@ sutty68: As it will show Vinokurov made other plan’s.
6/3-2016 GP Industria & Artigianato 1.1
Larciano - Larciano 183.2 km
It takes almost 60 km of intense fighting, where attacks are reeled back in again and again, before the breakaway of the day is allowed to go. It is Marcel Aregger (IAM) Lorenzo Manzin (FDJ) and Alexey Kurbatov (RusVelo)
When the peloton slows down, they really do slow down, the breakaway gets 5’15 over the next 25 km. Astana decides to shot down the recreational part of the race, setting the pace much higher with Alexey Lutsenko and Daniil Fominykh pulling.
On the descent after the first climb over San Baronto there is a nasty crash, bringing 17 riders down.
In connection with the crash Rafael Valls Ferri from Lotto Soudal was hit by a car, he abandons the race with a broken arm. He will not be racing until the end of April.
Over the last 30 km Astana is setting a very hard pace with almost the entire squad, the plan is to launch Tanel Kangert at the bottom of the final climb, while Jakob Fuglsang waits, watching the reaction from the other favorites.
The break is caught and Kangert attacks.
Kangert’s attack took the peloton by surprise, but soon Movistar takes the lead, trying to catch Kangert. Jacob Fuglsang is watching, estimating when the favorites will react.
Lampre’s Diego Ulissi slips away over the top, in a moment where Fuglsang is not paying attention, anyway it is too late Tanel Kangert takes a solo win in front of Ulissi, Jean-Pierre Drucker (BMC) takes the last podium, winning the bunch sprint.
Evaluation:
Overall: With Astana’s Fuglsang a top favorite, not many was expecting Kangert to win today. Actually it was a bad day for the favorites all sitting in a huge bunch of 81 finishing in the same time.
Astana: A great day for Astana, although Jacob was not exactly thrilled about the decisions made today.
6/3 Stages 1/8 Prologue: Maurepas – Maurepas 6.7 km
The first to take the hotseat for a longer period is Ag2r’s Jesse Sergent with a 8’33 time.
Astana’s Luis León Sánchez has an early start time, he get a 2nd best time 3 sec worse that Sergent, not impressive considering what could be expected from him.
Then it is Alejandro Valverde (Moviestar) also with an early start time, taking over the Hot seat, clocking a 8’24 time.
Next important Astana rider is Michele Scarponi setting an OK time 30 sec. worse than Valverde.
Astana’s Andriy Grivko has a good day with fine legs, he gets a time almost on par with Sánchez, just 13 sec. down on Valverde.
Cannondale’s just 24 years old Patrick Bevin from New Zealand, races like a rocket today, he sets new best time 8’09, 14 sec. better than Valverde.
Astana’s Fabio Aru loses 59 sec. to Bevin, he is not the best ITT rider and out of form in his first race of the season , might be that he will have a tough time, living up to his leader role.
Stage favorites Dumoulin and Cancellara both get disappointing times a little more than 20 sec down on Bevin.
Geraint Thomas even worse, loses 40 sec. an unbelievable bad result from SKY's stage favorite.
Andriy Grivko
Evaluation:
Overall: The rain was pouring down for most of the stage, that might explain why the results was generally rather unexpected.
From being someone nobody would consider a favorite, Bevin has places himself in a position to aim for a podium.
Valverde already a favorite seems now set for victory
Astana: Not the best day for Astana, besides the good race from Andriy Grivko
7/3 Stages 2/8 Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse - Contres 195 km
Without fight from the peloton two riders slips away. It is Arnaud Gérard (Fortuneo) and Leonardo Duque (Delko)
With only 2 riders in front, it makes sense for the sprinters, to fight for the last points in the intermediate sprints. Arnaud Démare takes the first, André Greipel the last.
Soon is it raining very hard, everyone is suffering from cold and wet, the distance between the breakaway and the pack is 5’53 with 100 km left.
The teams won’t let the stage slip away, over the last 60 km they race hard despite the weather and finally catch the breakaway. It is mainly Lotto pulling for André Greipel.
Astana get a train up, with Sánchez – Kamyshev – Guardini moving towards the front, but then right in front of Sánchez a rider turns upside down. The only one from the train to miraculously avoid crashing was Kamyshev.
Many other riders are crashing on the last 10 km, a total of 95 riders will lose 2’21 or more.
With 400m to the line, it seems to be between André Greipel, Caleb Ewan and Elia Viviani. Bouhanni and Démare is 5-6 meters back, Lobato another 2-3 meters.
André Greipel wins the stage with half a wheel length over Caleb Ewan.
Lobato catches Démare for 5th.
Evaluation:
Overall: Pretty much an expected result, only Kristoff performing a bit weak. All the stars finished inside top 10.
In the GC the wet roads was costly, Geraint Thomas and Rui Alberto Costa both lost crucial time on a stage, that on paper should be a breather.
Sander Armée (Lotto Soudal) had to pull out with a fractured hip
Astana: Sánchez and Guardini was not hurt badly, but with the time lost Sánchez is permanently out of the GC. Now it is either Scarponi or Aru
8/3 Stages 3/8 Saint-Aignan - Saint-Amand-Montrond 170.8 km
Astana’s Arman Kamyshev has been appointed to the free role today, but he is not able to get in the early break. Instead it is Txurruka (Orica) Lindeman (Lotto – Jumbo) and Vachon (Fortuneo)
With fine legs Kamyshev is frustrated not the use this rare opportunity, again and again the tries to attack over the next 70 km, but he is never allowed to get any useful gap.
The breakaway get to the climb with about 3 minutes, Amets Txurruka Ansola wins the KoM sprint.
The break is over near the 10 km portal, the teams are setting up their trains.
Closing in on the 1 km mark, Luis León Sánchez deliver Guardini close to the front. Lotto Soudal is leading for André Greipel with Sky’s Elia Viviani close behind.
Viviani sucks Greipel wheel, until he is able to pass on the final meters, it is very close. Viviani wins the stage in front of Greipel, Bouhanni takes the last podium.
Evaluation:
Overall: Viviani winning and taking his 2nd podium is surprising considering the tough competition in this race, must be in brilliant form.
Astana: A top 10 from Guardini is fine, on par with what could be expected.
6/3-2016 GP Industria & Artigianato 1.1
6/3-13/3 2016 Paris – Nice 
