A Tale of Two
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Ian Butler |
Posted on 31-08-2012 11:13
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I considered it
But there's no place for him here, he needs a leader's contract for competing in the Tour and the Giro etc, and we can't give him that, because we have VDB and hopefully on the long run Lombaerts
I'd rather have him as a strong opponent |
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Abelbaba |
Posted on 31-08-2012 11:14
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Domestique
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but you can have 3 leader contracts right? |
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Ian Butler |
Posted on 31-08-2012 11:17
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Yeah, but then I think it'd be overkill, because then who's leader in TDF: VDB or De Gendt, and who gets send to Giro, De Gendt or Lombaerts?
De Gendt might just be the biggest opponent of Lombaerts, because they're both good climbers and TT riders and both still young and room for progression, so I don't think they should be in the same team! |
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PCM rulezz |
Posted on 31-08-2012 11:46
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I think you are right about De gendt.
Good prologue btw
Winners never quit, quitters never win.
It's difficult not to be happy when you're surrounded by Belgians. - Mark Cavendish
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Ian Butler |
Posted on 31-08-2012 11:47
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Thanks
Let's hope the rest of the Dauphinée goes equally well! |
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sutty68 |
Posted on 31-08-2012 13:28
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A top ten in the Giro was a great result for the team |
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Ian Butler |
Posted on 31-08-2012 15:57
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I agree, De Clerq raced an excellent Giro |
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Ian Butler |
Posted on 31-08-2012 17:34
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The Dauphinée - Stage 3
A hilly stage, where Van Den Broeck hopes to test his competitors for the TDF. Many aren't present, unfortunately, but Nibali is here, one of his greatest competitors.
Only 30km after the start of the race, the peloton gets ripped in pieces on a small ascending road. I'm in the wrong part of the peloton.
Our chances of returning to the pack diminish as Movistar lays a quick pace.
On the final hill of the day, Van Den Broeck carefully tests the competition. With a sly, slow attack he kills many riders' moral.
He doesn't get far, what wasn't his intention in the first place, and the (somewhat ripped) peloton goes to a sprint.
And what a beautiful victory for Jurgen Van Den Broeck! Unfortunately there are no boni seconds, but he doesn't care. He showed his strength and killed all the competition. He has sent a message that they better watch out in the Tour!
...while I cross the line 18'40" afterwards. My hopes for a good GC are over.
Result
1 | Jurgen Van den Broeck | Lotto-Belisol | 4h17'04 | IanButler | 2 | Rui Costa | Movistar Team | s.t. | | 3 | Ben Hermans | Radioshack Nissan Trek | s.t. | | 4 | Michele Scarponi | Lampre-ISD | s.t. | | 5 | Christophe Riblon | Ag2r La Mondiale | s.t. | | 6 | Robert Kiserlovski | Team Argos-Shimano | s.t. | | 7 | Sergio Luis Henao | Sky Pro Cycling | s.t. | | 8 | Pierre Rolland | Team Europcar | s.t. | | 9 | Samuel Sánchez | Euskaltel Euskadi | s.t. | | 10 | Alexandre Geniez | Team Argos-Shimano | s.t. | |
The Dauphinée - Stage 3
The breakaway made it to the finish!
Result
1 | Mikhail Ignatiev | Katusha Team | 3h22'31 | 2 | Giampaolo Cheula | Acqua & Sapone | s.t. | 3 | Svein Tuft | Orica-GreenEDGE | s.t. | 4 | Tom Veelers | Team Argos-Shimano | + 7'07 | 5 | Davide Appollonio | Sky Pro Cycling | s.t. | 6 | Edvald Boasson Hagen | Sky Pro Cycling | s.t. | 7 | Gert Steegmans | Team Saxo Bank | s.t. | 8 | Jimmy Casper | Ag2r La Mondiale | s.t. | 9 | Manuel Belletti | Lampre-ISD | s.t. | 10 | Elia Favilli | BMC Racing Team | s.t. |
GC
1 | Ignatas Konovalovas | Movistar Team | 11h59'24 | | 2 | Levi Leipheimer | Omega Pharma-Quick-Step Cycling Team | s.t. | | 3 | Edvald Boasson Hagen | Sky Pro Cycling | + 4 | | 4 | Vincenzo Nibali | Liquigas-Cannondale | s.t. | | 5 | Philippe Gilbert | BMC Racing Team | + 6 | | 6 | Lars Boom | Rabobank Cycling Team | + 7 | | 7 | Juan Jose Oroz | Euskaltel Euskadi | s.t. | | 8 | Paul Martens | Rabobank Cycling Team | + 8 | | 9 | Carlos Barredo | Rabobank Cycling Team | + 9 | | 10 | Beñat Intxausti | Katusha Team | s.t. | | 11 | David Le Lay | Saur - Sojasun | + 10 | | 12 | Jesus Herrada | Movistar Team | s.t. | | 13 | Jérôme Coppel | Saur - Sojasun | s.t. | | 14 | Fredrik Kessiakoff | Astana Pro Team | + 11 | | 15 | Ben Hermans | Radioshack Nissan Trek | + 12 | | 16 | Dries Devenyns | Omega Pharma-Quick-Step Cycling Team | s.t. | | 17 | Christophe Riblon | Ag2r La Mondiale | + 13 | | 18 | Chris Froome | Sky Pro Cycling | + 14 | | 19 | Robert Gesink | Rabobank Cycling Team | s.t. | | 20 | Samuel Sánchez | Euskaltel Euskadi | + 16 | | 21 | Jetse Bol | Rabobank Cycling Team | s.t. | | 22 | Alexandre Vinokourov | Astana Pro Team | s.t. | | 23 | Rui Costa | Movistar Team | + 17 | | 24 | Jurgen Van den Broeck | Lotto-Belisol | s.t. | IanButler | 25 | José Herrada | Movistar Team | + 18 | | 132 | Eric Lombaerts | Lotto-Belisol | + 18'29 | IanButler |
See you tomorrow for a +50km time trial. Of course, my GC is shattered and gone, but I still want to perform well. Then I'll help Jurgen in the mountains and I may have an idea about the one-but-last stage, an idea involving a possible stage win...
See you tomorrow!
Edited by Ian Butler on 31-08-2012 17:38
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fcancellara |
Posted on 31-08-2012 17:37
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A stage with somewhat mixed feelings...
But a very nice win!
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Abelbaba |
Posted on 31-08-2012 17:38
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Domestique
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Ian Butler wrote:
I may have an idea about the one-but-last stage, an idea involving a possible stage win...
sounds dramatic...
nice ride by vdB |
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sutty68 |
Posted on 31-08-2012 17:39
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Great win for Van Den Broeck and Lotto |
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Ian Butler |
Posted on 31-08-2012 17:40
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@fcancellara: Thanks, Jurgen is top priority here so the time loss isn't that bad. But the young jersey would've been a nice goal.
@Abelbaba: Thank you
@sutty68: Thanks, that's the main thing. He's looking excellent for the Tour!
Edited by Ian Butler on 31-08-2012 17:40
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PCM rulezz |
Posted on 31-08-2012 17:42
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A well deserved win for VDB. Too bad but that Lombaerts lost contact . Good luck in the TT for him and VDB.
Winners never quit, quitters never win.
It's difficult not to be happy when you're surrounded by Belgians. - Mark Cavendish
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Ian Butler |
Posted on 31-08-2012 17:44
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Yeah, you can't hang back in the peloton too much, I think he learned that now
Thanks, this time trial should suit him! |
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Marcellus51 |
Posted on 31-08-2012 18:28
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Congratz to VDB !
Now that GC pressure is gone for Eric, hope he 'll take some risk to get a win !
Good Luck |
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Ian Butler |
Posted on 31-08-2012 18:38
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Thanks, a stage win would be incredible awesome! |
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Ian Butler |
Posted on 31-08-2012 18:44
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The Dauphinée - Stage 5
This is what I'm talking about. This day is about two things for me:
1. Try to get a stage win, possibly.
2. See if I'm ready for the Belgian NC TT.
I was off pretty early, because of my bad GC place.
My legs felt excellent and I recorded the best intermediate time at checkpoint 2 and 3. I was heading straight for the finish and the win!
I finished, coincidentally, with the two riders that had started before me. Holding the best provisional time, I knew it was a hard time for others to beat!
But one man did it...
Boasson Hagen takes the win and the leader's jersey, what a performance!
Result
1 | Edvald Boasson Hagen | Sky Pro Cycling | 1h13'59 | | 2 | Eric Lombaerts | Lotto-Belisol | + 11 | IanButler | 3 | Chris Froome | Sky Pro Cycling | + 34 | | 4 | Ignatas Konovalovas | Movistar Team | s.t. | | 5 | Vincenzo Nibali | Liquigas-Cannondale | + 47 | | 6 | Mikhail Ignatiev | Katusha Team | + 49 | | 7 | Jurgen Van den Broeck | Lotto-Belisol | + 54 | IanButler | 8 | Jérôme Coppel | Saur - Sojasun | + 1'05 | | 9 | Christophe Riblon | Ag2r La Mondiale | + 1'10 | | 10 | Levi Leipheimer | Omega Pharma-Quick-Step Cycling Team | + 1'15 |
GC
1 | Edvald Boasson Hagen | Sky Pro Cycling | 13h13'27 | | 2 | Ignatas Konovalovas | Movistar Team | + 30 | | 3 | Chris Froome | Sky Pro Cycling | + 44 | | 4 | Vincenzo Nibali | Liquigas-Cannondale | + 47 | | 5 | Jurgen Van den Broeck | Lotto-Belisol | + 1'07 | IanButler | 6 | Levi Leipheimer | Omega Pharma-Quick-Step Cycling Team | + 1'11 | | 7 | Jérôme Coppel | Saur - Sojasun | s.t. | | 8 | Christophe Riblon | Ag2r La Mondiale | + 1'19 | | 9 | Rui Costa | Movistar Team | + 1'40 | | 10 | Carlos Barredo | Rabobank Cycling Team | + 1'48 | |
Let's see if my goals of today are accomplished:
1. No, I did not win the stage. But there'll be other days, I did my best.
2. Yes, I believe I'm ready for the Nationals, beating Froome in a time trial gives me a lot of confidence, I'm ready!
In other news: Cavendish stays with Sky until at least 2015.
See you tomorrow for the first mountain stage! |
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Marcellus51 |
Posted on 31-08-2012 18:49
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Great time trial Eric,
beating Froome and almost Boassen Hagen that's awesome.
You sure are gonna win Belgian CN ITT as there will not be too strong opposition in there !
Gl for the rest of Dauphinée ! |
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Ian Butler |
Posted on 31-08-2012 18:56
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Thanks
Well, there's one man that can stop him in the NC: De Gendt. It'll depend on his form and on who has a good day, I think.
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PCM rulezz |
Posted on 31-08-2012 19:43
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haha it's funny to see 3 riders at the finish of a ITT. The NC TT wouldn't be a problem imo.
Winners never quit, quitters never win.
It's difficult not to be happy when you're surrounded by Belgians. - Mark Cavendish
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