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Discovery Channel - TdF 2011
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| Squire |
Posted on 21-12-2010 18:53
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 06.04.2011: Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco
Stage 1
Ataun - Ataun: 142.9km
Tactics meeting
The difficult Basque terrain hits us already on the first stage. A hilly affair around the city of Ataun kicks things off. The steep last hill could be very interesting, and will definitely test Kreuziger's form.
The pack caught the breakaway very early. Nothing seemed to happen, so Paulinho took matters into his own hands and attacked with 44km remaining. He was followed by Gilbert and Vaugrenard.
Paulinho had nothing to offer when put up against such strong riders, so Gilbert and Vaugrenard quickly got rid of our Portugese. This dangerous move was closely watched by the peloton, who didn't want them to get any big gap.
Their gap was eventually closed down and Gilbert & Vaugrenard was brought back. With 14km remaining, Valverde got away! He had a couple of climbs left before the line.
The Spanish champion seemed unstoppable! He gained a lead of 50 seconds over the closest chasers on the last climb. Ballan had taken away his ProTour jersey after De Ronde, but Valverde was on his way into a yellow one, so it didn't really matter.
We had Kreuziger & Martinez in the Sanchez-led chasegroup on the last climb. Valverde had probably already secured his stage win though.
Cunego attacked the chasers over the last summit. Nobody had anything left to bring him back with.
After a rapid decent, Valverde approached the finishing line with his hands in the air. The first step towards a third straight Pais Vasco win?
Cunego came closest to Valverde with his 2nd place, 1'02 behind the Spanish winner.
Kreuziger & Martinez finished at the back of this 12-man group led in by Sammy Sanchez, who took 3rd place. Klöden was way behind, as was Pardilla and Zubeldia. Kreuziger lives to fight another day, but his form doesn't seem to be strong enough for a podium finish. There are no bonus seconds on this stage, so the overall results are the same as the stage results.
Today's winner
Results
| 1. | Alejandro Valverde   | Caisse d'Epargne | 3h26'41 | | 2. | Damiano Cunego | Katusha | + 1'02 | | 3. | Samuel Sánchez | Euskaltel - Euskadi | + 1'47 | | 4. | Mikhail Ignatiev | Vacansoleil | s.t. | | 5. | Philippe Gilbert | Silence - Lotto | s.t. | | 6. | Michele Scarponi | Quick-Step | s.t. | | 7. | Pavel Brutt | Katusha | s.t. | | 8. | Markus Eibegger | Katusha | s.t. | | 9. | Manuel Vázquez | Astana | s.t. | | 10. | Alexandre Vinokourov | Astana | s.t. |
Edited by Squire on 21-12-2010 19:26
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| lluuiiggii |
Posted on 21-12-2010 19:07
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Grand Tour Champion
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Wow. It's Valverde... again!! It was the Vuelta, then Paris-Nice, and now everything shows a Vuelta a Pais Vasco win. When will that guy stop?? Bad that Discovery riders aren't with good fitness.. 
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| baia |
Posted on 22-12-2010 08:55
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A breakaway will do it..
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| zambeaux |
Posted on 22-12-2010 10:27
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Well, at least in PCM we can see Valverde doing the kind of season he should have been doing since 2006. I hope Cunego gives him some competition, though (this parcours is the one with Arrate?). As for Discovery, great performance by Egoi and Kreuziger is hanging on, Valverde's insulting dominance may help him to limit his losses on Cunego and Samuerckx and therefore have a shot at the podium on the final TT. If it's the Arrate parcours and Egoi is there to protect him, it's perfectly possible even if he's still getting in shape. Good luck!
Edited by zambeaux on 22-12-2010 10:27
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| Squire |
Posted on 27-12-2010 17:11
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@luigi, zambeaux: It doesn't seem like Valverde's form will ever drop. He is getting a bit annoying.
It's not the Arrate parcourse, it's the 2009 one with only Eibar as a proper uphill finish. There are no Pais Vasco variants in PCM.daily DBs, but i'll figure out how to make one from the 2010 version for next season, if I get that far  |
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| zambeaux |
Posted on 27-12-2010 20:15
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If it says Eibar and it's an uphill finish it's definitely the climb to Arrate, with a very short descent on the final two kilometres or so. On the Arrate stage (inherited from the Bicicleta Vasca, that used to be called Bicicleta Eibarresa until the 90's) the race passes through Eibar just before starting the climb to the Arrate Sanctuary.
Well, that was a bit too long for a simple explanation...  Anyway, that ahould be a difficult day for Kreuziger if he's in poor shape and either Katusha, Caisse or Euskaltel ride agressively |
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| Squire |
Posted on 29-12-2010 01:53
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07.04.2011: Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco
Stage 2
Ataun - Villatuerta: 160.4km
Tactics meeting
The lumpy terrain continues, but today's stage is probably flat enough to see a mass sprint finish. That's not our squad's strongest department, so we'll just be cruising through the stage thinking about tomorrow's uphill finish.
Everybody were together in the peloton when the race approached the final kilometers. Three kilometers from the line, Luis Leon Sanchez was manouvering race leader Valverde into pole position.
We are getting used to this, aren't we? Valverde takes the win again and picks up some important bonus seconds. Kreuziger slotted in at 8th place. Maybe he is feeling a bit better already?
Today's winner
Results
| 1. | Alejandro Valverde | Caisse d'Epargne | 4h07'47 | | 2. | Thomas Voeckler | Bbox Bouygues Télécom | s.t. | | 3. | Bobbie Traksel | Rabobank | s.t. | | 4. | Mikhail Ignatiev | Vacansoleil | s.t. | | 5. | José Alberto BenÃtez | Saunier Duval | s.t. | | 6. | Philippe Gilbert | Silence – Lotto | s.t. | | 7. | David Herrero | Xacobeo – Galicia | s.t. | | 8. | Roman Kreuziger  | Discovery Channel | s.t. | | 9. | JoaquÃm RodrÃguez | Caisse d'Epargne | s.t. | | 10. | Manuel Vázquez | Astana | s.t. |
GC
| 1. | Alejandro Valverde | Caisse d'Epargne | 7h34'08 | | 2. | Damiano Cunego | Katusha | + 1'22 | | 3. | Mikhail Ignatiev | Vacansoleil | + 2'07 | | 4. | Philippe Gilbert | Silence – Lotto | s.t. | | 5. | Samuel Sánchez | Euskaltel – Euskadi | s.t. | | 6. | Manuel Vázquez | Astana | s.t. | | 7. | Roman Kreuziger | Discovery Channel | s.t. | | 8. | Michele Scarponi | Quick-Step | s.t. | | 9. | Ivan Basso | Liquigas | s.t. | | 10. | Alexander Efimkin | AG2R La Mondiale | s.t. |
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| lluuiiggii |
Posted on 29-12-2010 03:27
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Grand Tour Champion
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News? Ah.. no.. valverde.. again.. the only thing that makes it a bit less unreal is that there are no real good sprinters in top 10..
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| zambeaux |
Posted on 29-12-2010 08:02
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Under 23
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Maybe he has challenged himself to win every stage of the VPV in order to avoid boredom . Good performance by Kreuziger |
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 24-11-2024 01:43
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| Porte |
Posted on 29-12-2010 23:25
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Stagiare
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zambeaux wrote:
Maybe he has challenged himself to win every stage of the VPV in order to avoid boredom . Good performance by Kreuziger
Haha, unfortunately he's probably capable of winning every stage.
And I agree, well done with Kreuziger, maybe he's coming into form right at the right time. |
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| miggi133 |
Posted on 30-12-2010 01:52
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zambeaux wrote:
Maybe he has challenged himself to win every stage of the VPV in order to avoid boredom . Good performance by Kreuziger
Excellent Comment^^
Have to agree with the others, Kreuzigers performance was amazing given the circumstances that its his first race of the season... Id say someone is getting ready to win the giro this year...
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| baia |
Posted on 31-12-2010 12:17
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Happy New Year.
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| Squire |
Posted on 03-01-2011 23:19
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08.04.2011: Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco
Stage 3
Villatuerta - Eibar: 174.4km
Tactics meeting
This is definitely the toughest stage of the Vuelta al Pais Vasco. The 174kms are rounded off by the steep Arrate climb, with some more hills coming earlier. This will be the ultimate test of Kreuziger's early form, and we will be very happy if he can stay with the best today. But can anybody beat Valverde?
Luis Leon Sanchez led the peloton towards the Arrate climb. The previous hills had taken their toll, as only 50 riders were left in the front group by the foot of the last climb.
2.5 km from the top of the climb, Scarponi was the first to attack as the Caisse support cast had depleted their energy.
Martinez and Kreuziger were once again our strongest cards. They were nicely placed near the front of the group near Valverde.
Valverde didn't stay there for long though. He wouldn't let Scarponi go, and bridged the gap easily! With the town of Eibar decorating the backdrop, the two leaders powered on up the climb. Would it be the third stage win in a row for the Valverde?
Kreuziger found himself tagged on to this five-man chasegroup (with Cunego) who managed to close the gap to Scarponi and Valverde. It would be great if our young star could hang on all the way up the climb!
Unfortunately, the lights went out just before the top. The six leaders rapidly rode away from Kreuziger.
Scarponi was really aggressive today, and sprinted away from the other principal players during the last kilometer!
Scarponi won it! Behind, Valverde's teammate Joaquim Rodriguez blocked the bonifications for 2nd place. But it will probably not matter, as Valverde's overall lead seems quite unassailable.
Kreuziger was the best of the rest as he took 7th. This also puts him 7th overall, but I think the podium is too far away now. No repeat of last year's 3rd place then.
Today's winner
Results
| 1. | Michele Scarponi | Quick-Step | 4h20'37 | | 2. | JoaquÃm RodrÃguez | Caisse d'Epargne | + 8 | | 3. | Alejandro Valverde | Caisse d'Epargne | s.t. | | 4. | Damiano Cunego | Katusha | s.t. | | 5. | Sandy Casar  | Cofidis | s.t. | | 6. | Samuel Sánchez | Euskaltel – Euskadi | s.t. | | 7. | Roman Kreuziger | Discovery Channel | + 1'19 | | 8. | Alexander Efimkin | AG2R La Mondiale | s.t. | | 9. | Markus Eibegger | Katusha | s.t. | | 10. | Alexandre Vinokourov | Astana | + 1'39 |
GC
| 1. | Alejandro Valverde | Caisse d'Epargne | 11h54'45 | | 2. | Damiano Cunego | Katusha | + 1'30 | | 3. | Michele Scarponi | Quick-Step | + 1'47 | | 4. | Samuel Sánchez | Euskaltel – Euskadi | + 2'15 | | 5. | JoaquÃm RodrÃguez | Caisse d'Epargne | + 2'39 | | 6. | Sandy Casar | Cofidis | + 2'51 | | 7. | Roman Kreuziger | Discovery Channel | + 3'26 | | 8. | Alexander Efimkin | AG2R La Mondiale | s.t. | | 9. | Markus Eibegger | Katusha | s.t. | | 10. | Alexandre Vinokourov | Astana | + 3'46 |
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| FreitasPCM |
Posted on 03-01-2011 23:29
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Posts: 8389
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At least Valverde didn't win. |
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| lluuiiggii |
Posted on 03-01-2011 23:46
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 8542
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Podium might be too far away =/
Buuut..
At least Valverde didn't win[2]
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| zambeaux |
Posted on 04-01-2011 00:04
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Under 23
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I didn't see that coming from Scarponi. Other than that, Kreuziger did great given the circumstances, and there's still the possibility of winning the TT: that and a 4th-5th place would be an outstanding result being the first race of the season.
And who knows, maybe Valverde has trouble with his raincoat on the last hilly stage |
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| baia |
Posted on 04-01-2011 17:51
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Posts: 5398
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It´s already a big gap in 3rd stage for Kreuziger...can he hang on or will loose his top10?
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| Squire |
Posted on 25-01-2011 23:55
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@zambeaux: Scarponi was impressive, maybe the change of teams was good for him after an anonymous 2010 season.
@baia: I don't see ten riders who can do better than Roman in this race, especially not with the TT on the last stage. I think he'll keep his top ten placing
I'll try to start posting again during the next few days, as I'm not that busy anymore. And by the way, I'm really happy that this story was voted the best story of 2010! Thanks to all who voted for me! |
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| roturn |
Posted on 26-01-2011 00:01
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Team Manager
Posts: 22246
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Scarponi also transfered to Quickstep in my story.
Hope he won`t be that much better than before as his last two seasons were already impressive.
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| RHW |
Posted on 27-01-2011 13:11
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yes please keep it coming |
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