It's time trial day here in Argentina, let's get ready for some man to man battle throughout the 19.2 kilometer long course. Let's get too it!
My bet: Phinney
The first bigger name out in the saddle was Great Britain's TT Champion, Alex Dowsett, who is Movistar's new addition for the season. He was struggling a bit during his run, but still managed to get the lead with the clock stopping at 27'10.
Next favorite out there was stage 2 winner Taylor Phinney, who was considered as the best time-trialer of the race before the stage. Well, he lived up to the expectations, blewing Dowsett's time out of the water! The american got to the line in just 26'00! Amazing ride!
We slowly got to the top 10, where the best ITT rider was arguably the dutch champion, Lieuwe Westra. He did the course pretty fast, but was it enough? No, as was 33 seconds off, but that was still enough for the 2nd! That really shows you how dominant Phinney was for BMC.
The GC 3rd pre-stage, Sergio Henao was the 3rd last to start, only Poels and Favili were going after him. Let's get back to our colombian though! He just surprised the experts with a nice ride, which took 26'44. That was eventually enough for him to get 5th, which is a really result for him, I believe.
The leaders jersey! Here is italian talent, Elia Favili in the orange! Is he a good enought TTer to keep his jersey? It seems unlikely nonetheless. He wasn't going to pacey, finishing way down, so that means, Taylor Phinney takes the stage, that's his second, and is going to wear the orange on the next stage!
Stage Results
1
Taylor Phinney
BMC Racing Team
26'00
2
Lieuwe Westra
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
+ 33
3
Mikhail Ignatiev
Katusha Team
+ 40
4
Maxim Belkov
Katusha Team
+ 44
5
Sergio Henao
US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor
s.t.
6
Pavel Brutt
Katusha Team
+ 52
7
Ramunas Navardauskas
Garmin - Sharp
+ 53
8
Giovanni Visconti
Movistar Team
+ 54
9
Gatis Smukulis
Katusha Team
+ 55
10
Alexander Wetterhall
Team NetApp - Endura
+ 56
Spoiler
11
Damien Gaudin
Team Europcar
+ 1'01
12
Mads Christensen
Team Saxo - Tinkoff
+ 1'05
13
Joseph Dombrowski
US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor
+ 1'06
14
Thomas Dekker
Garmin - Sharp
+ 1'07
15
Wout Poels
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
16
Fabio Duarte
US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor
+ 1'08
17
Brett Lancaster
Orica - GreenEdge
+ 1'09
18
Javier Moreno
Movistar Team
s.t.
19
Alex Dowsett
Movistar Team
+ 1'10
20
Romain Lemarchand
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
+ 1'12
21
Stephen Cummings
BMC Racing Team
+ 1'13
22
Franco Pellizotti
Androni Giocattoli - Venezuela
s.t.
23
Andrey Amador
Movistar Team
+ 1'15
24
Danilo Di Luca
Vini Fantini - Selle Italia
+ 1'16
25
Jan Ghyselinck
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
s.t.
26
José Mendes
Team NetApp - Endura
+ 1'17
27
José Herrada
Movistar Team
+ 1'20
28
Karsten Kroon
Team Saxo - Tinkoff
+ 1'21
29
Danny Van Poppel
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
30
Stefano Garzelli
Vini Fantini - Selle Italia
+ 1'24
31
Marko Kump
Team Saxo - Tinkoff
+ 1'25
32
Tomas Vaitkus
Orica - GreenEdge
+ 1'26
33
Robert Hunter
Garmin - Sharp
+ 1'27
34
Xavier Florencio
Katusha Team
+ 1'29
35
Christopher Juul-Jensen
Team Saxo - Tinkoff
+ 1'31
36
Klaas Lodewyck
BMC Racing Team
+ 1'32
37
Bryan Coquard
Team Europcar
s.t.
38
André Cardoso
US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor
+ 1'34
39
Oscar Gatto
Vini Fantini - Selle Italia
s.t.
40
Karol Domagalski
Caja Rural
s.t.
41
Tomás Gil
Androni Giocattoli - Venezuela
+ 1'35
42
Fabian Wegmann
Garmin - Sharp
s.t.
43
Fabio Taborre
Vini Fantini - Selle Italia
+ 1'36
44
Danilo Wyss
BMC Racing Team
+ 1'37
45
Dominik Nerz
BMC Racing Team
+ 1'38
46
Andreas Klier
Garmin - Sharp
+ 1'39
47
Martijn Maaskant
Garmin - Sharp
s.t.
48
Adam Blythe
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
49
Elia Favilli
Lampre - Merida
+ 1'40
50
Andrea Palini
Lampre - Merida
s.t.
51
Leigh Howard
Orica - GreenEdge
+ 1'41
52
Miguel Rubiano
Androni Giocattoli - Venezuela
+ 1'43
53
Mitchell Docker
Orica - GreenEdge
+ 1'44
54
Josué Moyano
Caja Rural
+ 1'45
55
Wesley Kreder
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
56
Aidis Kruopis
Orica - GreenEdge
s.t.
57
Francisco José Ventoso
Movistar Team
s.t.
58
David De la Cruz
Team NetApp - Endura
+ 1'46
59
Alexandre Pichot
Team Europcar
s.t.
60
Daniel Navarro
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
s.t.
61
José Serpa
Lampre - Merida
s.t.
62
Yelko Gomez
Caja Rural
s.t.
63
Wouter Mol
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
+ 1'47
64
Leonardo Duque
Colombia
+ 1'49
65
Russell Downing
Team NetApp - Endura
s.t.
66
Benjamín Noval
Team Saxo - Tinkoff
+ 1'51
67
Simon Clarke
Orica - GreenEdge
+ 1'52
68
Manuele Mori
Lampre - Merida
s.t.
69
Takashi Miyazawa
Team Saxo - Tinkoff
+ 1'54
70
Francesco Lasca
Caja Rural
s.t.
71
Jeffry Romero
Colombia
s.t.
72
Nico Sijmens
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
+ 1'55
73
Angelo Tulik
Team Europcar
+ 1'56
74
Frederik Veuchelen
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
75
Jakob Rathe
US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor
s.t.
76
Ariel Maximiliano Richeze
Lampre - Merida
+ 1'57
77
Alessandro Malaguti
Androni Giocattoli - Venezuela
+ 1'58
78
Michael Schwarzmann
Team NetApp - Endura
+ 1'59
79
Marco Frapporti
Androni Giocattoli - Venezuela
+ 2'00
80
Dalivier Ospina
Colombia
+ 2'02
81
Sébastien Chavanel
Team Europcar
+ 2'03
82
Manuel Cardoso
Caja Rural
+ 2'04
83
Kevin Hulsmans
Vini Fantini - Selle Italia
+ 2'05
84
Mattia Gavazzi
Androni Giocattoli - Venezuela
+ 2'06
85
Juan Pablo Valencia
Colombia
s.t.
86
Wilson Marentes
Colombia
+ 2'07
87
Luis Ángel Maté
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
s.t.
88
Guillaume Boivin
US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor
s.t.
89
Alexander Porsev
Katusha Team
+ 2'08
90
Matteo Bono
Lampre - Merida
s.t.
91
Francisco Javier Moreno
Caja Rural
+ 2'09
92
Giovanni Bernaudeau
Team Europcar
+ 2'12
93
Duber Quintero
Colombia
+ 2'13
94
Julien Fouchard
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
s.t.
95
Daniel Schorn
Team NetApp - Endura
+ 2'27
96
Rafael de Mattos Andriato
Vini Fantini - Selle Italia
s.t.
General Classifiation
1
Taylor Phinney
BMC Racing Team
13h08'20
2
Sergio Henao
US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor
+ 16
3
Lieuwe Westra
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
+ 17
4
Giovanni Visconti
Movistar Team
+ 30
5
Wout Poels
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
+ 31
6
Mads Christensen
Team Saxo - Tinkoff
+ 49
7
Fabio Duarte
US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor
+ 52
8
Franco Pellizotti
Androni Giocattoli - Venezuela
+ 57
9
Mikhail Ignatiev
Katusha Team
+ 1'00
10
Danilo Di Luca
Vini Fantini - Selle Italia
s.t.
Points Rankings
1
Taylor Phinney
BMC Racing Team
64
2
Elia Favilli
Lampre - Merida
45
3
Lieuwe Westra
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
34
KOM Classification
1
Manuel Cardoso
Caja Rural
15
2
Russell Downing
Team NetApp - Endura
14
3
Wout Poels
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
10
DS Reaction
Nice stage for us, Henao was terrific and he jumped up a place in the GC, so he is 2nd right now. Dombrowski and Duarte were also well above their expected results, so I'm really glad about the teams' performace overall.
Can't wait for tomorrow's mountain stage too, it suits us nicely!
The first mountain stage of the year! Although it's not an MTF, but it still "offers" some struggle to the riders. As for my bet, I'll go for more of a hilly guy, who has a good sprint. If he can hang on, the stage might be his.
My bet: Visconti
Daily Recap
Today's stage kicked off with some heavy attacks, but most of the better climbers were reeled in by BMC and Vacansoleil. After many tries a 14-man break broke through, headlined by Manuel Cardoso and Robbie Hunter.
Let's jump to the climb, where several attacks happened, but none of them were too serious. Well, at least they managed to make the peloton work, resulting in the catch of the escapees. And now, join our live coverage!
Live coverage
Wout Poels with the attack! Right at the steepest section, the dutchman accelerated, nobody seems to be able to follow him! Can he go on? The pace changes signifcantly at the back, it's now Andre Cardoso and Joe Dombrowski pacing. They're keeping Poels at around 30 seconds, when Henao launches his attack!
The colombaian joins the Vacansoleil rider upfront, and they're able to create a gap of a minute approx. At that moment the pace in the peloton is iniciated by Katusha and BMC, but none of those teams are able to make a significant change of the gap. Now the mountain is over, the question is: Can the leading two keep the gap on the flats?
Well, it seems like only one of them can! Henao drops Poels. who is slowly sliding back into the pack! What a surprise, as the dutchman is considered as the better rouler than the little colombian.
Just one kilometer left for Sergio Henao, the difference in time is still over a minute, it's over! It's going to be an easy one from now on! It can be a big day in his career!
Here is he, crossing the line with a solid celebration! Henao takes the win with a really nice solo! Can he take over the GC with that performance? The clock is ticking...
Here is the bunch, who gets second? It's Duarte! That makes it a 1-2 for US Postal! This season starts nicely for the reborn team! Westra gets 3rd today, the peloton's time is 1'13 slower than Henao's, so it's now official. Sergio Henao is the race leader from now on! Let's how he handles the responsabilities coming with the orange...
Stage Results
1
Sergio Henao
US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor
4h10'12
2
Fabio Duarte
US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor
+ 1'13
3
Lieuwe Westra
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
4
Giovanni Visconti
Movistar Team
s.t.
5
Franco Pellizotti
Androni Giocattoli - Venezuela
s.t.
6
Rafael de Mattos Andriato
Vini Fantini - Selle Italia
s.t.
7
Taylor Phinney
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
8
Oscar Gatto
Vini Fantini - Selle Italia
s.t.
9
Xavier Florencio
Katusha Team
s.t.
10
Fabian Wegmann
Garmin - Sharp
s.t.
General Classifiation
1
Sergio Henao
US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor
17h18'28
2
Taylor Phinney
BMC Racing Team
+ 1'17
3
Lieuwe Westra
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
+ 1'26
4
Giovanni Visconti
Movistar Team
+ 1'47
5
Wout Poels
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
+ 1'48
6
Fabio Duarte
US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor
+ 1'57
7
Mads Christensen
Team Saxo - Tinkoff
+ 2'06
8
Franco Pellizotti
Androni Giocattoli - Venezuela
+ 2'14
9
Mikhail Ignatiev
Katusha Team
+ 2'17
10
Danilo Di Luca
Vini Fantini - Selle Italia
s.t.
Points Rankings
1
Taylor Phinney
BMC Racing Team
73
2
Sergio Henao
US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor
57
3
Lieuwe Westra
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
50
KOM Classification
1
Wout Poels
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
20
2
Manuel Cardoso
Caja Rural
20
3
Sergio Henao
US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor
16
DS Reaction
What an incredible stage! A 1-2! It seems like our early season peaks are going to bring some nice results! Just can't say anything right now, I'm speechless!
Finally I can start that Victories column in the reserves!
The first Mountain top finish of the year! Everybody in the team is eager to see Sergio on his favourite terrain, hopefully he can keep his lead. Our plan is to control the break, and then let Henao battle it out head to head against the other favorites.
My bet: Henao
Daily Recap
Today was like just another day, the start... And of course the breakaway. This time, it was a 5-men group headlined by the same names as in stage 3! It was Manuel Cardoso and Gatis Smukulis again, joined by riders such as Leigh Howard.
While the breakaway was cruising at the front with a comfortable lead around 6 minutes, BMC and US Postal were the ones carrying the pace back behind. Eventually, these two managed to reel the escapees back in, and the pack is just about at the climb right now. Let's get to our live coverage!
Live coverage
As we're nearing the climb, Visconti and Westra are trying to get away from the pack, but BMC is relentlessly pushing the pace, not letting them go anywhere. Now the climb starts to get steeper and steeper, the peloton really hits the high percentages, as Andre Cardoso paces the peloton.
Several attacks at the front, it's Thomas Dekker and Visconti now, who are trying to get away! The GC leader is controlling things from the right, supported by Cardoso. The pace is really high, it's really hard to attack, and succeed, it might just come down to a mass sprint!
There goes the polka! Wout Poels is on the attack, nobody is reacting! He opens up a gap, we're nearing the last kilometer, can he get even further? Henao takes over in the peloton, he is going after Poels!
We're now under the Flamme Rouge, it's still Poels upfront, followed by his teammate Westra, and Henao! US Postal's other columbian, Duarte is also coming through, this quartet creates a gap!
We're in the last 500 meters, Henao caught Poels and he is clearly going faster! This duo opens up a gap, that's for sure, but who is going to take it all? Henao gains ground...
...and takes it! Sensational ride by Sergio Henao, controlling the race nicely, beating Poels and Westra! The wonderkid takes his 2nd win of the season! To make things even better for US Postal, the 4th and the 5th are captured by Duarte and Dombrowski respectively!
Stage Results
1
Sergio Henao
US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor
4h04'36
2
Wout Poels
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
+ 18
3
Lieuwe Westra
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
+ 27
4
Fabio Duarte
US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor
s.t.
5
Joseph Dombrowski
US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor
+ 50
6
Matteo Bono
Lampre - Merida
s.t.
7
Maxim Belkov
Katusha Team
s.t.
8
Javier Moreno
Movistar Team
s.t.
9
Manuele Mori
Lampre - Merida
s.t.
10
Simon Clarke
Orica - GreenEdge
s.t.
General Classifiation
1
Sergio Henao
US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor
21h22'44
2
Lieuwe Westra
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
+ 2'05
3
Wout Poels
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
+ 2'14
4
Taylor Phinney
BMC Racing Team
+ 2'27
5
Fabio Duarte
US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor
+ 2'44
6
Giovanni Visconti
Movistar Team
+ 2'57
7
Mads Christensen
Team Saxo - Tinkoff
+ 3'16
8
Franco Pellizotti
Androni Giocattoli - Venezuela
+ 3'24
9
Danilo Di Luca
Vini Fantini - Selle Italia
+ 3'27
10
Mikhail Ignatiev
Katusha Team
s.t.
Points Rankings
1
Sergio Henao
US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor
82
2
Taylor Phinney
BMC Racing Team
73
3
Lieuwe Westra
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
66
KOM Classification
1
Wout Poels
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
28
2
Sergio Henao
US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor
26
3
Manuel Cardoso
Caja Rural
23
DS Reaction
What a stage again! I'm really proud of Sergio, showing his nice form, and demonstrating power, while also deciding the GC! We couldn't have had a better first race than that! Not to mention Duarte and Dombro...Edited by fernando97 on 11-03-2013 19:58
