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A Tale of Two
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 25-08-2012 15:13
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21381
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
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Paris - Nice - Stage 1
We are mainly here for Jurgen, to get him to beat Wiggins, who is an expert on one-week tours. But I"m also here for a stage win, I know I can do it! I'm fully recovered now and ready for action.
I raced a decent prologue, I think, and ended 20th.
Result
| 1 | Fabian Cancellara | BMC Racing Team | 12'05 | | | 2 | Gustav Larsson | Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | + 6 | | | 3 | Philippe Gilbert | BMC Racing Team | + 12 | | | 4 | Luis León Sánchez | Rabobank Cycling Team | + 14 | | | 5 | Linus Gerdemann | Radioshack Nissan Trek | + 16 | | | 6 | Tony Martin | Omega Pharma-Quick-Step Cycling Team | s.t. | | | 7 | Bradley Wiggins | Sky Pro Cycling | + 18 | | | 8 | Vincenzo Nibali | Liquigas-Cannondale | + 19 | | | 9 | Joost Posthuma | Radioshack Nissan Trek | + 21 | | | 10 | Lars Boom | Rabobank Cycling Team | s.t. | | | 11 | Maxime Monfort | BMC Racing Team | + 22 | | | 12 | Rein Taaramae | Cofidis, Le Crédit en Ligne | + 23 | | | 13 | Geraint Thomas | Sky Pro Cycling | + 24 | | | 14 | Vasil Kiryienka | Movistar Team | s.t. | | | 15 | Tom Boonen | Omega Pharma-Quick-Step Cycling Team | s.t. | | | 16 | Anthony Roux | FDJ-BigMat | + 25 | | | 17 | Jurgen Van den Broeck | Lotto-Belisol | s.t. | IanButler | | 18 | Ian Stannard | Lotto-Belisol | + 26 | IanButler | | 19 | Jonathan Hivert | Saur - Sojasun | s.t. | | | 20 | Stijn Van Gent | Lotto-Belisol | + 27 | IanButler |
See you tomorrow for a very flat stage, time to get into the winning mood! |
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| JuanMotr |
Posted on 25-08-2012 15:18
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not the best start for team but it will sure get better with Stijn going to Paris-Nice and Eric to Tirreno  |
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 25-08-2012 16:06
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21381
Joined: 01-05-2012
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It's bound to get better 
Although the victory in Kuurne- Brussel - Kuurne made up a lot, too! |
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 25-08-2012 16:43
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21381
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
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Paris - Nice - Stage 2
Well, this as flat as they come, so if I want a stage win here, this would be my best shot. The other profiles are much more hilly and less to my liking.
I had a great lead-out train, with Stannard, Bak and Meersman.
But Rabobank showed off their power with an impressively large sprint train.
Rabobank was a bit faster and with 1km left to go, I was in 5th position, I still had a great shot at the win!
But I was unable to accelerate even more and I ended up on a 7th place. Bozic is the winner of the day.
What can I say, it's just not coming this season. I feel real shitty because our team set up a very good lead-out train. However, I still have some progression left in the sprinting area, and I hope I can be the sprinter Greipel was in our team, one day! |
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 25-08-2012 17:15
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21381
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
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Paris - Nice - Stage 3
This might just be too hilly.
And my fear gets confirmed, I drop on the final ascend, no sprint for me...
Valverde takes the win, he's strong!
What a disappointment, again... I don't seem to get it right. I hope my season will be better with the cobbled races and in Poland & Eneco Tour, because this isn't working for me. I'm letting the team down...
Result
| 1 | Alejandro Valverde | Movistar Team | 4h30'51 | | | 2 | Tony Gallopin | Radioshack Nissan Trek | s.t. | | | 3 | Tony Martin | Omega Pharma-Quick-Step Cycling Team | s.t. | | | 4 | Fabian Cancellara | BMC Racing Team | s.t. | | | 5 | Lieuwe Westra | Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | s.t. | | | 6 | José Joaquin Rojas Gil | Movistar Team | s.t. | | | 7 | Linus Gerdemann | Radioshack Nissan Trek | s.t. | | | 8 | Luis León Sánchez | Rabobank Cycling Team | s.t. | | | 9 | Daniele Bennati | Radioshack Nissan Trek | s.t. | | | 10 | Oscar Freire | Movistar Team | s.t. | |
Spoiler | 11 | Michael Albasini | Orica-GreenEDGE | s.t. | | | 12 | Anthony Roux | FDJ-BigMat | s.t. | | | 13 | Julien Simon | Ag2r La Mondiale | s.t. | | | 14 | Yoann Offredo | FDJ-BigMat | s.t. | | | 15 | Vasil Kiryienka | Movistar Team | s.t. | | | 16 | Vincenzo Nibali | Liquigas-Cannondale | s.t. | | | 17 | Andy Schleck | Radioshack Nissan Trek | s.t. | | | 18 | Rein Taaramae | Cofidis, Le Crédit en Ligne | s.t. | | | 19 | Dries Devenyns | Omega Pharma-Quick-Step Cycling Team | s.t. | | | 20 | Giacomo Nizzolo | Radioshack Nissan Trek | s.t. | | | 21 | Jonathan Hivert | Saur - Sojasun | s.t. | | | 22 | Wout Poels | Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | s.t. | | | 23 | Juan Antonio Flecha | Sky Pro Cycling | s.t. | | | 24 | Anthony Geslin | FDJ-BigMat | s.t. | | | 25 | Hubert Dupont | Team Europcar | s.t. | | | 26 | Maxime Monfort | BMC Racing Team | s.t. | | | 27 | Gianni Meersman | Lotto-Belisol | s.t. | IanButler | | 28 | Sandy Casar | FDJ-BigMat | s.t. | | | 29 | Bradley Wiggins | Sky Pro Cycling | s.t. | | | 30 | Assan Bazayev | Astana Pro Team | s.t. | | | 31 | Geraint Thomas | Sky Pro Cycling | s.t. | | | 32 | Peter Velits | Omega Pharma-Quick-Step Cycling Team | s.t. | | | 33 | Johnny Hoogerland | Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | s.t. | | | 34 | Philippe Gilbert | BMC Racing Team | s.t. | | | 35 | Jan Bakelants | Radioshack Nissan Trek | s.t. | | | 36 | Stijn Van Gent | Lotto-Belisol | s.t. | IanButler | | 37 | Nicki Sørensen | Team Saxo Bank | s.t. | | | 38 | Fränk Schleck | Radioshack Nissan Trek | s.t. | | | 39 | Tom Boonen | Omega Pharma-Quick-Step Cycling Team | s.t. | | | 40 | Jurgen Van den Broeck | Lotto-Belisol | s.t. | IanButler |
Tomorrow Tirreno - Adriatico will start, I think Eric has better legs at this moment! |
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| JuanMotr |
Posted on 25-08-2012 17:43
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Don´t worry Stijn your time will come. I can smell it  |
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 25-08-2012 18:28
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21381
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
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You got a weird smell-skill, but I hope your nose is right
Let's just hope he'll be alright for RvV (I noticed his fitness program didn't save last time and I only discovered now that his peak isn't even close to RvV! changed it, hopefully he'll build up form for RvV quick enough) |
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 25-08-2012 18:32
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21381
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
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Paris - Nice - Stage 4
Would this day be any different from last days?
I guess not. The hills are too much for me, again. Gilbert takes the win and the leader's jersey. Van Den Broeck loses 29 seconds, that's too bad.
Result
| 1 | Philippe Gilbert | BMC Racing Team | 4h23'56 | | 2 | Daniele Bennati | Radioshack Nissan Trek | s.t. | | 3 | José Joaquin Rojas Gil | Movistar Team | s.t. | | 4 | Tony Martin | Omega Pharma-Quick-Step Cycling Team | s.t. | | 5 | Alejandro Valverde | Movistar Team | s.t. | | 6 | Tony Gallopin | Radioshack Nissan Trek | s.t. | | 7 | Anthony Geslin | FDJ-BigMat | s.t. | | 8 | Anthony Roux | FDJ-BigMat | s.t. | | 9 | Fabian Cancellara | BMC Racing Team | s.t. | | 10 | Johnny Hoogerland | Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | s.t. |
Spoiler | 11 | Jonathan Hivert | Saur - Sojasun | s.t. | | | 12 | Julien Simon | Ag2r La Mondiale | s.t. | | | 13 | Luis León Sánchez | Rabobank Cycling Team | s.t. | | | 14 | Lieuwe Westra | Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | s.t. | | | 15 | Geraint Thomas | Sky Pro Cycling | s.t. | | | 16 | Lloyd Mondory | Ag2r La Mondiale | s.t. | | | 17 | Oscar Freire | Movistar Team | s.t. | | | 18 | Simon Spilak | Katusha Team | + 29 | | | 19 | Juan Antonio Flecha | Sky Pro Cycling | s.t. | | | 20 | Stijn Van Gent | Lotto-Belisol | s.t. | IanButler | | 21 | Wout Poels | Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | s.t. | | | 22 | Tom Boonen | Omega Pharma-Quick-Step Cycling Team | s.t. | | | 23 | Linus Gerdemann | Radioshack Nissan Trek | s.t. | | | 24 | Giacomo Nizzolo | Radioshack Nissan Trek | s.t. | | | 25 | Sandy Casar | FDJ-BigMat | s.t. | | | 26 | Vincenzo Nibali | Liquigas-Cannondale | s.t. | | | 27 | Fränk Schleck | Radioshack Nissan Trek | s.t. | | | 28 | Jurgen Van den Broeck | Lotto-Belisol | s.t. | IanButler | | 29 | Bradley Wiggins | Sky Pro Cycling | s.t. | |
Hopefully Jurgen can take back some time in the mountains!
As for me, I have one chance left. Paris - Nice itself doesn't do me much (I'm bound to win a stage here one day in my life, hopefully), but I'm getting worried about the upcoming cobbled season.
See you tomorrow. |
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 25-08-2012 18:44
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21381
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
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Tirreno - Adriatico - Stage 1
No disappointing team time trial like 2012, but a hilly stage opens this Tirreno - Adriatico, suits me fine! Will De Gendt dominate this race like he did last year? All I know is I've grown a lot since then, and I'm here for a top 10, maybe top 5 place. And who knows, with the right kind of luck...
Sky was eager to ride, that's the way we know them.
But they push the pace so hard that De Gendt, maybe due to a loss of attention, loses contact with the peloton! He works hard to chase his way back into the pack.
But he doesn't get closer...
Nearing the end, we're chasing a group with Cunego and Quintana in it. I set the pace on the uphill parts.
It was my first day as a leader and I think I did well. I was able to give commands to the team-mates and they listened to me. When I was alone, I set the pace myself. I can see myself leading the entire team one day, but that's too far ahead in the future! Back to the now:
Chavanel attacked, a dangerous rider. I couldn't let him go, so I went with him.
Unfortunately it came back together to a group of about 30 riders. I set myself in Van Avermaet's wheel and sprinted my legs off.
I think I did fairly well and ended up on a 7th place, with Boasson Hagen taking the win.
De Gendt will lose more than 10 minutes today. His Tirreno - Adriatico is as good as over.
Result
| 1 | Edvald Boasson Hagen | Sky Pro Cycling | 4h31'39 | | | 2 | Thomas Voeckler | Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | s.t. | | | 3 | Marco Marcato | Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | s.t. | | | 4 | Sebastian Langeveld | Orica-GreenEDGE | s.t. | | | 5 | Greg Van Avermaet | BMC Racing Team | s.t. | | | 6 | Enrico Gasparotto | Astana Pro Team | s.t. | | | 7 | Eric Lombaerts | Lotto-Belisol | s.t. | IanButler | | 8 | Joaquin Rodriguez | Katusha Team | s.t. | | | 9 | Simone Ponzi | Astana Pro Team | s.t. | | | 10 | Ben Hermans | Radioshack Nissan Trek | s.t. | |
Spoiler | 11 | Sylvain Chavanel | Omega Pharma-Quick-Step Cycling Team | s.t. | | | 12 | Igor Anton | Euskaltel Euskadi | s.t. | | | 13 | Filippo Pozzato | Farnese Vini Selle Italia | s.t. | | | 14 | David López GarcÃa | Movistar Team | s.t. | | | 15 | Fredrik Kessiakoff | Astana Pro Team | s.t. | | | 16 | Francesco Ginanni | Acqua & Sapone | s.t. | | | 17 | Haimar Zubeldia | Radioshack Nissan Trek | s.t. | | | 18 | Stijn Devolder | Radioshack Nissan Trek | s.t. | | | 19 | Diego Ulissi | Lampre-ISD | s.t. | | | 20 | Rui Costa | Movistar Team | s.t. | | | 21 | Valerio Agnoli | Liquigas-Cannondale | s.t. | | | 22 | Bauke Mollema | Rabobank Cycling Team | s.t. | | | 23 | Jonathan Tiernan-Locke | Sky Pro Cycling | s.t. | | | 24 | Damiano Cunego | Lampre-ISD | s.t. | | | 25 | Zdenek Stybar | Omega Pharma-Quick-Step Cycling Team | s.t. | | | 26 | Alexandre Vinokourov | Astana Pro Team | s.t. | | | 27 | Carlos Barredo | Rabobank Cycling Team | s.t. | | | 28 | Nairo Quintana | Movistar Team | s.t. | | | 29 | Carlos Castaño Panadero | Euskaltel Euskadi | s.t. | | | 30 | Gianluca Brambilla | Colnago - CSF Inox | + 2'01 | | | 31 | Domenico Pozzovivo | Colnago - CSF Inox | s.t. | | | 32 | Levi Leipheimer | Omega Pharma-Quick-Step Cycling Team | s.t. | | | 33 | Thor Hushovd | Orica-GreenEDGE | s.t. | | | 34 | Mikhail Ignatiev | Katusha Team | + 3'40 | | | 35 | Jérémy Roy | FDJ-BigMat | s.t. | | | 36 | Alessandro Ballan | BMC Racing Team | s.t. | | | 37 | Juan Jose Oroz | Euskaltel Euskadi | s.t. | | | 38 | Danilo Di Luca | Acqua & Sapone | + 7'53 | | | 39 | Oliver Zaugg | Radioshack Nissan Trek | s.t. | | | 40 | Pablo Lastras | Movistar Team | + 8'50 | | | 41 | Giovanni Visconti | Movistar Team | s.t. | | | 42 | Alexandr Kolobnev | Movistar Team | + 9'23 | | | 43 | Sacha Modolo | Colnago - CSF Inox | s.t. | | | 44 | Romain Feillu | Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | s.t. | | | 45 | Wouter Mol | Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | s.t. | | | 46 | Richie Porte | Sky Pro Cycling | s.t. | | | 47 | Egoitz Garcia Etxegibel | Euskaltel Euskadi | s.t. | | | 48 | Vladimir Karpets | Movistar Team | s.t. | | | 49 | Javier Moreno Bazan | Movistar Team | s.t. | | | 50 | Jakob Fuglsang | Radioshack Nissan Trek | s.t. | | | 51 | Rigoberto Uran | Sky Pro Cycling | s.t. | | | 52 | Jürgen Roelandts | Lotto-Belisol | s.t. | IanButler | | 53 | Thomas De Gendt | Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | + 10'18 | | | 54 | Joost Van Leijen | Lotto-Belisol | s.t. | IanButler |
That means that my competition for the GC is narrowed down to about 28 riders, and not all of them can survive the mountain stage! So it's looking pretty good, I'm thinking top 5 is definitely possible! My legs are greater than ever, and the time trial should be my day to shine! I trained on time trialing a lot over the winter and got much better, so this time trial will be a great test!
Oh, by the way, I'll be wearing the Young Jersey tomorrow, hopefully I'll hang on to it!
See you tomorrow, for the first flat stage.
Edited by Ian Butler on 25-08-2012 18:47
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| JuanMotr |
Posted on 25-08-2012 19:16
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Posts: 679
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Nice start by Eric  |
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 25-08-2012 19:20
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21381
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
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It's a better start than for Stijn 
I think he has a big shot here, looking at the competition. |
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| JuanMotr |
Posted on 25-08-2012 19:23
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what is Stijn peaking for? Early classics and world championship? |
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| FreitasPCM |
Posted on 25-08-2012 19:44
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7784
Joined: 08-09-2009
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Eric riding well in his way to success |
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 25-08-2012 21:35
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21381
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
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@JuanMotr: He isn't riding the worlds, it's too hilly. He doesn't have a 100% peak, instead he has many periods of minor peaks at the cobbled season, the NC, tour of poland and lastly eneco tour. But the profile of the WC changes every season so maybe he'll ride them next year. (Eric peaks for WC, though)
@FreitasPCM: He's certainly off to a great start this season, let's hope he keeps it up
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 25-08-2012 23:15
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 33999
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Results are slowly getting better this season
Eric has had a good start in Tirreno, so lets hope he has a great race |
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 26-08-2012 09:03
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21381
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
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Thanks sutty |
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 26-08-2012 09:56
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21381
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
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Paris - Nice - Stage 6
I came in nearly last in the previous stage, it was a hilly stage. Today was the final "flat" stage.
There's a steep hill near the end of the race, and that could well ruin the sprint.
It did, and I finish 18th. Maybe hills are something to work on during the next winter...
Result
| 1 | José Joaquin Rojas Gil | Movistar Team | 4h27'44 | | | 2 | Philippe Gilbert | BMC Racing Team | s.t. | | | 3 | Daniele Bennati | Radioshack Nissan Trek | s.t. | | | 4 | Anthony Geslin | FDJ-BigMat | s.t. | | | 5 | Jonathan Hivert | Saur - Sojasun | s.t. | | | 6 | Michael Albasini | Orica-GreenEDGE | s.t. | | | 7 | Ben Swift | Sky Pro Cycling | s.t. | | | 8 | Assan Bazayev | Astana Pro Team | s.t. | | | 9 | Jurgen Van den Broeck | Lotto-Belisol | s.t. | IanButler | | 10 | Julien Simon | Ag2r La Mondiale | s.t. | | | 11 | Gianni Meersman | Lotto-Belisol | s.t. | IanButler | | 12 | Lloyd Mondory | Ag2r La Mondiale | s.t. | | | 13 | Lars Ytting Bak | Lotto-Belisol | s.t. | IanButler | | 14 | Geraint Thomas | Sky Pro Cycling | s.t. | | | 15 | Tony Martin | Omega Pharma-Quick-Step Cycling Team | s.t. | | | 16 | Gert Steegmans | Team Saxo Bank | s.t. | | | 17 | Francis De Greef | Lotto-Belisol | s.t. | IanButler | | 18 | Stijn Van Gent | Lotto-Belisol | s.t. | IanButler | | 19 | Lieuwe Westra | Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | s.t. | | | 20 | Björn Leukemans | Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | s.t. |
GC (changed a lot yesterday)
| 1 | Tony Martin | Omega Pharma-Quick-Step Cycling Team | 22h10'23 | | | 2 | Lieuwe Westra | Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | + 37 | | | 3 | Julien Simon | Ag2r La Mondiale | + 39 | | | 4 | Maxime Monfort | BMC Racing Team | + 56 | | | 5 | Philippe Gilbert | BMC Racing Team | + 1'00 | | | 6 | Andy Schleck | Radioshack Nissan Trek | + 1'01 | | | 7 | Bradley Wiggins | Sky Pro Cycling | s.t. | | | 8 | Jurgen Van den Broeck | Lotto-Belisol | + 1'23 | IanButler | | 9 | Peter Velits | Omega Pharma-Quick-Step Cycling Team | s.t. | | | 10 | Anthony Geslin | FDJ-BigMat | + 1'26 |
With only a hilly stage and a mountain time trial left, this Paris - Nice is over for me. It's been the worst experience since I started cycling for me. It's already March and the only creditable result so far is 10th in Kuurne - Brussel - Kuurne. I'm afraid the management will start to think I had a lucky year last season. I hope I can prove/re-invent myself with the coming cobbled races.
Tirreno - Adriatico
Nothing really happened in Tirreno so far, just 2 flat stages. Renshaw wasn't up against Cavendish and Greipel and many other sprinters.
Tomorrow is a hilly stage, so it's time to strike! |
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 26-08-2012 12:27
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 33999
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Looking forward to the first challenge that Tirreno has to offer |
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 26-08-2012 12:56
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21381
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
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Change of Schedule: I'll be riding the Tour of Denmark, followed up by Rotterdam - Antwerpen, instead of Classique de Plouay.
This was decided by the management. It's worse for my UCI Ranking, but I'm happy about the decision, it gives me more race days and more chances at victories! |
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 26-08-2012 13:38
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 33999
Joined: 22-08-2010
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Tour of Denmark sounds a great race to shine in |
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