My first ride after the battle in the Giro comes in France, at the Dauphine, just one week after I crossed the line in Milan. I am not going to be at my best, I will be the first to admit it, but after the Dauphine comes the Route du Sud and then my mid season break.
With a Prologue and a ITT in the first 4 stages, the only test for the peleton comes on Stage 2. Climbs cover the opening two-thirds of the route, and officially the organisers see this as a profile for the Puncheurs over the Sprinters.
Race Report [Stages 1-4]
The opening Prologue was short, but hilly in profile. Chris Froome (Sky) took the stage win, whilst I rode well to finish 23rd, 16 seconds down on Yellow. A good start, and I was happy to see my legs had carried on from the Giro.
The hillier Stage 2 loomed, and I thought I would stretch the legs and give myself a good showing on the route. The first KoM sprint came early in the stage, and I was unchallenged on the next 2 climbs. The KoM Jersey would be on my shoulders for the next few days at least. The peleton made it over the climbs with no hassle, and as the gap to the 5 of us in the break, it looked set to be an unexpected Bunch Sprint, or at least they thought. With 10 km to go, Frank Schelck (Trek) and I attacked for the win, and our gap looked good. Schleck kicked again in the last 5km to take the win, whilst I just survived to take 2nd ahead of the bunch sprint.
I would be on lead-out duties on Stage 3, as Coquard looked to finalise his preparation before the Tour. He would ride well in the finish, and cross the line in 5th behind Griepel (Lotto).
The ITT on Stage 4 would be the last gentle ride before the Mountains arrived in the second half of the race. Chris Froome extended his lead on GC, as I rode to 36th on the stage. Rohan, who infact was riding for Rolland in the Dauphine, finished the highest on the stage in 12th, and sat 21st on GC, 1'48" behind Froome. I sat in 33rd, 2'05" down on the Sky man.
My lead in the KoM jersey was a slender one, and coming into the second half of the Dauphine, I was doubtful whether I had it in me to go out and put a claim to the Polka Dot jersey. My legs in the Giro were hit and miss when it came to the Mountains, and I wasn't confident to being able to attack and defend if I was challenged.
Stage 5 will be the first time for the GC guys to show themselves, so expect fireworks on the stage. My chance to fight for KoM jersey could come on Stage 7 or 8.
Race Report [Stages 5-8]
The second half of the race couldn't have started better for the team. Tommy Voeckler found himself in the break on Stage 5, and as it looked like it wouldn't be caught, he battled amazingly with Estaban Chaves (Movistar) to take the win. Chaves attacked on the final climb of the day, but a daredevil descent from the French Champion brought him back in contention. In the sprint, there was only one winner - Tommy!
The time gap back to the main peleton, and the GC riders was also over 20 minutes, putting the Frenchman into Yellow, and the 7 riders from the break dominated the Top 10 on GC. You couldn't have written the script.
The hillier Stage 6 was all about working to defend the Yellow Jersey, and it was executed perfectly by the team. Nick Nuyens (Lotto) took the victory, from the breakaway, and Tommy only lost 1'33" to the GC men who attacked on the final climb.
I saw my chance to cement the KoM Jersey on Stage 7, and I attacked to be part of a 6 man breakaway. As expected, I was unable to take maximum points at the KoM sprints, but the minor points on the Cat.HC and Cat.1 climbs were enough to give me a comfort zone in the Standings. Lachlan Morton (Garmin) took the win, as an unthreaten peleton was happy to let them go. I sprinted well for 5th, and Tommy failed to lose any time to the likes of Froome et al.
With more than 15 minutes to the big GC men, it would take a disaster for Tommy not to come away with the Overall Victory on Stage 8. Just like on Stage 6, the team worked hard to defend the Lead, and as Froome (Sky) took the victory, Voeckler rode well to finish in 4th on the same time.
Mission Complete for the team, but I suddenly realised that I had forgotten about my fight for the KoM jersey. Michal Golas (OmegaPharma) was in the day's break, and he could steal the jersey off my shoulders... He had missed out by 4 points. The relief as I crossed the line to this news was unreal.
My final race before my mid-season break comes at the Route du Sud. With 2 big Mountain Stages, I doubt if I will be as active as the Giro and Dauphine, but the opening stage could end in a Sprint, where I hope to help out in Lead-Out train for Bryan Coquard.
The big stage in the Route du Sud comes on Stage 3. With 2 Cat.HC climbs before the Race's second Summit Finish, only the strongest will prevail today. Pierre Rolland will be licking his lips with this type of stage.
Race Report
The race could not have gone any more perfect for Europcar. It started with the Sprint into Narbonne on Stage 1, where Coquard finished off the perfect Lead-Out from Pichot, Turgot and I. Turgot also hung on for Second, and Pichot picked up 5th. I crossed the line in 15th. What a start!
A solo finish to the Summit of Mantet on Stage 2 for Pierre gave the team two wins from two stages, and also moved him into Yellow. Cyril Gautier and Dauphine winner Tommy Voeckler controlled the peleton perfectly on the climb, and it was left to Rolland to finish the good work. I rolled in with a few riders ahead of the gruppetto in 44th, 15 minutes down.
Rolland would solo to his Second win on Stage 3, as he left the GC rivals in his wake on the climb to the Summit Finish of Plateau de Beille. He would gap his nearest rival, Alexandre Geniez (FDJ), with 5km to go, and finish the stage with a gap of over 2 minutes. He was certainly proving that he would be ready for the Tour. I came home again ahead of the gruppetto, 25 minutes in arrears.
Stage 4 to Lannemezan was hilly, but I saw myself stretching the legs for a final time before my rest. A group of 4 of us went clear, and I was comfortably able to pick up the KoM points along the way. I couldn't gain enough to take the Jersey, but to be honest, that was not my plan. Oscar Gatto (Cannonndale) would give the race an winner other than from Europcar, as Pierre never looked challenged in Yellow. I would lose 10 minutes on the Italian stage winner, and happy to begin my mid-season break in high sprints.
@sutty#1 & HuDCC: No racing til the end of August, so it will be a good rest Rolland was in top form, and ready for the Tour. Same with Coquard so it was a good run out before the Grande Boucle.
@OZ & sutty#2: Fine choice of song I had to give up on the songs for every comment. Get difficult not to repeat yourself haha
@mvh: Le Tour, transfer season, and injury-free. It will be a good break for Martijn
Edited by the_hoyle on 12-11-2014 19:14
Chris Froome
Janez Brajkovic
Alejandro Valverde
Bauke Mollema
Johan Esteban Cháves Rubio
Ivan Basso
Tejay Van Garderen
Michal Golas
Nick Nuyens
Brian Dury
