I can talk all I want about how great the team is and how I want to prove myself, but now it's about time to put it into action. My first race of the season was GP Costa degli Etruschi, the new opener to the Italian season.
Temperatures were cold at the start, but luckily the 190 km wouldn't invite to a long wait. Many teams and riders were keen on reeling in this particular fish. We were all ready to race!
Profile
I spend the last three days here. The final hill is not very long, but after 180 km, it might invite certain punchers to attack. The roads leading up to the climb are not too wide, so we should be at the front in time.
I had enjoyed a nice breakfast but I had some problems with missing shoes in the hotel. I arrived at the start just in time, I took my place at the back of the peloton and got ready to race.
As tradition dictates, several riders got busy forming the break of the day. We tried to get Santaromita in the break.
And he was successful. The biggest name in his group was Tiralongo, winner of two Giro stages.
Giant - Shimano, here with sprinter Tom Veelers, took most of the workload in the chase.
I stayed in the middle of the pack for the most part of the race, but having reconned the route, I came to the front just in time for the final climb of the day. I started the climb in about 20th position.
We had the breakaway riders in sight on the climb.
However, we were unable to catch them on the climb. At the top, we were still half a minute behind. Things would get tight! I survived the climb quite well, you can see me taking the bend right there, before the Astana rider.
At the front, Tiralongo went solo. Nobody could or wanted to follow.
Strong Luke (Luke Durbridge) helped organize our sprint train. I was right behind him, ready to lead out Leigh Howard. At that moment, we couldn't find Caleb Ewan and there was no time to wait, either.
Caleb found our train just in time. I started the sprint, but there were still riders ahead. We wouldn't be going for the victory today, I fear.
And, indeed, Tiralongo finished off a brilliant solo. Santaromita did good by finishing on the podium.
In the sprint for place 10, we came in 2nd and 3rd (so 11th and 12th overall) with Caleb and Leigh. I finished a surprising 14th!
Result
1
Paolo Tiralongo
Astana Pro Team
4h22'43
2
Alberto Losada
Team Katusha
+ 21
3
Ivan Santaromita
Orica GreenEdge
s.t.
4
Kristjan Fajt
Adria Mobil
s.t.
5
Mattia Cattaneo
Lampre - Merida
s.t.
6
Diego Rosa
Androni Giocattoli
s.t.
7
Francesco Gavazzi
Astana Pro Team
s.t.
8
Marco Marcato
Cannondale
s.t.
9
Michal Golas
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
s.t.
10
Nikolas Maes
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
s.t.
11
Caleb Ewan
Orica GreenEdge
s.t.
12
Leigh Howard
Orica GreenEdge
s.t.
13
Fabio Felline
Trek Factory Racing
s.t.
14
Matthias Vleminckx
Orica GreenEdge
s.t.
15
Wout Poels
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
s.t.
Spoiler
16
Tom Veelers
Team Giant - Shimano
s.t.
17
Julian Arredondo
Trek Factory Racing
s.t.
18
Dominik Nerz
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
19
Jesús Herrada
Movistar Team
s.t.
20
Giovanni Visconti
Movistar Team
s.t.
21
Daniel Oss
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
22
Simone Ponzi
YellowFluo
s.t.
23
Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg
Team Giant - Shimano
s.t.
24
Luke Rowe
Team Sky
s.t.
25
Alessandro De Marchi
Cannondale
s.t.
26
Alessandro Bisolti
Vini Fantini Nippo
s.t.
27
Gert Steegmans
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
s.t.
28
Koen De Kort
Team Giant - Shimano
s.t.
29
Taylor Phinney
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
30
Andrey Amador
Movistar Team
s.t.
31
Luke Durbridge
Orica GreenEdge
s.t.
32
Christophe Riblon
AG2R La Mondiale
s.t.
33
Ian Stannard
Team Sky
s.t.
34
Francesco Chicchi
YellowFluo
s.t.
35
Tobias Ludvigsson
Team Giant - Shimano
s.t.
36
Nikias Arndt
Team Giant - Shimano
s.t.
37
Jérôme Pineau
IAM Cycling
s.t.
38
Carlos Verona
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
s.t.
39
Dario Cataldo
Team Sky
s.t.
40
Lieuwe Westra
Astana Pro Team
s.t.
41
Eros Capecchi
Movistar Team
s.t.
42
Elia Favilli
Lampre - Merida
s.t.
43
Peter Kennaugh
Team Sky
s.t.
44
Davide Villella
Cannondale
s.t.
45
Ion Izagirre
Movistar Team
s.t.
46
Cameron Wurf
Cannondale
s.t.
47
Vasil Kiryienka
Team Sky
s.t.
48
Stijn Devolder
Trek Factory Racing
s.t.
49
Jacopo Guarnieri
Astana Pro Team
s.t.
50
Matteo Pelucchi
IAM Cycling
s.t.
51
Andrew Fenn
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
s.t.
52
Rinaldo Nocentini
AG2R La Mondiale
s.t.
53
Vladimir Gusev
Team Katusha
s.t.
54
Hugo Houle
AG2R La Mondiale
s.t.
55
Salvatore Puccio
Team Sky
s.t.
56
Stefano Pirazzi
Bardiani CSF
s.t.
57
Fabio Sabatini
Cannondale
s.t.
58
Kristjan Koren
Cannondale
s.t.
59
Andrea Zordan
Androni Giocattoli
s.t.
60
Omar Bertazzo
Androni Giocattoli
s.t.
61
Fabio Silvestre
Trek Factory Racing
s.t.
62
Jay Thomson
MTN - Qhubeka
s.t.
63
Pablo Lastras
Movistar Team
s.t.
64
Christopher Sutton
Team Sky
s.t.
65
Rüdiger Selig
Team Katusha
s.t.
66
Danilo Wyss
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
67
Matteo Rabottini
YellowFluo
s.t.
68
Vitaliy Popkov
ISD Continental Team
s.t.
69
Linus Gerdemann
MTN - Qhubeka
s.t.
70
Daan Olivier
Team Giant - Shimano
s.t.
71
Manuel Quinziato
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
72
Johannes Fröhlinger
Team Giant - Shimano
s.t.
73
Sergey Chernetskiy
Team Katusha
s.t.
74
Matthias Frank
IAM Cycling
s.t.
75
Bert De Backer
Team Giant - Shimano
s.t.
76
Hayden Roulston
Trek Factory Racing
s.t.
77
Luigi Miletta
YellowFluo
s.t.
78
Danilo Hondo
Trek Factory Racing
s.t.
79
Emanuele Sella
Androni Giocattoli
s.t.
80
Romain Bardet
AG2R La Mondiale
s.t.
81
George Bennett
Cannondale
s.t.
82
Matej Mugerli
Adria Mobil
s.t.
83
Klaas Lodewyck
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
84
Alexey Lutsenko
Astana Pro Team
s.t.
85
Jonathan Castroviejo
Movistar Team
s.t.
86
Stefan Denifl
IAM Cycling
s.t.
87
Yaroslav Popovych
Trek Factory Racing
s.t.
88
Danny Pate
Team Sky
s.t.
89
Kristian Sbaragli
MTN - Qhubeka
s.t.
90
Matthias Brändle
IAM Cycling
s.t.
91
Marcel Wyss
IAM Cycling
s.t.
92
Pavel Brutt
Team Katusha
s.t.
93
Sebastian Lander
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
94
Mikhail Akimov
Itera - Katusha
s.t.
95
Alexsandr Dyachenko
Astana Pro Team
s.t.
96
Patrik Sinkewitz
Meridiana Kamen Team
s.t.
97
Alessandro Malaguti
Vini Fantini Nippo
s.t.
98
Enrico Barbin
Bardiani CSF
s.t.
99
Matteo Montaguti
AG2R La Mondiale
s.t.
100
Sébastien Reichenbach
IAM Cycling
s.t.
101
Francesco Bongiorno
Bardiani CSF
s.t.
102
Gianluca Brambilla
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
s.t.
103
Sam Bewley
Orica GreenEdge
s.t.
104
Volodymyr Dzhus
ISD Continental Team
s.t.
105
Davide Mucelli
Meridiana Kamen Team
s.t.
106
Giampaolo Caruso
Team Katusha
s.t.
107
Sébastien Minard
AG2R La Mondiale
s.t.
108
Pierpaolo De Negri
Vini Fantini Nippo
s.t.
109
Nicola Boem
Bardiani CSF
s.t.
110
Artur Kovsh
Itera - Katusha
s.t.
111
Alessandro Vanotti
Astana Pro Team
s.t.
112
Tsgabu Grmay
MTN - Qhubeka
s.t.
113
Pirmin Lang
IAM Cycling
s.t.
114
Pavel Kochetkov
Team Katusha
s.t.
115
Stefano Locatelli
Bardiani CSF
s.t.
116
Nicola Dal Santo
Ceramica Flaminia - Fondriest
s.t.
117
Filippo Baggio
Ceramica Flaminia - Fondriest
s.t.
118
Anatoliy Pakhtusov
ISD Continental Team
s.t.
119
Takashi Miyazawa
Vini Fantini Nippo
s.t.
120
Angelo Pagani
Bardiani CSF
s.t.
121
Guillaume Bonnafond
AG2R La Mondiale
s.t.
122
Sergey Nikolaev
Itera - Katusha
s.t.
123
Winner Anacona
Lampre - Merida
s.t.
124
Aljaz Hocevar
Adria Mobil
s.t.
125
Victor Manakov
Itera - Katusha
s.t.
126
Jan Polanc
Lampre - Merida
s.t.
127
Valerio Conti
Lampre - Merida
s.t.
128
Diego Ulissi
Lampre - Merida
s.t.
129
Luca Dodi
Lampre - Merida
s.t.
130
Gang Xu
Lampre - Merida
s.t.
131
Gorka Izagirre
Movistar Team
s.t.
132
Matteo Di Serafino
Androni Giocattoli
s.t.
133
Martin Wesemann
MTN - Qhubeka
s.t.
134
Youcef Reguigui
MTN - Qhubeka
s.t.
135
Maxim Pokidov
Itera - Katusha
s.t.
136
Antonio Di Battista
Amore & Vita - Selle SMP
s.t.
137
Dimitry Ignatiev
Itera - Katusha
s.t.
138
Artem Topchanyuk
Amore & Vita - Selle SMP
s.t.
139
Oleksandr Sheydyk
ISD Continental Team
s.t.
140
Yuya Akimaru
Vini Fantini Nippo
s.t.
141
Viesturs Luksevics
Amore & Vita - Selle SMP
s.t.
142
Giorgio Cecchinel
YellowFluo
s.t.
143
Jackson Rodríguez
Androni Giocattoli
s.t.
144
Mitchell Docker
Orica GreenEdge
s.t.
145
Bob Jungels
Trek Factory Racing
s.t.
146
Nicola Testi
Androni Giocattoli
s.t.
147
Zsolt Der
Utensilnord
s.t.
148
Alberto Bettiol
Cannondale
s.t.
149
Johann Van Zyl
MTN - Qhubeka
s.t.
150
Gianfranco Visconti
Utensilnord
s.t.
151
Federico Rocchetti
Utensilnord
s.t.
152
Klemen Stimulak
Adria Mobil
s.t.
153
Antonio Santoro
Meridiana Kamen Team
s.t.
154
Alessandro Mazzi
Utensilnord
s.t.
155
Bernard Bendeguz
Utensilnord
s.t.
156
Oleksandr Grygorenko
Amore & Vita - Selle SMP
s.t.
157
Bruno Maltar
Adria Mobil
s.t.
158
Alfonso Fiorenza
Ceramica Flaminia - Fondriest
s.t.
159
Riccardo Stacchiotti
Vini Fantini Nippo
s.t.
160
Abel Kenyeres
Utensilnord
+ 4'22
161
Roberto De Patre
YellowFluo
+ 4'51
162
Andrea Dal Col
YellowFluo
s.t.
163
Edoardo Zardini
Bardiani CSF
s.t.
164
Silvan Dillier
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
165
Donato De Ieso
Bardiani CSF
s.t.
166
Ben Gastauer
AG2R La Mondiale
s.t.
167
Patrick Facchini
Androni Giocattoli
s.t.
168
Leonardo Pinizzotto
Amore & Vita - Selle SMP
s.t.
169
Yury Trofimov
Team Katusha
s.t.
170
Aidis Kruopis
Orica GreenEdge
s.t.
171
Arman Kamyshev
Astana Pro Team
+ 5'40
172
Dmitry Kosyakov
Itera - Katusha
s.t.
173
Mauro Finetto
YellowFluo
s.t.
174
Petr Vakoč
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
s.t.
175
Daniele Scampamorte
Utensilnord
+ 7'14
176
Mariano Giallorenzo
Meridiana Kamen Team
s.t.
177
Marko Ivancic
Meridiana Kamen Team
s.t.
178
Mamyr Stash
Itera - Katusha
s.t.
179
Konstantin Klimiankou
Amore & Vita - Selle SMP
s.t.
180
Uri Martins
Amore & Vita - Selle SMP
s.t.
181
Giuseppe Fonzi
Vini Fantini Nippo
s.t.
182
Anatoliy Budyak
ISD Continental Team
s.t.
183
Domen Novak
Adria Mobil
s.t.
184
Luca Taschin
Ceramica Flaminia - Fondriest
s.t.
185
Matteo Belli
Ceramica Flaminia - Fondriest
s.t.
186
Antonio Viola
Vini Fantini Nippo
s.t.
187
Davide Gabburo
Ceramica Flaminia - Fondriest
s.t.
188
Alexander Cataford
Amore & Vita - Selle SMP
s.t.
189
Loris Paoli
Ceramica Flaminia - Fondriest
+ 8'01
190
Bruno Carvalho Sá
ISD Continental Team
s.t.
191
Endi Sirol
Meridiana Kamen Team
s.t.
192
Giacomo Forconi
Ceramica Flaminia - Fondriest
s.t.
193
Gianfelice Fonte
Utensilnord
s.t.
For me, this is a good start. I survived the hill extremely well and I did a decent job in bringing Leigh and Caleb for the sprint. Too bad we didn't get a chance to sprint for the victory, though.
Well, maybe next time!
Matt
Edited by Ian Butler on 12-04-2014 10:00
Hi again! It's time to report back from my first stage race of the season. The Tour of Oman counts six stages, the first three are classified as flat, but don't let that fool you. Then we move into the mountains and the hills, to finally end the Tour with a final stage for the sprinters.
We're right in the middle of the Tour now. Here's the report from the first three stages, it's been one hell of a ride so far.
Tour of Oman - Stage 1
Oman is a real hot country. I never thought I'd say this but I miss good old cold, wet Belgium. But we're not here to lay in the sun, we're here to race!
Profile
This will go fast. The sprint is pancake flat. Today I'm listed as the last lead-out for Matthews. It's an important moment for me. I hope to do well.
Simon Yates is a talent and he's keen to prove it. He attacked as soon as the flag went down.
Together with Goesinnen and Claeys, he formed the break of the day.
It was an easier day than I had participated. The peloton took it easy for a while and the breakaway never went too far, either. Simon won the mountain sprint. When the break was caught, we knew we had to move forward and prepare the sprint.
Our train got caught up in the pack for a while, but fortunately we had a good pilot to get us out of there. Matthews stuck to my wheel. Luckily I was riding purely on instinct, if I had thought about how important it was to get Matthews into the perfect position for the sprint, I might've become too nervous to do my job properly.
As soon as Meyer brought us to the front, I took the wheel of Cavendish. Things were moving fast, now.
Then my job was only getting started. I got up from my seat and started my lead-out sprint. I think I did an okay job. I didn't accelerate too quickly, but I built up speed gradually.
Matthews went at the perfect moment, but he couldn't beat Mark Cavendish. We had to be happy with a second place.
We were disappointed for only a little while. After all, coming in second after the best sprinter of the past 5 years is not a bad achievement. Matthews specifically thanked me for my work on the team bus. What a great guy.
Result - Stage 1
1
Mark Cavendish
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
3h26'39
2
Michael Matthews
Orica GreenEdge
s.t.
3
Daniele Bennati
Tinkoff - Saxo
s.t.
4
Mark Renshaw
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
s.t.
5
Heinrich Haussler
IAM Cycling
s.t.
6
Taylor Phinney
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
7
Sébastien Chavanel
FDJ.fr
s.t.
8
José Joaquín Rojas
Movistar Team
s.t.
9
Daryl Impey
Orica GreenEdge
s.t.
10
Jérôme Pineau
IAM Cycling
s.t.
11
Matthias Vleminckx
Orica GreenEdge
s.t.
Tour of Oman - Stage 2
There are many different teams; teams with strong leaders, teams with base strength... What makes Orica - GreenEdge so strong is the fact that we're not just team mates. No, we're a team, and we're mates. Big difference. After a second place, we were ready to bounce back!
Profile
This is a flat finish, but the final 30 kilometers are up and down. There is one slope which will prove decisive. It's my job today to bring Matthews over the top. It'll be hard, we'll have to fight to stay at the front.
Once again we got a man in the breakaway. this time it was Mouris, the strong Dutchman.
The stage was uneventful, which is good. But when we came to the final climb, I felt I wasn't up for today's task. The heat was too much for me to handle. I looked at Matthews and he knew by the look of my eyes I wasn't going to take him to the top today. Luckily Impey was around.
Impey and Matthews stayed at the front wonderfully. They even crossed the mountain point first. The peloton was disorganised and Impey smelled a golden opportunity. Instead of waiting, he threw himself in the downhill, with Matthews stuck to his wheel.
Meanwhile, I found my way to the top. I was quite exhausted and had some trouble breathing. Who the hell can race in temperatures above 40°C?
Impey and Matthews sped to the finish and the peloton was too late to react. What an amazing victory today. I feel like I didn't contribute at all, but we celebrated the victory all together on the bus like we had all won.
This is a beauty, a victory to frame. The entire team has gotten a morale boost now, I'm sure!
Result - Stage 4
1
Michael Matthews
Orica GreenEdge
3h18'23
2
Daryl Impey
Orica GreenEdge
s.t.
3
Chris Froome
Team Sky
+ 29
4
Sam Bennett
Team NetApp - Endura
s.t.
5
Maxim Belkov
Team Katusha
s.t.
6
Nairo Quintana
Movistar Team
s.t.
7
Nikolai Trussov
Tinkoff - Saxo
s.t.
8
Peter Kennaugh
Team Sky
s.t.
9
Alejandro Valverde
Movistar Team
s.t.
10
Yury Trofimov
Team Katusha
s.t.
(...)
51
Matthias Vleminckx
Orica GreenEdge
s.t.
Tour of Oman - Stage 3
The third day. Weather predictions are to my advantage. Clouds might block the sun later in the afternoon, temperatures may drop. Let's hope they do!
Profile
After my bad day yesterday, I won't be leading out Matthews as final guy. Instead, I'll be fourth man in the lead-out. This finish is made for Matthews, we can win this. He's the best when it comes to uphill sprints.
To my great joy, it cooled down, almost 10°C down from yesterday. The clouds were grey and I was feeling so much better already. We set up the lead-out for Matthews. The order of the day was: Mouris - Docker - Vleminckx - Meyer - Impey - Matthews.
If you look at the profile closely, you'll notice a tiny but very steep bump near the finish. That was my point to go. I had to drag the lead-out over the bump as fast as possible. Just when I got to the front to do my job, we rolled up the break of the day, one by one.
I felt amazing today, what a little sunshine (or the lack of it) can do! Our team was in perfect position and we rolled up the final breakaway member.
Then I heard a crash. I looked behind me and saw Meyer had gone down! Impey and Matthews were able to avoid him, luckily. Impey leeched himself to my wheel and shouted: "Go!" Normally, it was up to Meyer now, but it was too early to let Impey take the front. I took a double shift. But I was hurting bad now!
Impey launched the sprint and finally I could hold my legs still for a moment. They were burning up, but I had done well today, extremely well!
In uphill sprinting, Matthews knows no equal. He proves this once again here. what a victory!
Today was a beautiful example of great team work. This sort of feels like my victory, too. I had a hand in this. And it feels great.
Result - Stage 3
1
Michael Matthews
Orica GreenEdge
4h35'19
2
José Joaquín Rojas
Movistar Team
s.t.
3
Daniele Bennati
Tinkoff - Saxo
s.t.
4
Gianluca Brambilla
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
s.t.
5
Daryl Impey
Orica GreenEdge
s.t.
6
Chris Froome
Team Sky
s.t.
7
Gert Steegmans
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
s.t.
8
Gerald Ciolek
MTN - Qhubeka
s.t.
9
Luke Rowe
Team Sky
s.t.
10
Nicolas Roche
Tinkoff - Saxo
s.t.
(...)
76
Matthias Vleminckx
Orica GreenEdge
s.t.
General Classification after Stage 3
1
Michael Matthews
Orica GreenEdge
11h19'29
2
Daryl Impey
Orica GreenEdge
+ 40
3
Mark Cavendish
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
+ 57
4
Daniele Bennati
Tinkoff - Saxo
+ 1'05
5
José Joaquín Rojas
Movistar Team
+ 1'09
6
Kevin Claeys
An Post - Chain Reaction
s.t.
7
Chris Froome
Team Sky
+ 1'13
8
Daniel Teklehaimanot
MTN - Qhubeka
+ 1'15
9
James Vanlandschoot
Wanty - Groupe Gobert
s.t.
10
Bobbie Traksel
An Post - Chain Reaction
+ 1'19
(...)
31
Matthias Vleminckx
Orica GreenEdge
+ 1'21
Well, we took a flying start here in Oman. Two out of three, that's not bad. Personally I'm very happy with my work here. I let the team down on the second day a bit but I more than made up for it today.
Tomorrow we finish on the Green Mountain, not exactly my terrain. But we'll do our best to keep that jersey around Matthews' shouders!
I'll report when I get back in Belgium, because the internet here is just terrible.
See you then,
Matt
Edited by Ian Butler on 12-04-2014 12:09
Jakstar22 - Stage 3 was indeed a good one by Matt. Hope the next 3 can be equally good
The Hobbit - What does a man have to do to earn a banana 'round here?
Cycleman123 - Unfortunately Cameron lost quite some time on the third stage. So he'll have to go for a stage win. He's got decent support in the form of Chaves. Hope it's enough
You've already started, but good luck! Looks very promising so far. And a nice team choice for the Belgian rider. The start of the season is good for the team.
GP Costa degli Etruschi 
I agree, there are lots of quality stories at the moment. I hope to contribute, too! Thanks!
Tour Down Under is a big sponsor goal for an Australian team, so it's amazing to start the season this way.
still only 19, that guy. But Matthias is a bit more polyvalent. Caleb is just a monster sprinter 
Tour of Oman - Stage 1 
