Claudio Corti, the man who is going to manage my team.
First training in Italy.
Test on Punta Veleno
Sixteen colombian riders, Sixteen individual dreams joined into a single one: Conquer the European roads. Inspired by climbing...
I made this post to show you my first story in the new PCM 2012. I am from Colombia, and obviously, I have chosen the unique Colombian team in the Pro Continental category.
I hope you enjoy this story.
Edited by canojuancho on 07-07-2012 03:38
I will focus in stages races and Hilly classics. I don't have riders for cobbled classics and at the flat races I will try to get decents results with J.P. Forero.
First stage, JP Forero could follow a good wheel and got a good result, 6° isn't bad.
Stage 2
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Another sprinters day. And another Top Ten for JP Forero.
Stage 3
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A day with a 1st Cat. climb, so, I put E. Chaves into the breakaway, He crossed 1st and got 16 pts. The stage was won by Arroyo. Atapuma finished 6°, another good result.
Stage 4
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Time Trial about 20 kms, it was so hard to do a decent result. I lost the chances to do a good GC.
Stage 5
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Finish in Mirador del Sol, at the finals fifth kms, I tryed to surprise with Atapuma and Duarte, but they couldn't. So, leader Kiryienka won the stage and Duarte arrived 5°
Stage 6
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Day for breakaway, so, E. Chaves got the best points in the 1st Cat. climb and he confirmed the KOM leadership. Stage won by Gatto.
Stage 7
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Last stage, won by Gatto again and another Top Ten by JP Forero. Atapuma finished Top 25 in GC and E.Chaves won the KOM.
First stage, to many strong rivals and JP Forero couldn't keep up the pace.
Stage 2
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Another sprinters day, but this time, JP Forero could follow a good wheel and did the 10° place. Nice result seeing the rivals.
Stage 3
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A hard day, some climbs and strong rivals but Duarte could keep the pace and arrived with the group of favorites and did the 5th place!!
Stage 4
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Something similar to the previous day, a hard profile and Duarte could keep the pace with the favorites, this time he did the 4th place!!! great result!!!
General Classification
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5th in GC, realy good!!!
KOM
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Another KOM classification, L.Laverde got the best points in breakaways
Young Classification
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E.Chaves won another classification.
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It was a hard classic, to many attacks and with a lot of strong riders, Cancellara, Scarponi, Hesjedal, Hoogerland, among other. Duarte and Chalapud arrived with the favorites group. Duarte was 15th.
This race started with a prologue. We couldn't do better. Duarte lost 34 seconds the first day.
Stage 2
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A massive sprint won by Roulston
Stage 3
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An interesting profile. At less than 7 kms to finishing line, Duarte and Atapuma attacked with other riders.
Rui Costa sprinted better than Duarte
And won the stage. He also dressed up with the leader jersey.
Stage 4
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8th place by Duarte in an strange sprint won by Rojas
Stage 5
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Final day, less than 5 kms to the finish. Atapuma attacked also Duarte and Rui Costa followed him
In the final uphill-sprint, Rui Costa and Valverde did it better than Duarte, who arrived 3rd and got some seconds between him and the peloton.
General Classification
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A great podium by Duarte.
KOM
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Another KOM maillot by Laverde.
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Clasica Almeria, it was hard to do something. I put one rider into the breakaway but at 20 kms to finish he was caught. Farrar won and JP Forero couldn't do a better result.
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Strade Bianche, a realy nice race, there weren't strong rivals, so, we had to take advantage of this, only Flecha, Di Luca, Vorganov, Froome, maybe the strong rivals.
At 15 kms to finish, Duarte was in front of the peloton.
At 13 kms to finish, Duarte attacked, and other riders tried to follow .
10 kms to the finishing line, Duarte attacked again.
5kms to the finishing line, Duarte kept at the head of the race, he had a strong pace and the gap was widened.
Last km, Duarte prepared the end of the race. 1'30" the gap between him and the peloton.
And that was all, first victory for my leader in a great race.
Thank you guys!! Well, my first WT race in this PCM 2012, sponsor ask us for Top 10th in GC.
Stage 1
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First stage, a TTT, it was so hard because i didn't have good riders in Time Trial, however, i only lost 1'25" It could have been worse.
Stage 2
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Sprinters day, Boasson Hagen won.
Stage 3
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Another sprinters day, this time J.J Rojas got the victory.
Stage 4
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A hard day, finishing line in Chieti. Duarte felt really good but something weird happened. Nuyens, Cunego, Boom, Valverde and Di Luca attacked at 100 kms to finish , the peloton didn't want to caught them and they vied for victory. Nuyens won.
Duarte arrived 15th at 2'45". Maybe, I should have put in this breakaway, but honestly it was so weird that attack by the favorites to early in the stage.
Stage 5
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Another hard day, with the finishing line localized in Prati di Trivo.
At the final climb, I attacked with Atapuma, but the favorite group, caught him. Duarte lost the wheel of the favorites, but he was gained positions.
Purito Rodriguez attacked, Valverde followed his wheel.
But Katusha's rider won.
And Duarte could arrived with a secondary group formed by Frank and Hesjedal. My rider arrived 7th and Atapuma 10th. Not bad for them.
Stage 6
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Finally a breakaway with my rider arrived. I put Chaves into the breakaway to obtain more KOM points but the peloton allowed the gap and he did the 6th place!!! plus the KOM Jersey, another one to him.
Also, I tryed to attack with Duarte but it was impossible to widen the gap. So he couldn't get into the top 10th.
Stage 7
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Last stage, a short Time Trial. Valverde retained the Jersey leader.
General Classification
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Valverde won Tirreno 2012. Duarte finished 12th.
KOM
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Yes, another KOM Jersey!! this time in a World Tour race
