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A Tale of Two
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 06-08-2012 16:48
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
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Poor Van Leijen? Well, he's a helper and he did a great job. Don't worry, he'll be rewarded for what he's doing  |
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 06-08-2012 16:50
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
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Tirreno - Adriatico - stage 7
The final time trial is only 9.4km long. Cancellara is top favorite to win here, while De Gendt (with only 2 seconds behind Valverde) is looking at his first major victory in his career.
As suspected, Cancellara breaks the time and it looks like the stage win is long gone, now it's a fight for the GC!
After a long wait, it was my turn. Enjoy the scenery with me while I rode the race of my life:
And yes, I rode perfectly and ended up on a 15th place. Now it was looking for the other riders in the GC...
Then finally, after what seemed like an eternity, came the final standings:
| 1 | Thomas De Gendt | Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | 27h34'28 | | 2 | Alejandro Valverde | Movistar Team | + 39 | | 3 | Dario Cataldo | Omega Pharma-Quick-Step Cycling Team | + 57 | | 4 | Chris Anker Sørensen | Team Saxo Bank | s.t. | | 5 | Rui Costa | Movistar Team | + 1'04 | | 6 | Francis De Greef | Lotto-Belisol | + 1'54 | | 7 | Joaquin Rodriguez | Katusha Team | + 2'15 | | 8 | Ivan Basso | Liquigas-Cannondale | + 2'30 | | 9 | Andreas Klöden | Radioshack Nissan Trek | + 2'38 | | 10 | Eric Lombaerts | Lotto-Belisol | + 3'04 |
YES! I made it, top 10 in Tirreno - Adriatico. This is by far the happiest day of my professional career. De Greef has an excellent 6th place for his first race as a leader.
De Gendt shines as a new promising star as I gradually get to be known among the riders in the peloton.
And of course, I get to be on the podium as well, receiving my second jersey this season (mountain jersey in Haut-Var), the young jersey in Tirreno - Adriatico!
Well, this is the end of a thrilling adventure. The next races will be about Stijn, as we approach the cobbled classics, see you there! |
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| francopell |
Posted on 06-08-2012 16:56
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Domestique
Posts: 652
Joined: 15-07-2012
PCM$: 200.00
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Well done! Great young rider's jersey  Hope Stijn can have the same success on the cobbles |
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 06-08-2012 18:17
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 34654
Joined: 22-08-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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Nice 10th place for Eric
And Best young rider |
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| PCM rulezz |
Posted on 06-08-2012 19:20
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Protected Rider
Posts: 1467
Joined: 21-05-2011
PCM$: 200.00
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Whoow you are fast, I'm one day not on PCM daily and you finished Tirreno  But that's not bad because I like the way you write the reports, they are easy to read.
Very very good result for Lotto btw 
Winners never quit, quitters never win.
It's difficult not to be happy when you're surrounded by Belgians. - Mark Cavendish
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 06-08-2012 20:31
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
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Thanks to all, it's great that you're all following!
@francopell: Normally Dwars door Vlaanderen, E3 prijs and Gent-Wevelgem should be uploaded tomorrow, let's see what Stijn can do there
@Sutty68: 10th place feels like 1000x better than an 11th place, I was really glad when I saw the results
@PCM rulezz: great to hear you read the blogs easily. as I'm trying to improve my English |
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| johannes-w |
Posted on 07-08-2012 08:27
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Breakaway Specialist
Posts: 833
Joined: 24-04-2009
PCM$: 200.00
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Great result in Italy!!! Good luck for the next races |
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 24-11-2024 12:29
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 07-08-2012 08:29
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
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Thanks johannes-w |
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 07-08-2012 08:32
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
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Dwars door Vlaanderen
A beautiful profile. Many favorites appear on this special day for the Belgians. Boonen is the name that impresses me the most.
Like it usually goes, a breakaway was formed soon after departure.
But today was also a special occasion for me and for Eric. Anonymously hidden inside the peloton we rode into our very own town: Oudenaarde
Some friends of mine really tried their best to keep me motivated during the race, just take a look at that:
And, of course, the scenery was beautiful today.
Today we saw an aggressive Boonen, with some incredible attacks.
Boonen's attack cleared the path for many, unfortunately, neither I or Jurgen (Roelandts) were amongst them.
The group that made it to the finish contained race winner Nuyens, follow-up Boonen, Boom, Thomas and Breschel
In an attempt to bring the attackers back, Roelandts and I got away from a bigger group, we didn't see the attackers again yet we were rewarded with a 6th and 7th place. Roelandts was so kind to give me 6th.
A successful day, if you'd ask me. Another great one for me, at least. Eric ended up on the 186th place, but I think he's still enjoying himself from Tirreno - Adriatico!
See you in a couple of days for my first World Tour race: E3 prijs - Harelbeke! |
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| PCM rulezz |
Posted on 07-08-2012 08:50
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Protected Rider
Posts: 1467
Joined: 21-05-2011
PCM$: 200.00
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Good result for Lotto, Van Gent and Roelands are really on fire. As a Boonen fanboy it's a shame he didn't win
But let's hope Roelands can win in the E3, good luck there
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 07-08-2012 10:41
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
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E3 prijs - Harelbeke
Well, this is the profile of my first World Tour race. Looked pretty great to me, I couldn't have been more motivated! I wanted to perform well and help Roelandts as much as possible. I was in a great shape so everything was possible! Although we had to be careful, there were many great riders present, just to name a few: Boonen, Cancellara, Nuyens, Breschel...
This was the breakaway of the day.
Thomas showed everyone how great a talent he is by accelerating on the Muur. Nobody could follow him, he got reeled in minutes later, though.
I was having a very good day and I found myself in a good group, many favorites behind.
Unfortunately, of those left behind was also Roelandts, here with Cancellara and Vanmarcke.
I felt like I was on top of the world... until I hit the bottom.
Another crash that took away all my chances of the day. I saw many a rider passing me by till the time I got up.
Meanwhile Roelandts had joined the front group near the end, but Devolder had another attack ready.
In the end it was Langeveld who crossed the finish line first, right before Eisel and Boonen, who's still looking for another great win after winning 3 stages in Paris - Nice!
I stranded on a 28th place, not a good day for my first World Tour race.
Well... Let's hope Gent - Wevelgem brings another chance. I was in a really great shape until I fell. I don't think it'll have any consequences, I feel fine now, so I should be able to ride to my maximum potential in Gent - Wevelgem. See you there! |
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| Teddy The Creator |
Posted on 07-08-2012 10:51
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2253
Joined: 19-10-2011
PCM$: 200.00
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28th is pretty good because of the crash I think, bad luck obviously. Really nice reports an screens too.
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| fred947a |
Posted on 07-08-2012 10:53
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Under 23
Posts: 61
Joined: 08-03-2011
PCM$: 200.00
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Nice story so far |
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 07-08-2012 10:58
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
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@Teddy The Creator: Yeah, it's a good place despite of the crash, but it could've been even better and he's a young guy, so of course he's very disappointed after another fall, so he blogs that his result sucks
Good that you like the screens and reports
@fred947a: Thanks, I'm glad you like it |
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 07-08-2012 11:44
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
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Gent - Wevelgem
Today was a much better day than E3 prijs, I can tell you that in advance. Let's take a look at the profile of this year's Gent - Wevelgem.
To my surprise not many cobblestones (which is too bad) and not too much hills (which I'm in favor off). However, this has a big chance of ending with a small or even a bigger group, so I might be able to count on my sprint!
The scenery was again very beautiful today, the sun was shining and the roads were cleaned up for the race.
The winner of the E3 prijs 2012, Langeveld tried his luck from far out, there were still 90km to go.
Unfortunately Roelandts had another bad day. (I hope nothing's wrong with him, the Ronde is coming close now) He dropped to a big group behind the peloton. I was instructed not to stay with him, but to do anything I can to get a good result. The management was now counting on my sprint. I couldn't let them down!
I was having an excellent day yet again.
Nearing the sprint, I chose fast Sagan's wheel, and I got it right before Ballan did, who then said something in Italian that might've been a curse word, but I wouldn't know about that.
Ready for the final sprint I gave it my everything!
And sweet revenge for me today. I'm on the podium of this beautiful race (3th), only a couple of days after my fall in E3 prijs! I end up right behind Visconti (who came in first, don't let the aerial photo mislead you) and Hushovd!
This is a great day for me. In the last World Tour race before the Ronde Van Vlaanderen, I was finally able to prove what I'm worth. I think they'll watch out for me a little more in the future. The day after tomorrow I'm racing in De Panne - Koksijde, where I should be able to build up even more for the Ronde and a week later Paris - Roubaix, where glory awaits me, if not this year, than the next! (It is true, I am an optimist)
On another note: Jelle Vanendert ended on an impressive 3th place in the Tour of Cataluña. He's building up for the hilly classics there. Wiggins won yet another stage race.
Edited by Ian Butler on 07-08-2012 11:59
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| Teddy The Creator |
Posted on 07-08-2012 13:15
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2253
Joined: 19-10-2011
PCM$: 200.00
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 Awesome 3rd place! Visconti has a stupidly overpowered sprint so no worries there.
I also like the reporting style, only doing interesting stages and giving short notices on other races. Nice work. Bring on De Ronde!
EDIT: Oh, and why don't you replace the stupid fake jerseys with the real ones? And why aren't you using the Daily DB?
Edited by Teddy The Creator on 07-08-2012 13:16
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 07-08-2012 13:35
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 34654
Joined: 22-08-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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Great performance today by getting the podium finish 
Nice pics as well |
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| FreitasPCM |
Posted on 07-08-2012 14:54
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 8389
Joined: 08-09-2009
PCM$: 200.00
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Great result, deserves a dancing banana! |
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 07-08-2012 15:23
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
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@Teddy: I'm glad you like my reporting style, I wasn't too sure about it at first, but I think it's working fine I'm not good at all these file-things etc, so I'm just glad I was able to download a realname database and play the game without crashing I hope it doesn't bother you too much about the jerseys.
@sutty68: Thanks a lot! I think it's great that you follow (nearly?) everyone's story, it's easier to stay motivated that way
@FreitasPCM: Thanks for the banana, I've never received many bananas before Now you and Teddy, that's a lot of bananas
Panne - Koksijde will be up in a second, I hope the Ronde by tonight, otherwise definitely tomorrow |
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 07-08-2012 15:33
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
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De Panne - Koksijde stage 1
For Stijn this is the final build-up race before the Ronde, so it's very important. The tour of the Panne - Koksijde consists of 4 races, rode in 3 racing days. The first day is rather hilly, the next two stages are more flat and the tour ends with a time trial of just over 11km. This is what we had to do today
Quite a hilly stage, going through Oudenaarde! What mattered for Stijn today is surviving the hills and not lose any time. I tried my luck with an attack with 20km to go.
My attack didn't go far, but I created some small gaps and enough confusion to take advantage of it. As Sky dominated the last km, I ended up on a 9th place, the last one to end within the 0". Stijn, lost about 20". I also took the young jersey, maybe I can hold on to it!
Like I said, Sky dominated, with 4 riders in the top 10:
Siutsou(1st), Knees(2nd), Flecha(4th) and Thomas (8th)
Tomorrow is a day for the sprinters, so my job tomorrow is getting water and possibly making the pace, although I believe Sky will do that. All that matters for me now is the final time trial, so I won't be blogging until then, tomorrow you'll hear Stijn.
See you! |
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