So, I spent the night at the hotel unable to sleep. This was the biggie. All the bigwigs at Asahi had been on the phone to me in the evening. They want a win, they expect a win. This is the closest we've been to an overall victory and probably our best chance of the season. Beppu was never gonna have the legs to keep the yellow earlier in the month and while Roche has the skills and potential, he's really gonna have to give it big time to get a big win this year....So it's all on Millar's shoulders.
Turns out the experienced Scot slept like a baby. He's had bigger days than this in his career...Unlike me. Still, we've brought the TT-specialist team over for a reason.
GETTING IN THE CAR.
I'm following a few of the guys around this afternoon and Takeshison, who flew over the other night, will be driving around shouting at the others. As well as Millar going for the overall we'd love a stage win and a couple of top ten stage/top ten overalls. With Lang, Meyer, Elijzen and Flens we've got the firepower.
All of our lads have performed over the last few days so Callum Wilkinson will be our first man out - 78th overall! Then we've got Elijzen (70th), Meyer (53rd), Lang (65th), Flens (62nd), Meyer (54th), Dall'Antonia (26th)...then I'll take Millar at 4th and Takeshison will take Belly who's in 3rd place but can't really time trial. Still, it's been a great race for him.
The media places five of our riders in the top 8 favourites for the stage, ramping up the pressure but I have faith our lads can pull it out.
Andalucia's Lechuga sets the early time of 39'23" which hangs around for ages until BMC's Murphy smashes it with 38'38".
It looks like a quick time out there until Boasson-Hagen demolishes it with 36'57"!
That looks ridiculously fast but we'll have to wait and see until my boys go out.
CALLUM WILKINSON: At the checkpoint he's 3rd at 42 seconds down....
...Finishes in 22nd at 2'31".
MICHIEL ELIJZEN: Goes second at 18" at the checkpoint....
...Finishing strongly, still in second place at 44"! It's becoming clear that EBH had a monster second half!
SEB LANG: A tremendous start, Lang goes second just five seconds behind...
...But fades towards the end, finishing third, behind Elijzen at 1'06".
RICK FLENS: Has a solid first half of the stage, 42 seconds back in seventh...
...Finishing well, bumping up into 4th place at 1'08".
Everyone is losing time over the second half of the TT, and I mean everybody, not just our lads. Boasson-Hagen must have given it everything out there. At this point he's ridden himself back into the race lead.
CAM MEYER: Goes 4th at 39" through the checkpoint...
...Finishing a bit slower in 7th at 1'39".
DALL'ANTONIA: One of our two guys who will be going through the motions a little, goes through in 32nd at 59"...
...But incredibly finishes in 7th overall at 1'24". He held his speed tremendously!
So the time came, I revved up the car and set off after Davey, Film 4 - Asahi's great hope.
DAVID MILLAR: Blitzes through the first checkpoint in FIRST PLACE! 16'47", seven seconds faster than EBH. Of course EBH went like an express train over the second half and Millar starts tiring badly towards the end...Hopefully his stunning first half will see him through to the end...
....AND MILLAR GOES INTO THE RACE LEAD! He's down in 3rd at 46" but he punches the air in a rare display of emotion. EBH will win yet another stage this week but will miss out overall!
Meanwhile JONNY BELLIS has gone through the first checkpoint in 6th at 40 seconds down...
...But finishes badly, down in 43rd at 2'11"!
Still, five of the to peight on the day are Film 4 riders, totally dominating the top of the results page...but EBH was just untouchable today. Elijzen takes a top quality second place ahead of Millar, Grivko and Lang. Dall'Antonia is the story of the day finishing in a top quality 8th overall.
STAGE RESULTS:
Spoiler
1 Edvald Buasson Hagen TEAM BLUE SKY 36'57 2 Michiel Elijzen TEAM FILM 4 - ASAHI + 44
3 David Millar TEAM FILM 4 - ASAHI + 46
4 Andriy Grivko ASTANA + 57 5 Sebastian Lang TEAM FILM 4 - ASAHI + 1'06
6 Rick Flens TEAM FILM 4 - ASAHI + 1'08
7 Mitja Mahoric ADRIA MOBIL + 1'19 8 Tiziano Dall'Antonia TEAM FILM 4 - ASAHI + 1'24
9 Karsten Kreon CBM RACING TEAM + 1'25
10 Steve Marabito CBM RACING TEAM + 1'26
11 Steven Cezza GAMIN - TRANSITATION + 1'27
12 Michael Schär CBM RACING TEAM s.t.
13 Marc Di Maar UNITED SAFE CARE PRESENTED BY XAVIS s.t.
14 Francis De Greef OMEGA PHARMA-LOTTO + 1'31
15 Olivier Kaisen OMEGA PHARMA-LOTTO + 1'32
16 Gregory Hinderson TEAM BLUE SKY + 1'35 17 Cameron Miyer TEAM FILM 4 - ASAHI + 1'39
18 John Mirphy CBM RACING TEAM + 1'41
19 Jan Bakelants OMEGA PHARMA-LOTTO + 1'42
20 Martin Hebík PSK WHIRLPOOL - AUTHOR + 1'45
21 Fabio Daarte CALOR DE COLOMBIA - KILOMBO Y PASTON + 1'50
22 Klaas Ludewyck TOP-SPORT FLANDRES - MERCADOS + 1'53
23 Greg Van Avermaet OMEGA PHARMA-LOTTO s.t.
24 Lasse Bøchmon GLUD & MARSTRAND - LRO RADGIVNING s.t.
25 Charles Wegelius OMEGA PHARMA-LOTTO + 1'54
26 Martin Kuhler CBM RACING TEAM s.t.
27 Oscar Pereiro ASTANA s.t.
28 Casper Jorgensen TEAM DESIGNA KOKKEN - BLUE WATER + 1'56
29 Steven Vun Vooren TOP-SPORT FLANDRES - MERCADOS s.t.
30 Christopher Sotton TEAM BLUE SKY + 1'57
31 Julian Daan GAMIN - TRANSITATION + 1'58
32 Oleg Bordos DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC + 1'59
33 Daniel Kreutzfeldt TEAM DESIGNA KOKKEN - BLUE WATER s.t.
34 Floris Goesinnen SKIL - SHIMANO s.t.
35 Stanislav Kozubek PSK WHIRLPOOL - AUTHOR + 2'00
36 Stephen Cimmings TEAM BLUE SKY + 2'02
37 Christopher Beldwin UNITED SAFE CARE PRESENTED BY XAVIS + 2'07
38 Jurgen Van Goolen OMEGA PHARMA-LOTTO + 2'08
39 Russell Dawning TEAM BLUE SKY s.t.
40 Stefano Birchi DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC + 2'09
41 Florian Stulder CBM RACING TEAM + 2'10
42 Rasmus Christian Quaade TEAM DESIGNA KOKKEN - BLUE WATER + 2'11
43 Jens-Erik Madsen TEAM DESIGNA KOKKEN - BLUE WATER s.t. 44 Jonathan Bellis TEAM FILM 4 - ASAHI s.t.
45 Vojtech Dlouhý PSK WHIRLPOOL - AUTHOR + 2'13
46 Frederik Wilmann SKIL - SHIMANO + 2'14
47 David Pall PATATRAC TORSCHE s.t.
48 Thierry Hupond SKIL - SHIMANO s.t.
49 Serge Peuwels TEAM BLUE SKY s.t.
50 Danilo Wyss CBM RACING TEAM + 2'15
51 Roman Kireyev ASTANA s.t.
52 Mitchell Docker SKIL - SHIMANO + 2'17
53 Jimmi Sorensen TEAM DESIGNA KOKKEN - BLUE WATER s.t.
54 Kristjan Fajt ADRIA MOBIL + 2'23
55 Sergej Fuchs TEAM NUTRIXXION SPARKASSE s.t.
56 Ben Swoft TEAM BLUE SKY s.t.
57 Karl Manzies UNITED SAFE CARE PRESENTED BY XAVIS s.t.
58 Oscar Alvorez CALOR DE COLOMBIA - KILOMBO Y PASTON + 2'24
59 Ángel Vicioso ANDALUCIA - CAJASUR + 2'25
60 Pablo Lechuga ANDALUCIA - CAJASUR + 2'26
61 Jure Gelcer DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC + 2'28
62 Marko Kump ADRIA MOBIL + 2'29
63 Adrian Higyvari UNITED SAFE CARE PRESENTED BY XAVIS s.t.
64 Jose Vicente Toribio ANDALUCIA - CAJASUR + 2'30
65 Allan Davis ASTANA s.t.
66 Jacob Frederik Kollerup-Jensen TEAM DESIGNA KOKKEN - BLUE WATER + 2'31
67 Matthew Crone UNITED SAFE CARE PRESENTED BY XAVIS s.t. 68 Callum Wilkinson TEAM FILM 4 - ASAHI s.t.
69 Carlos Andres Ibuñez CALOR DE COLOMBIA - KILOMBO Y PASTON s.t.
70 Alex Cino Ardila CALOR DE COLOMBIA - KILOMBO Y PASTON + 2'32
71 Riccardo Chaarini DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC + 2'33
72 Camilo Siarez CALOR DE COLOMBIA - KILOMBO Y PASTON + 2'34
73 Yukihiro Doi SKIL - SHIMANO s.t.
74 Juan José Haedo TEAM SAXO BANK + 2'35
75 Pieter Jicobs TOP-SPORT FLANDRES - MERCADOS s.t.
76 Giairo Ermoti DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC + 2'36
77 Sebastian Forke TEAM NUTRIXXION SPARKASSE s.t.
78 Antonio Piedra Perez ANDALUCIA - CAJASUR + 2'37
79 Alexandre Geniez SKIL - SHIMANO + 2'38
80 Aljaz Hocevar ADRIA MOBIL s.t.
81 Thomas Paterson GAMIN - TRANSITATION + 2'39
82 Patrick Drupac PATATRAC TORSCHE s.t.
83 Claudio Cerioni DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC s.t.
84 Jonas Ljungblad OMEGA PHARMA-LOTTO + 2'40
85 Julien Paquet VERANDAS WILLEMS + 2'42
86 Tomáš Buchácek PSK WHIRLPOOL - AUTHOR s.t.
87 Preben Ven Hecke TOP-SPORT FLANDRES - MERCADOS + 2'43
88 Davide Vugano TEAM BLUE SKY s.t.
89 Troels Vanther GLUD & MARSTRAND - LRO RADGIVNING + 2'45
90 Grischa Janorschke TEAM NUTRIXXION SPARKASSE + 2'46
91 Christian Maier GAMIN - TRANSITATION s.t.
92 Jacob Naelsen GLUD & MARSTRAND - LRO RADGIVNING + 2'47
93 Tim Juhnson UNITED SAFE CARE PRESENTED BY XAVIS s.t.
94 Michael Burling GLUD & MARSTRAND - LRO RADGIVNING s.t.
95 Kasper Klostergaard TEAM SAXO BANK + 2'48
96 Claudio Cocinotta DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC s.t.
97 Michael Schweizer TEAM NUTRIXXION SPARKASSE + 2'49
98 Roberto Firrari DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC + 2'50
99 René Obst TEAM NUTRIXXION SPARKASSE s.t.
100 Cheng Ji SKIL - SHIMANO + 2'52
101 Angus Murton PATATRAC TORSCHE + 2'53
102 Michael Philan PATATRAC TORSCHE s.t.
103 André Schulze PSK WHIRLPOOL - AUTHOR + 2'54
104 Kris Baeckmans TOP-SPORT FLANDRES - MERCADOS s.t.
105 Manuel Calvente ANDALUCIA - CAJASUR s.t.
106 Mathias Gode GLUD & MARSTRAND - LRO RADGIVNING + 2'55
107 Patrick Schachtner TEAM NUTRIXXION SPARKASSE + 2'56
108 Yevgeni Nepomnyachsniy ASTANA + 2'58
109 Peter Stutina GAMIN - TRANSITATION s.t.
110 Marc Reynes PSK WHIRLPOOL - AUTHOR + 2'59
111 Sep Vonmarcke TOP-SPORT FLANDRES - MERCADOS + 3'00
112 Jackson Stowart CBM RACING TEAM + 3'01
113 Michael Vin Staeyen TOP-SPORT FLANDRES - MERCADOS + 3'02
114 Mirko Selvaggi ASTANA s.t.
115 Alexsandr Dyachenko ASTANA s.t.
116 Geert Staurs TOP-SPORT FLANDRES - MERCADOS s.t.
117 Juan Javier Estrada Ruiz ANDALUCIA - CAJASUR + 3'04
118 Adam Blythe OMEGA PHARMA-LOTTO + 3'06
119 Kasper Jebjerg TEAM DESIGNA KOKKEN - BLUE WATER s.t.
120 Hendrik Van Den Bossche VERANDAS WILLEMS s.t.
121 Fabio Polazzi VERANDAS WILLEMS s.t.
122 Uros Murn ADRIA MOBIL + 3'07
123 Jure Zagar ADRIA MOBIL s.t.
124 Niki Byrgesen TEAM DESIGNA KOKKEN - BLUE WATER + 3'08
125 Fader Ardala Cano CALOR DE COLOMBIA - KILOMBO Y PASTON + 3'09
126 Andy Cappelle VERANDAS WILLEMS s.t.
127 Grégory Habeaux VERANDAS WILLEMS s.t.
128 Christian Maberg GLUD & MARSTRAND - LRO RADGIVNING + 3'10
129 Gorazd Stangelj ASTANA + 3'11
130 Kevin Van Melsen VERANDAS WILLEMS + 3'12
131 Stefan Radochla TEAM NUTRIXXION SPARKASSE + 3'16
132 Andres Murtinez Montero CALOR DE COLOMBIA - KILOMBO Y PASTON s.t.
133 Lars Wackernagel TEAM NUTRIXXION SPARKASSE + 3'19
134 Jake Kuough UNITED SAFE CARE PRESENTED BY XAVIS s.t.
135 Bradley Whate UNITED SAFE CARE PRESENTED BY XAVIS + 3'22
136 Lachlan Nirris PATATRAC TORSCHE + 3'23
137 Han Feng SKIL - SHIMANO + 3'25
138 Sjef De Wilde VERANDAS WILLEMS + 3'26
139 Sven Van Den Houte VERANDAS WILLEMS + 3'27
OVERALL STANDINGS:
Spoiler
1 David Millar TEAM FILM 4 - ASAHI 15h34'24
2 Edvald Buasson Hagen TEAM BLUE SKY + 17 3 Michiel Elijzen TEAM FILM 4 - ASAHI + 22
4 Julian Daan GAMIN - TRANSITATION + 32
5 Andriy Grivko ASTANA + 35 6 Sebastian Lang TEAM FILM 4 - ASAHI + 44
7 Rick Flens TEAM FILM 4 - ASAHI + 46
8 Mitja Mahoric ADRIA MOBIL + 57 9 Tiziano Dall'Antonia TEAM FILM 4 - ASAHI + 1'02
10 Karsten Kreon CBM RACING TEAM + 1'03
11 Steve Marabito CBM RACING TEAM + 1'04
12 Marc Di Maar UNITED SAFE CARE PRESENTED BY XAVIS + 1'05
13 Michael Schär CBM RACING TEAM s.t.
14 Steven Cezza GAMIN - TRANSITATION s.t.
15 Francis De Greef OMEGA PHARMA-LOTTO + 1'09
16 Olivier Kaisen OMEGA PHARMA-LOTTO + 1'10
17 Gregory Hinderson TEAM BLUE SKY + 1'13 18 Cameron Miyer TEAM FILM 4 - ASAHI + 1'17
19 Jan Bakelants OMEGA PHARMA-LOTTO + 1'20
20 Greg Van Avermaet OMEGA PHARMA-LOTTO + 1'23
21 Martin Hebík PSK WHIRLPOOL - AUTHOR s.t. 22 Jonathan Bellis TEAM FILM 4 - ASAHI + 1'25
23 Fabio Daarte CALOR DE COLOMBIA - KILOMBO Y PASTON + 1'28
24 Klaas Ludewyck TOP-SPORT FLANDRES - MERCADOS + 1'31
25 Lasse Bøchmon GLUD & MARSTRAND - LRO RADGIVNING s.t.
26 Martin Kuhler CBM RACING TEAM + 1'32
27 Charles Wegelius OMEGA PHARMA-LOTTO s.t.
28 Oscar Pereiro ASTANA s.t.
29 Juan José Haedo TEAM SAXO BANK + 1'33
30 Steven Vun Vooren TOP-SPORT FLANDRES - MERCADOS + 1'34
31 Casper Jorgensen TEAM DESIGNA KOKKEN - BLUE WATER s.t.
32 Christopher Sotton TEAM BLUE SKY + 1'35
33 Daniel Kreutzfeldt TEAM DESIGNA KOKKEN - BLUE WATER + 1'37
34 Floris Goesinnen SKIL - SHIMANO s.t.
35 Oleg Bordos DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC s.t.
36 Stanislav Kozubek PSK WHIRLPOOL - AUTHOR + 1'38
37 Stephen Cimmings TEAM BLUE SKY + 1'40
38 Danilo Wyss CBM RACING TEAM + 1'45
39 Russell Dawning TEAM BLUE SKY + 1'46
40 Jurgen Van Goolen OMEGA PHARMA-LOTTO s.t.
41 Stefano Birchi DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC + 1'47
42 Allan Davis ASTANA + 1'48
43 Florian Stulder CBM RACING TEAM s.t.
44 Jens-Erik Madsen TEAM DESIGNA KOKKEN - BLUE WATER + 1'49
45 Rasmus Christian Quaade TEAM DESIGNA KOKKEN - BLUE WATER s.t.
46 Jimmi Sorensen TEAM DESIGNA KOKKEN - BLUE WATER + 1'51
47 Mitchell Docker SKIL - SHIMANO s.t.
48 Serge Peuwels TEAM BLUE SKY + 1'52
49 Thierry Hupond SKIL - SHIMANO s.t.
50 David Pall PATATRAC TORSCHE s.t.
51 Roman Kireyev ASTANA + 1'53
52 Ben Swoft TEAM BLUE SKY + 2'01
53 Karl Manzies UNITED SAFE CARE PRESENTED BY XAVIS s.t.
54 Ángel Vicioso ANDALUCIA - CAJASUR s.t.
55 Kristjan Fajt ADRIA MOBIL s.t.
56 Sergej Fuchs TEAM NUTRIXXION SPARKASSE s.t.
57 Oscar Alvorez CALOR DE COLOMBIA - KILOMBO Y PASTON + 2'02
58 Carlos Andres Ibuñez CALOR DE COLOMBIA - KILOMBO Y PASTON + 2'05
59 Jure Gelcer DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC + 2'06
60 Giairo Ermoti DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC s.t.
61 Marko Kump ADRIA MOBIL + 2'07
62 Jose Vicente Toribio ANDALUCIA - CAJASUR + 2'08 63 Callum Wilkinson TEAM FILM 4 - ASAHI + 2'09
64 Jacob Frederik Kollerup-Jensen TEAM DESIGNA KOKKEN - BLUE WATER s.t.
65 Matthew Crone UNITED SAFE CARE PRESENTED BY XAVIS s.t.
66 Riccardo Chaarini DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC + 2'11
67 Yukihiro Doi SKIL - SHIMANO + 2'12
68 Pieter Jicobs TOP-SPORT FLANDRES - MERCADOS + 2'13
69 Sebastian Forke TEAM NUTRIXXION SPARKASSE + 2'14
70 Antonio Piedra Perez ANDALUCIA - CAJASUR + 2'15
71 Aljaz Hocevar ADRIA MOBIL + 2'16
72 Claudio Cerioni DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC + 2'17
73 Thomas Paterson GAMIN - TRANSITATION s.t.
74 Patrick Drupac PATATRAC TORSCHE s.t.
75 Jonas Ljungblad OMEGA PHARMA-LOTTO + 2'18
76 Tomáš Buchácek PSK WHIRLPOOL - AUTHOR + 2'20
77 Davide Vugano TEAM BLUE SKY + 2'21
78 Preben Ven Hecke TOP-SPORT FLANDRES - MERCADOS s.t.
79 Michael Burling GLUD & MARSTRAND - LRO RADGIVNING + 2'23
80 Cheng Ji SKIL - SHIMANO + 2'24
81 Tim Juhnson UNITED SAFE CARE PRESENTED BY XAVIS + 2'25
82 Jacob Naelsen GLUD & MARSTRAND - LRO RADGIVNING s.t.
83 Claudio Cocinotta DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC + 2'26
84 Kasper Klostergaard TEAM SAXO BANK s.t.
85 Michael Schweizer TEAM NUTRIXXION SPARKASSE + 2'27
86 René Obst TEAM NUTRIXXION SPARKASSE + 2'28
87 Angus Murton PATATRAC TORSCHE + 2'29
88 Kris Baeckmans TOP-SPORT FLANDRES - MERCADOS + 2'32
89 Mathias Gode GLUD & MARSTRAND - LRO RADGIVNING + 2'33
90 Sep Vonmarcke TOP-SPORT FLANDRES - MERCADOS + 2'34
91 Yevgeni Nepomnyachsniy ASTANA + 2'36
92 Marc Reynes PSK WHIRLPOOL - AUTHOR + 2'37
93 Jackson Stowart CBM RACING TEAM + 2'39
94 Geert Staurs TOP-SPORT FLANDRES - MERCADOS + 2'40
95 Mirko Selvaggi ASTANA s.t.
96 Alexsandr Dyachenko ASTANA s.t.
97 Hendrik Van Den Bossche VERANDAS WILLEMS s.t.
98 Juan Javier Estrada Ruiz ANDALUCIA - CAJASUR + 2'42
99 Grégory Habeaux VERANDAS WILLEMS + 2'43
100 Uros Murn ADRIA MOBIL + 2'45
101 Jure Zagar ADRIA MOBIL s.t.
102 Andy Cappelle VERANDAS WILLEMS s.t.
103 Niki Byrgesen TEAM DESIGNA KOKKEN - BLUE WATER + 2'46
104 Fader Ardala Cano CALOR DE COLOMBIA - KILOMBO Y PASTON + 2'47
105 Christian Maberg GLUD & MARSTRAND - LRO RADGIVNING + 2'48
106 Gorazd Stangelj ASTANA + 2'49
107 Kevin Van Melsen VERANDAS WILLEMS + 2'50
108 Lars Wackernagel TEAM NUTRIXXION SPARKASSE + 2'51
109 Andres Murtinez Montero CALOR DE COLOMBIA - KILOMBO Y PASTON + 2'54
110 Jake Kuough UNITED SAFE CARE PRESENTED BY XAVIS + 2'57
111 Bradley Whate UNITED SAFE CARE PRESENTED BY XAVIS + 2'58
112 Lachlan Nirris PATATRAC TORSCHE + 3'01
113 Han Feng SKIL - SHIMANO + 3'03
114 Sven Van Den Houte VERANDAS WILLEMS + 3'05
115 Vojtech Dlouhý PSK WHIRLPOOL - AUTHOR + 5'05
116 Frederik Wilmann SKIL - SHIMANO + 5'06
117 Alexandre Geniez SKIL - SHIMANO + 5'30
118 John Mirphy CBM RACING TEAM + 5'43
119 Roberto Firrari DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC + 5'48
120 André Schulze PSK WHIRLPOOL - AUTHOR + 5'52
121 Michael Vin Staeyen TOP-SPORT FLANDRES - MERCADOS + 6'00
122 Kasper Jebjerg TEAM DESIGNA KOKKEN - BLUE WATER + 6'04
123 Adam Blythe OMEGA PHARMA-LOTTO s.t.
124 Christopher Beldwin UNITED SAFE CARE PRESENTED BY XAVIS + 6'09
125 Adrian Higyvari UNITED SAFE CARE PRESENTED BY XAVIS + 6'31
126 Alex Cino Ardila CALOR DE COLOMBIA - KILOMBO Y PASTON + 6'34
127 Camilo Siarez CALOR DE COLOMBIA - KILOMBO Y PASTON s.t.
128 Julien Paquet VERANDAS WILLEMS + 6'44
129 Grischa Janorschke TEAM NUTRIXXION SPARKASSE + 6'46
130 Michael Philan PATATRAC TORSCHE + 6'55
131 Manuel Calvente ANDALUCIA - CAJASUR + 6'56
132 Patrick Schachtner TEAM NUTRIXXION SPARKASSE + 6'58
133 Fabio Polazzi VERANDAS WILLEMS + 7'08
134 Stefan Radochla TEAM NUTRIXXION SPARKASSE + 7'18
135 Sjef De Wilde VERANDAS WILLEMS + 7'28
136 Peter Stutina GAMIN - TRANSITATION + 7'32
137 Pablo Lechuga ANDALUCIA - CAJASUR + 11'28
138 Christian Maier GAMIN - TRANSITATION + 11'42
139 Troels Vanther GLUD & MARSTRAND - LRO RADGIVNING + 19'20
Race winners! Five in the top ten! Seven in the top 22! Callum Wilkinson staying with the pack every day and doing loads of work too....Truly an early high point for our team!
Millar was overjoyed with the win and the mood was incredible in the team bus.
Jonathan Vaughters was first to offer his congratulations while David Brailsford was conspicuous by his absence in the congratulating of us.
Also, I went out of my way to congratulate and commiserate EBH on his excellent but unlucky week in Oman. I'm hoping to keep him in my good books for the future....You never know afterall!
Sky have the money but the other Brits kept the passion.
Why not check out my story of sexy new team Film4 - Asahi in the PCM10 Story section?
Much wub to: Cav, Millar, Lovqvist, Cunego, Hinc, Voigt, Cancellara, Menchov.
Wub to: Wiggins, Boonen, Beppu, Kloden, Gesink, Rogers, Moncoutie, Roche.
"Meh I dunno, just sounded funny. What can I do for ya?"
"Team Film 4 - Asahi have impressed us the last few weeks, especially with David Millar's win in the Tour of Oman yesterday."
"Ah cheers fella. Good times for us recently."
"Indeed. Anyway, as Race Director of Paris-Nice I'd like to accept your wildcard application and offer your team a spot in this year's Paris-Nice. You interested?"
"Does the Pope s**t in the woods?!"
"Erm. I don't know, does he?"
"We'd love to come. Thanks for inviting us."
"You're welcome Mr. Hamster. Please bring David Millar as part of your team though and I hope you put in an aggressive performance to pay back my faith in you."
"Sure thing Mr. P."
"...and Mr Hamster, your French is perfect, esepcially for an Englishman."
"I was speaking French? Wow."
"Au revoir Mr. Hamster."
"Ta'rah."
Sky have the money but the other Brits kept the passion.
Why not check out my story of sexy new team Film4 - Asahi in the PCM10 Story section?
Much wub to: Cav, Millar, Lovqvist, Cunego, Hinc, Voigt, Cancellara, Menchov.
Wub to: Wiggins, Boonen, Beppu, Kloden, Gesink, Rogers, Moncoutie, Roche.
SO MANY RACES, SO LITTLE TIME...
Getting called up for the Paris-Nice was fantastic. The sponsors were overjoyed as were the riders. However it has caused a bit of a scheduling problem...Although definitely a good problem to have.
We have to expect that we won't get a Wild Card for the Tour de France. We definitely won't get one for the Giro. I also got a call to tell us we won't be going to the Tirreno-Adriatico....Paris-Nice is basically our Tour de France, and with the fewer number of stages that's probably a good thing.
Still, we'll definitely be taking Millar and Roche as joint leaders - Roche for overall, Millar for the TT and as road captain. Dall'Antonia has to go as the sprinter and at least one of the Japanese guys will have to go to keep Asahi happy as well as ensure that the race will be shown on Japanese TV.
This means that after Laigueglia we've got five days of the Giro di Sardegna overlapping with the one day GP Insubria on the 27th. Add in the Tour of Malaysia from the 1st-7th of March, Fay-le-Franc on the 3rd, Monte Paschi Eroica on the 6th and the start of Paris-Nice on the 7th.
We have a tiny squad and so some of these races will have to have fewer riders sent to them.
The interesting race will be the Tour of Malaysia. None of our strong guys can go there which means they'll be led by whichever Japanese guy suits the terrain and Belly will get to go as the sprinter which should be good for him. I'd imagine the sprinter turnout will be lower there because of the overlap with Paris-Nice.
I also won't send the big guns to Monte Paschi Eroica on the day before so that'll be a tiny turnout for us, as small as I can get away with. Fayt-le-Franc will give a perfect warm-up chance for Millar, Roche and Dall-Antonia.
Anyway, we start with the Giro di Laigueglia which hopefully I won't have to type any more.
Ooooh, look at that terrain. Fresh from his victory in Oman, Davey was to lead our charge with a young team in support. Beppu would offer a breakaway option as would Guerrieri. Bellis would get the kms in his legs while Wilkinson, Whitman and De Wit would get a chance to get some more competition experience before no doubt fading over the second half of the race.
Anyway, early on a 15 man break formed including Bepps. Sadly they were caught quickly.
...So of course Bepps attacked again with another seven men, but those dastardly AG2R fellas reeled them back in. Still there's good news for us as all our guys make it over the first climb in the main group. I promise De Wit a pork pie as a gift for his good performance in staying with the pack for so long.
Anyway, Beppu goes again, this time with 15 others as they reach the bottom of the first hill, but the pack are having none of it and it's stamped out quickly.
Davey-boy drops back to grab an extra cake and lets me know that his legs are feeling good. I tell him they look good and am pretty sure I see the Scotsman blush beneath his sunglasses. So as we reach the second climb of the day....
Yeah boyee!
Millar surges out on a solo attack, one of those romantic moves that he seems to love so much. He takes a couple of minutes out of the field as Whitman, De Wit and Belly are dropped from the chasing peloton.
The lead stretches to 2'15" over the third climb as Wilkinson crashes out of the peloton. Our second car reports to me that he was utterly gutted when they got him going again, but was uninjured, just needing a new wheel. It had been a great day for him, staying with the peloton over three decent climbs.
Anyway, the Pigeon - Pidgorrnyy - goes off the front of the group and begins to chase Millar down. Millar keeps up the pace, making the Pigeon work to catch him as he starts to descend the final hill. Only 60 remain with the main group over the last climb as the Pigeon catches Dave with 15km to go. They've got a minute over the peloton but the long flat run-in screws Millar over as he manages to break from the Pigeon again but is finally caught by the remaining chasers with just over 2km to go.
He sits up and accepts the pats on the backs from the tired men around him...
...and then somehow Albasini wins the sprint for the line.
RACE RESULTS:
Spoiler
1 Michael Albasini TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA 4h53'26
2 Raffaele Ferrara CARMIOORO - NGC s.t.
3 Matteo Carrara VACANSOLEIL PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
4 Daniele Pietropolli LAMPRE – FARNESE VINI s.t.
5 Francesco Reda QUICKSTEP s.t.
6 Peter Velits TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA s.t.
7 Steve Chainel BBOX - BOUYGUES TELECOM s.t.
8 Piet Rooijakkers SKIL - SHIMANO s.t.
9 Eros Capecchi FOOTON-SERVETTO-FUJI s.t.
10 Nicolas Vogondy BBOX - BOUYGUES TELECOM s.t.
11 Domenico Puzzovivo CULNAPO - CFS ONIX s.t.
12 Vincenzo Nibali LIQUIGAS – DOIMO s.t.
13 Joan Harrach TEAM CATYOUCHA s.t.
14 Michael Rismussen MOCHE PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
15 José Luis Arrieta AG2R - LA MONDIALE s.t.
16 Mirko Lorenzetto LAMPRE – FARNESE VINI s.t.
17 Marco Velo QUICKSTEP s.t.
18 Bert De Backer SKIL - SHIMANO s.t.
19 Ruslan Pidgornyy ISD - NERI - GIAMBENINI s.t.
20 Carlos Barredo QUICKSTEP s.t.
21 Fabio Felline FOOTON-SERVETTO-FUJI s.t.
22 Francesco Gavazzi LAMPRE – FARNESE VINI s.t.
23 Volodymyr Zugorodny MOCHE PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
24 Kristijan Koren LIQUIGAS – DOIMO s.t.
25 Marco Marzano LAMPRE – FARNESE VINI s.t.
26 Romain Feillu VACANSOLEIL PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
27 Björn Leukemans VACANSOLEIL PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
28 Marco Marcato VACANSOLEIL PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
29 Pavel Brett TEAM CATYOUCHA s.t.
30 Julien Bérard AG2R - LA MONDIALE s.t.
31 William Bonnet BBOX - BOUYGUES TELECOM s.t.
32 Matteo Tosatto QUICKSTEP s.t.
33 Kevin De Weert QUICKSTEP s.t.
34 Vicente Reynès TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA s.t.
35 Branislau Samoilau QUICKSTEP s.t.
36 Giovanni Visconti ISD - NERI - GIAMBENINI s.t.
37 Martin Elmiger AG2R - LA MONDIALE s.t.
38 Robert Kiserlovski LIQUIGAS – DOIMO s.t.
39 Francisco Ventoso CARMIOORO - NGC s.t.
40 Iban Mayoz E. FOOTON-SERVETTO-FUJI s.t. 41 David Millar TEAM FILM 4 - ASAHI s.t.
42 Simone Ponzi LAMPRE – FARNESE VINI s.t.
43 Marco Pinotti TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA s.t.
44 Aristide Ratti CARMIOORO - NGC s.t.
45 Simone Stertoni CULNAPO - CFS ONIX s.t.
46 Giampaolo Cheula FOOTON-SERVETTO-FUJI s.t.
47 René Mandri AG2R - LA MONDIALE s.t.
48 Stijn Vundenbergh TEAM CATYOUCHA s.t.
49 Mathieu Sprick BBOX - BOUYGUES TELECOM s.t.
50 Gatis Smukulis AG2R - LA MONDIALE s.t.
51 Blel Kadri AG2R - LA MONDIALE s.t.
52 Lars Ytting Bak TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA s.t.
53 Timofey Kratskiy TEAM CATYOUCHA s.t.
54 Roberto Cusaro MOCHE PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
55 Rafael Valls FOOTON-SERVETTO-FUJI s.t.
56 Marco Cettaneo DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC s.t.
57 Guillaume Bonnafond AG2R - LA MONDIALE s.t.
58 Ivan Santaromita LIQUIGAS – DOIMO s.t.
59 Perrig Quemeneur BBOX - BOUYGUES TELECOM s.t.
60 Cristiano Silerno DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC s.t.
61 Dmytro Arkhynos AMORE & VITA - CONAD s.t.
62 Maciej Bodnar LIQUIGAS – DOIMO + 2'51
63 Borut Bozic VACANSOLEIL PRO CYCLING TEAM + 3'47
64 Alan Murangoni CULNAPO - CFS ONIX s.t.
65 Bobbie Traksel VACANSOLEIL PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
66 Mauro Finetto LIQUIGAS – DOIMO s.t.
67 Saïd Haddou BBOX - BOUYGUES TELECOM s.t.
68 Paride Grillo CARMIOORO - NGC s.t.
69 Sebastien Hinault AG2R - LA MONDIALE s.t.
70 Fabio Terrenzio CARMIOORO - NGC s.t.
71 Kevin Hulsmans QUICKSTEP s.t.
72 Sacha Madolo CULNAPO - CFS ONIX s.t.
73 Francesco Tomei ISD - NERI - GIAMBENINI s.t.
74 Luigi Getto MOCHE PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
75 Tom Veelers SKIL - SHIMANO s.t.
76 Michele Merlo FOOTON-SERVETTO-FUJI s.t.
77 Bernardo Colex Tepoz AMORE & VITA - CONAD s.t. 78 Filadelfio Guerrieri TEAM FILM 4 - ASAHI s.t.
79 Fausto Fognini AMORE & VITA - CONAD s.t.
80 Robert Partridge ENDURA RACING s.t.
81 Adriano Malori LAMPRE – FARNESE VINI s.t.
82 Lorenzo Bernucci LAMPRE – FARNESE VINI s.t.
83 Frantisek Rabon TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA s.t.
84 Francesco Du Paolo ANNA SAVON s.t.
85 Manuele Mori LAMPRE – FARNESE VINI s.t.
86 Kenny Van Hummel SKIL - SHIMANO s.t.
87 David Cimolai LIQUIGAS – DOIMO s.t.
88 Philipp Ludescher VORARLBERG - CORRATEC s.t.
89 Alessandro Colo ISD - NERI - GIAMBENINI s.t.
90 Cyril Bessy SAUR - SOJASUN s.t.
91 Enrico Peruffo CARMIOORO - NGC s.t.
92 Didac Ortaga ANNA SAVON + 5'43
93 Volodymyr Starchyk AMORE & VITA - CONAD + 7'47
94 Gianluca Brombilla DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC s.t.
95 Fabio Nagri DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC s.t.
96 Koen De Kort SKIL - SHIMANO s.t.
97 Federico Cunuti CULNAPO - CFS ONIX s.t.
98 Denis Kostyuk ISD - NERI - GIAMBENINI s.t.
99 Nikita Eskav TEAM CATYOUCHA s.t.
100 Ermanno Capelli FOOTON-SERVETTO-FUJI s.t.
101 Laurent Mangel SAUR - SOJASUN s.t.
102 Damiano Coruso DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC s.t.
103 Valerio Agnoli LIQUIGAS – DOIMO s.t.
104 Rasmus Guldhammer TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA s.t.
105 Martin Schöffmann VORARLBERG - CORRATEC s.t.
106 Alexandr Plauschin TEAM CATYOUCHA s.t. 107 Fumiyuki Beppu TEAM FILM 4 - ASAHI s.t.
108 Callum Wilkinson TEAM FILM 4 - ASAHI s.t.
109 Denis Gilimzyanov TEAM CATYOUCHA + 9'27
110 Laszlo Budrogi TEAM CATYOUCHA s.t.
111 Stefano Perazzi CULNAPO - CFS ONIX s.t.
112 Damien Gaudin BBOX - BOUYGUES TELECOM s.t.
113 James McCallum ENDURA RACING s.t.
114 Alessandro Raisoni CARMIOORO - NGC s.t.
115 Arnoud Van Groen VACANSOLEIL PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
116 Andrea Piechele CARMIOORO - NGC s.t.
117 Sandy King ENDURA RACING s.t.
118 Marcel Sieberg TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA s.t.
119 Alberto Ongarato VACANSOLEIL PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
120 Oscar Gatto ISD - NERI - GIAMBENINI s.t.
121 Robert Wagner SKIL - SHIMANO + 10'51
122 Matteo Mentaguti DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC + 12'39
123 Robin Chaigneau SKIL - SHIMANO s.t.
124 Piergiorgio Camussa VORARLBERG - CORRATEC s.t.
125 Leopoldo Racchetti MOCHE PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
126 Krzysztof Szczewinski MOCHE PRO CYCLING TEAM + 13'19
127 Sébastien Baldauf VORARLBERG - CORRATEC + 14'51
128 Jason Christie ENDURA RACING s.t.
129 Andrea Capelli VORARLBERG - CORRATEC s.t.
130 Sebastian Siedler VORARLBERG - CORRATEC s.t.
131 Alexander Gufler VORARLBERG - CORRATEC s.t.
132 Evan Oliphant ENDURA RACING s.t.
133 Konstantin Volik AMORE & VITA - CONAD s.t. 134 Jonathan Bellis TEAM FILM 4 - ASAHI s.t.
135 Vladislav Borisov AMORE & VITA - CONAD s.t.
136 Yuri Metlushenko AMORE & VITA - CONAD s.t.
137 David Vitoria FOOTON-SERVETTO-FUJI s.t.
138 Cédric Coutouly SAUR - SOJASUN s.t.
139 James Moss ENDURA RACING s.t.
140 Paolo Ceavatta ANNA SAVON s.t.
141 Sergio Leganà DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC s.t.
142 Pierpaolo De Negri ISD - NERI - GIAMBENINI s.t.
143 Roman Vyshnevskyy AMORE & VITA - CONAD s.t.
144 Christoph Sokoll VORARLBERG - CORRATEC s.t.
145 Long Jin SKIL - SHIMANO s.t.
146 Jérôme Cousin BBOX - BOUYGUES TELECOM s.t. 147 Daniel De Wit TEAM FILM 4 - ASAHI s.t.
148 Jay Whitman TEAM FILM 4 - ASAHI + 17'55
149 Mauro Facci QUICKSTEP + 20'39
Millar was a bit disappointed on the team bus but had given everything on the attack and was happy to accept praise for such a "beautiful" move up the second climb. No-one had been able to go with him at the time and it had lasted for a long distance. The other relative success on the day was Guerrieri who picked up a good result coming home in the second bunch alongside Rabon, Mori, Bernucci, Van Hummel and Hinault. Not bad riding for the youngster.
So anyway, onwards to the five day Giro di Sardegna with Nico Roche, Arashiro as our sprinter, Guerrieri, Flens, Pingu and Whitman.
Sky have the money but the other Brits kept the passion.
Why not check out my story of sexy new team Film4 - Asahi in the PCM10 Story section?
Much wub to: Cav, Millar, Lovqvist, Cunego, Hinc, Voigt, Cancellara, Menchov.
Wub to: Wiggins, Boonen, Beppu, Kloden, Gesink, Rogers, Moncoutie, Roche.
Still, not as tiring as five days of heavy riding around Italy. It was good to see Nico Roche again after my time in Oman. The lad was all happy and full of "craic" whatever that is.
Anyway, with three big sprinters making the trip - Bennati, Petacchi and McEwen, it looks like Arashiro won't be winning a sprint any time soon...So you know what that means....ATTTAAAACK!
Guerrieri went with the early break of the day which lasted all of about 5km before being caught. Most of the same guys went again but the peloton were cranking over a high pace and it was caught again.
Eventually seven men make it away but with our small team and only Guerrieri earmarked for a break today, no Film 4 - Asahi men made it. I felt bad for Guerro because he'd been feeling good but the peloton weren't having any of it.
Anyway, the break increased their lead to 8'10" with 130km to go and, feeling a bit grumpy with the peloton chasing down our attacks, I tell the lads just to chill out and enjoy the day. Let the sprinters' teams chase the breakaway and do no work whatsoever.
So they just chilled out, came back to the car more than often for chats, snacks, water.
Meanwhile Liquigas, AG2R and Lampre were pushing the hammer down from 100km. The lead dropped steadily from 8'46" at 110 to 5'48" at 70km.
It seemed certain that the break would be caught comfortably as the chasing teams slowed their riding a little. 3'45" at 40km, 3'05" at 30km and 2'10" at 20km.
Starting to feel the heat in the peloton, Whitman dropped back at 15km after a pleasant day on Arashiro protection duty.
As we swoop into the final kilometres Mol is still surviving from the break as Arashiro fights to find a wheel to follow, but fails miserably.
The big names launch themselves for a sprint, but much to my amusement...
...the lone remaining breakaway rider holds on for an excellent victory. Liqui and Lampre bosses are angry at the rest of the peloton for not helping them out but in my interview after the race just state that there was "nothing for us to gain from helping the sprinters give chase."
That'll teach 'em.
STAGE RESULT:
Spoiler
1 Wouter Mol VACANSOLEIL PRO CYCLING TEAM 5h27'12
2 Daniele Bennati LIQUIGAS – DOIMO s.t.
3 Alessandro Petacchi LAMPRE – FARNESE VINI s.t.
4 Alexandre Blain ENDURA RACING s.t.
5 Robbie McEwan TEAM CATYOUCHA s.t.
6 Lloyd Mondory AG2R - LA MONDIALE s.t.
7 Cristiano Fumagalli CERAMICA FLAMINIA s.t.
8 Danilo Nipolitano TEAM CATYOUCHA s.t.
9 Fabio Terrenzio CARMIOORO - NGC s.t.
10 Fabio Sabatini LIQUIGAS – DOIMO s.t.
11 Mirko Lorenzetto LAMPRE – FARNESE VINI s.t.
12 Marco Bendiera TEAM CATYOUCHA s.t.
13 Raffaele Ferrara CARMIOORO - NGC s.t.
14 Stijn Nuirynck TOP-SPORT FLANDRES - MERCADOS s.t.
15 Francisco Ventoso CARMIOORO - NGC s.t.
16 Mikhaylo Khililov TEAM CATYOUCHA s.t.
17 Luca Paerfelici ANNA SAVON s.t.
18 Ludovic Turpin AG2R - LA MONDIALE s.t.
19 Sacha Madolo CULNAPO - CFS ONIX s.t.
20 Borut Bozic VACANSOLEIL PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
21 Nikolas Maes QUICKSTEP s.t.
22 Aristide Ratti CARMIOORO - NGC s.t.
23 Carlo Scognamiglio ISD - NERI - GIAMBENINI s.t.
24 Sebastian Siedler VORARLBERG - CORRATEC s.t.
25 Francesco Reda QUICKSTEP s.t.
26 Enrico Zun CULNAPO - CFS ONIX s.t.
27 Gatis Smukulis AG2R - LA MONDIALE s.t. 28 Yukiya Arashiro TEAM FILM 4 - ASAHI s.t.
29 Jose Rujano ISD - NERI - GIAMBENINI s.t.
30 Cristiano Silerno DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC s.t.
31 Volodymyr Zugorodny MOCHE PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
32 Michele Merlo FOOTON-SERVETTO-FUJI s.t.
33 Emanuele Vona ISD - NERI - GIAMBENINI s.t.
34 Alexander Efimkin AG2R - LA MONDIALE s.t.
35 Francesco Mesciarelli ANNA SAVON s.t.
36 Simone Stertoni CULNAPO - CFS ONIX s.t.
37 Andrea Tonti CARMIOORO - NGC s.t. 38 Nicolas Roche TEAM FILM 4 - ASAHI s.t.
39 Nikolai Trassov TEAM CATYOUCHA s.t.
40 David Le Lay AG2R - LA MONDIALE s.t.
41 Dario Androotto ANNA SAVON s.t.
42 Martin Elmiger AG2R - LA MONDIALE s.t.
43 Pasquale Meto MOCHE PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
44 Matthé Pronk VACANSOLEIL PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
45 Matteo Tosatto QUICKSTEP s.t.
46 Kristijan Koren LIQUIGAS – DOIMO s.t.
47 Wladimir Muholjevic ANNA SAVON s.t.
48 Massimo Cedol ANNA SAVON s.t.
49 Luca Celli CERAMICA FLAMINIA s.t.
50 Donato Cannone CERAMICA FLAMINIA s.t.
51 Denis Gilimzyanov TEAM CATYOUCHA s.t.
52 Maarten Wynants QUICKSTEP s.t.
53 Jérôme Beugnies TOP-SPORT FLANDRES - MERCADOS s.t.
54 Jonathan Clerke UNITED SAFE CARE PRESENTED BY XAVIS s.t.
55 Grégory Jeseph TOP-SPORT FLANDRES - MERCADOS s.t.
56 Paolo Longo Borghini ISD - NERI - GIAMBENINI s.t.
57 René Mandri AG2R - LA MONDIALE s.t.
58 Daniele Righi LAMPRE – FARNESE VINI s.t.
59 Dmytro Grabovskyy ISD - NERI - GIAMBENINI s.t.
60 Alberto Ongarato VACANSOLEIL PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
61 Sebastien Hinault AG2R - LA MONDIALE s.t.
62 Martin Mortensen VACANSOLEIL PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
63 Marco Velo QUICKSTEP s.t.
64 Mauro Finetto LIQUIGAS – DOIMO s.t.
65 Francesco Chicchi LIQUIGAS – DOIMO s.t.
66 Filippo Sovini CULNAPO - CFS ONIX s.t.
67 Frederik Willems LIQUIGAS – DOIMO s.t.
68 Daniel Oss LIQUIGAS – DOIMO s.t.
69 Jens Mouris VACANSOLEIL PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
70 Arnoud Van Groen VACANSOLEIL PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
71 Davide Malacarne QUICKSTEP s.t.
72 Maxime Vontomme TEAM CATYOUCHA s.t.
73 Alan Murangoni CULNAPO - CFS ONIX s.t.
74 Alexander Gufler VORARLBERG - CORRATEC s.t. 75 Rick Flens TEAM FILM 4 - ASAHI s.t.
76 Yuri Metlushenko AMORE & VITA - CONAD s.t.
77 Timofey Kratskiy TEAM CATYOUCHA s.t. 78 Filadelfio Guerrieri TEAM FILM 4 - ASAHI s.t.
79 Max Jinkins UNITED SAFE CARE PRESENTED BY XAVIS s.t.
80 Andrea Grendene LAMPRE – FARNESE VINI s.t.
81 Davide Ricci Bitti ISD - NERI - GIAMBENINI s.t.
82 Tim Murtens TOP-SPORT FLANDRES - MERCADOS s.t.
83 Mauro Facci QUICKSTEP s.t.
84 Pieter Vinspeybrouck TOP-SPORT FLANDRES - MERCADOS s.t.
85 Jürgen Van De Walle QUICKSTEP s.t.
86 David Gutierrez G. FOOTON-SERVETTO-FUJI s.t.
87 Leonardo Giordani CERAMICA FLAMINIA s.t.
88 Rory Satherland UNITED SAFE CARE PRESENTED BY XAVIS s.t.
89 Francesco Foilli ANNA SAVON s.t.
90 Simone Ponzi LAMPRE – FARNESE VINI s.t.
91 Laurent Beuret CARMIOORO - NGC s.t.
92 Krzysztof Szczewinski MOCHE PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
93 Giampaolo Cheula FOOTON-SERVETTO-FUJI s.t.
94 Manuel Cardoso FOOTON-SERVETTO-FUJI s.t.
95 Mauro Da Dalto LAMPRE – FARNESE VINI s.t.
96 Aleksandr Kuschynski LIQUIGAS – DOIMO s.t.
97 Marco Cettaneo DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC s.t.
98 Luigi Getto MOCHE PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
99 Piergiorgio Camussa VORARLBERG - CORRATEC s.t.
100 Kenny Du Ketele TOP-SPORT FLANDRES - MERCADOS s.t.
101 Stijn Jeseph TOP-SPORT FLANDRES - MERCADOS s.t.
102 Kristof Vundewalle TOP-SPORT FLANDRES - MERCADOS s.t.
103 Ermanno Capelli FOOTON-SERVETTO-FUJI s.t.
104 Andrew Punfold UNITED SAFE CARE PRESENTED BY XAVIS s.t.
105 Erick Borlevav UNITED SAFE CARE PRESENTED BY XAVIS s.t.
106 Dmytro Arkhynos AMORE & VITA - CONAD s.t.
107 Gianluca Brombilla DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC s.t.
108 Angelo Furlan LAMPRE – FARNESE VINI s.t.
109 Matteo Mentaguti DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC s.t.
110 Gorik Gardeyn VACANSOLEIL PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
111 Damiano Coruso DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC s.t.
112 Alessandro Maserati CERAMICA FLAMINIA s.t.
113 Sandy King ENDURA RACING s.t.
114 James McCallum ENDURA RACING s.t.
115 Fausto Fognini AMORE & VITA - CONAD s.t.
116 Robert Partridge ENDURA RACING s.t.
117 Roman Kelun UNITED SAFE CARE PRESENTED BY XAVIS s.t.
118 David Vitoria FOOTON-SERVETTO-FUJI s.t.
119 Morgan Schmott UNITED SAFE CARE PRESENTED BY XAVIS s.t.
120 Andrea Piechele CARMIOORO - NGC s.t.
121 Edoardo Girardi CERAMICA FLAMINIA s.t.
122 Filippo Baggio CERAMICA FLAMINIA s.t.
123 Sergio Leganà DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC s.t.
124 Fabrizio Lucciola CERAMICA FLAMINIA s.t.
125 Alessandro Raisoni CARMIOORO - NGC s.t.
126 Vidal Celis FOOTON-SERVETTO-FUJI s.t.
127 Diego Caccia ISD - NERI - GIAMBENINI s.t.
128 Bernardo Colex Tepoz AMORE & VITA - CONAD s.t.
129 Philipp Ludescher VORARLBERG - CORRATEC s.t.
130 Cayetano Jose Sormiento ANNA SAVON + 2'49
131 Vitaly Kondrut ISD - NERI - GIAMBENINI s.t.
132 Danilo Hondo LAMPRE – FARNESE VINI s.t.
133 Alessandro Fintini ANNA SAVON s.t.
134 Fabio Nagri DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC s.t.
135 Leonardo Panizzotto MOCHE PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
136 Marco Corti FOOTON-SERVETTO-FUJI s.t.
137 Martin Schöffmann VORARLBERG - CORRATEC s.t.
138 Christoph Sokoll VORARLBERG - CORRATEC s.t.
139 Leopoldo Racchetti MOCHE PRO CYCLING TEAM + 4'03 140 Danilo Pingitore TEAM FILM 4 - ASAHI s.t.
141 Josef Benetseder VORARLBERG - CORRATEC s.t. 142 Jay Whitman TEAM FILM 4 - ASAHI + 5'48
143 Volodymyr Kogut AMORE & VITA - CONAD s.t.
144 Stefano Perazzi CULNAPO - CFS ONIX s.t.
145 Robert Hayles ENDURA RACING + 11'43
146 Andrea Capelli VORARLBERG - CORRATEC s.t.
147 Scott Thwaites ENDURA RACING s.t.
148 Nicolas Sanderson AMORE & VITA - CONAD s.t.
149 Kristof Vollon AMORE & VITA - CONAD s.t.
150 Jakub Novak AMORE & VITA - CONAD s.t.
Sky have the money but the other Brits kept the passion.
Why not check out my story of sexy new team Film4 - Asahi in the PCM10 Story section?
Much wub to: Cav, Millar, Lovqvist, Cunego, Hinc, Voigt, Cancellara, Menchov.
Wub to: Wiggins, Boonen, Beppu, Kloden, Gesink, Rogers, Moncoutie, Roche.
Remember that ISD Assistant Team manager from back in France?
Yeah, this pimp.
Turns out that my spending a night in a dirty French prison wasn't enough for our crazed ISD friend. Obviously living with the mentality that revenge is a dish best served cold.
I was woken up on the morning of stage 2 of the Giro di Sardegna by loud banging at the door. Turns out it was the UCI's special secret police, or whatever the "heavies" call themselves.
Anyway, turns out they've been "tipped off" by an unknown Eastern European cycling management type from another team, that I've been working on integrating motors into our bicycles!
I've been dragged off to old McQuaid on motorized doping charges!
That bunch of yahoos are rooting through all our stuff back at HQ and the Japanese bosses AREN'T at all happy - especially as Italian races featuring our two up and coming Italian riders are kind of a BIG THING for our team. Miserable timing.
Anyway, while I've been stuck at UCI headquarters I've been getting a few snippets of news passed on to me about our lads.
Apparantly Nico Roche went for it on the monster 259km stage 2 but didn't have the form to stay with Petacchi, Bennati, Turpin and Efimkin on the downhill after breaking away rather nicely on the upward slope. Bennati picked up the win.
Takeshi Takeshison snuck in an update to me via Japanese carrier pigeon after stage 3. Arashiro eventually got into the day's break after Liqui and AGR2 tried to spoil everything for the wannabe breakers early on. He picked up the two sprint points with a nice couple of practice sprints. Petacchi punctured so Takeshison did me proud by ordering the lads forward to screw him over. It meant that Arashiro's ill-fated break was caught a bit early but Lampre were well and truly screwed even with four teammates back trying to bring him back. They never caught up and fell away. Over the final climb and with a thinning peloton, Roche goes with Klimov from Katusha and Bennati manages to bridge over, winning the sprint. Roche finishes third but the remnants of the peloton managed to drag itself up to him so they all get same time.
Stage 4 and another 221km monster. Flens apparantly went with every break, finally got away with a few others. Another 7 men come across and the gap opens to 6'15" at 80km . Only four of 'em worked though apparently. Rick called me that evening, angry at the way the other teams have been behaving towards us on the tour. He just had a go at breaking and breaking again to see who would follow...No-one did so he mooched back to the group and didn't bother working himself.
Of course the group got caught, Sutherland went off the front of the peloton on the final climb, Roche followed and overtook but SOMEHOW Bennati went with him again and powered Roche off his wheel on the downhill and strolled off to victory. Flens suggested that Roche's form hasn't been the greatest recently which is a worry ahead of Paris - Nice. Perhaps I SHOULD look into motorised doping.
Anyway, Whitman missed the cut-off time for the day so he's heading back to HQ for some extra training. Roche is 8th overall and a chunk of time back from the podium BUT is only 2pts off the mountains jersey. With the final stage to come and two small climbs late in the stage I reckon it might be wiser to go for mountains. I told Takeshison so hopefully Roche'll agree to that...Afterall some podium time is better than nothing.
The climbs on that tour have sucked, we knew they would before it started. They're too short for Roche to get any momentum and too shallow to drop sprinters. Bah.
Here are the standings with one stage to come - I had to pay off one of the UCI desk-monkeys with a chocolate bar just to get a print off.
Spoiler
1 Daniele Bennati LIQUIGAS – DOIMO 22h28'16
2 Ludovic Turpin AG2R - LA MONDIALE + 1'55
3 Alexander Efimkin AG2R - LA MONDIALE + 2'03
4 Wouter Mol VACANSOLEIL PRO CYCLING TEAM + 4'00
5 Raffaele Ferrara CARMIOORO - NGC + 4'07
6 Mikhaylo Khililov TEAM CATYOUCHA + 4'14
7 Danilo Nipolitano TEAM CATYOUCHA + 4'18 8 Nicolas Roche TEAM FILM 4 - ASAHI s.t.
9 Fabio Terrenzio CARMIOORO - NGC s.t.
10 Davide Ricci Bitti ISD - NERI - GIAMBENINI + 4'20
11 Carlo Scognamiglio ISD - NERI - GIAMBENINI + 4'22
12 Grégory Jeseph TOP-SPORT FLANDRES - MERCADOS + 4'24
13 Lloyd Mondory AG2R - LA MONDIALE + 4'26
14 Robbie McEwan TEAM CATYOUCHA s.t.
15 Mirko Lorenzetto LAMPRE – FARNESE VINI s.t.
16 Nikolas Maes QUICKSTEP s.t.
17 Stijn Nuirynck TOP-SPORT FLANDRES - MERCADOS s.t.
18 Francesco Reda QUICKSTEP s.t.
19 Volodymyr Zugorodny MOCHE PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
20 Marco Bendiera TEAM CATYOUCHA s.t.
21 Francisco Ventoso CARMIOORO - NGC s.t.
22 Emanuele Vona ISD - NERI - GIAMBENINI s.t.
23 Jose Rujano ISD - NERI - GIAMBENINI s.t.
24 Paolo Longo Borghini ISD - NERI - GIAMBENINI s.t.
25 Sacha Madolo CULNAPO - CFS ONIX s.t.
26 Luca Celli CERAMICA FLAMINIA s.t.
27 Marco Velo QUICKSTEP s.t.
28 Borut Bozic VACANSOLEIL PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
29 Sebastien Hinault AG2R - LA MONDIALE s.t.
30 Francesco Mesciarelli ANNA SAVON s.t.
31 Fabio Sabatini LIQUIGAS – DOIMO s.t.
32 David Le Lay AG2R - LA MONDIALE s.t.
33 Andrea Tonti CARMIOORO - NGC s.t.
34 Massimo Cedol ANNA SAVON s.t.
35 Aristide Ratti CARMIOORO - NGC s.t.
36 Wladimir Muholjevic ANNA SAVON s.t.
37 Matteo Tosatto QUICKSTEP s.t.
38 Jérôme Beugnies TOP-SPORT FLANDRES - MERCADOS s.t.
39 Dmytro Grabovskyy ISD - NERI - GIAMBENINI s.t.
40 Frederik Willems LIQUIGAS – DOIMO s.t.
41 Kristijan Koren LIQUIGAS – DOIMO s.t.
42 Matthé Pronk VACANSOLEIL PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
43 Gatis Smukulis AG2R - LA MONDIALE s.t.
44 Donato Cannone CERAMICA FLAMINIA s.t.
45 René Mandri AG2R - LA MONDIALE s.t.
46 Luca Paerfelici ANNA SAVON s.t.
47 Martin Elmiger AG2R - LA MONDIALE s.t.
48 Francesco Foilli ANNA SAVON s.t.
49 Marco Cettaneo DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC s.t.
50 Simone Ponzi LAMPRE – FARNESE VINI s.t.
51 Daniel Oss LIQUIGAS – DOIMO s.t.
52 Gorik Gardeyn VACANSOLEIL PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
53 Pasquale Meto MOCHE PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
54 Davide Malacarne QUICKSTEP s.t.
55 Cristiano Silerno DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC s.t.
56 Martin Mortensen VACANSOLEIL PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
57 Filippo Sovini CULNAPO - CFS ONIX s.t.
58 Timofey Kratskiy TEAM CATYOUCHA s.t.
59 Kristof Vundewalle TOP-SPORT FLANDRES - MERCADOS s.t.
60 Mauro Facci QUICKSTEP s.t.
61 Jonathan Clerke UNITED SAFE CARE PRESENTED BY XAVIS + 6'51
62 Jens Mouris VACANSOLEIL PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
63 Michele Merlo FOOTON-SERVETTO-FUJI + 7'51
64 Alessandro Maserati CERAMICA FLAMINIA + 8'09
65 Alessandro Petacchi LAMPRE – FARNESE VINI + 8'11 66 Rick Flens TEAM FILM 4 - ASAHI + 8'17
67 Krzysztof Szczewinski MOCHE PRO CYCLING TEAM + 8'21
68 Giampaolo Cheula FOOTON-SERVETTO-FUJI + 8'23
69 Mauro Finetto LIQUIGAS – DOIMO s.t.
70 Manuel Cardoso FOOTON-SERVETTO-FUJI s.t.
71 David Gutierrez G. FOOTON-SERVETTO-FUJI s.t.
72 Leonardo Giordani CERAMICA FLAMINIA s.t.
73 Jürgen Van De Walle QUICKSTEP s.t.
74 Dario Androotto ANNA SAVON + 11'06
75 Aleksandr Kuschynski LIQUIGAS – DOIMO + 11'41
76 Nikolai Trassov TEAM CATYOUCHA + 11'44
77 Daniele Righi LAMPRE – FARNESE VINI + 12'34
78 Rory Satherland UNITED SAFE CARE PRESENTED BY XAVIS + 13'52
79 Maarten Wynants QUICKSTEP + 13'53
80 Laurent Beuret CARMIOORO - NGC + 14'06 81 Filadelfio Guerrieri TEAM FILM 4 - ASAHI + 14'23
82 Enrico Zun CULNAPO - CFS ONIX + 14'30
83 Maxime Vontomme TEAM CATYOUCHA + 15'25 84 Yukiya Arashiro TEAM FILM 4 - ASAHI + 15'42
85 Matteo Mentaguti DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC + 15'52
86 Ermanno Capelli FOOTON-SERVETTO-FUJI + 16'11
87 Arnoud Van Groen VACANSOLEIL PRO CYCLING TEAM + 17'02
88 Simone Stertoni CULNAPO - CFS ONIX + 19'09
89 Andrea Grendene LAMPRE – FARNESE VINI + 19'28
90 Damiano Coruso DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC + 20'01
91 James McCallum ENDURA RACING + 20'18
92 Morgan Schmott UNITED SAFE CARE PRESENTED BY XAVIS + 21'28
93 Sebastian Siedler VORARLBERG - CORRATEC + 21'49
94 Alexandre Blain ENDURA RACING + 22'37
95 Stijn Jeseph TOP-SPORT FLANDRES - MERCADOS + 23'01
96 Alberto Ongarato VACANSOLEIL PRO CYCLING TEAM + 23'25
97 Luigi Getto MOCHE PRO CYCLING TEAM + 23'29
98 Denis Gilimzyanov TEAM CATYOUCHA + 23'33
99 Gianluca Brombilla DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC + 23'41
100 Max Jinkins UNITED SAFE CARE PRESENTED BY XAVIS + 23'50
101 Alexander Gufler VORARLBERG - CORRATEC + 23'54
102 Sandy King ENDURA RACING + 24'22
103 Cristiano Fumagalli CERAMICA FLAMINIA + 24'25
104 Roman Kelun UNITED SAFE CARE PRESENTED BY XAVIS + 25'42
105 Danilo Hondo LAMPRE – FARNESE VINI + 25'59
106 Robert Partridge ENDURA RACING + 26'06
107 Alessandro Raisoni CARMIOORO - NGC + 26'14
108 Yuri Metlushenko AMORE & VITA - CONAD + 26'21
109 Alan Murangoni CULNAPO - CFS ONIX + 27'41
110 Edoardo Girardi CERAMICA FLAMINIA + 27'49
111 Piergiorgio Camussa VORARLBERG - CORRATEC + 28'05
112 Vitaly Kondrut ISD - NERI - GIAMBENINI + 28'55
113 Cayetano Jose Sormiento ANNA SAVON + 29'03
114 Andrew Punfold UNITED SAFE CARE PRESENTED BY XAVIS + 29'50
115 Dmytro Arkhynos AMORE & VITA - CONAD + 29'57
116 Leopoldo Racchetti MOCHE PRO CYCLING TEAM + 30'09
117 Andrea Piechele CARMIOORO - NGC + 30'13
118 Bernardo Colex Tepoz AMORE & VITA - CONAD s.t.
119 Diego Caccia ISD - NERI - GIAMBENINI + 30'29
120 Mauro Da Dalto LAMPRE – FARNESE VINI + 31'01
121 Philipp Ludescher VORARLBERG - CORRATEC + 31'41
122 Pieter Vinspeybrouck TOP-SPORT FLANDRES - MERCADOS + 31'50
123 Tim Murtens TOP-SPORT FLANDRES - MERCADOS + 33'33
124 Fausto Fognini AMORE & VITA - CONAD + 34'13
125 Fabrizio Lucciola CERAMICA FLAMINIA s.t.
126 Martin Schöffmann VORARLBERG - CORRATEC + 34'55
127 Kenny Du Ketele TOP-SPORT FLANDRES - MERCADOS + 35'50
128 Erick Borlevav UNITED SAFE CARE PRESENTED BY XAVIS + 35'58
129 Alessandro Fintini ANNA SAVON + 36'14
130 Christoph Sokoll VORARLBERG - CORRATEC + 36'22
131 Marco Corti FOOTON-SERVETTO-FUJI + 36'30
132 Vidal Celis FOOTON-SERVETTO-FUJI + 39'25
133 Francesco Chicchi LIQUIGAS – DOIMO + 39'58
134 Sergio Leganà DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC + 44'21
135 Fabio Nagri DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC + 45'18
136 David Vitoria FOOTON-SERVETTO-FUJI + 45'47
137 Volodymyr Kogut AMORE & VITA - CONAD + 47'37
138 Filippo Baggio CERAMICA FLAMINIA + 49'49
139 Angelo Furlan LAMPRE – FARNESE VINI + 49'57
140 Andrea Capelli VORARLBERG - CORRATEC + 52'12
141 Josef Benetseder VORARLBERG - CORRATEC + 52'40
142 Leonardo Panizzotto MOCHE PRO CYCLING TEAM + 52'54 143 Danilo Pingitore TEAM FILM 4 - ASAHI + 54'32
144 Stefano Perazzi CULNAPO - CFS ONIX + 1h04'33
145 Nicolas Sanderson AMORE & VITA - CONAD + 1h07'32
146 Scott Thwaites ENDURA RACING + 1h18'12
Sky have the money but the other Brits kept the passion.
Why not check out my story of sexy new team Film4 - Asahi in the PCM10 Story section?
Much wub to: Cav, Millar, Lovqvist, Cunego, Hinc, Voigt, Cancellara, Menchov.
Wub to: Wiggins, Boonen, Beppu, Kloden, Gesink, Rogers, Moncoutie, Roche.
I think the UCI bigwigs were secretly a little disappointed.
Still, it meant I was free to return to Italy, and they couldn't even give me a warning - the claims were totally unsubstantiated.
So anyway I jump on the plane and I'm back at the start line just 30 minutes before the start of the final stage. I decide to keep my distance from our riders so as to avoid too much press intrusion just before they kick off for the day, but Nico Roche came over to me and slipped his arm around me for a manly hug. Which was nice.
Takeshison had had words with him in the hotel the night before and the team was ready to work for the mountain jersey for Roche...Just two points behind Sutherland. After my public acceptance from Roche, I wandered over to Ricky Flens, put my hands on his shoulders. Told him that any success today would be down to him.
Two late small climbs lay in wait over 100km into the stage. The foot of the first climb was our finishing line for four of our five riders.
So, the early pace is too hard and fast for any breaks anyway. Pingu goes with the decent-looking third just to keep an eye on things but they're caught and a fourth break goes that gets to 50 seconds before more men bridge over and there's 8 of them who start moving away. We leave the work to the "big guns" who don't really keep the break in check and they extend to 3'50" lead with 60km to the first climb.
So we call Flens to the front to keep the gap in check.
Over the next 20km he brings it down to 1'44" and then 1'20" with 35 to go to the first summit. So Flens drops off for a while and the gap increases back up to 2 minutes over the next 5km.
Having rested, Flens goes back to the front and pulls another long, hard turn. We don't expect help from anyone - afterall Bennati has plenty of time over his challengers and no-one in the break is a worry.
He brings it back to 1'15" with 20km to go and 43" with 15km.
Finally we catch the grumpy-looking escape group (who had expected to be allowed to go today) at 10km to the summit as the road starts to slope upwards.
Roche explodes out of the peloton.
Mouris and Smukulis (AG2R) try to follow but Roche has put 1'50" into the chasing pair by the time they reach the summit.
Roche is currently going into the climber's jersey.
However, lacking any decent climbers in the peloton, the bunch are slow to react. After resting a little on the descent, Roche attacks hard up the second climb and has a lead of 2'25" over the chase and 4 minutes over the peloton!
With a rolling road to the finish Roche grits his teeth. The mountain jersey has been won but he tells us that he's feeling good. He goes for it.
45km to go and he has a lead of 4'32" as the peloton starts to chase.
The two tiring lads are caught with 25km to go with the lead still 4 minutes!
Roche could stay away!
Bennati has his Liquigas boys pushing hard to reduce the deficit and it's down to 2'30" with 10km to go, though the overall was never really in our plans today.
The final 10km are agony for us in the car and Nico who's pushing, giving his all. It's only the last few kms that he can enjoy himself, checking behind to make sure the gap is still there.
It is!
Roche picks up our second stage victory of the season! We're going crazy and he's loving it! Looks like he's making two trips onto the podium today!
But Bennati comfortably held on for the win...Deserved as well as he climbed the smaller hills extremely well.
I make sure to congratulate Rick Flens after he rolls across the line, exhausted. He was the only one who worked in the entire peloton to pull back the attack today. Roche also bigs him up big time in the post-race interviews.
Our plan worked perfectly today - the best it could. Not just the mountains but the stage win too! Sensational! What a day!
STAGE RESULTS:
Spoiler
1 Nicolas Roche TEAM FILM 4 - ASAHI 3h54'26
2 Robbie McEwan TEAM CATYOUCHA + 1'05
3 Raffaele Ferrara CARMIOORO - NGC s.t.
4 Lloyd Mondory AG2R - LA MONDIALE s.t.
5 Daniele Bennati LIQUIGAS – DOIMO s.t.
6 Ludovic Turpin AG2R - LA MONDIALE s.t.
7 Mikhaylo Khililov TEAM CATYOUCHA s.t.
8 Matteo Tosatto QUICKSTEP s.t.
9 Sebastien Hinault AG2R - LA MONDIALE s.t.
10 Alexander Efimkin AG2R - LA MONDIALE s.t.
11 Mirko Lorenzetto LAMPRE – FARNESE VINI s.t.
12 Danilo Nipolitano TEAM CATYOUCHA s.t.
13 Francisco Ventoso CARMIOORO - NGC s.t.
14 Wouter Mol VACANSOLEIL PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
15 Alessandro Petacchi LAMPRE – FARNESE VINI s.t.
16 Nikolas Maes QUICKSTEP s.t.
17 Fabio Sabatini LIQUIGAS – DOIMO s.t.
18 Marco Velo QUICKSTEP s.t.
19 Francesco Reda QUICKSTEP s.t.
20 Carlo Scognamiglio ISD - NERI - GIAMBENINI s.t.
21 Marco Bendiera TEAM CATYOUCHA s.t.
22 Volodymyr Zugorodny MOCHE PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
23 Borut Bozic VACANSOLEIL PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
24 Stijn Nuirynck TOP-SPORT FLANDRES - MERCADOS s.t.
25 Frederik Willems LIQUIGAS – DOIMO s.t.
26 Gorik Gardeyn VACANSOLEIL PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
27 Luca Celli CERAMICA FLAMINIA s.t.
28 Timofey Kratskiy TEAM CATYOUCHA s.t.
29 Sacha Madolo CULNAPO - CFS ONIX s.t.
30 Aristide Ratti CARMIOORO - NGC s.t.
31 Martin Mortensen VACANSOLEIL PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
32 Daniele Righi LAMPRE – FARNESE VINI s.t.
33 Marco Cettaneo DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC s.t.
34 Manuel Cardoso FOOTON-SERVETTO-FUJI s.t.
35 Sebastian Siedler VORARLBERG - CORRATEC s.t.
36 Davide Malacarne QUICKSTEP s.t.
37 Francesco Mesciarelli ANNA SAVON s.t.
38 Grégory Jeseph TOP-SPORT FLANDRES - MERCADOS s.t.
39 Donato Cannone CERAMICA FLAMINIA s.t. 40 Yukiya Arashiro TEAM FILM 4 - ASAHI s.t.
41 Matthé Pronk VACANSOLEIL PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
42 Wladimir Muholjevic ANNA SAVON s.t.
43 Michele Merlo FOOTON-SERVETTO-FUJI s.t.
44 Jérôme Beugnies TOP-SPORT FLANDRES - MERCADOS s.t.
45 Nikolai Trassov TEAM CATYOUCHA s.t.
46 Emanuele Vona ISD - NERI - GIAMBENINI s.t.
47 René Mandri AG2R - LA MONDIALE s.t.
48 Dmytro Grabovskyy ISD - NERI - GIAMBENINI s.t.
49 Jonathan Clerke UNITED SAFE CARE PRESENTED BY XAVIS s.t.
50 Andrea Tonti CARMIOORO - NGC s.t.
51 Jürgen Van De Walle QUICKSTEP s.t.
52 Daniel Oss LIQUIGAS – DOIMO s.t.
53 Davide Ricci Bitti ISD - NERI - GIAMBENINI s.t.
54 Mauro Facci QUICKSTEP s.t.
55 Dario Androotto ANNA SAVON s.t.
56 Simone Stertoni CULNAPO - CFS ONIX s.t. 57 Rick Flens TEAM FILM 4 - ASAHI s.t.
58 Fabio Terrenzio CARMIOORO - NGC s.t.
59 Krzysztof Szczewinski MOCHE PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
60 Filippo Sovini CULNAPO - CFS ONIX s.t.
61 Luca Paerfelici ANNA SAVON s.t.
62 Kristof Vundewalle TOP-SPORT FLANDRES - MERCADOS s.t.
63 Cristiano Fumagalli CERAMICA FLAMINIA s.t.
64 Jose Rujano ISD - NERI - GIAMBENINI s.t.
65 Maarten Wynants QUICKSTEP s.t.
66 Simone Ponzi LAMPRE – FARNESE VINI s.t.
67 Leonardo Giordani CERAMICA FLAMINIA s.t.
68 Arnoud Van Groen VACANSOLEIL PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
69 Kristijan Koren LIQUIGAS – DOIMO s.t.
70 Francesco Foilli ANNA SAVON s.t.
71 Rory Satherland UNITED SAFE CARE PRESENTED BY XAVIS s.t.
72 Alessandro Maserati CERAMICA FLAMINIA s.t.
73 Pasquale Meto MOCHE PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
74 Laurent Beuret CARMIOORO - NGC s.t.
75 Gatis Smukulis AG2R - LA MONDIALE s.t.
76 Cristiano Silerno DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC s.t.
77 Dmytro Arkhynos AMORE & VITA - CONAD s.t.
78 Denis Gilimzyanov TEAM CATYOUCHA s.t.
79 Alexander Gufler VORARLBERG - CORRATEC s.t.
80 Leopoldo Racchetti MOCHE PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
81 Stijn Jeseph TOP-SPORT FLANDRES - MERCADOS s.t.
82 Matteo Mentaguti DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC s.t.
83 Gianluca Brombilla DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC s.t.
84 Edoardo Girardi CERAMICA FLAMINIA s.t.
85 Francesco Chicchi LIQUIGAS – DOIMO s.t.
86 Mauro Da Dalto LAMPRE – FARNESE VINI s.t.
87 Fausto Fognini AMORE & VITA - CONAD s.t.
88 Alan Murangoni CULNAPO - CFS ONIX s.t.
89 Kenny Du Ketele TOP-SPORT FLANDRES - MERCADOS s.t.
90 Aleksandr Kuschynski LIQUIGAS – DOIMO s.t.
91 Alessandro Raisoni CARMIOORO - NGC s.t.
92 Enrico Zun CULNAPO - CFS ONIX s.t.
93 Martin Elmiger AG2R - LA MONDIALE s.t.
94 Andrea Grendene LAMPRE – FARNESE VINI s.t.
95 Maxime Vontomme TEAM CATYOUCHA s.t.
96 Pieter Vinspeybrouck TOP-SPORT FLANDRES - MERCADOS s.t.
97 Jens Mouris VACANSOLEIL PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
98 Roman Kelun UNITED SAFE CARE PRESENTED BY XAVIS s.t.
99 Filippo Baggio CERAMICA FLAMINIA s.t.
100 Angelo Furlan LAMPRE – FARNESE VINI s.t.
101 Mauro Finetto LIQUIGAS – DOIMO s.t.
102 Martin Schöffmann VORARLBERG - CORRATEC s.t.
103 Damiano Coruso DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC s.t.
104 Philipp Ludescher VORARLBERG - CORRATEC + 3'04
105 Luigi Getto MOCHE PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
106 Erick Borlevav UNITED SAFE CARE PRESENTED BY XAVIS s.t.
107 Cayetano Jose Sormiento ANNA SAVON s.t.
108 Bernardo Colex Tepoz AMORE & VITA - CONAD s.t.
109 Alberto Ongarato VACANSOLEIL PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
110 Yuri Metlushenko AMORE & VITA - CONAD s.t.
111 Andrew Punfold UNITED SAFE CARE PRESENTED BY XAVIS s.t.
112 Robert Partridge ENDURA RACING s.t.
113 Alexandre Blain ENDURA RACING s.t.
114 Tim Murtens TOP-SPORT FLANDRES - MERCADOS s.t.
115 Vitaly Kondrut ISD - NERI - GIAMBENINI s.t.
116 Sergio Leganà DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC s.t.
117 James McCallum ENDURA RACING s.t.
118 Morgan Schmott UNITED SAFE CARE PRESENTED BY XAVIS s.t.
119 Piergiorgio Camussa VORARLBERG - CORRATEC s.t.
120 Alessandro Fintini ANNA SAVON s.t.
121 Diego Caccia ISD - NERI - GIAMBENINI s.t. 122 Filadelfio Guerrieri TEAM FILM 4 - ASAHI s.t.
123 Max Jinkins UNITED SAFE CARE PRESENTED BY XAVIS s.t.
124 Sandy King ENDURA RACING s.t.
125 Fabrizio Lucciola CERAMICA FLAMINIA s.t.
126 Volodymyr Kogut AMORE & VITA - CONAD s.t.
127 Christoph Sokoll VORARLBERG - CORRATEC s.t.
128 Andrea Piechele CARMIOORO - NGC + 4'28
129 Leonardo Panizzotto MOCHE PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
130 Stefano Perazzi CULNAPO - CFS ONIX s.t.
131 Paolo Longo Borghini ISD - NERI - GIAMBENINI + 6'33
132 Andrea Capelli VORARLBERG - CORRATEC s.t.
133 Giampaolo Cheula FOOTON-SERVETTO-FUJI s.t.
134 David Le Lay AG2R - LA MONDIALE s.t.
135 Marco Corti FOOTON-SERVETTO-FUJI s.t.
136 Ermanno Capelli FOOTON-SERVETTO-FUJI s.t.
137 Nicolas Sanderson AMORE & VITA - CONAD s.t.
138 David Gutierrez G. FOOTON-SERVETTO-FUJI s.t.
139 David Vitoria FOOTON-SERVETTO-FUJI s.t.
140 Scott Thwaites ENDURA RACING s.t.
141 Vidal Celis FOOTON-SERVETTO-FUJI s.t.
142 Fabio Nagri DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC s.t.
143 Josef Benetseder VORARLBERG - CORRATEC s.t.
144 Danilo Hondo LAMPRE – FARNESE VINI s.t. 145 Danilo Pingitore TEAM FILM 4 - ASAHI s.t.
146 Massimo Cedol ANNA SAVON + 10'41
OVERALL STANDINGS:
Spoiler
1 Daniele Bennati LIQUIGAS – DOIMO 26h23'47
2 Ludovic Turpin AG2R - LA MONDIALE + 1'55
3 Alexander Efimkin AG2R - LA MONDIALE + 2'03 4 Nicolas Roche TEAM FILM 4 - ASAHI + 2'53
5 Raffaele Ferrara CARMIOORO - NGC + 3'59
6 Wouter Mol VACANSOLEIL PRO CYCLING TEAM + 4'00
7 Robbie McEwan TEAM CATYOUCHA + 4'14
8 Mikhaylo Khililov TEAM CATYOUCHA s.t.
9 Danilo Nipolitano TEAM CATYOUCHA + 4'18
10 Fabio Terrenzio CARMIOORO - NGC s.t.
11 Pasquale Meto MOCHE PRO CYCLING TEAM + 4'20
12 Davide Ricci Bitti ISD - NERI - GIAMBENINI s.t.
13 Emanuele Vona ISD - NERI - GIAMBENINI + 4'22
14 Carlo Scognamiglio ISD - NERI - GIAMBENINI s.t.
15 Grégory Jeseph TOP-SPORT FLANDRES - MERCADOS + 4'24
16 Francesco Foilli ANNA SAVON s.t.
17 Lloyd Mondory AG2R - LA MONDIALE + 4'26
18 Mirko Lorenzetto LAMPRE – FARNESE VINI s.t.
19 Nikolas Maes QUICKSTEP s.t.
20 Francesco Reda QUICKSTEP s.t.
21 Stijn Nuirynck TOP-SPORT FLANDRES - MERCADOS s.t.
22 Francisco Ventoso CARMIOORO - NGC s.t.
23 Volodymyr Zugorodny MOCHE PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
24 Marco Bendiera TEAM CATYOUCHA s.t.
25 Sebastien Hinault AG2R - LA MONDIALE s.t.
26 Marco Velo QUICKSTEP s.t.
27 Borut Bozic VACANSOLEIL PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
28 Fabio Sabatini LIQUIGAS – DOIMO s.t.
29 Sacha Madolo CULNAPO - CFS ONIX s.t.
30 Luca Celli CERAMICA FLAMINIA s.t.
31 Francesco Mesciarelli ANNA SAVON s.t.
32 Matteo Tosatto QUICKSTEP s.t.
33 Aristide Ratti CARMIOORO - NGC s.t.
34 Jose Rujano ISD - NERI - GIAMBENINI s.t.
35 Andrea Tonti CARMIOORO - NGC s.t.
36 Wladimir Muholjevic ANNA SAVON s.t.
37 Frederik Willems LIQUIGAS – DOIMO s.t.
38 Jérôme Beugnies TOP-SPORT FLANDRES - MERCADOS s.t.
39 Dmytro Grabovskyy ISD - NERI - GIAMBENINI s.t.
40 Matthé Pronk VACANSOLEIL PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
41 Donato Cannone CERAMICA FLAMINIA s.t.
42 René Mandri AG2R - LA MONDIALE s.t.
43 Kristijan Koren LIQUIGAS – DOIMO s.t.
44 Gatis Smukulis AG2R - LA MONDIALE s.t.
45 Marco Cettaneo DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC s.t.
46 Gorik Gardeyn VACANSOLEIL PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
47 Luca Paerfelici ANNA SAVON s.t.
48 Davide Malacarne QUICKSTEP s.t.
49 Daniel Oss LIQUIGAS – DOIMO s.t.
50 Martin Mortensen VACANSOLEIL PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
51 Simone Ponzi LAMPRE – FARNESE VINI s.t.
52 Martin Elmiger AG2R - LA MONDIALE s.t.
53 Timofey Kratskiy TEAM CATYOUCHA s.t.
54 Cristiano Silerno DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC s.t.
55 Filippo Sovini CULNAPO - CFS ONIX s.t.
56 Kristof Vundewalle TOP-SPORT FLANDRES - MERCADOS s.t.
57 Mauro Facci QUICKSTEP s.t.
58 Jonathan Clerke UNITED SAFE CARE PRESENTED BY XAVIS + 6'51
59 Jens Mouris VACANSOLEIL PRO CYCLING TEAM s.t.
60 Michele Merlo FOOTON-SERVETTO-FUJI + 7'51
61 Alessandro Maserati CERAMICA FLAMINIA + 8'09
62 Alessandro Petacchi LAMPRE – FARNESE VINI + 8'11 63 Rick Flens TEAM FILM 4 - ASAHI + 8'17
64 Krzysztof Szczewinski MOCHE PRO CYCLING TEAM + 8'21
65 Manuel Cardoso FOOTON-SERVETTO-FUJI + 8'23
66 Jürgen Van De Walle QUICKSTEP s.t.
67 Mauro Finetto LIQUIGAS – DOIMO s.t.
68 Leonardo Giordani CERAMICA FLAMINIA s.t.
69 Paolo Longo Borghini ISD - NERI - GIAMBENINI + 9'54
70 David Le Lay AG2R - LA MONDIALE s.t.
71 Dario Androotto ANNA SAVON + 11'06
72 Aleksandr Kuschynski LIQUIGAS – DOIMO + 11'41
73 Nikolai Trassov TEAM CATYOUCHA + 11'44
74 Daniele Righi LAMPRE – FARNESE VINI + 12'34
75 Giampaolo Cheula FOOTON-SERVETTO-FUJI + 13'51
76 David Gutierrez G. FOOTON-SERVETTO-FUJI s.t.
77 Rory Satherland UNITED SAFE CARE PRESENTED BY XAVIS + 13'52
78 Maarten Wynants QUICKSTEP + 13'53
79 Massimo Cedol ANNA SAVON + 14'02
80 Laurent Beuret CARMIOORO - NGC + 14'06
81 Enrico Zun CULNAPO - CFS ONIX + 14'30
82 Maxime Vontomme TEAM CATYOUCHA + 15'25 83 Yukiya Arashiro TEAM FILM 4 - ASAHI + 15'42
84 Matteo Mentaguti DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC + 15'52 85 Filadelfio Guerrieri TEAM FILM 4 - ASAHI + 16'22
86 Arnoud Van Groen VACANSOLEIL PRO CYCLING TEAM + 17'02
87 Simone Stertoni CULNAPO - CFS ONIX + 19'09
88 Andrea Grendene LAMPRE – FARNESE VINI + 19'28
89 Damiano Coruso DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC + 19'59
90 Ermanno Capelli FOOTON-SERVETTO-FUJI + 21'39
91 Sebastian Siedler VORARLBERG - CORRATEC + 21'49
92 James McCallum ENDURA RACING + 22'17
93 Stijn Jeseph TOP-SPORT FLANDRES - MERCADOS + 23'01
94 Morgan Schmott UNITED SAFE CARE PRESENTED BY XAVIS + 23'27
95 Denis Gilimzyanov TEAM CATYOUCHA + 23'33
96 Gianluca Brombilla DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC + 23'41
97 Alexander Gufler VORARLBERG - CORRATEC + 23'54
98 Cristiano Fumagalli CERAMICA FLAMINIA + 24'25
99 Alexandre Blain ENDURA RACING + 24'36
100 Alberto Ongarato VACANSOLEIL PRO CYCLING TEAM + 25'24
101 Luigi Getto MOCHE PRO CYCLING TEAM + 25'28
102 Roman Kelun UNITED SAFE CARE PRESENTED BY XAVIS + 25'42
103 Max Jinkins UNITED SAFE CARE PRESENTED BY XAVIS + 25'49
104 Alessandro Raisoni CARMIOORO - NGC + 26'14
105 Sandy King ENDURA RACING + 26'21
106 Alan Murangoni CULNAPO - CFS ONIX + 27'31
107 Edoardo Girardi CERAMICA FLAMINIA + 27'49
108 Robert Partridge ENDURA RACING + 28'05
109 Yuri Metlushenko AMORE & VITA - CONAD + 28'20
110 Dmytro Arkhynos AMORE & VITA - CONAD + 29'57
111 Piergiorgio Camussa VORARLBERG - CORRATEC + 30'04
112 Leopoldo Racchetti MOCHE PRO CYCLING TEAM + 30'09
113 Vitaly Kondrut ISD - NERI - GIAMBENINI + 30'54
114 Mauro Da Dalto LAMPRE – FARNESE VINI + 31'01
115 Cayetano Jose Sormiento ANNA SAVON + 31'02
116 Danilo Hondo LAMPRE – FARNESE VINI + 31'27
117 Andrew Punfold UNITED SAFE CARE PRESENTED BY XAVIS + 31'49
118 Pieter Vinspeybrouck TOP-SPORT FLANDRES - MERCADOS + 31'50
119 Bernardo Colex Tepoz AMORE & VITA - CONAD + 32'12
120 Diego Caccia ISD - NERI - GIAMBENINI + 32'28
121 Andrea Piechele CARMIOORO - NGC + 33'36
122 Philipp Ludescher VORARLBERG - CORRATEC + 33'40
123 Fausto Fognini AMORE & VITA - CONAD + 34'13
124 Martin Schöffmann VORARLBERG - CORRATEC + 34'55
125 Tim Murtens TOP-SPORT FLANDRES - MERCADOS + 35'32
126 Kenny Du Ketele TOP-SPORT FLANDRES - MERCADOS + 35'50
127 Fabrizio Lucciola CERAMICA FLAMINIA + 36'12
128 Erick Borlevav UNITED SAFE CARE PRESENTED BY XAVIS + 37'57
129 Alessandro Fintini ANNA SAVON + 38'13
130 Christoph Sokoll VORARLBERG - CORRATEC + 38'21
131 Francesco Chicchi LIQUIGAS – DOIMO + 39'58
132 Marco Corti FOOTON-SERVETTO-FUJI + 41'58
133 Vidal Celis FOOTON-SERVETTO-FUJI + 44'53
134 Sergio Leganà DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC + 46'20
135 Volodymyr Kogut AMORE & VITA - CONAD + 49'36
136 Filippo Baggio CERAMICA FLAMINIA + 49'49
137 Angelo Furlan LAMPRE – FARNESE VINI + 49'57
138 Fabio Nagri DRE PROSA - STOCK PLASTIC + 50'46
139 David Vitoria FOOTON-SERVETTO-FUJI + 51'15
140 Leonardo Panizzotto MOCHE PRO CYCLING TEAM + 56'17
141 Andrea Capelli VORARLBERG - CORRATEC + 57'40
142 Josef Benetseder VORARLBERG - CORRATEC + 58'08 143 Danilo Pingitore TEAM FILM 4 - ASAHI + 1h00'00
144 Stefano Perazzi CULNAPO - CFS ONIX + 1h07'56
145 Nicolas Sanderson AMORE & VITA - CONAD + 1h13'00
146 Scott Thwaites ENDURA RACING + 1h23'40
A fourth overall definitely doesn't hurt either!
Sky have the money but the other Brits kept the passion.
Why not check out my story of sexy new team Film4 - Asahi in the PCM10 Story section?
Much wub to: Cav, Millar, Lovqvist, Cunego, Hinc, Voigt, Cancellara, Menchov.
Wub to: Wiggins, Boonen, Beppu, Kloden, Gesink, Rogers, Moncoutie, Roche.
