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LPR Brakes: Pro Tour or Bust (March 2009)
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 23-12-2024 10:47
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| ringo182 |
Posted on 27-03-2009 17:34
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3472
Joined: 03-01-2008
PCM$: 1348.00
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Tirreno-Adriatico
Our first Pro-Tour race of the season. We're only here in preparation for the MSR. Obviously Petacchi will be going for the sprints but we have no intentions in the GC. Bernucci and Pietropolli might go for stage wins in the hills.
Squad: Petacchi, Bernucci, Curcinotta, Ermeti, Marinangeli, Montaguti, Negri, Pietropolli
Stage 1
Stage 1 is classed as flat but it might be a little too lumpy for the pure sprinters. Our aim today will be to get Petacchi over the hills and in a position to contest the sprint. We managed to get Petacchi over the hills but he just didn't have the legs to get to the front after the last hill. As you can see from the results none of the pure sprinters had the legs at the end. The win was taken by Cancellara who simply powered away from everyone.
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| Juan |
Posted on 27-03-2009 17:56
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Protected Rider
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good luck for stage wins  |
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| Ze Duarte |
Posted on 27-03-2009 18:16
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Junior Rider
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Yes, good luck. |
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| ringo182 |
Posted on 27-03-2009 18:35
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3472
Joined: 03-01-2008
PCM$: 1348.00
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Tirreno-Adriatico
Stage 2
It's a hilly one today. Not really expecting anything to be honest. If my big 3 of Petacchi, Pietropolli and Bernucci can get aroung in one piece i'll be more then happy.
A large break got away today. After a big chase at the start the peleton soon gave up in the strong winds and let them get away.
As expected the break was caught well before the line and the big names moved to the front. A couple of groups attacked and got a gap on the peleton.
Bernucci stretches his legs to help the peleton. He is succesful in bringing back one group but the other stays away.
The lead group of 5 stays away till the finish. The sprint goes down to Gilbert, Frank Schleck and Rebellin. Gilbert is the strongest on the day.
My big 3 all finish in the peleton so i'm quite happy with todays stage.
Tomorrow is another hilly stage so i expect more of the same.
In other news we were given a place on the MSR today so all this hard work is going to be worth it, hopefully.
Edited by ringo182 on 27-03-2009 18:36
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| ringo182 |
Posted on 30-03-2009 14:19
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3472
Joined: 03-01-2008
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Tirreno-Adriatico
Stage 3
A very steep finish means that we have no real chance of success today. I might try something in the last few k's but our main aim is to get everyone around in one piece.
Marinangeli goes into the break but there is never any danger if them being allowed to stay out all day.
The break is caught and a number of the lesser big names go onto the attack but they are brought back at the top of the first big climb at the end of the stage. Bernucci makes a break for it on the final decent and is joined by Cobo, Bruseghin and Hincapie but their break is short-lived.
As they get to the bottom of the final climb they are passed by the peleton and the sprint begins.
The win is taken by Pellizotti. The peleton splits on the climb and only Pietropolli is in the first group. But everyone got round and we can now concentrate on the rest of the tour which is mostly flat.
Our best placed rider on GC is Pietropolli in 24th at just over 1 minute.
Edited by ringo182 on 30-03-2009 14:20
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| ringo182 |
Posted on 30-03-2009 14:33
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3472
Joined: 03-01-2008
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Tirreno-Adriatico
Stage 4
A flat stage but it has it's fair share of hills in the middle. Because of this the hill climbers are made the favourites over the sprinters but Petacchi will still be going for the win today.
Again we are represented in the break, this time by Cattaneo who takes the first sprint against some pretty decent sprinters.
The presence of Mandri at just 2 and a half mins on GC means that the break is never going to be left alone and they are brought back. Bernucci again tries to launch an attack in the last few k's taking the last KOM sprint.
He is caught though and it goes down to a sprint. Petacchi was led out by Pietropolli. However, none of the other big sprinters were at the front.
Petacchi jumped off Pietropolli's wheel and onto the wheel of Pozzato, but he didn't have the legs to pass the front group. He took 5th as Mirko Lorenzetto took the win. As predicted the big sprinters all struggled in the hills.
As you can see all the sprinters struggled in the hills so Petacchi's 5th place really was a great performance. Also Pietropolli has moved from 24th to 9th overall for some reason? He won't stay there with a long tt tomorrow but he's had a good tour so far. At the half-way stage i'm very happy. We've put in a good show and the important thing is they're getting into great shape for the MSR.
Edited by ringo182 on 02-04-2009 12:11
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| Silence |
Posted on 30-03-2009 14:43
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Stagiare
Posts: 203
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Fantastic story 
Hope you'll achieve the stage win you're looking for ^^
Le'Sheep: If life's a bitch use a knife to get over it.
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| ringo182 |
Posted on 30-03-2009 14:53
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Classics Specialist
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Joined: 03-01-2008
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too be honest i'm not really that bothered about getting a stage win. i just figured seeing as i'm there i might as well try to win something. the only reason i entered was to get my MSR squad up to full fitness. a stage win would just be a nice bonus.
the end of that last stage was very similar to the MSR finish so i'm very happy that Petacchi was still looking strong at the end of it. |
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| ringo182 |
Posted on 02-04-2009 12:10
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3472
Joined: 03-01-2008
PCM$: 1348.00
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Tirreno-Adriatico
Stage 5
A long TT that really doesn't suit any of my riders. Pietropolli has no real chance of holding onto his top 10 place today and i have nothing else to ride for so i sim it. I don't like simming stages and usualy play right through but i wanted to keep this story moving and didn't have time to play a whole stage with no real point to it.
Anyway, as expected Cancellara won and none of my riders finished anywhere.
As a result of today Pietropolli has moved down to 55th and Hincapie has taken the overall lead by 1 second over Frank Schleck. 2 stages left. Tomorrow will be tough for Petacchi to get a win as it's an uphill finish so i'll get someone into the break. The last day will be his best chance of victory as the race finishes on the Adriatic coast.
P.S: Because i didn't download the V2.1 (or whatever the update is called) before i started this story my database still has a few of the old bugs on it. Would anyone be able to fix them for me if i upload my save game over the weekend? The ones i need fixing are the wrong classifications of some of the Giro stages and the national teams being classed as normal teams and signing riders. Are there any other major ones that might need sorting?
cheers. |
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| yoejo |
Posted on 02-04-2009 16:22
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Neo-Pro
Posts: 276
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good luck with MSR. who´s your captain there? di luca or petacchi.
as my experience goes, it is really really hard to keep the bunch together for a bunch sprint, just so you know. |
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| ringo182 |
Posted on 02-04-2009 16:27
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3472
Joined: 03-01-2008
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Well Petacchi will be my main leader, but i'll have Bernucci and Pietropolli who i can use to try to get into any breaks in the last few k's.
Di Luca's preperation for the Giro will start after the MSR. |
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| ringo182 |
Posted on 03-04-2009 12:29
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3472
Joined: 03-01-2008
PCM$: 1348.00
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Tirreno-Adriatico
Stage 6
The finish might be a bit steep for Petacchi today but we will still try to lead him out. First though we will try to get someone into the break. Bernucci gets into the break of the day with Garzeli and Finetto and together they stay away until there is just 5k to go
As expected, in the sprint the out and out sprinters struggled and Pozzato outsprinted Cancellara to take the win. Pietropolli finished strongly to get 6th place.
But where was Petacchi? Well he was probably in an ambulance on the way to hospital. Our worst nightmare came true as Petacchi pulled out of the TA with 45k to go today after fracturing his virtibrate and will be out until early May. As a reault we now have to completely rethink our tactiics for both MSR and the Giro as he won't be ready to ride either. This season which started so brightly has just gone very wrong
Edited by ringo182 on 03-04-2009 12:30
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| beagle |
Posted on 03-04-2009 12:40
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4200
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unlucky |
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| ringo182 |
Posted on 03-04-2009 18:13
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3472
Joined: 03-01-2008
PCM$: 1348.00
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Tirreno-Adriatico
Stage 7
The mood in the team was very sober today. Everything the team has been building towards in the past month has all been in vein. We were hoping for a win today and then a good result in MSR, but now neithr look to be possible. My team worked well at the front of the peleton to chase down the break in the last few k's.
However Pietropolli just doesn't have the speed to compete against the real sprinters. The win is take suprisingly by Greg Van Avermaet.
In the GC Hincapie takes the overall win ahead of Frank Schleck by just 1 second. Our highest placed finisher in Pietropolli in 54th.
Well this week couldn't have gone any worse for us. All hopes of achieving my sponsors first goal of the season seem to have dissapeared and Petacchi will also miss the Giro. Moral is low and we'll need to get a few good results to restore it.
Edited by ringo182 on 03-04-2009 18:14
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| ringo182 |
Posted on 07-04-2009 11:00
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3472
Joined: 03-01-2008
PCM$: 1348.00
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hey guys. just letting you know that this story is going on hold for 2-3 weeks. my brothers back home form uni and with both of us working on uni work over easter, plus my own training, my spare time on the computer is going to be limited. plus he's brought his playstation home so i'll be playing the become a legend mode on PES 09 all holiday
the stroy is deffinately going to carry on though. although i do still need someone to have a look at my database and get rid of a couple of the old bugs. any volunteers? |
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