Thanks for the "great" video..... 4000 replies, another milestone!
So, no more reports today. Have to play LBL first, and go to my family in the South of Holland to celebrate X-mas eve (and go to the church of course, as we musn't forget to real reason why we celebrate X-mas!).
Wallonnie and Liège are preparing for the centennial edition of Liège - Bastogne - Liège. It's the 4st monument of the year and the closening of the spring classics season.
Eddy Merckx is record holder in La Doyenne with 5 wins. Last year, Andy Schleck took his 2nd LBL win, after geating home favourite Philippe Gilbert in the sprint in Ans.
The Route
255.5 kilometres have to be done, including 10 categorized hills and a total of 3618 height metres.
*** Damiano Cunego (Radio Shack), Philippe Gilbert (Dexia), Andy Schleck (Sky). ** Simon Gerrans (Dexia), Roman Kreuziger (Movistar), Joaquím Rodríguez (Kausha). * Igor Anton (Euskaltel), Gregory Bernard, Ben Hermans (Astana).
Our Goal
With 2 Top 5 finishes in the previous 2 Ardennes classics, a Top 5 is our goal, but will be very hard to achieve!
After a way too strong early breakaway has been caught even before the first hills showed up (most important riders in it were Oscar Gatto (Hi 74), David Arroyo (75) and Matthew Lloyd (77)), a new breakaway was formed. This breakaway turns out to be the BOTD.
Karsten Kroon (Rabobank), Brent Bookwalter (Sony Ericsson), Michele Gaia (Lampre), Jonathan Dufrasne (Wallonie), Mitja Nahoric (BMC), Oscar Gatto (Farnese Vini), Egoi Martínez (Euskaltel), Leonardo Piepoli (Acqua et Sapone) and David Arroyo (Movistar) start the ascend of the Mur St. Roch (0.9km at 11.2%) with a margin of 2'38 to Vladimir Karpets (Saxo), who's trying to bridge the gap, and 4'44 to the peloton.
But when the peloton is making the sharp turn before the hill starts, Igor Antón crashes. Last year's winner of the Giro, who hasn't shown himself so far this season, needs some time to get up, and as the peloton breaks into a few pieces on this short steep climb, he looses contact with the other favourites.
95km to go
Next hill is the Cote de Wanne (3.0km at 6.5%). Karpets has joined the 9 leaders, and the 10 have a margin of 4'14 to the peloton. Together with Movistar and Radio Shack, we have taken control of the pace of the peloton, and can see the BOTD further up the hill.
The reason that the pace of the peloton is increased, is that a big group with outsiders rides 4 minutes behind the peloton and we don't want them to return. Besides Antón (Hi 83), a lot of Omega Pharma-riders (Vandewalle 77, Bakelants 76, Hivert 78, Rolland 77), as well as Simon Spilak (77), Matthew Lloyd (77) and Peter Velits (77) have been surprised.
84km to go
Karpets ha staken it easy for a short while, and starts to increase the pace of the BOTD in the ascend of the next hill, the Cote de la Haute Levée (2.2km at 7.3%). Piepoli has already been dropped and now Kroon is doing the same thing. Nevertheless, the peloton (with our Jack Bobridge doing most of the work in the chase) is approaching (2'51).
73km to go
In the ascend of the Haute Levée and the next hill, the Col du Rosier, the peloton (2'28 behind the BOTD) is breaking into more smaller groups. Only 55 riders are capable of following. LL Sánchez (76) Capecchi (76) and JJ Cobo (79) follow at 5'58, a group with Bole (76), Gavazzi (77) and Poels (77) at 6'30 and the group Antón / OPQS at 8'47.
49km to go
Vladimir Karpets has dropped the other leaders before the summit of the Cote de Maquisard and now starts the Mont Theux (2.8km at 5.8%) with a margin of 1'26 to the former BOTD and 2'52 to the peloton (53 riders). The group Sánchez/Cobo/Poels follws at 7'44 and the group Antón at 10'14. Game over for them all.
34km to go
The final of La Doyenne starts with the Cote de la Redoute (1.7km at 9.9%, max 22%). Karpets is still in the lead, followed by the peloton at 2'21 (the former BOTD has been caught).
Radio Shack, Movistar and Sky set a high pace at the steep slopes of the Redoute, making many riders to loose contact with the group. 1 rider of Petronas - Monster Energy is able to position himself among the first riders, and it's again Gregory Bernard. Both Vanendert and Sagan have a very bad day (daily form of -5), and are starting to fall behind....
31km to go
Christophe Le Mével (Europcar, 76) attacks out of the peloton at the summit of La Redoute. Then the Sky riders hit the breaks, and wait for their leader Andy Schleck, who got blocked at La Redoute.
Consequently, a few groups are formed. 2'18 behind Karpets rides the first group with from Radio Shack Fuglsang (78), Nibali (80) and Cunego (81), from Movistar Rojas (75), Contadr (79), Kreuziger (82) and Barredo (78), and Daniel Moreno (Euskaltel 78) and Bernard (81). The second group with the Sky's Kreder (79), Urán (79) and A. Schleck (83), as well as Valverde (80) & Gerrans (81) from Dexia, Vanendert (80) and Madrazo (77) follows at 2'46 and a group of 20 with Nieve (79), Rodríguez (80), Hermans (80), Gilbert (85), D Gendt (80), Scarponi (78), Sagan (79), F. Schleck (81) and Visconti (80) at 3'08.
19km to go
The first 3 groups join each other in the race towards the foot of the Cote de la Roche aux Faucoms (1.7km at 9.9%). Karpets still leads them by 1'36. Gregory Bernard is taking the lead of the chasing group, as he feels that climbing in his own pace costs him the least amount of energy.
18km to go
But before the summit of the Roche aux Faucons, ANdy Schleck attacks. Last year's winner gets countered by Roman Kreuziger Kreuziger and Simon Gerrans.
15km to go
The 3 can close the gap to soil leader Vladimir Karpets at the summit of the Roche aux Faucons. Also Damiano Cunego, winner of the Amstel Gold Race, is closing the gap, and he immediately attacks. The chasing group with Gilbert and Bernard follows at '34.
10km to go
The group Schleck / Kreuziger / Gerrans hesitates what to do, and Cunego is gone. Not only that, also the chasing group rejoins. So with th elong descend to Liège almost done, Cunego has a margin of '23 to a group with Kreuziger, A. Schleck, Bernard, Hermans, Rodríguez, Gilbert, De Gendt, Gerrans and F. Schleck and '45 to a 2nd group with Valverde, Urán, Scarponi etc. The Cote de Saint-Nicolas is waiting for them!
8km to go
With Cunego riding solo through the Italian neighbourhood in Liège, his team mate Thomas De Gendt attacks out of the chasing group.... What is he doing here? He's wasting Cunego's chanches this way...
6km to go
And in the early part of the last categorized climb of the day, the Cote de Saint-Nicolas (1.2km at 9.4%), Cunego gets caught, making it a 22-men leading group, with Bernard. in 10th position
Ben Hermans attacks before the summit of the Saint-Nicolas. Alejandro Valverde (haven't seen him al race long) counters, just as Rodríguez, A. Schleck and Cunego.
4km to go
Hermans stalls pretty early, leaving the opportunity for Valverde and again Cunego to create a small gap. They have a gap of only 9 seconds to Kreuziger, Gilbert, A. Schleck, Bernard, Gerrans, Hermans, De Gendt and Rodríguez.
2km to go
The last ascending 2 kilometres in Ans have started. Cunego is still leading the race, looking for his first ever win in La Doyenne. Gilbert follows at '17, with Bernard and Hermans in his wheel. Also Gerrans, A. Schleck and Kreuziger follow closely.
600m to go
Cunego is running out of energy, and it's Czech Roman Kreuziger who is the first to overtake him. Gilbert is in 3rd place, Bernard in 4th, but the danger is riding in 5th place, as Andy Schleck has got the highest speed of the 5 at the moment.
Finish
And that highest speed brings Andy Schleck his 3rd Liège - Bastogne - Liège victory, his 2nd in a row. Kreuziger takes the 2nd place, Cunego the 3rd, Gilbert the 4th, and guess who finishes in 5th???????
Yeah, Gregory Bernard takes the 5th place, just as in the Amstel and La Flèche!!!
Results
1
Andy Schleck
Sky ProCycling
6h35'25
2
Roman Kreuziger
Movistar Team
s.t.
3
Damiano Cunego
Radio Shack - Nissan
s.t.
4
Philippe Gilbert
Dexia
s.t.
5
Gregory Bernard
Petronas - Monster Energy
s.t.
6
Simon Gerrans
Dexia
s.t.
7
Ben Hermans
Pro Team Astana
s.t.
8
Thomas De Gendt
Radio Shack - Nissan
+ 18
9
Joaquím Rodríguez
Katusha Team
s.t.
10
Alejandro Valverde
Dexia
+ 26
Spoiler
11
Fränk Schleck
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
+ 1'26
12
Michel Kreder
Sky ProCycling
s.t.
13
Rigoberto Urán
Sky ProCycling
+ 2'05
14
Daniel Moreno
Euskaltel - Euskadi
+ 2'12
15
Michele Scarponi
Saxo Bank SunGard
s.t.
16
Christophe Le Mével
Team Europcar
s.t.
17
Nicolas Roche
Radio Shack - Nissan
s.t.
18
Thomas Voeckler
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
19
Alberto Contador
Movistar Team
s.t.
20
Vincenzo Nibali
Radio Shack - Nissan
s.t.
21
Jakob Fuglsang
Radio Shack - Nissan
s.t.
22
Vladimir Karpets
Saxo Bank SunGard
+ 3'28
23
Mikel Nieve
Pro Team Astana
+ 3'44
24
Daniel Martin
Garmin - Barracuda
s.t.
25
José Joaquín Rojas
Movistar Team
s.t.
26
Jelle Vanendert
Petronas - Monster Energy
+ 6'03
27
Chris Froome
Radio Shack - Nissan
+ 6'17
28
Cadel Evans
Katusha Team
s.t.
29
Pavel Brutt
Katusha Team
s.t.
30
Giovanni Visconti
Katusha Team
s.t.
31
Maxime Monfort
Sony Ericsson
s.t.
32
Ryder Hesjedal
Saxo Bank SunGard
+ 6'32
33
Carlos Barredo
Movistar Team
s.t.
34
Paul Martens
Rabobank Cycling Team
s.t.
35
Ángel Madrazo
Sky ProCycling
+ 6'55
36
José Serpa
Pro Team Astana
+ 7'58
37
Dario Cataldo
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
s.t.
38
José Herrada
Dexia
s.t.
39
Enrico Gasparotto
Katusha Team
s.t.
40
Marcos García
Euskaltel - Euskadi
s.t.
41
Jérôme Baugnies
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
+ 9'24
42
Francesco Gavazzi
Rabobank Cycling Team
+ 11'14
43
Luis León Sánchez
Euskaltel - Euskadi
s.t.
44
Rasmus Guldhammer
Saxo Bank SunGard
s.t.
45
Thomas Löfkvist
Sony Ericsson
+ 11'33
46
John Darwin Atapuma
Colombia es Pasión - Café de Colombia
s.t.
47
Marek Rutkiewicz
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
48
Janez Brajkovič
Sky ProCycling
s.t.
49
Bradley Wiggins
Dexia
s.t.
50
Peter Kennaugh
Sky ProCycling
s.t.
51
Wout Poels
Rabobank Cycling Team
+ 12'20
52
Kevin Seeldraeyers
Sony Ericsson
+ 12'33
53
Arnold Jeanneson
Team Europcar
+ 12'57
54
Christophe Riblon
Garmin - Barracuda
+ 13'08
55
Peter Sagan
Petronas - Monster Energy
s.t.
56
Joost Posthuma
Petronas - Monster Energy
s.t.
57
Jack Bobridge
Petronas - Monster Energy
s.t.
58
David Arroyo
Movistar Team
+ 13'31
59
Oscar Gatto
Farnese Vini - Neri Sottoli
s.t.
60
Sergey Lagutin
Qantas Airways
+ 14'14
61
Juan José Cobo
Dexia
s.t.
62
Giampaolo Caruso
Katusha Team
+ 14'29
63
Jérémy Roy
Garmin - Barracuda
+ 14'42
64
Rein Taaramäe
Sony Ericsson
s.t.
65
Simon Spilak
Lampre - Alitalia
+ 14'54
66
Jonathan Dufrasne
Wallonie Bruxelles - Crédit Agricole
s.t.
67
Aurélien Duval
Team Europcar
+ 15'03
68
Wim Van Huffel
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
69
Laurens Ten Dam
Rabobank Cycling Team
s.t.
70
Kristof Vandewalle
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
+ 15'22
71
Rob Ruijgh
Petronas - Monster Energy
+ 16'32
72
Mauro Facci
Acqua & Sapone
s.t.
73
Egoi Martínez
Euskaltel - Euskadi
s.t.
74
Michele Gaia
Lampre - Alitalia
s.t.
75
Bauke Mollema
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
76
Jonathan Hivert
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
s.t.
77
Johann Tschopp
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
78
Luis Felipe Laverde
Colombia es Pasión - Café de Colombia
s.t.
79
Jarlinson Pantano
Colombia es Pasión - Café de Colombia
s.t.
80
Eros Capecchi
Lampre - Alitalia
s.t.
81
Roman Klimov
Katusha Team
s.t.
82
Beñat Intxausti
Euskaltel - Euskadi
+ 17'38
83
Dirk Bellemakers
Rabobank Cycling Team
s.t.
84
Hubert Schwab
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
85
Dominique Cornu
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
86
Jan Bakelants
Dexia
s.t.
87
Valerio Agnoli
Lampre - Alitalia
s.t.
88
Yannick Eijssen
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
89
Arturo Martinelli
Acqua & Sapone
s.t.
90
Walter Pedraza
Colombia es Pasión - Café de Colombia
s.t.
91
Robert Kiserlovski
Pro Team Astana
s.t.
92
Javier Iriarte
Movistar Team
s.t.
93
Brent Bookwalter
Sony Ericsson
+ 18'34
94
Mitja Mahoric
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
95
Luca Celli
Acqua & Sapone
+ 21'38
96
Morris Possoni
Sky ProCycling
s.t.
97
Pieter Weening
Qantas Airways
s.t.
98
Karsten Kroon
Rabobank Cycling Team
s.t.
99
Heinrich Haussler
Radio Shack - Nissan
+ 23'01
100
Igor Antón
Euskaltel - Euskadi
s.t.
101
Peter Velits
Pro Team Astana
s.t.
102
Guillaume Bonnafond
Garmin - Barracuda
s.t.
103
Pierre Rolland
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
s.t.
104
Juan José Oroz
Euskaltel - Euskadi
+ 24'57
105
Thomas Peterson
Saxo Bank SunGard
s.t.
106
Maxime Méderel
Team Europcar
s.t.
107
Lasse Norman Hansen
Saxo Bank SunGard
s.t.
108
Tom Slagter
Rabobank Cycling Team
s.t.
109
Grega Bole
Lampre - Alitalia
s.t.
110
George Hincapie
Saxo Bank SunGard
s.t.
111
Rémy Di Gregorio
Team Europcar
s.t.
112
Assan Bazayev
Pro Team Astana
s.t.
113
Murilo Fischer
Sony Ericsson
s.t.
114
Arnaud Courteille
Team Europcar
s.t.
115
Tyler Wren
Garmin - Barracuda
s.t.
116
Mirko Selvaggi
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
117
Chris Barton
Qantas Airways
s.t.
118
Matthew Lloyd
Pro Team Astana
s.t.
119
Andrey Amador
Movistar Team
s.t.
120
Danilo Di Luca
Acqua & Sapone
s.t.
121
Bruno Rizzi
Acqua & Sapone
s.t.
122
Peter Stetina
Qantas Airways
s.t.
The Winner
Word from the DS
WIth the Ardennes classics done, Sky and Radio Shack prooved to be the best teams. Dexia disappointed, as they never acted as a team (Gerrans and Valverde riding for their own, instead of helping Gilbert). But the biggest surprise must be our Gregory Bernard, finishing in 5th place all 3 races in his 2nd year of professional cycling!!
Edited by dienblad on 26-12-2012 12:12
Ian Butler wrote:
Does he get to continue his streak or is he going on a break now?
Bernard now has a 3-month break, before returning for the Tour of Pologne, the Vuelta Asturias and La Vuelta.
And remember, he won a race ast year, I believe Coppa Sabatini or Tre Valli Varesine (a race like that, a 1.1 classic in Italy).
The last race before the Giro d'Italia starts is the Tour de Romandie. This 6-stage World Tour race serves as a great general rehearsel for the Giro. Stephen Roche is the record winner with 3 wins in the previous 67 editions. Last year, Gustav Erik Larsson won the race, mostly thanks to his TT-abilities.
The Route
The route is a copy of the 2010-edition, meaning a prologue, an ITT, 2 hilly stages and 2 mountain stages. It kicks off with a 4.3km flat prologue in the streets of Porrentruy. The next day, the riders head to the South for a 175km stage to Fleurier, with 3 classified climbs, with the last summit 40km before the finish. Next to follow is a 172km stage with start and finish in Fribourg.
The last 3 stages will decide the GC. First the 4th stage, a 23km ITT around Moudon with a climb with 300 metres of height differece in the first 7 kilometres. The 5th, and first mountain, stage brings the riders to France, to the town of Chatel. The route features two 1st category climbs, the Pas de Mongins and the Col du Corbier, with the summit 25km before the finish. Still, the last 15km are slightly ascending. The final stage features 3 1st category climbs. Immediately after the start in Sion, the road starts ascending to the highest point of this Tour de Romandie, the Anzère (1544m). After a short descend follows the climb to Crans Montana. Then, after 45km of flat roads, awaits the Ovronnaz, 20km before the finish in Sion.
*** Alberto Contador (Movistar), Wilco Kelderman, Janez Brajkovic (Sky). ** Jurgen Van den Broeck (BMC), Thomas Löfkvist (Sony Ericsson), Richie Porte (Saxo Bank). * Beñat Intxausti (Euskaltel), Vasil Kiryienka (Astana), Andreas Klöden (Sony Ericsson).
Our Goal
We'll aim for a top 3 in the GC with Kelderman and a stage win as well.
Andy Schleck
Roman Kreuziger
Damiano Cunego
Philippe Gilbert
Simon Gerrans
Joaquím Rodríguez
