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Team Milram Again!!!
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| ringo182 |
Posted on 24-10-2008 18:09
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3472
Joined: 03-01-2008
PCM$: 1348.00
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Paris-Nice
Stage 6
Classed as hilly but as you can see it is anything but. I feel that this is the perfect terrain for Astarloa to get in to a break and try to make it last till the end. It starts of well as Igor gets himself into a promising group of 4.
Astarloa gets into the early break
I feel that this group has a good chance to go all the way but Van Summeren has other ideas and attacks.
Van Summeren goes on the attack
Now that the break is unorganised it is easily chased down and Eric Zabel moves to the front to contest the sprint. He gets into a good position, could this be another win?
Zabel gets ready to make his move
However he gets penned in at the vital moment and is unable to move forward. This stage is going to get away from him.
Zabel can't get through
The win goe to Chavanel from Boonen and Pellizotti.
Caruso finishes in the bunch and keeps his 25th place overall. The only change in the top 10 sees Chavanel move up a couple of places.
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| ringo182 |
Posted on 25-10-2008 13:05
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3472
Joined: 03-01-2008
PCM$: 1348.00
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Tirreno-Adriatico
Stage 3
Another hilly stage with two hard climbs at the end that will decide the race. The finish is at the top of the hill despite what the profile says. Hopefully Grivko and Velits will still have some energy left at the end so they can stay with the faourites and keep in contention for a top 10 finish.
A large break goes away and initially the peleton, led by Anna Savon chases the break down. However with the gap at about 30 seconds they stop chasing at let it go so Marco Velo, along with 1 or 2 others decides to vridge the gap and makes it across to form an even bigger break.
Velo sits in the break
Despite the size of the break no-one really wanted to do any work and so the gap never grew much past 5 mins and they were easily caught while climbing the penultimate climb of the day. At the top Velits and Grivko had lost a bit of the energy from their legs but Velits was still feeling good and decided he would try to go with any breaks while Grivko would wait in the bunch for the last climb. The attack came from Astarloza and so Velits went with him.
Velits jumps onto Astarloza's wheel
The gap grows and Velits drops Astaloza on the final descent leading to the last climb. Would he have the legs to make it to the finish?
Velits makes the break for home
Sadly no. He is caught on the last climb and quickly overtaken by the elite climbers. Grivko has no energy left to attack and so has to hold on as best he can.
At the top Bettini wins the sprint from Di Luca and the two get a small time gap.
Bettini takes the win
Unfortunately for Grivko a further two time gaps appear in the bunch and both he and Velits loose just over a minute to the winner.
On GC Bettini and Di Luca have moved to the top while Grivko and Velits have fallen to 15th and 17th. It's going to take an excellent tt and them staying with the leading group from now on to get into the top 10.
Edited by ringo182 on 25-10-2008 13:07
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| ringo182 |
Posted on 26-10-2008 15:08
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3472
Joined: 03-01-2008
PCM$: 1348.00
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Paris-Nice
Stage 7
A hilly stage with lots of mountain sprints. Originally i wanted to get Ghisalberti into the break to try to go for the mountain classification and he attacked straight away to take the first sprint of the day.
Ghisalberti takes the first mountain sprint
Soon after the first sprint a nice looking group of six formed. However, with Garate only 1 minute down on GC the peleton were never going to let hi get away on this terrain.
The peleton won't let Garate go
After Ghisalberti's group has been chased down another break goes up the road. The original 7 is joined by 6 more and the 13 riders work together to build a nice gap on the peleton.
Bennati leads the 13 man break
The peleton steps up the pace and the break is caught with 60k to go. There is a long descent leading to the final climb and at the foot of the climb Barredo makes his move.
Schleck and Cunego make their move and Caruso decides to try to go with them.
Caruso tries to get on the leaders wheel
He stayed with the leading group on the climb but as they went over the top he just didn't have the strength to stay with the leaders and began to fall back to the peleton.
Caruso is swallowed up by the reduced peleton and finishes in the bunch. At the front the win goes to Kirchen ahead of Schleck and Pellizotti.
Kirchen wins
So Schleck takes his overall lead into the final day with a 42 second advantage over Gutierez and 50 seconds over Kirchen. As a result of todays stage Caruso moved up 1 place to 24th.
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| alexkr00 |
Posted on 26-10-2008 15:12
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World Champion
Posts: 13924
Joined: 05-08-2008
PCM$: 300.00
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 Kirchen
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| ringo182 |
Posted on 26-10-2008 15:20
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3472
Joined: 03-01-2008
PCM$: 1348.00
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Tirreno-Adriatico
Stage 4
A flat stage with a bit of a hill at the end. If it goes down to the sprint then Petacchi will be going for it but i may try something with Grivko or Velits on the last climb. The break goes but doesn't work together. It becomes fragmented and is easily caught.
As i thought, on the last climb a few riders try to get away and i send Grivko after them.
Grivko goes with the attack
However, it turns out they were only after the mountain points and soon slip back into the peleton. But Grivko is fully commited and goes all out for the line.
Grivko's mind is fixed on the line
This close to the line the plelton is never going to let him get away and he is reeled in with less then 2k to go. Unfortunately i forgot all about Petacchi and by the time i get back to him he has fallen too far behind to affect the result.
Oscar Freire takes the win while Petacchi finishes 14th.
On GC Grivko and Velits have moved up the 14th and 15th but they are a minute behind 10th place. Surely it's too much to make up in the tt.
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| ringo182 |
Posted on 29-10-2008 17:35
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3472
Joined: 03-01-2008
PCM$: 1348.00
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hey guys. sorry i've been taking my time with the next update. my mom had an operation last week and so she's now working from home for the next few weeks meaning she's commandeered the computer i'll be playing when i can. but in between my uni work and my own training (which'll be stepping up next month when i'll be getting coached) i don't know how often that'll be.
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| ringo182 |
Posted on 30-10-2008 21:22
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3472
Joined: 03-01-2008
PCM$: 1348.00
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Paris-Nice
Stage 8
Last stage of the race and with Caruso sitting in 24th place we're not goin to pick up any pro tour points but Caruso is still after a good ride today. As expected the break goes away. Zabel's riden well all race and looked good in the sprints early on. However as the stages have got more hilly he hasn't had a chance of defending his green jersey so i give him the green light to go into the break today. He attacks with a few others and forms a roup of 4, although there are another couple further up the road.
Zabel gets into the early break
On is Pineau who's got the grit between his teeth and quickly pulls away from the others.
Near the top of the penultimate climb a few of the big names attack....
....but Shcleck is unworried and Caruso decides to let this break go.
The break reaches some of the original break away and the peleton step up the pace. I send Ghisalberti to the front and he helps to bring back the break. Only one rider left up the road now.
As we near the top of the final climb Schleck decides it's the time to make his move and attacks, closely followed by his shadow Kirchen
The others sit and watch for a while before Caruso and a few others make their moves.
At the top of the final climb Pineau is still ahead but the gap is closing with only a long descent to the finish.
On the descent 3 groups form behind Pineau. Shcleck is on his own, Chavanel, Kirchen, Dessel and Dekkor form a group behind him and Caruso struggles to hang onto the wheel of Cunego and Barredo.
Amazingly, on the descent Pineau starts to pull away from his chasers. Schleck knows he can afford to let Pineau win as long as he finishes in the same time as everyone else and isn't bothered in chasing. Pineau goes under the 1k banner and accross the line on his own after being out in front all day. I hate to say it but what a ride!
Behind him Chavanel has bridged the gap to Schleck but looses the sprint.
And Caruso has hung on to the wheel of Cunego and Barredo to take 9th on the stage and gets a healthy time gap over the peleton. How far will he move up the GC?
So a win for Schleck overall who managed to beat Kirchen into second. Those two were the strongest riders hear today and i expect we'll be seeing more from them at the grand tours. As you can see Caruso's excellent ride on the last day moved him up to 16th overall. Not enough for any points but i'm still happy with his performance.
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| ringo182 |
Posted on 30-10-2008 21:28
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3472
Joined: 03-01-2008
PCM$: 1348.00
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Tirreno-Adriatico
Stage 5
Individual TT that will go along way to deciding this race. Grivko and Velits both had fairly good days with Velits suprisingly beating Grivko by one second as they finished 14th and 15th on the stage.
The biggest winner on the day was Rogers who moved from 16th to 3rg on overall GC thanks to an excellent tt. Meanwhile Veilts and Grivko have both moved into the top 15 and are 19 seconds off a top 10 place. Tomorrow will be the last real chance they have of making up that time so expect them both to be fairly active in the last few k's.
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 23-12-2024 14:33
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| alexkr00 |
Posted on 30-10-2008 21:48
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World Champion
Posts: 13924
Joined: 05-08-2008
PCM$: 300.00
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Velits or Grivko could finish in top 10
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| ringo182 |
Posted on 02-11-2008 14:59
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3472
Joined: 03-01-2008
PCM$: 1348.00
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Tirreno-Adriatico
Stage 6
The last real chance for anybody who wants to make a move in the GC. Velits and Grivko will be trying to make something happen in the last few k's. The break goea away but it is dis-organised and the re are riders all accross the gap.
With 20k to go the last man in the break is about to be caught when Ballan decides to bridge the gap.
A few of the big names decide that Ballan is too dangerous to be allowed to get away and attack. At this point i send Velits up the road but i keep Grivko in the peleton with the overall leader Pereiro.
Pereiro attacks and Grivko goes with him, passing Velits on the way.
The peleton isn't going to let anyone get away and both my riders are soon back in the group.
It's not looking good for Grivko who used alot of energy when he went with Pereiro, but Velits has still got some energy left and when the next attack goes he's able to go with it.
However he isn't strong enough to stick with the leading group and falls into a second group.
At the front the win is taken by Gusev who picks up Astana's first pro-tour points of the season.
Meanwhile Velits groups is caught on the line so he won't make up any time on the peleton and he has to settle for 15th place overall.
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| ringo182 |
Posted on 02-11-2008 15:11
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3472
Joined: 03-01-2008
PCM$: 1348.00
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Tirreno-Adriatico
Stage 7
The last stage of the race and not much will happen on the GC because it'll end in a sprint. Petacchi has been waiting all week for this sprint and will be trying to get onto the podium.
Initially a few riders go away but the majority are chased own leaving only 2 groups of 2 up the road.
As expected the sprint teams chase the break down and the sprint is set up. While Velo sets a high pace at the front Petacchi jumps on to Robbie Hunters wheel.
However, that train begins to fall backwards so Petacchi jumps on Cavendish's wheel and get towed along.
When the sprint starts Cavendish pulls Petacchi to the front before he jumps off his wheel and accelerates away. However Hushovd and Freire are also moving to the front quickly.
And in the end Petacchi has to settle for 3rd and Hushovd takes the win. It's still a good podium for us and another valuble Pro0Tour point.
Overall Di Luca takes the win after getting into the first group on the penultimate stage. Velits and Grivko finish 15th and 16th and Petacchi also gets into the top 50 to make us 3rd in the team classification. Overall i'm quite satisfied witht the week.
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| ringo182 |
Posted on 02-11-2008 15:35
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3472
Joined: 03-01-2008
PCM$: 1348.00
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Milan-San Remo
Here it is, one of our biggest objectives of the season. It's not one of our sponsors goals but it is probably the best chance we have of getting any points from any of the classics. Obviously Petacchi will be leading the team as we send our best team to give us as good a chance as possible.
Squad: Petacchi, Astarloa, Eichler, Grivko, Lancaster, P. Velits, Velo, Zabel
I decide to send Lancaster into the break so that my team won't be expected to do any chasing in this long classic.
For a long time nothing else really happens. But then, with about 100k to go, a few of the big names attack led by Arvesen.
A few k's later there was another attack led by Dekkor.
The groups join up and form a dangerous looking group up the road.
The peleton steps up the pace and the break works well to stay away. Not everyone can stay away and the break is whittled down to an elite few.
On the penultimate descent Dekkor, Arvesen and Hincapie attack and get a gap on every one else.
Zabel decides that he has to try to get away and makes his move on the same descent.
With 16k to go Dekkor makes his move at the front of the race. Arvesen and Hincapie haven't got an answer.
Zabel is caught by the peleton so Petacchi moves to the front to contest the sprint. But it's starting to look like the win is going to be beyond us.
At the front Flecha has come out of nowhere and joins Arvesen and Hincapie.
As the sprint starts Dekkor has a commanding lead but he has no energy left at all.
It goes down to the line as Flecha bridges the gap, however Dekkor just hangs on to take an excellent win.
Meanwhile in the bunch Tom Boonen takes the sprint for 5th while Petacchi just manages to scrape into the top 10 to get us a couple of points.
So we get a couple of points but we were hoping for more. We just didn't have any answers when the breaks started to go as we were always hoping for it to go down to the sprint.
So now my big riders will be taking a bit of a break apart from Zabel who will be preparing for the Spring Classics in a couple of weeks. Petacchi will be taking the whole of April off before starting his preparation for the Tour de France.
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| alexkr00 |
Posted on 02-11-2008 16:05
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World Champion
Posts: 13924
Joined: 05-08-2008
PCM$: 300.00
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Love th ss with flecha and dekker. They invite each other to win 
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| ringo182 |
Posted on 02-11-2008 16:18
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3472
Joined: 03-01-2008
PCM$: 1348.00
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i think Dekkor was too tired to celebrate and Flecha was too busy trying to sprint past him. |
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| alexkr00 |
Posted on 02-11-2008 16:27
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World Champion
Posts: 13924
Joined: 05-08-2008
PCM$: 300.00
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Or maybe Dekker wanted to give Flecha the victory, but Flecha couldn't past him because Dekker is too f*cking dopped
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| ringo182 |
Posted on 04-11-2008 01:16
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3472
Joined: 03-01-2008
PCM$: 1348.00
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hey guys. have spent the few free hours i've had in the last few days figuring out my main riders programmes for the whole season. it's difficult seeing as you only have about 70 days racing each, but i've come up with something i'm happy with and hopefully it'll see us with enough points to keep us in the pro-tour. also been looking at the riders who are free in the winter and my own riders who i will be letting go.
exciting times at milram
p.s still can't get my scouts to stop watching the rider who i'm not interested in. does anyone know how i get him to stop scouting a certain rider? |
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| fenian_1234 |
Posted on 04-11-2008 04:23
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4790
Joined: 06-12-2006
PCM$: 200.00
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Click Team - Scouting - Reports.
Click the rider you no longer want to track so his name is highlighted, then click the cancel tracking button at the bottom of the screen.
Edited by fenian_1234 on 04-11-2008 04:36
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| ringo182 |
Posted on 04-11-2008 11:33
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3472
Joined: 03-01-2008
PCM$: 1348.00
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thanks, i tried that but it doesn't seem to have worked. i'll try it again though. |
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| fenian_1234 |
Posted on 04-11-2008 11:57
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4790
Joined: 06-12-2006
PCM$: 200.00
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After you cancel the tracking - it still shows amount of days you tracked him for, but your scout should now be free.
Like this:
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| rodda |
Posted on 04-11-2008 12:38
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2276
Joined: 17-08-2007
PCM$: 200.00
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Dekkor
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