It's the 2nd rest day in the Giro. As the riders are doing nothing in and around the hotel, having press conferences, or cycle a bit, it's time to give you the reports of the Amgen Tour of California and the Pro Race Berlin.
The same time the Giro d'Italia takes place, an other group of stage racers participates in America's biggest cycling race, the Amgen Tour of California. It's the 9th edition of the 8-stage race, with Damiano Cunego being the most recent winner.
The Route
8 stages, with a nice mix of flat stages, an ITT, hilly stages and a mountain top finish.
An Post
191. P.Van Hecke
192. R.Aiken
193. K.Barbé
194. S.Bennett
195. A.Desmet
196. P.Ghyllebert
197. P.Lavery
198. N.Sijmens
Our Team
The Favourites
*** Damiano Cunego (Radio Shack), Ryder Hesjedal (Saxo Bank), Andy Schleck (Sky). ** Chris Froome (Radio Shack), Robert Gesink, Fredrik Kessiakoff (Nespresso). * Steven Kruijswijk (Qantas), Daniel Moreno (Euskaltel), Andrew Talansky (Garmin).
Our Goal
Our only goal is to get in shape, but a top 5 in the GC would be great!
The Tour of California kicks off with an interesting hilly stage from SOuth Lake Tahoe to Northstar. With only 10km to go, the road starts to ascend to Brockway Summit, 4.8km at an average gradient of 5.7%. The finish awaits after a short descend.
5 riders are capable of creating a gap to the peloton shortly before the summit of Brockway Summit: Daniele Callegarin, Yann Huguet, David López, Chris Froome and Andy Schleck. Froome is the strongest in the sprint and wins the first stage. The peloton follows at '46.
The 2nd stage is 213 kilometres long, but most of the route is desceding, from 2000 metres to sea level.
A 6-men breakaway manages to stay out of reach of the peloton, with Giorgio Brambilla being the fastest sprinter. Kevin Lacombe (Spidertech) wins the sprint of the peloton, in the same time as Brambilla. Lieuwe Westra sprints to the 16th place.
Today we have the most flat stage of this Tour of California, 192km from Auburn to Modesto. So we see the first mass sprint, and it's Mark Cavendish who profits perfectly from André Greipels sprint train (Qantas). Westra takes place 15.
The 4th stage from Livermore to San José is only 133 kilometres, but very difficult. The finish awaits at Sierra Road, after 5.3 ascending kilometres with an average gradient of 9.1%!
A compact peloton arrives at the foot of the last climb, and halfway the race explodes. GC-leader Chris Froome attacks and nobody is capable in following the Kenian-born. He wins his 2nd stage with a margin of '43 to David López and Damiano Cunego at 1'06. Robert Gesink is showing progression of his fitness and finishes in 10th at 1'59.
1
Chris Froome
Radio Shack - Nissan
3h36'10
2
David López
Euskaltel - Euskadi
+ 43
3
Damiano Cunego
Radio Shack - Nissan
+ 1'06
4
Daniele Callegarin
Team Type 1
+ 1'15
5
Andy Schleck
Sky ProCycling
+ 1'23
6
Steven Kruijswijk
Qantas Airways
+ 1'39
7
Ryder Hesjedal
Saxo Bank SunGard
s.t.
8
Juan José Oroz
Euskaltel - Euskadi
+ 1'52
9
Fredrik Kessiakoff
Nespresso - Algarve
s.t.
10
Robert Gesink
Petronas - Monster Energy
+ 1'59
GC after 4 stages
1
Chris Froome
Radio Shack - Nissan
17h21'10
2
David López
Euskaltel - Euskadi
+ 59
3
Daniele Callegarin
Team Type 1
+ 1'47
4
Andy Schleck
Sky ProCycling
+ 2'03
5
Damiano Cunego
Radio Shack - Nissan
+ 2'24
6
Yann Huguet
M&M's
+ 2'53
7
Steven Kruijswijk
Qantas Airways
+ 3'05
8
Ryder Hesjedal
Saxo Bank SunGard
s.t.
9
Juan José Oroz
Euskaltel - Euskadi
+ 3'18
10
Fredrik Kessiakoff
Nespresso - Algarve
s.t.
...
12
Robert Gesink
Petronas - Monster Energy
+ 3'25
The last 4 stages (and the Pro Race Berlin) will follow tuesday or wednesday.
Edited by dienblad on 21-01-2013 17:50
@ daggen: Kessiakoff -->Fl 68, Cl 78, DH 73, Co 60, TT 71, PRL 71, Sp 63, Acc 78, Sta 69, Res 72, Rec 70, Hi 73, Fl 76 (well, not that good, I realize...)
The 5th and hilly stage to Paso Robles is very hilly, with a total of 3546 height metres. Almost no metre is flat.
A crash and the hills thin out the peloton to 23 riders. That crash causes a few big victims, as Rigoberto Urán and Fredrik Kessiakoff (sorry Daggen....) loose about 3 minutes.
In the last 10 kilometres, Damiano Cunego attacks and is cruising to the stage win. But the first group is gaining ground fast in the last kilometre, and CUnego can barely hold off his team mate Chris Froome for the win. Robert Gesink finishes safely in this group and jumps to the 9th place in the GC.
The next day is the ITT, 24 kilometres with start and finish in Solvang. I simulated this stage, not feeling the need to play it (wanted to continue the Giro....). So the results can be a bit odd.
Froome wins, Talansky takes 2nd, Cancellara 3rd and the Petronas-riders take place 4-5-6-9.... Of course
Although being only 122 kilometres short, this stage will be very difficult as the finish awaits at Mt. Baldy, 2 kilometres above sea level.
Andy Schleck kills the opposition here, as he drops the other riders one by one. Of course, Chris Froome can hang on the longest, but finish 1'24 behind him. At 1'59, Robert Gesink takes the 3rd place, showing great progression! It brings him the 4th place in the GC, what is better than expected.
The Tour of California ends with a flat stage in Thousand Oaks. The stage ends in a mass sprint, and just as in stage 3, Mark Cavendish abuses the Qantas-train, after having hopped on it and killes everybody in the sprint. Greipel takes another 2nd, with Bozic in 3rd.
1
Mark Cavendish
Sky ProCycling
3h08'23
2
André Greipel
Qantas Airways
s.t.
3
Borut Božic
Liquigas - Microsoft
s.t.
4
Heinrich Haussler
Radio Shack - Nissan
s.t.
5
Sacha Modolo
Team Type 1
s.t.
6
Mauro Finetto
M&M's
s.t.
7
Marco Frapporti
Colnago - CSF Inox
s.t.
8
Daniele Callegarin
Team Type 1
s.t.
9
Allan Davis
UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
s.t.
10
Murilo Fischer
Sony Ericsson
s.t.
GC
1
Chris Froome
Radio Shack - Nissan
30h32'44
2
Andy Schleck
Sky ProCycling
+ 1'14
3
David López
Euskaltel - Euskadi
+ 3'02
4
Robert Gesink
Petronas - Monster Energy
+ 4'33
5
Damiano Cunego
Radio Shack - Nissan
+ 4'50
6
Andrew Talansky
Garmin - Barracuda
+ 4'51
7
Ryder Hesjedal
Saxo Bank SunGard
+ 5'05
8
Nicolas Roche
Radio Shack - Nissan
+ 5'12
9
Steven Kruijswijk
Qantas Airways
+ 6'00
10
Francesco Failli
Team Type 1
+ 6'10
Points
1
Chris Froome
Radio Shack - Nissan
119
2
Daniele Callegarin
Team Type 1
68
3
Andy Schleck
Sky ProCycling
67
4
David López
Euskaltel - Euskadi
61
5
Mark Cavendish
Sky ProCycling
52
KOTM
1
Jérôme Pineau
Saur - Sojasun
47
2
Marcel Beima
M&M's
31
3
Mitja Mahoric
BMC Racing Team
28
4
Chris Froome
Radio Shack - Nissan
24
5
Andy Schleck
Sky ProCycling
22
Overall Winner
Word from the DS
How we look back at this Tour of California? Satisfied. Despite starting wit a fitness under 70, Gesink managed to take the 3rd stage at Mt. Baldy and a 4th in the GC, so the preparation for the Tour has started very well!
Off to Germany's capitol for the Pro Race Berlin, a race we participate in to favour our sprinter Marcel Kittel. Last year, Francesco Chicchi won the race.
*** Francesco Chicchi (Eddy Merckx), Marcel Kittel, Elia Rigotto (Lasko). ** Mikhail Ignatiev (Glud), Roger Kluge (Rothaus), Mauro Abel Richeze (Atlas). * Alexander Kristoff (Joker), Jens Mulder, Robert Wagner (NetAPP).
Our Goal
The win!
The Race
The peloton has a lot of problems in catching the BOTD, and one rider of it stays out of touch. CCC's Maxim Iglinskiy takes the win, edging out the sprinters with only a wheel's length. Elia Rigotto wins the peloton sprint, beating Marcel Kittel.
Results
1
Maxim Iglinskiy
CCC Polsat Polkowice
4h12'53
2
Elia Rigotto
Laško
s.t.
3
Marcel Kittel
Petronas - Monster Energy
s.t.
4
Francesco Chicchi
Team Eddy Merckx - Indeland
s.t.
5
Mauro Abel Richeze
Atlas Personal
s.t.
6
Troels Ronning Vinther
Glud & Marstrand - LRØ
s.t.
7
Ariel Maximiliano Richeze
Bank BGZ
s.t.
8
Roger Kluge
Rothaus - Jack Wolfskin
s.t.
9
Mikhail Ignatiev
Glud & Marstrand - LRØ
s.t.
10
Sebastian Lander
TDC
s.t.
The Winner
Word from the DS
Well, 2nd or 3rd..... Don't care, as Iglinskiy outsmarted the peloton. Hopefully Kittel is in better form in the Bayern Rundfahrt.
Edited by dienblad on 22-01-2013 20:35
After a well deserved rest day, the riders leave the region of Veneto and immediately after the start, they have to ascend the Passo Pordoi. Then the road starts descending for a long while into the region of Trentino - Alto Adige. 35km before the finish begins the final climb of the Passo di Santa Barbara, 13.4km at 7.8%. A 22km descend to Riva del Garda, at the Lago di Gardo awaits.
176km to go
The stage begins very difficult for the non-climbers with the ascend of the Passo Pordoi (9.3km at 7.0%) immediately after the start. But the peloton takes it easy, so no riders gets dropped. 2 riders have set up a breakaway, David Arroyo (Movistar) and Matteo Rabottini (Farnese Vini).
They have a margin of 1'12 to the peloton.
[center]43km to go
[/center]
Rabottini is only interested in the KOTM-points and predicts that a breakaway won't stand a chance today, so he decides to wait for the peloton. Arroyo continues solo and soon gets joined by 9 others: Zdenek Stybar (Omega Pharma), Jure Kocjan (Sky), Julien Loubet (Europcar), Giairo Ermeti (Farnese Vini), Ronan van Zandbeek (Rabobank), Cristiano Salerno (Androni), Fabio Taborre (Acqua et Sapone), Dominique Cornu (Vacansoleil) and Johnny Hoogerland (Sony Ericsson). With Euskaltel and Saxo Bank setting the pace in the peloton towards the foot of the Passo di Santa Barbara, the margin is 4'15.
24km to go
Due to the high pace set by Arroyo and Salerno in the BOTD while ascending the Passo di Santa Barbara, the BOTD splashes into several small groups. Arroyo and Salerno remain in the lead, followed by Kocjan, Taborre and Hoogerland at 1'10 only 1km before the summit. The peloton (29 riders) follows at 1'25. At this moment, Michele Scarponi attacks, and he gets countered by Igor Antón, Vincenzo Nibali and Wilco Kelderman.
17km to go
The 4 best riders in this Giro pass the 2nd group in the race, and follow the 2 leaders at '47. Giampaolo Caruso (Katusha) and Rein Taaramäe lead a group of 18 riders (including Ruijgh and Sagan) at 1'07.
13km to go
A crash in the chasing group. GC's number 6 Bauke Mollema lost control of his front wheel and hits the tarmac. While trying to avoid him, Gonzalo, Santambrogio and Taborre collide and also crash.
7km to go
The 4 GC-favourites don't want to waste energy, and get caught by the chasing group. Consequently, the 2 leaders increase their margin to 1'12. Then, at a small uphill part of the long descend, Scarponi attacks again, and gets countered by Antón and Van den Broeck. Nibali doesn't react, and so doesn't Kelderman. But he has Ruijgh and Sagan working for him to close the gap.
Finish
Arroyo and Salerno start sprinting for the win, and it is obvious that Arroyo is out of energy. He is no match for Salerno, who takes his first win in more than 4 years!
Thanks to the Petronas - Monster Energy-guys, Scarponi and friends get caught and they can sprint for the bonus seconds. Wilco Kelderman edges out Scarponi for the 2nd place (they have passed Arroyo) and takes 12 bonus seconds. Sagan finishes in 4th, followed by Antón and Nibali. Mollema looses 1'40.
Results
1
Cristiano Salerno
Androni Giocattoli
5h06'38
2
Wilco Kelderman
Petronas - Monster Energy
s.t.
3
Michele Scarponi
Saxo Bank SunGard
s.t.
4
Peter Sagan
Petronas - Monster Energy
s.t.
5
Igor Antón
Euskaltel - Euskadi
s.t.
6
Vincenzo Nibali
Radio Shack - Nissan
s.t.
7
David Arroyo
Movistar Team
s.t.
8
Giampaolo Caruso
Katusha Team
s.t.
9
Thomas Peterson
Saxo Bank SunGard
s.t.
10
Francesco Bellotti
Farnese Vini - Neri Sottoli
s.t.
GC
1
Vincenzo Nibali
Radio Shack - Nissan
65h00'20
2
Michele Scarponi
Saxo Bank SunGard
+ 20
3
Wilco Kelderman
Petronas - Monster Energy
+ 42
4
Igor Antón
Euskaltel - Euskadi
+ 3'22
5
Rein Taaramäe
Sony Ericsson
+ 4'37
6
Bauke Mollema
BMC Racing Team
+ 7'47
7
Simon Spilak
Lampre - Alitalia
+ 12'55
8
Luke Rowe
Qantas Airways
+ 15'09
9
Dario Cataldo
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step
+ 15'41
10
Rob Ruijgh
Petronas - Monster Energy
+ 18'13
Points
1
Wilco Kelderman
Petronas - Monster Energy
159
2
Edvald Boasson Hagen
Dexia
147
3
Peter Sagan
Petronas - Monster Energy
124
4
Michele Scarponi
Saxo Bank SunGard
117
5
Vincenzo Nibali
Radio Shack - Nissan
112
KOTM
1
Michele Scarponi
Saxo Bank SunGard
39
2
Matteo Rabottini
Farnese Vini - Neri Sottoli
37
3
Vincenzo Nibali
Radio Shack - Nissan
36
4
Igor Antón
Euskaltel - Euskadi
22
5
David Arroyo
Movistar Team
20
U25
1
Wilco Kelderman
Petronas - Monster Energy
65h01'02
2
Luke Rowe
Qantas Airways
+ 14'27
3
Peter Sagan
Petronas - Monster Energy
+ 30'33
4
Mikel Landa
Euskaltel - Euskadi
+ 33'35
5
Fabio Aru
Alitalia
+ 37'42
Teams
1
Petronas - Monster Energy
195h38'11
2
Euskaltel - Euskadi
+ 9'11
3
Saxo Bank SunGard
+ 27'02
4
Lampre - Alitalia
+ 33'49
5
BMC Racing Team
+ 35'22
Today's Winner
Word from the DS
Wow, we just didn't realize that the stage win was possible, untill we saw the leading duo shortly before the finish. So 2nd, and 12 bonus seconds, is very nice, but it feels like we have missed a great opportunity to take our 2nd stage win...
Chris Froome
David López
Daniele Callegarin
Andy Schleck
Yann Huguet
Fredrik Kessiakoff
Lars Boom
Michel Koch
Lars Boom
Kevin Lacombe
Borut Božic
Allan Davis
Greg Van Avermaet
Murilo Fischer
Alexander Efimkin
Nicolas Roche
Andrew Talansky
Fabian Cancellara
Maxim Iglinskiy
Mauro Abel Richeze
Rein Taaramäe
Edvald Boasson Hagen
