The Vuelta is upon us, and we hope to do well here. The aim is to feature in as many breaks as possible, and to get Ciolek in shape for some top 10 results, and then to podium in Paris-Tours.
Abal and Brouzes will cover the breaks.
Vaugrenard, Kiryienka, Sobal and Drujon will look after Ciolek.
Belkov will go for the GC if it's possible, and Kuschynski will look after him.
Vaugrenard leads us over the line in this awful stage.
We lost a lot of time already. Finished as joint worst team.
Levarlet's last race this season, and what a way to finish his season off. The GP Ouest France - Plouay seems to be many French riders dream race, and Levarlet also appears suited to it. He may not be up there for a win, or even a top 20, but compared to the start of the season, to say we could be staying up in the Pro Tour another season, is a minor miracle. And every single point gained this year has been just that step in the right direction.
Levarlet himself has gifted two points to the team this year. Sure, not as many as our other GC rider, Belkov, but the French man's progression this season has been limited due to having restrict his race days to prevent fatiguing him prior to the Tour.
Levarlet is aided, therefore, by Champion and Pervis who are both in form at the moment. Like Levarlet, this could be Champion's last race of the season. We'll have to see.
Not a lot happens but the usual break and chase. Then, with 50km remaining the favourites attack. Levarlet can't follow at that point, so just goes and sits near the front.
9 riders got away, and with the last scoring spot still up for grabs, Levarlet attacks on the final climb.
He gets away, and with a 30 second gap looks like he's doing well, but with only 3km to go, he gets hit by a spot of cramp, and is caught nigh-on on the line by most riders. A real pity.
Still, it's one of our best single day results this season.
Vuelta a Espana Stage 2
This stage is a sprinters stage. But it's short, so only 2 bottles means Belkov could kinda go bang.
Break. Chase. Catch.
Then, with 20km to go, Belkov is dropped. Not surprising with his lower than good morale, and only 65ish fitness. I don't think he'll be able to go for the GC.
Ciolek and Drujon are up there, but Ciolek's lack of form is telling. Drujon will be our main sprinter today.
Drujon doesn't quite have the legs today though, and can only follow the wheels to a top 10 result. Haussler wins.
Another flat stage to greet the team, and with Belkov and most of the team being in a dire state of affairs yesterday, with that final climb looming, we doubt any of the team will finish in the bunch.
And, being truthful, they didn't. Drujon can sprint fast enough to come 2nd though (2nd in the 3rd group, the first group being a solo Boonen who went away on the final intermediate sprint and outclimbed Mori, Rebellin and a whole host of puncheurs, and the 2nd group being the favourites and some quality climbing sprinters).
So, Belkov, Abal and Kuschynski, our three climbers, all out of the GC by stage 4. Great. Hilly stage next stage, so our chances of any result is slim to say the least.
A hilly stage, that will see all our riders, bar Drujon - the sprinter supreme/in form - being dropped. And, rather unsurprisingly, a puncheur will win it. There wasn't really any gaps, but having had to play the stage at X8 in jerk-mode (there's too much damn water!!) Kiryienka was in the break, but I couldn't really do anything with him due to jerk-mode. Still, Belkov's GC chances are gone I suspect, as are any other of our riders, which means... break away time!
Here's Ballan winning:
Stage 5
Another jerk-mode was more than I could cope with, so, I beg your forgiveness, I simmed this stage. On the downside, Drujon's GC chances were over today (surprise surprise) and with that foul blow, all our GC chances are gone... or are they? A simmed Belkov is pretty equal with the other GC riders, so he finished 13thish, and gained back some time (which he will promptly lose on the 5 flat stages coming up).
Stage 6
Finally, the flat!!
In good news, Ciolek (slowly coming into form) gained his final XP level, making him super-good for anyone buying him next season (we came to a mutual agreement to cut short his two-year contract, thus allowing him to focus on the Tour next year, rather than the Giro-Vuelta double again - no one will steal Drujon's place! Ever! Apart from Tronet maybe....).
And with that max-ing of stats, he becomes the heads on favourite... if only he could get to the end of the stages.
Stage 6, the flat stage. Sobal goes in the break, but they won't make it today.
And, as we come to the final 3km, Drujon has energy left! And is 6th wheel!
He can't beat the rampant Haussler, but yes! He can beat Mondory, our relegation rivals. Awesome, that's another point (or two?) back on AG2r.
Another flat stage for us, and with a bit of luck, more podiums!
A break went, and we actually helped bring it back (a tiny bit) before the big hitters came to the front to finish the job off.
With 4km to go, Ciolek had managed to drag Drujon up forward towards the front of the only sprint train. He also then hoped over to Boonen's wheel, knocking off the rubbish rider who was following previously.
A bit of a strong position for us, and as Koldo Fernandez took the sprint up, he took out a massive gap that Boonen couldn't close, so Drujon, who'd followed his acceleration moved passed. Ciolek began closing on Boonen too, it would be close for the 3rd spot.
But, as it happened, just the one man on the podium - Drujon again! 2nd today, but it looks like Ciolek is coming in to form!
Thinks are starting to look up - more points - and Drujon now improves from 3rd, to 2nd in the next stage, can the next stage continue this pattern of improvement?
The next stage has steep short little climbs (uncategorised) therefore, I think my luck might have run out until maybe the TT in a few stages time. Vaugrenard IS in form, afterall.
Yeah, it's back. Mainly as I just want to see if I relegate or stay up! As a side note, it's being played on a different, much better, computer, so the graphics are improved. Though all jerseys are back to the original 07 rather than the upgraded 08 jerseys. Auber's jersey is also back to original.
At the same time as the Vuelta going on, the team happened to win the TTT in the Tour of Poland, with a shockingly bad team. With a few stages left (one hilly, and there are no riders good at hills from Auber there) there are still a couple of guys in the top 10.
To refresh the memory, the team currently sits (even with the TTT win) in 19th spot. With 10 or so points between us and the 16th team. There is a lot to play for! Our closest rivals are still currently AG2r. Who, at the Vuelta, have Nocentini and Mondory.
Stage 8
With a flat stage, and Ciolek now as firm favourite, even though his form hasn't quite hit peak, unless we wish to chase, we need to get someone in the break. Sobal is the man for the job!
And, as expected, the break is pulled back, but due to strong winds, it splits in the final 40km. No amount of chasing will allow my rather under-form domestiques to pull anything back.
Annoyingly, Mondory is up in the front group.
Does he win? Of course he does.
Results:
1
Lloyd Mondory
AG2R PRÉVOYANCE
5h31'48
2
Heinrich Haussler
GEROLSTEINER
s.t.
3
Koldo Fernández de Larrea
EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI
s.t.
4
Christopher Sutton
COFIDIS, LE CRÉDIT PAR TÉLÉPHONE
s.t.
5
Paolo Bettini
LIQUIGAS
s.t.
6
Luca Paolini
CAISSE D'EPARGNE
s.t.
7
Denis Menchov
TEAM ASTANA
s.t.
8
Manuele Mori
EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI
s.t.
9
Tom Boonen
QUICKSTEP - INNERGETIC
+ 1'37
10
Wouter Weylandt
QUICKSTEP - INNERGETIC
s.t.
13
Mathieu Drujon
AUBER - BELTELECOM
s.t.
Stage 9
Perhaps there'll be less wind today? Maybe a break won't get away that's too dangerous? Well, only Visconti managed to make the front break, so at least one of those thoughts were correct. Wind, however, was a pain.
After the final intermediate sprint, the sprinters got a gap (yay) that Auber wasn't in. Again, no chase could pull it back.
Annoyingly, Sobal and Drujon did a really good job of setting up Ciolek. Who managed to then win the bunch sprint. Beating Ricco. Typical.
Results:
1
Heinrich Haussler
GEROLSTEINER
4h44'30
2
Lloyd Mondory
AG2R PRÉVOYANCE
s.t.
3
Luca Paolini
CAISSE D'EPARGNE
s.t.
4
Koldo Fernández de Larrea
EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI
s.t.
5
Tom Boonen
QUICKSTEP - INNERGETIC
s.t.
6
Christopher Sutton
COFIDIS, LE CRÉDIT PAR TÉLÉPHONE
s.t.
7
Gerald Ciolek
AUBER - BELTELECOM
+ 2'34
8
Riccardo Riccò
SAUNIER DUVAL - PRODIR
s.t.
9
Alessandro Ballan
LAMPRE - FONDITAL
s.t.
10
Paolo Bettini
LIQUIGAS
s.t.
14
Mathieu Drujon
AUBER - BELTELECOM
s.t.
28
Yauhen Sobal
AUBER - BELTELECOM
s.t.
Stage 10
A horribly hilly finale did not bode well. Though Ciolek is hitting his stride now. 90ish fitness is good enough, just, to be up against the extreme form of the other riders.
Into the finale, somehow, I'd managed to nurse Ciolek over the climbs (at the expense of everyone on the team). He jumps onto Nocentini's wheel who was moving up the outside.
Not really reknown for his sprinting, it just goes to show how horribly hilly it is.
He missed the jump from Euskaltel though (who surely must be demoted 40 points adrift).
But did manage to come out and around, and close down all of 2 metres to nab 2nd place!
Results:
1
Koldo Fernández de Larrea
EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI
4h24'14
2
Gerald Ciolek
AUBER - BELTELECOM
s.t.
3
Heinrich Haussler
GEROLSTEINER
s.t.
4
Luca Paolini
CAISSE D'EPARGNE
s.t.
5
Riccardo Riccò
SAUNIER DUVAL - PRODIR
s.t.
6
Greg Van Avermaet
PREDICTOR - LOTTO
s.t.
7
Christopher Sutton
COFIDIS, LE CRÉDIT PAR TÉLÉPHONE
s.t.
8
Lloyd Mondory
AG2R PRÉVOYANCE
s.t.
9
Tom Boonen
QUICKSTEP - INNERGETIC
s.t.
10
Paolo Bettini
LIQUIGAS
s.t.
Stage 11
A wonderful time trial. Nasty business. Takes a long time to do when actually playing them. Terrible to pace as well.
As Kiryenka crossed the line, he was provisionally 5th.
Vaugrenard, our great hope for the stage, couldn't do much better by the end either. 5th Provisionally for him too.
As there is a big mountain stage tomorrow, our attack on the KoM's commences (mainly as there's nothing else left to go for!!). Abal will be the first to try, and failing that, Belkov will pop off up the road mid-stage.
The first mountain stage of a few hard stages will see our attack commence upon the King of the Mountains prize. If we can take the Giro KoM and the Vuelta one, combined that would be more than a quarter of our ranking points towards being able to attract some bigger names to the squad. Goodness knows we might need some!
The plan is for Abal to get away. Failing that, it'd be up to Belkov. Rather luckily for Belkov, Abal manages it. Getting into a fairly strong group, though seeming to be the rider who puts everyone else under pressure on the climbs (that's a first!).
He took the first KoM...
... and then the second...
... as well as the third...
... before coming under pressure in the run up to the fourth. Kreuziger started off the attacks from the peloton, catching up the remains of the break. Luckily for us, Abal had moved away from the break, and still had a bit of a lead.
Just about hanging on, he clinched a few more points to add to his days haul. Annoyingly Kreuziger took 2nd, keeping him up in the lead.
Over the other side, Abal hung with the big boys before I decided to just conserve his energy a bit.
Results:
1
Haimar Zubeldia
COFIDIS, LE CRÉDIT PAR TÉLÉPHONE
5h01'13
2
Óscar Pereiro
CAISSE D'EPARGNE
+ 1'10
3
Roman Kreuziger
LIQUIGAS
+ 1'20
4
Damiano Cunego
T-MOBILE TEAM
+ 3'26
5
Bernhard Kohl
UNIBET.COM
s.t.
28
Maxim Belkov
AUBER - BELTELECOM
+ 7'05
KoM:
1
Roman Kreuziger
LIQUIGAS
57
2
Haimar Zubeldia
COFIDIS, LE CRÉDIT PAR TÉLÉPHONE
51
3
Damiano Cunego
T-MOBILE TEAM
49
4
David Abal
AUBER - BELTELECOM
42
5
Óscar Pereiro
CAISSE D'EPARGNE
41
Stage 13
A hilly day, without any majorly big climbing points on offer, so Abal, I decided, would sit in all day. Even being protected! Kiryienka was the man for the break. I was hoping it'd stay away, but on extreme it doesn't seem to happen quite so often...
He didn't disappoint though, getting in the break and taking a few of the climbing points on offer.
Unfortunately, as I hinted at, the break was caught on the penultimate climb.
Coming into the final climb, Belkov wasn't in too bad a shape, and had Vaugrenard help him move forward. As the favourites attacked, and their teams slowed, Belkov joined in with the fun! (Bad move maybe with 72 fitness?)
Hanging in there, just, over the top, with it all downhill from there, he was doing just about ok!
Results:
1
Óscar Pereiro
CAISSE D'EPARGNE
4h44'04
2
Damiano Cunego
T-MOBILE TEAM
+ 27
3
Haimar Zubeldia
COFIDIS, LE CRÉDIT PAR TÉLÉPHONE
s.t.
4
Roman Kreuziger
LIQUIGAS
s.t.
5
Janez Brajkovic
DISCOVERY CHANNEL
+ 1'19
8
Maxim Belkov
AUBER - BELTELECOM
s.t.
KoM:
1
Roman Kreuziger
LIQUIGAS
64
2
Haimar Zubeldia
COFIDIS, LE CRÉDIT PAR TÉLÉPHONE
56
3
Damiano Cunego
T-MOBILE TEAM
52
4
Óscar Pereiro
CAISSE D'EPARGNE
51
5
David Abal
AUBER - BELTELECOM
42
Stage 14
Another great stage to aim for more points for Abal, though we don't expect to take it off Kreuziger's shoulders until some of the flatter stages coming up after the second rest day.
Abal managed to get away solo after the first prime, but with a few more guys attacking to get into a move, and the peloton not responding, Sobal also managed to jump across. The plan was for him to drag it along on the flat to keep Abal in with the possible chance for a stage win, you never know!
Over the first climb, with the help of Sobal, Abal took the honours.
Over the next, the group kept together a bit better, and Abal had to put a mini dig in to get the points.
Up the penultimate climb, with the peloton closing, Abal decided, with my help, to try and hang on for the final points on offer (that weren't the finish line points). Attacking out of the group (which then magically managed to lift the pace a bit).
But, even though they were caught, Abal took those points!
Meaning he'd move up a few places in the competition, but just how much?
Weak!! Never! 
Lloyd Mondory
Heinrich Haussler
Koldo Fernández de Larrea
Roman Kreuziger
