1 Tony Martin (Germany) 0:58:38.80 2 Taylor Phinney (United States Of America) 0:00:05.37 3 Vasil Kiryienka (Belarus) 0:01:44.99 4 Tejay Van Garderen (United States Of America) 0:01:49.37 5 Fredrik Carl Wilhelm Kessiakoff (Sweden) 0:01:50.56
Nice ride by Phinney. Sucks to be so close, but the future is bright for this one. EDIT: I should give Tejay some credit too. Nice work. The U.S. has lots of things to be optimistic about when it comes to the future.
I honestly cannot recall another Belgian team riding such a smart and well-executed race. Even Boonen in 2005 only won in spite of all the gaffes they had made prior. Today they came as close to executing their pre-race tactics as you can possibly hope for.
Speculation for TDF 2013 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ventoux and two ascents of L'Alpe d'Huez
Hate to admit it, but Boonen can take some credit for Phil's win as well. Took control of proceedings when it appeared as if the race might slip out of Belgium's grasp.
Cavendish is leaving Sky for Omega-Pharma Quick Step. http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/oct/18/mark-cavendish-team-sky-omega IIRC, this puts him back with Grabsch and Martin - which is not a bad start to lead-out train. A Grabsch, Martin, Boonen, and Cavendish train at the TDF? Or, is Grabsch too old and Boonen too high profile?
Good move. I think it will be a decent fir. Though, I think people underrate Cav's ability to do things on "his own" I think he did pretty well at the TDF. Boonen will be Mr. Cobbled Classics and Cav will be Mr Green Jersey, and will probably co captain Milan-San Remo...and maybe Gent Wevelgem as well.
I guess the question is whether or not Boonen will help lead Cav out. If Boonen wants to go stage hunting in the Tour (assuming he rides it) I suppose he might not have any problem with being in Cav's train. Even though Cav can win sprints without a leadout, I suspect that he likes to have the leadout because a) it's easier for him to win with one; and b) it feeds his ego.
The 2013 Tour de France route Gap to Alpe d'Huez. 168km. Double ascent of Alpe d'Huez. 2013 Tour De France Route Presented In Paris | Cyclingnews.com Route of the 2013 Tour de France: June 29, stage 1: Porto-Vecchio to Bastia, 212km June 30, stage 2: Bastia to Ajaccio, 154km July 1st, stage 3: Ajaccio to Calvi, 145km July 2nd, stage 4: Nice to Nice, TTT, 25km July 3, stage 5: Cagnes-sur-Mer to Marseille, 219km July 4, stage 6: Aix-en-Provence to Montpellier, 176km July 5, stage 7: Montpellier to Albi, 205km July 6, stage 8: Castres to Ax-3 domaines, 194km July 7, stage 9: Saint-Girons to Bagnères-de-Bigorre, 165km July 8: Rest day in Saint-Nazaire, Loire-Atlantique July 9, stage 10: St-Gildas-des-Bois to Saint-Malo, 193km July 10, stage 11: Avranches to Mont-Saint-Michel, ITT, 33km July 11, stage 12: Fougères to Tours, 218km July 12, stage 13: Tours to Saint-Amand-Montrond, 173km July 13, stage 14: Saint-Pourçain-sur-Sioule to Lyon, 191km July 14, stage 15: Givors to Mont Ventoux, 242km July 15: Rest day in the Vaucluse province (Avignon, Orange) July 16, stage 16: Vaison-la-Romaine to Gap, 168km July 17, stage 17: Embrun to Chorges, ITT, 32km July 18, stage 18: Gap to l’Alpe d’Huez, 168km July 19, stage 19: Bourg d’Oisans to Le Grand Bornand, 204km July 20, stage 20: Annecy to Annecy-Semnoz, 125km July 21, stage 21: Versailles to Paris/Champs-Elysées, 118km
btw: and NO surprise after looking at the route, Wiggins will be targeting the Giro and Froome will be leading out Sky.
Most definitely....but I have not even seen the Giro course yet, so I am not sure if this is just him wagering his bets that his main competition will be focused on the TDF....or banned. Surprised that the same folks that follow the royals around looking for T&A shots of Kate haven't hired a few folks to follow Sky Riders around.
Typically, Giro courses are even more mountainous than Tour courses. I don't think we'll ever see the Tour going up the Zoncolan, Stelvio or Mortirolo. Sadly.
No kidding! ...that's why I was kind of surprised. But that is also why I think he is banking on his main competition being at the TdF, and/or Sky has made a decision that they want Froome to do it. The main thing is, is that I am not even sure I would see Wiggins on the podium with the TDF.
Indeed. And I would not be surprised if Wiggo doesn't do so well at the Giro either, for reasons already discussed. Which makes me happy.
