This is my first story. I hope, it will last long and you'll enjoy it. English isn't my native language, but I think I should be able to write understandable. So here we go...
DB: A self-made 2011-DB, based on the PCMDaily2010, with some stat adjustments and the 2011 teams and transfers. Some jerseys may not be the current ones, please excuse that. Difficulty: Hard Rider development: 0,6 with random potential, which should be even more interesting the longer the story goes.
Team presentation
Leaders
Damiano Cunego will maily target the Ardennes Classics and the Giro di Lombardia. On his way to these highlights, he'll be our captain at some ProTour-races like Tirreno-Adriatico or the canadian classics in September. A GT isn't part of his calendar this year.
Scarponi is our captain for our second main objectiv: the Giro. Realistically, we're aiming for a Top-3 rank, but of course I hope for a little bit more. As a second season peak, he'll ride the Vuelta as well.
For our third important race this season, Milan – San Remo, we'll send Alessandro Petacchi as our leader. He is still one of fastest riders in the peloton and his puncheur qualities should bring him over the Cipressa and the Poggio. His second goal is to achieve the green jersey at the Tour de France once again. He'll be our captain at the World Championships as well, but after the two peaks earlier in the season, I'm not sure what he'll be able to reach there.
Complete roster
Notes: Simon Spilak will be our mountain leader at the Tour de France. I'm not sure yet whether he'll go for the GC or target the polka dots. In the GC, more than a Top-20 ranking is probably out of reach, so I think the mountain jersey is more valuable.
For the cobbled races, we obviously have no top rider. Hondo will give it a go there, but I don't expect anything.
The random potential was relatively kind to the team, some of the young guns still have a lot of it (e.g. Dimitri Kryvtsov). It'll be interesting to see how the riders develop.
Our first race in 2011 will be the Tour Down Under.
Edited by cunego59 on 19-04-2011 19:16
The race
The Tour Down Under, the season start for most Pro-Teams, is usually a race for sprinters. Only the 5th stage, where the Willunga Hill is passed twice, or a breakaway win could spoil the sprinter's show.
Favorites
As I said, this race favours strong sprinters with some hilly abilities. Favorites are allways hard define as the shape can be very different this early. On the paper, there are three big contenders: Thor Hushovd, Tom Boonen and our own Alessandro Petacchi. Apart from them, there are a couple of better average sprinters with some puncheur qualities, who, given a good shape, may well fight for some victories, namly Matti Breschel, Edvard Boasson Hagen, Bernhard Eisel, Joaquin Rojas, among others.
Our team
Our sprint captain, Alessandro Petacchi will start his season here. We were lucky that he came out of the season break in a quite good shape and we hope he'll be able to contend for the overall victory. His sprinting train will consist of Leonardo Bertagnolli and Danilo Hondo.
@ Kopfan & Luigi: Thanks a lot. And well, after a some years in school, my english should be fine Some spelling or grammar mistakes will probably be unevitable but that shouldn't spoil the story too much I think.
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19.01.2011 Tour Down Under: Stage 1
Today's the day. We're facing our first stage this year. A mass sprint finish is expected today, the small hill should be too far away to harm the sprinters. Probably we'll get an overview about the shapes of the riders.
The break of the day was established quite late. A couple of kilometres after the intermediate sprint, a group of 19 riders were in the front. Our man in the break was Vitali Kondrut.
They never got away more than three minutes, but Peter Sagan took the first mountain points and will wear that jersey tomorrow.
A bit surprisingly, Leonardo Bertagnolli hadn't enough energy left after the hill to lead out our sprint train. He hasn't his form yet. Nevertheless, when the sprint started, Hondo placed himself in a good position at Iglinsky's wheel, Petacchi following him.
Soon, Hondo was facing the wind, but Boonen on the inside and Haussler at Mondory's wheel were closing up quickly. Could Petacchi counter them?
He couldn't. With the finish line in sight, three riders were fighting for the win. The expected Boonen, and two men which I obviously missed in the introduction: Heinrich Haussler (left) and Matthew Goss.
It stayed close until the end, but eventually, Tom Boonen secured the first season victory.
Boonen justified his position as the top favorite. Obviously, Haussler is Garmin's leader instead of Hushovd. Goss seems to be someone to count on. For us, today was not like I hoped it to be. My sprint tactics isn't fully developed yet. But for that he was in the wind too early, Petacchi's performance was at least not discouraging.
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So far. This was my first report of a stage. Are the screenshots ok like that? The cutouts could be smaller I think, so that they're better visible. Any comments?
The next stage probably comes later on this evening.
Edited by cunego59 on 15-04-2011 13:21
@Ricotero: Thank you. Cunego rides a lot of races in spring (T-A, Catalunya, PaÃs Vasco, Ardennes) plus the Tour de Pologne and a couple of classics in August and September. Considering that he's tageting the Giro di Lombardia, the Vuelta would be too much. In addition, Scarponi is more promising for the GC.
Here's Stage 2:
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20.01.2011
Tour Down Under: Stage 2
Another mass sprint today. Or could a breakaway maybe outsmart the peloton?
Four riders at least tried to. Among them the Belorussian champion Kuschynski (KAT) and Jakob Fuglsang (LEO).
But as expected, they didn't get away, and so the sprint preperations began. Our train worked better today, Spilak and Bertagnolli lead Hondo and Petacchi towars the finish. Goss and Boonen catched Petacchi's wheel.
Boonen accelerated like a rocket but he was in the wind very early.
Under the kite, five riders were in front, but Boonen and Petacchi's leadout Hondo were allready slowing down.
In the end, Goss won in a dominant way. Petacchi was oversprinted in the very last moment by Haussler.
Four sprinters seem superior in Australia this year, and they consequentially lead the GC. Petacchi seems to be competitive and our train worked a lot better today, visible at Hondo's great fifth place as well. I'm optimistic for the next stages.
Edited by cunego59 on 15-04-2011 13:21
21.01.2011
Tour Down Under: Stage 3
Business as usual: As the previous ones, this stage should end in a sprint. But this time, the last kilometres are going uphill, which should suit sprinters like Haussler, but regarding the Top 4, only Goss could have little problems. This finish may also allow an outsider win, for example Boasson Hagen or Paolini.
Within the first couple of kilometres, there were lots of breakaways. As a consequence, there were several splittered groups. The front group consisted of William Bonnet (FDJ), Vicente Reynes (OLO), Francesco Ginanni (AND) and Peter Sagan (LIQ), who's still wearing the mountain jersey. Their maximum advantage were around five minutes.
But as all breakaways during this tour, they were caught early before the finish.
Petacchi had a bad daily form, and so had all the other members of the usual sprint train. Therefor, I decided not to build the train myself. Petacchi catched the wheel of FDJ's Gianni Meersman who was leading the only row towards the finish line. Following him were Paolini, Geslin and Breschel.
The sprint started, and normally, Petacchi would be too far at the front. Luckily Goss (golden jersey), Haussler (light blue) and Boonen (in front of them) where far behind as well.
Aiming the last kilometer, Petacchi has crossed Meersman...
... but Breschel was in a better position and eventually passed Petacchi. Paolini finished third.
Again, no victory, but the second podium in a row, and still improving. Petacchi climbed up to 3rd place in the GC, only four seconds behind Goss. This tour could turn out to be a great success for us.
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How do you like it so far? Any comments?
Edited by cunego59 on 15-04-2011 13:23
It's looking very nice so far, I thought that on the first stage the screens were a bit too big (w/o zoom), but that's clearly better on stages 2 and 3. Just also the speed of the story is going a bit too fast imo, but of course that's up to you, it's just that I don't like posts too fast, like getting home and having to read 7 new posts in only one thread =P
Also noticed you didn't color the Lampre riders on stage 3, imo it's much better when it's colored.
Great race for Lampre so far, Petacchi has been getting some good results, hopefully there's still room for a win =)
lluuiiggii wrote:
It's looking very nice so far, I thought that on the first stage the screens were a bit too big (w/o zoom), but that's clearly better on stages 2 and 3. Just also the speed of the story is going a bit too fast imo, but of course that's up to you, it's just that I don't like posts too fast, like getting home and having to read 7 new posts in only one thread =P
Also noticed you didn't color the Lampre riders on stage 3, imo it's much better when it's colored.
Great race for Lampre so far, Petacchi has been getting some good results, hopefully there's still room for a win =)
Thanks for the feedback. I just forgot to color Petacchi, I edited that.
I see your point with the speed. It's just that this is my first story and I wanted to "get a feeling" for the reports. Also, I think that for me, it's better to do the reports right after playing the stage and I really felt like playing these stages this evening
But I think that I will adjust that. Plus, I don't think that I would have the time to do 3 stages every single day.
Looking like a nice story so far,Lampre is interesting team,good luck for your career.
Quality reporting style and i dont have a problem with faster reporting
Thanks hellboy.
------------ 22.01.2011
Tour Down Under: Stage 4
Before tomorrow's Willunga Hill stage, which may allow a breakaway or a smaller group to finish first, this stage is pretty sure to end in a mass sprint. Petacchi has his chance to overtake the leader's jersey.
After Kuschinsky two days ago, another rider shows his national champion jersey in the break today: The Estonian Rein Taaramäe (COF), accompanied by Astana's William Clarke and ??? Mouris (VAC).
But although they got a maximum gap of six minutes, the last escapee Taaramäe was caught with aproximatly 15km to go. Again, it's going to be a sprinter's decision.
Hondo tried to place Petacchi behind the FDJ train, but Cofidis' Samuel Dumoulin used a small gap and got inbetween them. Nevertheless, Petacchi has a nice position...
...while Goss (golden jersey, on the left behind the Katusha riders), Boonen (behind him) and Haussler (behind Boonen, light blue jersey) were rather far back in the pack.
Aproaching the final kilometre, Petacchi has allready passed Hondo, only Chris Sutton and Anthony Geslin in front of him. The Top 3 of the GC were nowhere to be seen.
And he didn't miss that chance. Finally, our first win! And Hondo even made it a 1-2 for Lampre! Dumoulin completed the podium, bringing Petacchi 10 bonus seconds against all other favorites.
What a stage for us! A double victory, bringing us the leader's jersey and Hondo moving up into the Top 10. Boonen and co. struggled the last stages while Petacchi was constantly improving. Great perspectives for the last two stages.
Edited by cunego59 on 15-04-2011 13:23
23.01.2011
Tour Down Under: Stage 5
After four nearly totally flat stages, today, the peloton will pass the Willunga Hill twice. The tour's queen stage, if you will. Those who lose time today won't be able to compete for the overall victory.
Petacchi shouldn't have problems today. The only one placed in the Top 5 who could struggle today is Matthew Goss, who usually isn't what you call a good puncheur.
Today might be the best chance for a breakaway, so lots of riders tried to come clear from the peloton. Eventually, two groups were established. Our own Leonardo Bertagnolli, together with three companions, chased the first group of eight riders.
But in the pack, Garmin, Vacansoseil and Geox set a high pace. Haussler seems to be in a good shape, but what are Geox and Vacansoleil planning? Whatever it was, they put a lot of effort in pulling back the escapees, who were caught on the first ascent to Willunga Hill.
On top of the second climb, Juan Antonio Flecha (SKY) attacked. Following him were GC's 3rd and 8th, Heinrich Haussler (GRM) and Samuel Dumoulin (COF). Considering the strength of this trio, we decided to send Simon Spilak with them.
At the end of the descent, the riders had an advantage of 45 seconds. It looked quite good for them, at least for some: Simon Spilak was unfortunatly struggling.
In the meantime, a huge crash happened in the pack. About 20 riders hit the ground. But neither a Lampre rider nor a victory contender was among them.
Spilak was caught soon but as the sprint started, the three remaining escapees where still in front. There won't be time gaps today, but could one of them maybe save some of his advance to reach a stage victory?
Flecha and Dumoulin soon overtook Haussler, who seems completely exhausted.
Due to all the chaos with the escapees and the crash, Petacchi missed to get himself into a good position. A pack of sprinters was still in front of him...
....while Flecha still managed to maintain a couple of metres of advance. But his teammate Boasson Hagen (on the right) was closing up with an incredible speed.
And indeed, Hagen takes the win. After Lampre yesterday, it's a double for Sky today, as Flecha keeps his second place after an enormous effort.
Luca Paolini (KAT) completes the podium, Petacchi finishes fifth, a nice result considering his bad sprint preparation. Neither Geox nor Vacansoleil were placed in the Top 10, so it didn't become clear why they worked so much in the first half of this stage.
Not the best result for us today, but Petacchi showed his strenght overtaking many riders on the last meters. And at least, he didn't lose time on any of his big rivals. With six seconds ahead, the way seems clear for our first big victory.
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With 12 screenshots, this was the most extensive report so far (compared to 7 the stages before). Was it too long? Or was it adequate, considering that this was the main stage of the race? What do you think?
And on another topic: Are you interested in the minor conti-races that I'll participate in? Next one would e.g. be the Giro della Calabria. At the moment, I planned a general overview with maybe a couple of screenshots and the results, but not a report for every single stage. But if you're interested, I could do that as well.
And could one who's in charge of doing that please erase lee8558's post? That would be great Edited by cunego59 on 15-04-2011 13:24
Great start, I personally like reading reports for everystage but I think I'm part of the minority here on this site. As I also do every stage report on my story. But it's your story so do whatever you feel is best. And the same goes with sreenshots on stages, post as many as it takes to get the picture across, but I would stay under 20 because that is going a little overboard. Anyways hope to see a TdU win for Petacchi.
Some spelling or grammar mistakes will probably be unevitable but that shouldn't spoil the story too much I think.
