I'm back for the weekend!!! Yay!!
However due to a monumental amount of work i have only done 10days of the Giro ... But its gonna be a good read, but i solomly swear to finish the TDF when i'm next back in early December
The new updates will follow shortly
the_hoyle wrote:
Good luck in the giro! great story so far! pcm is so unrealistic though... as if this gilbert guy would win the triple. never even heard of him
The first Grand Tour of the year and the 2nd largest race!
After a lackluster Romandie a lot of question marks were raised over our selection as a team for the Giro, esoecially as our sponsors want a top 3 finish!
So it was me, Thomas Lofkvist as our leader, Moris, Dario and Davide were the Italien trio. John-Lee was also in mountain support role. Russel and Greg would assult the sprints, and Alex would run for water.
Stage 1; The TTT was looking like a struggle, but we out performed ourselves with a 4th place, only 16" off the winning time of HTC. Velits is the first wearer of the Maglia Rosa.
This meant Thomas gained time on all his main rivals - 1" on Vinokourov, 11" on Evans, 24" on Brajkovic, 28" on Kruijwijk, 46" on Roche, 49" on Rujano, 58" on Anton and 1'21 on Nibali
Stage 2; A long flat stage at over 244km. I countered a move from Napolitano(Aqa) at 2km in, and we were joined by Houganard(Ag2r), Klemme(Leo) and Cooke(SBS). We built up a lead of 11'20.
A real chase never formed and thus it looked good for a break victory. Napolitano took the IS, while made a move for the KoM points. This move put me 30" clear at the top of the climb.
With 10km to go i held 2'29 on the peloton, which still couldnt organise a real chase.
2'00 at 4km and i was all but assured of a win!
1'47 at 2km and it was mine to lose!
Then there was the line ... I did it ... A Grand Tour stage win ...
Behind Davide lead out Greg to 2nd on the stage ...
A team 1-2!!
I finished 50" up on the Peloton
I had the Maglia Rosa, and the KoM lead, and the Points lead, and the Young Riders lead, and the Team lead.
Stage 3; Rolling out in the Maglia Rosa was magnificent.
All day i had riders patting me on the back, particularly the other Brits. Caruso(Kat) Christensen(SBS) Bono(Lam) and Noe(Far) formed the break. Noe took the IS, but the group was caught before the KoM's. Vandewalle took the first, and i stole the 2nd. Pettachi took the Sprint over Bos and Brown while Greg was 10th
Stage 4; Pietropolli(Lam) Boaro(SBS) formed a 2 man break. Again with a short climb near the finish, i extended my KoM lead with another first on the climb. Pettachi took back-to-back win, with Bos 2nd and Bozic 3rd, while Greg was again 10th
Stage 5; The first of the hills, and the end of my run in pink. Millar(Grm) Sarmiento(Aqa) Pate(HTC) and Gatto(Far) were the break. But today was all about the last 20km as the GC was shuffled. Evans won, with Nibali 2nd 11" down and Velits 3rd. Velits took the Pink back while i dropped back to over 7'30 down. Thomas though was 11th overall, less than a minute down. But now i got to wear the Green KoM jersey.
Stage 6; More hills ... Posthuma(Rab) Noe(Far) Pietropolli(Lam) and Codol(Aqa) tried the break, but to no avail. Wegman took the win, with Roche 2nd and Vino 3rd. Vinokourov overtook the Pink by 40" over Roche. Thomas entered the top 10 at 1'20 down. I still held the KoM lead.
Stage 7; The first mountains. At 100km long this was gonna be a fast one. Sarmiento(Aqa) Noe(Far) Majka(SBS) Gretsch(HTC) and me all formed the break. Majka and Gretsche were dropped on the first climb. Noe took the KoM but i extended the lead.
Lund(SBS) Garate(Rab) Bruseghin(Mov) all tried to escape but failed.
We were still clear at the base of the final climb, while the GC contenders all watched each other.
I made amove at 13km to go.
Thomas attacked at 5km to go, but struggled to get a significant gap.
After a long climb i was still solo, and looking at a second win!!
And it happened!! A double stage winner!!
Lofkvist made it a 1-2 1'00 down. Nibali was 3rd a further 5" down.
Lofkvist was now 5th 1'19 down on Vinokourov.
Stage 8; Guardini(Far) Sella(And) Toasatto(SBS) Anza(VCD) broke way. In a straight forward sprint Pettachi is unmatched here, with Bos 2nd again, and Pietropolli 3rd. Greg struggled down in 11th.
Stage 9; Mt Etna, twice. A large 11man group went clear, including Goss(HTC). They lead to the base of the first ascent.
Then Garzelli(Aqa) Bruseghin(Mov) and Possoni attacked, and formed a leading group of 3.
Again the GC riders waited till the final climb, and let the break fight for glory. Possoni moved early, and held 30" over the other 2 for most of the climb.
Behind Anton Roche Evans Lofkvist and Kruij all went clear as a group.
Possoni held onto to 33" to win over Bruseghin and 43" over Garzelli.
The GC lead moved to Nibali with 3" over Evans, 23" over Roche and "49 over Lofkvist. I moved into 25th 10'39 back,
Rest Day; I had a lot of press comitments, focused on ym 3 days in pink and 2 stage wins... Not that im complaining
Looking back on the first 10 days, its hard to think its real. But of course i look ahead, and it gets harder from here. I only hope we can keep Lofkvist up there, and i might try for a 3rd win ....
I'm back again ... Posting through from mid-Grio to mid-Tour tonight and tomorrow, so a lot of reading for you guys, sorry...
Will be some more at the weekend when im off for xmas, so lots of posting
Stage 10; Pettachi took a simple sprint win, and dominates the points competition
Stage 11; Hills, you cant win the race here, but you can lose it. The break stayed clear, with Fischer winning for Garmin. No changes in the GC, so Thomas is still in a good position
Stage 12; Pettachi wins yet another sprint, with Greg in 4th. Most riders, myself included, saved energy ahead of the final week
Stage 13; Not a gentle introduction to the mountains, its hard and only gets harder. Evans dominates the final climb ahead of Roche, with Thomas losing 21" in 6th. Moris finishes a strong 9th 41" down.
GC Evans @20 over Roche, 3rd Nibali@22 4th, Lofkvist @1'27, 22nd Ken @12'28 and 23rd Possoni @13'45
Stage 14; The Zoncolan!! This was a day i marked out as key, today i would take the KoM or blow up. I went in the first kilometer, as did Hoogerland and Pietropolli. I was allowed the KoM points, but had to fetch water for them. We built 11'10, and held 4'00 at the top of the Crostis, albeit without Jonny. I dropped Piet at 6km to go, as we laboured up the 20% slopes. Behind the race was shattering, with Evans and Thomas looking strong. I was going to win a 3rd stage, but by how much ... 3'21 over Evans and 3'32 over Thomas.
Its still hard to believe i won 3 stages, let alone the Zoncolan!!
GC Evans @56 over Nibali, 3rd Roche @1'39, 4th Lofkvist @1'40, 9th Kennaugh @8'58. 28 riders were outside the time limit.
Stage 15; It doesn't get easier, after the Gia we had to climb up to Gardecia, almost as hard as the Zoncolan. Many attacks came on the Gia, but the main contenders were all to gether at the base of the Gardeccia. Thomas went at the base with 9km to go. He held a small gap all the way to the top. He had 15" on Rujano and Roche.
24 riders were out of the limit today, including Alex and Davide. Velits also abandoned from a top 10 position.
GC Evans @52 over Lofkvist, @1'18 over Roche
Rest Day; A rest day has never felt so good, but still went out for 2 hours with Thomas, Moris, Dario and John-Lee to keep loose.
Stage 16; The Mountain ITT, just one man, and a mountain.
1st Lofkvist 2nd Rujano @28 3rd Evans @34 4th Cioni @46.
GC Evans @18 over Lofkvist @1'46, 9th Ken @11'38
It was now a 3 horse race, Evans Thomas and Nibali
Stage 17; A simple climb and the Aprica before a decent to the finish. The race went mad on the climb, but somehow Thomas and i came out in the lead group, aling with the rest of the Top 10, and a few others. I lead out Thomas in the sprint as he took a thrid stage in a row, and the time bonus.
GC Evans @6 over Lofkvistm @1'54 Nibali.
Thomas was on fire, with 99 from for 6days it was going to be one hell of a finish.
Stage 18; Hills, and a break. The peloton had the day off as Reda won the sprint from the BotD, and the peloton came in 12'45 back.
Stage 19; A large break formed around Cataldo(QST) who was not having a good race. They were caught before the final climb. Nibali attacked at 20km to go, and agin at 7km, drawing Evans and Thomas into a 3 man group. The top3 all together, alone and going hard. Evans started his sprint too early and Thomas nipped past on the line for a 4th stage win, and the Maglia Rosa.
GC Lofkvist @2 over Evans, @2'00 Nibali, 9th Kennaugh @14'06. I was assured of the KoM jersey now, as with only 25pts left i had a 26pt lead!!
Stage 20; Finestre and Sestriere were designed as a showdown, and they delivered. Evans and Lofkvist rode clear at the top of the Finestre. The 2 men still in it together, alone, in a duel.
Evans pulled away in the final kms, winning by 28" and with the 8" bonus took back the Maglia Rosa.
I struggled to the line, and Kruijswick overtook me for 9th.
GC 1st Evans @34 over Lofkvist, @3'57 Nibali, 10th Ken @22'34
Stage 21; 3 weeks done, 34km to go, alone, against the clock, this was going to be good. Evans was chasing Thomas, but it was Thomas who rode like a man possesd. In his best ever TT he did everything right. I crossed the line with Dave yelling in my ear at him "GO FOR IT". I rushed to the bus where everyone was glued to the tv... Thomas came in 1st, then 2mins later Evans came in ... .... .... 18" down on the day ... He held on by 16" overall. Thomas took 5 stages but still couldnt do it.
Nibali was 3rd 50" down.
Young Rider
Krijsijk
Kennaugh @2'27
Intxausti @4'34
Team
Sky ProCycling 270h29'48
Androni @34'51
Euskatel-Euskadi @40'06
Summary;
Thomas 5 wins and 2nd overall, absolutly fantastic.
Moris one stage win, and a top 20
Dario a top 20
Me 3 stage wins and top 10 overall and the KoM Jersey
We are losing Possoni, B-H, Henderson, Barry
B-H has been argueing with Dave and unfortunatly wont resign. Possoni is hoping for a greater role somewhere else. Both Henderson and Barry are making way for new, younger talent, but we hope they still have rides next year. Also Zandio may also leave at the end of the year, but is yet undecided.
Signed; Arnaud St-Piere - 19yo Canadian Puncher on a 3yrCt.
U23 T10x6 T3x3 1stx7 (at time of signing)
Signed; Roche Irish Stage Racer, great things still to come
Signed; Haussler Australien All-Rounder, will sprint, cobble and hill in support or for himself
Priorities; Cavendish and Millar, both out of contract and both would be great aditions.
Its always sad to lose some team mates but it will be sensational to be part of this team next year, especially if Mark and David join. Mark is a good friend and fellow Manx, and i have spent some time with him training in the run up to the tour.
Other News;
Machado RSH to Andalucia
Kittel Skil to NettApp
Le Mevel GRM to Cofidis
Freire Rab to Euskatel
