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Fabio Melani | Road to Le Tour | End of Season
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| Cycleman123 |
Posted on 22-12-2013 09:15
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| 1 | Nairo Quintana | Movistar Team | 21h19'55 | | 2 | Peter Sagan | Cannondale Pro Cycling | + 27 | | 3 | Pierre Rolland | Team Europcar | + 2'04 | | 4 | Carlos Alberto Betancur | Team Argos-Shimano | + 2'06 | | 5 | Thibaut Pinot | FDJ.fr | + 2'28 | | 6 | Sergio Henao | Sky Pro Cycling | + 4'02 | | 7 | Geraint Thomas | Sky Pro Cycling | + 4'55 | | 8 | Fabio Melani | Colombia | + 6'39 | | 9 | Jelle Vanendert | Lotto Belisol | + 7'32 | | 10 | Darwin Atapuma | Colombia | + 7'57 |
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| Cycleman123 |
Posted on 22-12-2013 09:17
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The Hobbit wrote:
Just wondering what will happen now to the team. You're two minutes up, but I believe there is still a mountain stage, where you might not be as good?
The next stage is perfect for me, and then there's a TT and it's all over  . Also, the team has organised a video for the next stage. You will hopefully all like it
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 06-12-2025 17:38
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 22-12-2013 14:20
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Hope Fabio can keep his top ten placing |
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| Cycleman123 |
Posted on 22-12-2013 19:15
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11th in GC is Ulissi, more than 5 minutes behind me
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 22-12-2013 19:16
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Then top ten is assured |
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| Cycleman123 |
Posted on 22-12-2013 21:44
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 Pre-Race
So, this is the new video that Sean Kelly was talking about. I was documenting my morning before the race today. Again I can't show the actual video due to copyright, so here's my routine.
6:30 am: Wake up, and have a shower.
[IMG-r]https://i1297.photobucket.com/albums/ag38/Abbiati123/Album%20For%20Albums/Offseason%20Pics/HealthyBreakfast_zps841d71cd.jpg[/IMG-r]
7 am: Go downstairs and have a healthy breakfast.
7:45 am: Finish breakfast and have 15 minutes of free time.
[IMG-r]https://i1297.photobucket.com/albums/ag38/Abbiati123/Album%20For%20Albums/Offseason%20Pics/TeamBus_zps702ab445.jpg[/IMG-r]
8 am: Meet at the team bus and travel to the start of the stage. Talk about team plan for the day.
8:45: We do whatever until now, then sign in at the start of the stage and take places. Stages usually start at about 9 am.
So thanks everyone! That's my daily routine before a race. I'll be back soon with the actual report
Fabio  
P.S. Do you like the look of this?
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 22-12-2013 22:34
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I like this piece. It's a nice read. Only "problem" I have with it is that the text is too much stuffed together by the picture. Only 2 words and then you have to read the next line, get what I mean?
But still very nice  |
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| Cycleman123 |
Posted on 22-12-2013 22:46
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Yeah, I couldn't shrink the picture for some reason. The race reports will stay the same
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| Cycleman123 |
Posted on 22-12-2013 22:47
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Esteban Chaves was our best performer in Paris-Nice. As expected, we didn't really compete. He was 4'15 behind the winner.
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| Cycleman123 |
Posted on 22-12-2013 23:01
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Tirreno-Adriatico
The last road stage of the Tour. The gradients aren't too big, so hopefully I'll have the stamina to be there at the end.
The break today consisted of 5 riders.
There was a split at the Intermediate Sprint. 73 riders were behind, including Wilson, Edwin and Geraint Thomas.
Again the attacks came just as we started getting ready. Both me and Darwin easily caught them though. I was blocked by Vanendert but it ended up being fine. There was never really any doubt that the break would win.
So we had a 9 rider E2. All the Top 10 were there, save Thomas and Vanendert, and with the inclusion of Cancellara.
We were actually caught by the peloton with 7km left. The group was now 104.
Nick Nuyens took the win ahead of Ruijgh and Caruso.
Sagan was the best of the peloton (in 5th) and I came in 12th.
| 1 |  Nick Nuyens | Garmin - Sharp | 4h25'25 | | 2 |  Rob Ruijgh | Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | s.t. | | 3 | Damiano Cunego | Lampre-Merida | + 8 | | 4 |  Yoann Bagot | FDJ.fr | + 45 | | 5 |  Peter Sagan | Cannondale Pro Cycling | + 1'47 | | 6 | Carlos Alberto Betancur | Team Argos-Shimano | + 1'56 | | 7 | Nairo Quintana | Movistar Team | s.t. | | 8 |  Alejandro Valverde | Movistar Team | s.t. | | 9 | Pierre Rolland | Team Europcar | s.t. | | 10 |  John Degenkolb | Movistar Team | s.t. | | 11 | Sergio Henao | Sky Pro Cycling | s.t. | | 12 | Fabio Melani | Colombia | s.t. | | 23 | Darwin Atapuma | Colombia | s.t. |
There were no real changes in the GC, and my place is almost guaranteed.
Fabio
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| Cycleman123 |
Posted on 22-12-2013 23:53
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Tirreno-Adriatico
Short, flat, time trial. All I gotta say
Today was all about a calm ride. I knew that 8th in the GC was almost assured, but I needed to prove to myself that I was good in the time-trial.
Well, so much for that. Provisional 69th at the checkpoint, 33 seconds behind.
And provisional 67th at the finish. Exactly a minute back.
| 1 | Fabian Cancellara | Sporza | 11'47 | | 2 | Luke Durbridge | Orica-GreenEDGE | + 9 | | 3 | Geraint Thomas | Sky Pro Cycling | s.t. | | 4 | Taylor Phinney | Sky Pro Cycling | + 17 | | 5 | Peter Sagan | Cannondale Pro Cycling | + 18 | | 6 | Wilco Kelderman | Blanco Pro Cycling | + 23 | | 7 | Richie Porte | Astana Pro Team | + 25 | | 8 | Fredrik Kessiakoff | Astana Pro Team | + 26 | | 9 | Maxime Bouet | Ag2r La Mondiale | + 27 | | 10 | Sylvain Chavanel | Omega Pharma-Quick-Step Cycling Team | s.t. | | 52 | Virgilijus Grazhys | Colombia | +53 | | 75 | Fabio Melani | Colombia | +1'01 |
| 1 | Peter Sagan | Cannondale Pro Cycling | 25h59'39 | | 2 | Nairo Quintana | Movistar Team | + 4 | | 3 | Carlos Alberto Betancur | Team Argos-Shimano | + 2'21 | | 4 | Pierre Rolland | Team Europcar | + 2'26 | | 5 | Thibaut Pinot | FDJ.fr | + 2'44 | | 6 | Sergio Henao | Sky Pro Cycling | + 4'05 | | 7 |  Geraint Thomas | Sky Pro Cycling | + 4'28 | | 8 | Fabio Melani | Colombia | + 7'04 | | 9 | Jelle Vanendert | Lotto Belisol | + 8'04 | | 10 | Darwin Atapuma | Colombia | + 8'28 | | 25 | Valerio Agnoli | Astana Pro Team | + 20'56 | | 26 |  Virgilijus Grazhys | Colombia | s.t. | | 39 | Juan Pablo Valencia | Colombia | + 26'40 | | 74 | Leonardo Duque | Colombia | + 36'06 | | 78 | Jarlinson Pantano | Colombia | + 36'33 | | 134 | Edwin Avila | Colombia | + 58'20 | | 146 | Wilson Marentes | Colombia | + 1h09'54 |
Wow! Sagan just taking the GC in the final stage!
Points: | Peter Sagan | Cannondale Pro Cycling | 49 |
KoM: Fabian Wegmann Garmin - Sharp 15
| Peter Sagan | Cannondale Pro Cycling | 25h59'39 (1) | | Fabio Melani | Colombia + 7'04 (5) |
| Sky Pro Cycling 7h38'44 (1) | | Colombia | + 13'46 (2) |
A good race for us in my first World Tour outing. At this rate I'll be leading the Tour de France! Anyway, I'll see you guys at the next race
Fabio
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 23-12-2013 07:26
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For Fabio this has been an incredible race |
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| The Hobbit |
Posted on 23-12-2013 07:31
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Fabio  Sagan 
Also, to resize photos, when you upload them I believe there is an option to resize them to any size, it's a drop down thing. |
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 23-12-2013 11:52
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Darwin did well to seal a top ten place |
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| Cycleman123 |
Posted on 24-12-2013 04:35
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Ian: Thanks mate
Hobbit: Thanks for the help there
Sutty: Definitely
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| Cycleman123 |
Posted on 24-12-2013 04:44
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GP del Navarra
I'm the favourite for this race, so hopefully I can live up to the hype.
Leader
Fabio Melani
Teammate
Esteban Chaves
Domestique
Juan Pablo Suarez
Domestique
Juan Pablo Valenica
Domestique
Dalivier Ospina
Domestique
Carlos Quintero
Kelly Version: There's not much I can say here. Fabio you just need to try your best.
My Version: I believe I can win this, but that doesn't mean I will.
Kelly: Win
Sponsors: Win
Me: Win
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| The Hobbit |
Posted on 24-12-2013 08:23
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Yay, it will be nice to see him win this ( no pressure  ) |
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| Cycleman123 |
Posted on 24-12-2013 08:56
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Hmmm...
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| Cycleman123 |
Posted on 24-12-2013 09:13
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GP del Navarra
First up, of course, we had the breakaway. 5 riders today.
With 38km to go, the first big split happened. 23 were caught out, including Valencia and Quintero.
The first attack came from Cam Meyer (OGE). He was followed by NetApp's Enrico Battaglin.
Soon it was time for us to act. I hopped in Esteban's wheel and with 8km left to ride I finally got away.
With my teammate out of energy, it was time for my stock move. I hopped out on the last big downhill, and gained some valuable time.
Esteban was doing well to stay up front, while it was one man vs 43.
I still had energy left in the tank. When Mikel Nieve jumped out of the pack, I knew it was going to be me versus him.
He had no hesitiations in launching the sprint first. This suited me well, as I could easily stay in his wheel.
I made the pass with 600 metres to go! Yes!
I was out of energy, but surely he was too! It may have been early, but I raised my arms in victory for the first time this season!
Wait what? This wasn't supposed to happen! The Spaniard somehow came up with a last ounce of energy! I lowered my hands and tried to reach deep into my reserves. Could I hold on?
Oh no! How cruel! You know the term Zabel'd? Yeah, well I didn't think it actually happened in real life, but now...
Fabio
| 1 | Mikel Nieve | Euskaltel Euskadi | 4h51'08 | | 2 | Fabio Melani | Colombia | s.t. | | 3 | Eros Capecchi | Movistar Team | + 27 | | 4 | Omar Fraile | Team Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | s.t. | | 5 |  Ryder Hesjedal | Garmin - Sharp | + 58 | | 6 |  Igor Anton | Euskaltel Euskadi | + 1'10 | | 7 | Enrico Battaglin | Team NetApp - Endura | s.t. | | 8 | Jonathan Hivert | Sojasun | + 1'26 | | 9 |  Cameron Meyer | Orica-GreenEDGE | s.t. | | 10 | Juan José Cobo Acebo | Movistar Team | s.t. | | 12 | Dalivier Ospina | Colombia | + 1'51 | | 16 | Esteban Cháves | Colombia | s.t. | | 17 | Juan Pablo Suarez | Colombia | s.t. | | 69 | Juan Pablo Valencia | Colombia | +7'28 | | 72 | Carlos Quintero | Colombia | s.t. |
Edited by Cycleman123 on 24-12-2013 09:14
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 24-12-2013 09:21
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Never raise your arms so far ahead  |
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