Goss' shoulder is as close as he was going to get, but then Goss just went backwards, and Tronet would take a brilliant win for Auber 93! Along with the leaders jersey!
With the remaining days all being flat, apart from one that has two short sharp climbs at the end, we feel confident that we can keep Tronet in the top 10. But not great about keeping the lead. Especially with Hagen around...
Tronet would probably undoubtedly loose the yellow jersey today, but the question is by how much, and what position would he be able to hold onto?
A hilly classed stage, with us in leadership meant we were not going to make a similar mistake to the Tour du Limousin. So with that in mind, we planned to send Malacarne in the break. That way, if the break succeeded, he'd be in an ideal position to take over the yellow jersey.
But with no break having gone by the first sprint point, Malacarne attacked.
But the sprinters still managed to claw him back. He did take some bonus seconds however. All of which would help, we were sure.
Soon after, Bak attacked and got a good gap over the following group, which Belkov managed to get into. He sat on the back to police the move.
But over the final climb, he realised the group would be gobbled back up, and so attacked solo to see if he could get away.
He took the maximum points on offer for that climb, and got a quick minutes lead on the group, until Bak attacked across, and the rest were swallowed up. Soon it was over for both Belkov and Bak as they too were taken in.
Belkov went straight out the back, looking up at the first of the two climbs.
Malacarne put in a fierce attack, but with Mazzanti's squad keeping the pace high, only a pill popping Hagen could get clear.
Over the 2nd climb, other riders also tried to get clear, but just couldn't. Hagen took a minute lead with just 1km to go.
And Tronet managed to keep in the lead group, and still have enough left to get a good top 10 place again. Would it be enough to keep 2nd overall?
Excited with Hagen's win, one of his team mates hit the ground solo. Obviously too many pies meant his centre of gravity was off, and he just fell over like a numpty...
Excited with Hagen's win, one of his team mates hit the ground solo. Obviously too many pies meant his centre of gravity was off, and he just fell over like a numpty...
A break from the stage racing with a single day sprinters classic.
The Chateauroux Classic de L'Indre
A flat course with the occasional speed hump will see this come down to a sprint finish, especially with some big sprint teams here. Namely Wiesenhof.
Christophe Diguets chance at team glory came today when he was told to go with the break. It stayed away for 140km of the race, before being swallowed up.
Gaudin counter attacked, and would stay away for a further 30 km, just 30 seconds off the front, when he blew, and with great style, he managed to hang on in the bunch to finish.
Levarlet was the last to attack, and he managed to get all of 10 metres off the Agritubel driven pack. He would however lead into the final 3km.
Drujon meanwhile had placed himself behind Feillu, the flying frenchman, in a hope to get a solid lead out.
That he would, but just not as good as Eeckhout, who would win with a bike length or two to spare!
Boasson Hagen holds a commanding lead, and will take the overall victory for sure, unless a break can get away. We hold the climbers jersey, and unless 2nd placed in the classification gets away and wins both, and finishes ahead of Morizot, we'd keep it too!
A flat stage will see another sprint finish, that hopefully will suit Tronet as he needs to beat Matt Goss if he wants to keep his 2nd overall.
Morizot again went in the break, just to secure that win, and if the break did succeed, well, a top 10 placing always goes down a treat!
The break was well organised, and quickly started to pull out a lead until the intermediate sprint when some plonker of an American attacked right after. Cozza took off for no reason, and the break broke down into 4 once he'd be caught.
And sure enough, after Morizot had taken enough points, the break was reeled back in, and it would come down to a bunch finish.
Unlike previous days, Tronet wasn't feeling his best, and again tried for Goss' wheel. It wasn't happening as disastor struck for Malacarne on the other side of the road. Down he went, just 7 km from the finish.
And looking into the heap of bodies, the yellow jersey was down too! Hagen had taken a fall, and the leader on the road is Tronet! Bad news however as once the sprint started, Tronet was done. Not a chance of getting a good result.
And Goss would take the win, and the lead. Whilst Tronet would still have to settle for 2nd, and Malacarne would be outta the top ten faster then you can burst a bubble!
The yellow jersey cut a lonely shadow as he soloed across the line, over 2 minutes down on Goss' time.
One good result is that we were the best scoring Continental team in the race, so thats always good news.
p3druh wrote:
Tell the truth... It was Malacarne that send Hagen to the floor wasn't it?B)
Option 1: Shhhhhhh!
Option 2: It was the other way around! Honest!
Option 3: Some spiteful fool actually tried to take out Troent, missed and took down the yellow jersey instead.
I'll let you choose which option you want to
Stage One of the Tour du Poitou Charentes (or similar spelling)
With this seeming to be important for our squad, and no other races on that are worthwhile sending power to, both Tronet and Drujon would be once more teaming up to sprint for glory, whilst Belkov, Gaudin (invited to race) and Malacarne are all here to show the colours on the flat or in the time trial.
Stage one is a nice flat affair:
We let other riders go in the break, and Tinkoff controlled the pack for Russian RR champ Ignatiev. The stage would come down to a sprint finish, and we had Tronet following Ignatiev, with Drujon in tow. A bit too far back for our liking, but it will have to do for todays stage.
Balducci would take the honours, with Feillu making Agritubel pull away from us once more (maybe i should sacrifice Chainel to take him out....?)
Another flat stage with nothing that will stop the sprinters from having full gas when they hit the finish.
The fans were out today, obviously the weather was nice enough for once to support their cycling stars!
A break went, and was inevitably brought back in by LPR and Agritubel.
With 8km left to roll, for the first time ever!!!! Auber 93 decided to do a lead out, Malacarne used the fact that other sprinters teams were tired today, and started to lead out Tronet and Drujon.
By 4km to go, he had dragged them upto the front, in the perfect position for Tronet to lead out Drujon.
And as the sprint began, Tronet shot off and towed Drujon with him. Past the early accelerators, and under the 1 km to go banner Tronet was in the lead.
And as the LPR bloke started to claim back ground, Drujon went for it on the other side as Tronet grit his teeth and dug in.
And neither Drujon or the LPR could come around the amazed Tronet as he took ANOTHER brilliant win for Auber 93! A 1-2 for the team.
Results: 1 Steven Tronet AUBER 93 4h40'02
2 Mathieu Drujon AUBER 93 s.t.
3 Borut Bozic TEAM LPR s.t.
4 Romain Feillu AGRITUBEL s.t.
5 Olaf Pollack TEAM WIESENHOF FELT s.t.
6 Gabriele Balducci ACQUA & SAPONE - CAFFÉ MOKAMBO s.t.
7 Stefano Garzelli ACQUA & SAPONE - CAFFÉ MOKAMBO s.t.
8 Mickael Buffaz COFIDIS, LE CRÉDIT PAR TÉLÉPHONE s.t.
9 Jos Van Emden RABOBANK CONTINENTAL s.t.
10 Jeremy Hunt UNIBET.COM s.t. 28 Davide Malacarne AUBER 93 s.t.
50 Florian Morizot AUBER 93 s.t.
83 Maxim Belkov AUBER 93 s.t.
85 Damien Gaudin AUBER 93 s.t.
94 Steve Chainel AUBER 93 s.t.
114 Jean Mespoulède AUBER 93 + 6'09 118 Artur Gajek TEAM WIESENHOF FELT + 24'53
GC: 1 Steven Tronet AUBER 93 8h45'46
2 Gabriele Balducci ACQUA & SAPONE - CAFFÉ MOKAMBO s.t.
3 Romain Feillu AGRITUBEL + 8 4 Mathieu Drujon AUBER 93 s.t.
5 Olaf Pollack TEAM WIESENHOF FELT + 12
6 Borut Bozic TEAM LPR s.t.
7 Ricardo Serrano TINKOFF CREDIT SYSTEMS + 20
8 Tom Veelers RABOBANK CONTINENTAL s.t.
9 Jos Van Emden RABOBANK CONTINENTAL s.t.
10 Stefano Garzelli ACQUA & SAPONE - CAFFÉ MOKAMBO s.t. 39 Davide Malacarne AUBER 93 s.t.
60 Florian Morizot AUBER 93 s.t.
72 Damien Gaudin AUBER 93 s.t.
82 Maxim Belkov AUBER 93 s.t.
84 Steve Chainel AUBER 93 s.t.
111 Jean Mespoulède AUBER 93 + 11'44 118 Francis Mourey FRANÇAISE DES JEUX + 40'36
ops: the one thing i do do is edit the amount of racing days (someone may have noticed if you look at all the races i've done, and the screenshots of the riders stats - some guys have only ridden 35 races, when in actual fact they've done more like 100). Without that, i'd have no chance in hell. So that's my only little thing i've done.
