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Monte Paschi Eroica
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 17-08-2009 16:05
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7 large cobbled sections, lots of hills and a high quality field. All looks set to be a great race in the opening cobbled classic of the management game season
Edited by Roman on 17-10-2016 02:44
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 17-08-2009 16:09
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SIC Radical are setting the early pace as we reach the first cobbles. They're working for team leader Alessandro Ballan.
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 17-08-2009 16:12
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The first to puncture is Lipton's Vadim Ratiy and with 157km to go we have our first attack - Matteo Bono of La Gazetta.
10 riders follow, including Theo Bos, Kam-po Wong, Claerebout, Pavarin, Bernaudeau, and Parra Pinto. They all share 1 thing in common - they are rubbish on cobbles.
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 17-08-2009 16:17
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They are predictably caught quite quickly, as the 2nd and 3rd cobbled sections without much to note - although the first crash of the day is by Jelle Vanendert
With 122km to go we are approaching the steepest climb of the day which involves no cobbles at all. Laurens Ten Dam chooses this moment to attack
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 17-08-2009 16:18
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Ten Dam quickly builds a 2 minute lead and 6km later Sebastien Rosseler is also attacking the peleton
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 17-08-2009 16:19
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With just over 100km to go the next cobbles approach - we have nearly 20km of cobbles ahead, with only a small gap inbetween.
Immediately we see a strong attack of good cobbled riders, led by Pieter Jacobs
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 17-08-2009 16:21
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Jacobs, Drucker, Klier, Verbist, Geslin, Breschel and Boom are all strong riders on the cobbles. Theyve gained a minute and a half on the peleton but remain over 3 minutes behind Ten Dam and 2 minutes behind Rosseler.
Edited by SportingNonsense on 17-08-2009 16:21
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 17-08-2009 16:24
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SIC Radical are still setting the pace but are losing ground on the 7 attackers. They are however making the weak cobbled riders suffer, the peleton is now down to just 51 riders
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 17-08-2009 16:26
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The 7 man chase group is now a 6 man chase group. They remain about 2 minutes ahead of the peleton, but have dropped Lars Boom
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 17-08-2009 16:28
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The 51-man peleton just became 50 as a notable rider has just punctured!
It is last year's winner, Clement Lhotellerie who can say goodbye to any hope of retaining that title.
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 17-08-2009 16:31
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As we exit the cobbles for now the peloton is even further reduced in size - 34 remain
Edited by SportingNonsense on 17-08-2009 16:31
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 17-08-2009 16:32
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Ten Dam still leads, 50km off the front now and still looking good (72km to go)
Edited by SportingNonsense on 17-08-2009 16:35
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 17-08-2009 16:37
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1 minute 30 behind Ten Dam is Rosseler, who has just received the company of 6 others
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 17-08-2009 16:38
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The riders are approaching the penultimate long cobbled section, with SIC Radical and Wikipedia jostling for position at the front
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 17-08-2009 16:39
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And the group of 34 immediately stretches once we are onto the cobbled road
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 17-08-2009 16:40
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It's not the only thing stretching either. The group of 7 chasers are still not gaining ground on Ten Dam, but Klier applies the pressure on one of the steeper climbs and only Verbist can follow
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 17-08-2009 16:41
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While in the pack neither Ballan nor Boonen are afraid of showing themselves right at the front and taking a relay, despite the presence of teammates with them
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 17-08-2009 16:43
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42km to go and just as we start to wonder if the peleton are actually worried about those infront of them, theres an attack on a short descent!
Flecha and Nuyens are away
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 17-08-2009 16:45
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They catch Boom who has been on his own for quite some time but as the Belgian champion dawdles behind the Dutch champion, Flecha leaves them behind and links up with the group of Drucker, Geslin, Peters, Breschel and teammate Rosseler - who passes Flecha a drink
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 17-08-2009 16:49
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Let's not forget about our long time leader Laurens Ten Dam. He is still there!
Klier/Verbist are just out of shot in the top right, with Group Flecha in the top left of shot
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