*** : Chris Froome, Alberto Contador, Alejandro Valverde, Joaquin Rodriguez
** : Tejay Van Garderen, Cadel Evans, Pierre Rolland, Nairo Quintana, Bauke Mollema, Thibaut Pinot
* : Mikel Nieve, Rui Costa, Ryder Hejsedal, Daniel Martin, Andrew Talansky, Igor Anton, Jean-Christophe Peraud, Janez Brajkovic, Jakob Fuglsang, Andy Schleck, Jurgen Van Den Broeuk, Jerome Coppel
RACE REPORT
On the menu today there are a mountain time trial. 32 kilometer and two climbs to be riden. So this should be exciting.
Time to ride!
1. time check:
23'08" (+1'06" - Tom Dumoulin)
2. time check:
47'58" (+30" - Adriano Malori)
Finish line:
59'08" (-3'56" - Adriano Malori)
That's a time! First to be under 1 minute! It will be funny if no one could beat me, but I think the riders who yet have to start will beat me.
1. Movistar Team
2. Omega Pharma-Quickstep
3. Garmin-Sharp
4. Ag2r La Mondiale
5. Sky Pro Cycling
...........
21. Cannondale Pro Cycling
PETER'S COMMENT
It was a day who should quickly be over. Well, now I can relax, because the next few days will be mountain stages, where it looks like Chris Froome will win his second Tour de France. However anything can happen and we, Cannondale, will help Moreno, so he can win a stage - he looks in-form right now! Until next time, bye!
@murao22: Like in real life I hope so!
@Tamijo: Welcome to this story! I hope you enjoy!
Tour de France 2013: Stage 18
FAVORITES
*** : Chris Froome, Alberto Contador, Alejandro Valverde, Joaquin Rodriguez
** : Tejay Van Garderen, Cadel Evans, Pierre Rolland, Nairo Quintana, Bauke Mollema, Thibaut Pinot
* : Mikel Nieve, Rui Costa, Ryder Hejsedal, Daniel Martin, Andrew Talansky, Igor Anton, Jean-Christophe Peraud, Janez Brajkovic, Jakob Fuglsang, Andy Schleck, Jurgen Van Den Broeuk, Jerome Coppel
RACE REPORT
This stage from Gap to Alpe d'Huez is a hard stage. The riders will climb the mythical climb Alpe d'Huez twice this year! My goal for the stage is to score many points at the intermediate sprint and then help Moreno.
120 KM: After many attacks, it looks like the breakaway has been formed. Jan Bakelants (Radioshack) is going solo for glory and polka-dot jersey today!
95,8 KM: We have reached the intermediate sprint! However I am badly placed, I may not get as many points as possible...
95,1 KM: Now I can sprint! And wait a second...what are Kittel and Goss doing?! They are ahead of me, but they do not sprint! Actually they sit up!
94,4 KM: I pass Kittel and get 15 points! Yes!
60 KM: Jakob Fuglsang (Astana) has attacked from the peloton.
41 KM: I will now sit up, like the other sprinters. I hope that Moreno can do well!
12 KM: From my team radio I have heard that Chris Froome, the race leader, has attacked. Why?
7 KM: Now I heard that Moreno has been dropped. I hope not that he has bonked!
5 KM: Jakob Fuglsang wins on Alpe d'Huez!
3 KM: Now the favorites come in after this hard stage.
FINISH: Not the very best day, we had, but at least Moreno did not lose to much time. He might either tomorrow or the day after tomorrow go in breakaway with his form.
1. Movistar Team
2. Omega Pharma-Quickstep
3. Sky Pro Cycling
4. Garmin Sharp
5. AG2R La Mondiale
...........
19. Cannondale Pro Cycling
Most Aggressive Rider Of The Day
Jan Bakelants (Radioshack Leopard)
PETER'S COMMENT
It was a good day. I earned 15 more points to the account and I think that it is almost impossible for Marcel to catch me now. Only accidents can stop it, but hopefully not! The next few days will be more climbing and I will try to hold the 100 points gap to Marcel and also help Moreno. Until next time, bye!
*** : Chris Froome, Alberto Contador, Alejandro Valverde, Joaquin Rodriguez
** : Tejay Van Garderen, Cadel Evans, Pierre Rolland, Nairo Quintana, Bauke Mollema, Thibaut Pinot
* : Mikel Nieve, Rui Costa, Ryder Hejsedal, Daniel Martin, Andrew Talansky, Igor Anton, Jean-Christophe Peraud, Janez Brajkovic, Jakob Fuglsang, Andy Schleck, Jurgen Van Den Broeuk, Jerome Coppel
RACE REPORT
Just another mountain stage. I will once again try to get as many points as possible by only staying in the peloton and then you know what I am doing next!
Start of the stage. I don't know why we should ride 203796 kilometers...
Today my compatriot Peter Velits from Omega Pharma-Quickstep decided to go solo.
..........
74 KM: The sprint in Albertville is a fact! As Velits is 8 minutes ahead of us, we will sprint for second place. And now I start the sprint!!
73,9 KM: But now Marcel Kittel tries to overtake me!
73,4 KM: It looks like Kittel will get 2 points closer to me...
73,3 KM: Yes, I finished third - 15 points more to the account.
40 KM: Enough for today! I am now sitting up with the sprinters.
........
FINISH: Joaquin Rodriguez won the stage after a group sprint including Valverde, Quintana, Pinot, Contador and the race leader Froome.
1. Movistar Team
2. Omega Pharma-Quickstep
3. Garmin Sharp
4. Ag2r La Mondiale
5. Sky Pro Cycling
...........
19. Cannondale Pro Cycling
Most Aggressive Rider Of The Day
Peter Velits (Omega Pharma-Quickstep)
PETER'S COMMENT
Well, it was a normal work day. One mountain stage to go! And after that the famous Champs Elysees stage. I will try to "train" to the stage. Moreno has waited to stage 20 to get his opportunity to win a stage. And I will help him as much as possible. Maybe I will go in break tomorrow. Who knows? Until next time, bye!
@ALL Long time, no see. Can you remember this story? Guess what? I'm back!
Tour de France 2013: Stage 20
FAVORITES
*** : Chris Froome, Alberto Contador, Alejandro Valverde, Joaquin Rodriguez
** : Tejay Van Garderen, Cadel Evans, Pierre Rolland, Nairo Quintana, Bauke Mollema, Thibaut Pinot
* : Mikel Nieve, Rui Costa, Ryder Hejsedal, Daniel Martin, Andrew Talansky, Igor Anton, Jean-Christophe Peraud, Janez Brajkovic, Jakob Fuglsang, Andy Schleck, Jurgen Van Den Broeuk, Jerome Coppel
RACE REPORT
The last mountain stage of this year's Tour de France. I should just defend today (okay, the only thing I should do is not crashing!)
The penultimate stage has begun!
100 KM: So the breakaway of the day has been created; Arthur Vichot (FDJ), Tony Gallopin (Radioshack), Cyril Gautier (Europcar), Moreno Moser (Cannondale), Lars Bak (Lotto), Christophe Riblon (Ag2r), Damiano Cunego (Lampre), David Millar (Garmin) and Rein Taaramae (Cofidis).
Six other riders are in a chase group behind the head of the race: Hubert Dupont (Ag2r), Rohan Dennis (Garmin), John Degenkolb (Argos), Michał Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma) and Romain Bardet (Ag2r). I have heard that Bardet rides a fast pace for Dupont.
......
23 KM: And now it is time for the intermediate sprint! As many of my rivals are dropped, I am the only sprinter in the peloton. As some of the former breakaway have been caught, we can fight for 3 points. Let's fight for 13th position!
11 KM: As Mont Semnoz has started, I sit up!
.......
FINISH: I wheel over the finish line; with that in mind that I have won the green jersey for third time! I am proud to achieve that! Hubert Dupont won the stage after sitting comfortably in the chase group and the breakaway group after both Riblon and Bardet have riden a fast pace up the climb.
Chris Froome will win his second Tour victory after a great performance in the mountains - destroying the field.
Moreno Moser collects a new top 10 position after finishing 7th - the best Cannondale rider in the stage but also in the general classification.
1. Movistar Team
2. Ag2r La Mondiale
3. Garmin Sharp
4. Omega Pharma-Quickstep
5. Sky Pro Cycling
Most Aggressive Rider Of The Day
Damiano Cunego (Lampre)
PETER'S COMMENT
Just an "easy" day with first taking the points and then Moreno getting seventh today. I saved energy to tomorrow - the most prestigious stage a sprinter can win. I will hope that I can get a top 5, maybe a top 3 and maybe something even better? Until next time, bye!
This sprinter from Argos-Shimano has been the sprinter to beat this Tour. The disappointment from last year's Tour and the lack of confidence have since his first stage win in Marseille being replaced by a win after another. And who had thought before the Tour, that John Degenkolb will sacrifice his chances for him? The results say that it was a good idea; Four stage wins to his name and a second place in the points classification. Now the question is..can he win on Champs Elysees?
***
MARK CAVENDISH
After his Giro performance this year, people might set the bar to high for him: He hasn't won any stages yet of the Tour. And if he doesn't win, it will be first time since 2007 that he will come home without stage victories. But Champs Elysees has been a great place for "The Manx Missle", so never rule him out.
***
ANDRÉ GREIPEL
Like Cavendish, Greipel hasn't scored a stage win this year. He hasn't look like the same old Gorilla as we know. But he is a fast finisher. We know what he is capable of...
I won the last stage after an amazing effort by my team. Sep Vanmarcke who has been in a solo breakaway the whole day was only caught by me in the last few meters.
Edited by DiCyc on 27-12-2016 17:47
I hope that Sagan will be able to win at Champs-Elysees 
